Uniformity is greater threat to culture than differences are, pope says

IMAGE: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

By Cindy Wooden

YANGON, Myanmar (CNS) — In a small, informal meeting with a
variety of religious leaders, Pope Francis went to the heart of his message for
Myanmar: unity, not uniformity, is the secret to peace.

Representatives of the Baptist, Anglican, Buddhist, Hindu,
Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as leaders from ecumenical
organizations, briefly told the pope about their communities during the meeting
Nov. 28 at the archbishop’s residence in Yangon.

“The moment you spoke, a prayer came to mind. A prayer
that we pray often, taken from the Book of Psalms: ‘How good and how pleasant
it is, when brothers dwell together as one,'” he said, quoting Psalm 133.

“United does not mean the same; unity is not
uniformity, even within the same confession,” he said. “Each one has
its values, it riches and also its deficiencies.”

Although the vast majority of people in Myanmar are
Buddhist, the country’s religious make up is varied. Myanmar also has some 135
recognized ethnic groups and in the struggle for recognition and political
power, religion often has been used to further the cause or highlight
differences.

“Let’s not be afraid of differences,” the pope
told the leaders.

While the group meeting the pope included representatives of
the country’s Muslim community, there was no specific representation of the
Rohingya Muslims, a group that has been subjected to severe restrictions and
repression by the government. The Rohingya are not recognized as an ethnic
group or as citizens. And the majority of the nation’s people consider them a
threat to peace and harmony.

One of the representatives, who was not identified, used the
word “harmony” three times. Pope Francis said that in life, as in
music, harmony comes from uniting differences, not eliminating them.

Today, the pope said, there is “a global trend toward
uniformity, to doing everything the same,” but “that is killing
humanity, that is cultural colonization.”

People of faith believe in a creator, a father, which also
should mean recognizing other human beings as brothers and sisters, he said.
“Let’s be like brothers and sisters. And if we argue among ourselves, let
it be like brothers and sisters — they are reconciled immediately. They are
always brothers and sisters again. I think that is only way peace is built.”

The Vatican said Pope Francis also met separately with Sitagu
Sayadaw, a Buddhist leader who has publicly supported the military’s crackdown
on the Rohingya minority.

Greg Burke, director of the Vatican press office, said the
meeting was part of the pope’s “effort to encourage peace and fraternal
coexistence as the only way ahead.”

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