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148
Glimpses of World Religions
have done no wrong to me, at least.” The father thereupon called all the elders and complained that “this child doesn't obey me. This (child) is a blot on all the mongoose community as a whole.” Thereupon, all the eleders persuaded the child, and as it did not obey them, they, together, assembled and killed it.
In our mankind, hatred and revenge hold good even worse than this. Why should a birth in a different religious group be a cause of enmity? Because of prejudices only, fanaticism creeps up and gets mixed with religion, and as a consequences bloodbath due to violence is witnessed. The colour of the blood of any person born in any religious family is red only; then, why this discrimination ?
The real reason for misunderstanding of other religions is the lack of knowledge of other religions, or the want of wisdom. Our thinking, in fact, does not reach so far. As a result we are prompted to droop to the enmity of other religions or to fanaticism.
Prejudices can be removed only when having tolerance for other peoples' viewpoints, we properly understand them. Rigid religious or narrow increase the distances and differences of ideas, even between those who live nearby.
If we look to one thing from different angles, and observing each and every portion of a thing, and by judging the same idea, an individual or a situation according to space-time considerations, we have the knowledge of that thing, individual or the idea from Anekant, or comprehensive, all-sided view-points, we will surely be free from the prejudices. The prejudices and fanaticism born of selfishness are the killers of 'Anekantvad'. The Anekant view point is the protector of the fundamental elements of Dharma. So long as that angle of vision persists, the abnormality or pervertedness will not dare to enter in Dharma.
