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Vatican, Muslims Want
Ethical Economy
Concluding a landmark inter-faith talks at
the Vatican, Catholic and Muslim scholars
called on Thursday, November 6, for an
ethical financial system, religious freedom
and a violence-free world.
"We call upon
believers to work for an ethical financial system in which
the regulatory mechanisms consider the situation of the poor
and disadvantaged, both as individuals and as indebted
nations," they said in a joint 15-point statement.
Global stock
markets plunged Thursday on growing fears the world economy
faces a deep and long lasting recession as the financial
crisis saps growth and dangerously weakens the banking
system.
A financial
crisis swept the US in September after the collapse of
Lehman Brothers, the fourth-largest investment bank, and the
financial woes of a number of Wall Street giants.
Its shockwaves
have triggered a domino effect across the world, forcing
many countries to pumped billions of dollars into their
troubled banks to keep credit flowing and prevent a complete
financial meltdown.
Wrapping up a
three-day forum, more than 50 Catholic and Muslim scholars
said the equitable financial system should take into account
debts-ridden nations and ways to end the economic woes
triggered by the crisis.
"We call on
the privileged of the world to consider the plight of those
afflicted most severely by the current crisis in food
production and distribution," they added.
"Religious
believers of all denominations and all people of good will
to work together to alleviate the suffering of the hungry,
and to eliminate its causes."
The UN Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates 923 million
people are suffering from hunger around the world.
FAO Director
General Jacques Diouf said Tuesday about 100 million more
people will be living in hunger in a year if unfair global
agriculture practices are not changed.
Religious
Freedom
The three-day
meeting called for showing respect to religious minorities
and symbols.
"Religious
minorities are entitled to be respected in their own
religious convictions and practices," read the joint
statement.
"They are also
entitled to their own places of worship, and their founding
figures and symbols they consider sacred should not be
subject to any form of mockery or ridicule."
In his closing
remarks, Pope Benedict XVI called for boosting freedom of
conscience and freedom of religion.
"My hope…is
that these fundamental human rights will be protected for
all people everywhere."
He described
the forum as "one more step along the way towards greater
understanding between Muslims and Christians."
Last year Pope
Benedict XVI angered Muslims by citing a medieval text that
characterized some of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) as "evil and inhuman."
Benedict, who
met the 58 participants in the sumptuous Clementine Hall,
used for grand occasions at the Vatican, said the differing
concepts of God should not prevent the two faiths from
showing mutual respect.
The meeting is
the first since Vatican and Muslims leaders agreed in March
to establish a Catholic-Muslim forum to meet regularly to
bridge their gap.
The move followed an open letter by 138
Muslim scholars and intellectuals to Christian spiritual
leaders for dialogue between the two Abrahimic faiths.
Source:
http://www.iqna.ir
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