The temptation was there, but I resisted it. I didn’t tell any religious jokes during the World Religions Conference in Prince George last week.
It was my immense pleasure to act as moderator for the forum, which saw speakers from seven different religious faiths explain what their religion is about. The forum was presented by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of B.C. and was designed to foster awareness of the differing religions.
The topic for the conference was whether religion is relevant in today’s world. I think we only need to look around the world to see that religion is still relevant in today’s world. A larger question, at least for me, is whether religion is achieving the goal of peace and tolerance in today’s world.
The seven faiths represented Saturday – Aboriginal, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism – all espouse the values to peace and goodwill towards men. The question, then, is why is there so much religious strife in the world. Saturday’s presenters didn’t have those kinds of answers, but they shed some light on their own particular faiths.
And, with the exception of myself, it was a pretty august panel of presenters. Frank Austin, also known as Manyhorses, is a traditional native healer and is a featured speaker and workshop leader; Sarah Dowling is a local Buddhist and has taught in Prince George since 2005; Christian Pastor Tim Osiowy has pastured at the Gateway Christian Ministries in Prince George for the past 36 years; Dr. Ijaz Rauf gave the Islamic perspective, as an expert in nano-technology, nano-materials, and their application to solar cells, he brings science and religion together; Dr. Pranesh Kumar gave the Hindu perspective gained from his travels around the globe; the Jewish perspective was delivered by Sima Elizabeth Shefrin, a Middle East peace activist and fabric artist who has held workshops in Palestine and Irael; and Giani Harminder Pal Singh, the head of the Granthi in Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Temple in Prince George.
See, I was humbled.
Prince George was the final stop for the forum, which traveled throughout the North, starting in Alaska, then hitting Whitehorse, Terrace, and then P.G.
The panel members were required to stick to their own religion. Bashing the other guys wasn’t allowed. And that was a good thing, not only because I was in the middle, but because, in reality, that isn’t what religious belief is all about. It is about peace and harmony in the world.
The very fact that this forum was held shows that there is some common ground and that people of different religions can get along. If we can sit down and discuss ideas, then we can learn about other faiths. With knowledge comes understanding. With understanding comes tolerance.
That’s what the conference is all about. The message on the pen they gave me says it all: “love for all, hatred for none.”
And, while I resisted telling a joke, Elizabeth Shefrin was the only person there who didn’t. Her joke, and you can insert the faith of your choice, was: What do you get when you put two Jews in a room? Three different opinions.