MILF: Editorial--Talking to men of religion

Editorial posted  to the MILF Website (Jan 16-23): Talking to men of religion

Talking to men of religion especially Catholic bishops is like doing an almost endless discourse on ideas that touch human lives. This was proved during a recent forum in Davao City sponsored by the Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue in which the “Role of the Catholic Church during the Transition Period of the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement (FAB)” was the main theme. Members of the MILF peace panel and some 37 Catholic bishops and lay workers had engaged in more than two hours of friendly and pleasant exchange of views and ideas on the issue of the FAB and other related matters.

From the first minute of the question-and-answer session, the level and quality of question --- let us not speak of the answers --- had been so high that the MILF representatives had jokingly complained that the questions have not subsided in intensity and substance.

This kind of engagement is not surprising. The bishops are not only well-educated, besides masters of their vocations, but before they entered the seminary and become priests, they have to pass through stringent rules and requirements. This is not the first time the MILF peace panel had faced the bishops and archbishops in a dialogue. Many such dialogues have taken place in Mindanao and Manila and many of those were spearheaded by Archbishop Fernando Capalla, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, and Archbishop Antonio Ledesma. And this will not be the last.

More meetings are expected to follow, as both sides see the positive side riding roughshod over the demerits, if any. Many if not most of the barriers of misunderstanding and misgivings between the followers of the two confessional groups have been bridge or neutralized. When leaders of religions talk and decide to fuse understanding, cooperation, if not unity amidst disunity of their beliefs, the good effects on their followers are far-reaching.

For the MILF, this bridging effort is first of all what Islam enjoins its followers to undertake to reach out to people, tribes, and nations. The Qur’an says in Chapter 49, Verse 13: "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, And made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (Not that ye despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things)." In dealing with the Christians (and Jews) the Qur’an said: “And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in good manner ….”

Islam also enjoins Muslims to honor treaties or agreements made with a non-Muslim party. If Muslims have agreed to forge an agreement with them, then it is not permissible to break that covenant, to commit mischief in their land, to betray anyone, to steal, to kill or to do any destructive action, and so on. Finally, there is no reason why Muslims should not cooperate with non-Muslims with regard to establishing truth and combatting falsehood, to support the oppressed and ward off danger from mankind, such as cooperating to fight an oppressive common enemy, to prevent pollution or to protect the environment, or to combat epidemic diseases and so on.

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