Friday, April 6, 2012

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Principles of Dialogue

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Participation in a local interfaith organization is one of the better ways to get to know people of other religions, because you not only find out more about other religions, you also get to know people of differing faiths at the personal level. In this time of dialogue, keep in mind the following guidelines:

Honesty and tolerance: dialogue shall be based upon honesty and tolerance. It requires effective listening and learning, producing genuine engagement. Dialogue conducted in a spirit of tolerance emphasizes that all people inhabit the same earth. This assumes certain shared values such as the sacredness of life, the dignity of all human beings and the integrity of creation and nature.
Free expression: Dialogue must assume equality of partners and create the space for free expression of opinions, perspectives and beliefs, allowing for the integrity of each culture, language and tradition.

Mutual respect: Dialogue must not aim at the conversion or defamation of the interlocutor, nor may it aim at demonstrating the superiority of one's own religion over that of others. It should not aim at eliminating differences, but rather at knowing and respecting them. It should enable participants to explain their faith honestly and clearly.

Practicing fairness: Each side must represent the beliefs of the other side in a way that members of the other religion can affirm as accurate.

Expressing empathy: Each side must make an honest effort to appreciate the appeal of the other religion to those who are attracted to it and to understand how the religion functions for its believers and makes sense to them.

Avoiding misuse of scripture: In dialogue, you can't apply your own scripture to determine what's valid or invalid about beliefs of other side. If you do this, no dialogue takes place and each side quotes its own proof texts.

Avoiding discrimination and misrepresentation of the faith: Dialogue aims at avoiding discrimination and misrepresentation of the faith of the other, thus encouraging better knowledge and understanding of the other. It helps prevent conflict and the use of violence as a means of reducing tension and resolving disputes.

Staying open to change and challenge: Participants don't want to simply repeat the party line of their religions without snatching with what the other side says. Otherwise, no dialogue occurs and two monologues that pass each other in the night.

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