Le Monde des religions, November-December 2009 —
Religions inspire fear. Today, the religious dimension is present, to varying degrees, in most armed conflicts. Even setting aside war, controversies surrounding religious issues are among the most violent in Western countries. Certainly, religion divides more than it unites people. Why? From its very beginnings, religion has possessed a dual dimension of connection. Vertically, it creates a bond between people and a higher principle, whatever name we give it: spirit, god, the
Absolute. This is its mystical dimension. Horizontally, it brings together human beings who feel united by this shared belief in this invisible transcendence. This is its political dimension. This is well expressed by
the Latin etymology of the word "religion": religere, "to bind." A human group is united by shared beliefs, and these beliefs are all the stronger, as Régis Debray so aptly explained, because they refer to an absence, to an invisible force. Religion thus takes on a prominent identity-forming dimension: each individual feels a sense of belonging to a group through this religious dimension, which also constitutes a significant part of their personal identity. All is well when everyone shares the same beliefs. Violence begins when some individuals deviate from the common norm: this is the perpetual persecution of "heretics" and "infidels," who threaten the group's social cohesion. Violence is also exercised, of course, outside the community, against other cities, groups, or nations that hold different beliefs. And even when political power is separate from religious power, religion is often instrumentalized by politicians because of its mobilizing role in shaping identity. We remember Saddam Hussein, an unbeliever and leader of a secular state, calling for jihad to fight against the "Jewish and Christian crusaders" during the two Gulf Wars. The survey we conducted in Israeli settlements provides another example. In a rapidly globalizing world, fueling fear and rejection, religion is experiencing a resurgence of identity politics everywhere. People fear the other, retreat into themselves and their cultural roots, and breed intolerance. Yet, there is a completely different path for believers: remaining faithful to their roots while also being open to dialogue with others in their difference. Refusing to allow religion to be used by politicians for belligerent purposes. Returning to the core tenets of each religion, which promote values of respect for others, peace, and welcoming the stranger. Experiencing religion in its spiritual dimension rather than its identity-based one. By drawing on this shared heritage of spiritual and humanistic values, rather than on the diversity of cultures and dogmas that divide them, religions can play a pacifying role on a global scale. We are still far from this, but many individuals and groups are working towards this goal: it is also worth remembering. If, to borrow Péguy's phrase, "everything begins in mysticism and ends in politics," then it is not impossible for believers to work toward building a peaceful global political space, based on the shared mystical foundation of religions: the primacy of love, mercy, and forgiveness. That is to say, to strive for the advent of a fraternal world. Religions, therefore, do not seem to me to constitute an insurmountable obstacle to such a project, which aligns with that of humanists, whether they are believers, atheists, or agnostics.