Religion and Peace :
Twentieth Century is an age of many scientific developments and feats.
Many wonderful scientific researches have been recorded, not heard
before. Technology is fast developing from century to century. Things we
considered as luxury a few years ago such as Radio, Television,
Telephone have become necessities in our lives to-day. World has become
small due to means of communication. We can communicate and exchange
ideas easily in no time in any nook and corner of the world. Anything
happens in any part of the world comes to our notice within seconds. One
can travel to any part of the world like visiting his next neighbour.
Due to these mutual contacts and means of communication, understanding
between people of the world have been increasing. We have stepped even
on the planet moon which was considered an impossibility some years ago
and researches are going on to land in other planets also.
Inspite of these developments in science correspondingly we find there
is a dichotomy of conflicts :
1. Though materially the world is becoming nearer to one another,
mentally it is far away from one another.
2. Due to means of communication instead of mutual understanding between
nations, man is confronted with hatred, jealousy, enemity. etc.
Though the world has achieved enormous progress in science no one can
deny that it is tending towards destruction. We are witnessing that
advanced countries are using their resources and wealth not for the
welfare of mankind but to establish their Supreme power for selfish
ends. These countries instead of solving their internal problems such as
food, shelter, clothing, population growth, ignorance etc. are indulging
to keep other states under their control for their false prestige and
are destroying them.
For long years many colonies which were under foreign domination are
becoming independent, which is a good sign. I Freedom is the natural
birth right of everyone, so also of each country. No body wills to be in
bondage. But due to weakness, some states losing their independent
spirit are under the domination of some big countries. These countries
must be allowed to enjoy freedom and to stand on their own legs.
Where mutual co-operation and friendship is to be found, we find now
hatred, jealousy etc. which lead to total annihilation of mankind. On
account of an individual person Hitler we expected the end of the world
is a historical fact, still green on our memory. During the 2nd World
war bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki must awaken in us the power,
the fear and warning to us. There are now 50,000 nuclear warheads
thousand times greater than the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. t he total explosive content of these weapons is equivalent to
a mill ion Hiroshima bombs, which corresponds to a yield of some three
tons of TNT for every person on earth. Yet these stock piles continue to
grow. Moreover we face the increasing danger that many additional
countries will acquire nuclear weapons or develop the capacity of
producing them. The risk is very great to-day, that any use of nuclear
weapons, however limited, would escalate to general nuclear war. In the
event of a third world war these will be no winners.
Not only some nations are stockpiling nuclear weapons but also those of
chemical, biological and even conventional weapons are increasing by the
steady accumulation of knowledge. It is therefore to be expected that
also the means of non-nuclear war, as horrible as they already are will
become more destructive if nothing is done to prevent it. Human wisdom
however, remains comparatively limited in dramatic contrast with the
apparently inexorable growth of the power of destruction. It is the duty
of scientists to help prevent the perversion of their achievements and
to stress that the future of mankind depends upon the acceptance by
nations of moral and religious principles transcending all other
considerations. Recognising the natural rights of humans to survive and
to live in dignity, science must be used to assist human kind towards a
life of fulfillment and peace.
Considering the dangers that confront mankind today all the religious
leaders of the world must join hands with, goodwill to face this
challenge with courage and persistence. All disputes whether national or
international, social, religious, political which are not to be
undervalued seem to lose their urgency compared to the hazards of
nuclear war.
It is therefore, imperative to reduce distrust and to increase hope and
confidence through a succession of steps to curb the development,
production, testing of nuclear weapons and to freeze and destroy them
with the ultimate hope of total elimination.
To avoid wars and to establish world-peace not only the powers of
intelligence are needed, but also the efforts of the world religious
leaders. Ultimately the human kind as n whole must act for its survival.
This is the greatest challenge that humanity ever faced and there is no
time to he lost to protest against that nuclear disaster in one voice.
Finally we appeal
1. To national and world leaders to take the initiative In seeking steps
to eliminate the risk of nuclear holocaust looking beyond narrow
concerns for their advantage and to eschew military conflict as means of
avoiding disputes among nations.
2. To scientists to their creativity for the betterment of human life
and to apply their ingenuity in exploring means of avoiding nuclear war
and developing practical methods of arms control.
3. To the religious leaders and other custodians of moral principles to
proclaim forcibly and persistently the grave human issues at stake and
awaken the society to feel the pulse of this grave nuclear danger.
4. To people every where to reaffirm their faith in the destiny of
humankind to insist that the avoidance of war is a common responsibility
to combat the belief that nuclear conflict is unavoidable and to labour
increasingly towards onrushing the future generation, confict free
society and a war free society on the principle of non-violence.
