Decalogue of Inter-Religious Dialogue.

In conjunction with Malaysia Day and since Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, I would like to share my 'Decalogue' of Inter-Religious Dialogue that I prepared as my class assignment after readings on some books on Inter-Religious Dialogue.

1.     Inter-Religious Dialogue should be the mission and characteristic of each religious groups.

2.   Inter-Religious Dialogue becomes not only a method, not only an option but a duty and necessity when all strive to recognize in each other some action of God within each religions.

3. The objectives of Inter-Religious Dialogue should be of mutual understanding and enrichment of each others' religions and a collaboration and common shared growth of each others' spirituality.

4.  Inter-Religious Dialogue should not only promote better knowledge of each other by looking at on what all agree on of each other but also where we disagree thus enabling us to be sensitive of each other.

5.    Inter-Religious Dialogue should lead one into an exploration of values which all have in common and an examination on how these values are actually rooted differently in each religious tradition and yet have a common content. 

 6.  Inter-Religious Dialogue must reach out for life, touches life and for the promotion of better life. It is in common struggle for justice and humanity that people will realize that religions could be allies against all that reduces and oppresses life.

7.      Inter-Religious Dialogue should encourage all to respect, promote and defend the freedom of every individual to profess, practice and grow in the faith through which God is manifesting God’s self to that person at the moment.

8.  In Inter-Religious Dialogue each believers have to see the other as persons and their religion as their effort to live their lives in the light of the Creator and not a system to be dissected objectively and discussed.

9.      In order for a good Inter-Religious collaboration, each religion must keep itself free from being exploited by social and political forces.

10.  Inter-Religious Dialogue should promote common involvement in social projects and encourage participation in each others' festivals, meetings and fellowships and praying together. In it through such common involvement and experience, that attitudes formed or change for the better understanding between religions.