How to get involved in Interfaith work?
 

Hi all

I am a practicing neopagan with a strong interest in and respect for all religions/spiritual paths. I feel a calling to Interfaith work however I am unsure of how to begin. I would like to be involved in promoting harmony and understanding between different religions and in the process grow spiritually as I also learn from the wisdom of different spiritual paths.

Does anyone here have any suggestions?

In my current opinion , religions had been a " social guidance" for human for perhaps thousand of years , with religions human perhaps had created customs , lifestyles and knowledge of the right verses the wrong and also the good act verses bad act .............but as human developed and population increased the role by religions is decreased ....now we have a system that more detail exceptable by all as we know it as Civil law....a written rules that certified ............but I of the current opinion as human developed into more advance stages from now ..perhaps hundreds years from now ....the knowledge of right and wrong , good or bad perhaps is not serve as a knowledge but a realization ...human will understand themselves far better than now ........human perhaps will developed into a sociaty that does not need civil law to guide or protect them ....and human will perhaps continue to developed and ...perhaps the final stage is self realization...Buddhism .
Buddhism to me is a process of knowing , discovering , understanding , experiencing OWNSELF by being awake by own realization leading to acceptance of ownself and own purity ..............there is no beliefs , no faith , no referral to Buddhism ...........

So perhaps in all solution of arguement , question on all action or re-action , answer to all question about life .......to me there is only one answer ... Buddhism .........
Thks
CSEe

There are Interfaith Seminaries that you can join. You can be trained to become an Interfaith Minister. There are groups all over the World. But in Britain, America and Australia it would be the easiest.

Try and find an Interfaith Minister or group near you. Or contact some main office in London or whatever. You can be taught how to become a minister yourself. It is like a degree I believe.

This is the first time hearing about interfaith, but it can classify the direction where I have been leading. It seems to be a respect to all.

As beginning, you start to compare all religions uncovering the similarities. At first you are free to sample throughout all religion and let us not limit to just religion, but philosophies, symbols, world, societies and nature, etc.. Find where your heart leads you eventually leading to open your eyes and the multiple layers of our self. You are looking at the bigger picture. You uncover the many blinds of illusions scattered throughout our lives.

Thus, Listen to that inner voice.. guiding you.

Buddhism is very awesome as it can help you follow as focused guidelines reaching our higher nature. Buddhism also has a excellent community to help cultivate ourselves and with others to express socially and heartedly. Buddhism is very well developed and concentrated on key points to come into Being or our Buddha nature.

We could imagine the world as being a desert with oasis throughout. Some oasis's are great and others are small, but hidden beneath all leading and guiding to the same source. ^^

Regarding, "The Higher Self"....
From Genesis to Revelation in the Bible, "Stars" have represented both Angels, and people alike. Also, all major faiths agree on a couple of things. That,
God exists, even in Buddhism if you look, and, that Life is more than this temporary organic/ physical, manifestation.

I usually start looking into interfaith by reading about other faiths beside my own (Lutheran Christian) along with sitting on activities of other faiths. For recommendations regarding Interfaith work, start talking with people of other faiths regarding their beliefs along with sitting in on activities.

Over a couple of decades I studied the 5-most populated religions in this world; Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam, and looked for their commonalities more so
than their differences.

Each of these religions are umbrella religions that have many denominations or sects under
them, and the various denominations and sects all have variations on the theme of the
particular umbrella religion to which they belong.

I attended Buddhist temples, Christian churches, Jewish synagogues, Islamic mosques,
and Hindu temples, to observe and participate in their particular services.

I consider my path to be spiritual but not religious as I follow no particular religion.
An I also looked at some of the lesser popular religions, and spiritual groups, as well.
It was a very fascinating interfaith endeavor for me.

And was there any many points you would like to share?

Interfaith work
 

I am also interested in interfaith work. Anyone else have experience or ideas?

That is very good advice. I actually graduated from the New Seminary (Interfaith) in New York City in the 1990s and the curriculum gives one a great exposure to all religions so one can decide how best to focus one's efforts while, at the same time,connecting with other people with an interfaith orientation. Rabbi Gelberman was the head of the seminary when I was there and he was excellent but he is no longer on the earth plane. However, there are similar organizations.

One can become an accredited minister in this manner and perform recognized ministerial functions such as marriages.