Ramblings of a Monk

Back in 2007, I was in conducting a four-session workshop on The Heart Sutra.  In the last session, one student from a western country commented on an interesting sight he has so far only witnessed in Singapore.  He was very amazed at how there are numerous locations where he found a mosque, a temple and a church next to each other.  This was something that he said cannot happen where he was from or perhaps in many other countries as well.

In a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious society such as Singapore, religious harmony is especially important.  Religious harmony is especially important and religious leaders participate actively in the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) which resolves to strengthen religious harmony through mutual tolerance, confidence, respect and understanding.

In participating in the IRO events, I’ve noticed that there are many who are geniunely trying to promote understanding between people of different faiths.  This is heartening and is definitely the way forward in the increasingly globalised world.  Some have also adopted a Homogeneous stance suggesting that all the religions are teaching the same truths.  Same final goal, just through different roads as some would put it.  This may seem viable initially, but can be hard to . . . → Read More: Different ways, different destinations