Different Perspectives: The “Other”

“What does your personal faith teach you about tolerating and respecting people of other faith traditions and about interfaith efforts?”

Emily LaHood

Year: Junior

Faith Tradition: Catholic

Major: Catholic Studies/English

Minor: Spanish

The word Catholic is derived from the Latin word catholicus, which means “universal”. At its core, that’s exactly what the Catholic Church is- open and welcoming to people of all backgrounds, traditions, and lifestyles.

In Mark 12:31, when asked the way to heaven, Jesus responded, “You shall love your neighbor as   yourself.” As a result of Christ’s teachings, Catholics believe that every person deserves the dignity of human life. Not only are we taught to tolerate and respect  people of other faith traditions, we are encouraged to love and embrace them.What is the dignity of human life, you may ask? Genesis 11:27 says “God created humankind in his   image”. Thus, God is present in humanity, and we are called to see the sacred nature of each person and treat others as we would like to be treated. No matter how or what a person believes, they are still beloved and blessed by God.  Jesus spoke, ate, and traveled with Gentiles as well as Jews, setting an example to learn and care about others.

Following in Christ’s footsteps are the     members of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID). The PCID is a Church office dedicated to interfaith communication. They strive to encourage understanding among different faith traditions, promote religious studies, and to support human formation through dialogue.

As a Catholic, I have found that interfaith  dialogue creates a deeper, richer understanding of God. It is through understanding beliefs and traditions of other people that I can love them with open arms, and it is through challenge that I grow stronger as a believer.

Joining in on interfaith dialogue is a blessing because it opens my eyes to wonderful, passionate,  loving people and helps me to see Christ in all those I meet.

Leena Saleh

Year: Senior

Faith Tradition: Muslim

Major: Journalism

God, for me, was always at the end of this seemingly chaotic abyss that is the universe in which we live. Thirteen and in the seventh grade: life was melodramatic, or my narrative of it anyway. I was angry, confused (about boys), happy, naïve, and had a thirst for knowledge beyond the classroom.

Faith was the crux of my being and way I saw the world around me and to internalize God’s words and the Prophet’s practices, peace be upon him, was not only sensible but so incredibly simple. Faith, any faith, comes with an internal as well as an external consciousness. As nearly the only Muslim in a Chicago public school on the Southside, I was forced to recognize this factor early on.

I met Angie in fifth grade and we became close quickly, not at all a strange phenomenon when you’re thirteen and both like pickle chips. There was another factor that contributed to our burgeoning friendship, one that dealt strictly with religion. Angie shared my affinity for literature, art and practicing her faith. She was Baptist and wore modest clothing, mainly skirts and tees, and similarly wasn’t allowed to date. And so interfaith dialogue, unsurprisingly, became a daily occurrence.

On chilly autumn afternoons we would hang out at the school playground and she would talk about the Bible, which her mom made her read -again- and I would talk about the Qur’an. We were fascinated by what the other had to say and although starkly different in some areas, there were congruent similarities as well. Angie’s mom talked to me about faith as well and as I heard the story of her conversion and saw the passionate way in which she practiced her faith. It was inspiring to me and made me want to learn more about my own faith and practice. We came from seemingly different worlds, Angie and I, but in reality we were struggling to achieve ultimately the same thing, trying to please God and to manifest the values He has revealed unto us.

Islam is the vessel by which I live and build relationships and this experience reminded me of His words: “There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clearly from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing.”[Quran 2:256].

May God grant us all the ability to see one another for who we are, to build strong communities through faith and to open our ears, eyes, and hearts. Amen.

Published in the October Issue of the Interfaith Review