"'Western countries follow their interests. Why can’t we follow our interest in keeping the Middle East peaceful”
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The Reverend Nadim Nassar is a Syrian priest, peace activist, the director and co-founder of the ‘Awareness Foundation’ in London. Nadim Nassar expertise is in the Middle East. He believes in communication and dialogue between religions.
During the ‘Islam and Christianity’ annual conference in London, our London’s reporter had the opportunity to have a conversation with Nassar.
In response to Taghrib’s reporter (TANA) in London, regarding the importance of interfaith dialogue in this situation, father Nadim said,“It is extremely important to keep the dialogue going. Because interfaith dialogue should be a force against the force of alienation of religion and the darkness that we face in todays world, especially through ISIS and through all the violence that is spreading in the name of religion and in particular in the name of Islam.
As a result it is very important that we keep communicating with each other. This means beyond the word ‘said’ to the ‘action’ taken.”
Nassar believes that ‘dialogue’ is not just a word, but is ‘action’. “And actions are louder than words.”
The director of the Awareness Foundation, responded to the question ‘How the dialogue can turn into action by saying, “Firstly we need to be honest with each other. Name the problems. We shouldn’t have fear of pointing out to the problems. For example if there is a problem in our teachings or implementing the teachings of religion … lets face them and look for solutions!”
Nadim Nassar believes that as long as we are defensive and egoistic in the sense of we are ‘right’ and others are ‘wrong’, we will never reach a peaceful conclusion that we can live together.
Taghrib’s reporter asked about the reasons and factors in which create terrorist groups “I reject two clichés. One cliché says the violence that is happening in the Middle East has nothing to do with religion and the other one says without religion the world is a better place”
Nassr believes that both of these sayings are wrong and we are standing somewhere in the middle.
Father Nadim continues “what is religion?_ religion is not only a set of beliefs and our holy scriptures. Its all of that plus ‘People’. What is religion without people?”
Nadim Nassar strongly believes that when people promote violence in the name of religion, it is the responsibility of other people in that religion to stop them. Nassar stated “ I always tell my Muslim brothers and sisters that as a Christian I can help, stand on your side and support you, but I can not do it for you”
Nassar believes that reforming the teachings and stopping the people who are promoting violence and bloodshed in the name of Islam has to be done from inside. “ If I want to be absolutely honest, the Muslim’s affords to stop those radicals and phonetics are still faint and weak and not up to the expectations that the world is waiting for”
Father Nadim also explained the western countries politics and their claims regarding the fight against terrorism in the Middle East and stated, “I believe western counties couldn’t care less about minorities, religion, unity or co-existence in the Middle East. The western countries follow their interests in the region. At the moment those who are controlling the agenda in the Middle East, are the ‘War Lords’. Because right now war is a profitable business and that’s why it is being promoted.”
Nassar strongly believes that there is an agenda to divide the Middle East even more. Middle East has faced divisions in the past. However in Nadim Nassar’s opinion we are facing a worst situation. “ We are facing even worst divisions. And those are sectarian states. Such as Shia state, Sunni state, a Christian Safe Haven, and Doruze. These divisions are disasters for Middle East. Because if these stats are created, they will never live peacefully together. They will always fight with each other. And this is what they want! So we have to raise our awareness and say ‘No’ to the divisions in the Middle East”
In the end Nassar highlighted “ the western countries follow their interests. Why can’t we follow our interest in keeping the Middle East peaceful”.
/SR
