Interfaith Dialogue

I attended an Interactive session in 'Interfaith Religious Dialogue' which included eminent scholars from different parts of the world. The purpose of their visit was to meet leading people of different faiths. Their tour included a visit to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Points discussed and worth thinking about:
1) Conflict is part of human nature. Communication is important. In dialogues
of this kind a lot of misconceptions are cleared and a lot of gems discovered.
2) We cannot 'leave our religion at home', but we should learn to appreciate
the gems of the Other's Faiths.
3) As per the Quran, we all are brothers and sisters.
4) Hindus say 'VasudevaKutumbakam. (The world is one family)

5) Guru Nanak says 'Ek Onkar' and "Sabna jian ka ek data..."

God, the Giver is the father of all...
6) The previous generations have messed up the planet. It is the citizens of
the future, that needs to be educated, in the fact that all religions impart
the same message.

The problem: Who will educate the teachers, and make sure that they also have 'compassion?'
7) The media needs to report facts not sensationalize them. For that, concerned citizens need to speak up.
8) Success rate of such meetings, is that a candle lights another candle.
9) Hindus chant the Gayatri Mantra. The Mantra is similar to a verse in the Quran.

I have been reading 'Angels and Demons' by Dan Brown.
I agree with the author when he states that:

'Very little in any organized faith is truly original. Religions are not born
from scratch. They grow from one another. Modern religion is a collage, an assimilated historical record of man's quest to understand the Divine.'

Humanity is born from one set of parents. We are a family and we live in one home. It is in our interest try and put our differences aside and preserve this beautiful planet of ours.