Forums to explore faith issues

Stacy J. Willis

Thursday, Oct. 29, 1998 | 11:38 a.m.

A Baptist and a Mormon are sharing a laugh.

Across the lunch table from them, a Muslim and a member of the Jewish faith are splitting a sandwich.

"We come here to learn about our similarities and to learn to respect our differences," said Mujahid Ramadan, a Muslim, about the monthly meeting of the Southern Nevada Region chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice.

The organization, formerly known as the National Conference for Christians and Jews, seeks to end religious and racial discrimination and to promote understanding between members of diverse cultures and faiths. It was founded in 1927.

Starting on Sunday, the National Conference will sponsor the Ninth Annual Interfaith Forum Series in Las Vegas -- at which representatives from a variety of faiths will participate in panel discussions about faith issues. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate in question-and-answer sessions.

Topics of this year's symposium are music, church and state, interfaith marriage and family life, along with an open forum.

Although the forum happens only once a year, local leaders of different faiths work year-round to foster cooperation between faith communities in Clark County.

At the monthly meetings, Baha'is and Catholics, Sikhs and Hindus sit elbow to elbow to wrangle over religious issues, such as last spring's debate on the appropriateness of prayers at government meetings. The issue arose at a Las Vegas City Council meeting when Councilman Gary Reese, a Mormon, mentioned Jesus Christ in his invocation. Gary Peck, local American Civil Liberties Union executive director, objected to the mention of a faith-specific figure such as Christ at a public meeting.

The National Conference's interfaith committee took the issue into consideration and in July sent recommendations to the City Council, County Commission, and School Board regarding appropriate multi-faith public prayers.

In the guidelines, the National Conference recommended that prayers at public meetings use general language, avoid mention of specific prophets and "acknowledge divine presence and seek blessing, not ... preach or testify."

"The mission of the committee is to promote dialogue and tolerance," said Susan Boswell, executive director of the the local chapter. "It's to break myths and stereotypes, to go to each other's houses of worship, to try to understand and develop respect for each other."

"With different leaders coming together to talk, it's helpful in seeing what we have in common -- and that's what we want to focus on -- our common strengths," Boswell said.

"From there, it is carried out to the community. It is like drops in a pond that go out in ever-widening circles."

The Interfaith Forum schedule is as follows:

Sunday: Music at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 221 S. Lorenzi Blvd. Featured speakers and their faiths: Rabbi Gary Golbart, Judaism; Debbie Sankuer, Catholicism; Linda Rawson, LDS; Akbar Shakir, Islam; Mary Pat Fathe-aazam, Bhai.

Nov. 8: Church and State / Spiritual Education at the Jaimie Islamic Mosque, 4720 E. Desert Inn Road. Featured speakers and their faiths: Rabbi Felipe Goodman, Judaism; Perry Cordill, Unification Church; the Rev. Richard Smith, Methodist; Garth Rasmussen, LDS; Najma Qureshi, Islam; Dr. Foad Moazez, Baha'i.

Nov. 15: Interfaith Marriage and Family Life at the Baha'i Center, Oakey & Rainbow. Featured speakers and their faiths: Rabbi Mel Hecht, Judaism; the Rev. Bill Kenny, Catholicism; William Stoddard, LDS; Mujahid Ramadan, Islam; Dr. Amarjit Pannu, Sikh; Denny Fathe-aazam, Bahai.

Nov. 22: Open forum at Congregation Ner Tamid, 2761 Emerson. Featured speakers and their faiths: Rabbi Sanford Akselrad, Judaism; the Rev. David Casaleggio, Catholicism; the Rev. Jerry Blankinship, Methodist; David Rowberry, LDS; Mujahid Ramadan, Islam; Marrion West Hoffman, Bahai.

All forums start at 7 p.m. and are free.