Religion and Social Responsibility, Moishe Alexander

In Egypt last week President Barack Obama gave a speech titled "A new beginning." I think that is an unfortunate title for what some consider to be an important speech. Can you imagine a speech entitled "An old beginning." The commentaries that came before and after the speech were diverse.

A cross section of Americans thought Obama was going way beyond the call of duty by offering apologies for every security-motivated decision his country had made in the past; others saw it as a new gesture that will cast America in a favorable light in the eyes of the world.

The response on one part was that of cynicism and elements of doubt as to whether these eloquent words would translate into reality. It would seem that most people welcomed the speech as an offer of the proverbial olive branch for a "new beginning" in diplomatic relationship and for greater peace around the globe. Again I ask, what would an "old beginning" look like?

All kidding aside, beginning again can be an important thing in a world torn apart by ideology and hatred. Watch the news on any given day. The more we listen to the gory stories on the news and view the despicable images on television, the more compassion for others these should evoke. We see innocent people as well as not so innocent people killed and families annihilated. There is a deep longing for peace in people that are not jaded by selfishness and war. The Jews are to be a light among the nations. Christians are supposed to be tolerant. Muslims are supposed to submit to the will of the Almighty. The challenge before political leaders today is to adopt strategies that unify people in areas where they can work together.

In this decade we have seen an increase of war and violence within nations, between ethnic groups, and between religious groups. Some analysts have interpreted the global crisis as the clash of civilisations and others simply define it as the clash of religions. The problems on the global stage and particularly in the Middle East have clearly divided people concerning the causes for this. For example, Palestinians consists of a Muslim majority and a Christian minority and both have been marginalised by their Arab brothers and received leadership that has not been so keen on truth or peace. This has led to an ongoing refugee situation and difficulty with thinking objectively about what is in their best interests. Clearly over the years their leadership has taken them away from promising peaceful solutions.

In Nigeria, there are troubles and conflicts which are interpreted by some as a religious crisis. Others consider it to be an issue of simple justice and prejudice. It is my opinion that it all boils down to ideology regardless of the content of that ideology. Nigeria has become a common reference point as a country with incessant 'religious' crises and as among the most corrupt countries in the world. These seem to be a paradox given that the country is voted as one of the most religious in the world. It is difficult to reconcile this contradiction, except one explains being religious as simply believing in God and attending religious devotions. However, the yardstick for the measurement of true piety is in the quality of interaction and co-operation irrespective of tribe or religion. True piety is based on the degree to which life is considered sacred. If people are putting their own families and children at risk can they be considered to be truly religious?

Over the last twenty years or so, crises that have been associated with religion have reached a peak and so concerned citizens ask if Religion is really the problem. The problem is not religion in itself, but rather about the abuse of religion to control the minds of mainstream believers. Islam and Christianity have contributed greatly in different spheres of life both on the spiritual and social realm in Nigeria. In the spiritual realm they connect the people to the Ground of Being; in the social realm they integrate eternal values. The followers of both religions are saddled with a social responsibility to challenge the structures of injustice, and to promote social cohesion in a diverse community. In addition, one of the major challenges facing religious and political leaders of the North is to continually challenge the youth on the need to be grounded in education and to understand and avoid the perils of mindless ideology and hatred. Religious institutions which are supposed to serve as catalysts in bringing about social justice, peace, and progress must move away from the contempt that is demonstrated by religious fanatics.