Religion leads to conflict resolution

Observing panchasila has an important impact on conflict resolution, since it enforces proper moral conduct among people and thereby dissuades people from engaging in conflict in the first place, Ven. Prof. Dhamma Vihari Thera said.

“What people generate in their homes, is what is transcended into society. Therefore, proper family values should be developed in accordance with the panchasila,” the Thera said.

The Thera was speaking at a panel discussion on Religion and Conflict Resolution held recently at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS). Other panellists were President’s Counsel A. R. Surendran, Country Director, Muslim Aid Amjad Saleem and Director, Ecumenical Institute Marshall Fernando while Senior lecturer in Philosophy, University of Kelaniya Prof. Daya Edirisinghe was the moderator.

Surendran stated, ‘Today, the world is gripped with much violence and lack of love, however, all religions advocate the same basic tenets in their approaches to life. No religion encourages killing, lying or engaging in deceit.

Therefore, whatever faith one professes, conflict resolution can be practised within the precepts advocated by one’s religion. Surendran also said, Hinduism concentrates more on one’s obligations towards society as opposed to one’s duties and therefore helps in comprehending the other person’s point of view.

Too much insistence on one’s rights is a bar to conflict resolution, he stated. Quoting Swami Vivekananda he said, “Truth is one, but people call it by many names.” He also stated that in resolving a conflict you need to touch the heart of the opposing party.

Amjad Saleem, said, there are many distortions of a particular faith and that Islam especially has been open to many of these distortions. He also stated, most conflicts in the world today are flavoured by cultural and faith identities.

Recognizing of these multiple identities helps to develop tolerance and compassion towards our fellow human beings. Muslims are obligated to do good.

Saleem said, the Quran says, “If anyone has saved the life of one person, it would be as if he had saved the life of all mankind” Commenting on the term ‘Jihad’ used among radical Islamists, he states that the term originally means to strive, to endeavour or to establish justice, goodness or peace and that in Islam war is not encouraged.

“Religion can be a source as well as an inspiration for resolution of Conflict,” said Marshall Fernando, commenting on the Christian view to conflict resolution. Speaking on ‘Sin’ he said sin, in Christianity, is defined as too much self-love or greed. This can also be used to explain the global economic crisis prevailing today.

Therefore, too much self-love is also a cause of conflict and according to the Christian perspective cultivating an overall vision of the gospel and self-less service to the community are ways we can overcome too much self-love, thereby leading to better understanding among our fellow human beings.