ABSTRACT
Violence is any diminishment or violation of isness. Isness names the quality of beingness that is intrinsic to all that is alive. Violence whether upon oneself or another signals the dishonouring of isness. Violence can be physical, mental, emotional or some combination of all three. The progressive religious perspective also departs from the secular position which insists on the separation of religion and politics for fear that their intermingling in the public sphere will undermine the cause of social justice. A coalition of spiritual and secular forces would necessarily have to open out the language of opposition to Hindutva. Secularism could no longer act as the definitive sign of an anti-fascist, anti-fundamentalist commitment. Whether secular or spiritual in persuasion peace-loving individuals share much in common. It is hoped that the horror of the present times will impel us to bridge the sacred–secular divide in challenging the mirage of otherness that threatens to undermine our commonality and shared destiny.
