Co-Existence of Religions, Pluralism and Culture Diversity -Ignatius Xaver

7^th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PEACE AND NONVIOLENT ACTION

7^th ICPNA, Jaipur, November 10 to 14, 2008

5^th Plenary Session
12.11.2008

To speak on this vast Religious and Sacred subject, Religion has to be seen in three perspectives (Child, Youth and Adult) and examine from where Religion has come from and how it is understood at different stages. Secondly, how? So many Religions made headways into the World. It is fascinating to see how religions coexist.

Different Countries in the World have their own Cultural doctrine, for example; United States of America has its American Civil Code. Likewise France, England, Europe, Russia, China, have there cultures preserved. In this INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PEACE AND NON-VIOLENT ACTION, the 7TH ICPNA Plenary, the inventor of India’s Ahimsaism Art Style, Ignatius Xavier will discuss this subject “Co-Existence of Religion Pluralism and Culture diversity” in INDIAN PERSPECTIVE, which is Multireligious and most populated Democratic Country in the World.

AHIMSA “NON-VIOLENCE” is India’s RHYTHM of LIFE, To Live and Let Live. In totalitarian SAREE is its Pluralism and Cultural Symbol in the World.

Our Patriarch who developed wisdom and theory of Living, manifested and created GOD, by simple device through mind, thought consciousness and sprit, in Vocabulary and Word. No literature in the world can excel this sentence (In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with god, and the word is god. - Holy Bible, John: 1.1 amp.) Later as the population grew, different settlements grew, divisions grew, and to protect the communities, different identities were created and different forms of Religions are formed, and worship of idol has come into existence.

Child:

A child below 4 years of age may not know religion, but they come in contact with religious centers and worship places through their parents. His toys, things are his Gods, I would like to give an example of my own life: my dad presented me with marbles during Christmas, I took them to the Church, during the sermon the marbles fell from my pocket creating sounds, disturbance and running beneath the benches. I wanted my God/marbles, so started collecting in my own way of shouting etc. Even my Head Mistress presence couldn’t stop me, after 5 minutes I noticed that the Sermon was stopped and the Celebrant priest was looking at me in a kind manner, No one told me anything.

Above 4 years of age child learns about religion and God. This is through stories, lessons, teachers, parents etc. the most significant learning of religion comes from children’s play and neighborhood festivals. All children from different Religions backgrounds fly kite, bust crackers, enjoy holi and its colors and are fond of ifftar party etc.

Youth:

Youth believe in God, and some who fall in love with someone who is from different religion is in a dilemma and disturbed mind and tends to embrace other religion of the partner. Some feel there love is God and TRUE Religion. Some keep neutral and some go for the constitution and the laws governing marriage and protect there interest and keep the Family and Religion at bay.

Adults:

Adults, after enjoying the best of things in the World and after retirement and old age, feel that life is numbered. So, the best thing is to be religious and attain salvation, and to perform religious duties and ceremonies of there kit and kin before they close there eyes, this is the reason why old people bee line religious centers and places of worship.

Co-existence of Religions, Pluralism and Cultural Diversity:

India is a multi-religious and one of the most populated countries in the world, which coexist harmoniously. Being a democratic nation it has proved its MANTRA of Freedom. That too during the HINDU Hard-line BJP rules in India, headed by Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Prime Minister of India.

When Mother Teresa died during Bharatiya Jantha party rule in India, some powers tried to hinder the proceedings of the Prime Minister of India in giving the Living saint ‘the Saint of the gutters’ Mother Teresa a state funeral, and providing the
GUN Carriage of Mahatma Gandhi to perform the funeral of Mother Teresa. Even the Great Freedom Fighters and Powerful Prime Ministers of India didn’t have the privilege of the Mahatmas Gun Carriage for funeral.

After Mahatma Gandhi the Gun Carriage carried mother Teresa’s coffin in Calcutta helped by the elite Officers of the Indian Army and with the honor of state funeral.

A GREAT HONOUR TO AN ALIEN INDIAN CITIZEN. India has proved its greatest democratic principles to the world community by providing excellent funeral to an Alien Indian Citizen.

The Powerful Parliament of India along with Hon. Prime minister Mr. Vajpayee was fully present for mother Teresa funeral along with world dignitaries with Head of States in Calcutta, the Most Powerful COMMUNIST State in India. It was represented by the longest serving “25 years and above” Chief Minister Hon. Mr. Jyothi Basu, the administration and backup for the funeral was excellent in the state and later Mr. Jyothi Basu was also seen in the chair.

The Funeral Service was a total Co-Religious, very glories and pleasant to see with different Religious heads praying in their own language and reciting from their religious books. The world watched this program live on TV. (This is Co-existence of Religion). Rather I would say this auspicious event is tremendous in the History of Mankind is ABOVE CO-EXISTANCE OF RELIGION. Since, it had all the ingredients of different Religious faiths for the funeral of an Alien Catholic of religious order “ Alien citizen of India”, Priests from different faiths Hindu, Muslims, Sikh, Parsee, Buddhist, etc. etc., were present and recited from their Holy Books that too in the strongest communist State in India, during the Hard-Line Hindu rule, with the presence of the Ruling Party Represented by the Prime Minister of India, the Opposition, The Communist Party represented by the Chief Minister, representatives from different Countries with Head Of State from the world, with different political principals and views, along with the Royal Princes and the Poorest of the Poor.

No other event in the World can match or beat this magnificent and unique funeral, only time will speak. We are blessed to have witnessed this event and the only Person declared as a Living Saint, which you and I have seen with our own eyes.

Pluralism is simple adoption and practice of Tolerance and co-operation between different Culture, Ethnic, Race, Religions and believers, Caste, political Regions and Citizens of the world. Pluralism works excellently in democratic Countries since the Constitution provides equal rights to all citizens.

Some countries ruled by kings and fundamentalist have reservation, since they don’t allow other religion to flourish or practice there faith in there countries. Moreover, the world has witnessed what have happened to the world famous ancient Buddha sculpture at Bamiyan (Afghanistan) on the China Silk route. The Taliban “which consisted hard-line fundamentalist from other countries along with a few locals” didn’t like Buddhism and the Greatest Heritage structure of Afghanistan was ruined by heavy artillery and machine guns on the unprovoked Stone Sculpture. This act is immoral, inhuman and shameful.

We have watched live on TV the Fidayeen inhuman encounters at different Places in the world; even the Parliament of India was not sparred.

Pluralism is Co-operation N O T Competition and Destructions, few Fidayeen say 0.00001% fundamentalist cannot claim TENANTS or GUARDIANS of ISLAM in the modern World. (Fidayeens are educated in this fashion, if you kill innocent people you will go to heaven and if you perish heaven is you reward, this false doctrine and the cause of much evil.

ISLAM MEANS PEACE, ISLAM IS PEACE; True followers of Prophet Mohammed believe in Peace and are the true brothers of the Peaceful World, and are not responsible for the radical Islamist act. Parents please teach your Children Tolerance and keep them away from radical Islamists.

Political carnage was the worst in the History of India, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own Sikh security guard, some politicians created chaos and went berserk and killed many innocent Sikhs in and around Delhi.

Similarly the RSS/VHP/BAJRANGDAL are creating unwanted troubles in Gujarat, Godhra, Kandhamal - recent and ongoing burnings of churches and killings in Orissa.

ART in Pluralism and Culture diversity; visual language creations by irresponsible Artist have created many incidents in the world, such as the Danish Cartoon, the Hussein paintings, this images opened up the theory and definition of WE and THEM. In India we saw many protests against the Danish Cartoons, though the creator is not an Indian nor is the Prophet Mohammed an Indian. Likewise the paintings of Bharath Matha by Hussein created a lot of hungama and many exhibitions of Hussein were vandalized.

Freedom of expression is guaranteed to all the citizens of the world by the United Nation member countries. The responsibility of the artist is required when a simple Danish cartoon had created worldwide protest. Muslims claim that even a beautiful portrait of Prophet Mohammed is taboo, Islam prohibits any form of image, figure and Statue.

Modern Muslims use cameras and photography. Since, it is a tool and vehicle in communication, photography is a necessity in today’s world.

Hussein being a Muslim is aware of Islamic practices, and as an Indian is aware of Indian culture. Muslim women wear bhurkhas to protect from stray eyes, then why Hussein painted so irresponsibly a figure of Bharath Matha in NUDE. (cheap publicity)

Freedom of expression: As an Artist I may need the permission of my mother to paint her nude otherwise my mother has all right to pull me in Court. Temples have nude figures etc., but it expresses some meaning.

I pray thatin future artists stick to principles of the society and culture before they create any image. Artists can create any image in nude form, but must be very careful to title their work.
One must appreciate other Religion, learn from other Religious teaching and good things, this is pluralism and cultivates Culture diversity.

 

IMAMS and the Painting BRUSH

Modernization has opened the Doors of ISLAM and Madrassa-Educated Maulvie and IMAMS are PAINTING with the BRUSH,
Times of India Reports;

Excellent - Very Great Leap.

A True Example by the Artist

While studying in kindergarten I used to encounter Jain monks on my way, after becoming an Artist and promoting Peace through paintings since 25 years, I wanted to do a painting, so met Sadhvie Prathiba Kavarji, a Jain nun. After deliberations, it so happened I touched the eating bowl of the nun for study and paint purpose, but I became a vegetarian instantly. It so happened while holding the eating wooden bowel, that I realized that the monk is a vegetarian and I am non-vegetarian. I thought she should not get upset or annoyed when she would take food thinking that a non-vegetarian held her bowl, so, I did not want to hurt her in this regard, that’s why I turned vegetarian. By this act I never lost anything and in fact this transition purified my art. Thus new style is born: “India’s Ahimsaism.” This style is to propagate vegetarianism, ahimsa, peace, unity, anti-terrorism, tolerance, and to preach to humanity through visual language. The artist holds unorthodox exhibition at schools, institutions, places of worship, conferences and different platforms to reach people at their habitation and to deliver the message of tolerance at their doorstep and reaching the modern world through mail on the desktop.

The new art style “I’s Ahimsaism” painting is done based on the 5 principles of Jainism; one has to be a vegetarian, no use of paint brush, white is compulsory to denote peace, two pigments are used (oil on canvas and acrylic), scratches are done to highlight the subject, and poem, optional.

 

A Painting titled; 5 Commandments of Jainism

All the 5 Commandments of Jainism is visible/ in the Visual language.

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Sorry, F.M. Hussein. You put Indian paintings on world market, Thank you for your efforts, but I have to speak the truth. Sorry if I have hurt your feelings.