In 2008 I wrote a piece titled, ‘The Challenge for Faith Communities’. Much has happened in the 12 years since, mostly negative and destructive. Faith communities are further apart now than they have ever been. Many will tell you otherwise, especially the custodians of the ‘interfaith’ narrative. They have no choice but to peddle that, after all, it would be hard for them to accept their collective failures.
The challenge for the Christian community is to give up its privilege to sit in the House of the Lords. Whilst historically one can appreciate this, it is increasingly becoming clear that the state cannot allow for such blatant discrimination based
on faith. Alongside this, the Church also needs to declare openly that proselytising is unacceptable and unchristian. To continue with the malpractice of proselytisation confirms the total disregard for the human rights others.
The challenge for the Hindu community is that it is disjointed, lacking in unity, and dependent on a cultural expression of faith rather than scriptural. Hindus (like the Jewish Community) are the most successful group contributing to the national GDP that is way above their numbers. Yet, they lack the unity to come together for Sanatan Dharma. And this at a time when anti-Hindu forces are increasing in the west at an alarming rate.
The challenge for Muslims is the greatest. The diversity within the Islamic world is huge, and with that comes the challenges of reforming a religion that needs to be relevant for the 21st Century. The moderate majority have lost their mandate to the increasing minority of extremists. Muslims must change from within to affect real change in how they are perceived. The very notion of Kaffir and conversion by any means is affront to the human rights of the majority. Islam
desperately needs to come together and undergo a transformational reformation. Can the Muslim world make Islam relevant for the 21 st Century is a monumental challenge?
The Sikh community is universally admired. This well-earned reputation has been because of hundreds of years of sacrifice by the Gurus and the devotees. However, a small extremist element has taken hold of the narrative to such an
extent that it is now misrepresenting the Sikh faith globally. Sikhs are Indians, full stop. No true Sikh can ever accept the notion of Khalistan. The very idea of Khalistan and what it stands for would be rejected by all the Gurus. Sikhs have
allowed a small group of extremists to get traction abusing their faith, if they don’t counter this correctly and quickly, the dishonour of our Gurus will increase. Tough words I know, and my many Sikh friends who are the very custodians of Dharma will be alarmed and angry in equal measure. Only they can resolve the dilemma now. It’s time for the grace of the Gurus to be honoured and to save the integrity of the faith.
The challenge for all faith communities is not to show or accept tolerance as a virtue - for tolerance is a negative force which says that you will be tolerated, but not necessarily accepted or respected. Faith communities need to declare with
one voice, that they respect the right of each faith and its followers to worship freely. We are now in the 21 st Century, on what basis can any faith promote conversion of others by calling them kaffir or heathens, and how can humanity accept this any longer? Is it now not time to take the next evolutionary step? And for mankind to move from man to kind?
