Delaine Zendran

I was recently at a friend's house for a party when I ran into an acquaintance of mine. I was asked the inevitable question of "What are you up to these days?" I usually love this question because it offers me the opportunity to talk about Interfaithing, a subject that the average person has never heard about before. Every person I have shared Interfaithing with up until this point has had the same reaction..."Wow, that's amazing! It's great that you are involved in such a positive project!" However, this conversation didn't play out the same way.

I always start the conversation by showing them my interfaith necklace and asking what it means to them. This always opens up the road to explain what interfaith is. After I explained what interfaith was, he flat out said that he would have nothing to do with interfaith or Interfaithing.

I asked him why and he responded that he doesn't believe or support any form of religion. I explained that you do not have to belong or believe in any one religion to understand or support interfaith. I added that interfaith means recognizing that people of faith and no faith alike believe in a fundamental set of morals and values that connect us all. I explained that even an atheist who doesn't believe in God still has a belief. Being an intelligent person, I was sure he would agree with that.

After 30 minutes of trying my best to make him understand, he still refused to see eye to eye with me. He agreed that we all believe in a certain standard of morals and values, but the fact that interfaith dealt with people of religious belief was his deal breaker. He explained that he grew up in a strict Catholic family and that's what turned him off of religion.

To my surprise, I began to feel anger and frustration towards him. We agreed to disagree and the conversation ended.

Still fuming over that moment, I took a step back and analyzed what just happened. And then I had a revelation.

I realized that even though I could not get him to say that he agreed with me, we both understood and fundamentally agreed with each other. Coming from a similar background, I understood his disdain for religion. It was only once I tried to put myself in his shoes that I remembered that at one time I was not a big fan of religion either. And even though he never said that he agreed interfaith specifically, he did say that he understood and agreed with the Golden Rule.

This interaction taught me a very important lesson, it' not about who is right and who is wrong. I will not be able to convince everyone that interfaith is the right path to take, and that is fine. What's important is being open to have these types of dialogues. If we can all agree on what is important, like treating every human being with the same dignity and respect that we wish to be treated with, then I believe humanity is on the right path.

That day I learned that I still have a long ways to go on my interfaith journey. There are always lessons to be learned, and new perspectives to hear. I think that is what excites me most about interfaith and about life in general!