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By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@leader.net
Monday, March 10, 2003 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE – In a post-9/11 society, what can Wyoming Valley residents do
about religious fanaticism, and how can they live in harmony with people whose
faith is foreign to them?
These were the questions posed Sunday to a panel of speakers representing
several religions practiced throughout the valley.
The Community of Inter Faith Action – a committee of the Wyoming Valley
Council of Churches – hosted Interfaith Dialogue Day at Wilkes University’s
Marts Center in conjunction with Wilkes-Barre proclaiming March 9-15 as the
“Week of Interfaith Harmony.”
Representatives of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, New Thought
Christian, Roman Catholic and Unity faiths gave brief synopses of their
religions’ basic concepts and addressed how religious fanaticism can be
overcome locally and globally.
Kevin Gaughenbaugh, interfaith coordinator for Wilkes University, said most
people understandt the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, were the result of
religious fanaticism, “but there are still fears and concerns about some
religions in our community.”
“After 9-11, I think we were shocked into realizing we don’t know very
much about our neighboring faiths,” said the Rev. Robert Zanicky, panel
moderator. “It’s important to take the time to get to know our neighbors and
those who disagree with us.”
And that was the main purpose of Sunday’s discussion.
Rabbi Larry Kaplan of Temple Israel said all major religions have one
precept in common – treating others as we would want to be treated.
Monsignor Vincent Grimalia of St. Mary’s Nativity Church, Plymouth, said
that, historically, schisms developed even within the same basic faith because
of differing viewpoints.
Mahmoud Fahmy, a professor at Wilkes and a practicing Muslim, said some
groups within a religion try “to eliminate groups of people who they disagree
with.” Such was the case with the religious fanatics responsible for the
Sept. 11 terror attacks, he said.
“There is no doubt that the crime committed on Sept. 11 … was committed
in the name of Islam. But this crime had nothing to do with Islam. This crime
was committed by a group of fanatics,” Fahmy said.
Fahmy said the Koran – a religious book detailing the tenets of Islam –
permits war only for self-defense and condemns the use of force in religious
matters.
When the panelists were asked what could be done to overcome fanaticism,
Fahmy said he is calling on his religion to condemn the Sept. 11 act of
terrorism.
“Now is not the time to be silent. … Fanaticism is not going to
disappear. But we can minimize it by standing up and understanding and
explaining our religion,” Fahmy said. “The fanatics hijacked the religion.
We have to take it back. We have to be assertive.”
Other panelists’ suggested seminars about different religions for high
school and college students, and providing more opportunities for people of
different faiths to pray together and talk about their faiths.
“It’s silly for it to be not polite in our society for people to talk
about religion,” said Vera Walline, who spoke on the Baha’i faith.
Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 459-2005.