About 75 people of diverse religious beliefs gathered around the Town Clock in downtown Santa Cruz to deliver a message of respect for religious diversity. The gathering included representatives of all the major religions in Santa Cruz, including several Christian denominations, Muslims, Jews and Baha’i.
About 75 people of diverse religious beliefs gathered around the Town Clock in downtown Santa Cruz to deliver a message of respect for religious diversity. The gathering included representatives of all the major religions in Santa Cruz, including several Christian denominations, Muslims, Jews and Baha’i.
“We are first human beings. Every dogma, every principle and every teaching that is worthy of the name ‘religion’ begins and ends with common human kindness,” said United Methodist pastor Darrell Darling of Santa Cruz, who helped organize the event. Rabbi Paula Marcus of Aptos offered a prayer calling on God to “bless us in our differences and in the ways that we are the same.” Haj Faris Sabbah, a Muslim, admitted that, “It’s understandable that people blame religion for what happened on 9/11, but it’s unfair. Pointing your finger at religion as the cause is not right.” He cited his own experience at the haj in Mecca many years ago as opening him to the rich diversity of religious experiences and expressions.
The event was organized by the Interfaith Dialogue Group of Santa Cruz County. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
