Welcoming religious diplomacy

Johnston was presenting his organization's efforts in dealing with religious extremism during his talk, giving insights as to how he and his colleagues have helped Christians and Muslims reach out to each other in Sudan; how they assisted in the release of Korean captives by the Taliban; and how they helped to achieve high-level Abrahamic dialogue between the US and Iran. Part of the reason their efforts generally yield positive results is the fact that the center is not government-funded. Given the US government's negative image in many parts of the world, that's the wise thing to do. But this doesn't necessarily mean governments should not contribute in appropriate ways. They can and should provide information to constructive religious peace activists, adjust visa policies and, perhaps most important of all, listen more carefully to what the activists recommend.

In the meantime, such activities may inspire secular governments that normally do not utilize religious peacemaking tools in their own diplomatic practices. Johnston says they are making some inroads with the US government. Although he sees the US State Department as "dogmatic secular," he finds the Pentagon and CIA more receptive to the idea of employing the religious element in foreign operations. A good example is Gen. David Petraeus' bottom-to-top approach, which has so far yielded positive results in Iraq. American invaders have systematically approached religious Iraqi communities and their leaders, in addition to others. Without their cooperation, relative stability would not be possible now there.

As in the case with Iraq and Afghanistan, religious diplomacy is especially helpful during militant and/or terrorist insurgencies. That makes me think about Turkey's Kurdish question. Religious diplomacy should constitute an indispensable element of a comprehensive solution to internal and external dealings of Turks and Kurds. Imagine if governments and civil societies, from separate tracks, in both Iraq and Turkey were investing more in religious commonalities to overcome tensions. Dominant secular elements within the political and security establishments of Turkey and northern Iraq may not look that option so enthusiastically. The fear of religion usually surpasses the opportunity for success, as in the case of enhanced religious diplomacy by some faith-motivated groups inside Turkey.

Heeding the domestic and international calls for reconciliation with Turkey's Kurdish-dense Southeast, observant Turks (along with Kurds and others) from the western part of the country have increasingly been engaged. They want to be part of the solution. They use any opportunity, like religious holidays, to reach out their brothers and sisters in the region. Relief organizations, volunteer health professionals and private schools associated with observant Turks are doing a spectacular job. Anyone interested in a comprehensive solution to the conflict -- that includes the Turkish state and its Western allies -- should normally be happy about this. However when viewed with negative secularist biases and fears, let alone commendation, one can see suspicions if not outright condemnation. There may even be some who prefer continued ethnic confrontation to reconciliation via religion. These people are often the ones who complain about religion not being a constructive force, yet they are also troubled with reconciliation efforts by constructive faith-based groups. Ignorance, jealousy and unfounded fears play a great role in all of this.

The best road to the mind of a religious person most probably goes through the mind of another religious person. A religious person very well knows a believer wants respect from others for his or her faith. Mutual respect is the starting point of any dialogue and dialogue eventually paves the way to mutual understanding and compromise. Johnston told us about his encounters with an influential Taliban religious scholar who clearly did not have a positive image of Christians. He simply reminded him how much Jesus Christ is a revered in Islam and provoked him to think about how Prophet Mohammed would choose to act. And he earned his respect.

In a world where perverted religious arguments can make life hell for many people, reasonable religious counter-arguments can best be made by reasonable religious people. That's why the kind of work that Johnston and his comrades do is immensely needed. They courageously struggle with religious extremisms not only in the lands of Islam, but also in the Judeo-Christian West, as with the case of some intolerant evangelical groups. Governments, be they secular or not, should only facilitate such civic efforts. And I am sure there ways of incorporating the constructive power of religion in foreign and domestic policies without undermining secularism.