Associated Press
MADRID, Spain – Representatives of the world’s religions on Friday ended a three-day interfaith conference called by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia which some hope could hail the beginning of a new relationship by denominations.
The Madrid meeting brought together Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and representatives of other religions in what was seen as an unprecedented event for the Saudi monarchy.
In a final declaration, participants urged the United Nations to play a role, saying they hope to follow up “recommendations in enhancing dialogue among the followers of religions, civilizations and cultures through conducting a special U.N. session on dialogue.”
Saudi organizers skirted criticism that Israelis and Palestinians were not properly represented, arguing that all faiths had participants.
But the lone participant from Israel, Rabbi David Rosen, was upbeat.
“There have been interfaith conferences before but never by the king of Saudi Arabia,” said Rosen, who is head of inter-religious relations at the American Jewish Committee and former chief rabbi of Ireland.
“It’s never had the World Muslim League before. It represents the conservative heartland of the most rigid Islamic world view. This is an incredible advancement,” he told The Associated Press.
Rosen said he was conveniently listed as an American for the conference owing to his dual nationality, but that he was optimistic that the absence of Israelis and Palestinians indicated the Saudis wanted to at least get the ball rolling on dialogue and that in future conferences they might be invited.
“The Saudis have gone very cautiously by not having the conference first of all in Saudi Arabia and making sure the first conference goes off without any major hitches,” said Rosen.
Abdullah Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki, secretary general of the World Muslim League which the Saudi king called on to organize the conference, said although there would be further meetings on interfaith dialogue there were no plans to follow up the Madrid event with one in Saudi Arabia.
Dr. William Baker, president of the U.S. group Christians and Muslims for Peace, concurred that the real significance of the meeting was that “it originated in the heart of Islam.”
“This could not come at a better time for the whole world and peace, and it could not have come from a better place as Islam is being propagandized against, lied about and distorted in the West for political purposes,” said Baker.
Saudi Arabia had presented the conference as a strictly religious initiative – not a political one. But it had to have political implications, coming from a Mideast heavyweight that does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.
The World Muslim League organizers were adamant there would be no discussions of issues such as the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or Iranian nuclear ambitions.
Prior to the conference, detractors said the Saudis were the last people who should be hosting a meeting on religious dialogue.
Wahhabism – the strain of Sunni Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia – is considered one of the religion’s most conservative.
Many believe the conference was held in Spain partly because it would be politically unpalatable for Abdullah to allow Jewish and Christian leaders on Saudi soil.
But Abdullah has made reaching out to other faiths a hallmark of his rule since taking over the oil-rich kingdom in 2005. He met with Pope Benedict XVI late last year, the first meeting ever between a pope and a reigning Saudi king.
And in June, Abdullah held a religious conference in Mecca in which participants pledged improved relations between Islam’s two main branches, Sunni and Shia. At that meeting, Abdullah also rejected extremism, saying that Muslims must present Islam’s “good message” to the world.
At the Madrid conference, delegates discussed dialogue within the Islamic world and with other denominations, chiefly Christianity and Judaism. Other topics debated were the need to protect the family, the role of women in religion and ways to protect the environment.
“It is essential for this world dialogue to be open and that its sessions be held periodically,” the final conference statement said.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
posted July 19, 2008 at 2:41 am
It wouldn’t be “politically unpalatable for Abdullah to allow Jewish and Christian leaders on Saudi soil.”
It would be a crime.
Crosses, Bibles, Hindu symbols, Stars of David, non-Muslims prayers etc are all absolutely forbidden in Saudi Arabia.
Perhaps the Saudis should remove the beam from their own eyes.
posted July 19, 2008 at 12:09 pm
They want to bring more discussions from all to the UN. Why to the UN? Isn’t this mixing Religion with Politics, on a world stage?
posted July 19, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Why the U.N., indeed, but for a different reason?
Over the last thirty years, the U.N. has become a bastion of anti-Israel sentiment. If such a meeting were to be held at the U.N., no good would come from it for Israel nor for Judaism.
posted July 20, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Interesting, ecl, I didn’t realize what you just posted, but felt instictively there has to be more to this than “Kumbaya”. Seems I should pay more attention to the UN. Is there anything you can not pay attention to in 2008?
posted July 20, 2008 at 8:49 pm
An alternate interpretation to ecl’s is that the UN is not wedded to Israel like US politicians and the US media are.
posted July 21, 2008 at 10:34 am
Why nnmns, you posted as though you think there’s something wrong with that? Personally, I think the US is ‘married’ to Christianity, Judaism and Democracy – and thinking about ‘getting hitched’ to Islam. And a couple of other faiths: Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist…
posted July 21, 2008 at 1:28 pm
An alternate interpretation to ecl’s is that the UN is not wedded to Israel like US politicians and the US media are…..
BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
The U.S. media are one of the worst enemies of Israel. There are many website you can go to, such as MEMRI.com, which proves how many major US news outlets, inlcuding the Associated Press, as well as the (U.K.) BBC, intentionally print lies and misrepresentations about events in Israel, and underreport atrocities against Israeli citizens, giving the news a distinctly pro-Palestinian bias.
And as far as the US being “wedded” to Israel, better being married/aligned with her than with the other Middle Eastern countries, most of whom are not democracies, most of whose governments are either unstable or dictatorships, most of whom would just as soon spit at the US as deal honestly with us.
posted July 21, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Better to not be wedded to any of those countries and to try to get along with them all.
“most of whom would just as soon spit at the US as deal honestly with us”
I was talking to a friend who has a son in computer security and while he couldn’t tell his folks what he does he mentioned Chinese trying to hack into the US government computers. And he also mentioned Israeli attempts to hack into the US government computers. No doubt there were other countries too but those two got mentioned.
Then there’s the USS Liberty.
posted July 21, 2008 at 9:27 pm
nnmns, maybe Israel is not what you would ever call a perfect partner, but she’s much better than anyone else in the Middle East. It’s a damn shame you see only a devil, figuratively speaking.
posted July 21, 2008 at 9:35 pm
ecl I see a country. Unfortunately one our media and politicians fawn over (with perhaps way too rare exceptions). If it were not tied to us I’d have a lot less interest in pointing out its failings, but it is tied to us, like a millstone around our necks.
Many middle eastern countries also have failings, big ones, but they aren’t tied to us so for us it’s not so serious.
posted July 22, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I think that America feels that the Jewish people here for as long as everyother migrant that came from other countries are a part of us, and with all the wrong that was brought down on them in the 30′s and 40′s it was happening to us as well as them. They have helped make our country great and prosperous because they are Americans. We’ve always helped Israel because they are a huge part of us and they are our friends. Friends are not perfect, we are not perfect but friends help each other.
posted July 22, 2008 at 6:01 pm
nnmns, you don’t simply see just “a country”, or you would not be so vehement every chance you see to knock Israel in every way possible.
Also, I can’t see how you can honestly say we have no ties to other middle eastern countries, nor us to them.
Without admitting there are huge political and financial ties to many other middle eastern countries, this is a discussion hardly worth having.
And Israel is hardly a millstone or any other weight around the neck of the U.S.
posted July 23, 2008 at 9:58 am
Henrietta I also value the Jewish people here and I wish them and all other people luck around the world. I’ve said, and I mean it, that the world would be better off if the Jews in Israel all moved here. I think we’d be better off, too.
ecl there are of course ties with other Middle Eastern countries but they are of a different sort. We don’t send most of them billions of dollars in foreign aid every year and more importantly we don’t stand behind them in the UN no matter what they do.
And our slavish support of Israel, no matter what they do, is a millstone around our neck.