2008/08/10
Positive start to religious dialogue
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MORE dialogue is necessary to increase understanding and resolve the problems between Muslims and non-Muslims.
Sabariah Abdullah, head of the Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs, (ACCIN) said in a text message an SMS that the meeting says the event was fruitful though solutions were not found to all problems
Datuk A. Vaithilingam, head of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism, says the event was a breakthrough
This is the conclusion formed by religious leaders who attended the two-day special session on religion by the Department of National Unity and Integration.
And most of them were happy with the outcome of the first dialogue session, although no firm decision was reached on any issue.
"We had a heart-to-heart talk," said Datuk A. Vaithilingam, president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism.
"Nothing was actually decided but many points were raised that we were able to explain and clarify to each other and that was very good."
Tentative consensus was reached on some issues. For example, a person who divorces, irrespective of religion, should be obligated to look after the spouse.
"I think Muslims were able to understand that a man who converts to Islam should still be responsible to look after the wife and children he had before converting.
"This is a breakthrough for us," said Vaithilingam, who claims that the council speaks for 45 per cent of the country's population who did not profess Islam as their religion.
However, he said the Muslim group was very firm on the issue of apostasy.
"They feel that once you go into Islam, you cannot come out. We were firm that this should not be the case. So there is no agreement on this. We felt it should be further discussed."
He said many non-Muslims feel marginalised in today's Malaysia and there is growing discomfort with the rapid Islamisation of our society.
"So this (dialogue) is a very positive step and something that must continue so that we can all sit down and talk with one another to find amicable solutions to our problems."
Vaithilingam said the inter-religious dialogue that was held was akin to the Inter-Faith Commission that his group proposed a few years ago.
"There was a lot of misunderstanding and disagreement from the Muslim group then. But what is happening now is similar to what we had proposed."
Reverend Dr Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, said: "I don't think we can rush solutions. More dialogues need to follow. We should also expand the Muslim representation to include progressive groups."
And he was not too happy that the dialogue seemed more like a question-and-answer session at times "rather than a common grappling of issues related to the legitimate rights of citizens".
Tan Hoe Chiew of the Federation of Taoist Associations of Malaysia said he was happy with the dialogue but "they made us a bit uncomfortable as they kept stressing that Islam was the religion of the land and that the sultanate and the Malays were here long before the Chinese and the Indians.
"We never disputed that. We only want our rights to profess other religions to be respected."
Sabariah Abdullah, head of the Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs (ACCIN) said in a text message that the meeting "was a good start to express feelings, anxieties and dissatisfactions from both sides".
"Although we can't find all the solutions to the problems, it was a fruitful event."
To continue with this spirit, she said ACCIN was organising two more dialogues at the end of this month with Hindu Sanggam and a Christian group.
"Everyone engaged in inter-religious dialogues must keep an open mind. Listen to what is said, not who says it.
"We must respect others and at the end of the day, celebrate the agreements and respect the idea of 'agreeing to disagree'. We can be different and yet live in harmony; laws of the country must be respected."
Prof Dr Azizan Baharudin, director of the Cultural Dialogue Centre, who was present to ensure that the ethics of the dialogue was observed, felt "the delegates were able to be honest with each other".
"Both parties felt that they were so burdened with stereotypical images of each other.
"They proved themselves wrong and they showed that they were mature enough and strong enough to listen," she said.
Although at times some people were emotional, Azizan said that was unavoidable.
"We are only humans. Most importantly, they have the strength and skill to manage their emotions and keep the dialogue going."
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Religious dialogue at UM: 10 recommendations
2008/08/10
Religious dialogue at UM: 10 recommendations
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- There should be a code of conduct for the propagation of religion.
- Emphasise the freedom of religion. Increase understanding and enforcement of Article 11(4) of the Constitution (which deals with freedom of religion and that there may be control or restriction on the propagation of any religious doctrine among persons professing Islam) and other provisions in Chapter 15 of the Penal Code (which is on offences relating to religion) to safeguard harmony and issues to do with other religions.
- To monitor and remind politicians who raise religious issues that they can affect national security and public safety.
- Increase legal knowledge on apostasy in Malaysia and its implications and to look into provisions in the law connected to those who are not born Muslims to be brought to the civil court if they choose to renounce Islam.
- Standardise the legal provisions about apostasy for all states in Malaysia.
- Prepare a guideline on conversion with the cooperation of ACCIN and MCCBCHST.
- Empower the working committee on inter-religious communications to resolve religious problems.
- Encourage the use of mediation and not litigation to resolve family problems that arise from conversion.
- Conduct counselling for those who want to convert, to understand their reasons for conversion and help them understand the implications of their choice.
- Media to be more responsible in reporting conversion cases so as not to increase tension in society.
Religious dialogue at UM: 10 recommendations
Email to friend Print article
- There should be a code of conduct for the propagation of religion.
- Emphasise the freedom of religion. Increase understanding and enforcement of Article 11(4) of the Constitution (which deals with freedom of religion and that there may be control or restriction on the propagation of any religious doctrine among persons professing Islam) and other provisions in Chapter 15 of the Penal Code (which is on offences relating to religion) to safeguard harmony and issues to do with other religions.
- To monitor and remind politicians who raise religious issues that they can affect national security and public safety.
- Increase legal knowledge on apostasy in Malaysia and its implications and to look into provisions in the law connected to those who are not born Muslims to be brought to the civil court if they choose to renounce Islam.
- Standardise the legal provisions about apostasy for all states in Malaysia.
- Prepare a guideline on conversion with the cooperation of ACCIN and MCCBCHST.
- Empower the working committee on inter-religious communications to resolve religious problems.
- Encourage the use of mediation and not litigation to resolve family problems that arise from conversion.
- Conduct counselling for those who want to convert, to understand their reasons for conversion and help them understand the implications of their choice.
- Media to be more responsible in reporting conversion cases so as not to increase tension in society.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Pak Lah to open conference on religion and global peace
Saturday July 12, 2008
Pak Lah to open conference on religion and global peace
PRIME Minister Datik Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is scheduled to deliver an important speech at an international conference on religion and global peace next week.
The conference, with the theme Religion in the Quest for Global Justice and Peace, will be held from July 24 to 26 at the Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel.
It is organised by the Centre for Policy Research and International Studies (CenPRlS) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
The conference hopes to focus on how different religious groups can work together for global justice and peace.
It will seek to establish the relevance of universal moral values embodied in the different religions to the challenges facing humanity at this juncture in history.
A number of international scholars, including Prof Fred Dallmayr of the United States, Prof N. Radhakrishnan of India, Sulak Sivaraksa of Thailand and Prof Joseph Camilleri of Australia, are among the speakers.
The local speakers are Prof Chandra Muzaffar, Dr Amir Farid Isahak, Prof N. Kanthasamy, Datin Dulcie Abraham, Vijaya Samarawickarama and Dr Kamar Oniah Kamaruzaman.
Registration fees is RM100. It covers the working papers, refreshments and lunch on the three days of the conference, and the dinner on July 24.
For more information, contact Munisah at 012-371 2610, Zarina at 012-305 8626, Veronica at 04-653 4491, Aniza at 04-653 3389, or e-mail psc@notes.usm.my; aniza@notes.usm.my.
Pak Lah to open conference on religion and global peace
PRIME Minister Datik Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is scheduled to deliver an important speech at an international conference on religion and global peace next week.
The conference, with the theme Religion in the Quest for Global Justice and Peace, will be held from July 24 to 26 at the Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel.
It is organised by the Centre for Policy Research and International Studies (CenPRlS) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
The conference hopes to focus on how different religious groups can work together for global justice and peace.
It will seek to establish the relevance of universal moral values embodied in the different religions to the challenges facing humanity at this juncture in history.
A number of international scholars, including Prof Fred Dallmayr of the United States, Prof N. Radhakrishnan of India, Sulak Sivaraksa of Thailand and Prof Joseph Camilleri of Australia, are among the speakers.
The local speakers are Prof Chandra Muzaffar, Dr Amir Farid Isahak, Prof N. Kanthasamy, Datin Dulcie Abraham, Vijaya Samarawickarama and Dr Kamar Oniah Kamaruzaman.
Registration fees is RM100. It covers the working papers, refreshments and lunch on the three days of the conference, and the dinner on July 24.
For more information, contact Munisah at 012-371 2610, Zarina at 012-305 8626, Veronica at 04-653 4491, Aniza at 04-653 3389, or e-mail psc@notes.usm.my; aniza@notes.usm.my.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Cendekiawan Islam gesa rapatkan hubungan mazhab
Cendekiawan Islam gesa rapatkan hubungan mazhab
RIYADH 7 Jun - Para cendekiawan Islam yang bermesyuarat selama tiga hari sehingga semalam di Arab Saudi menyeru supaya dikurangkan ketegangan di kalangan umat Islam dan dialog digalakkan dengan penganut Kristian dan Yahudi.
Mesyuarat yang diadakan di Mekah bertujuan merapatkan jurang antara penganut mazhab Sunah dan Syiah sebelum kerajaan Arab Saudi melancarkan inisiatif bagi mengadakan rundingan dengan kepercayaan monoteistik lain.
Dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan, para cendekiawan terbabit menekankan keperluan dialog antara agama bagi memberi "gambaran betul mengenai Islam" dan merapatkan hubungan "dengan mahzab lain dalam Islam yang akan membantu ke arah perpaduan negara."
Cendekiawan terbabit turut menggesa "dicapai penyelesaian masalah dan rasa tidak setuju di kalangan umat Islam dan penganut agama lain ... dan mencapai pemahaman antara peradaban."
Raja Abdullah dari Arab Saudi semasa pembukaan mesyuarat menggesa umat Islam mencapai kata sepakat sebelum memulakan dialog dengan penganut Kristian dan Yahudi.
Seorang ahli politik Iran berfahaman Syiah, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani yang menghadiri mesyuarat itu telah duduk di sebelah kiri Raja Abdullah bagi menunjukkan perpaduan antara mazhab.
- AP
RIYADH 7 Jun - Para cendekiawan Islam yang bermesyuarat selama tiga hari sehingga semalam di Arab Saudi menyeru supaya dikurangkan ketegangan di kalangan umat Islam dan dialog digalakkan dengan penganut Kristian dan Yahudi.
Mesyuarat yang diadakan di Mekah bertujuan merapatkan jurang antara penganut mazhab Sunah dan Syiah sebelum kerajaan Arab Saudi melancarkan inisiatif bagi mengadakan rundingan dengan kepercayaan monoteistik lain.
Dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan, para cendekiawan terbabit menekankan keperluan dialog antara agama bagi memberi "gambaran betul mengenai Islam" dan merapatkan hubungan "dengan mahzab lain dalam Islam yang akan membantu ke arah perpaduan negara."
Cendekiawan terbabit turut menggesa "dicapai penyelesaian masalah dan rasa tidak setuju di kalangan umat Islam dan penganut agama lain ... dan mencapai pemahaman antara peradaban."
Raja Abdullah dari Arab Saudi semasa pembukaan mesyuarat menggesa umat Islam mencapai kata sepakat sebelum memulakan dialog dengan penganut Kristian dan Yahudi.
Seorang ahli politik Iran berfahaman Syiah, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani yang menghadiri mesyuarat itu telah duduk di sebelah kiri Raja Abdullah bagi menunjukkan perpaduan antara mazhab.
- AP
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