"I have really enjoyed this interfaith group. It's an opportunity to talk with my friends about my faith in a very casual, open, friendly, and fun environment. I love it! And this group has also been a key instrument in helping me learn how to listen to others. It's been wonderful."
Monday, June 6, 2011
Another Interfaith Member's Lens
Another Austin interfaith group member reflect on her first experience with an interfaith dialogue group:
Friday, June 3, 2011
Interfaith Group Reflections
I recently asked my Austin interfaith group to reflect on their participation in their 1st interfaith group. Here is a response from one of the members. Are there parts of this reflection that resonate with you or appeal to you?
What are the upsides and the challenges?
An upside to the group is that we are all girls. It would be great if gender did not interfere with group discussions but I can see how talking about something, like religion, and how personal it can be could, that gender interfere with the group dynamics. However, for some topics it would be interesting to get the male perspective. Fortunately, our group has not had any major conflicts other than scheduling conflicts. I do wish to see more individuals from other religions join the group because I would like to learn about their religions as well.
What do you find most valuable about the group?
At first I was a bit hesitant to join the interfaith group because I don’t consider myself a very religious person and was afraid that others may try to push their religious beliefs onto me or other group members. I was delighted to find that was not the case. I’ve been able to learn about different religions and their practices in a causal yet intellectually stimulating way. The group’s ability to discuss various religions, values, morals, and beliefs in an open manner without judgment is inspiring. It’s nice to know that even though there are a lot of religious conflicts, misrepresentations, and misunderstandings in the world that our group is able to join together and openly discuss these issues with respect for one another.
What are your hopes for the group as we continue to grow together and meet?
We have attended events, watched movies, and discussed cultural and religious beliefs. I have enjoyed looking at the religions’ similarities and differences. The cultural activities are the meetings that I find most enjoyable. It is interesting to see how people can misinterpret someone’s behaviors as something rooted in their religion when really it turns up being a cultural belief, plus there is always good food!
What are the upsides and the challenges?
An upside to the group is that we are all girls. It would be great if gender did not interfere with group discussions but I can see how talking about something, like religion, and how personal it can be could, that gender interfere with the group dynamics. However, for some topics it would be interesting to get the male perspective. Fortunately, our group has not had any major conflicts other than scheduling conflicts. I do wish to see more individuals from other religions join the group because I would like to learn about their religions as well.
What do you find most valuable about the group?
At first I was a bit hesitant to join the interfaith group because I don’t consider myself a very religious person and was afraid that others may try to push their religious beliefs onto me or other group members. I was delighted to find that was not the case. I’ve been able to learn about different religions and their practices in a causal yet intellectually stimulating way. The group’s ability to discuss various religions, values, morals, and beliefs in an open manner without judgment is inspiring. It’s nice to know that even though there are a lot of religious conflicts, misrepresentations, and misunderstandings in the world that our group is able to join together and openly discuss these issues with respect for one another.
What are your hopes for the group as we continue to grow together and meet?
We have attended events, watched movies, and discussed cultural and religious beliefs. I have enjoyed looking at the religions’ similarities and differences. The cultural activities are the meetings that I find most enjoyable. It is interesting to see how people can misinterpret someone’s behaviors as something rooted in their religion when really it turns up being a cultural belief, plus there is always good food!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)