Understanding religions was never as vital
Updated: 2015-01-21 07:41
By Liu Yihong(China Daily)
|
||||||||
From the cultural point of view, if we draw a line between different aspects of religion such as foreign policies and cultural traits instead of mixing them up, hopefully there will be less confusion.
After the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, American historian Bernard Lewis wrote What Went Wrong?, which tells the long story of the battles between Christians and Muslims before the 12th Century, highlighting Muslims' great achievements and contributions to world civilizations.
"It (Islam) has achieved the highest level so far in human history in arts and sciences of civilizations. Inheriting the knowledge and skill of the ancient Middle East, of Greece and of Persia ... It is difficult to imagine modern literature or science without the one or the other," says Lewis. He also says the relationship between Islam and Europe changed after the Renaissance. So the historical view can offer a different angle to the subject that can prevent people from reaching the wrong conclusions.
Once a tragic event involving believers of different religions occurs people are not only shocked, but also confused about how to deal with or understand a religion like Islam. But if a person knows the long history of Islam and why it spread across the world, he/she can understand how it has influenced and impressed believers of other religions and thereby contributed to different communities and their cultures over the centuries.
The author is a researcher in philosophy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
- Inspection teams to cover all of military in anti-corruption drive
- Tornado, heavy rain batters Central China's Hunan
- Beijing's five-year plan: Cut population, boost infrastructure
- Palace Museum discovers relics buried for over 600 years
- Disney promises ‘safe, pleasing service of high quality’
- Couple detained for selling their two sons
- Rousseff: Accusations against her 'untruthful'
- Almost one-sixth of Brazil's confirmed microcephaly cases linked to Zika
- Impeachment trial against Rousseff recommended to senate
- With nomination secured, Trump to aim all guns at Hillary Clinton
- Obama sips Flint water, urges children be tested for lead
- Massive protests against Abe mark Japan's Constitution Memorial Day
Raging wildfire spreads to more areas in west Canada
World's first rose museum to open in Beijing
Teapot craftsman makes innovation, passes down techniques
Top 8 iOS apps recommend for mothers
Five things you may not know about the Start of Summer
Art imagines celebrities as seniors
Japanese animator Miyazaki's shop a big hit in Shanghai
Star Wars Day celebrated around world
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
![]()
|
![]()
|
![]()
|
![]()
|
![]()
|
![]()
|
Today's Top News
Liang avoids jail in shooting death
China's finance minister addresses ratings downgrade
Duke alumni visit Chinese Embassy
Marriott unlikely to top Anbang offer for Starwood: Observers
Chinese biopharma debuts on Nasdaq
What ends Jeb Bush's White House hopes
Investigation for Nicolas's campaign
Will US-ASEAN meeting be good for region?
US Weekly
![]()
|
![]()
|