Families frequently leave their communities of origin, ending up far from relatives and friends. And our population is the most diverse in U.S. history. All over the world, the reality is setting in that we are mutually interdependent members of the global community. Religious groups have an immense responsibility to lead the way in bringing people together in love, cooperation, and support. Remarkably, many of the participants have never met one another before or do not know one another well.
Some folks are quite different from one another.
Very few settings in today's world invite strangers to live 24 hours a day together with the goal of becoming a loving community. These fruits of the Spirit are at the heart of family. The degradation of the earth is a wake-up call to humanity, if we will hear it. Religious leaders and faith communities must partner with scientists to create understanding of the human impact on and responsibility for the earth. Human consumption, waste, and overpopulation threaten the very fabric of existence on this planet.