IEP21 Forum

In a complex world of the 21st century, it is a difficult task to deal with only two cohesive values and two divisive values (vices) which unite and which divide the Muslim cultures and the Western cultures.

Cohesive Values:
On the question of common values, the dialogue between Muslim cultures and Western cultures should begin with the common human heritage. The father of the human race is Adam and this TRUTH should submerge all divisive issues (religious, social, cultural, economic and political) among people of diverse cultures and lead to the Unity of Mankind, i.e. the Unity of the Creator.

Divisive Values (Vices):
Religious Intolerance in the West and the War on Islam: War on terrorism is a war on Islam. Islam has been officially declared to be the religion of the terrorists from the highest political office to the ordinary level in the West. The media, both print and electronic, launches deliberate hate campaigns against Islam. Islam has been equated to fascism, the Holy Prophet has been ridiculed in the most obscene languages, and by means of caricature and cartoons, which is an act of sacrilege in Islam, the Holy Qur’an has been desecrated, masajid (Muslim houses of worship) have been destroyed, vandalized, clerics have been imprisoned for their religious sermons on grounds of inciting Islamic fascism, Islamic schools (madrasahs) have been either closed or restricted in their religious teachings, Muslim charity funds have been confiscated on allegations of money being transferred to terrorists, freedom to perform Hajj in Saudi Arabia restricted by various visa stipulations and the abuse of privacy of every pilgrim (Haji), whose photograph along with other identifications appear on the Hajj web page without the permission or knowledge of the pilgrim. Above all, in this war on Islam, the freedom of thought and freedom of movement of Muslims worldwide have been curtailed. Religious bigotry and hate campaigns against Islam initiated by Western heads of states and government and even by the head of the catholic Church have led to some unfortunate destruction of churches in some Muslim countries.

Professor Sultana Afroz
Department of History, University of the West Indies,
Kingston, Jamaica

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Divisive:
Unresolved issues arising out of historic and contemporary Western Government intervention in the Middle East are arguably the most divisive current issue affecting Muslim cultures and Western cultures. Particularly so when Western Governments use violence as an approach to peace and conflict, and where Western Government negotiation positions are perceived in Muslim communities as being biased or unduly one-sided, and reflecting double standards.

More specifically, within Western cultures the above issues also apply, as well as more local factors associated with integration into the local cultural situation.

Cohesive:
Muslim cultures and Western cultures have the potential to come together around themes and values such as respecting non-violent approaches to peace and conflict, in valuing service, family life, and greater community integration and cohesion.

The imperative of working with non-violent approaches to peace and conflict is a key critical issue on which Muslim cultures and Western cultures can achieve significant cross-cultural convergence. This convergence is likely at a grassroots level, though it seems likely that Western Governments will continue to use violent approaches to peace and conflict.

Neill Walker,
Edinburgh, Scotland.
Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities, EICWS.

1. MOST DIVISIVE ISSUE
I believe that the issue or reality that most affects Muslim and Western cultures in a negative way is much more economic/political than it is cultural or religious. This has to do with the tremendous disparity in political power and economic opportunities between the “West” and so many Muslim nations.

2. MOST UNITIVE ISSUE
In a sense, the negative political-economic realities provide the occasion for unitive cooperation. Both Islamic cultures, with their commitment to Q’uranic values, and Western cultures, with their religious roots in Judaism and Christianity, affirm and are claimed by a God of justice — a God who calls all peoples and all religions to work together for the economic well-being and political freedom of all God’s children.

Paul Knitter
Paul Tillich Chair of Theology, World Religions, and Culture
Union Theological Seminary
New York

(1) What do you identify as the most divisive current issues affecting Muslim cultures and Western cultures?

In my eyes there are no real issues that divide the Muslim cultures and Western cultures. On nearly any given issue we can people from both groups that would agree and we can find people in each group that would strongly disagree. The REAL differences are not dramatic and do not go beyond what our quest for diversity can contain.

The main problems and dramatic issues are all related to the lack of genuine dialogue, and the following lack of deep mutual knowledge, between the two groups. These lead to constructing prejudices and bad stereotypes (for example: portraying Musims as terrorists or Westerners and infidels) followed by fear and even hatred.

(2) What are the issues on which Muslim and Western cultures tend to come together?

When people from Muslim and Western cultures come together for real, deep and sincere dialogue they find out that they have many many shared values. To just list a few: quest for the Divine, respect for humans, preference of peace and turning to war only as a last resort, soical values (care for the poor and needy, respect for elders, family values etc), ethics (honesty, respect for other people’s lives and property etc) etc.

Dr. Yehuda Stolov
Jerusalem, Israel
Interfaith Encounter Association
www.interfaith-encounter.org