'Faith no reason for discord'<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Followers of Christianity and Islam need to communicate, instead
\nof turning faith into a reason for discord, in a bid to build
\nmutual understanding and avert conflicts, a Catholic leader said.<\/p>\n
\"Dialog does not mean abandoning one's own beliefs, but is a
\nway to find mutual understanding, which so often have been, and
\nstill are, the cause of conflicts, even wars,\" visiting Austrian
\narchbishop Cardinal Christoph Schonborg said during a seminar at
\nthe Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University here on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
He said dialogs should be organized for followers of different
\nreligions, with both leaders and grassroots people participating.<\/p>\n
The cardinal asserted that it sometimes was difficult to
\nencourage followers of Christianity and Islam to communicate due
\nto the fact that both groups believe their religions are the only
\ntrue ones, not only for one people or one particular country, but
\nall human beings.<\/p>\n
Both have the ultimate aim of converting everyone in the
\nworld, he explained.<\/p>\n
\"Our religions have a mission to convert people as their main
\npurpose and still are that way today,\" he added.<\/p>\n
In accordance with Jesus Christ's commission, Christians work
\nto bring the Gospel to all human beings.<\/p>\n
But, Islam, too, understands itself as the final and
\nultimately valid revelation of God, Schonborg said.<\/p>\n
He asserted that devout Christians and Muslims could not
\naccept relativism.<\/p>\n
\"The question is what does being a missionary-oriented
\nreligion mean in our time; in the globalized world. Through
\ndialog, we will share what is the most precious in our life,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He added that through a dialog, people could learn from each
\nother how to deal with the basic human questions.<\/p>\n
Among those attending the discussion were the university
\nrector Azyumardi Azra, Muslim scholar Komaruddin Hidayat,
\nsociologist Mely G. Tan, and leaders of the Indonesian Committee
\non Religion and Peace (ICRP).<\/p>\n
Schonborg is visiting Indonesia upon the invitation of the
\nIndonesian Bishops Council (KWI).<\/p>\n
Widespread sectarian conflict between Muslims and Christians
\nin Maluku and Central Sulawesi have plagued the country since
\n1999, killing thousands of people.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/faith-no-reason-for-discord-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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