Religions for Peace

To the Editor:

When it comes to the question of whether religion can be a factor for peacemaking, I agree with you 110%, Religions for Peace indeed.

Whether it is Christianity, Buddhism, Muslim, or Islam, which in fact in itself means a religion of peace, all religions do accept the common destiny of humankind, teach justice and peace, and promote forgiveness and reconciliation. On another note I agree with your statement of how even though marked by peace, religions have another side. Religions inevitably promote a "we-they feeling", and because of this religious differences can become a tool for demonization, a motive to wage war in order to defend one's way of life and values. This ideology was clearly seen during the Crusades. The aspect of defending of one's way of life and valves, on a final note, is another facet I agreed with in your article.

The secularized consciousness today may not indeed grasp that people wage war to defend their way of life and values. The secular marked by the defense of political and economic "interests" in the end does not see religion as something worth defending, a major problem for a believer. In theology class we learned of how the 7 components of a religion include aspects such as narratives, doctrine, and symbols, and when theses significant and key things are fiddled with by a forgetful secular society believers are bound to react to protect what is theirs.

In sum, the secular order, marked by religion-free economics and politics, with its pieces to the peacemaking puzzle, if you will, can't deliver the human, moral and spiritual values that true peace needs. We need a conversion, a new vision of human and world community, a conversion of our puzzle pieces, to fit within the context of peace. Indeed, in the end, only a thing called religion with its sense of human, moral and spiritual valves; respect, forgiveness and reconciliation; ultimately love and compassion, can promote true lasting peace. No lasting peace true lasting peace can be found in economic and political polices. Religions for Peace, yes, or even Religions are the Pieces, the pieces most needed, most important, the most essential to complete the puzzle of peacemaking.