The Consensus on Actions
What Religions Teach About Tolerance
© Ben Hughes
Dec 30, 2006
Religions are often blamed for much of the death and damage in our world but few people actually take the time to listen to what is really being said.
As we start a new year, religion is bound to be at the top of the news because it is thought of as the cause of many disagreements and wars – think of what has happened in recent history in places like Northern Ireland, Kosovo and the Middle East. But is it really the religions which are at fault and do they really preach violence?
Islam is probably the first religion which people believe promotes violence, but the word ‘Islam’ actually means ‘peace’ and jihad, an explosive word used by many to explain the violence in Islam is actually about the inner struggle Muslims face between goodness and temptation by the Devil.
So when talking about Islam as a hateful or vengeful religion, we need to be careful whether we are talking about the true meaning of the religion or the fundamentalist version than some people have used to give it a bad name.
And with the war continuing in the Middle East, few would believe the Jewish teaching that “thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18), which is also something Jesus taught and Christians try to live by. In a similar way, Guru Arjan Dev taught Sikhs that everyone should be our friends and so Sikhism is a friendly religion which should also help to reach out to help others around.
Careful study of the different religions shows that they all believe in the same mutual respect and understanding and often just state it using different words. Buddhism says that we should live by the rule to “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." (Udana-Varga 5:18), which Hinduism says is the sum of our duty.
And it isn’t just the religions which teach us to respect each other and the rest of creation. Both Confucianism and Humanism take their roots from Leviticus and they both promote the value and welfare of other individuals before, or at least equal to, ourselves, albeit in a secular manner.
But religion is too often caught up with the idea of supremacy, greed or disharmony. Too many people who don’t take the time to listen to and understand the true message of the religions believe what they hear in the media or think what they want to be true.
So the next time you hear that it is religion which is the cause of a disagreement, think first whether religions promote peace or try to destroy it; and whichever religion is linked to fundamentalism or destruction, consider what that religion really teaches.
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The Consensus on Actions in
Religious Intolerance is owned by
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Comments
Dec 26, 2006 5:15 AM
Ben Hughes
:
What are your New Year's resolutions? Do you agree with them, or are they a waste of time? Are they easy to keep or do you find yourself breaking them after the first day?
Whatever your opinion, let us all know. Are you selfish in your resolutions, or do you make them to help others?
And the maxim that we should treat others well even come into it? What role should religion have considering that we can still treat others well without believing in God? Maybe the knowledge that God is going to reward us is the carrot we need to be nice to other people, but surely we should be nice to them without the promise of something good happening to us.
Feb 23, 2007 12:29 PM
Smorg
:
Hiya,
I tend to really dislike time/date-trickered 'resolutions', actually. It's a by product of having a doctor as a mother and had to hang around the hospital a lot growing up (hang around the cancer ward long enough and one would stop taking tomorrow for granted permanently).
I don't like making resolutions because aside from my work, I'm not a very disciplined person... and I really dislike making a vow or a promise that I probably won't be able to keep (a learned experience... unfortunately). Besides, when I have to force myself to do things my brain tends to disengage... Made a resolution to read all these English and German literatures back in college days and now I only remember a few things from those books. Now I'm reading a few books casually and am retaining the stories much better.
I like your concept of "we should be nice to them without the promise of something good happening to us". That's real 'goodwill' to me!
Feb 24, 2007 7:38 AM
Ben Hughes
:
Hi
Thanks for your post.
What is it like hanging around a cancer ward (a rhetorical question)? I can see how it would help you focus on today rather than tomorrow.
Aren't resolutions about just putting things off. We know that there are things to be done but decide we should have a fixed time for doing them otherwise we ignore them completely?
I agree that life is too short. If there's something to be done, just enjoy life and do it.
Feb 25, 2007 1:13 PM
Smorg
:
{Life is too short. If there's something to be done, just enjoy life and do it.}
That's precisely what I think.. And you said it in just a few words (I'm getting a bit wordy with age, I'm afraid). :o)
{What is it like hanging around a cancer ward?}
To me it does away with the tendency to take time for granted. You see old cancer patients sitting next to some 4 years old kids who won't live to see their 6th birthday.... And then you realize how good you've had it to be able to walk around and go to the toilet without assistance.
I guess many would find hanging in a place like that depressing (it does get depressing if you get stuck in there too long like the interns and residents used to do). To me it makes me appreciate the little things in life more... and makes it harder to complain about minor inconveniences... I feel bad complaining of a dull bout of headache when I can still remember a patient who couldn't even turn herself around in bed and ended up being quite so stiffen in her sleeping position that bed sores developed. Eck! It even changed my view of active euthanasia.... but that's another topic altogether, ay? :o)
Feb 26, 2007 8:39 AM
Ben Hughes
:
Another topic, but a good one for debate.
