In a world where religious animosity and distrust among people of different faiths is one of the leading causes of conflict and human suffering, it is paramount that society foster and encourage understanding and respect for various religious beliefs. Education of foreign cultures and the world’s religions will facilitate the end of racial and religious prejudice and discrimination, while achieving respect and understanding. According to Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations and an experienced diplomat, “Education gives us the chance to understand that we are all tied together as citizens of the global community, and that our challenges are interconnected”.
At my middle school, every eighth grader was required to take a comparative religions class. We learned about the foundations, customs, and traditions of a dozen different religions. We also examined the culture and way of life in foreign nations, including Africa and the Middle East. Not only was this class deeply fascinating, but it also gave me a profound appreciation for the diversity that compromises the various faiths and religious beliefs that make up our world. Almost as important as developing appreciation of the benefits of diversity was my realization that religious beliefs are one of the most significant factors in determining an individual’s attitude toward personal freedom, expression, morality, and tolerance.
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Children today are living in a world of rapid change and are exposed to many viewpoints and opinions, including the strong influence of the traditional and social media. According to Fowler and Dells' Stages of Faith theory, “values important for the development of tolerance, such as equality, compassion, and trust in others with different beliefs, are internalized in childhood”. The early development of fundamental values underscores the importance of incorporating education of differing religious practices at a formative age.
According to the National Association of Independent Schools, when students who are taking a world religions class were asked about why they chose to take the class, most said that they wanted to learn about religions other than the one they practice. Additionally, a majority of students wanted to learn about Islam because students realize that what they are ‘learning’ about Islam through the media is heavily skewed and frequently inaccurate. Furthermore, students realize that learning more about the world’s religions is indispensable to understanding today’s dynamic society and the conflicts of the 21st century world.
Throughout the United States, mosques are vandalized and local government officials denounce Islam and debate anti-Muslim laws. According to BBC News, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has reported a 17% spike in Islamic hate crimes, with a total of 7,175 hate crimes last year. One Muslim woman was the victim of such hate crime. She boarded a train wearing a hijab, a head covering worn by Muslim women. A male passenger on the train immediately began to yell racial slurs and even falsely reported that the woman was carrying a bomb. Such behavior stems from a fundamental lack of understanding and information, which results in harmful prejudices and uninformed biases toward persons of different faiths. Teaching world religions and culture classes in schools will, however, create a generation of compassionate, inclusive, and respectful individuals, as well as reduce religious intolerance and prejudice, and decrease the number of hate crimes.
Racial intolerance and prejudice can start at a young age. A young Sikh man recalled his first day in kindergarten and how his peers tore off his patka, the religious head covering he wore. A Muslim boy stood by his locker in fourth grade and a classmate asked: “Hey, is there a bomb in your locker?”. Another female student said high school peers asked her if her family belonged to a cult because they were Jehovah’s Witnesses. This type of behavior is both harmful and prolific in a country that does not understand and appreciate religious diversity.
Freedom of religion and conscience require more than simply living and coexisting with our differences. Acceptance and tolerance in a free and open society requires education and meaningful knowledge of different religions and cultures. A comprehensive study of different religions and cultures is necessary to achieve widespread tolerance.
The Center of Religious Freedom has found that religious tolerance promotes stability in a pluralistic society, while intolerance correlates to increased violence and conflict. Consequently, wherever religious freedom is high, there is more economic prosperity, better health, lower income inequality, and prolonged democracy. The consequences of religious tolerance contribute to a just and free society where every citizen feels safe and important and people are able to live peacefully with their differences.
Religious tolerance is a necessity for individuals within a society to get along, especially when a variety of cultures and people with different religious beliefs live in one community or nation. When religious tolerance is practiced, unity and consistency exist, and society as a whole is more prosperous and people are more secure.
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