Religion is in Danger

and speakers present an exaggerated or distorted picture, giving people the impression that their religion is under threat from others. As a result, under the banner of protecting religion, rallies, marches, slogans, and flagwaving politics begin. This kind of politics does not actually protect religion from danger but instead, in the name of saving religion, destroys society’s peace and puts it in real danger. If religion were truly in danger, it would clearly mean that an outsider is threatening it. In this way, the slogan “Religion is in danger” fuels hatred between one group and another. When such politics of hatred fail to eliminate the supposed threat to religion, it shifts to a new phase: the politics of despair. This politics of despair then advances to violent politics. When violence also fails to achieve its aims, it shifts to suicidal politics. Emotionally charged youth, filled with intense hatred, express their frustration through suicide bombings against their perceived enemies. The politics of religious danger eventually transforms into a politics of religious suicide. Those who rise up in the name of life end up becoming messengers of death—for themselves and others. The truth is that the only way to escape this destructive politics is to declare violence completely unacceptable in any situation. No excuse, no matter how justified it seems, should be considered valid for using violence. The world we live in today is full of differences. Everyone is Mr. Different, and every woman is Ms. Different.