Here is a link to the transcript of Naomi Wolf’s speech at the Institute for Progressive Christianity. I find her ideas progressive indeed and particularly like the concept of reducing our religion down to universal agreements. She calls them universal ethics.
Here is a pullout of that portion of the speech.
What are these? First kindness: in Islam, Rachman. In Judaism, the related word, Rachamim. In Buddhism, non-harming. In Christianity, lovingkindness.
Second: Justice: in Judaism, Yahweh tells us we will be his people so long as we treat the widow and orphan, the slave and sojourner in our midst, justly. Christian ideals of justice fired the abolition movement and the civil rights movement. The Koran’s lengthy codes of justice ask believers to treat others fairly in business, social and community life, and to protect the vulnerable. The Bhagavad Gita is an epic based on the spiritual need for justice.
Third, truth-telling: in Judaism, we are asked to avoid `lashon hara’ – the evil tongue. Islam has a similar prohibition against harmful gossip and deceit. Buddhism speaks of `right speech’; Christianity notes that your speech reveals the state of your inner life and cannot be whitewashed.
Fourth, peacemaking – the Hebrew Bible calls us to be `healers of the breach’, Buddhist Thick Nat Hanh writes of his practice as `being peace’ and Jesus said that blessed were the peacemakers, Islam actually means simply `peace.’
Fifth: Generosity or philanthropy; Christians are called to tithe as are Muslims; Jewish tithing practices are revealed in stories like the one my parents named me for, the story of Ruth and Naomi: Ruth was sent to pick up the grain that was left on purpose in the field for widows and orphans. Buddhist monks carry a bowl because all Buddhists know that feeding a monk or nun generates merit.
Six is the notion that whoever they are, all people are equal in dignity and value in God’s eyes and that God asks us to see one another the same way: this is Buddha Nature in Buddhism; in Judaism we are understood to carry a `clipah’ of the divine spark; Christians speak of the imago dei. Hindus speak of atman, the notion that all beings participate equally in union with god.
Seven is the notion that what goes around comes around – in the Hebrew bible if you sow the wind you reap the whirlwind; Christians are asked to cast their bread on waters, Buddhists and Hindus believe in karma in which what you send out comes back to you.
So we all believe these seven ethical precepts – it is that simple.
Please follow the link to the whole speech though.