MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

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These examples result from some kind of initially negative opinion combined with a
negative act directed at a religion, religious doctrine or practice (or the persons or
institutions belonging to that religion) that is disliked or disapproved of. 5 Religious
intolerance can be observed at different levels: among adherents of the same religion
(intra-religious intolerance); between one religion or religious attitude and another,
manifesting itself in various forms of antagonistic conflicts between persons and
groups of persons (inter-religious intolerance); in the form of confrontational atheism
or confrontational theism, which is intolerant of free choice and practice of religious
commitment; or in the form of anti-secularism, which refers to a form of political
activism attempting to force a political entity to adopt a religious commitment. 6
Religious diversity is not necessarily a source of conflict; but, when triggered by other
reasons, religious diversity may lead to tension in many parts of the world, including
the Mediterranean and Europe. With awareness of what religious intolerance refers to,
it is possible that positive religious tolerance could lead to the peaceful co-existence
of several religions and religious views, because each religion constitutes a paradigm,
a model, which is neither right nor wrong, neither superior nor inferior, relative to
other religious viewpoints. 7
8.3 Religious diversity in Euro-Mediterranean societies
For centuries, the Mediterranean basin has been a crossroads of peoples, civilisations and
religions. Many religions have flourished in the Mediterranean lands and spread all
over the world. The Baha’i Faith, Christianity, Druze, Islam, Judaism and Yazidism are
only some of the religions and faiths still practised in Mediterranean and European
countries. Followers of many other beliefs and faiths – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism,
Rastafarianism and various forms of Animism – as well as atheists, also co-exist in
these societies.
Q: Can you name the religions or religious beliefs which exist in your society?
None of these religions is a monolithic entity. They have been heavily influenced and
developed by the societies in which they have appeared, evolved and operated. This
means that not only may different religions exist in geographical proximity, but the
practice and beliefs of the same religion may differ from one context to another. This
is one of the factors that make religious diversity especially complex, especially in the
Euro-Mediterranean region. Adherents of different religions have always had connections
or contact with each other. They sometimes live together in the same society
and sometimes apart in different societies, but there is always interaction in other
aspects of life, like marriage, neighbourhood or business relations.
8.4 Confusion between religions,
nationalities and cultures
Religion, nationality and culture are three concepts for which many (sometimes
contested) definitions can be found. In the simplest sense, religion is human beings’
relation to what they regard as holy, sacred, spiritual or divine, 8 along with a set of
T-Kit No.11 - MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work