Combatting extremism

Much of the discordant note that one witnesses in society today is due to a lack of tolerance, mores and values. That was the takeaway from the discussion at a roundtable on the role of the family and religious values in combatting extremism held on Wednesday. Several important issues emerged from the discussions participated by a cross-section of society of mixed ages, educational background and religions. The views and suggestions of the young participants merit due consideration.

One significant matter to have come out of the discussions was that disharmony in society was caused not only by a lack of knowledge of other religions but also a lack of understanding of the underlying message of one's own religion. That has led to misinterpretations of religious texts and misuse of religion to further the agendas of respective groups—extremists in particular.

The other significant message was the importance of the role of the family during the formative years of a person in inculcating religious values of tolerance and respect for other religions. And for this, it was suggested that religious education and emphasising moral studies should form a part of the curriculum which should not be restricted to learning about the fundamentals of one's own religion only; it is essential to also acquire knowledge of the essentials of other creeds. Such knowledge would help thwart the attempts of extremists to recruit the vulnerable segment of the youth with shallow knowledge and highly idealistic notions. In this regard, it should be ensured that textbooks do not contain materials that are likely to engender ill feelings between different communities.

We believe that the youth of today are tolerant and empathetic towards the feelings, views and traditions of people of different cultures, creeds and colours. But the formative years are the period when young people are exposed to many susceptibilities, and that is where the family comes in.