Seedling Pluralism in Pakistan

Pakistan like India has a common pluralistic heritage, but it has lost its tracks since Soviets invaded Afghanistan, and we the Americans countered their encroachment with funding Madrasas to produce Jihadists to go get the soviets, kill or get killed mind set, and they ran the Soviets off, and we abandoned them as well, rendering them jobless and purposeless drifters. Pakistan’s pluralistic heritage completely capsized two decades ago. Today, I am meeting a delegation from Pakistan on a trip to get an understanding of Pluralism and Interfaith.

URL: http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2012/10/seedling-pluralism-in-pakistan.html

Seedling Pluralism in Pakistan

Today, I am meeting a delegation from Pakistan on a trip to get an understanding of Pluralism and Interfaith. There are not many organizations involved in research and studies in religious pluralism and pluralistic governance; we are one of the few doing this work for the last twenty years.

Seedling Pluralism in Pakistan

I am particularly excited about this meeting, because, Pakistan like India has a common pluralistic heritage, but it has lost its tracks since Soviets invaded Afghanistan, and we the Americans countered their encroachment with funding Madrasas to produce Jihadists to go get the soviets, kill or get killed mind set, and they ran the Soviets off, and we abandoned them as well, rendering them jobless and purposeless drifters. We, the individuals have to do our share of work in fixing the problem. After all who does not want a safe and secure world?  Restoring plurality is good for Pakistan and good for her neighbors and the world.

Pakistan’s pluralistic heritage completely capsized two decades ago, where harassment of Christian, Hindu, Ahmadiyya Muslims, Sikhs and other minorities had gone unchecked, and the eerie silence of the majority. I am amazed at the positive response to the documentary on building a cohesive America; a few Pakistanis want me to make a documentary about building a cohesive Pakistan. They said it was safer for an outsider to make than the one from among them. I am not sure if that is just a talk or they are serious, if they fund it, I will make it; there is so much goodness out there that needs to be released.

For the last seven years, almost every religious and political delegation that visits Dallas, I am asked to give an orientation on Pluralism and share about the religious landscape in America and how to build pluralistic societies. The Saudi’s had met with me in 2003 that led to the interfaith meeting the King held in Saudi Arabia… I am hoping to show the trailer of the documentary Americans Together located at www.AmericaTogetherFoundation.com . 

Simply put, it is respecting the otherness of the other and accepting the uniqueness of each one of us.  In cultural terms, it is recognizing your culture as a beautiful expression of life to you, as my own culture is to me. When it comes to food, it is recognizing that you will almost always you’re your mothers food, you might enjoy a well done steak while, I am relish the medium rare I delight, or vice-versa. Religiously, it is learning to honor the way your worship or bow to the creator in gratitude, your faith is divine to you as my faith is divine to me.  As beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, faith is in the heart of the believer.

By the end of 2020, there will not be a major city in America, and perhaps in the world, where you will not find people of different faiths, cultures, ethnicities, races, nationalities and social backgrounds working, eating, playing, marrying, and doing things together.

We need to prepare ourselves for those eventualities to prevent possible conflicts, and lay a good foundation for nurturing goodwill and effective functioning of the societies. Exclusive communities will become a thing of the past.  If you live amidst others, you must also respect the otherness of others, as you expect them to do the same for you.

This was the work of every spiritual Master from Zoroaster, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Mahavira, Confucius, Rama, Jesus, Muhammad, Nanak, Baha'ullah  Native American Shamans - all of them wanted us to get along with each other, for the ultimate common good of living without fear and living a fairly secure life.

Pluralism is not a religion or a system, it is not a mish-mash of religion either, it is simply an attitude of respecting the otherness of others and minding our own goddamn business, but together creating a cohesive society where all of us can function effectively and comfortably.

I will be happy to present an hour or three hours course on Pluralism basics, if it is in Dallas, it’s my service, outside Dallas pay for the travel and hotel and the honorarium.

Pluralism is our future.

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest onSean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blogwww.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily.