Christians and Muslims have been called upon to collaborate and promote shared religious and moral values while acknowledging their differences.
The Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Holy See in a message to Muslims on the feast of ‘Id al-Fitr said “by recognising what we hold in common and by showing respect for our legitimate differences, we can more firmly establish a solid foundation for peaceful relations, moving from competition and confrontation to an effective co-operation for the common good”.
The message said past relations between Christians and Muslims have often been marked with a spirit of competition which breeds jealousy, recriminations and tensions and in some cases have led to violent confrontations, especially where religion has been instrumentalised, above all due to self-interest and political motives.
Such inter-religious competition, it said, wounds the image of religions and their followers, and fosters the view that religions are not sources of peace, but of tension and violence, stressing on the need to move from competition to collaboration.
“We all have the right and the duty to witness to the All-Powerful One we worship, and to share our beliefs with others, while respecting their religion and religious sentiments”, the message said.
The Council further called for peaceful and fraternal relations between Christians and Muslims, admonishing them to work together and honour each another. “In this way we will give glory to the Almighty and promote harmony in society, which is becoming increasingly multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural”, it added.
