Interfaith dialogue
May. 9th, 2007 01:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
qatarperegrineThe Fifth Doha Conference of Interfaith Dialogue is going on right now. It's mostly during work hours, so I haven't been able to go, but there are lots of news reports coming out of it.
Judaism has apparently been a hot topic so far, with "angry outbursts being witnessed at the conference against the Jews." A rabbi felt the need to remind the Peninsula that not all Jews are Zionists. This is only the second year that Jews have been invited to the interfaith dialogue, and once again Qaradawi boycotted as a result.
Western misconceptions about Muslim women have been discussed, with a Swiss Muslimah noting that Westerners believe that "Islam does not give women equality with men; woman is considered as half of man; Islam has given the right to man to buy a woman giving her a dowry (Mahr); Muslim women are confined in their houses and not allowed to go out and mingle with the larger society; Islam does not give woman the right to divorce" and that "Muslim women who wear Hijab (head cover) are doing so under compulsion from their husbands or other members of the family."
Muslim-Christian relations are also discussion, with Lebanon and Jerusalem being upheld as examples of interfaith unity. (The Peninsula can't quite resist discussing "Israel's sinister plans" in the latter article, though.) A Syrian Orthodox archbishop and a Kuwaiti Catholic bishop also commented on the value of interfaith dialogue.
For reference, these are the nine recommendations agreed upon by the previous interfaith dialogue:
Judaism has apparently been a hot topic so far, with "angry outbursts being witnessed at the conference against the Jews." A rabbi felt the need to remind the Peninsula that not all Jews are Zionists. This is only the second year that Jews have been invited to the interfaith dialogue, and once again Qaradawi boycotted as a result.
Western misconceptions about Muslim women have been discussed, with a Swiss Muslimah noting that Westerners believe that "Islam does not give women equality with men; woman is considered as half of man; Islam has given the right to man to buy a woman giving her a dowry (Mahr); Muslim women are confined in their houses and not allowed to go out and mingle with the larger society; Islam does not give woman the right to divorce" and that "Muslim women who wear Hijab (head cover) are doing so under compulsion from their husbands or other members of the family."
Muslim-Christian relations are also discussion, with Lebanon and Jerusalem being upheld as examples of interfaith unity. (The Peninsula can't quite resist discussing "Israel's sinister plans" in the latter article, though.) A Syrian Orthodox archbishop and a Kuwaiti Catholic bishop also commented on the value of interfaith dialogue.
For reference, these are the nine recommendations agreed upon by the previous interfaith dialogue:
- To extend thanks and appreciation to H.H. the Emir, Government and people of the State of Qatar, as well as to Qatar University and Permanent Conference Organizing Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the appreciable positive initiative to organize this annual global forum for dialogue among scholars of the three divine faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, with a view to promoting reciprocal communication and mutual understanding among followers of the these religions.
- To emphasize the importance of the role of religion in building a human being who is adequately sound psychologically, mentally and physically as he is envisaged to be the vicar of God on Earth and maker of civilizations and progress. The participants agree that without such a role the human being will not attain the summation of his/her humanity.
- The participants call for respect of sanctities and religious symbols, and stress that respect of sacred beliefs does not contradict the right to expression. The participants look forward to an international legislation issued by the United Nations, calling for respect of religions and incriminating abuse of their symbols.
- The Conference recommends exerting assiduous efforts to correct misconceptions, revise textbooks as well movies and drama works and act to eliminate mutual misunderstanding by each party of the other.
- The participants affirm that religions are exonerated from terrorist acts, intimidation and killing of peaceful civilians and other such atrocities which are committed by some countries and intolerant religious followers.
- The participants call for dissemination of noble religious values such as justice, tolerance, equality, openness towards and communication with the other, consolidation of the principles of plurality and the person's right to choose his religion with full freedom.
- The participants call for exerting efforts required to convey the positive spirit of these faiths and dialogues to the broad grass roots of the followers of the three religions with a view to realizing the desired objectives of such meetings bringing together religious scholars and leaders.
- The participants stress that religions do not oppose science but rather encourage scientific research and acquisition of its technologies and instruments. Religions - on the contrary - call for the peaceful and positive application of the findings of such research in order to achieve the happiness of mankind.
- The three religions reiterate woman's status and her equality with man and stress that the family with its natural and innate disposition - (husband and wife) - is the sound basis for building human societies.
