Women and Youth Participation in Nationbuilding

Christianity is a religion that is founded on life and works of Jesus. It originated in Jewish Palestine a province of the Roman Empire. The first Christians were Jews who attended the temple, read the Jewish scriptures, kept the Sabbath and adhered to Jewish dietary and religious practices. In the decades following the death of Jesus, Jewish Christians quickly spread to other Mediterranean provinces of Rome and began converting gentiles. Two or three centuries passed before a religion completely separated from Judaism took shape, a religion that we now recognize as Christianity. The Jewish, Geek and Roman cultures of the first two centuries of Common Era had deep and lasting influence on the new faith during this formative time. Just like Judaism,
Christianity teaches that creation is the act of a single God and throughout history this God has intervened showing divine power through mighty deeds. A multi-religion society refers to an area where different religions are practiced. Examples of multi-religion include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Paganism, Hinduism etc.

Christianity is one of the religions that seek to promote peace in the world. One of the characteristics of a good Christian is to be peaceful, that is to live in peace and harmony with his neighbors even to the point of where he/she is provoked, he’s still required to be peaceful.
This is evident in the bible, that is Matthew 5 vs. 39 which says, “But I tell you, don’t resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other also. This verse points out clearly that Christians should be an element of peace where ever they find themselves, even to the point where they feel like retaliating a wrong deed. Below are the ways that Christianity can promote peaceful co-existence in contemporary multi- religious societies. Firstly the Christians who are found living in these societies should live upright lives that will serves as an example for those in other religions to follow. The Christian in such an area should be the standard for the people to follow, just as Christ is the standard for the world. The Christian shouldn’t be engaged in fighting, gossiping, back-biting, stealing, quarreling etc. For example in a case where two people are fighting a Christian is supposed to calm the people down and stop the fight. If the reason for the fight was because of money and the Christian is in a good position to give them money, he/she should do so since that’s the only way peace can prevail among them since it also says in Matthew 5 vs. 9 that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God, thus Christians are to promote wherever they find themselves. Secondly, Christians living in such a society shouldn’t impose their religion on anyone. The
Christian in that society should accept that he/she is living among people who have different religions and who worship different Supreme Beings. Some worship the Almighty God, others worship stones, trees, etc. this is not to say that the Christian shouldn’t preach about the gospel because he’s living among people who have different beliefs. He should preach but rather, have it behind their minds that it’s only through the help of the Holy Spirit who can convert a person. Thus he shouldn’t judge the people who have different life which I believe will draw the unbelievers to Christianity. Example a Christian living in a Zongo community where about 90% of the people there are Muslims, the best thing the Christian can do to promote peace is to learn to accept that the people in that area have a different believe system and also different way through which they communicate to their maker, thus the Christian shouldn’t condemn their religion or the way they communicate to their maker. Also peace can exist among Christians living in a multi-religious society, if the Christian doesn’t involve in argument about whose religion is superior. Immediately the Christian begins to feel that his religion is superior to the other ones it would bring about a lot of argument since everyone will want to show that their religion is better. This just breeds and tension among the Christians and the other religions. Thus for there to be peace unnecessary arguments about whose God is greater, powerful, prayer answering etc. should stop since it would not bring peace. As part of the efforts made by Christians to promote peaceful co-existence in multi- religious societies, Christians and Muslims in Lebanon recently shared on the Feast of
Annunciation as a national holiday, thanks to the efforts of the secretary general of the
Christian-Muslim Committee. In a nutshell, peaceful co-existence can exist Christians the above points are put into practice.