Differences matter

Differences matter as much as similarities, if not more. The more our world shrinks in ways of transportation and communication, the more urgent it becomes that we have the time to be aware of our differences. For centuries people in the East and the West alike did not see the necessity to get to know each other properly. Countries in the Middle East or the Far East have felt for a very long time that the West is interested in them only in as much as they can bring their culture and or religion with them. The technological revolution on every level forced everybody in the world to rethink the way they view this planet. It is not anymore a matter of luxury to travel or to know about other cultures and religions. It has become almost an inevitable step of development to get out of our comfort zone and face the fact that we live in a diverse world which needs our attention and examination whether in business, pleasure or education.

It is definitely not enough to look only at the similarities between cultures and / or religions. Given that these are often very complex relationship, that sort of assessment is just not enough. When people live in communities which include different cultures and religions, it becomes absolutely essential that they become aware of the things that distinguish them from the others. Living together means facing the political, social, economical and religious challenges together. And that means we need to know each other beyond simply being polite with each other, and also beyond jumping to quick conclusions about each other. Getting to know someone is a long, hard process which involves dealing with some real differences in the most fundamental aspects of life. Walking away is not an option let alone ignoring those differences. The only way forward is to present ourselves as honestly and as genuinely as we can, and let the other do the same.

In order to do this we need to raise the awareness of people about their own faith in order to combat fear which is the result of ignorance. Education is the cornerstone to equip people to be secure in their cultural and religious identities so that they can move to learn about others without prejudices. It is dangerous to judge other people without knowing them and it is even more dangerous to live with someone you do not know or you do not see the need to know.

God has created an extremely diverse world beginning with the structure of life through to the content of the universe. Therefore it is imperative for us to respect the creativity of God and embrace His creation by widening our horizons and getting excited about God’s work in all its forms. Unfortunately there are still people who are threatened by difference and afraid of diversity and that makes a fertile ground for extremism and violence. Hard-line fanatics can only recruit those who are naive, less educated and needy. Education here does not mean necessarily having a degree from a university but rather having the appreciation of diversity and believing that differences do enrich our lives in every possible way. I am definitely richer when I learn a different language and appreciate different styles of food or clothing or fine arts. I am richer when I know different religions without feeling threatened or having to compromise mine. I am richer when I can live side by side with different people who do not look like me or live like I do. The secret of understanding God’s love lies in the ability of loving different people with the excitement of a child opening a big gift.