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The next phase in interfaith dialogue

Time to go beyond commonalities to discuss difficult issues

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K. Kathirasan grew up in a three-room flat in Marsiling with an altar dedicated to the Hindu deities of Shiva, Devi and Murugan. On the same altar were clustered images of Buddha, the Virgin Mary and Jesus. On festive occasions, when his mother conducted prayers, she would pray to all of them.

"Hinduism has many deities, because we believe that these are many expressions of the one divine being," he explains. "There is a belief in God in multiple forms."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 19, 2021, with the headline The next phase in interfaith dialogue. Subscribe