"God created heaven and earth, but they lacked the ability to understand the happiness of their existence. Then God made creatures who could understand the happiness of their existence, and who could create a single body from all of its thinking parts. All people are members of this one body: in order to be happy, they should live in harmony with the will that governs its life. We should live in harmony with this great soul and love it more than we love ourselves."
Blaise Pascal
On a daily basis today we're all being given living examples of these truths realized by Pascal in the *17th century.
Nothing brought this fact home more than a headline on Dec. 8. It was announced then that an additional group of 17 individuals and families signed a pledge that they would give up the majority of their wealth to help others...not when they died, but NOW.**
How is it that these individuals are able to do this? Is it that when you reach a certain critical mass of wealth you can no longer feel the joy of getting more, unless you let others in?
I truly believe that when our individual Souls reach a point of its own beingness, it has to reach out to other Souls in order to feel its true worth: yes, this is the concept of ONENESS.
According to Spiritual Laws That Govern Humanity and The Universe:
"There is an inherent mystery in life—an inner urge, an attraction to move toward the light. This mysterious component of life is innate in all life forms. It is an urge to seek illumination or to manifest the Creator’s beautiful light. This urge is responsible for the interplay of human relationships and experiences. It is responsible for evolution’s forward movement and progress toward the greater light."
Leo Tolstoy:
"We manifest in love our understanding of the unity of our being with others, and in so doing we make our life greater. The more we love, the wider, larger and more joyful our life becomes."
Could it be something at the core of their being?
Of that, I have absolutely no doubt.
With each succeeding generation, in each new century, we see ourselves moving inexorably towards this light and this greatness, first manifested by the Christ Spirit in the body of Jesus of Nazareth (5 BC/BCE – c. 30 AD/CE.)
Twenty years ago, very few, if any, of us could imagine waking up to this type of headline:
"Seventeen More U.S. Families Take Giving Pledge
Additional Billionaires Pledge Majority of Wealth to Philanthropy"
But this was the title of the Dec. 8, 2010 press release. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, the youngest at age 26, was among those creating a stir for giving away the majority of his wealth. Here's what he said:
“People wait until late in their career to give back. But why wait when there is so much to be done? With a generation of younger folks who have thrived on the success of their companies, there is a big opportunity for many of us to give back earlier in our lifetime and see the impact of our philanthropic efforts,”
said Mark Zuckerberg
The full list of 17 families, by state, is below:
California
Michael and Lori Milken
Dustin Moskovitz
Mark Zuckerberg
Illinois
Joe and Rika Mansueto
New York
Nicolas Berggruen
Ted Forstmann
Carl Icahn
Sidney Kimmel
Tom and Cindy Secunda
Charles Zegar and Merryl Snow Zegar
New Jersey
Lee and Toby Cooperman
Duncan and Nancy MacMillan
Oklahoma
David and Barbara Green
South Dakota
Denny Sanford
Texas
Lyda Hill
George P. Mitchell
Virigina
Jean and Steve Case
Some, probably without even knowing or caring that there may be "Spiritual Laws That Govern Humanity and the Universe," give these reasons for giving:
Nicolas Berggruen: "Everyone is dealt a group of cards at birth. With them come possibilities and responsibilities. What one does with them is up to each one of us, and the sum of those choices, constitute our lives. I have been blessed with the chance to build the Nicolas Berggruen Charitable Trust."
Steve and Jean Case: "We share the view that those to whom much is given, much is expected. We realize we have been given a unique platform and opportunity, and we are committed to doing the best we can with it...We also look forward to working with the dozens of others who have made the Giving Pledge commitment to share lessons, perspectives and best practices."
Lee and Toby Cooperman:
"[We] feel it is our moral imperative to give others the opportunity to pursue the American Dream by sharing our financial success...In the 1930’s, Sir Winston Churchill observed that 'We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.'...It is in this spirit that we enthusiastically agree to take the Giving Pledge."
David and Barbara Green:
"Like my parents and their parents before them, you don’t have to be wealthy to give. You can give your time, your talents and your passion. We congratulate those who have taken on this wonderful pledge."
Lyda Hill: "I wish to make the world a better place by advancing solutions to medical and environmental issues through investments in and donations to science."
Carl Icahn: "Until Bill, Melinda and Warren started this project, I never considered going public with my intentions. However, I certainly see the value of a project that encourages wealthy individuals to step forward and commit to use their wealth for the common good. I hope that by adding my voice with those who are supporting this project, we will all encourage others to participate."
Sidney Kimmel: "My thinking is rather simple: I learned as a young boy that sharing with others is the right thing to do, a lesson I observed from my father’s willingness to share even our meager means with those less fortunate. Ever since, it has never been difficult for me to continue to do the right thing."
Duncan and Nancy MacMillan: "We very much believe that the accumulation of wealth gets us nowhere. Money has the most value when it’s used for others and the greater good, for sustaining and enriching our world. In our minds, foundational areas like education and health are the most critical."
George P. Mitchell: "Throughout my life I’ve seen firsthand how even a little financial assistance could mean a chance for struggling students, dedicated scientists, and families to reach their goals."
***F. Robert De Lamennais said these words in the 19th century:
"Mankind moves ceaselessly toward perfection, not of every person's accord, but through the efforts that some particualr individuals make toward their personal perfection. The kingdom of God will be created by these individual efforts."
We'd made progress then.
****Margaret Mead said these words in the 20th century:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Warren Buffett, in his role as co-founder and chairman of the Giving Pledge, said these words on Dec. 8, 2010:
"I’m delighted to welcome these 17 families into the Giving Pledge community. In just a few short months we’ve made good progress. The Giving Pledge has re-energized people thinking about philanthropy and doing things in philanthropy and I look forward to many more conversations with families who are truly fortunate, and whose generosity can and will change lives."
Just 10 years into the 21st century, we have made leaps!
Last year, around this time, I'd featured Warren Buffett as St. Nicholas. He totally deserved that honor. Not only in terms of his tithes, but this is a man who gives of his talents and his time. (See Dec. 20, 2009 post by keying in "Warren Buffett" into the search field of this blog.)
Now, a year later, we are celebrating so many others who have decided to give of their tithes and talents.
Let us celebrate the many St. Nicholases among us. Whether Jew or Gentile, these people each reflect the "Christ Spirit" they have shared with the world.
Most especially, this Christmas, I invite you to look around and among your friends and family members and think of the many St. Nicholases who brighten your life and lighten your load...day by day!
Merry Christmas, St. Nicholases...May God Bless You ALL:
Ho...Ho...Ho!
Namaste',
Che'
NOTE: A full list of those taking the pledge and personal letters by many of these pledgers outlining their commitment to give is available online at http://www.givingpledge.org.
*Blaise Pascal: June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662), was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher.
**"The Giving Pledge is an effort to help address society’s most pressing problems by inviting the wealthiest American families and individuals to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes. The pledge is a moral commitment to give, not a legal contract, and it does not involve pooling money or supporting a particular set of causes or organizations. While it is specifically focused on billionaires or those who would be billionaires if not for their giving, the idea takes its inspiration from other efforts that encourage and recognize givers of all financial means and backgrounds." Press Release
***Hugues Felicité Robert de Lamennais, also known as Frédéric de La Mennais (June 19, 1782 - February 27, 1854),was a French priest, and philosophical and political writer.
****Margaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist and became very well known as a feature writer and speaker in the mass media throughout the 1960s and
1970s.
No comments:
Post a Comment