An essential element of peace is reconciliation between
religions.
Regrettably, religions have traditionally tended to act as
competitors or even as enemies of one another. But they should be collaborators
working together for the betterment of the world, since all religions agree on
the basic importance of love and justice.
In a world torn by sectarian violence, religious harmony may
seem like one of the most difficult of all goals to achieve. Religious bigotry
is one of the most fervent types of prejudice. Yet religion itself provides the
solution, when the followers of religions delve deep into the spiritual heart
of their beliefs.
The Universal House of Justice wrote of religion:
When it has been
faithful to the spirit and example of the transcendent Figures who gave the
world its great belief systems, it has awakened in whole populations capacities
to love, to forgive, to create, to dare greatly, to overcome prejudice, to
sacrifice for the common good and to discipline the impulses of animal
instinct.
The challenge for the followers of each religion is to show
goodwill beyond the boundaries of their own group, just as they give support to
the members within their group.
In the modern "global village", the call of religion
to "love thy neighbour as thyself" has a wider meaning than ever
before. All the peoples of the world are now virtual neighbours. And in a
literal sense, in many modern cities any one street is likely to have residents
who follow different religions.
A major obstacle that inhibits religious believers from
respecting or even tolerating the followers of other faiths is the idea that
their own particular religion provides the only road to truth. This obstacle is
steadily being overcome as growing numbers of people develop a sense that
behind all forms of spiritual life is a single, limitless reality.
Spiritual reality, like air and sunshine, is readily
available to everyone. All religions encourage their followers to pray, worship
and reflect, and to express the purpose of their lives through service to
others. Although religious believers express their faith in a huge variety of
forms of worship, they all are seeking essentially the same thing — an
encounter with the Divine that will enrich their experience of life.
Another major obstacle to religious harmony is suspicion
towards science and rationality. When religion rejects rational enquiry, it
becomes a breeding ground for superstition rather than progress. Fanaticism
grows in environments where open-minded thought is discouraged.
Yet truth is almost universally regarded by religions as
being one of the very highest values. From this perspective, the rational
investigation of truth is evidently consistent with the deepest religious
impulses. Religion and science are complementary ways of understanding the
universe and our place in it.
If they are faithful to the spirit of love and truthfulness
that is at the core of their beliefs, the followers of all religions are bound
to strive for reconciliation with one another. To a large extent, the future of
the planet depends on it.
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