Respect and accept the differences of others

Respect and accept the differences of others

 Regardless of our differences, we are the world and this world is for us all.

By

Sayed Abuelmagd

Introduction

What motivated me to write this book was a deep desire to foster respect for the idea of differences.

Treating people with respect makes your world a nicer place to live in.

It is a respect for diversity and many believe that it is also the very virtue that makes peace possible.

We live in a world of turbulent change and we see:

• Intolerance is on the increase in the world today, causing death, genocide, violence, religious persecution as well as confrontations on different levels. Some times it is racial and ethnic, some times it is religious and ideological, other times it is political and social. In every situation it is evil and painful. How can we solve the problem of intolerance? How can we assert our own beliefs and positions without being intolerant to others? How can we bring tolerance into the world today?
• Technological advances continue to shrink the world and bring disparate and far-apart cultures much closer together. Participation in today's global society requires showing respect and understanding to members of all cultures even when they contradict one's own culture. Cultural differences are inevitable; showing respect for those differences is imperative for successful intercultural relations.
• Understanding someone who differs significantly from you can prove a challenge, as you may have no experience with his ways of life or customs; however, being understanding of differences is important to maintaining harmony in your relationships. Instead of fighting against differences, embrace them, be respectful of them and use the experience to learn and grow as a person.

This book introduces contemporary writing about difference. Ideas of Difference will appeal to anyone working on identity, organising, materiality, ethics or spatiality. The book puts the issue of difference in question. Divisions are no longer seen as fixed, or natural, but are implicated in performing difference.

Friends come in all colours and sizes; they can be funny or serious, musical or athletic, outgoing or quiet. This book reminds people to celebrate their differences because that is what makes each of us so special.

This book helps children better understand and appreciate themselves and others.

I introduced the concept of mutual respect and why it is superior to the patronising notion of "tolerance" that is typically celebrated at interfaith events. My book is entirely about appreciating how traditions differ from one another rather than seeing them as the same. In parallel with these works, I have been in conversations and debates with numerous thinkers of traditions other than my own.

There have been agreements and disagreements, but always with mutual respect. I wish to reflect on how my experience relates to my overall approach to interfaith dialogues.

I coined the term "difference anxiety" to refer to the anxiety that one is different from the other -- be it in gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion or whatever else. The opposite of difference anxiety is difference with mutual respect.

This is not merely a shift in public rhetoric, but requires cultivating comfort with the infinitude of differences built into the fabric of the cosmos.

The rest of my book explains several philosophical foundations of the differences between the traditions (an umbrella term for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism) and the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam).

Tolerance, openness to argument, openness to self-doubt, willingness to see other people's points of view - these are very liberal and enlightened values that people are right to hold, but we can't allow them to delude us to the point where we can't recognise people who are needlessly perpetrating human misery.

The responsibility of tolerance lies with those who have the wider vision.

Broad-mindedness is related to tolerance; open-mindedness is the sibling of peace.

I think tolerance and acceptance and love is something that feeds every community.

“It's an universal law-- intolerance is the first sign of an inadequate education. An ill-educated person behaves with arrogant impatience, whereas truly profound education breeds humility.”

 I have good idea, for if you meet some person from different religion and he wants to make argument about God. My idea is, you listen to everything this man say about God. Never argue about God with him. Best thing to say is, 'I agree with you.' Then you go home, pray what you want. This is my idea for people to have peace about religion.”

“Ignorance and prejudice are the handmaidens of propaganda. Our mission, therefore, is to confront ignorance with knowledge, bigotry with tolerance, and isolation with the outstretched hand of generosity. Racism can, will, and must be defeated.”

“If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.

Don't be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn't do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn't know what you know today

We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.

We are a nation of communities... a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky.

Festivals promote diversity, they bring neighbours into dialogue, they increase creativity, they offer opportunities for civic pride, they improve our general psychological well-being. In short, they make cities better places to live.
We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges.

We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community - and this nation.