Posted Tuesday 04 May 2010
The following open letter was sent by the Scottish Inter Faith Council on 26 April to various newspapers:
“While the media seems to suggest that the country is in the grip of election fever, there is in fact a danger that apathy and ambivalence towards politics, the political process and politicians in general are widespread. Many people are wondering if there is any point in voting at all and whether their vote can in fact make any difference. We would like to take the opportunity through this letters page to reassure people that it matters very much. We would like to remind people of all faiths and of none of the important privilege and duty laid on all of us to participate in the democratic process, and to cast a vote on polling day.
“There are few areas of our lives that are not in some way affected by politics. This is our opportunity to determine those politics and elect those politicians whose decisions in the coming five years will be so important in determining the ethos and quality of our lives.
“As citizens, we have many opportunities to contribute to the well being of our country and voting is one way of allowing us to participate in its future growth. By casting our vote we let our voices be heard, we demonstrate the importance of our values and our belief in the common good.
“The undersigned signatories recently discussed these issues at a meeting of religious leaders, facilitated by the Scottish Inter Faith Council in the offices of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and, as members of different faith communities, wished to give sign of their unity in encouraging members of the electorate to take seriously their democratic duties.
“Yours:
Archbishop Mario Conti, Archbishop of Glasgow.
Allan Forsyth, Baha’i Council of Scotland.
Lama Yeshe Losal, Abbot of Kagyu Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery.
Acharyajee Mishra, Hindu Mandir, Glasgow.
Rabbi David Rose, Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation.
Imam Mustaqeem Shah, UK Islamic Mission, Council of Imams .
“Supported by:
The Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane andPrimus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Surjit Singh Chowdhary, President, Glasgow Gurdwara Committee.
Rev Bill Ferguson, Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery.
The Rt Rev William Hewitt, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Major Steven Huydan, Chair of Glasgow Churches Together.
Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Giffnock and Newlands Synagogue, Glasgow.
Wege Singh, Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Edinburgh.
Rev Favian Straughan, Soto Zen, Edinburgh.
Venerable K. Sri Rewatha Thero, Scotland’s Buddhist Vihara.”
Category:
