World Peace Through Interfaith Dialogue

Dialogue among monotheistic religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam could be instrumental in addressing effectively current, global moral and political concerns.

Western civilisation seems to be challenged peacefully by oriental ways of thinking and disturbed violently by fanatic extremists. Occasionally, these perpetrators try to cloak their actions under the guise of religion. This can hardly be justified by moderate, scholarly authorities.

Some progress has been achieved in bilateral disputes of Christians with Jews and Christians with Muslims. Catholicism which is inclusive by definition, already has initiated a rapprochement to other faiths within the guidelines of the 1965 Declaration Nostra Aetate (Our Age). A more advanced level of persuasion would attain a non-sectarian, comprehensive arrangement between followers of the Torah, the Gospel and the Q’uran within an interfaith dialogue. This might touch some 2.5 billion believers.

Minister, rabbi and imam are in a good position to draw common denominators and determine main differences, whether in articles of faith or in a way of life derived from these faiths. Fundamentalists would find themselves isolated.

Religious leaders might outstrip media, politicians and military in identifying roots of prejudices, misrepresentations and terrorism. Unreasonable pockets of contention could easier be defused by means of adequate information, education and face-to-face persuasion. Truly, people who learn more about each other would become less motivated for confrontation. This is particularly true about impulsive individuals in the lower age brackets. Further down the track, a clearer understanding would be achieved on specifics of the Sikh, Baha’i and Zoroastrian monotheistic faiths.

DR W.NIEMOTKO MEETING THE POPE OCTOBER 1978

This looks like a daring undertaking and with long-lasting consequences. Bearing in mind the cultural diversity of Australians and the fact that most of them were born overseas, the pattern once mastered and proved correct on a local level, is likely to contribute towards a more or less universal application.

Here follows an exemplary expression of common values which are shared by worshippers of different backgrounds:

You must love your neighbour as yourself Gospel by Mark 12, 30 (Christian)

What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour: that is the entire Torah: the rest is commentary

The Talmud (Jewish)

None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself Hadith (Islamic)

If thine eyes be turned toward mercy, forsake the things that profit thee and cleave unto that which will profit mankind. And if thine eyes be turned toward justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosiest for thyself Kalimat-i-Firdawsiyyih (Baha’I)

That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is not good for its own self

Dadistan-i-Dinit (Zoroastrian)

Do not to others what ye do not wish Done to yourself; and wish for others too What ye desire and long

for yourself – This is the whole of the Dharma The Mahabharata (Hindu)

Since to others, to each one for himself, the self is dear, therefore let him who desires his own advantage not harm another Udana-Varqa (Buddhist).

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