Is civil Interfaith Dialog possible here?

Question

Is it possible for us -- Christian, Muslim, Jew, Pagan, Wiccan, Buddhist, Athiest, Hindu, Voodoo, etc., to discuss our religion in an atmosphere of mutual respect? I would like to, I honestly would. And I invite you all to do the same.

Here is the challenge -- can you answer the following questions without claiming that your religion is the only one that is true and valid, or that other people's religions are false?

What is your religion? How/why did you choose that path? Does it make you a better person? How?

I am a Pagan, but I also consider myself a Humanist, and I feel that respect for the dignity of all people can be a wonderful addition to any religion. I came to this path through years of study, seeking, meditating, prayer, and following my heart. I feel that it makes me a better person because I try to see everyone I meet as containing a spark of the divine.

OK, your turn! Serious answers only, and no bashing of another person's path!

Answer 1

I think it is human nature to want to elevate yourself above someone else, or worse yet, criticize or deride someone to make your position seem more firm and real. Eckhart Tolle says that people become unconscious when they attach their ego to exterior definitions. If they lose the argument, they lose their sense of self, and then they feel as though they are dying, or worse yet, being obliterated. So they will fight to the death, sometimes literally, to defend their position.

I think that people who have transcended artificial definitions of who they are, in ANY religion, are enlightened enough, and secure enough, to allow another to be.

Answer 2

I am a Christian, but I also consider myself a Humanist, and I feel that respect for the dignity of all people can be a wonderful addition to any religion. I came to this path through years of study, seeking, meditating, prayer, and following my heart. I feel that it makes me a better person because I try to see everyone I meet as containing a spark of the divine.

Answer 3

I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I chose this path because I believe that this is the path that I should be on. I prayed and fasted many days and nights to know if these things are true. I have received a witness by the Spirit of God that they are true. There is a lot of truth in many other religions. I gather in all the truth I can find, come from whence it may. Yes, my religion does make me a better person. It teaches me to love my neighbor as myself and to do unto others as I would have them do unto me. I love your view about human beings as all containing a spark of the divine. I feel the same way. I feel that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father. We are all eternal brothers and sisters, literally. And we ought to treat each other with mutual respect and love.

Answer 4

No it is not possible for any one religion to get along with another with the exception from my personal knowledge of Buddhists but then Bhuddism is not a religion but more of a following.

Unfortunately everyone seems to have a religion superiority complex and feels the need to belittle everyone elses religion and say that theirs is the only path. This is exactly why religion is flawed and I refuse to be a puppet of that culture which belives in the "invisible man".

Instead I choose to follow my own path by setting my own terms and put the future in my hands instead of some invisible being.

Answer 5

Well, here's the problem. Faith is one of those things that people, including myself, are very passionate about. There is a reason that we believe a certain way and that is partly because we have eliminated other religions as plausible. So, really, I have to be able to say that Christianity is the only way because that is what I believe. I have respect for other people, but I do not agree with some of their beliefs. The reason I am compelled to say that Christ is the only way is that I care about the salvation of all and want to lead others to Him. However, I do think that all religions have good things about them. For example, although I am not Mormon, I admire the sense of community that they have. It is amazing and I wish that more people shared that as a goal. Since Christ has entered my life, I have seen a ton of changes. My temper is better, I am unable to hold grudges. That part is incredible, I can hardly believe it myself. Anyway, sorry this is so scattered, but I thought of so many things at once, I just wanted to get them out before I went off on a tangent and lost what I really wanted to say. In conclusion, yes, I think that "civil" interfaith dialogue is and should always be possible.

Answer 6

I am a Unificationist. Unificationists are very involved in interfaith dialogue because we believe that one God is the founder of all faiths and continues to work through all people of faith. God's hope and dream is to restore an ideal world of One Family of True Love.

This vision embraces all faiths. Our Middle East Peace Initiative is working to bring the three faiths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam into dialogue and peace as the children of Abraham. Only through our comon faith in the One God can we come into loving harmony. This effort is not intended to convert Jews or Muslims to Christianity or Unificationism. Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Wiccans, pagans, athiests or any other flavor of faith are all welcome to pariticpate in this peacemaking process. We need you all!

I was raised Christian (Disciples of Christ) but joined the Unification Church when I was 18. I joined the UC because I felt that God called me to this path. I have alwasy felt like a Disciple on loan the the UC. I don't see a conflict between my love for Jesus and my belief that Rev. Moon is doing the work of God in this age.

I was led by my personal bible study and prayer to ask three questions. The first question was, "Why did Jesus say, 'John the Baptist was the greatest man born of woman, but less than the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.'?" The second question was, "Why did Jesus pray, 'Let this cup pass from me'?" The last was a more personal question that I won't go into here.

Conventional theological answers to my questions didn't satisfy me and didn't ring true. In my first weekend workshop I received life-changing answers to these questions during the lecture on the Mission of the Messiah, and the Life of Jesus. I have also had very deep personal experiences with Jesus and the Holy Spirit that have confirmed these answers in a very real way.

My Muslim and Buddhist friends have a deep and vibrant faith. I appreciate everything that I learn from them. As a persecuted religious minority, how can we practice religious bigotry against other faiths. Instead we stand for tolerance and understanding, even for those faiths that we may personally disagree with.

The highest good in all faiths is to live for the sake of others. We need to take that to a new level. Unfotunately, a lot of people of faith are willing to live for the sake of others in their own faith, but rarely for the sake of others outside their own faith. Practicing this on a more universal level will raise us up to a new level of universal faith.

Answer 7

What is your religion? How/why did you choose that path? Does it make you a better person? How?

I am a Christian, and I think I am a non-denominational Christian based on choice and lack of finding a denomination that fits what I have come to know of as Christianity. I chose the path first off based on my parent's religious decision, but I still maintain the faith because it strengthens me as a person, helps me to understand the world better, and strengthens my belief that there is a natural purpose to life, a reason I am here.

Answer 8

Frater,

Before I answer your questions, may I be so bold as to ask one of you?
Why is it that people who claim to be pursuing a path that is going to 'make them a better person', becomes so obsessed by making everyone else a little better in their own image, too?
I don't understand if you think by making yourself a better person that you now subconcsiously believe you are missing out on something and are therefore trying to get others to think as you do, but there may be more to it.
Can you see how your way of asking everyone to be civil and believing that everyone has something valuable to add could be seen as a way of imposing your values on the group much in the way you have said you would like to avoid?
Also, can you also see how what you have said might annoy some others, because if they choose not to believe what you have said or follow your actions, they are immediately in your eyes inferior to you, because your behaviour has made you a better person.
Personally, I have no problem with you believing that humanism is the be all and end all. I don't believe that humanity is inherently evil, but I don't favour the opposite view, which humanism so often clings to.
I also quite like some of the cut and thrust on these answer, even though there is no right to reply, so I quite like seeing people bear their souls, even if they should have probably left it under the rock they crawled out from under...
Anyway, I've answered your question, so can you answer mine?
By saying you are a pagan - and many people on here do it - you invoke a spirit of some global multi-theism (not a phrase I am comfortable with, as I think it is inherently flawed) which means that you love all gods and people who follow them.
Isn't this much the same as any other religious positioning as it immediately suggests your position is superior?
I hope you followed that...

Answer 9

I am Christian. I am a Christian, follower of Christ, because I find truth in His teachings. This is the right path for me.

I believe we are all spiritual beings but each of us come to this understanding in our own way. I agree with you about a divine spark. I feel it in all creation.

I read a variety of writings and agree that an exchange of views from a variety of religions is a good thing.

Answer 10

Where I volunteer (openly atheist), the Stewpot Community Center began as an ecumenical outreach program for the poor and homeless by some Lutheran pastors. It soon grew to include all types of Christians helping, then attracted humanists (atheist, agnostic or any faith), Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and Hindus. It's gone beyond interfaith dialogue to a common ground of helping our fellow humans, with education, food, safe after school computer center for kids and "dress for success" clothing programs for people ready to re-enter the job market.