Inter-faith harmony and the role of religious leaders

Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera

(A Paper presented at South Asia Inter-faith Harmony Conclave held in New Delhi on 22nd April 2007)

RELIGION: This is a subject that has been of constant interest and perhaps, this interest must have existed from the time religion and society came into being.

When we take up this subject today, it shows that the situation in inter faith harmony is not what we wish it to be, and that it is beset with problems and also that responsible religious leaders should show more concern and vigil in maintaining inter faith harmony.

This is more so in the present world which is influenced by all kinds of conflicts and diverse problems.

Perhaps, it is well-known that the present world is caught up in a fast expanding, wide ranging process of globalization. Instead of talking about the world and different countries, people now tend to talk and write abut the global village.

The whole world is getting unbelievably shrunk, not physically but conceptually, and also getting intricately webbed.

As a consequence of this, even the minutest stir in the furthest corner of this webbed "global village" produces repercussions throughout the web. These consequences are sometimes of catastrophic nature, causing destruction to not only property, but also often snuffing out the lives of many innocent people.

Therefore, it is not surprising to see the responsible world community showing deep interest in harmony, mutual understanding and trust leading to peaceful coexistence.

The concern shown regarding inter faith harmony is the manifestation of one aspect of this multifaceted interest.

However, this particular aspect, that is inter faith harmony, is of great importance, for inter faith disharmony can be extremely volatile and dreadfully destructive.

This is not so only in the case of inter faith, but also in inter faith disharmony and the ongoing senseless, ruthless massacre of innocents in many a regime bear evidence to this, and therefore it need no underscoring.

There is no denying of the fact that all religions and faiths aim at bringing about the welfare of the followers. Religions have been founded to foster this kind of peaceful and harmonious environment congenial to coexistence.

Therefore it appears ironical to find that many catastrophic events in the history of humanity have been caused by conflicts and disharmony.

It is very disheartening to see that, even at present such conflicts are raising their ugly heads bringing about untold misery to devoted followers of certain faiths.

Perhaps, all of us would agree that religion is, if not the most important, at least one of the most vital forces that influence the individuals, societies and nations.

Its influence is seen in the people's thinking, attitude, ways of behaviour, their interpersonal, inter social and international relations etc.

Hence, religions matter much to the people. Religious issues turn out to be personal matters, matters closely related to the heart.

Therefore, religious sentiments tend to be highly personal and emotional. This makes inter faith or even inter faith harmony a very fragile affair. Just a mere slip of the tongue, even an inadvertent lapse in some deed could reduce to smithereens this fragile harmony.

Therefore, when talking of interfaith harmony and the role of religious leaders and trying to smother out any disharmony that exists, it is necessary to act with caution and full awareness of the pitfalls that lay in the process.

Why we talk about this subject today is because we feel that either this harmony has been ruptured or there is a possibility of it getting ruptured and therefore, religious leaders should be alert and take certain remedial steps.

If one were to focus one's attention to the context of Sri Lanka, there is an atmosphere of some anxiety, some feeling of distrust, among different religionists.

Some have expressed this apprehension very openly, and have urged relevant authorities to take certain preventive measures against hidden incursions into other faiths.

The current situation of inter faith harmony in Sri Lanka is such that the religious leaders will have to be alert and sincerely take effective measures.

To achieve success in any such attempts at taking effective measures, the religious leaders will have to face stark facts, assess the situation properly and evolve means and methods of bringing trust, confidence and mutual understanding among followers of different faiths.

It is customary for many to assume that there had been a time when there was total harmony and trust among followers of different faiths. This is only a partial truth. Such misconceptions make us strive to achieve ideal conditions which have never existed.

Even during Buddha's time there have been rivalries, conflicts attempts at misrepresentations, intrigues against Buddha himself and so on.

But unlike in the middle ages when religion was much politicised and religious wars were waged to spread religions, during earlier periods in India, especially during the time of Buddha, there was appreciable harmony and goodwill among adherents of different faiths.

Undoubtedly Buddha was greatly instrumental in creating this kind of harmonious and congenial religious atmosphere.

We have to come to terms with the truth that though religion is a personal matter, religious teachings are not merely meant to be preserved as personal beliefs, but meant to be disseminated or propagated among as many as possible.

All religious founders have strived to propagate their teachings. This is very clearly so with Buddha, for Buddha advised his first sixty liberated disciples to go on different directions, no two taking the same route.

This shows how keen he was in communicating his teachings to a very wide audience. All religious leaders did this though some followed means and methods which are not quite laudable.

It is this dissemination of teaching leading to conversion that is the main cause of disruption of inter faith harmony. Propagation of religious teachings is inevitable.

In a multi faith society the dissemination of the teachings of different faiths have to vie with each other to win over converts.

So they adopt different methods and means for the effective propagation of their teachings. Some even resort to use questionable methods, insidious ruses, unethical means to win over converts.

This is where the problem really lies. The problem is not in converting people of other faiths, but in the unethical, questionable, blatantly unacceptable methods and means that are used.

It is quite well-known that religious institutions that promote certain faiths employing paid workers to promote their faiths and win over converts with total disregard to methods and means they adopt to convert.

Exploitation of poverty is the commonest means such religious workers use. They work as salesmen of faiths, using religious teachings as a salable commodity, making false propaganda, giving undue and misleading publicity to the faiths they have undertaken to promote, surreptitiously condemning other faiths.

I am sure all of us are aware of such happenings. There is no need to cite examples, instances and provide evidence for such happenings have been brought to light and given enough publicity. Pin pointing offenders will merely lead to debate, disputes and verbal squabbles, diverting attention away from the main issue.

There is no need to go into details about the obvious. It is because of the prevalence of such highly deplorable behaviour on the part of promoters of certain faiths that we are forced to talk on this subject in this forum.

It is here that the foresighted, enlightened religious leadership could and should intervene and take necessary steps to prevent any further rupturing of the inter faith harmony. No one can demand for the banning of conversions.

Acceptance of a faith of one's conversion is a universally accepted basic right. Buddha very openly upheld this right. Though he worked hard to propagate his teaching, he never ever tried to impose it on others. His was an open invitation to all those who were willing to see, inquire and accept if convince as acceptable.

He never hurried through the process of conviction. The well-known incident recorded in the Upali Sutta of Majjimanikaya very clearly shows the truly transparent approach Buddha adopted in disseminating his teaching.

The Jain faith follower Upali came to meet Buddha with the intention of winning over Buddha to his side. But after listening to Buddha, Upali himself got converted and he opted to become a disciple of Buddha through conviction.

When Upali expressed his desire to become a disciple, Buddha warned him not to be in a hurry saying "investigate thoroughly for it is good for such well-known people like you to investigate thoroughly."

Upali was so taken aback by Buddha's attitude, he said "venerable sir, I am even more satisfied and pleased with the Fortunate One for telling me that.

For the other sectarians, in acquiring me as their disciple would carry a banner all over Nalanda, announcing the householder Upali has come to discipleship under us. But the Fortunate One tells me to investigate further."

What is wrong in this sort of conversion brought about through conviction after investigation? This conversion is effected through persuasion and not through offering any inducement, use of many unethical means. If conversion is effected in this transparent manner can anyone be faulted for doing so?

The crux of the whole problem is not in making conversions, but in the deplorable, unethical way in which it is done. It is this unethical and insidious manner in which some people effect conversion that has caused anxiety and apprehension.

It is the duty of the religious leaders to come out openly and utterly expose and condemn the surreptitious methods adopted by some in winning over converts and rupturing the naturally fragile inter faith harmony.

Therefore, it is the paramount duty of all religious leaders to initiate dialogues on matters relating to conversion and reach some acceptable consensus on this matter.

All religious leaders should be ready to accept religious pluralism, but in the same vein they should reject religious fundamentalism which has become a bane.

It is clearly seen that Buddha shunned religious fundamentalism, for he openly rejected the claim that "this alone is true, rest is false" (idameva saccam mogham annan). Buddhism never claim exclusive right for truthfulness. It accepts the basic right of all religious teachings of one's free choice.

Therefore all religious leaders should, for the good of the adherents of all faiths, agree upon a common set of ethics, a code of behaviour that should be followed with regard to matters related to conversion.

This undoubtedly is the surest way of establishing inter faith harmony and building an atmosphere of congenial to peaceful coexistence of peoples of all faiths.

source: http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/04/30/fea01.asp