The Global Issues Institute (GII) is a project of the International Association of Educators for World Peace and the Association of World Citizens. These are recognized NGOs with ties to the United Nations. The mission of the GII is to facilitate discussions on topics promoting universal human rights and world peace and prosperity.
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Global Issues Institute
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
NGO, Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
One of the main differences between humans and animals lies here. Humans are imbued with both intelligence and instinct, while animals are adorned merely with refined instincts. In fact, if we were to study the life of humans over the centuries and the millennia we notice that humans kept on progressing steadfastly from time to time. This was due to their unique intelligence, which enables them to progress indefinitely.
Enriched Human Intelligence
Until a few centuries ago, humans travelled either on foot, on horseback or on carts driven by horses, donkeys or other types of animals. Today, we may travel not only by trains and busses but also by private cars and airplanes. On the other hand, a study of the lives of various animals shows that animals do not tend to progress. For example, the monkeys of today behave same identical way as the monkeys of hundreds and even thousands of years ago.
NGO, Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
One of the main differences between humans and animals lies here. Humans are imbued with both intelligence and instinct, while animals are adorned merely with refined instincts. In fact, if we were to study the life of humans over the centuries and the millennia we notice that humans kept on progressing steadfastly from time to time. This was due to their unique intelligence, which enables them to progress indefinitely.
Enriched Human Intelligence
Until a few centuries ago, humans travelled either on foot, on horseback or on carts driven by horses, donkeys or other types of animals. Today, we may travel not only by trains and busses but also by private cars and airplanes. On the other hand, a study of the lives of various animals shows that animals do not tend to progress. For example, the monkeys of today behave same identical way as the monkeys of hundreds and even thousands of years ago.
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The New Webster Dictionary of the English Language describes sin as moral depravity, iniquity, wickedness, offence, and voluntary departure from divine law or command. The same dictionary describes transgression as the breaking or violation of any law. The one involved with such violation is called transgressor, which means an offender or an evildoer. Since sin is generally associated with the divine law, it is viewed as a source of moral aggression.
Divine Law in Perspective
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The New Webster Dictionary of the English Language describes sin as moral depravity, iniquity, wickedness, offence, and voluntary departure from divine law or command. The same dictionary describes transgression as the breaking or violation of any law. The one involved with such violation is called transgressor, which means an offender or an evildoer. Since sin is generally associated with the divine law, it is viewed as a source of moral aggression.
Divine Law in Perspective
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Although historians are not fully sure as to the exact year Prophet Mohammad was born, there seems to be a general consensus that he was born on April 20, 570 and died on June 8, 632 when he was 56 years old. This was not an ordinary man by all means. He was deeply spiritual and often communicated with God, like a good son communicates with a beloved father. Initially, he was a shepherd and later became a merchant. He spent each Ramadan fasting and praying outside Mecca, in a cave on Mount Hira.
Initiation of the Qur’an
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Although historians are not fully sure as to the exact year Prophet Mohammad was born, there seems to be a general consensus that he was born on April 20, 570 and died on June 8, 632 when he was 56 years old. This was not an ordinary man by all means. He was deeply spiritual and often communicated with God, like a good son communicates with a beloved father. Initially, he was a shepherd and later became a merchant. He spent each Ramadan fasting and praying outside Mecca, in a cave on Mount Hira.
Initiation of the Qur’an
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
During the seventy year period of communist control in Russia (1917-87), religious persecution always stemmed from the government. Some of the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church even cooperated with the government by submitting names to the police of people who went to church to pray and to participate in religious services. By the process of time, many Russians who suspected this kind of spying, ceased going to church any longer to the extent that all Russian churches became virtually empty.
Communist Collapse and Spiritual Revival
During the seventy year period of communist control in Russia (1917-87), religious persecution always stemmed from the government. Some of the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church even cooperated with the government by submitting names to the police of people who went to church to pray and to participate in religious services. By the process of time, many Russians who suspected this kind of spying, ceased going to church any longer to the extent that all Russian churches became virtually empty.
Communist Collapse and Spiritual Revival
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The Romans had a proverb which said: Si vis pacem para pacem, si vis bellum para bellum – If you want peace prepare for peace, if you want war prepare for war. US President Richard Nixon, followed by few other presidents afterwards, reversed this Roman dictum by saying: Si vis pacem, para bellum – If you want peace prepare for war, which has proven to be fully fallacious throughout the 6,000 years of recorded history. Developing strategies for peace is easier said than done.
Four Aspects of Human Behavior
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The Romans had a proverb which said: Si vis pacem para pacem, si vis bellum para bellum – If you want peace prepare for peace, if you want war prepare for war. US President Richard Nixon, followed by few other presidents afterwards, reversed this Roman dictum by saying: Si vis pacem, para bellum – If you want peace prepare for war, which has proven to be fully fallacious throughout the 6,000 years of recorded history. Developing strategies for peace is easier said than done.
Four Aspects of Human Behavior
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
One of the best religious experiences that one can possibly have is through participation in the liturgical function of the Orthodox Mother of God Church Derjevnaya in Russia. It is commonly known by its adherents as the Mother of God Church. This providential and inspirational Church fuses the best of traditional orthodoxy with some of the most meaningful liturgical events in the Roman Catholic Church.
Weekly Spiritual Celebration
Its weekly spiritual celebration injects in participants plenty of energy, dynamism, and enthusiasm, coupled with such virtues as faith, hope, humility, love and dedication to one’s neighbors. In addition to these spiritual benefits, this weekly spiritual celebration enhances great and genuine devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In both the Orthodox and Catholic churches, this spiritual event is known as the celebration of the Mass.
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
One of the best religious experiences that one can possibly have is through participation in the liturgical function of the Orthodox Mother of God Church Derjevnaya in Russia. It is commonly known by its adherents as the Mother of God Church. This providential and inspirational Church fuses the best of traditional orthodoxy with some of the most meaningful liturgical events in the Roman Catholic Church.
Weekly Spiritual Celebration
Its weekly spiritual celebration injects in participants plenty of energy, dynamism, and enthusiasm, coupled with such virtues as faith, hope, humility, love and dedication to one’s neighbors. In addition to these spiritual benefits, this weekly spiritual celebration enhances great and genuine devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In both the Orthodox and Catholic churches, this spiritual event is known as the celebration of the Mass.
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Since the collapse of the communist system, Russia has emerged to become a spiritually oriented nation which has put a special focus on the Virgin Mary. In one of her apparitions to the six children of Medjugorje during the decade of the eighties, the Blessed Mother stated that the east is moving closer to God while the west is distancing itself from Him. All those religious and spiritual organizations that functioned underground during the communist era began to come out into the open to practice visibly and courageously their spirituality.
Church of the Catacombs
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Since the collapse of the communist system, Russia has emerged to become a spiritually oriented nation which has put a special focus on the Virgin Mary. In one of her apparitions to the six children of Medjugorje during the decade of the eighties, the Blessed Mother stated that the east is moving closer to God while the west is distancing itself from Him. All those religious and spiritual organizations that functioned underground during the communist era began to come out into the open to practice visibly and courageously their spirituality.
Church of the Catacombs
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
One of the greatest problems that the American people seem to have at times lies with their apparent inability to select the best of all possible presidential candidates. This does not stem from the fact that they are incapable of making a good judgment. On the contrary, the American people as a whole do know very well what they want in their nation’s president. However, as the time for elections approaches, the American people tend to become heavily influenced by the news media, which are mostly controlled by big corporations.
Manipulation by US Big Corporations
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
One of the greatest problems that the American people seem to have at times lies with their apparent inability to select the best of all possible presidential candidates. This does not stem from the fact that they are incapable of making a good judgment. On the contrary, the American people as a whole do know very well what they want in their nation’s president. However, as the time for elections approaches, the American people tend to become heavily influenced by the news media, which are mostly controlled by big corporations.
Manipulation by US Big Corporations
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Since George W. Bush assumed the US presidency in January 2001, numerous articles and books were written that were mostly critical of his foreign policies. Some of the leading American journals referred to Bush’s foreign policy as the cowboy diplomacy. He replaced diplomacy, where healthy dialogues might have served to solve numerous problems, with military action which brought back to our earthly society the rule of the jungle. This is based on the dictum: “Do it my own way or I simply proceed to devastate you.”
Actions Louder than Words
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Since George W. Bush assumed the US presidency in January 2001, numerous articles and books were written that were mostly critical of his foreign policies. Some of the leading American journals referred to Bush’s foreign policy as the cowboy diplomacy. He replaced diplomacy, where healthy dialogues might have served to solve numerous problems, with military action which brought back to our earthly society the rule of the jungle. This is based on the dictum: “Do it my own way or I simply proceed to devastate you.”
Actions Louder than Words
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The New Webster Dictionary of the English Language describes criminality as a gross violation of laws that are either human or divine. It also alludes to crime as a great and atrocious wickedness. Those that commit crimes are dubbed as villains. Criminals are viewed as wicked people who have emerged to become very dangerous to society. Most of them are prosecuted and put in prison or given adequate punishments of some kind.
Meaning of War
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The New Webster Dictionary of the English Language describes criminality as a gross violation of laws that are either human or divine. It also alludes to crime as a great and atrocious wickedness. Those that commit crimes are dubbed as villains. Criminals are viewed as wicked people who have emerged to become very dangerous to society. Most of them are prosecuted and put in prison or given adequate punishments of some kind.
Meaning of War