1. Should intercultural dialogue emphasize cultural differences, similarities, or give equal attention to both? Please explain your answer.
I still think a certain balance is needed, but when it comes to explaining similarities in a shallow way this could be problematic, for instance saying that both Muslims and Christians believe in God, that is just a given and it doesn’t really add value to the intercultural experience, but discussing how similar and/or different the views on the Creator are, and their supposed cultural, and social implications, that is what understanding different cultures is about.
I believe Matthew tried somehow to do that, with the focus mainly on Jesus, and less on Yahweh or Allah, although I would think having a deeper discussion, that surely can be sensitive, but also be of great help in understanding differences and similarities. The same goes with the issues of peace and war, or “Holy Wars”, it is so easy to just say that this is a religion of peace, but why have there ever been holy wars then?, it is when the idea of different interpretations result in very different practices and ideologies become clear.
It is my view that for instance reviewing some critical opinions of both religions, such as how peaceful tolerance in Christianity was used by authorities, and then how that did not stop in the way of the Crusades, or how Jihad helped spread Islam, not to say that every Muslim was forced to convert, but is it really what transformed Islam from being an Arab cult to a global religion, and empire? Such ideas if discussed, not just by participants, but from an academic view with sufficient information in regards to both history and religion can definitely play a vital role and be of great value.
When it comes to culture at large, I think it is also extremely important to focus on both differences and similarities, so that participants can see how cultures and societies change and develop and what makes them differ and sometimes clash. I think the idea of how conservatives feel in a secularized society was really important to the discussion, as both Middle Eastern conservatives and progressives alike can relate to that, one being because of the agreement on major issues, and the other because of being an outcast or a different voice. However, I would have liked to have a deeper discussion regarding the party's policies and position in the Dutch political scene, without losing sight of the program's main aim.
