Mangaluru: Inter-religious dialogue to promote harmony held at St Aloysius College

Bellevision Media Network

Mangaluru, 10 Dec 2016: ‘Today to be religious is to be inter-religious established the Inter-Religious Dialogue held at St Aloysius College, here on December 9 at 2:45pm.

 

The department of Journalism of St Aloysius College (Autonomous) organized the talk on the topic, ‘Love and Forgiveness: Preached and Practiced.’ The resource persons were Fr Pradeep Sequeira SJ, finance officer, St Aloysius College, Dayanath Kotian, advocate; president of Forum of Justice and Manna Muhammed, teacher at Madrasatul-Huda-Al-Islamiyyah.

 

 

The talk was presided by Dr Alwyn D’Sa, vice principal of Arts and BCA faculty. The students and the resource persons engaged in an open discussion towards the end of the session.

 

‘It’s not the religion that matters; it is humanity that matters’ said Dayanath Kotian. He addressed the gathering as ‘Friends and Divine ones’ and emphasized we are part and parcel of the divine cosmic soul and hence all people are one. He concluded quoting from the Bhagavad-Gita and stressed Hinduism envelopes all; haves, have-nots, believers and non-believers.

 

Manna Muhammed gave an Islamic perspective based on the teachings of Prophet Muhammed and quoted the Holy Quran. In the context of terrorism, he quoted the verse, ‘If anyone killed an innocent person it is as if he has killed the entire humanity and if he saves one life it is as if he has saved the entire humanity’. He highlighted that Islam condemns abusing Gods of other religions and encouraged religious solidarity.

 

According to Christianity ‘God is Love’ and ‘Forgiving is an attitude of the strong and not the weak,’ opined Fr Pradeep Sequeira SJ. He promoted the idea that love is to be spent for the betterment of others. The concluding statement, ‘Don’t use people to love your religion, use your religion to love people,’ invoked the ideals of religious harmony.