Religion is one of the bases of social life, dating back to the life history.
In all human life periods religion has a key role in education, training, assessment, solidarity, comfort, politics, day life and so on.
Religious with its beliefs, laws, regulations and rituals effects on thoughts, emotions and behaviors and determine a specific lifestyle for its followers.
Regarding the importance of religion, it can be concluded that religion is one of the main factors for realizing the goals of human society.
In this regard, the international community who wants to organize the global citizen cannot ignore religion. But divine religions and ancient rituals require the integration and harmony between themselves to bring constant multilateral interactions to the international community.
Each religion goes to its own way and ignore intermixing and tolerance with other religions, the international community would loss one of the major channels for interaction and connection between people.
Hence, the interaction between the religions is on of the necessity of today world.
Acceptance of pluralism, recognition of different religions, respect for each other’s rituals and practices, respect for different rules and, taking into account the concerns of other religions, knowing the necessity of joint activity, considering the importance of communication with other religions, and emphasizing the similarities rather than the differences, are some issues that religions must achieve with interaction with each other.
A ground without any biases or prejudice must be provided to realize an interreligious dialogue and discussion atmosphere to achieve such results; an atmosphere that represents religions intermixing as different flowers of human garden and shows the beauty of life in perception of different colors.
To achieve such positive interaction between the religions, all the hazards and risks that may hinder the interaction and intermixing of religion, must be minimized or at least be controlled. The dangers of religions to each other can be divided into five general categories:
It is clear that one of the mechanisms to deal with risks and threats and to prevent their loss is “societal security”.
Societal Security looks for to safe conditions, away from any worries and fears for all social groups to be able to continue their life and work during communication and interaction with other groups.
In other words, Societal Security is to provide the conditions in which dependence and connection of social groups doesn’t make problems to protect and preserve their being and identity.
Regarding the definition of Social Security, the societal security is multifaceted and consists of a combination of different security needs.
In relation to risks mentioned before, we can notice the following security measures:
Physical security is to eliminate threats to individuals’ lives.
Hence, life security can combat all threats aimed to “destruction and destroy” followers or leaders of religion and can ensure their survival.
Prestige security is responsible for confronting circumstances that led to the weakening honor and dignity of individuals.
So, the risk of “exclusion and excommunication” that is one of the ways to not recognize and not accept, will be controlled by the prestige security.
Cultural security tries to ensure conditions in which cultural beliefs and behaviors could promote and applied for minorities and majorities.
Cultural security prevents “domination and invasion” of a belief or ideology and gives social opportunities to all groups. Preservation and protection of ceremony and ritual is one of its duties.
Civil security conflicts with any restrictions and censorship and deliver civil liberties such as deal and freedom of speech, press, books and news.
Thus, civil security is a major obstacle to those who seek to limit or isolate a religion.
Judicial security guarantees natural rights and prevents harassing behavior.
This aspect of security ensures believer that in any extortion and irritation, people rights can be investigated by judicial laws.
Thus, addressing the question “What is the relationship between religious relations and societal security?“
We can answer that social security in general and its aspects in specific provide a safe atmosphere to conflict the threats to religions.
Societal security provides a healthy environment for interaction by elimination of risks, risk control and management and threats prevention.
A ground that removes the worries from believers’ heart, assures them that there is no obstacle to promote religious beliefs.
Rites and rituals are allowed and possible. There is no risk for the influx of certain ideologies and beliefs.
There is no threat for religious thought exchange. There is no heavy penalty for religious belief and religious orders can fulfill without any fear.
Therefore, the international community’s concern that differences in religious beliefs can create an obstacle to believers’ interactions and relations will be changed by the realization of societal security: diversity and multiplicity of religions has no problem for believers’ coexistence unless there is not enough security to prevent interaction hazards.
In other words, Societal Security adopts the same approach to all religious groups and recognizes the security as a natural right for everyone and by providing safe situations, decrease fear and insecurity and make emotional bond between groups.
Thus, Societal Security can promise realization of multiple interactions and relationships between religions and gather religions in a safe environment together regarding their common concerns and interests such as saving and salvation of man.
Reference: Navidnia, Manijeh (2017), Interfaith harmony and societal security, Global Harmony Association, https://www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=541#4-13
