KOCHI, India — Swami Shankaracharya Onkaranand Saraswathi, head of Prayag Peeth, Parmatama Matt, argued that without Dharma (decree or custom) there is no meaning for religion. He was inaugurating the seminar on “Religion and Human Values” organized by International Interfaith Dialogue India (IIDI), an initiative, which the organizers say took energy from Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah's vision on interfaith dialogue. The essence of religion, however, is ignored at our own peril and hence reverse manifestations are highlighted and imitated, the young swami lamented in the seminar in Kochi. An idle crowd of believers without dharma or values can never be a role model of any virtues, and at the same time it will result adversely. Such assemblies, instead of influencing the society in a creative way, may fall in to a pseudo religious path or cult. Such cult intoxication may lead the society to a blind and illogical conclusion and eventually to utter anarchy. “The basic source of all religions is one and the same and it is divine” said Shri Prasanna Venkatachariar Chaturvedi Swamy, the founder of Sri Ramanuja Mission Trust, Tamil Nadu. The real mission of the religion is the striving for the restoration of justice, peace and cooperation. Every believer, regardless of his/her religion or faith should open their eyes to the society and should consider mutually in their miseries rather than jubilance or happiness. If one's faith is capable to identify the sorrows of his fellow beings and is willing to help the needy, pole-vaulting all the so-called religious barriers, it is the real testimony of the oneness of the divinity. And that is how we could accomplish the sublime mission of the religion. All the holy scriptures are filled with the letters, words and sentences and they become alive and powerful only when the followers of the holy books are ready to volunteer to translate that holy scripts in to their lives without giving any room for misinterpretations. Unfortunately, however, this cardinal duty is being generally ignored by religions and this is the main cause of the present global crisis. The seminar was presided by K.P. Ramanunni, the vice president of IIDI. The messages of Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, the chief patron of IIDI, and Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, the major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Archiepiscopal Church, were presented in video. “I am not an ambassador of any particular religion, but is the peace ambassador of IIDI, and thereby am representing every religion,” proclaimed Padmabhushan Dr. K.J. Yesudas. The recognition and acceptance of diversity is the core concept of interfaith approach, argued Fr. Albert Nambiaparambil CMI, the Secretary General of World Fellowship of Interreligious Councils. “Muslims are far from embracing the true spirit of Islam and that is the main reason for their failure and decadence. The quintessence of Islam is justice, liberation from selfish motives and love,” argued Maulawi Jamaludeen Mankada Palayam Imam, Thiruvanantapuram. Leaders of every religion should lead the venture of controlling the spread of communalism among their adherents called T. Arifali, the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Kerala zone. Gopinath Muthukad showed some magic establishing the theme of the sameness of religions in the sphere of values. N.M. Sharafudeen, the Secretary General of IIDI expressed vote of thanks. Over 200 representatives from various parts of Kerala participated in the seminar. — SG
