Beyond Otherness: Sikhism: New Mystical Experience and Interfaith Dialogue

Patiala.

Introduction

The activeness of nature gives freshness to life and change is a law of nature as well as life. There is no doubt that we are living in a period of drastic changes, but there may be some differences in opinions about how we understand these changes. In fact, there is nothing new in the course of change but with fresh knowledge; scholars are trying to interpret the different phenomena in different ways. A religious phenomenon is complex and sensitive. Thus, to understand the interfaith perspectives of different faith traditions is a very complicated task. Scholars from different traditions and disciplines have differences in their opinions on interfaith dialogue.

Emerging trends in religion are challenging the prevailing attitude about the religious phenomenon. Contemporary polycentric world is compelling different faiths to interact with new knowledge. Advanced means of communications especially various modes of information technology are providing desirable space for different faiths to have faster interaction with each other. Secondly, the process of globalization provides various options and varieties. Due to this, human beings are becoming more and more open to acquire new information and knowledge, but on the other side they seem to get puzzled towards their own as well as other faiths. Thirdly, after the end of modernity, the rebirth or revival of religion is becoming a part of discussion and new forms of religion especially new religious movements are catching the attention of the world. However, the crisis of religious identity is rising as a serious challenge and clashes among the religions are increasing on the globe. Consequently, the present world is observing contradictory and opposite trends in the field of religion.

Recent studies have conceived pluralistic approaches towards religious change. The first phase of modernization has been observed in the term of secularization; the basic postulate of this approach is that in the process of modernization the role of religion has declined. Robert N. Bellah notes, In pre-modern societies religion plays an important role in propagating meaningful orientations toward the world and in regulating personal feelings, and contributes directly and indirectly to individual stability and social solidarity (1970; 72). But the process of modernization has increased a sense of alienation in social life. Consequently, new institutions have emerged to perform the modern responsibilities, and traditional religious organizations have lost control. Moreover, the sacred canopy observed the big bangs under the threat of modernity. Emile Durkheim accounts this change as functional diversity. According to him, division of labour produces differentiation that is the main feature of modern industrial society. He writes, Functional diversity induces a moral diversity that nothing can prevent, and it is inevitable that one should grow as the other does. We know, moreover, why those two phenomena develop in parallel fashion. Collective sentiments become more and more impotent in holding together the centrifugal tendencies that the division of labour is said to engender for those tendencies increase as labour is more divided and at the same time, collective sentiments are weakened (1933; 361). Religion represents collective sentiments and feelings that have weakened in the process of modernity. The last two centuries were very challengeable for religion because a large section of society believed religion as a private affair.

Modernization is a wider process of social change and different scholars are trying to define this in different perspectives. However, modernization has three major features, viz. differentiation (Durkheim), commodification (Marx) and rationalization (Weber) Differentiation, commodification and rationalization then defined the transformation of pre-modern into modern systems as well as the central internal process of modern societies (Crook, et al :1992;10).

The process of differentiation divides the socio-religious life into specialized segments. Comodification transforms the religion into an object and rationalization projects a logical attitude towards the religious phenomenon. In fact, modernization provides advanced techniques and services for our well-being, but on the other side these ‘developments’ also reduce the role of religion. The point of agreement seems to be that traditional religious symbols are no longer a unifying force for industrial society. The modern empirical scientific worldview has replaced the miraculous religious worldview (Roberts: 1984; 114). Scholars like Peter L. Berger (homelessness), Thomas Luckmann (invisible religion), and R. N. Bellah (civil religion) examine the decline of religion in terms of secularization. They also observe its many adverse effects on the society. Peter L. Berger writes, It affects the totality of cultural life and ideation, and may be observed in the decline of religious contents in arts, in philosophy, in literature and, most important of all, in the rise of science as an autonomous, thoroughly secular perspective on the world (1969; 107). Consequently, the modern change in religion has been examined as a large achievement of secular over the sacred.

Secularization is an observation of some western scholars that is a single dimension but is not a final fact. We can see now religion is gaining its importance. However, it is not the same as claiming that the process is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or indeed what the inevitable consequences of the process will be. Furthermore, to say that there is a general secularization process does not mean that religion has disappeared (Nye: 2003; 196). The advanced stage of modernization has come with the new face of globalization. In this process, present world is searching for the new possibilities in the form of religion. In this course, religion is attaining its importance on global level. The concept of globalization came in academic focus in 1990s because in this decade¹, world economy witnessed drastic changes. M. Waters observes the changes in economic, political and cultural life as;

1. The Economy: social arrangements for the production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods and tangible services.

2. The Polity: social arrangements for the concentration and application of power, especially in so far as it involves the organized exchange of coercion and surveillance (military police etc.), as well as such institutionalized transformations of these practices as authority and diplomacy, that can establish control over populations and territories.

3. The Culture: social arrangements for the production, exchange and expression of symbols that represent facts, effects, meanings, beliefs, preferences, tastes, and values.

(1996; 7-8)

Globalization is a process of social change that is connecting the world in economic relations that affects the social, political, cultural and religious systems.In this process, enclosed markets are converting into world market. At the same time, manipulators of global power are utilizing the religious sentiments for the market. In this course, multiple worldviews and life styles are interacting and are presenting themselves in the global market. Consequently, economic, political and cultural concerns are intermingling with religion.

In fact, religion is associated with economy, polity, and culture. The current changes are capturing the entire life. We can observe that on the global canvas closed and isolated cultural groups and different faith communities are taking chances to interact with each other. Therefore, religious phenomenon is crossing the old boundaries. Moreover, human vision towards reality is becoming more and more open. Because, advanced technology is providing us wider vision to see the globe and universe.

Here on earth we have now a feeling of a ‘full earth’, in the sense not only of our everywhere encountering other people, but in the sense that almost all of the planet’s surface and increasingly its depths are becoming known to us. Such knowledge is being matched by our invasion of space, formerly seen as ‘empty’ and ‘outer.’ However, such outer space, in turn, is being increasingly drawn inward, as we record our sense of self on earth in terms of the new knowledge we are acquiring.

(Mazlish: 2006; 22)

No doubt, new knowledge is presenting a global vision and human beings are realizing that there are many worlds on the earth. This knowledge leads to a twofold result. On the one hand, we see the conflicts that arise as quite diverse and often contradictory cultural clash within the same social unit. On the other hand, globalizing socio-cultural and cultural forces furnish a common context that attenuates the differences among these ways of life (Beyer: 1994; 2). Thus, on the local level various religious communities are becoming more aware for their distinguished identities.

Globalization is presenting various options and choices not only in the world-market but also in the field of spirituality. Due to this, human beings are becoming more and more mystified to their own and other faiths also. In addition to this, new popular forms of spirituality are becoming the means of earnings. The global spiritual-market is providing space for popular forms of religion. In fact, mixture of so-called spiritual practice is selling. These forms are extremely personalized and are not related to a specific religion. By and large, the emerging trends in the religion, directly or indirectly, are related to the global market and are becoming open to all. In this process, every faith tradition is presenting itself on global level. But, large and powerful religions are gaining more and more popularity and strength as they have means. In reaction to this, small ethnic groups and marginalized faith communities are struggling for their identity and sustained existence. Consequently, people are becoming confused; and true religious life is becoming uneasy.

Once again, fundamentalism is becoming a part of discussion. The term has come from a Christian movement but now it is common in use. After taking the experience of modernity, the religious movements are coming in new forms. Generally, we can divide them into two main categories: one, hegemonic while the other is reactionary. With the support of world capitalism, Christianity is enjoying its supremacy in the world market. On the other side, new reactionary or religious revival movements are abetting violence to get their ends. In fact, every religion teaches a lesson of peace and all religions are agree on that violence is not a mean to solve the problems. However, people fight in the name of religion; and religious violence is not a new phenomenon.

Now, again the issue of religious violence is emerging as a big threat to the world peace. After the 9/11, religious conflict has turned into a global affair.

Fundamentalism is edged with the possibility of violence-in the cases of Islamic and Christian fundamentalism, examples of violence inspired by religious allegiance are not uncommon. There have been a number of violent clashes over the past few years between Islamic and Christian groups in Lebanon, Indonesia and other countries. Yet in an increasingly cosmopolitan world, people of contrasting traditions and beliefs are coming into contact with one another more than ever before.

(Giddens: 2006; 577-78)

Religion is sensitive to life but world market is changing into an object that is a bigger threat to peace. Samuel P. Huntington notes this threat as a ‘clash of civilizations’. He observes it as a global breakdown of law and order, failed states and increasing anarchy in many parts of the world, a global crime wave, transnational mafias and drug cartels, increasing drug addiction in many societies, a general weakening of the family, a decline in trust and social solidarity in many countries, ethnic, religious and civilizational violence and rule by the gun prevalent in much of the world (Huntington: 2003; 321). Therefore, violent reactions or clash of civilizations are the product of modernity or