Interfaith dialogues needed: Religious leaders
Published on: Sunday, December 14, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR: Religious leaders want more interfaith dialogue to promote understanding and mutual respect among Muslims and non-Muslims, in the face of worsening race relations.They believe such sessions would help identify common ground as well as differences, and to temper rising temperatures. It would also be an avenue for moderates to take the lead instead of remaining silent.While religion is a very passionate and sensitive subject, the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Julian Leow said interfaith dialogues were wonderful platforms to understand the motives and values of other faiths and to resolve important issues.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said it is critical such dialogues be approached with an open and generous spirit, and that all points of view are taken seriously."Understanding different cultures and each other's beliefs is important, and that is why inter-religious dialogues are so important for our country."If I know each other's sensitivities, I can be careful of how I project and profess my faith. It does not mean I stop professing my faith, but it means I understand and be sensitive to the feelings of others," he said at an interfaith panel discussion held in conjunction with Human Rights Week.
ADVERTISEMENT
His comments followed an open letter by 25 prominent Malays who asked for a rational dialogue on the position of Islam in a constitutional democracy amid worsening race and religious relations in Malaysia (the letter appears in the Comments abd Analysis section today).Sathya Sai Baba central council of Malaysia president Professor Dr Suresh Kumar Govind said people of different faiths and creeds needed to come together to address issues affecting the country.
ADVERTISEMENT
"We cannot sit in isolation, we must come together. The moderate voice must be louder than the extremists."The voice of moderates must become loud and clear, and work and live with consciousness and conscience, bringing diverse people together to work for a common cause to eliminate the ills of society," he said. He said those who practise religion must have a sincere application and understanding of their own respective religious teachings."If you understand, you would not be insecure. Insecurity comes from artificial or superficial understanding of your own religion," he pointed out.Indonesian Muslim scholar Ayang Utriza Yakin said Islam supports religious tolerance and pluralism and this should be promoted at interfaith dialogues."Interfaith dialogues are very important in multi-racial societies and should be used to build respect," he said.In citing an example of the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, which saw conflict between Muslims and Christians between 1999 and 2002 resulting in thousands being killed and the displacing of millions of people, Ayang said both communities are today a prime example of religious tolerance and respect.He said when a church was being built, the Muslim community there joined hands with their Christian brethren to help, and even the placing of the cross on the church was done by a Muslim.Similarly, when a mosque is being built, the Christians there helped out and Islam's symbol, the crescent moon, is placed on the mosque by a Christian as well, he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
