Unity in Diversity enhances the friendship between Muslims and Christians

In the spirit of ‘Muhibbah and Merdeka’, the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur jointly hosted a luncheon with members of Parti Se-Islam Malaysia (PAS) on September 1 at the De Palma Hotel in Ampang.

The day’s theme Unity in Diversity was the central focus of each speech as it fittingly described Malaysia and its multi-racial, multi-religious, multilingual, multicultural as well as its various traditional attires, ideologies and innumerable array of food choices.

The gathering included Archbishop Julian Leow, Archbishop Emeritus Murphy Pakiam, Fr Dr Clarence Devadass, Fr Gregory Chan, Fr Leo Lefebure, PAS Deputy President Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man; PAS VicePresident Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad; PAS Secretary-General Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan; YB Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, members of Archdiocesan Ministry of Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs (AMEIA), PAS delegates and friends of PAS.

Fr Clarence Devadass, in his opening prayer, thanked the heavenly Father for the special day and the chance to gather as one in an initiative that was made possible by His will and grace. He prayed: “Open our hearts so that we may walk together in peace and unity that will benefit our country Malaysia.” He shared the analogy of the blind men and an elephant to emphasise the importance of being open to sharing and accepting each other’s views to “get the full and correct picture” in any situation. Fr Clarence said in the context of diversity, to attain unity, we need a framework, and he felt St. Augustine’s quote: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity,” was suitable to guide us.

“When we understand each other’s differences, we can attain unity in the diversity we encounter as Malaysians.”

He ended with a quote from Mother Theresa, “‘I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things’, so friends, together, let us achieve great things to make Malaysia better.”

Co-organiser YB Nik Abduh, was thrilled with the success of the gathering. He hoped it would be meaningful not just to those present but to all Malaysians who continue to live in peace and harmony in a country that is revered around the world for uniting its citizens from varying backgrounds.

“We have become an example to the world that we are capable of living together in peace and unity. However, we must note that the peace can be lost if we become careless and do not take care of it.”

PAS Vice-President Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad brought to light the misconception that many believed PAS was merely a religion-driven political party that only focused on issues concerning Malay Muslims in the country.

“If you look around you this afternoon, you will notice we have many non-Muslim members. In Kelantan and Terengganu, PAS continues to rule the states while looking after the well-being of all its constituents regardless of their race and religious beliefs.

“I look forward to many similar gatherings like today to help us reach a better understanding and creating a better Malaysia.” He too ended with a quote from Mother Theresa, “Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”

Archbishop Julian Leow likened the relationship of Christians and Muslims as that within a family. “It has often been said that we should have dialogue with one another so as not to have any misunderstanding. But in reality that should not be the reason to organise dialogue sessions as it should happen naturally. As people who have much to share, people who are part of the same Abrahamic family, spending time together to talk and share ideas should be spontaneous and natural. Planned initiatives towards interfaith dialogue is necessary during the initial stages but it is my hope that in time to come such initiatives would become a natural course of action and not a once a year or once in two years.” While acknowledging that both religions have some theological differences, the archbishop said that it is through these differences that we get to know each religion better.

“We have a great deal to learn from one another, and this can enrich us without undermining our own identities. Together, listening and responding with openness and respect, we can move forward to work in ways that acknowledge genuine differences but built on shared hopes and values. When individuals and groups can put aside their religious differences and work together for the common good of society and for the betterment of the nation as a whole, the barriers of mistrust can easily be dispelled,” added Archbishop Julian.

PAS Deputy President Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was also pleased with the afternoon’s success and looks forward to having future inter-religious gatherings at state level to discuss sensitive issues as well as looking into the country’s economic and environmental issues.

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online