ISLAM-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE

96 development of women is the main road for the development of the Muslim world. The editor of a Saudi publication recently wrote that not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims; massacres against children and civilians perpetrated in the name of God (Allah) Clement Merci- ful. Down in 2002 the best-known Muslim religious leaders justified the martyrdom of the Mujàhidin by finding their founda- tion in the Koran and in the tradition of the Prophet. The daily events of the war in progress report more and more that the control of the population remains by the ulemas and the imams of the mosques, so much so that they have become the privileged interlocutors of the Western Governments. It becomes evident that the fight against religious fundamenta- lism can be won only with the contribu- tion that the Moslem religious leaders in the Arab countries could give; and all the means should be adopted by the Coun- tries concerned to obtain their adhesion. The various public initiatives for dialogue undertaken by Christian organizations in the West can only bear fruit if they are replicated in Islamic countries. It is indi- spensable that the path of dialogue be fol- lowed also in Islamic, Arab and non-Arab countries. Personally I do not believe in the definition of "moderate Islam". There is only one Islam, applied in such different measures according to the rulers of the moment and the power in place in a given place; in no case does it contain the ingre- dients of what we call democracy: freedom and equality. At this moment, since there is no separation between state and religion in Arab countries; it is only the way Isla- mic laws are taught and implemented that differentiates Islam and makes us labelling moderate Islam. An Islam that should not discriminate against citizens on the basis of their religious beliefs or sex, allow freedom of worship and religious choice, not prohi- bit women and non-Muslims from exer- cising certain professions; where there is freedom of thought, of religious choice, of equal rights between citizens without any discrimination of sex or religious belief. The social, religious and cultural aspects of globalization must be managed in equal measure and, at the same time, with the economic aspects, so that the bridges which today can physically unite peoples are factors of coexistence and not of divi- sion and conflict. To manage these chan- ges, it is necessary that North and South, East and West act in concert; and it is ne- cessary that no room be left for those who claim to hold a monopoly on the Truth and who want to use coercion to impose their Truth, and who want to create ghettos, fu- ture centres of power. SPIRITUAL DIALOGUE Taking into account the importance of the religious element, a further element of prevention of terrorism consists in establishing a dialogue between religious leaders of all major religions, with the aim of breaking down the walls of distrust and discovering the common values of their religions, in mutual respect. Today it is urgent to offer spiritual content to glo- balization and, to this end: the encounter between Islam, Judaism and Christianity can be precious and fruitful for peace in the world. There is a presence in Euro- pe of Arab Christians, with a tradition of living in common with Muslims, Christian citizens of Islamic states, who are an in- tegral part of the Arab world; they have always played a role as a bridge between the two shores of the Mediterranean. To- day this role is no longer limited within the Arab Muslim world, but must be extended to the West, to help it better understand the East, once again without prejudice and without idealism to help the Arab world to understand the West. Received on August 21, 2004