Special Debate: Tolerance and Respect from the Point of View of Religion

The U. S. Constitution firmly establishes the concept of freedom of religion into our laws and customs, as does Article 18 of the Universal Declaration. Virtually every religion in the world is practiced in America. Individuals are free to worship and change their beliefs as they see fit.

Just as nations need to sustain a commitment to universal human rights, tolerance and respect are necessary if religious freedom is to flourish. As President George W. Bush once said, "We propose our principles; we must not impose our cultures. Yet the basic principles of human freedom and dignity are universal. People should be able to say what they think. Worship as they wish. Elect those who govern them."

One of the great challenges facing us today is how to nurture respect for individual religious beliefs when groups and cultures are being brought into contact with each other at an increasing pace. Such contact must not imply conflict. Indeed, it can prove enriching for all concerned. But there is no escaping the fact that serious human rights violations are often linked to some combination of racial, ethnic, and religious intolerance.

A clear case in point is the destruction of irreplaceable Buddhist relics by the Taliban leaders of Afghanistan. The concepts of tolerance and respect are fundamental to universal human rights, and we call on the Taliban to acknowledge their responsibilities under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Mr. Chairman, the head of our delegation is Muslim. I am a Buddhist, and was once ordained a Buddhist monk in Thailand. Others in our delegation are Christian, Jewish, or Agnostic. Our strong belief in freedom on religion helps bind us together as a delegation in support of tolerance and respect. Regardless of our religious affiliations, the Taliban’s willful destruction of precious Buddhist statues has offended all of us. The world’s religious communities have made repeated appeals to the Taliban to spare these precious pieces of world heritage. Yet, despite the outcry, the Taliban carried its policy of destruction. We condemn this in the strongest terms.

Mr. Chairman, our increasingly diverse societies bring us into contact with followers of many different cultures and religions. Our responsibility is to actively fight stereotypes of every kind and embrace a culture of tolerance for those whose views may differ from our own. Only this way can our nations make the progress that our new century and our new millennium will demand from us. Thank you.

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