FOREWORD

FOREWORD cannot afford to be violent or intolerant. The behaviour of a truly religious person is always one of peace and tolerance. The philosophical ground of peace and tolerance in some religions is derived from the concept of the manyness of reality or of truth being plural. On the other hand, the philosophical base of peace and tolerance in certain other religions is their belief in the principle of the oneness of reality or the idea that truth is one. However, no matter what their different philosophical ideas are in this regard, all religions advocate mutual respect as the basis for interfaith relations. In religion, differences can best be meaningfully and constructively managed through peaceful and positive inter-religious dialogue between adherents of different faiths based on mutual respect. A principal aim of such dialogue should be to seek peaceful solutions to controversial matters. The second aim of inter-religious dialogue can be mutual learning. Inter-religious dialogue does not simply mean telling others about one’s religion. It also means discovering and appreciating wise and good things in other religions and learning from the insights and experiences of their adherents. The third purpose of inter-religious dialogue is to help create a platform for uniting peace-loving people across the globe from different religious backgrounds to work for the common good and to celebrate our common humanity. The fourth purpose of inter-religious dialogue can be to help individuals grow as spiritual beings, to become better