World Religion Day strives to bring faiths together
January 19, 2010
By Christopher Huber
The atmosphere in City Hall Jan. 17 was happy, jovial and focused on bringing people together. Children drew peace signs, Stars of David and hearts, and people enjoyed fellowship and refreshments.
It could have been taken for a church service of sorts, but about 60 Sammamish residents gathered to celebrate the annual World Religion Day.
“I think people have more in common than we have differences,” said Hari Vilas Das, of the Vedic Cultural Center.
Representatives of various faiths and religions in Sammamish spoke on the belief in god that unites many people of the world.
The American branch of the Baha’i faith started World Religion Day in 1950. It has since spread around the world. The purpose of World Religion Day is to emphasize that faith and religion can be the motivating force for world unity, according to an event press release.
“(It’s) to recognize there is a common thread to all the world’s religions,” said Anna Powers, an event organizer.
“We should be working together … in the spirit of friendship and unity,” Vilas Das said. “By coming together, we accentuate the commonality of belief, of human emotion … in this way, the barriers that separate people come down.”
The original idea, and the one which continues today, is to bring together people of different faiths and allow them to explain their religions to each other.
This marked the third year that followers of Baha’i in Sammamish sponsored such a gathering.
“Unity is what we see when we view with the eyes of God,” said event master of ceremonies Scott Tyler in his opening statemtent. “Difference is what we see when we view with the eyes of humanity.”
The idea behind World Religion Day is in keeping with some of the basic tenets of the Baha’i faith. Baha’i believe there is actually only one religion, and that prophets (such as Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha and others) appear in the time and place they are needed most.
In 1863, a man named Baha’u’allah appeared and declared himself a manifestation of God.
Baha’i believe he is the most recent in the line of prophets, and that there are others yet to come.
As they shared fellowship after the program of speakers, musical numbers and a video, Sammamish residents Joe and Sarai McCarty said they were impressed with the show of togetherness.
“I’d come every week,” Sarai McCarty said.
For more information, visit www.worldreligionday.org.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.SammamishReview.com.
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