Ignorance is more harmful than malice

The news item ‘Mosque bomb threat report triggers wave of incendiary, hate comments’ (February 15) makes for some disturbing reading.

In a society such as ours where quite a few pride themselves as being ‘liberal’ and ‘free of bigotry’, the above-mentioned report provides ample proof that we still have much to learn.

The comments appearing in reaction to the bomb threat against the mosque at Paola should serve as a wake-up call that all is not well with our society. The authors of these incendiary messages have not yet learned what it means to be a human being, let alone to relate to others in a civilised manner.

This reminds me of the saying that ‘ignorance is more harmful than malice’. A malicious person tends to be cunning and calculating, subtle and intelligent.

Several comments have said the man should have gone through with a threat to blow up the mosque.

An ignorant person is not so much one who lacks the basics of elementary learning but rather one who believes that the truth lies in the number of ‘likes’ or ‘dislikes’ that appear after each comment made on social media.

I have known Imam Elsadi for more than 40 years and we continue to work together in order to enhance Catholic-Muslim dialogue in our country.

Under his prudent guidance, most Muslims in Malta have continuously contributed to the social well-being of Maltese society both as residents and as citizens who are proud of being Maltese.

The Mariam al-Batool School annexed to the mosque is an example of harmony and dialogue between our two religious traditions, with the teaching staff comprising both Muslims and Catholics in almost equal numbers.

He and his collaborators deserve better than this.

I sincerely hope that this disgraceful incident will be investigated and addressed by the proper authorities. This is not just an attack upon a religion; it’s even more so an attack on common decency.

Fr Joseph Ellul OP, chairperson of the Archdiocesan Commission for Interreligious Dialogue – Floriana