By Vestnik Kavkaza
The tenth International Muslims Forum “The Mission of Religion and the Responsibility of its Followers to Modern Challenges” came to an end in Moscow. “Today in the context of developments in the Middle East and Europe, we are satisfied with developments in Russia,” Berel Lazar, Chief Rabbi of Russia, says. According to him, people use religions for their purposes in various regions. They justify their activities by religion, sometimes even kill people and say that anything goes. But all religions are based on trusting in God, one God, love for one's neighbor, mutual help and mutual respect. “Speaking about relations between Jews and Muslims, we are children of one father. Our Forefather Abraham, you call him Ibrahim, is our common father. Let’s imagine that he comes to our world and sees what happens in various regions. He would be desperate when he saw what has happened with his children, as they failed to find common grounds. Thank God we understand each other in Russia. And if our Forefather Abraham came to Russia today, he would be happy,”
Speaking about inter-religious mutual understanding in Russia and its absence in Europe, the USA, and the Middle East, Berel Lazar stated: “I think the point is in history. Today our Orthodox brothers, our Muslim brothers in Russia are more canonic, more religious than in other countries. As has been said, in the Western countries people live in favor of liberalism, progress, trying to find new lifestyles. Family values, religious values, traditional values pale into insignificance. The main thing is freedom and finding one’s own way. But in Russia due to the authorities, we confirm that the foundations which unite us are trusting in one God, family values, morals, spirituality which is so important for us.
When we say “Honor thy father and thy mother,” it means one should honor God as well. God, our common father, wants his children live in peace. God created people different. We are not alike: we have different voices, appearances, internal worlds, mentalities. But God wants to prove that we are together. And if we believe that God is one, we should be friends to each other.”
