MARYSVILLE — They are finding that they have more similarities than differences.
Three men of diverse faiths — a Christian, a Muslim and a Buddhist — have come together to put on a series of community discussions in Marysville about common problems the world is facing.
Michael Jones, of Marysville, represents the Buddhist faith. The Rev. Terry Kyllo, of Anacortes, comes from the Christian and Jewish traditions. He is the pastor at Marysville’s St. Philips Episcopal Church, where the series is to take place. Jafar Siddigui, of Lynnwood, is a Muslim.
“It shouldn’t be a surprise that we have similar beliefs,” Siddigui said. “After all, we are all children of the same God.”
Over coffee last winter, the three men decided they wanted to learn from their similarities and their differences. They discussed their respective religious doctrines and each walked away with a wider perspective.
“The dialogue we had was pretty incredible,” Jones said. “There’s a common thread that weaves through all of this.”
They came up with three topics that they believe are the most pertinent issues facing humanity. They wanted to provide a place for people of various faiths to come together to discuss these problems.
“We’re at the point as a species that we need to start thinking and acting differently,” Jones said. “We start to do that through dialogue.”
The three men already have hosted two lectures. Last spring, the topic was economic justice.
They plan to have a lecture on conflict this winter. Though they haven’t set a date for that talk, Kyllo said, he plans to discuss the importance of balancing the self-interests of different communities of people.
Siddigui, a native of Pakistan, said he hopes to provide an understanding that the conflicts in the Middle East aren’t about religion.
“The bottom line is power, greed, corruption, wealth, whatever,” he said. “It’s a mistake to give them religious elevation.”
The groups that are taking up arms in the name of Islam, he said, are using religion as a shield and a scapegoat.
Meanwhile, Buddhists, Jones said, aim to end all wars. That starts with individuals working to change the conditions that start conflicts, he said. Small adjustments in people’s lives can lead to change on a global scale.
The economy, Kyllo said, should provide for people’s basic needs, including meaningful work and community. If it falls short, people need to make changes, he said.
From his perspective, Jones said, everything boils down to the individual. When one person changes, it permeates society, he said.
Siddigui believes justice is the core value of humanity. Economic and social justice are tied, and people cannot move forward unless they’re secure.
The men found many commonalities in their beliefs about economic justice. They also discovered, at the lecture they hosted this fall, that they have concurring points of view on the environment.
Caring for the planet, Kyllo said, is a central component of what it means to be a Christian. The sacred bread and wine are grown from the Earth. He sees taking them at the altar as a symbol that the entire planet is holy.
The Koran, Siddigui said, also commands people to care for their environment. On judgment day, how well people kept the planet will be a factor, he said. In the Middle East, he said, cutting down another person’s trees is an irrevocable sin.
“That’s how seriously Mother Earth is taken in Islam,” Siddigui said.
Buddhists also have high regard for the planet. They believe humans are connected to their natural surroundings, Jones said. He believes that everything one does affects the environment.
In the end, the men said, they found that sharing their views has allowed them a softened understanding of those with different beliefs.
“Every religion holds love and compassion as its core values,” Siddigui said. “I was struck by the beauty of the expression of the same thoughts.”
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.
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