The explosion of violence against Christians in Egypt and Nigeria over the past several weeks, demonstrate a vicious intolerance by Islamic fundamentalists that pits them against not only Christians, but against all other faiths. Their willingness to slaughter men, women and children in their houses of worship and in their homes should be loudly condemned by the global community including Muslims who believe in a tolerant coexistence with those in multi-cultural societies.
Religious intolerance has no place in today’s modern world and can lead to armed conflicts of incalculable proportions, embroiling us all in unintended consequences that disrupt our economies, create havoc with global trade and destroy the tranquility that we so cherish.
Militant Islamic fundamentalists have no monopoly on religious intolerance. As the world’s religions move toward an ecumenical relationship between each other and among the various sects within Christianity, society continues to be plagued with the obdurate hatred generated by the fundamentalist adherents of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths. The common thread that binds the religious fundamentalist is their rejection of modernity and the dehumanization of non-believers.
In today’s tightly woven interdependent world, we cannot ignore the threat that religious fundamentalists play in destabilizing countries and regions through militant and exclusionary actions that would drive out non-believers from their midst or massacre them.
Many in Barbados might say this is no concern of ours for we live tolerably well with one another and there is little sign of militancy in a country where ecumenical inter-faith services have become the norm. Unfortunately, open warfare and terrorism far from our shores can disrupt oil supplies from Nigeria or through the Straits of Hormuz and double the price of oil in a flash. The resultant economic chaos of rising commodity prices and dwindling trade would savagely impact on our quality of life and social stability.
So in a very real sense the plight of the Israeli women in Beit Shemesh, Shia pilgrims of Iraq, Coptic Christians of Egypt and the Nigerian Christians are a very real concern to us all and we should join in the wider community of free modern societies in condemning the excesses of religious intolerance where ever it may raise its ugly head.
Over the years Barbados and other countries of Caricom have strengthened their stance against terrorism through improving security standards and enacting legislation that, among other things, is aimed at cutting off the flow of funds to terrorist organizations. We have done so to protect our people and those that visit our shores. What is now necessary is for us to voice our objections in the strongest terms to condemn the actions of those that persecute and kill both Christian minorities and Muslim sects in the Islamic World and in the countries of Africa where regions have a significant Islamic majority.
By our silence we send the signal that we are intimidated, disinterested or that it is none of our business. It is our business, and we should be bold enough to openly stand up to this tyranny of our times.
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