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Liam Ferreira,
As a fellow South African I am most surprised and dismayed by your Facebook comments condemning the Muslim call to prayer from mosques, particularly in the Cape where you live.
Among other insulting statements, you say, “Why do I need to put up with an Arabic tradition created in the dessert (sic) thousands of years ago.”
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I find it difficult to imagine any adult in this country who is ignorant of the appalling damage and suffering to millions caused by apartheid – a doctrine based on the misuse of religion to justify the supremacy of the white race, and the policy of subordination of all other races in order to achieve a selfish, misguided political agenda.
You have as your second name, “Christian”, that of the religion – originating two thousand years ago, in the Middle East, among dark-skinned peoples – whose founder exhorted, along with numerous other well-known sayings: “Do to others as you would have them do to you”; “Love your enemies...”; “Blessed are the peacemakers...”
Liam, are you not aware of the fact that, like it or not, we all live in a global village where the benefits of thousands of years of civilisation, such as access to art, music, architecture, modern cities with their countless life-enhancing amenities, contemporary medical discoveries and procedures, enlightened education, democracy, the protection of human rights, and equality under the law – to name but some – are part of our immeasurably rich heritage?
And these riches originated in ancient Greece, Asia, India, Europe, Britain and many other countries spread across this planet we call our home.
Part of our global endowment also involves the inestimable wealth of the teachings of various religious traditions, all attempting in different, but similar, ways to help us humans find meaning in this vast, complex, mysterious, frightening, exciting universe. We work, play, love, suffer, and die, wondering where this all leads. Is there more to life than simply what we encounter around us? Why are we here, is there life beyond the grave, how should we act to make this world a place where all its inhabitants can progress towards genuine fulfilment?
Great religious teachers and thinkers like Confucius, Socrates, Moses, Isaiah, Zoroaster, The Buddha, Jesus, Mohammad, Ashoka, Guru Nanak, Mirabai, Rumi, Rabiah, Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Swami Vivekananda, and many others, have bequeathed us their wisdom and experience on how to live a life full of a sense of reverence, and appreciate the value of all creation.
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And we are fortunate in South Africa to have in our midst a variety of religious traditions. In addition to Christianity, we have well-established communities of Hindus, Muslims, Jews, African traditional religions, all contributing to a vibrant and colourful, not to mention challenging and enriching, experience of spirituality and guide to our quest for meaning.
We must always be mindful of the powerful influence religion has for good and ill in the world, clearly distinguishing between what promotes the enhancement of all life, human and non-human, and what has harmful consequences. Too much contemporary religious activity promotes fear of the Other, resulting in suspicion, intolerance, exclusiveness and divisiveness.
At their best, all religions have the power to inspire humanity to build a better world. They all agree on the centrality of what has become known as the Golden Rule: “Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you.”
This means we need to develop an appreciation of other faith traditions in our perilously divided country, and troubled, alienated world.
Much wisdom can be found in the words of Karen Armstrong, religious commentator, who regularly visits America attempting to assist with its Muslim – Christian relations, currently exacerbated by the hate speech of Donald Trump:
“We are now living in such an interrelated world that we are all implicated in one another’s tragedies. Somehow we have to find ways of doing what religion – at its best – has done for centuries: build a sense of global community, cultivate a sense of reverence and ‘equanimity’ for all, and take responsibility for the suffering we see in the world.”
So, Liam, as citizens of this wonderful country – and this awe-inspiring planet – we all, every one of us, needs to learn to rejoice in the richness and variety of life and experience we encounter around us. And to do everything possible to make this world a more unified, peaceful, safe and compassionate place.
* Alleyn Diesel has a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Natal where she taught in that department.
