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Religious leaders call for interfaith friendship

Despite differences in beliefs, the world’s most prominent religious leaders believe that every individual should make friends with people of other faiths.

In a video released by Elijah Interfaith Institute, major religious leaders presented a vision of how faith can uphold commonality amid different beliefs.

“[We must observe] personal contact [and] personal friendship, then we can exchange a deeper level of experiences,” the Dalai Lama said.

“We are called, as we like to say, to look into one another’s eyes in order to see more deeply and in order to recognize the beauty of God in every living human being,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said.

Pope Francis cited his long-time friendship with Rabbi Abraham Skorka as an example of interfaith friendship.

“My religious life became richer with his explanations, so much richer. And I guess the same happened to him,” Francis said.

The Elijah Interfaith Institute released the video as part of “Make Friends” initiative to debunk disdain and distrust between different religions and reduce violence conducted in the name of their beliefs.

The three-minute YouTube video includes statement from 22 leaders of Sikhism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

Photo Credits: CNA

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