The media, the social sciences, and the public discussion often concentrate
one-sidedly on the potential of religions to generate violence, overlooking their
potential to promote peace.
In fact,
• There are many people who reject the exercise of violence out of religious motives
– famous examples are Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama,
the Aga Khan;
• Religions contribute to promoting peace by interpreting their
holy books in a non-violent fashion, by explicitly preaching non-violence,
by exercising social and charitable activities to alleviate distress, and
by promoting dialogue symbolizing the bridging of religious fault lines.
• Religions can act directly as
religiously motivated
promoters of peace in national and international conflicts.
