The month of Ramadan is important not only for Muslims, but also for believers of other religions, “in particular Christians,” the Vatican asserted this week.
In a message of good wishes to Muslims around the world, the Vatican’s department of Interreligious Dialogue said that during the month of Ramadan, existing friendships are reinforced and others are built, “paving the way for more peaceful, harmonious and joyful coexistence.”
“This corresponds to the divine will for our communities, and indeed for all the members and communities of the one human family,” reads the text, published by the Vatican on Friday.
Such peaceful and friendly coexistence is threatened by “extremism, radicalism, polemics, disputes, and religiously motivated violence,” the message declares, and these threats “are fueled by a culture of hate.”
Such a culture must be countered and overcome by “enhancing instead, enhancing love and friendship, in particular between Muslims and Christians, due to the bonds that unite us,” the Vatican office contends.
While differences can be perceived as a threat, we must not ignore or forget what we have in common, the message continues.
This means overcoming negative attitudes toward those who are different from us such as “suspicion, fear, rivalry, discrimination, exclusion, persecution, polemics, insults, and backbiting,” the message states.
Descending to particulars, the message argues that social media platforms are “common spaces for such harmful behaviors,” and in this way pervert their role of being means for communication and friendship to “being instruments for enmity and fighting.”
What is needed instead are “respect, goodness, charity, friendship, mutual care for all, forgiveness, cooperation for the common good, help to all those who are in any kind of need, and care for the environment,” the text states.
“A world where justice, peace, fraternity and prosperity reign please [sic] the Almighty and brings joy, calling, therefore, our sincere and shared engagement,” it adds.
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