July 18….(Christian Today) Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah called on followers of the world's major faiths to turn away from extremism and seek reconciliation as he opened an unprecedented interfaith conference in Madrid on Wednesday. The Saudi-sponsored gathering aims to draw Muslims, Jews and Christians closer together and isolate those who use religion to justify violence or intolerance. It was the first time Saudi Arabia, where non-Muslims cannot practice their faith openly, had invited Jews to such a meeting. The king also invited Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs as he showcased a more tolerant side to Saudi Arabia's strict Wahhabi Islam, under fire since 15 Saudis were among the 19 Arabs who carried out the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York. "My brothers, we must tell the world differences do not lead to conflict and confrontation," said King Abdullah, flanked by Spain's King Juan Carlos at a royal palace west of Madrid. "Tragedies that have occurred in history were not caused by religion but extremism adopted by some of the followers of each one of the religions, and political systems." Jewish and Christian leaders said Abdullah had struck a blow against religious fanaticism by gathering believers from so many faiths under the same roof. The meeting could not take place in Saudi Arabia, where traditional clerics have shunned contact with non-Muslims and even seen other Muslims, particularly Shi'ites, as infidels. There were no Israeli Jewish leaders or Palestinian Christian or Muslim delegates on the list of 288 religious, political and cultural figures attending the event, including Tony Blair and Jesse Jackson. King Abdullah said previous attempts at interfaith dialogue had failed because they had focused on religious differences. "If we want to have success in this historical meeting, we have to emphasize what we have in common, the belief and deep faith in God," said the monarch. "Religions should be a way to bridge our differences and not cause disputes." The king launched the dialogue plan after meeting Pope Benedict at the Vatican in November. Spain, once Muslim ruled, was chosen as a venue after the Saudi king visited last year.
Saudi King Appeals for Tolerance, Diversity in Religions
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has called on followers of the world's main religions to turn away from extremism and embrace a spirit of reconciliation.
King Abdullah and co-host
King Juan Carlos of Spain
July 18….(BBC) The king was opening a conference in Madrid which brings together Muslims, Christians, Jews and Buddhists. He said the great conflicts of history were not caused by religion, but by the misinterpretation of religion. King Juan Carlos of Spain, the co-host, said Spain had always sought to promote international dialogue. Critics have dismissed the gathering as a propaganda gimmick by the Saudis who, they say, are not best placed to host a meeting on religious tolerance. Wahhabism, the strain of Sunni Islam that is officially practised in Saudi Arabia, is considered one of the religion's most conservative and intolerant forms. "My brothers, we must tell the world that differences don't need to lead to disputes," King Abdullah said. "The tragedies we have experienced throughout history were not the fault of religion but because of the extremism that has been adopted by some followers of all the religions, and of all political systems." Correspondents say King Abdullah has made reaching out to other faiths a hallmark of his rule since becoming king in 2005. He is the first reigning Saudi monarch to meet the Pope, for example. In June, Abdullah held a religious conference in Mecca in which participants pledged improved relations between Islam's two main branches, Sunni and Shia Islam. The conference is sponsored by Saudi Arabia and is billed as a strictly religious, non-political affair. It is off limits to journalists apart from the inaugural session
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