Religious Co existence and Respect for Diversity

                                       Religious Co-existence and Respect for Diversity(written in the aftermath of Florida massacre)

The topic given above  is an ideal that we all wish for-barring a minuscular and fanatic section of humanity.  The tragic events of recent times- as recent as the Florida massacre last week- sadly affirm that religious co-existence and respect for diversity continue being only an ideal with no possibility of becoming a reality. Acceptance of diversity and ceding space to all religions to coexist seem to be an idea, a conception that lacks practicality and the possibility of realization. The ideal becoming a reality seems to be a distant, if not an unachievable possibility. Let us take comfort and derive strength from Aristotle’s aphorism: “Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities.

 Probable impossibilities are things that can really seem highly unlikely to happen, but they are not completely outside of the realm of possibilities. These are events that when they do occur the response is usually something stunningly unbelievable-something one would not have expected to happen in a million years.  What it means is these are events highly improbable but are not completely impossible. Peace and harmony among all religions is difficult even to dream but when it happens, it will be a noteworthy and extraordinary happening.  In contrast, improbable possibilities are events that are of small importance and even if they occur despite being improbable their effects will be inconsequential. A short spell of cease fire by two warring nations is temporary if there is no mental and emotional leap to go with it.

Probable impossibilities in the context of today’s discussion consist of eradication of differences between different religions and faiths and upholding the values of equality and liberty. This is probably impossible today but possibly achievable in the future if we recognize the essential role of religion in our lives. Religion binds men and women as much as it sunders them. It has the power to unite and the power to divide. The innumerable religious groups all over the world testify to the fact that religion is something of an overwhelming importance to men and women. Global survey finds 63% of world population religious while only 11% are convinced atheists with the rest neither one nor the other. Even for the atheists and the group outside religious believers, God is the point of contention. But the conflict has never been between these groups of believers, atheists and agnostics, but only between believers subscribing to different faiths and  religions. For this vast majority, it is a strong belief in a superpower that controls its destiny. Pascal’s famous statement sums up the human urge to accept or deny the existence of God. Pascal said: “if you believe in God and He turns out to exist, then you have made a good decision. However if He does not exist and still you believe in Him, you have not lost anything. But if you don’t believe in Him, and He does exist, then you are in trouble.”

Common to all religions is the belief and reverence for a supernatural power regarded as creating the universe and the practice of sacred or ritual observances enjoined by each religion that has a built-in moral code of conduct and behavior. When a set of beliefs, values and practices is organized into a system of doctrine and gets institutionalized, it claims to the status of religion. The truth is there is only one religion and there are a hundred versions of it. But all religions aspire to the Infinity even if their ways and practices differ. The Infinity  is represented either as Sagun-one with Form as evidenced in the temple worship of the Hindus or in the worship of Virgin Mary and Jesus on the Cross by the catholic Christians or by the worship of Allah as the all powerful creator of a perfect, ordered universe or the worship of Yahweh by the Jews or the worship of  the holy book of  Guru Granth Sahib by the Sikhs or by the varied worships by people of different religions of God in an abstract or Nirgun form. Worship of a power that is Infinite, Absolute, Indivisible and Incomparable is the core principle of all religions. The religious practices differ in line with the culture and civilization of people belonging to different parts of the world. As stated earlier we, finite human beings have the urge to connect with the Infinite which in essence is a humble acceptance of our smallness vis-à-vis the might of the Superpower that remains unrecognized.

We have to find new ways to make probable impossibility of achieving peace, a probable possibility. It was a serendipitous discovery for me when I came across this quote from Robert Brault:  “Sometimes in a relationship, we fail to put two and two together because we want so much to keep one and one together… Who among us does not choose to be a little less right to be a little less lonely?” This quote is most relevant to the whole of humanity and more so to us in India where we all claim to be more right than all others and others as less right, if not wholly wrong. This manic holding to what one views as right has divided humanity into irreconcilable groups and also within those groups into splinter groups and ginger groups throwing the world out of kilter.  There is no such thing as absolute right and absolute wrong about any religious practice because all religions attempt to seek divinity and the grace of God.  There are differences in the approach to religion, but they should not compete with each other for dominance. The wars of yesteryears have only proved that nations subscribing to distinct religious beliefs fight to gain ascendancy at different times  thereby perpetuating and escalating the conflict between two perceived notions of right and wrong.  Rarely has the world witnessed a reconciliation of the two points of view especially in matters related to religious differences. The truth is there is only one God ; He has many names and He subscribes to all of them. He is All for one, One for all.

India and Pakistan have witnessed three wars after the 1947 genocide during the partition Even though the people of the two nations share many things in common in terms of food, dress, language, cricket and hockey, they follow different religions. The conflict is not just about Kashmir but extended to religious fundamentalism on both sides. It is naïve to say that we, Indians are morally, ethically and militarily righteous while all the blame is on Pakistan for the escalation of tension between the two nations. Pakistan’s claims to similar righteousness are also twisted and distorted. Both the nations, thanks to the intransigent leaderships, are living in a time warp, unable to move from the past era to the present era. It is worth remembering many of the older generation of Hindus and Muslims belonging to the era of partition have been subjected to inhuman suffering on both sides of the border. Those sufferings cannot be and should not be forgotten as they serve as grisly and shocking reminders of inhumanity. With memories of Nazi holocaust kept alive and lessons learnt thereof, the unification of Germany should serve as an example for humanity to come together. The great words of President Weizsacker, the first President of United Germany: “All of us (Germans), whether guilty or not, whether old or young, must accept the past. We are all affected by the past and liable for it. The young and old generations must and can help each other to understand why it is vital to keep alive the memories. It is not a case of coming to terms with the past. That is not possible. It cannot be subsequently modified or undone. However, anyone who closes his eyes to the past is blind to the present. Whoever refuses to remember the inhumanity of their past, is prone to new risks of infection.”

Is this a utopian solution? No, it is a pragmatic solution putting all the ugliness of the past behind. It is time for mankind to move forward. It is time not to press Past Forward, but press Present Forward. What does this involve? Let us recall Robert Brault who asks, “Who among us does not choose to be a little less right to be a little less lonely?” It is simple mathematics; Co existence for me  is less of my right+ more of your right while coexistence for you is less of your right+ more of my right.

Let me conclude with two wise sayings one by Sri Satya Sai Baba and the other from the Bhagavad Gita which are seminal to arrive at religious co-existence..

Sri Sai Baba says: “ Nations are many, but Earth is one; Beings are many, but Breath is one;  Stars are many, but sky is one; Oceans are many, but water is one; Religions are many, but God is one; Jewels are many, but gold is one; Appearances are many, but Reality is one”

The Bhagavd Gita says:

 ye yathā māḿ prapadyante
tāḿs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

Whosoever worships me through whatsoever path, I verily accept and bless them in that way. Men everywhere follow my path.

 It is time for all of us to begin a new revolution for peace and harmoyn, for religious coexistence and  respect for diversity. It is not enough to keep these thoughts confined within  a sanitized atmosphere f a Conference or a  Round Table Discussion. The revolution has to spread. Schools and colleges should teach the students the beauty and wisdom in each religion, to show respect for all religions and enable them to understand the oneness among diversity.  The problem is people all over the world have abdicated their rationality, rights and  humane  responsibility to a small section of political and religious leaders who are fanatics and fundamentalists for selfish interests. If people all over the world come together and retake their thinking rights and responsibility through rational, humane and peaceful revolution, the  probable impossibility of religious co-existence and respect for diversity will become a reality. Let us not despair as all is not lost with the world, the stars shine still.