Focus on religious intolerance and violence in SA schools

THE battle to establish religious superiority and dominance has been a cause of international conflicts (wars) that date back centuries. It continues to happen across the world with devastating human costs.

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Assumptions of religious superiority by individuals through narrow and selective reading of religious texts usually breed religious intolerance.

Religious intolerance often comes from a dark and dangerous place. It is usually associated with people who project themselves as deeply religious and God-fearing but believe that their born-into or chosen religion is superior to others.

These religious bigots are to be found across all religions and usually comprise only a tiny percentage of people.

Their voices and actions, however, have far-reaching consequences. They are typically unapologetic about their discontent with other belief systems and speak and act carelessly. They often use their positions of power to discriminate and persecute other human beings they consider inferior.

While under apartheid, Christianity was the favoured religion in SA schools.

In society, there was a fair degree of freedom for individuals in the Muslim, Hindu and other religious communities to build their places of worship and practice their religious beliefs.

South Africans, in general, have shown a fair degree of respect for religious diversity in the post-apartheid era.

In crises such as natural disasters that frequently occur in different parts of the country, volunteer organisations from various religious and cultural backgrounds rally around to support devastated communities (and schools), irrespective of religion.

Multi-faith gatherings are regular events in South Africa, and in recent times, in response to the Palestinian crisis, such gatherings have reminded us about our shared humanity.

There have, however, been incidents of religious intolerance in South African society and schools over the years, and these must be duly addressed in a way that does not ferment further intolerance and divisions.