Religious freedom strengthens civil institutions, justice and peace

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Dialogue is "a powerful stimulus to respect for the fundamental human rights of freedom of conscience and freedom of worship. Wherever religious freedom is effectively acknowledged, the dignity of the human person is respected at its root; by the sincere search for what is true and good, moral conscience and civil institutions are strengthened; and justice and peace are firmly established", says the message the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, sent to Buddhists for the Feast of Vesakh.

Vesakh is the most important holiday for Buddhists; it commemorates the major events in the life of Buddha. This year the festival will be celebrated on 8 April in Japan, May 10 in Korea, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore for the "Mahayana" Buddhists and May 17 in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Burma, Laos and other countries of the "Theravada" Buddhist school.

The document, signed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, president and secretary of the Vatican dicastery, and entitled "SeekingTruth in freedom: Christians and Buddhists live in peace," states that "in the light of an exchange of mutual friendship, as in the past, I would like to share with you some of our convictions in the hope of strengthening relations between our communities. My thoughts turn first to the relationship between peace, truth and freedom. In the pursuit of authentic peace, a commitment to seek truth is a necessary condition. All persons have a natural duty to seek truth, to follow it and freely to live their lives in accordance with it (Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Declaration on Religious Freedom Dignitatis Humanae, no. 1). This human striving for truth offers a fruitful opportunity for the followers of the different religions to encounter one another in depth and to grow in appreciation of the gifts of each.

In today’s world, marked by forms of secularism and fundamentalism that are often inimical to true freedom and spiritual values, interreligious dialogue can be the alternative choice by which we find the “golden way” to live in peace and work together for the good of all. As Pope Benedict XVI has said, “for the Church, dialogue between the followers of the different religions represents an important means of cooperating with all religious communities for the common good" (Message for World Day of Peace 2011, n. 11).

"Dear Buddhist friends - concludes the message - we pray that your celebration of Vesakh will be a source of spiritual enrichment and an occasion to take up anew the quest of truth and goodness, to show compassion to all who suffer, and to strive to live together in harmony".