January 21, 2015
To: Religions for Peace
777 United Nations Plaza, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10017

In the name of the one who recognized God and followed Him; who recognized justice and established it; who promoted uprightness and cultivated love.

Yours honour, Dear Members of Religions for Peace
No prophet of God or any righteous man has ever laid claim to redeeming humanity without having based that claim on the inherent dignity of the members of his society. The essence of the teachings of Zoroaster, Moses, Christ, Muhammad, Buddha and Bahá’u’lláh is that the worth of a being lies is his love and respect for his fellow man and the commandment to perform “goodly deeds”, which is common to all religions, is based on the principle of one’s love for humanity.

Just as those who tyrannized and persecuted Noah (PBUH) and other prophets and characterized their followers as “ignoble”, today we witness that those who engage in religious discrimination and only consider their own interpretations of the Holy Scriptures authoritative likewise regard themselves as superior, destroy the livelihood of others in the flames of bigotry and cruelty, and accuse anyone who calls for religious coexistence and tolerance as having strayed from the “divine verses” and pronouncing him a follower of Satan.

Throughout the history of religion, those who have created a culture of oppression and prejudice among the people have always served their own material benefit by repudiating the truth and exploiting peoples’ need for spirituality. The valuing of the human spirit in every individual is not merely a moral obligation, but an indication of our true belief in the Supreme Being, Who has identified Himself as the Supreme Judge and the most just Adjudicator when differences arise over the true meaning of religion. God’s tribunal, in the day of resurrection and judgment, is the only occasion when religious difference amongst people will be settled. Until then, we can only resort to our sense of morality to establish peace amongst human beings.

The third millennium is the millennium of religious warfare, the outcome of years of blind prejudice and religious discrimination, the flames of which can be seen to be burning in human societies. If no action is taken to oppose it, there will be fateful consequences.

Therefore, it is essential to foster a “movement against religious and denominational discrimination” to promote peace and tranquility. I invite all thinkers and religious scholars throughout the world to rise above their religious differences and join forces to prepare the way for global consultations on achieving peace amongst various religions and denominations.

How long are we to wait while those who consider themselves as superior continue issuing fatwas calling for the massacre of those with other ideologies or beliefs? Or while some publicly burn the Qur’án or to set afire the Bible and the Cross? Or wait while Bahá’í cemeteries are destroyed in Iran when the Shi’ah cemeteries in Pakistan or Iraq are beautified? In Africa, it seems that spilling blood has become the only means of retaining power. The United States still struggles with the horrific wounds inflicted upon it by terrorists and religious extremists. Despite the beginnings of its new political life, Afghanistan is still one of the main breeding grounds for anti-human religious extremists, just as Great Britain, despite all its deliberations to reform its civil laws, suffers from the religious and ideological mistrust that is prevalent amongst its citizens. The countries of the Indian subcontinent have suffered through a long history of religious strife, a prime example of which can be seen in Myanmar. In various parts of the world, even in Europe, which is still suffering from the calamities of World War II, Neo-Nazism and anti-Zionist activities are on the rise once again. The Middle East has been the hub and nerve centre of blind religious prejudices that have fomented wars which have led to religious massacres. And in my Iran, a few of the ruling clerics, who show no mercy to either majority or minority groups, have used religion to inflict the harshest violence. These are only a fraction of the many atrocities in a world fraught with ideological conflicts. If we take a close look at the issue of human rights, we will find that the lack of a culture of tolerance for different religions and ideologies has become the greatest pretext under which self-serving governments violate the fundamental rights of their citizens.

Yours honour, the mere belief in the existence of a creator is of no consequence to the prosperity of humanity if what he has created (i.e., human beings) is degraded into a pile of worthless ash or is deprived of its basic rights because of his adherence to different beliefs or convictions. If thus far, and over the course of history, moral and religious approaches have proven ineffective in bringing about collective welfare, indeed the reason can be found to be the lack of tolerance and respect for other beliefs.

The thoughts, attitudes, and dispositions of ecclesiastics permeate the behavior and opinions of people and affect their social mores and culture, allowing these to become a cause of salvation or descent into degradation. If we were to direct our efforts and determination towards infusing the concept of ‘unity’ in the core of our religious teachings and doctrines—to bring about a sense of respect and tolerance for others—instead of focusing on debates rooted in superstitions, fictions and historical aberrations, we can effectively curtail the influence of dictatorial political rulers and mercenary religious leaders over societies and cultures. Such a move will restore spirituality to its true meaning, allow people to walk the path of progress, and will enrich their lives with meaning.

It is still possible for religion to engage in developing cultures that support humanity’s welfare without becoming subservient to prejudicial governments or to be used as a tool for enacting policies which deny the rights of citizens. Religion can play a pivotal role in realization of new objectives and values such as advancing the culture of coexistence amongst nations and religions, protecting the environment, supporting arts and sciences, which conduce to humanity’s prosperity and advancement, preventing the use of technology for callous intentions, collaborating in efforts for the eradication of poverty and famine, and in creating a sense of camaraderie for the promotion of achievements in the humanities.

You and this humble servant are among those whose chosen path in life is to search for and promote religious teachings. As we have made this choice freely and without coercion, we have an ever greater duty to ponder whether our silence in the face of the culture of discrimination can bear any results other than the spread of fanaticism and political warmongering? Bertrand Russell, a great thinker, has articulated so aptly: “War does not determine who is right—only who is left.” He identified one of the elements of militarism to be “prejudice”. The flame of war will always rise high when fuelled by division, alienation, and people devaluing one another.
The artworks of this humble servant following the September 11 events, when the flames of controversy and fear rose high, were a symbolic act to illustrate my solidarity with the beliefs and ideologies of the followers of other religions who were concerned about preservation of their lives, possessions, and dignity. I took this action based on my commitment to the principles of fellowship and the equality of all beliefs and ideologies. I believe in the words of Martin Luther King, spiritual leader of the American civil rights movement, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘what are you doing for others?’”

If, in this day and age, we witness that narrow-minded religious stances are casting their abhorrent shadow over the nations of the world—particularly in the Middle East and in African countries where terror and bloodshed have replaced fellowship and mutual support—one should search for its roots not in the differences among religions and ideologies, but in various types of prejudice and the negligence of ecclesiastics of the past centuries to take action. Is it not the responsibility of the ecclesiastics to bring people closer to spiritual values and to the Supreme Life-giver? Are not love for humanity and altruism the outcome of nearness to the Almighty God? And if these objectives have not yet been realized, are we not to question the part that certain promoters of faith and religion have played in tarnishing the role of religion, or to reflect on the laxity of our own like when people’s lives are threatened?

In any country or region, from Southeast Asia to North America and particularly in the strained Middle East, the conflicts among people, which are founded on fear and hatred and religious and ideological antagonism, are the consequence of the failure of the ecclesiastics to carry the responsibility which history has placed on their shoulders. The core concept of religion, which is to propagate the cause of spirituality among people, has been tainted by politicization, coercion, and brutality towards minorities and those of other beliefs by virtue of the actions of our own kind, the clerics.

Based on my experience, when clerics regress towards egoism, materialism, and involvement in political affairs, faith and religion sink to such depths of anarchy and intellectual quarrel that if a person were to initiate a humanistic discourse based on religious texts or spiritual concepts, it would stir up skepticism and doubt in everyone’s mind regarding his possible motive or material interest in it.

We have experienced an era of the flourishing of the mind that has allowed the ideals and aspirations for coexistence to take root in today’s world, and has impelled the rejection and gender discrimination among the generality of people, even in the arena of sports.

Today, we too, must come to our senses and revisit our teachings and realize that God had destined humanity to recognize its own nobility and to demand the establishment of wise and honourable values which can preserve the lives, possessions, and honour of its kind; and to inherit a world free of
physical weapons of bloodshed and destruction as well as mental weapons of prejudice and discrimination. There will be no path to prosperity unless we all follow the true commandment of God which is to “take a stand for justice and fairness”. Indeed, God’s command is set in motion through faith and is manifested through our actions.

This responsibility should weigh so heavily on the honour and dignity of religious scholars and thinkers that it will spur them into action and ensure that the concepts of coexistence and religious tolerance encompass every street, home, school, and place of worship. All members of human society are either kin in religion, or equals by virtue of their humanity. This is a teaching that regardless of one’s race, gender, social or economic status, should characterize the thinking, discourse, and demeanour of every person and help remove the culture of religious apartheid from the world. I believe that the smallest step in this path will provide the greatest impetus for many movements towards peace, especially those in the Middle East and Africa.

While religions tend to compete against one another, spirituality can still find its place in people’s lives and instill in every person’s heart and mind an understanding infused with love and respect for human dignity. Life offers an opportunity that will not be repeated. The culture of discrimination and religious apartheid is not only in conflict with the governing principles of life, but also with the Will of God, Who bestows His Mercy upon all.

In every conflict, the question arises as to whether God is with one side or the other. Indeed, people are each other’s refuge and God is the refuge of all. Although we have heard the words of wisdom and advice uttered by the sages, it is our duty to push the boundaries of limitations, and uncover the means by which blind hatred and enmity can be transformed into tolerance and justice, respect for the rights of non-conformists can be attained, and tranquility can become universal. This vision can be realized only if common people will respect the diversity of religions, irrespective of origin, just as we acknowledge the beauty of all colours irrespective of hue.

It is with my belief in the inherent dignity of human beings, regardless of their creed, school of thought, or religion, along with my gratitude and appreciation for your generous support of my recent gesture of sympathy for Bahá’ís, that I wish to invite you—the learned ones and scholars who also believe in coexistence and religious tolerance—to assist in bringing about a comprehensive, committed, and an uncompromising movement against discrimination and religious and ideological apartheid. I extend my hand in assistance and support to you, that through global discourses and systematic action, free of any political orientation and by drawing on the resources of international organizations and institutions that toil in the path of peace, this lofty goal can be realized.

It is my hope that, just as the scientists of our time, detached from perceived limitations, have made incredible advancements in enhancing humanity’s material life, likewise, your eminent endeavours, free of the limitations of the past, will also advance humanity into a new era of spiritual life, free from religious violence.
Yours sincerely;
The imploring one, Abdol-Hamid Masoumi Tehrani