Building Harmony through Mutual Respect

BUILDING HARMONY THROUGH MUTUAL RESPECT Every incident can be viewed from different standpoints, and it is a mistake to think that one’s own is always the correct one. However, if we were all to stop and think that there might be some aspect of another person’s argument that is worthy of consideration instead of exaggerating the virtues of one’s cause and the vices of the other, there would likely be much less ill-feeling in society and then the causes of quarrels, when viewed coolly and in a spirit of tolerance, would often disappear. In many multi-religious societies, the factor that most undermines inter-community harmony is an atmosphere of doubt and suspicion that has grown out of complex historical factors. If only this barrier could be crossed, people would likely discover that many communal problems have been resolved. This no doubt requires great self-control and mental effort, but the results would be wonderful to behold. It would be like an aeroplane that takes off in dense fog but slowly climbs above it to an altitude where all is brightness and sunshine. In reality, many of the problems of this world arise from sheer ignorance, and it takes real wisdom to solve them. This is particularly true of inter-community problems, in which the element of ignorance on the part of miscreants often sparks disputes. If this could be properly understood and the situation treated with wisdom and forbearance, disputes might cease at the very outset.