New Vision UMC to Host Dialogue
On Fundamentalism and Interfaith

Millbrae -- January 17, 2007

New Vision UMC in Millbrae will be host for one of three San Mateo County interfaith dialogues in conjunction with the Islamic Networks Group in the next few months. New Vision's topic is "Is There Room for Fundamentalism in Religion?" to be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9.

New Vision member Margaret Jones has heightened her leadership in interfaith activities since the terrorist airliner bombings of Sept. 11, 2001.

The first dialogue in the series is Thursday, January 25 at Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo, which will explore "Is There Value in Faith in our Modern Society?" The second, on Thursday, March 15, at the Yaseen (Muslim) Foundation in Belmont will examine women's changing roles in religion. (See "Happenings" page for details.)

Connie Hunter, chair of the Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (CCUIC) of the California-Nevada Annual Conference, is working with local congregations to promote ecumenical events.

Hunter says: "Although many Americans think of the United States as a Christian country, the number of people in our communities who subscribe to other religions is rapidly increasing. We don't have to go far to find a mosque, a Sikh temple, a Buddhist temple, or a Jewish synagogue.

"The change in the religious makeup of our neighborhoods can be scary, especially when we find ourselves in a war with religious overtones. Seeing women wearing scarves covering their heads, and men wearing turbans, we wonder what the reasons are."

The choice, contends the CCUIC, is to believe TV and talk show comments -- and perhaps be fearful -- or to engage in dialogue with people of other faiths and build bridges.