Date: Dec. 5th 2013 Session: "Mitigating Religious Extremism: Models of Interfaith in Action": Addressing the Roots of Extremism Speaker: Father Varghese Alengaden Founder and Director, Universal Solidarity Movement, India

1. PLURALISTIC
PLURALISTIC
SPIRITUALITY
SPIRITUALITY
To build Peace
To build Peace
To prevent Conflicts
To prevent Conflicts
To resolve the conflicts
To resolve the conflicts
A way to respond to
A way to respond to
fundamentalism
fundamentalism

2. UNITY IN DIVERSTIY
is God’s unique blessing
to India

3. PARADOX :
Land of saints and sages,
Yet corruption rising &
Hypocrisy becomes the way

4. PARADOX:
Land of world religions, yet
conflicts do not stop.
“ This place would be much
more religious if all religions go”
-Dr. S.Radhakrishnan

5. “Reigion is the opium of
people” :Carl Marx

6. The root cause of
The root cause of
conflicts ::
conflicts
Failure to distinguish between
RELIGIOSITY
AND
SPIRITUALITY

7. RELIGIOSITY
RELIGIOSITY
SPIRITUALITY
SPIRITUALITY
Rituals - Values
Belief - Truth
Structure - Movement
Divides people - Unites people
Stagnant - Creative
Uniformity – Pluralism

8. Founders of all religions
promoted way of life .
worship in
TRUTH and SPIRIT.

9. UNIVERAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
UNIVERAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
of value Education for Peace
of value Education for Peace
It is a successful experiment of
It is a successful experiment of
PLURSLISTC SPIRITUALITY
PLURSLISTC SPIRITUALITY

10. It is going beyond dialogue and
It is going beyond dialogue and
discussion to
discussion to
INTER FAITH
INTER FAITH
FELLOWHSHIP
FELLOWHSHIP
AND LIVING.
AND LIVING.

11. Motivated by the possibility
Motivated by the possibility
thinking ::
thinking
WHY NOT ?
WHY NOT ?

12. 1. Why not people of different faith,
culture and language live and
work for peace and unity?
It is being done
since last twenty years .

13. 2. Why not light a candle instead
of cursing the darkness ?
A humble initiative is proved effective.
A humble initiative is proved effective.
Over 800 schools organized programs
Over 800 schools organized programs
for 5,00,000 Students ,,
for 5,00,000 Students
30,000 teachers ,,
30,000 teachers
hundreds of parents and other groups
hundreds of parents and other groups

14. 3. Why not transform the world
by self transformation ?
A practical module of Five Paths for personal
transformation is practiced by people of all faith:
a. Pray Daily for Peace
b. Skip a meal a week
c. Do a good deed a day
d. Honour parents, teachers and
all human beings
e. Respect earth and save its resources

15. 4. Why not run a national
/international Movement
in a rented building ?
No ownership of land and property.
No ownership of land and property.
Several hundred people are
motivated to make peace and
fellowship a way of life.

16. 5. Why not the Movement be
run with total transparency
of finance and management ?

17. 7. Why not trust every one and
empower with delegation
with authority?
It is done successfully

18. 8. Why not refuse to make
project applications for
funds?
Self finance is the policy
Self finance is the policy

19. 9. Why not face challenges of
rejection, insecurity and
false propaganda and turn
them opportunities to
discover the blessings of God?

20. THE INSIGHTS WHICH MOTIVATE
ARE THE FOLLOWING:
The Divine is waiting to be
The Divine is waiting to be
realized in and through each
realized in and through each
person!
person!
Miracles are waiting to be
Miracles are waiting to be
accomplished through each
accomplished through each
human being!
human being!

21. Inventions are hidden to be
Inventions are hidden to be
manifested by individuals!
manifested by individuals!
God is waiting to be incarnated
God is waiting to be incarnated
in and through each person!
in and through each person!