INTERFAITH DIALOGUE: Why do we fail?
The root of our problem lies in the theology, whereas most of us would rather not discuss the theology while having dialogue (at least in my country, Indonesia - this is the case).
1. If someone has to be true to the contents of Hindu Bhagavatam and produce a movie based on them, especially the 10th canto of the scripture - it would definitely be rated XXXXXXXX, hard porn.
2. There are verses in the Muslim Al-Qur'an, which openly tells you to kill those identified as infidels. And, enmity against the Jews and Christians are sanctioned.
3. The Old Testament God of Christian Bible suffers from attention deficit disorder.
Similarly, in the Buddhist, Zarathustrian, and ALL OTHER SCRIPTURES - there are verses/chapters which, in my opinion MUST BE DISCUSSED.
We have to keep our heads cool and see whether they are universal, contextual, still relevant, or not.
If such issues are not discussed, and we do not come to some kind of general agreement - i am afraid we shall continue having dialogues with no, or a very little result.
There has to be a MINIMUM AGENDA agreed upon by the practitioners of all religions, and all religious institutions.
Just a thought, please forgive me, and forget this note if it offends you.
I seek your blessings - ever......
Tags: Buddhism, Christianity, Hindu, Interfaith dialogue, Islam, Religion
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on -
Please read my latest blog post as well:
The HYPOCRISY of US and Indonesia's SO-CALLED MODERATES AND INTERFAITH SAVANTS! Peoples of America, and Indonesia - Pls wake up!
Thanks, lv n blsgs
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Permalink Reply by kathryn julyan on -
Much gratitude to you Anand for beginning this important discussion. I like the idea of setting a "minimum agenda." To me, It simply seems impossible for us to engage each other with true appreciation and respect if we allow for interpretations of sacred texts that incite harm or prejudice toward others. Peace to all.
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Permalink Reply by David Linton on -
I am in agreement. It is very easy to claim interfaith dialogue while we gloss over the easy and general commonalities, but neglect the profound differences. The theology needs to be discussed, because that is what informs our actions. This will be a lot longer and more difficult discussion to hold.
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Permalink Reply by Brigid Walsh on -
Dear Anand,
In any such discussions it would be good to agree upon a viewpoint or a methodology.
I don't believe that all discussions are helpful. Within my own Christian tradition, I find the number of scholars trawling over the Christian scriptures in theological colleges to be in inverse proportion to their helpfulness. To get a theology degree, one must be able to do biblical exegesis from the original Greek etc. How I would love to have fewer scholars of high calibre - time and teaching might be more productive especially when one considers that the graduates churned out with a basic knowledge of biblical exegesis frequently have no knowledge of the social sciences which might help them understand the communities they find themselves in and help them to understand the people they meet every day.
Over the years, I have become more interested in narrative and narrative theology and - because I am educated and practised in the social sciences - I take a community viewpoint to the scriptures. I find this viewpoint helpful when I get into the Old Testament much of which is considered irrelevant by so many people. I treat each book of the Scriptures respectfully, believing they have come to us over the millennia because they have been of value to faith communities who have treasured them and passed them on. However, I recognise too the difficulties. Some may have continued to exist because they have the support of the dominant power structures of the time. There may have been another story which has not survived. But even so, much is said about faith, its impact, its development and so books considered irrelevant can be seen to be of great value and we might find new ways in which they speak to us to-day.
Blessings and bliss
Brigid
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on
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Kathryn, David - thanks for your comments.
Brigid - this is exactly what we need, new understanding, new interpretations, new meanings - alas, this is only possible when you live in the free western society.
Try to reinterpret the religious text in this part of the world, and all the institutions and their heads join hands to persecute you.
But, we do not give up... we continue our struggle here, in Indonesia - alas, this used to be much freer than any western country. We had our version of human rights earlier than the UN. We acknowledged the rights oif the indigenous, before the USA did. In just 4-50 years today we are steps behind.... Please pray for us...
Love n blessings always
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Permalink Reply by Brigid Walsh on
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I will pray Anand. Is it not possible to explain to those who would only go a certain way to explain that we might want to go in the way of community narrative - not to override but to provide new insights into both the communities in whom the sacred texts were formed and how these texts might take on new life in modern communities? Is that sort of thinking, respectfully done, not free to occur? In relation to my own tradition, I think of how the ancient story of the Exodus from Egypt gave new hope and impetus to oppressed communities in modern times and in turn it became a basic text for Liberation Theology? Similarly, women have found much hope in many texts that have not been laid open to them my male preachers and teachers but re-discovered for themselves. Simply because women - through childbirth and family nurturing - develop their own sets of experiences in which to find the Divine.
Blessings and bliss
Brigid
Anand Krishna said:Kathryn, David - thanks for your comments.
Brigid - this is exactly what we need, new understanding, new interpretations, new meanings - alas, this is only possible when you live in the free western society.
Try to reinterpret the religious text in this part of the world, and all the institutions and their heads join hands to persecute you.
But, we do not give up... we continue our struggle here, in Indonesia - alas, this used to be much freer than any western country. We had our version of human rights earlier than the UN. We acknowledged the rights oif the indigenous, before the USA did. In just 4-50 years today we are steps behind.... Please pray for us...
Love n blessings always
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Permalink Reply by Graeme Sharrock on -
To Anand and Brigid
Inter-religious conflict belies so many things.... lack of liberal education, social power of religious authorities, ignorance of media, etc. I appreciate the leadership you and others are taking in keeping the conversation going with compassion as well as critique.
In the Parliament Media group, I will soon be soliciting names of books, films, PDFs, seminars, that might be helpful. Please contribute to the list writings/films/websites that you have learned from so we can better educate our faith communities.
love, joy, peace
Graeme Sharrock
Parliament Media Group
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on
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Thanks Brother Graeme, sill surely do. Love n blsgs
PS: By the way, i remember you mentioning about pictures and/or video footage of our group.. Just wondering if you have made them available.. Thanks
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Permalink Reply by Sam Starbuck on -
I enjoyed reading your post. I think that the problem you speak of is very real. Also I believe it is compounded by a view that divinely inspired text are seen as the infallible word of god, and therefore not subject to error.
It seems as long as this inflexibility exists that open and meaningful dialogue about which passages need to be discussed in the way you mentioned will not happen. At least within certain groups. What are your thought on how to approach discussion with this type of fundamentalism?
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Permalink Reply by Graeme Sharrock on
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Hi Anand...
Re your photos
In December I put about 1,100 photos at the PWR flickr account flickr.com/parliamentofreligions
If you don't find the ones of yourself and group, please let me know.
109 videos were sent to an editor and only a few have been uploaded so far. More to come.
Love, peace, joy
Graeme Sharrock
Parliament Media Group
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on
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@Sam, Thanks Sam... well, i shall be very honest with you - i have not made much progress. They are simply closed. They would not open up.
Yes, there have been few who came on their own - with whatever intention - but we could initiate dialogue with them.
THere has to be some opening, they have to open up on their own - no matter how small is such opening - then, and only then some kind of dialogue is possible.
That's for now... Love
Sam Starbuck said:I enjoyed reading your post. I think that the problem you speak of is very real. Also I believe it is compounded by a view that divinely inspired text are seen as the infallible word of god, and therefore not subject to error.
It seems as long as this inflexibility exists that open and meaningful dialogue about which passages need to be discussed in the way you mentioned will not happen. At least within certain groups. What are your thought on how to approach discussion with this type of fundamentalism?
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on
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Thanks Graeme, i shall check on them .... love
Graeme Sharrock said:Hi Anand...
Re your photos
In December I put about 1,100 photos at the PWR flickr account flickr.com/parliamentofreligions
If you don't find the ones of yourself and group, please let me know.
109 videos were sent to an editor and only a few have been uploaded so far. More to come.
Love, peace, joy
Graeme Sharrock
Parliament Media Group
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