Hindus laud Vatican for inviting Muslims, Jew, and women in Synod of Bishops

NEVADA - Hindus have lauded Vatican for inviting Islamic and Jewish leaders and women to participate in the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, which began at Vatican City on October ten.

Renowned Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that serious and honest interfaith dialogue was the need of the hour. Religion was the most powerful, complex and far-reaching force in our society, so we must take it seriously. And we all knew that religion comprised much more than our own particular tradition/experience, Zed stressed.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further says that in our shared pursuit for the truth, we can learn from one another and thus can arrive nearer to the truth. The dialogue may help us vanquish the stereotypes, prejudices, caricatures, etc., passed on to us from previous generations. As dialogue brings us reciprocal enrichment, we shall be spiritually richer than before the contact.

Rajan Zed welcomed Pope Benedict’s call to people of all religions to contribute to creating peace and stability and also commended having Arabic as an official language of the Synod, which is being held from October 10-24. Rabbi David Rosen (Israel, USA), Muhammad al-Sammak (Sunni, Lebanon) and Ayatollah Sayyed Mostafa Mohaghegh Ahmadabadi (Shia, Iran) are reportedly participating, besides women and about 180-185 bishops. Zed urged Pope to invite Hindu leaders also in future synods.

Synod is an ecclesiastical gathering for discussion and decision of issues relating to faith, morals, or discipline. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI heads the Roman Catholic Church, which is the largest of the Christian denominations. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. (ANI)