Virtuous teachings of religion have been manipulated for personal gain

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 yesterday.

The prime minister said such extremism had been observed many times in the course of history and in each instance, the virtuous teachings of religion had been twisted and manipulated on behalf of one’s religion, for the sake of political gain or personal profit.

“In our own time, we have witnessed many injustices committed in the name of religion, including the occupation of someone else’s land and the dispossession that ensues from it. This is surely an affront to the dignity of the person, and a blemish upon the freedom that is a human being’s birthright.”

The prime minister was speaking at the opening of the International Conference on Religion in The Quest for Global Justice and Peace, here yesterday.

“The phenomenon of religious extremism should compel most of us, especially religious scholars and intellectuals to engage with the wider public in order for them to play a vital role in combating ignorance and the perversion of religion,” Abdullah said.

He said it was not enough to produce intellectual works and present papers at scholarly meetings, nor to lock themselves away in their ivory towers.

Instead, they should be prepared to educate the public on the great issues that currently faced mankind.

“Our thinkers and researchers must be prepared to play their part in broadening public understanding of religion, and its role in promoting justice and peace,” he said.

Outlining four important measures to tackle the problems, Abdullah said the religious curricula in schools and universities must be given a closer look, where it should emphasise the values and principles enshrined in the respective religions.

“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 a mentality that is narrow, exclusive and parochial,” he added.

Thirdly, he said, there was the need to amplify the role of the media in promoting a universal and inclusive dimension of religion that focused upon justice and peace.

“Journalists and media practitioners in general should deepen and broaden their understanding of religion, in order to play a more effective role in advancing the universal values of justice, peace and compassion which lie at the heart of our great religious philosophies.”

Fourthly, he said, society must be prepared to implement positive religious values in the governance of our institutions, from the government all the way down to the basic family unit.

“We must combat the prevailing public mood which is sometimes prejudiced against religion, and often views religion as fundamentally divisive,” he said, adding it was one of the main reasons the approach of Islam Hadhari was put forward when he became prime minister almost five years ago.

“I believe when we strive to govern our institutions based on the positive values founded in the approach of Islam Hadhari, we can truly dispel the negative prejudices against religion and foster greater justice and peace,” he said.

On another note, Abdullah indicated the importance of adopting the ‘middle path’ concept, whereby people were enjoined to live lives in moderation.

Disclosing the approach which was consistent with the ‘middle path’ concept was used for development in Malaysia to ensure the fruits of development were shared by all, Abdullah said the same concept could also be used in tackling contemporary challenges, such as the environmental and food crises faced by humanity today.

“Faith and religion teaches us we should develop a harmonious relationship with the environment. Surely if we took heed of this approach towards managing the environment, we would not be faced with the problems of global warming and various other environmental issues,” he said.

The two-day conference organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia USM) and Centre for Policy Research and International Study (CenPRIS) will, among others, discuss papers including on ‘International and External Impediments in Religion’s Quest for Global Justice and Peace’, ‘Religious Values and Principles that Conduce Towards the Struggle for Global Justice and Peace’, and ‘Religious Communities Working Together for Global Justice and Peace’. — Bernama