How to get involved in Interfaith work? Options

[Luke Ironside]

Hi all

I am a practicing neopagan with a strong interest in and respect for all religions/spiritual paths. I feel a calling to Interfaith work however I am unsure of how to begin. I would like to be involved in promoting harmony and understanding between different religions and in the process grow spiritually as I also learn from the wisdom of different spiritual paths.

Does anyone here have any suggestions?

[Brother Michael]

Most of my religious learning has come from books. I was raised as a Christian and at one time was a Missionary Baptist but Christianity didn't make sense to me and left me empty. I am like a lot of other people I have met on internet forums. I kinda make it up as I go along. The only thing that irritates me about most of them is that they cannot, or will not give an in depth explanation of just what it is they do believe. Some people will say, "I believe in Jesus but I am not a Christian," and never tell just what that means. The same can be said about many Wiccans and Pagans.

If you wish to know what my belief are you can scroll down to The Only Church of Michael and get a short summary of what I hold to be true. I have made several posts on the subject in order not to drive a person nuts trying to read it all at once.

I am sorry, it looks like you will have to to to the Spiritual Corner and scroll down to The Only Church of Michael.

[baehron]

Dear Luke Ironside,

Your desire to do interfaith work sounds great, where the rewards and pitfalls should be quite obvious. You state a calling to do interfaith work, which is admirable but vague, and you must determine what you see your part as. Bringing 'different faiths' together is nearly impossible, since each faith has its set of 'beliefs' which when different from another, IS their cause for the 'different' faith. How do you reconcile opposing beliefs? You don't.

I have no named religion beside my name, no separate sect, no belief system that opposes anyone elses. This makes all of my work interfaith, simply because I don't learn, nor teach, from any one view point or another. I operate within the language and loose 'beliefs' of the individual, trying only to add to their storehouse, and not to force anything upon them, nor to take what little they see themselves as having. This interfaith work is all internal (to myself).
Do you see all faiths equal and worthy? Are you able to see how their true message is fairly identical with other's messages?

These are good questions to ask yourself as you prepare your church, your ministry. You will find that most 'religious' minded folks who claim a particular church are loathe to go against their teachings, should you present them as arguments.

Keep in mind the the best way to promote harmony and understanding with other religions and faiths IS to live in a way that is harmonious and unstanding to the other's religious beliefs.
Welcome to the board, and many blessings in your Path,

Baehron

[BR. Joseph]

Hi all

I am a practicing neopagan with a strong interest in and respect for all religions/spiritual paths. I feel a calling to Interfaith work however I am unsure of how to begin. I would like to be involved in promoting harmony and understanding between different religions and in the process grow spiritually as I also learn from the wisdom of different spiritual paths.

Does anyone here have any suggestions?

You might try talking to an Unitarian Universalist church in your area for more ideas that would be local for you. Personally I do not attend their meetings but they seem to have some ideas along the same direction of interfaith work.