A few rumbles of curiosity, a handful of spiritually-wounded hearts and a
handful of individuals who believed that unity was a more appropriate goal than
just mere tolerance.
These were some of the catalysts that in the last 24 months helped bring about
interfaith programs, study groups and classes along the Wasatch Front. Utahns
have taken a greater interest in learning about the different faiths around
them, say several local spiritual leaders and educators. And, they say,
following this month"s terrorist acts, that interest has almost become an
urgency.
"I often heard students and faculty and staff talk about how we never talk
about religion, how it was the always the 800 pound gorilla at the party,"
said Weber State University professor Brian Davis. "And I thought of the
old saying "light the candle rather than curse the darkness". I thought
it was time we set up some opportunities for religion and ethics and interfaith
dialogue, with the goal being to take a look for common ground and seeing what
we can learn from each other."
Davis, who teaches an ethics course at the college"s business school, was
one of the founders of the Center for Religion and Ethics on the campus. Under
the auspices of the center, Weber State students and faculty, and the community
at large meet once a week. The center also offers a resource collection on
religion and ethics available to anyone who is interested.
There are some 120 different religions in Utah, from Buddhists to Hari Krishnas
to the state"s majority religion, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Rev. Sarah Lammert, minister of Unitarian Universalists Church of Ogden, said
her congregation incorporates elements of all the world"s faiths,
recognizing that they all have the same goal of promoting peace and providing
service to humanity.
As Americans struggle to heal from the horrific events of Sept. 11, Lammert
said for many that has meant trying to understand more about the Islamic faith,
which has in some cases been unjustly associated with terrorism.
That call has been answered by community leaders, who have established a
variety of opportunities to meet with Muslims, as well as members of other
religions throughout the valley.
"I think walking side by side with people from different faiths goes a
long way toward building bridges," Lammert said. "I am hoping and
praying this current national disaster will bring us together and make people
want to cross these boundaries that traditionally have kept us apart."
One of the founding members of Interfaith Works, a group of Weber County
religious leaders who coordinate social outreach and interfaith events, Lammert
said future community gatherings will become more poignant in light of the
recent violence.
The group, which includes LDS, Jewish, Muslim, and Presbyterian members, among
others, has already held an interfaith walk through Ogden the weekend following
the Sept. 11 attacks. Later this fall, there will be another community walk to
raise money for hunger.
Zaid Al Barzinji of the Noor Mosque in Salt Lake City said at least 500 people
gathered at the temple the weekend after the Sept. 11 attacks to pray for those
who had lost their lives. To further promote understanding, he has invited
anyone interested to join study sessions at the mosque every Friday. Through
contact with Muslims, Al Barzinji believes other Americans can dispel false
notions they may have about Islam.
"It is basically because of ignorance brought about through media
stereotypes and Hollywood stereotypes that others develop the wrong impressions
of who Muslims are," Al Barzinji. "If they can be exposed to the
cultural experience of who Muslims are, that would help them a lot in knowing
who we really are."
Jonathan Nelson, who teaches a comparative religion course through the
University of Utah"s Life Long Learning program, says it is important to
remember that it is not just the Islamic faith that has fundamentalist
followers.
Former students of his class, Nelson said, have told him that they had parted
with their own faiths because they had felt that strict dogma had encroached
upon their spiritual experiences. The class, besides teaching about the myriad
ways to live a spiritual life, has helped some of his pupils return to their
own faiths, or find another means of worshiping that works best for them.
"My course is about getting to know authentic human beings from all
faiths," Nelson said. "We want to introduce them to people who have
gained a healthy experience from their religions. We"re not here to talk
about whether religion is good or bad, we want students to understand that
it"s all about what people do with it that matters."