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Letters: Tolerance is a must
This is a response to a comment made by Rensy of Salatiga, Central Java, on Jan
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his is a response to a comment made by Rensy of Salatiga, Central Java, on Jan. 6 to a letter titled on a letter titled “An appeal to Indonesian Muslims” (the Post, Dec. 31).
I know the news nowadays about Muslims is so distressing, but believe me, Islamic teaching is not that horrible.
For example, there is a philosophy in Islam that everybody has the chance to acquire God’s blessing and forgiveness, including to be allowed into heaven (salvation).
It is in the Koran, in verses 5:69 and 2:62: “Those who believe, those who follow Jewish scriptures, the Christians, the Sabians, and any who believe in God and the Final Day, and do good, all shall have their reward with their Lord and they will not come to fear or grief.”
Islamic teachings consider Christian and Jews as the People of the Book (29:46), and the Sabians are interpreted as agnostics or other believers (including Buddhists, etc. See Karen Armstrong’s books for more about this).
Tolerance is a must in Islamic teaching. As quoted previously by Mike, the Koran’s verse 49:13 asserts God could have created us similar to one another, but God didn’t because he wanted us to know each other.
Verse 5:2 says: “Work with one another in promoting goodness and piety, and do not work to promote crime and aggression, and fear God for God is severe in punishment.”
Verse 16:125 says: “Do not argue with the People of the Book unless in a kind and fair way.” So there are plenty verses in the Koran that teach equality, tolerance and love.
But of course there are people who would distort some teachings for their own purposes.
Christianity underwent this kind of abominable practice in the Middle Ages, where a lot of people were tortured because they were deemed disbelievers by the church (Spanish Inquisition, anyone?).
Now Islam is in its dark age and we must fight together – Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, agnostics, atheists, whoever – to conquer any disturbing interpretation of the divine message that nurtures hatred toward each other.
Rara
Denver, CO
