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--- Begin Message --- Dr. Sherwani's prescient warning (his post # 1855, Nov 4, 2005) about
the explosive potential of the Danish cartoons caricaturing Prophet
Mohammad is now being played out! These cartoons are now being used to
further polarize the Christian and Islamic societies. I am glad to
read in the world press that the EU has become concerned about this
issue and that the OIC (Org of Islamic Countries) wants to debate this
issue at the United Nations.
I also agree with Dr. Sherwani (his post # 1857, Nov 5, 2005) that in
order "to ensure a better and peaceful world...these two major
religions of the world must stop looking at each other with hostility,
but instead learn the lesson of mutual coexistence etc".
I will extend his hopes to emphasize that the two Abrahamic faiths,
viz., Christianity and Islam must also learn to stop looking at other
non-Abrahamic faiths with hostility and not view them as inferior to
theirs. Both Islam and Christianity must stop proselytizing and
exporting their religions to other parts of the developing world if
true world peace is to prevail in this new Millennium.
In fact, in my view, theocratic nations must stop overtly or covertly
supporting missionary campaigns and social welfare projects under the
guise of economic and social welfare of the poor peoples in Asia,
Africa and Latin America. Our own current government's export of
"faith-based" initiatives overseas and the funding of mosque-building
and support of Madrasas in non-Islamic countries by the Islamic
nations in the Middle East are also contributing to inter-faith strife.
Offensive speech of any kind such as the publication of Danish
cartoons or the recent vile remarks by the Russian Orthodox Patriarch
of Moscow against Hindus and their deity Krishna are equally
reprehensible. Surprisingly, I found the muted response to the latter
by the Hindu communities in UK, USA and almost a non-response from the
Hindus in India as interesting. It is perhaps illustrative of the
resilience of Sanatana Dharma, which is conscpicuously absent in both
Islam and Christianity.
I was also surprised that no one in this group raised any concern
about the demonization of the Hindu God (Krishna) by the Russian
Orthodox prelate of Moscow. As an interfaith group, I believe that we
have an obligation to speak out whenever any religion is attacked or
caricatured. It is not enough to raise our concerns only when either
Christianity or Islam is impugned. That is the only way, groups such
as this one can promote interfaith amity and remain credible. An
earlier post of mine probing for "equity" of _expression_ on this site
for all faiths, never appeared on this site. I will be pleasantly
surprised if the Moderator posts this one!
C. Alex Alexander, M.D.
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