MORAL AND ETHICAL DEVELOPMENT IN SOCIETY — Inter-faith Partnership

The establishment of a harmonious relationship between all the members of society is a common requirement of all religions. No religious activity can be carried out without normal social conditions. It is, therefore, in the best interests of all religions for moral behaviour to be recognized as the greatest means of normalizing the relationship between different sections of a society and ensuring peaceable living conditions. So, in view of this, every religion teaches its members to adopt a good moral standard. There are ample references in all religions that provide us with a good base for building a better society through partnership. This is the basic role of every religion. Without playing this role, religion becomes irrelevant to humanity. Love is the greatest social value; the basis of all moral teachings and requirements. The above commonalities amongst religions provide a base for the development of a harmonious society. However, in order to administer and regulate practical matters in society the role of a suitable political administration cannot be denied. Different roles of Religion and Political Administration Religion and political administration are the two basic instruments by which every society is regulated. Both have a very important role. Religion being intended to build a moral base for society, it is the duty of religious people to condition the minds of the people on a moral basis. It is their duty to create an ethical atmosphere in society and to promote human friendly behaviour among all the members of society. Political rule has a basic regulatory function in the practical matters of a nation. It is put in place to maintain peace and harmony among the people and to ensure justice and check crimes. No religious institution can play the role of political masters. And no political master—given the limitations of political administration—can play the role of a religious institution. Both the institutions have their specific roles and both institutions are complementary to each other. It is the complementary roles of the two institutions that ensures building of a better society.