International representatives from the world faiths moved a crowd of 3,000 to tears as they addressed how religion has contributed toward violence and their hopes for change.

The panelists spoke to issues within their own faiths, but all focused on the possibility of peace and the acceptance of the other.

Laurie Patton, co-founder of the Initiative in Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding at Emory moderated the discussion.

“What is the role of religion in creating suffering in the world?” she asked before introducing the panelists. “Religious difference is not something to be overcome or ignored or dissolved. Rather, religious difference is something to be featured.”

The Dalai Lama, the first panelist to speak, said we learn affection from our mother’s care.

“Through that we have the ability to show other humans affection,” he said.
“If we show [animals] general affection they really respond,” he added. Audience members laughed when he talked about petting a cat and imitated a purring kitten.

“All religious traditions have the same potential to provide these good things [of love and compassion],” the Dalai Lama said. “Our work … is not to promulgate religion. That is up to the individual, but to bring or take those valuable things from religion.”

Rabbi David Rosen, president of the International Jewish Committee, addressed the difficulties in extending affection when groups oppose one another. Much of his discussion centered around his time in South Africa and Jerusalam.

“Everyone in these conflicts feels that they are vulnerable and they are the ones being victimized,” he said. “No one sees themselves as powerful.”

“Everybody is waiting for somebody else to make the move,” he added, “because everybody thinks that it’s not their responsibility. Therefore if we are to overcome this vicious cycle, we have to be able to move beyond our own preoccupations. We have to be able to move beyond our own pain.”

Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Muhatama Gandhi, told a story about Hindus destroying a 16th century mosque in 1992 in the city of Ramkot in Uttar Pradesh. In the process, they also brought down an adjoining hall that was sacred to Hindus.

“When you set out to destroy what you don’t like, you also destroy what you like,” Ghandi said.

Gandhi made reference to his grandfather, who said that he preferred the phrase “Truth is God” rather than “God is Truth” because not so many had been killed in the name of truth as in God’s name.

If Muhatama Gandhi were alive today, according to Rajmohan Gandhi, he would ask that individuals throw a searchlight on the deeds of their own side.

“Let us not fall into the temptation that one faith is uniquely flawed or dangerousm,” he said. “Ask yourselves whether the hate and greed around you are going up or down.”

Sister Joan Chittister, author of 30 books on issues on contemporary Christianity, questioned whether people of faith are answering to their religions’ calls for peace. She encouraged audience members to become instruments of love and peace rather than instruments of hate and division.

“We simply cannot go on talking to ourselves about how loving we and our tradition are unless we are willing to examine it,” she said. “Who here will deny that religion, as we know it, has often been a source of war?”

She said that society has been following the idea that those who are not with us are against us.

“And those are the seeds of division and war,” she said.

Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im, the C.H. Candler professor of law at the School of Law, said he felt a powerful charge of peace when he and the Dalai Lama embraced before the summit began. An-Na’im was the first person from Sudan that His Holiness had met.

An-Na’im said, “For me as a Muslim, religion is about that inner peacefulness which makes peace possible.”

An-Na’im quoted Muhatama Gandhi saying, “Be the change you want to make.” He called for everyone to take an individual responsibility.

“If we don’t take it personally, nothing is going to happen,” he said. Religions are not the actors, he added — the practitioners are.

The Gandhi Foundation USA presented the Dalai Lama with the Peace Pilgrim Award before the discussion began. In an interview, of the Asian-American Chamber of Commerce President Subash Razdan said the presentation of the award was befitting for the occasion.

“Everyone was talking about non-violence and peace,” he said. “The Gandhi Foundation has the same message. It was a perfect marriage that worked with Emory and the community.”

After the Dalai Lama received the award, he called on members of the foundation to return to stage where he presented them with khatas, Tibetan ceremonial scarves.

The event was the first in a series of summits that the University will host on religion, conflict and peacebuilding. Emory plans to host a summit every two to three years.

— Contact Diana Rowe at drowe@emorywheel.com