The belief in Pluralism involves the cooperation and respect from religions and their beliefs that differ from your own. Great controversy arose after the September 11 events in the United States. In the holy book of Islam, Muslims are taught pluralistic ideals. Many people cannot understand how a religion that promotes peace and acceptance amongst diverse, religious communities. Without Pluralism you have Nations that “experience conflict as a result of one religious, ethnic, or tribal groups being unable to respect and value the essential equality and humanity of groups different from itself”. The dispute between the terrorist attackers of 9-11 and the American west, is associated to the lack of pluralism. The holy book of Islam, the Quran, teaches respect and tolerance of all diverse human beings.
The Quran acknowledges the importance of tolerance amongst diverse communities and their beliefs. The Quran accepts that there are different people that hold their own truths. Judgment and salvation can come to anyone that has a true belief in their own God. The true meaning of any ancient text is hard to decipher, since translation and interpretation can often be subject to biased views. Due to some political interpretation the term Jihad now represents has a negative connotation associated with violence as “a general military offensive against nonbelievers and as a means of legitimizing political dominion” (Asani 46). To those that study the Quran and seek to understand its true meaning believe that a Jihad is instead, a moral struggle, in response aggression against them.
The Pluralist beliefs must be shared by the two opposing nations, such as Islam and the United States, in order to promote true peace and equality, and remain in a neutral state. Yet Pluralist debates to not simply happen amongst nations, conflicting beliefs on the subject of pluralism can be witnessed amid people of the same nation that hold different religious and political values. In the article, “Religious Diversity and Democratic Institutional Pluralism”, author Viet Bader argues that institutions and laws that govern the separation of church and state, and uphold the theories of pluralism have not been properly dealt with in the United States. He believes that a plan should be created and implemented to promote a “pluralized prospective on public reason for mutual understanding, decision making and democratic legitimacy” ( Bader 266).
The Issues that have been presented in the understanding of Pluralism will continue to occur if people to not reach a general understanding. Different cultural experiences will generate different cultural beliefs and values, yet the core of most religions is to find a deeper understanding of the world in which we cannot easily interpret and understand.
Asani, Ali S. “So That You May Know One Another”: A Muslim American Reflects on
Pluralism and Islam”. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 588, Islam: Enduring Myths. Published by: Sage Publications, Inc.
in association with the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Web.
JSTOR. 3 December 2009.
Bader, Viet. “Religious Diversity and Democratic Institutional Pluralism”. Political
Theory, Vol. 31, No. 2 (Apr., 2003), pp. 265-294.Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. Web. JSTOR. 3 December 2009.
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