Followers of each religion must reach out to those belonging to other faiths and promote inter-faith dialogue, Minister for Excise K. Babu said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the ‘Matamythri Samithi' (religious amity forum) and ‘Intoxicant-free campuses' campaign of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) here on Friday. “India is the biggest secular country in the world. Despite stray incidents of inter-religious strife, we are a model to the whole world.”
In his address, Major Archbishop Mar George Alenchery spoke of how all religions espouse similar messages. Script writer John Paul released the book ‘Public Education: Relevance and Problems', co-authored by K S Radhakrishnan and Abdul Samad Samadani.
Dr. Radhakrishnan said that at the core of all religions is the yearning to find truth. “Getting intoxicated with religion is as dangerous as other forms of intoxication.”
Swami Ayyapadas, general secretary of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Samajam said that one must have a broad mind and thinking. “We need more such inter-religious meets, at frequent intervals.” “All religions stand for human fellowship and not for a society divided on the basis of faith,” said the Imam of Kalamassery Juma Masjid Syed Mohammed Meeran Al Halahi. Charles Dias, MP; Fr Stephen Alathara, deputy secretary of KCBC; Fr. Roby Kannanchira, secretary of the KCBC Dialogue and Ecumenism Commission and representatives of other religions spoke.
Keywords: Inter-religion, Inter-faith, KCBC
