Malaysia Hindu Dharma Mamandram President Associate Professor Dr N.S. Rajendran has been featured shaking hands with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the international conference on Religion in the Quest for Global Justice and Peace in Kuala Lumpur. Badawi spoke at the opening of the conference, which is being organized by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Dr N.S. Rajendran is presenting a paper at the conference.
Meeting scholars: Abdullah shaking hands with Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Associate Professor N.S. Rajendran as Indian Council for Gandhian Studies New Delhi chairman Prof N. Radhakrishnan looks on in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
from The Star
PM: Combat ignorance and the perversion of religion
KUALA LUMPUR: Many individuals and groups have abused the name of God and religion to justify violence and terrorism, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
“Such extremism has been observed many times in the course of history and is certainly not new to our modern age. In each instance, the virtuous teachings of religion were twisted and manipulated to serve an unholy agenda.
“Hatred and bigotry are propagated on behalf of one’s religion for the sake of political gain or personal profit.”
He said those who advocate extremist tendencies often had a very shallow understanding of the philosophies and worldviews embodied in their respective religions.
“They take verses out of context, without any understanding of the larger historical setting which underlie such verses.
“This distorted perspective of religion becomes a convenient tool for the pursuit of power and selfish interest, he said, adding that thinkers and researchers must be prepared to play their part in broadening the public understanding of religion and its role in promoting justice.
“We always face the same issues and always feel disappointed. We hope for peace but war erupts. We hope for justice but violence occurs.
“We should not admit defeat in the jihad to free the world of war and violence. Don’t give up on fighting those who cause war and violence. It should be our lifelong struggle,” he added.
The Prime Minister, who outlined a strategy to combat such occurrence, said religious scholars and intellectuals in the country must be encouraged to engage with the wider public.
“Scholars and intellectuals should not lock themselves away in their ivory towers,” he said in his opening address at the international conference on religion in the quest for global justice and peace at Renaissance Hotel here yesterday.
“Instead, they should be prepared to educate the public on the great issues that face us all,” said Abdullah, adding that the religious curricula in schools and universities should be scrutinised.
“Our religious education should convince us that the dignity and integrity of all human beings is worthy of our respect. Religion should inculcate a truly universal and inclusive outlook, not mentality that is narrow, exclusive and parochial.”
He said the role of the media in promoting a universal and inclusive dimension of religion that focused on justice and peace should be intensified.
He added journalists and media practitioners should broaden their understanding of religion to play a more effective role in advancing the universal values of justice, peace and compassion.
Positive religious values in the governance of institutions from the Government to the basic family unit must be implemented, he said.
