December 2007
Bells: Instruments of Significance, Connection and Love, Growth and Contribution
Posted by Doug on December 28, 2007
Significance: Bells are instruments of significance because a community, a religion, a church, an organization, a nation is marked by their special bells, bell towers and collections of bells past and present. ( Liberty Bell, Czar Kolokol, Bok Carillon and Gardens, World Peace Bells, Japanese Peace Bells, Bell of Kyoto, Big Bell of Burma… Big Ben…..etc)
Ringing Out Peace Around The Globe This Christmas Day!
Posted by Doug on December 25, 2007
This day bells joyously peal and wonderfully ring out across the earth “peace to men of good will.” Luke 2:14
We still observe to this day with solemn festivity the Ringing of Bells, Singing of Hymns on High celebrating the stable birth of a baby boy, Jesus Christ, who in 33 years and over 2000 years ago marked and changed the course of history.
Henry W. Longfellow touching words of his first stanza, wrote during the civil war, come to mind
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
If we want to move toward a culture of peace and nonviolence, we will have to open our eyes, see with new vision, and recognize every human being as our very own sister and brother. This vision of peace is the center of the world’s religions and a spirituality of peace and nonviolence.
Sunrise magazine, December 2001/January 2002
The way of peace is the way of love. Love is the greatest power on earth. It conquers all things.
Peace Pilgrim
So let the bells continue to ring as if everyday was Christmas, every day was a day of “peace on earth good will toward all!”
What is a Billion People for Peace….??
Posted by Doug on December 17, 2007
Is Ringing-in World Unity and Peace during The Millennium all but forgotten?
Posted by Doug on December 16, 2007
What noble and Nobel thoughts were celebrated when a major part of the world rang in the millennium.
We need to continue the work each day and not forget “Symposium 2000″ and the words that rang out by Nobel Peace Laureate Albert Schweitzer, “Bells (should continue & always be) Ringing for World Peace Through Reverence for Life”.
The Ringing-in of the New Millennium is now almost 8 years past. At that time the world community in Unity came together in celebration and we all could witness the day unfold from New Zealand to Hawaii as bells rang and special activities and ceremonies began. From the new “World Peace Bell” erected in New Port, Kentucky we learned, “Ringing for World Peace, Through Reverence for Life”.
All of us joined Billion Bells for Peace to help keep the idea of Peace alive, encourage others to ring bells as reminders of that vision of a world at peace. Is it possible? Maybe, maybe not, but sitting around and doing nothing is a guarantee that nothing will happen. As members of the world community, we owe it to ourselves, our families, each other, and the children of the world. Don’t pass on it. Pass it on!
CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE HAVE 250% INCREASE IN CHALLENGES ?
Posted by Doug on December 16, 2007
Newt Gingrich has pointed out the children of today will have more challenges in the next 20 years than we had in the past 50. We all live in rapidly changing and uncertain times and each of us must do what we can to establish peace and bring about the abolishment of nuclear weapons. We must work to bring an end to neighborhood violence and to precarious environmental and global economic conditions.
We are all busy people. We all work hard. But what does it all mean in the face of a deteriorating planet? Would you sit idly by as your house deteriorated? I think not. Well, you and I live here. We depend on the air and water and food. Way before everything was outsourced, we depended on each other, around the country and around the world. We still do. Even more.
There are more than a thousand organizations and institutions in over 120 countries who continue to campaign for peace. Are you a member of any of them? Let us continue to ring the bell for Peace and Freedom! Let us all make an effort to “make a difference”.
Can Bells Change Babel?
Posted by Doug on December 15, 2007
The Universality of Bells is unquestionable and therefore they can contribute to World Unity. Of all the “sound” instruments on this planet bells are certainly the most universal witnessed by the fact that they are not only one of the oldest instruments of sound but are also part of all world cultures.
They have been used in multitudinous ways from mundane daily life to marking momentous occasions, from the memorable trinket to daily mystical, mysterious and musical experiences. Most important of all bells are icons and instruments of freedom, liberty and peace. In most households bells are used in marking time, giving signals (phone, door, microwave bells) or as keepsake souvenirs . However is the following organizations bells are the focal point, the center piece of activity : Bell Makers (Foundries), Town Criers, Change Ringers, Carillonneurs, Hand Bell Ringers and professional Bell Collectors(ABA LTD).
So can this commonality around the world be the basis for cooperation, collaboration and a drive to increase World Unity?
SOUNDS IMITATED, NEVER DUPLICATED!
Posted by Doug on December 15, 2007
Living in the 21st century we all would like to think that the glorious sounds of these instruments are being replaced by electronic non-acoustic sounds but most of us know from experience the significant overtones of bell sounds like those sounds of Stradivarius Violins, Bosendorfer Grand Pianos, and vintage Martin guitars can never be synthesized or duplicated.
World organizations mark the fact that bells are virtually part of almost every human endeavor from announcing news to challenging physical, oral fun, from music making as one in a bell tower above or traveling wagon on the ground to a musical choir or community of ringers with a religious or civic purpose. Finally as professional collectors the various dimensions of this singing body is codified and documented both to its shape and substance and its human value and past historic purpose or present function.
Town Criers, Change Ringers, Carillonneurs, Hand Bell Ringers (AGEHR) and Professional Bell Collectors ABA LTD. as organizations all underscore the fact that bells are a most significant instrument and icon of humanity.
So, “stay tuned.” In the following weeks and months we will briefly describe the history of the above groups, their purpose and activities and possibly show how they can collectively collaborate in become a world wide instrument for peace
In times of War….. In times of Peace
Posted by Doug on December 13, 2007
In times of War Bells Are Melted Down to make Cannons.
In times of Peace Cannons are Melted Down to make Bells.
(CORBIN, ALAIN; DIE SPRACHE DER GLOCKEN. FRANKFURT 1995, P. 28
(GLOCKEN IN GESCHICHTE UND GEGENWART BD. 1; PUBLISHED BY BERATUNGSAUSSCHUSS FÜR DAS DEUTSCHE GLOCKENWESEN. KARLSRUHE 1986, P. 17)
Posted by Doug on December 10, 2007
Purpose and Thesis of Billion Bells For Peace
Posted by Doug on December 10, 2007
Ring Bells Daily! Realizing PEACE BEGINS WITHIN *Ring Bells MONTHLY! Realizing WE ARE ALL CONNECTED
Let there be peace On Earth and Let it Begin with me! …..Make me a channel of Your Peace
Launched on Dec 10th the 59th anniversary of…
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world…
* Metaphorical ringing: When the alarm clock, door bell, phone, microwave etc…rings take a brief moment 5 sec to think of peace within…
