Countering Religiophobia A Common Duty of All Faiths: ICRO Chief
Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour made the remark in an address to a conference titled “Improvement of Human Relations in Post-Coronavirus Era with Inspiration from Teachings of Islam and Christianity”.
The conference was organized virtually and in-person on Saturday by ICRO’s Center for Dialogue among Religions and Cultures.
Hojat-ol-Islam Imanipour said the religiophobia project has been launched by enemies of faiths years ago and is manifested sometimes by creating extremist groups and sometimes by exaggerating the wrong behavior of some so-called religious leaders.
He said religious researchers, institutions and leaders ought to enhance cooperation in countering these attempts that are aimed at tarnishing the image of religions.
The cleric also referred to the COVID-19 pandemic and said the experiences gained from this plight showed once again that religious beliefs can play a major role in finding solutions to the problems faced by humanity.
Another speaker at the event was General Secretary of the World Council of Churches Ioan Sauca, who said protecting the rights of followers of different faiths helps strengthen societies.
He said God exists in all religions and that is why the WCC has close cooperation with all faiths whose purpose is promoting peace and human welfare.
He also stressed the need for informing people, especially the younger generation about the need for confronting deviations and living together in peaceful coexistence.
