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How to Stop the Exploitation of Religion
to Incite for Violence
5/22/2003
 Master
Sheng Yen was invited as a speaker to the global conference
on "The Use of Religion to Incite for Violence and
Terrorism" at the United Nations Dag Hammarskjold
Library Auditorium on May 21.
Organized by the World Council of Religious Leaders, the
Global Ethics Resource Center, Touro College Law School, and
Fordham University Law School, the global conference
convened per request by Kofi Anan, Secretary-General of the
United Nations (UN), to address the issue on "The Use
of Religion to Incite For Violence (Terrorism): Crime
Against Humanity" based on contemporary human rights
and humanitarian laws, to identify the root cause for the
use of religion to incite for violence and terrorism, and to
discuss methods of resolution from the perspective of
religion and International Law.
Presentations and lectures at the conference included the
discussion from the perspective of history how contemporary
people use religion for the incitement to
violence/terrorism; the review and analysis on the threat to
peace and conflicts in contemporary Europe, the Middle East,
Africa, and Asia which results from the use of religion to
incite for violence/terrorism; and the exploration of ways
of resolutions for such crisis and conflicts.
The purpose of this conference is to prepare a proposal
of draft resolution to present to the UN. In addition to
Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, speakers
at the conference included representatives of Christianity,
Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam, and experts on International
Law. Of the over 200 participants attending the conference
were those working for the UN, diplomats, and
representatives from various religions.
 In
his speech, Master Sheng Yen proposed 5 recommendations for
the issue addressed: To constantly extend, whenever it is
appropriate, our friendship towards every ethnic group,
region and individual who is prone to terrorism. To help
every ethnic group, region and individual who is prone to
terrorism to correctly understand that their religious
beliefs is one that teaches all-encompassing love for the
world. To help, when appropriate, every ethnic group, region
and individual who is prone to terrorism to understand that
to allow for the mutual existence and prosperity of
pluralistic cultures is the inevitable trend of civilization
and the common necessity of modern human society. To
encourage, whenever appropriate, teachers of all religions
and their various sects and all intellectual and influential
religious people to reexamine their sacred scriptures. If
they discover points that contradict the inclusiveness of a
pluralistic global culture, they should be given a new
interpretation. To advise all religious and spiritual
leaders to not harbor ambitions in politics; all religious
followers to not be provoked, manipulated and controlled by
politicians and become their tools; all political leaders to
not exploit religion and religious followers for political
gains. This speech, praised and applauded by all
participants and attendees at the conference, will be
reprinted as a reference for the UN.
The declaration for peace at this conference is a
reiteration of the UN Declaration of Peace that serves to
promote and protect the security of human rights and freedom.
Click here for the transcript of
Master Sheng Yen's speech
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