Issues: ‘God, men and pluralism’

Dec. 21, p. 6

“You are lucky. A good hotel location, the city mosque is not far from your hotel, just walking distance,” Hassen, the maxi (not a taxi, because it could take six of us) driver greeted me as I was struggling to put on my seat belt. Melbourne 2009 — and it was the second day of December.

What a change! I was in the city more than 20 years ago. Then, as a businessman, and I do not remember being driven by a Hassen who would for the next half an hour brief me on the geography of the city, highlighting only such places related to the “religion of God”.  Hmm, “So, other religions are not ‘of’ God?” Hassen interpreted my question as a confirmation of what he had said earlier. With an additional zeal, he repeated himself, “Yes, yes, only one religion of God.” Does God follow any particular religion? Does he follow the religion of His own creation, or ...?   (By Anand Krishna,  Jakarta).


Your comments:

I used to travel to countries where you can easily find atheists among the citizens. The impression I got from these people they’re often more humane than people who follow religion. Sometime I wonder why?

Aren’t religions founded to make people more humane? What’s wrong with religions?

M.J Thamrin
Jakarta


The driver’s story makes me worried, even though I love Melbourne, and I understand that Melbournians are trying to become a peaceful melting pot of many races and faiths (and even faithless).

Icha
Townsville, Australia


It’s difficult to live as a big family under humankind if we stay in our “small cultural jar”. We can’t make a new world for ourselves as long as we hold on to old self-destructive beliefs about ourselves — or about the worth of others.

Edwina
Surabaya


Even though the writer of this column adopts a very patronizing tone — and clearly harbors open racism against Arabs with his broad characterizations and stereotypes — the taxi driver is the more intelligent of these two.

Although all religions have commonalities, it is obvious that they are not all the same.

Thus, one of them must be closer to the truth than the others, if truth means anything at all.

No, of course, God does not have a religion.

If He did, He would be in need of a religion like His creation. But there is only one religion that, at least in its fundamental principles, has not been corrupted by the selfish desires of mankind.

Abdal-Latif
California, US


I don’t think this article was worthy of publishing.

Krisna Wibowo
Bandung


Krisna Wibowo, this is a strange comment. I think I know why you don’t want this article to be published.

But then again, in the spirit of Christmas, may God bless you with the right understanding to know the meaning of this article.

Anya
Jakarta


If I see you, I want to ask you: What is your religion? I can’t agree more, let’s start to act, not merely make record.

Zulaeha
Jakarta