More than 130 Muslim scholars from around the globe called on Thursday for peace and understanding between Islam and Christianity, saying "the very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake."
In an unprecedented letter to Pope Benedict and other Christian leaders, 138 Muslim scholars said finding common ground between the world's biggest faiths was not simply a matter for polite dialogue between religious leaders.
"If Muslims and Christians are not at peace, the world cannot be at peace. With the terrible weaponry of the modern world; with Muslims and Christians intertwined everywhere as never before, no side can unilaterally win a conflict between more than half of the world's inhabitants," the scholars wrote.
"Our common future is at stake. The very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake," they wrote, adding that Islam and Christianity already agreed that love of God and neighbor were the two most important commandments of their faiths.
What a mature and evolved attitude these amazing people are demonstrating. One cannot help but be touched by this gesture of peace and good will toward a religion that has blamed them for most of the world's ills and supported the killing of thousands of their people in an unprovoked war.
Of course you know what the neo-con response to this will be don't you? "Pussies!"
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What does religion have to do with peace?
ReplyDeleteUsually, not very much.
ReplyDeleteBut if religious leaders were to use the pulpit to REALLY talk about compassion and tolerance and peace, they could make a profound difference in a very short time.
Now if only the Christians will use the same tactics, we may see our way to a better future with less war and more hope.
Religion has everything to do with Peace...sorry, but I have to say something..if people can look into their hearts and what they believe and what their spirit should help guide them to make decisions that lead them to be better people to those around them....but when you have people that CLAIM that they are guided by "GOD" ( aka voices in his head), sadly people do believe and follow this man and think that he is acting in good Faith. And this "Good Faith" led him to bomb a country...
ReplyDeleteNow to parallel this, we have the Buddhist Monks in Burma, they educate all the young and they teach Peace, and Nonviolence, and for many hundreds of years they have indeed been part of a religion that has contributed greatly to Peace in that region of the world....
Ghandi through teachings of non violence led a revolution and based in his religous beliefs and was able to free a Country by teaching Peace.
Martin Luther King also based his teachings on Peace and Non Violence ,rooted in the teachings of Ghandi.
Sadly if and only if the Religous Leaders in this country Stood up and spoke Loudly about WHAT Bush had and has done, that would have a huge impact in helping us and this country to find it's way off the Warmongering Path back to a Path of Peace.....If they had just said " Mr Bush WHO would Jesus bomb for Peace? WHO?"
Thank you for posting on such a difficult issue.
namaste....
I just wanted to aplogize, I came back because I felt like I had been snippy...we all are entitled to our opinions..and I felt like I was saying others were wrong..and that is not what I was saying or trying to say..I just wish that people would listen to their hearts more...when they think...I actually do believe in the seperation of church and state..and we have now seen the drastic effects when Religion is misused....okay again..my apologies ...
ReplyDeleteYou don't need to apologize, your points were valid and added to the discussion.
ReplyDeleteAs you know I am not a religious person, and often treat religion, especially organized western religions with disdain, but that does not mean I am not willing to listen to the opinions of others. As a matter of fact I welcome them.
I do think however that it is the responsibility of believers to insist that their religion adhere to the peaceful messages of their prophets. If Christians REALLY conducted themselves as Jesus wanted them to the world would undoubtedly be a much more peaceful place. The same of course could be said of Buddhists (which I think we ARE seeing in Myanmar), and Muslims (though author Sam Harris would disagree with me).
As always, your input was much appreciated.