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We live on planet earth only once. Most of us have different conviction on matters related to faiths, ideologies and philosophies, but it is inevitable that we share many commonalities too. Celebrating them together is a gift of life.
As citizens of a global village, our collaboration towards the betterment and the flourishing of our community is our responsibility. As people of faith or of no-faith, doing good together is an expression of love towards one another.
For people who believe in God, loving God naturally produces the overflowing of love and compassion towards others too. Indeed, all faith traditions teach their adherents, regardless of their gender and age, wonderful shared values including forgiveness, integrity, justice, ethical living, and progressive life transformation that fruit good characters.
But yet, history accounts many world’s most difficult conflicts and wars characterized as religious ones. Deeper studies on these conflicts lead to an understanding that many of them were not merely religious problems, but were inter-played with other factors such as personal gain, politics and power, politicizing of religion, ethnic conflicts, real and perceived bigotry, economic disparity, and migratory patterns.
Mankind is the steward of this beautiful world
For peaceful coexistence, faith leaders need to humbly admit and confess our wrong doings towards others, reconcile over events and actions that hurt and torn us apart, and refocus our initiatives towards building a healthy diversified community while mutually respecting our differences.
In fact, faith traditions could potentially be significant resources for healing broken and bitter relationships, and enhancing human flourishing at all levels: personal, family, community, national and international. They are sources of peace and are not for fanning and fueling conflicts and wars. Faith leaders’ roles are indeed very important, and need greater acknowledgement and empowerment.
You and I, those who believe in God or do not believe in God, need to reflect our lives and ask ourselves on any engagement that we may contribute in loving and caring others, and in our commitment towards this vision. Each one of us has a unique role, and we need each other to make this happen.
I invite you to be a part of this initiative and to be courageous in embracing a spiritual journey that demands exploration beyond primordial structures of symbolic meaning, observance of liturgies and rituals, and beyond dialogue. A collaboration that is based on genuine relationships and trust on the goodness within our own self and of the others.
For your attention and reflection, I immensely thank you.
Warmest Regards,
Blog created on: April 2011. Special thanks to Stephanie Wong for editing some of my papers. And thank you to all contributors whose names are not mentioned on this blog.
Video: The Aurora by Terje Sorgjerd/TSO Photography & Music (2nd Video): Now We are Free by Hans Zimmer (From the Gladiator Soundtrack)
