A time for introspection

NIDDERAU: I enjoyed Tazeen Javed’s article of June 1 titled “A time for introspection and soul searching”. I admire the writer’s courage to discuss a subject very few dare touch. In my view, we can only win this battle of one-sided thinking and intolerance, if our society and education system is free from fear and if the truth, particularly the unpleasant ones, are not kept hidden.

The West has had a history of self-righteousness and fanaticism against other faiths and cultures but slowly over time it adopted liberal attitudes.  They learned — the hard way — that extreme religious teachings do not go well with the present day world, which has become a global village. As knowledge, wealth, education and democracy spread, the power of extremism is bound to dwindle.

Our view of the world is increasingly shaped by science, and rather than looking for solace in the afterlife we will hope for continuing improvement in the human condition. It should start at mosques and madrassahs where respect for ‘others’ is not shown; instead one finds only hate. At some point, human beings will no longer need to hate others to justify our own faith.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2010.