Citation

Okamoto AO. J. Relig. Health 1976; 15(1): 26-33.

Affiliation

, .

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, Academy of Religion and Mental Health, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/BF01532621

PMID

24407565

Abstract

At this stage in history, we are all sophisticated enough to understand and realize that major changes in cultural and religious traditions will not take place with any rapidity. People's traditions become strongly established and precious to them and to their children.The best hope for peace and understanding in our day may lie in the area of truly understanding the differences between religious expressions the world over and then teaching such differences to our children in our religious schools universities, etc., rather than in trying to impose our religious beliefs upon others.It also becomes essential that the leaders of our society be taught these differences so that they, too, can better understand the motivating forces and behavior of other people.Medical schools, schools of diplomacy, business administration schools, etc., would be wise to introduce courses in comparative religion and language differentiation that could help those who will be forging the relationships of tomorrow so as to understand why "xx treaty" falls through, why one diplomat may feel that he has broken through, whereas on the other side, the feeling is one of total failure or frustration.These problems may not be due in reality to the failure of one person or another, but rather to the ignorance of one facet of mankind toward the beliefs of another facet, and perhaps more important than any other factor in this discussion is the reluctance of one group to attempt to understand another because of the sense of superiority held by one group.

Language: en