Growing up in a small town in Florida, I was taught to avoid the three controversial subjects that are sure to mess up a dinner conversation: politics, income, and the topic of this article; religion. Initially, I blindly accepted this statement as an inevitable truth of life. I thought that people should never talk about religion within a public setting in order to avoid sparking conflict. I'm sure a lot of people in today's society think like this. In my own personal experience, my schools have restricted religious paraphernalia, and in many academic forums, perspectives seemingly based off of religious ideals are frowned upon much more than they used to be.
It seems religion has been constrained to be more of a personal matter, but should we refrain from talking about it at all? I think not. Keep on reading for four reasons I believe we need to have religious dialogue.
1. Religion is relevant.
Religion has been so secularized from all other facets of American society that it has become an "inappropriate" area of discourse and has been deemed a "personal" topic. By marginalizing religion in this manner, it becomes easy to overlook the impact it has on the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of individuals in a society. While religion may not be an overarching factor in regards to public education and affairs, it still has an impact on the policy that is put in place due to its nature of shaping the attitudes of the people in charge of implementing that policy. In an effort to avoid bias, people refrain from mentioning their beliefs. Nevertheless, religion continues to play a significant role because it is a foundational factor that shapes people's attitudes and correspondingly, their behavior. According to a Pew Research study, more than 8 per 10 people world-wide affiliate with some religious group. It seems apparent to me that religion is incredibly relevant world-wide.
2. Religion is a potential gateway for change.
Religious views aren't stagnate. They change and evolve over time like anything else in this world. Because many present-day religions are scripturally based, there is a lot of room for interpretation within each community, presenting an opportunity for dialogue to shape and rewire the approach we take towards bettering our world. In addition, due to the numerous charity and service events they sponsor, religious groups have a major influence on people worldwide. By failing to recognize the power religion has on the world, we may be missing out on an incredible opportunity for increasing the success of global change.
3. Religious dialogue promotes understanding.
Please note the difference between dialogue and debate. Unlike a debate which aims to find one prevailing perspective, a dialogue presents an open space for discussion with the aim of simply understanding each perspective. Check out the Dialogue Decalogue to learn more about this topic. With that being said, having religious dialogue could help address environmental concerns including climate change by increasing levels of understanding.
Religion plays an enormous role in how people view creation, and nevertheless influences the way people view our earth and how to approach taking care of it.
By opening religious dialogue, we may not come to a conclusion on one correct answer, but rather come to a better understanding of one another, and be more united and motivated to implement global change regarding the environment.
4. Religion is applicable.
Religion is highly applicable in the global agenda. Beliefs in religion shape attitudes toward different ideas regarding climate change, poverty, human rights, education, healthcare, wellbeing, and more. How is this so? Religion serves as an answer to questions of ultimate concern, including the questions of creation and purpose. Every topic mentioned above are controversial because they deal the vitality of mankind and the world we live in. If there is one thing we all can agree on, it is our inevitable desire to maximize the longevity of humans and the world we live in. Opening dialogue helps us to come to this conclusion, recognize the common goal, and work together to make a change. I know what you're thinking: Wouldn't there be disagreements between contradicting beliefs? According to James Wolfensohn, despite the initial fears regarding the engagement of religion leading competitiveness among religious leaders, he found that when it came to questions of humanity, the competitive element disappeared.
While this list has been confined to reasons we should have religious dialogue, each of these reasons are interconnected. Nevertheless, there are many other ways dialogue in religion or any controversial subject for that matter is beneficial.
When we avoid talking about the subject, it doesn't prevent that subject from existing. Who knew that by making waves at a dinner table conversation, we could be making a step towards understanding one another and coming closer to a more sustainable world?
