SALT LAKE CITY – Nearly 9,000 people jumped to their feet in ovation again and again during the Parliament of World’s Religions this weekend, inspired by the words of global faith leaders who addressed the significance of interfaith work, gender equality and environmental sustainability. Inspiration, though, doesn’t always translate to movement.
British author Karen Armstrong, who spoke several times at the parliament, told attendees to be prepared for action when they returned to their homes.
“Commit today to doing something,” she said.
Armstrong suggested starting by being intentional in finding a way to relate to others and notice how often “we pluck out the mystery of every person we encounter.”
Kay Miller, who traveled to the Parliament from New Zealand, said at the event, where people from 80 different faith traditions gathered in one building to learn about each other and discuss pressing issues, the world can seem wonderfully small.
Going back home, though, she said she knows her world can easily become closed if she doesn’t work to put into practice what she learned at the parliament.
“I need to talk to people of other faiths. I know I live within my own groups, I need to be prepared to work with other faiths on activities that are important for them,” she said. “It’s important for me to learn more and spend time at other people’s churches.”
Miller said she considers herself both a Baha’i and a Buddhist and when she gets home wants to listen to people in her community from other faith backgrounds so she can understand who they are and find common ground with them. She also wants to keep the excitement she feels from parliament going by reading and finding ways to continue learning from those who presented.
Gurparkash Singh, a Sikh from Dublin, Calif., said what he reads in the news is often discouraging and he senses the dissatisfaction people have with their political leaders. But being at the parliament changes changes his perspective, hopefully longterm, he said.
“Everybody here is so upbeat. The spirit of optimism if infectious,” he said.
He said the faith communities are key is spreading that hope and believes in time it will “swell up.”
Presenters, like Jonathan Granoff, an attorney who emphasizes the legal, ethical and spiritual dimensions of human development and security, urged attendees to take more aggressive action post-parliament by getting in touch with lawmakers. Speaking specifically on climate change, he said citizens should ask every individual running for office three questions:
- What are you doing to protect the climate?
- What are you doing to eliminate poverty?
- What are you doing to eliminate nuclear weapons?
The parliament handed out a commitment book urging guests to make personal and organizational commitments, as well as work on policy and media change.
