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INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
IN THE LIGHT OF PROVERBS AND SAYINGS
1. Mountains do not meet but Human Beings always do! (Milima haikutani,
bali wanadamu hukutana, Swahili).
In Interreligious dialogue, it is not two religious traditions meeting
together! In fact, in their "mountains" of doctrines and dogmas
it might be that they would never meet! However, this does not mean
that those who believe in these doctrines and dogmas cannot meet. They
can meet and in fact they are predestined to meet! But what is the quality
of this meeting and on what grounds? By engaging myself in Interreligious
dialogue, I can find some answers to this question.
2. Hundred students put together will never know God (Mossi).
God is not an object of study! He is to be in relation with, to be in
covenant with! Believers are not called to study and explain God, but
to give constant signs of his presence in our own lives and in the world
around us. Interreligious dialogue offers us an occasion to witness
to one another the fruits of this relationship and covenant.
3. Never fight a stranger in darkness, you might find out in the
daylight that he was your brother (Zambia).
Religious conflicts, antagonism, polemics and wars are but a sign that
not all is light in our religious traditions! There is still darkness
of pride, prejudices, indifference and ignorance. Were we to live fully
in that eternal 'daylight' coming from the One in whom there is no darkness,
then we would discover that no human being is a stranger to us! In that
daylight, we would discover that we are all brothers and sisters because
we all have one Father! Interreligious dialogue aims at dispelling this
darkness that prevent us to see and live our universal brotherhood and
sisterhood!
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
IN THE LIGHT OF PROVERBS AND SAYINGS
- 2 - (23-07-2002)
1. God is not like Athumani. (Mungu si Athumani. Swahili):
Whereas human beings are inclined to have biases based on tribe, race,
gender, religion, etc., God has no favouritism. Aren't the believers
who claim to witness to such a God not called to do the same? (See Bible:
Dt 10: 17ff. Mt 5: 43-48, Ac 10: 34-35, Rm 2: 11, 1 Pt 1: 17)
2. The Deity is like a dressing skin; every individual dresses it
in his own way. (Lubaale maliba, buli afuluma alyambala bubwe
- Luganda/Uganda):
Religious freedom is a sacrosanct human right. Each person is free to
choose that religion (idea of God) s/he considers the right one for
oneself. There is no compulsion in religion. God can be honoured in
different ways.
3. We respect the dog because of its master, (Minyanka/Mali):
Many religions, if not all, teach that God or the Supreme Being is the
Creator and Master of the Universe and all it contains, of course, human
beings included. Would this proverb not be an invitation to the followers
of these religions to show respect, not only to their fellow people
but also to all Creation, as a visible sign for the respect they have
for their Lord and Master of the Universe?
4. Each flower has its own fragrance, (Douala /Cameroon).
Mahatma Gandhi liked to compare the different world religions as forming
one beautiful flower garden. Like each type of flower, each religion
has its own fragrance. However, it is not natural to detect this fragrance.
In other words, the sense to smell the scent of the different religions
is not inborn. We have to acquire it by developing a positive outlook
at the living witness of the followers of other religions and making
an objective critical study of their beliefs and practices.
5. One who has not yet left his own home praises his mother for
cooking well (i.e. considering her to be the best cook). (Atannayitayita
yatenda nyina okufumba Luganda/Uganda):
What a surprise we often get when we dare go beyond the small horizon
of our respective religions and discover that other religious traditions
are also capable of preparing nourishing and delicious spiritual and
moral dishes!
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
IN THE LIGHT OF PROVERBS AND SAYINGS
- 3 - (22-11-2002)
1. With God no person is abject. (Kwa Mungu hakuna dhaifu-Swahili)
The message of this saying is clear: Before God, all people are equal,
they all have the same human and divine dignity. Many world religions
proclaim this same message. But, is it not also true that some of their
teachings and traditions, explicitly or implicitly, convey another a
contradictory message seeming to say: "All persons are equal before
God but the followers of our religion are more equal than the followers
of other religions"? How do you reconcile these two messages?
2. He, who does not know you, does not value you. (Asiyekujua hakuthamini
- Swahili)
I have to know the value of a thing before I can set a price for it.
Religion is no exception to the truth of this saying. Is it not, therefore,
a 'sacred duty' for me to study the faith (both the theory and practice)
of my neighbour if I am to value its richness?
3. A pilgrim, even if a sultan, is poor".(Nilotic):
We human beings are pilgrims on this earth. We are on our journey towards
our common and eternal homeland. What a difference it would make to
our world, inspite of our differences due to status, race, culture,
religion etc., were we discover our common poverty before the mysteries
of life and God!
4. Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.
(Nunya, adidoe, asi metunee o. Akan and Ewe in Benin, Ghana and Togo)
In many cultures, wisdom refers to the 'ethical and religious quality
of life' more than to the intelligence. It is an art of both moral and
spiritual living. Moreover, many religions speak of God as the All Wise
and the fountain of all wisdom!
Is it not a sign of presumption and arrogance for an individual or a
civilisation or a religion, to claim to have mastered all wisdom which
would equal to embracing its Source who is God?
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
IN THE LIGHT OF PROVERBS AND SAYINGS
- 4 - (09-04-2004)
Oh, how big the temptation is to think that our religion has the monopoly
of Truth, of God! These two proverbs admonish us of this danger. (From
Georges Defour, Cinq Mille Proverbes Africains pour la loi des Hommes
Nouveaux)
1. No village is forgotten by the Sun (God). (Congo)
2. No valley is so isolated that God is not there. (Madagascar)
To appreciate the other different in culture and religion, it demands
much effort, humility and patience so as to be able to enter into his/her
mentality. This is the message of the following proverbs. (Source: Georges
Defour, ibid.)
1 To enter in an inclined house, incline yourself too. (Bamileke)
2 If, on entering in a village you see people walking on their heads,
you too walk on your head. (Mossi)
3 If you do not lie under the eggplants, you cannot see all their
fruits. (Bambara)
4 Passing quickly you see only the leaves, but to see the roots
you have to stop. (Madagascar)
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