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TOLERANCE LEADS THE WAY, SAY SPIRITUAL LEADERS
By Chayanit Poonyarat http://www.irrawaddy.org
We can obtain peace by living our lives according to precepts. Good causes lead to good results.
October 03, 2002—"We are friends no matter which religion we are. We are under the same roof, in the same world," said Thai Buddhist nun Sansanee Sathirasuta, speaking at the "Women’s Voice for Peace" forum in Bangkok last week.
"With more and more violence and selfishness around us, and as the world has witnessed too many conflicts, this gathering has become increasingly necessary and urgent."
The forum brought together 200 spiritual leaders and enabled women from different religious affiliations around the country to share views and experiences in the lead up to the "Global Peace Initiative of Women Religious and Spiritual Leaders" in Geneva, Switzerland on October 5 to 7.
One of Thailand's greatest strengths is this peaceful harmony among diverse religions and cultures. We should proudly share this on the global stage.
Although the ordination of female monks in Thailand is not permitted, and talk of reform continues to be a controversial issue, the representation of women in politics and business has increased over the past few years. Other themes touched on at the forum considered the role that spirituality can play in social tolerance, education and world peace.
"Basically, Islam itself means peace," said Saengdao Siamwala, president of the Thai-Muslim Women Foundation of Thailand for the Welfare of Orphans, an organization that has been working with orphaned children for the past 57 years. Islam teaches people to think of every child as if it were their own, she said.
"We can obtain peace by living our lives according to precepts. Good causes lead to good results. Starting simply inside each of us, we are able to expand peace to people around us—regardless of differences of religions and cultures," said 'mae chi' Pratin Kwan-On, chairwoman of the Institute for Thai Nuns. Peace is not only the absence of war, but also a way of life for the family, the community, the country and the world, she said.
Posted on 2002-10-16
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