I have attended an event organized by Truth For This Time, non-profit organization. It was an event of comparative religions of five religious namely Christian, Muslim, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism. The moderator of the event was Dr. Wilkinson J. Ninala Director for Frontline Medical Center.
The event started with a prayer led by Pastor John Daniel from the Southern Asian Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Following the prayer, Mike Ghouse, a social scientist and president of the Center for Pluralism, addressed the audience, emphasizing a concept from the Quran. He highlighted the Quran’s focus on the pursuit of truth and drew a comparison, suggesting a distinction between this principle and the Fifth Amendment in the US Constitution. In the Quran, individuals are encouraged to adhere to truthfulness, whereas the Constitution allows individuals to refrain from answering certain questions.
Bhante Katugastora, Uparatana Nayakathera from the Maryland Buddhist Vihar, delivered a lecture on Buddhism. During the lecture, he quoted the teachings of Buddha addressing the various forms of suffering in human life. These afflictions manifest in different aspects, starting from family relations, age-related challenges, thoughts, and the cycles of personal growth that constitute the cycle of life.
Mr. Nissim B. Reuben, Assistant Director at the Asia Pacific Institute of the American Jewish Committee, shared insights on Judaism. He highlighted that Jewish history in Kerala traces back to 68 AD when a considerable number of Jews migrated following the Roman attack on the tabernacle in Jerusalem. Additionally, he mentioned that the first synagogue in India was established in the 4th century in Kodungallur (Cranganore) during a period when Jews played a significant mercantile role in the South Indian region, known as Kerala, situated along the Malabar coast.
Presentation on Hinduism, H.G. Vishnu Rat Das, a Brahmachari and International Preacher at ISKCON, emphasized the belief in one God Almighty, whose truth resonates within Hindu texts and scriptures.
Evangelist Ronald Ninala, President of Truth For This Time Inc, shared insights on Christianity. He quoted a well-known saying of Jesus, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,’ and reflected on several scriptures from the Bible, encompassing passages from both the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus.
Although the gathering centered around the overarching theme of the ‘search for truth,’ it predominantly underscored the principles of an interfaith and pluralistic society, emphasizing the multitude of paths available for individuals to connect with the divine. Surprisingly, the discussions omitted any substantial exploration of societal vulnerabilities and the malevolent actions that persist within communities under the guise of religious devotion.
In any country, whether it’s conflict-prone or considered peaceful by general measures, there’s a widespread acknowledgment of diverse opinions on matters of faith. However, the practical impact of these beliefs differs from the deeply entrenched experiences of loyalty to family, religion, ancestry, and the trust found within various societal and religious groups. The understanding that there’s no singular narrative universally uniting humanity and the concept of God results in a lack of a unifying story.
This absence allows for the coexistence of diverse human organizations, often characterized by strict divisions, which impedes the offering of a broader perspective. Such divisions hinder the exploration of natural frameworks for human solutions, reasoning and the pursuit of a deeper understanding of life’s purpose.