Foundation for religious tolerance and understanding starts in schools

M. Ali, Manchester, UK

Are we such a troubled nation? Is there really such disharmony among our people that we are left divided by our religious beliefs and in a state of suspicion and even hatred just because of the faith we choose to follow? Some would answer yes to these questions. In recent weeks and months news of the closures of places of worship has, once again, presented the world with a bad image of our nation.

But we must wonder why we are in an apparent state of suspicion, distrust and even hatred just because of differences of religious belief. Instead of the positive feelings that should be engendered by and for people that have faith, whatever the espoused religion, we are left in the domain of suspicion and doubt that divides us.

Why are we experiencing such uncomfortable conditions? Are we really so different and so divided? Surely our differences should be appreciated and respected, but currently our differences are being allowed to divide us and I suspect that this is largely because of a lack of knowledge and understanding. There is simply not enough knowledge and understanding of "other" religions in our country.

How can it be that we could, sadly, be called "ignorant of other religions"? The calls for and even insistence that schoolchildren receive instruction in the religious beliefs and practices of their chosen religion seem reasonable enough and right, but what about calls for schoolchildren to learn about other religions? Some people worry about such an idea and even call it unacceptable. There are those that think that learning about other religions in school shows disrespect to the primary religion of choice; but is this not a myopic point of view that also exists in a world of denial?

To educate schoolchildren about other religions is to really inform them and educate them about our world as it truly is. The claim that we are living in a global community in which globalization places demands on us all has become much used, even over used, but it can and maybe even should be applied when thinking about religion in our schools.

The unavoidable truth and reality of our world is that all around the world diverse and varied religions are practiced and followed. If we choose to ignore this fact, then we are surely cutting our schoolchildren off from a very significant part of the world today, and an important part of the world that they need to know about if they are to participate in the diverse but integrated modern world.

Religious instruction in schools can and probably should work at two levels: On one level it is there to inform and guide children in their body, mind and spirit. At this level, the aim is to provide students with an advancement of their own religious beliefs such that they may be good and faithful. This level would significantly revolve around instruction in the practices, ceremonies, celebrations and rituals of a given religion.

At another level religious instruction in schools can work to broaden children's horizons, to make them aware of other world religions. This would not, as some seem to fear, be an attempt to convert children to other religions, but rather to advance their knowledge and understanding of other significant worldviews and religious philosophies.

Those that fear that such religious education would amount to religious conversion are being disingenuous toward the whole idea of education to advance minds. Simply because I have read a book about Adolf Hitler does not mean that I am a Nazi and would wish to revive that dictator's awful policies of race hatred and segregation and destruction of humanity. Likewise, just because a student reads about another faith does not mean that the student will convert to the religion that is being read about.

Education as a whole really should not be about indoctrination, but should rather be about enlightenment and understanding and responding appropriately to our world. Students who are guided to understand different doctrines, philosophies and ethical and even legal approaches to the world and their lives in it are better placed to respond and interact in the world.

The interfaith dialog that is so necessary and needed throughout our world in these times of terrorism foully appropriated in the name of religion can and should start in our schools. If we allow our children to remain isolated and ignorant of the world's faiths, then we run the risk of them growing up with the same kinds of suspicions and doubts that are able to drive hatred and even violence.

Underlying all of the world's great religions are truths and unifying ideas that should be known and understood; but the pitiful reality is that it is all too easy for us to wallow in ignorance and base our judgments on shallow analyses and even assumptions. When those limited analyzes and assumptions are capitalized on by those who would fan the flames of intolerance it becomes too easy for people to resort to distrust and eventual hatred and conflict.

Intolerance is often the result of an impatient and uneducated mind; a mind that is quick to come to conclusions and base those conclusions on insufficient knowledge. We must seek ways in which we can prevent people from leaping to conclusions and acting without understanding.

The most fundamental, and even obvious, of places where we can and should encourage understanding and tolerance is our schools. Laying the foundation in our schools for understanding other religions should be an aim that we all recognize and value.

We must uphold our schools as places where students can receive instruction in their chosen religion, but we should also seek to encourage and generate, through religious education, understanding that will nurture both respect and tolerance for other religions. We cannot live in denial of the existence of other religions, and if we choose to ignore them we are doomed to continue to suffer from "religious" troubles among our people.

The writer is a senior researcher at the Cunningham Research Center, Manchester, UK. He can be reached at mali_uk@hotmail.com.