Download Alliance or Clash of Civilization by Riza EKICI

Alliance or Clash
of Civilization
by Riza EKICI
Member of Board
of Managers, SBK
 The September 11th tragedy
has drawn attention to the
magnitude of the threat of
terrorism and the need to
take a common action to
counter this threat
globally.
 Terror in all shapes and forms is a global
issue that has no boundaries. It cannot be
linked to any religion, ethnicity or
culture. Lack of basic needs, unfair
distribution of wealth among the nations of
the world, hunger, marginalization,
poverty, unemployment, poor housing,
illiteracy, oppression, totalitarianism,
violation of human rights, minorities’
problems, corruption and disorder can in no
way justify but only provide the grounds
that breed terror and violence. In combat
against terrorism, these underlying ills
must be addressed urgently.
 With the growing interdependence among countries
and the emergence of new and multi-dimensional
threats, the concept of dialogue among
civilizations has assumed even greater
importance than ever. As a response to the
threat of terrorism, Turkey took the initiative
and gathered together the Foreign Ministers of
the Organization of the Islamic Conference and
the European Union member countries. This joint
forum, which met in Istanbul on 12 and 13
February 2002, under the title ‘Civilization And
Harmony: The Political Dimension’ demonstrated
the determination of the European Union and the
Organization of the Islamic Conference to
enhance the international harmony between
different cultures, religions and concepts.
 Alliance of Civilizations
 The latest Conference of Alliance of
Civilizations was in Madrid, Spain in the middle
of January, 2008. The enterprise of the
conference was to promote intercultural dialogue
to bridge the cultural and religious division or
gap
between the west and the muslim countries.
The objective is formulate resolutions to
prevent or avert the predicted
clash of
civilizations in the wake of the September 11
and other acts of terrorism. We are now living
in an increasingly polarized world. There is a
breakdown of trust and escalating tensions among
many communities and countries. It does not
augur well for our future peace.
Clash of Civilizations
 It is obvious that the current clash of
civilizations is the clash of human egos and
ignorance. One of the causes of the current
political conflicts and division between the
west and muslim countries is the adherence of
dissimilar religious faiths accompanied by
misinterpretations of the religious faiths. In
this sense, it mirrors that the correct
teachings of different religions have proved to
be a great failure in the modern civilization.
All religions are supposed to promote and foster
the unity of brotherhood of humanity. All human
frictions, disputations and enmities boil down
to one common source – the lack or absence of
strong faith in God owing to the deficiency in
proper religious comprehension of the scriptures
of one’s own religion.

Another contributing factor is the lack or absence of
comprehension of Theosophy. Theosophy is the advocate
of the universality of all religions. All esoteric
religions are preached to instruct and train the
adherents or believers to develop morally, mentally
and wisely into final human perfection called the
Perfect Man in wisdom and conduct. At the summit of
all major religions, such as Judaism, God and Allah,
the saved believers discern intuitively a common
Truth through Self-realization of God-realization.
The realization or awakening pertains to the one and
the only Truth – the Spirit of Unity by which all
religious discriminations or denominations are
abandoned. The highest absolute Truth is ineffable
and beyond all religions. In this sense, I recommend
that faith education should be made available in all
schools, colleges and universities throughout the
world.
Paradox in Modernity

It is a sheer logical paradox that in the modern
education systems throughout the world, there still
exist globally many schools in which pupils or
students do not receive religious instructions
formally. Schools in the modern world today emphasize
IQ development heavily to the extent of neglecting
the development of EQ. Religions are excellent
expedient devices to develop EQ. Just imagine
the danger of educational imbalance : What would
occur to the human society when human beings are
trained excellently in IQ but their lives are
directed by illusive Self or Ego ? This is the
dilemma confronting and challenging the parents,
employers, leaders and policy makers
of the world
today. Esoteric religions annihilate Ego or Self
which make human beings sinful. It is like
the
tissue of cancerous cells which must be
removed as soon as possible. Religions remove the
mind disease of Self or Ego.
 Different or Identical

Many religious people of a certain faith only
socialize among the fellows of the same faith.
They stay aloof from people of different faiths
thinking that they are different spiritually. But
in actual faith, salvation cannot be found in the
name of a religion. It is found only in the inner
heart. It can be found only in being selfawakened to the same truth – the annihilation of
Self or Ego and the discernment of the eternal
Truth. Esoteric religion A can remove Self or Ego.
Esoteric religion B can also eliminate Self or
Ego. Eventually, they arrive at the common
destination – the Centre of the Heart which is
purified by the eradication of Self or Ego .
Hence, inter-faith understanding plays a vital
role to bridge the religious division or
separation. It is the ignorance of the
universality of religions that we live in
disharmony and discord.
Conclusion
 “Truth is neither Hindu nor
Muslim, nor Buddhist nor
Christian. Truth is one
homogeneous, eternal
substance. The follower of the
religious Truth walks on the
path of light, peace, wisdom,
power and bliss.”
 Therefore, may I suggest that the United
Nations should focus on the universality of
religions or the philosophy of Theosophy to
construct world peace and harmony. There
should be more international interfaith
dialogues or forums sponsored by the United
Nations. Religious education enhances or
perfects human character formation and
conduct. There is only one common taste of
religious teachings – ascending morality
invigorated by wisdom . Religious education
and training do not lead to moral
degradation and degeneration of
civilization.

Religions should be utilized to promote and foster
the alliance of civilizations but not the collision
of civilizations. Religious education is meant
primarily to destroy selfishness or egoism to
accelerate moral and wisdom development so as to
rectify the shortcoming or weakness of secular
education and training. The education of the mind and
that of the heart should be undertaken
simultaneously. Salvation is a matter of the heart
but not of the intellect. God is located in the
Centre of the Heart of all human beings. Seek it and
you will be saved. Religion is actually knowing your
Original Self. Whoever knows his or her Original Self
knows God. God is the one and the only Eternal Truth.
We are all brothers and sisters. Why are we fighting
among ourselves ? If we truly love God, we do not
fight as God does not recommend fighting one’s
enemies through violence.