Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake
City, October 15 – 19, 2015
Theme: Reclaiming the Heart of Our Humanity
Working
Together for a World of Compassion, Peace, Justice, and Sustainability
What a lofty goal! What a grand
vision! The Parliament of the World’s
Religions, this year bringing together over 9500 representatives of over 70
religions from 40 countries, first met in 1893 in Chicago. It was reconvened at its centennial in 1993
in Chicago, then in 1999 in Capetown, South Africa; in 2004 in Barcelona, Spain;
in 2009 in Melbourne, Australia; and the current gathering in 2015 in Salt Lake
City.
The day preceding the formal opening of
the Parliament was devoted to the Inaugural Women’s Assembly, focusing on
issues pertaining to women’s dignity and human rights. The earth itself was called “Mother” in
discussions about the vital importance of honoring and protecting the
environment. Panelists discussed such topics as Women, Compassion, and Social
Justice; Indigenous Women’s Wisdom Sharing; and Religious and Spiritual Sources
of Inspiration and Empowerment for Women.
A dramatic opening ceremony by SHeroes, a women’s dancing and drumming
group dedicated to survivors of trauma, performed, each one wrapped in a bright
red scarf emblazoned with the logo of SHeroes.
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| SHeroes, dancing and drumming |
A powerful and distinguished array of
speakers brought wisdom from their own teachings and experience, including
Mother Maya Tiwari, Bishop Dr. Barbara King, Marianne Williamson, and
indigenous grandmothers, to name just a few.
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| Dr. Barbara, head shot |
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| Dr. Barbara, seated in green robe, part of panel of speakers |
Marianne Williamson was also a
powerhouse who roused the crowd of thousands to stand up and clap and
cheer. Each speaker had a vibrant and
unique energy, a positive and inspiring message, and touched people in a
profound way.
It would be impossible to give a full
description of this massive and overwhelming conference. At any time during the day from 7:00 a.m. until
the evening hours, there were about 20 sessions, screenings, discussions, and
meditative practices from which to choose.
At the plenary sessions, there were thousands of people in the main
hall, but the rest of the day, there were a few hundred gathered in smaller
rooms, ballrooms, and halls around the large Salt Palace Conference
Center. Colorful booths displaying posters,
literature, clothing, crafts, and educational opportunities filled three large
halls.
Each person attending this conference
came away with a different impression, depending on the choices of sessions,
and the random encounters with other attendees.
In open areas, one could observe devotional chanting, drumming, and
dance. Hundreds of Sikh volunteers prepared
vegetarian meals for anyone who wished to enter, once each person covered their
head with a white scarf, and removed their shoes.
An app for one’s phone contained all the
information in the 300-plus page booklet describing all the sessions and the
speakers. One could make choices and then save one’s personal schedule in the
app. We were constantly checking our phones for the next session and asking
friends where they were going. This was new technology for me, and proved very
helpful in organizing the huge range of offerings.
Although most people stayed in nearby
hotels, I was invited by a close friend from our rabbinical seminary to stay
with her and several other rabbinic colleagues at her condo in Deer Valley,
about 45 minutes’ drive up the mountain.
We had a warm reunion filled with sharing our personal and professional
stories.
The distance, however, made it
impossible to attend the very early morning sessions during which various faith
groups led services – Hindu meditation, a Friend’s Meeting, Devotional Yoga
Satsanga, Healing Service for the World, African Religions of Brazil, Tai Chi,
Chi Gong, Mystical Christian Interfaith Healing Communion, Sikh Religious
Observance, Gospel Service, and many more examples.
Walking down the hall, one could see colorful banners representing world religions and cultures. The attendees themselves were very colorful, with native dress, embroidered robes, colorful turbans, angel costumes with sparkly wings, and some in humorous costumes like the Sacred Clowns.
Erev Shabbat services led by Rabbi Marcia Prager, my mentor, and her husband, Hazzan Jack Kessler, with drummer Eli Lester, and on cello Rabbi Yitz Husbands-Hankins, were inspiring and transformative.
Compassion and respect were two oft-heard themes voiced by representatives of many faiths. Whether we agree on our practices, we must have respect for others’ paths of devotion. The Dalai Lama was supposed to be the guest of honor, but due to illness he wasn’t able to travel. He taped an interview which was screened at the luncheon. He spoke with humor and conviction about the need to see ourselves as all connected. Variations of the Golden Rule were cited as leading us to regard our fellow human beings with love. At the gala Golden Luncheon each table was decorated with ribbons upon which were written variations of the Golden Rule.
Just a few examples:
He should not wish for others what he
does not wish for himself. – Baha’u’llah
Do to others as you would have them do to
you. – Luke 6.3031
One should treat all beings as he
himself would be treated. – Agama Sutrakritanga 1.10.13
What is hateful to you, do not do to
your fellow man. – Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
All things are our relatives; what we do
to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really One. – Black Elk.
The heart of the person before you is a
mirror. See there your own form. –
Shinto.
Regard your neighbor’s gain as your
gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss. – Tai Shang Kan YHin P’ien
The list of these sayings goes on for 4
pages in the Parliament book.
So with all of these respectful,
compassionate, loving ideas, why is there so much distrust, hatred, and
violence in the world… and in the name of religion?! Ah, that was the question posed and discussed
in many of the sessions. Political
usurping of literal religious teachings has allowed people to use messages in
the sacred writings of many faiths to claim dominance and superiority or to
enslave another people. The charismatic, passionate speakers all made a plea in
one way or another for a return to the deeply connected, spiritual roots that
proclaim the oneness of all creation.
I was personally interested in following
the sessions of the Abrahamic Reunion, a group of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Druze,
and Jews, men and women, who all live in
Israel and Palestine, and, for the past 15 years, have coordinated gatherings
for dialogue under tremendous pressure and tension of the current volatile
situation. The founders and organizers,
Rabbi Eliyahu McLean (yes that is right) and Shahabudden David
Less, a Murshid of the Sufi order, reach
out to people in the entire spectrum of thought and practice in the Holy Land
to come to meetings, meals, and ceremonies, to learn about each other. They are a ray of hope that even when in
disagreement, there can be respect and continued communication and caring.
My friend Ruth Sharone, a noted interfaith activist, presented
songs from her musical-in-process called Interfaith, the Musical.
Delightful and touching songs. This is going to be a hit!
I have kept the heavy volume of sessions
and speakers for anyone who wishes a more in-depth description of the topics
offered at the conference.
I am still digesting the sense of
excitement, and sometimes slight discomfort, that I felt as a result of the
waves of opinions, doctrines, and passionately-held beliefs flowing over me as
I walked from session to hall to screening to one-on-one encounters.
One highlight was a concert in the
famous Mormon Tabernacle, with hundreds of children from local schools,
churches, mosques and clubs forming a choir.
The opening was a series of “Call to prayer” from Indigenous people,
Moslem Muezzin, and blasts of the shofar from several rabbis.
I posted colorful photos on Facebook
during the day, and received many positive responses from people who could not
attend, and were following my reports about the stream of speakers, musicians,
artists, and cultural events.
A group of monks worked with great skill and concentration to form a huge mandala from colored sand in the entry hall. On the last day it was finally completed, only to be swept away as something beautiful but impermanent. That really touched people… to invest so much energy in a beautiful product, and then have it disappear.
Perhaps that is a good metaphor for the whole experience.
We listen, talk, exchange ideas, give
great attention to learning new information, and then… where does it all
go? One hopes it is transformational
within our hearts, and will lead to action in the future. One does not need the physical, concrete
evidence of what is beautiful, true, important… We must carry that inside of
us. Once our heart strings have been plucked, we hear the reverberations that
keep us in tune as a guide forever.
For anyone who wishes to ask questions, or see the bag full of materials from the conference, please contact me at RebAmalia@aol.com.
With blessings for respect, compassion,
and honor for all beings and for the earth.
Rabbi Alicia Magal
7 p.m. Tuesday, October 20, 2015.
