LETTER | Lately, there has been a debate in regards to former Indonesian president Joko Widodo’s recent gesture in raising his hands during the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican City, which has inadvertently ignited a debate in the Muslim world.

While many agree he was being respectful of a world leader, just as many - including in Malaysia - wondered if he had done the right thing from a religious point of view.

Religious prayers or expressions of any faith from the perspective of the diversity of humanity should focus on intentions and not merely on mechanical gestures.

This in no way denies the fact that if one is involved in liturgical celebrations involving communities of the same religious beliefs, there is a unified form of expression.

Words and gestures of prayer are ingrained in what goes on in the heart of a person, and the gesture related to one's intention would certainly not erase one's identity or religious beliefs.

Respect diversity

Respecting a person's intentions in expressing a gesture that is unique to the individual means one is freely expressing one's faith, and this should be respected.

Freedom of religion today is not merely about the right of a person to choose their own religion. It is also about respecting a diversified way of expressing one's faith as long as one does not contradict the essence of faith.

Religion today, in certain aspects, has been turned into an ideology and rigidity. This prevents religious people from looking at good intentions, and certainly, this contributes to and reinforces divisions in society.

Let’s respect religious expressions of good intentions that are unique to individuals and not limit them to rigidity.

RONALD BENJAMIN is the secretary for Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.