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Christianity and Islam can work together for global harmony
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A unique occurrence in December this year is the two religious celebrations, one following the other. On Dec 24 the world celebrates Prophet Mohammad’s birthday, and on the 25th is Christmas - the birthday of Jesus Christ.

This rare coincidence is an occasion to remember and it could also highlight the closeness of these two great religions, whose adherents account for half of humanity. These events also enable us to focus on the present realities facing the two religions.

Possibly, not since the Crusades have these two major religions been at loggerheads and confrontational with one another.

This crucial fact has not escaped the attention and intervention of the moderates of both religions, who strive to concentrate on the common origin of the Abrahamic faiths as well as the similarities in various aspects of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. There is also no denying that there are contrasting features among all the three religions.

Both Christianity and Islam espouse the concept of egalitarianism, socio-economic fairness, as well as the basic guidelines of piety and moral uprightness as the cornerstone of these religions.

For the past half-century, Muslims have been caught in the web of insurrections and conflicts - such as in Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Algeria, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and others. Various militant groups - al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al-Shabab, the Taliban and IS - have added to the complications.

One can see a parallel in European Christianity at the time of the Reformation which led to numerous religious rivalries that were accompanied by civil wars, religious persecutions and the Inquisition. There was also the preceding Renaissance, which enabled European creativity to bloom in every aspect of human endeavour.

One should compare this with the golden age of Islam when Muslims contributed much for the advancement of human civilisation.

Sharing many common similarities in the past few centuries, Christians and Muslims need to opt for better understanding and goodwill for a peaceful world.

Pope Francis, on his recent visit to the Central African Republic which recently experienced a major strife between Christians and Muslims, said that both Christians and Muslims are brothers and called for reconciliation and goodwill between the two communities. A particular point that Pope Francis emphasised was the treatment of Christian and Muslim minorities in various countries.

Set up a religious council

In this regard, the concept of religious moderation as espoused by Malaysia needs to be given sufficient thought as a matter of good governance to counter militancy, extremism, fanaticism and others.

These two religions can find increasing cooperation and collaboration in aiding refugees and displaced people, search and rescue missions during natural disasters, championing environmental and socio-economic issues, promoting ethical commercial dealings, holding religious dialogues and supporting cultural and archaeological issues which are common problems affecting mankind.

Due to the present religiously-charged times, it will be apt for the UN to set up a religious council among its array of organisations.

A religious council comprising of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists could promote dialogue and peaceful resolutions to various threatening situations. If the UN could set up the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Health Organisation and other bodies, why not a Religious Council to create a more peaceful world?

Furthermore, a religious council will enable various issues to be deliberated and allow the UN to intervene to restore peace and harmony in many nations where religious and sectarian rivalries could flare up into open conflict and cause misery and massacres to the affected communities.

As an example, a religious council could have possibly averted the Balkan wars, the Rwandan genocide, the killings in Sudan, the Lebanese civil war and lately, the religious feud in the Central African Republic, as well as the targeting of people on religious grounds, discrimination, hate crimes, etc.

There is no better time than now for Christianity and Islam to cooperate together with the other religions to help bring about a harmonious and peaceful world for the betterment of mankind.

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