Studying Islam

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[quote]Too often, interfaith dialogues center around &quot;I am right, you are wrong&quot; and not around finding out what common ground exists between the two groups.  Although I understand that both sides are professing their interpretation of faith, I cannot believe that God would be pleased by people screaming His love at another almost as if a curse upon the offender.

I am reminded of a time when I lived in the Northeastern US.  There, in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, there is a very strong community of Wiccans.  For anyone not familiar with this religion, they worship the old Pagan gods and goddesses of Europe.  As can be imagined, they often butt heads with the Christians of the area, most often with the Baptists, who have even on occasion kidnapped their children to baptize them in the name of God.

One fall I was in Salem, during the Wiccan holy day of Samhain, where they believe the gods ritually die, the earth goes to sleep, to be reborn on the Winter Solstice.  A Wiccan priestess was standing on a street corner shouting and being shouted at by a Baptist preacher, she screaming ancient learnings (the Wiccans have no Holy Book, it is oral) and he bellowing Bible verses.  I was saddened and upset, and approached them both, where he was accused of harrassing her and she was accused of bringing the wrath of God.

I asked the Wiccan priestess, &quot;What is the deepest teaching of Wicca?&quot; to which she replied, &quot;All gods are one God, all goddesses are one Goddess, and the God and Goddess are One.&quot;  The Baptist was shocked; he did not know this was what they believed.  I asked him if he agreed that there was One God, and he said &quot;Of course.&quot;

I asked them both if God would want them to harm others and the Wiccan priestess said &quot;No, our tradition says &quot;An' ye harm none, do as thou wilt&quot;.  The Baptist replied, &quot;Do unto others as you would have them do unto you&quot;.

At this time, they are both looking at each other in a new light, not having realized that at its heart, they believed the same things.

I asked the Wiccan what she thought about Jesus, and she replied that he was a very wise man who did great works in leading people on the path of Faith.  The Baptist jumped on this and said, &quot;Do you believe he died for your sins?&quot; and she replied &quot;No, but I also think our definition of &quot;sin&quot; differs&quot;.

When I left, the two had shook hands, introduced themselves, and were going to lunch together to discuss the nature of sin and pleasing the Divine.

Would that more discussion would take place like this, without the laying of blame, belittling other beliefs, and seeking to educate rather than chastise.[/quote]

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