Do we truly understand our own religion?

Show more reactions

I refer to the proposal to teach interfaith studies in schools. Many have hailed the proposal as the right move. But before long, some have already expressed their concerns - on syllabi, the teaching methodology and the emphasis to focus on.

Can we ever teach various religions without comparison? Can a teacher from a particular faith ever be qualified to teach religions of others without bias, misconception, and elements of bigotry?

In Malaysia, we always try to resolve complex issues with simple solutions. Is our disharmony and disunity today due to religious differences? How did this happen? Was it due to comparative religions not being taught in school? Based on the latest proposal, it would appear so.

I think it is just too convenient to attribute disharmony and disunity to lack of understanding of religions of others. To begin with, do we understand our own religion properly? Do we teach our religion correctly to our children? Do churches, mosques, and temples emphasise the right elements to their respective congregations?

Let’s not be pretentious; asking students to learn religions of others half-heartedly or without clear understanding is not going the help. I think it is better for each religion to teach the right elements to its followers than to ask them to learn about other religions.

For each religion, do we actually emphasise love, humility, compassion, inclusiveness and tolerance or is it subtle superiority and exclusiveness that we stress on? Worse still, do we in the process denigrate other religions when we promote our own?

Maybe I am too simple-minded. I believe if all of us have emphasised on the right attributes of our religions, then religions would not have become the source of bigotry and conflict. Instead, all religions would have become the source of good deeds, compassion, tolerance and understanding.

I have an inkling that many a time we want others to understand our religion, but we ourselves have very little understanding of our own. We demand respect from others but we have shown very little respect to others.

If we teach our children love, humility, respect for others, tolerance and inclusiveness based on our religion, harmony and unity with people of other faiths would have come naturally. On the contrary, if we emphasise superiority, exclusiveness and bigotry in our faith, no amount of comparative studies on other religions in schools and universities is going to help us much in promoting unity and harmony.