http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/are-we-losing-tolerance-towards-other-faiths-because-of-ego
When I was a kid my grandmother used to take me to the mosque nearby on Fridays just after the Salat was performed and we would stand in a queue and the Fakirs would blow air from their mouth on us. I would ask my grandmother why they were blowing air on us from their mouth. She used to tell they had just now recited Quran and had so much power that just by blowing out air from their mouth they can eliminate ill and negativity in us. I studied in convent school and to go to my school I had to go past the church of Saint Mary and I used to stroll inside the church and light a candle. Like all others there I would kneel before the beautiful stucco statue of Virgin Mary holding infant Jesus in her arms. I really did not know what to recite while kneeling on the wooden platform before the altar yet had closed the eyes for a few minutes and stayed quite and trying to do what others do there. This is how I spent my childhood days.
When I was a kid my grandmother used to take me to the mosque nearby on Fridays just after the Salat was performed and we would stand in a queue and the Fakirs would blow air from their mouth on us. I would ask my grandmother why they were blowing air on us from their mouth. She used to tell they had just now recited Quran and had so much power that just by blowing out air from their mouth they can eliminate ill and negativity in us. I studied in convent school and to go to my school I had to go past the church of Saint Mary and I used to stroll inside the church and light a candle. Like all others there I would kneel before the beautiful stucco statue of Virgin Mary holding infant Jesus in her arms. I really did not know what to recite while kneeling on the wooden platform before the altar yet had closed the eyes for a few minutes and stayed quite and trying to do what others do there. This is how I spent my childhood days.
Even from my history lessons I came to know of Akbar, the great had so much tolerance towards other faith. Akbar not only tolerated religions other than Islam, he encouraged interfaith discussion and debate. After listening to many religious scholars from the prominent religions of his empire including Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and, to a lesser extent Jainism, Christianity and Judaism he decided that no one faith was entirely and exclusively able to portray the Truth and hence founded a syncretic religion which he called Din-I Ilahi, “the Divine Faith” and encouraged his subjects to follow it.
And how the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana being a Hindu had set a precedent of religious tolerance in his kingdom by allow his queen Shantala Devi a devout Jain to built Jaina Basadis with huge soapstone statues of Bhagavan Parshwanatha, Bhagavan Adinatha and Bhagavan Shantinatha housed in the sanctum sanatorium, which are a major tourist attraction even today in the famous architectural capital of India, Halebidu in Karnataka.
May be the way I had brought up or my keen interest in religion and philosophies has made me tolerate to all faith, though if not as tolerant as Akbar and Vishnuvardhana. The word tolerance would stir up the ego as to assume the superiority of the practicing religion over the other, but it would be better if we entertain the same respect for all the faiths.
Off late we have failed to realize religion in its perfection in the same way as we have not realized Absolute. Religion of our conception as is imperfect has given rise to a process of advancement towards finding a much better religion and this has caused just a re-interpretation of the same ideologies in a different mould. Just like the saying old wine in a new bottle. Human ego has concluded that progress towards Truth or Absolute is possible only through such new advancement. But it is so unfortunate we are unable to recognize that the concept is same but it has got the different flavor depending on the either the region or culture of that region.
May be the way I had brought up or my keen interest in religion and philosophies has made me tolerate to all faith, though if not as tolerant as Akbar and Vishnuvardhana. The word tolerance would stir up the ego as to assume the superiority of the practicing religion over the other, but it would be better if we entertain the same respect for all the faiths.
Off late we have failed to realize religion in its perfection in the same way as we have not realized Absolute. Religion of our conception as is imperfect has given rise to a process of advancement towards finding a much better religion and this has caused just a re-interpretation of the same ideologies in a different mould. Just like the saying old wine in a new bottle. Human ego has concluded that progress towards Truth or Absolute is possible only through such new advancement. But it is so unfortunate we are unable to recognize that the concept is same but it has got the different flavor depending on the either the region or culture of that region.
Tolerance provides us spiritual insight and annihilates fanaticism. Jnana of that spiritual insight breaks down the barriers between faith and faith. Nurturing of tolerance towards other faiths conveys to us authentic perception of our own faith. Truth can be comprehended very easily if one has the knowledge of different faiths and he starts relating each other instead of comparing each other.
When the Absolute is happy by the way in which He is being adored by the followers of different faith who are we the mere mortals to object it.
When the Absolute is happy by the way in which He is being adored by the followers of different faith who are we the mere mortals to object it.
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