The Christian Science Monitor

In Malaysia, a new attempt to know one's neighbor – and his faith

Jason Lee holds three smoldering incense sticks at his forehead and bows three times at the altar in the open courtyard. He then pauses in prayer. As he places a candle on a mantle in front of the altar, the Muslim call for noon prayer, the adhan, rings out overhead.

Mr. Lee is a Buddhist, his neighbor is a Hindu, his cousin is a Taoist, his best friend is a Christian. They are all Malaysians living in a country whose official religion is Islam. 

“We are many faiths but one country,” Lee says while leaving the Maha Vihara Buddhist temple, which has stood in Kuala Lumpur since 1894.

Yet while Malaysia's mix of faiths and

Diverse but dividedReligion 101

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor2 min readCrime & Violence
A Revolution Of Respect In France
Readers of the French newspaper Le Monde were confronted with a striking image on the front page Tuesday. It showed 100 public figures with personal stories of sexist or sexual violence implicating some of their country’s most venerated institutions
The Christian Science Monitor4 min readGender Studies
‘We Can’t Give Up On Humanity’: Ghanaians Fight Antigay Law
Alex Kofi Donkor is used to speaking out in support of Ghana’s LGBTQ+ community. For the past eight years, the activist has fearlessly led protests and panel discussions on gay rights. He has written blogs calling out homophobia and has lobbied lawma
The Christian Science Monitor5 min read
With Vote At Alabama Plant, UAW Challenges South’s Antiunion Tilt
The first time Rob Lett saw a worker wearing a red union hat at his sprawling Mercedes plant, he thought, “Wow, that takes courage.” His second thought: “Why doesn’t he get fired?” Unions have long found the American South to be hostile territory. Bu

Related