Significance Of Religious Diversity in Cultivating Human Values

By Dr. Javed Akhatar, New Age Islam 16 August 2023 Main Points: 1. Religious environmentalism is a growing academic discipline concerned with managing the human environment and securing a better future for generations to come. The article explores the interpretation of human values within the context of various religions, highlighting their shared foundation across different faiths. 2. Human values are considered crucial in today's world due to the prevailing issues of intolerance, conflicts, violence, and stress. The article examines the cultural context and fundamental aspects related to the search for universal values. 3. The article argues for a return to fundamental human values such as love, justice, compassion, tolerance, and mutual respect, as they are deemed essential for fostering harmony and a sustainable future for humanity. ----- A Profound Flaw in Our Trajectory of Progress And Development The extensively debated global concern centres on the evolution of human values, which serve as a manifestation of a secular moral framework. Presently, religious environmentalism is emerging as a burgeoning academic discipline, addressing the imperative of managing the human environment and safeguarding the well-being of future generations. This discipline gains particular relevance in today's context, characterized by rising intolerance, conflicts, violence, and stress. Upon waking each morning, whether through exposure to televised news, radio broadcasts, or newspaper readings, one confronts a barrage of distressing events, such as tragedies, crimes, wars, violence, and wrongdoing. This incessant stream of negative occurrences underscores the precariousness of individual lives, signalling a lack of safety and security. Remarkably, our contemporary era, dominated by unparalleled scientific and technological advancements, paradoxically experiences a surge in more pressing problems originating from the most advanced societies. This observation suggests a profound flaw in our trajectory of progress and development. Failing to address these issues in a timely manner may entail catastrophic consequences for the future of humanity. Identifying Issues In contemporary times, the world is experiencing a notable diminishment in its perceived size and an escalating interconnectedness due to rapid technological progress, international trade, and heightened transnational interactions. This has resulted in an unprecedented level of mutual dependency among nations and individuals. In contrast to antiquity, where local-level solutions sufficed for relatively minor issues, the current global landscape presents a significant shift in the scale and complexity of problems faced. Among the challenges confronting society today, certain predicaments arise from natural causes and necessitate acceptance, while others are anthropogenic in origin and amenable to rectification. The latter category emanates from clashes of ideologies, acts of inhumanity, self-centeredness, political discord, or religious dissension. It is crucial to acknowledge that religion serves a dual purpose: first, it imparts a sense of sacredness to human existence; second, it imbues life with meaning both in terrestrial and metaphysical contexts. Moreover, religion provides a sense of certainty to adherents, a characteristic shared not only by established faiths like Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam but also by primitive tribal belief systems. Another significant impediment on humanity's journey towards spiritual advancement is the persisting attachment to worldly possessions and a propensity for sensual gratification. When individuals are primarily driven by greed and envy, and engage in petty conflicts over trivial matters, the core human values that unite us as a global family are lost sight of, rendering harmonious coexistence unattainable. Concurrently, the burgeoning global population and the rapid depletion of finite resources, such as the depletion of trees, further underscore the detrimental consequences of shortsighted, self-centered pursuits. The root of many of our predicaments lies in our limited self-identifications based on factors like gender, race, religion, and nationality, obscuring our fundamental identity as integral components of the universal spirit. These narrow identifications often give rise to conflicts on both personal and international levels. At the heart of such conflicts lies an innate and longstanding human inclination towards desire and attachment, wherein transient entities are mistakenly perceived as enduring realities. This desire-driven attachment, in turn, fosters aggression and competitiveness, culminating in belligerent actions. Under the backdrop of modern conditions, these psychological processes have become even more potent and pervasive. Consequently, addressing and mitigating the detrimental effects of these poisons - delusion, greed, and aggression - necessitates urgent attention and deliberate action. This serves as an imperative call to embrace human values such as love, justice, compassion, tolerance, patience, and mutual respect as the foundational pillars guiding our interactions and shaping our collective future. As the current moment symbolizes a critical juncture, it behooves us to embark on a renewed commitment to these virtuous principles in the pursuit of a more harmonious and sustainable global coexistence. Improper Understanding Of Religions One of the foremost and compelling concerns pertains to the flawed comprehension of religions and their associated power dynamics. Religion, being a complex tapestry, encompasses a multitude of faiths and denominations that vary significantly across different regions, families, and individuals. These diverse faiths have coexisted and endured, fostering a wealth of intellectual, cultural, and ritualistic expressions that have mutually enriched one another over time. Indeed, they form the bedrock of the Indian social movement and historical resilience. The British colonial rulers did attempt to sow divisions within this harmonious cultural fabric, but their efforts fell short of completely fracturing it, save for the unfortunate "political partition." Today, the individuals constituting Indian society and culture embody a distinct sense of Indianness, free from any undue political influences or interventions. India's strength lies in its continued diversity, harmony, and commitment to constitutional values of equality, integrity, and fraternity, shared by adherents of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, and other faiths and beliefs. The spirit of empathy and coexistence permeates among them, fostering a spirit of synchronization. Nonetheless, there are instances where social discord occupies an undesirably significant space, jeopardizing even the internationally acclaimed goals of the nation. The collective desire of the Indian populace is to establish an environment characterized by peace, harmony, happiness, fair play, progress, cooperation, equality, dignity, and fraternity. To this end, the appreciation of religious diversity assumes a pivotal role in nurturing these fundamental human values. Maintaining such aspirations necessitates vigilance against the emergence of communalism, jingoism, arrogance, arbitrariness, discrimination, and hatred, which can undermine this spirit of amity. The pressing imperative is to prevent the growth of these negative forces in society and preserve the social fabric. Instead, the focus must be on fostering close associations, deepening mutual understanding, enhancing synchronization, promoting cooperation, and nurturing fellow feeling through reciprocal support. How Would You Like to Be Remembered? About a hundred years ago, a man looked at the morning newspaper and to his surprise and horror, read his name in the obituary column. The newspapers had reported his death by mistake. His first response was shock. Am I here or there? When he regained his composure, his next thought was to find out what people had said about him. The obituary read, ‘Dynamite King Dies’, and, ‘He was the merchant of death’. This man was the inventor of dynamite and when he read the words ‘merchant of death’, he asked himself, ‘Is this now I am going to be remembered?’ He decided that this was not the way he wanted to be remembered. From that day on, he started working towards peace. He, the Dynamite King, was Alfred Nobel and he is remembered today by the great Nobel Prizes. Moral Values, Religion and Its Social Context: Where the vision is one year, cultivate flowers. Where the vision is ten years, cultivate trees. Where the vision is eternity, cultivate people. In a comprehensive perspective, the human experience of happiness and suffering can be categorized into two main facets: the mental and the physical dimensions. From my vantage point, it is the realm of mental suffering and happiness that manifests as particularly profound. Consequently, there arises an emphasis on cultivating the capacity of the mind to cope with adversities and attain enduring states of felicity. ‘To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.’ Being born as a human being is a rare and remarkable occurrence, and it is prudent to make the most of this opportunity by harnessing our inherent human values. To attain global peace, prosperity, and contentment, it is imperative to cultivate a sense of universal brotherhood and responsibility, showing genuine concern for all individuals regardless of their creed, colour, gender, or nationality. The concept of universal responsibility rests on the fundamental recognition that, fundamentally, the desires of others align with our own – a shared pursuit of happiness and an aversion to suffering. Denying this common bond may lead to escalating suffering in our world. Hence, adopting a self-centred approach and exploiting others for personal gains may offer short-term benefits, but it ultimately impedes the attainment of personal happiness and undermines the prospect of global harmony. Modern challenges necessitate collaboration among nations, as one nation's problems can no longer be resolved in isolation. A universal humanitarian approach, founded on love, compassion, and understanding, serves as the most viable foundation for world peace. To foster such compassion, we must diligently cultivate it within ourselves, while simultaneously recognizing our inherent nature and reconnecting with human values that underpin major religions. These human values encompass social and ethical norms transcending cultural and religious boundaries. Though they may differ slightly among religions, they are not mutually contradictory; instead, they complement and supplement one another. For instance, Hinduism emphasizes non-violence, Buddhism advocates compassion, Christianity stresses love, and Islam prioritizes justice, egalitarianism, and the brotherhood of humanity. It becomes evident that these values harmoniously coexist. In this context, Islam emerges as an ethical religion, as its laws and principles derive from a solid moral foundation that aims to ensure fairness, equity, and ethical conduct. By nurturing and upholding these shared values, humanity can collectively strive towards a world characterized by genuine peace and prosperity. The ethical character of the Qur’an is shown by the following passages of the Qur’an, ‘And be good to the parents and to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the neighbor , and the companion in a journey and the wayfarer and the slave-maids in your possession.’ The whole of Qur’an is full of such injunctions. Kindness to parents, kindred, etc., forgiveness to those who err, peity, equity, just dealing, compassion, true nobility, modesty, etc. Someone asked the Prophet, ‘What is religion?’ ‘Good character’ was the reply. Slightly related but deeply rooted concept in Hinduism is Paropkar, it means nothing but helping others without expecting anything in return by them. परोपकारं वहन्ति नद्या , परोपकारं दुहन्ति गाया | परोपकारं फलन्ति वृक्ष, परोपकारं इदं शरीरं || ‘Rivers flow for Paropkar, Cows give milk for Paropkar, Trees bear fruits for Paropkar, similarly this body is also meant for Paropkar’. CHRISTIANITY’s emphasis is on and belief in the equality of all human beings, tolerance, love, and brotherhood. As it teaches ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despise you and persecute you.’ SHIKISHM regards all men as equals is religious. ‘Those who have loved are those that have found God’. BUDHISM ‘Filled your mind with compassion’. The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, forgiveness. JAINISM the principle of ahimsa (nonviolence) is the most fundamental and well-known aspect of Jainism. ‘All breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor driven away.’ Conclusion We must recognize that the different religions, ideologies, and political systems exist to promote human happiness. It stresses the need to prioritize human values above all else and strive for common goals such as love, justice, compassion, tolerance, and world peace. We must highlight the universal applicability of human values and their role in shaping a harmonious society. Tolerance, in particular, is presented as a virtue that can prevent conflicts and foster understanding among individuals. We also emphasize the interconnectedness of humanity and the necessity of compassion, universal brotherhood, and a sense of responsibility to overcome present challenges. To maintain diversity, equality, and harmonious living, meaningful dialogue between people of different backgrounds and aspirations is crucial. Therefore, we must call for religious and political leaders to appreciate this need to prevent inhuman and brutal situations arising from misguided interpretations of religion or other diversities. Religious and political authorities must develop a heightened awareness and discernment, as the pivotal and crucial instances of inhuman and brutal circumstances often stem from misguided individuals who exploit religion and other forms of diversity, perpetuating erroneous narratives. Human values are closely integrated with human life. They are intertwined with our day-to-day chores. No human life is possible without values. Every human being lives by certain values. It is only the proportion and combination of negative and positive values which separates a noble human being from a not so noble human being. The positive values are Honesty, Compassion, Integrity, Forgiveness, Love, Knowledge, Discipline, Faith, and Leadership. The negative values like prejudice, hatred, greed, selfishness, and others need not be discussed here. Religion and environmentalism is an emerging interdisciplinary subfield in the academic disciplines of the sociology of religion, religious studies and theology. Raghuramaraju, A. Existence, Experience And Ethics, D. K. Printworld (P) Ltd., New Delhi, 2000, p. 315. Chander, J. Moral Values: Attitudes and Moods, Literature Department, Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa-Vidyalaya, Delhi, 1975, p. 11. Footnotes: Khera, S. You Can Win, Macmillan Publishers India Ltd., New Delhi, 2009, p. 264. Oriental saying This is a Quote of Theodore Roosevelt. Love must be altruistic it should not be based on attachment because your compassion towards your wife, your husband, your children, or a close friend is usually based on attachment. When your attachment changes, your kindness also changes; it may disappear also. This is not true love. Real love is not based on attachment but on altruism. In this case your compassion will remain continue as a human response to suffering. Raghuramaraju, A. Existence, Experience And Ethics, D. K. Printworld (P) Ltd., New Delhi, 2000, p. 315. Umaruddin, M. The Ethical Philosophy of Al-Ghazazali, Islamic of Islamic Culture, Lahore, Pakistan, 1962, p. 217. Qur’an, IV, 36. Qur’an, XVII, 24XXI, 73. Qur’an, VII, 199. Qur’an, II, 278; IV, 1, 131, VI, 112. Qur’an, V, 8. Qur’an, CVII, 1-3. Cf. Al-Ghazzali, Ihya, Vol. III, p. 43. 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