Recommendations for Peaceful Co-Existence in a Multi Religious World
There are many religious traditions that dominate the world, including Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism and Muslim to name a few. Most religions are considered "self contained discrete entities" meaning they carry with them "distinctive personalities, events, beliefs, practices and rituals" (Fletcher, Kawanami & Smith 5). Religion may influence many aspects of ones culture, beliefs, values and behaviors within society. As such one must investigate whether world peace is possible in a multi-religious global environment. Is peaceful co-existence even possible in this context? The answer is yes. For peaceful co-existence to occur in a multi faith society the following must happen: (1) people of varying faiths must recognize that traditional interpretations of peaceful co-existence are outdated, (2) governments and individuals must recognize that religion needn't be homogeneous or institutionalized to serve an important purpose for people, (3) members of varying faiths must learn to respect the religious boundaries of one another, (4) religion and politics must be separate and (5) people must agree to disagree regarding certain moral values and beliefs and come to recognize that all religions promote ben
Religious leaders play a vital role toward establishing and maintaining a peaceful co-existence in a multi-faith society. They have a duty to reduce ignorance, fear and misunderstanding and promote reconciliation among members of varying faith (UN Chronicle 21). Religious leaders have the ability to inspire others to engage in public service and benevolent acts regardless of one's faith or religious leanings (UN Chronicle 21). Cleveland (1994) points out that our communities provide us with much valued identities, an important "component of reality" (p. 15). Every person of every faith however is also an individual, and as such makes individual decisions about what is right and what is wrong. Religious leaders have a duty to inspire individuals to make decisions that will not only benefit ones own interests but also those of their global community. International political leaders must also work with religious leaders to formulate inspiring messages to members of varying religions, encouraging them to embrace their differences and accept the cultural and religious diversity that is inherent in a multi-religious global environment. Most religions promote benevolence and humanistic causes to support mankind's existence. It is the role of each member of society, religious leaders and government representatives to remember their humanitarian obligations and respect the differences that exist among one another. Only then will peaceful co-existence be possible. Falk (2002) reaffirms the notion that excluding religion from political life is critical toward establishing peaceful governance in a global society. However to accomplish this the author suggests that governments are challenged with the task of combining the struggles for democracy, the ideals of equity and sustainability "with a vision of human existence that is human centered yet recognizes the relevance of the spiritual sensibilities of major world religions" (p.3). Peace and religion are often subjects that are complex and result in great controversy. Historically religion and politics have often been intertwined. This is evidenced for example by the Iranian Revolution and the rise of Hindu nationalism in India, all tools that included abandonment of certain ideals or traditions to realize economic globalization benefits (Falk 3). Globalization in many countries has often clashed with religious idealisms. The problem however according to Falk (2002) is that people tend to view religion in very polarized ways, as either forms of terrorism or a form of human governance. It is more important for people according to the author to understand the relevance of varying religions and their tendency to be "tolerant toward those who hold other convictions and to be exclusivist" at the same time (Falk 3). Recognition of this may help individuals recognize that all religions, while different, are in many ways the same. Even within the Muslim faith the notion that peace within the universe and will all people is strongly ingrained in the faith. Among the key features of Muslim faith according to many practitioners include the ideals of "kin
Some common words found in the essay are:
Kawanami Smith, UN Chronicle, Iranian Revolution, Conclusions Peaceful, Hence Muslims, peaceful co-existence, Spiritual Leaders, Judaism Muslim, religious leaders, , un chronicle 21, un chronicle, chronicle 21, fletcher kawanami smith, kawanami smith, Fletcher Kawanami, fletcher kawanami, religious idealisms, varying faiths, values beliefs, beliefs values, co-existence multi-religious society, chronicle 21 religious, 21 religious leaders,
Approximate Word count = 2111
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
|