Religion always has two aspects. One aspect goes in the direction of religious identity, so that you feel you are a Buddhist, or a Christian, or a Jew, or a Hindu, or a Muslim, or any other particular category. Thats the identity function of religion. But we need to separate out the identity element from the teaching, from the message. We need to overcome the tribalism that is at the root of identity problems, to come to terms with the fact that we are all human beings. The second function of religion is moral and ethical. The great religions are able to transcend particular identities and produce desires for moral and ethical life. I believe that this is the aspect of religion we need to bring out, the ethical messages which can speak to other traditions. On that level dialogue is very possible because the ethical messages of the different religious traditions can relate to each other. Nur Yalman in the Jan 2002 issue of the SGI Quarterly
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 08:34:09 +0000
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