Religious Tolerance.. A Myth?

August 26, 2006 at 1:32 pm (Arabs & Muslims, Culture, Islam, Peace, Religions)

Is there a religion that tolerates other religions? In a discussion with a chief justice of a Religious Court of Appeals of some Arab country, and after been asked the question, surprisingly, his answer was “NO!”

According to him, there is nothing such a “Religious Tolerance.” For a religion to be “tolerant,” he claims, it should recognize members of other religions as equal in rights and status to its participants; and that’s not possible, because religions exist to acknowledge the righteous of its creed and rituals, and the superiority of its God over others’; and hence promises them of the rewards (i.e. Heavens), and warns others of punishment (i.e. hell).

Sticking to your  “religious Identity,” while being a conservative the same time, automatically leads to non-recognition of the equality of your status with others who have different identities. Thus, a diversified country with one religious law, e.g. Islamic or Jewish Law, can never deal equally with its members! i.e. Saudi Arabia

According to him, being “Too Religious” is like “drinking so much water!” Water is necessary and good, but too much of it would lead to your destruction.. Referring to the religion before doing anything, leaves religious clerks talk religious, political, medical, psychology, etc.. An Example is Politics. Many problems in the Muslim World arise because fundamentals do not recognize that Muhammad, was two in one: a “Religious Messengers,” and “Political Leader,” and that means, his decisions were in two categories: “Religious Acts,” and “Political Acts.” The latter was meant to be practiced and used at that specific time and place, and not universal like the religious ones. Diversified societies cannot depend on political acts declared 1500-3000 years ago, simply because political complexe of the current world is different. The same applies for all Religions. More problematic, we find religious people exchange attacks to prove the other wrong using such “non-religious acts.”

The western world wasn’t able to solve its problems without separating the religion from the state.. Yet still, we see such biasness everywhere in this world, because there is always the part of religious people that tells them, “you are superior.” Finally, I would say, “Intolerance” will not always exist unless we deal with each other using our “HUMAN IDENTITIES.”