"This is the most powerful dialogue I have ever had about my beliefs. It is what I have been looking for at my church and never found until now." - a participant in a series of Interfaith Dialogue Dinners sponsored by the Kindness Campaign.

Dialogue group participant, Anthony Thomas, listens as Becky Lindquist talks about her religious journey.

On February 15, as part of Kindness Week in Asheville, over 300 people gathered at St. Eugene Catholic Church for an interfaith celebration of kindness. Ten different faith groups joined to celebrate the ways kindness unifies all religions and faith groups.

Following that event, 40 people signed up to participate in Interfaith Dialogue groups where 6-8 people gather for three facilitated potluck dinners to explore the commonalities between people of diverse religions and faiths. Meeting in participants' homes, the dialogues explored how each formed his or her current religious or spiritual beliefs. In addition, members described how they practice their faith on a daily basis; some brought readings or music to share that had deep meaning to them. One group decided to attend each other's place of worship. Several of the groups have decided to continue to meet and expand their dialogues.

While most participants described themselves as progressive, some were from more conservative or traditional faith groups. Most numerous were Catholics, followed by Unitarians, Jubilants, and those with no religious affiliation. There were also a few Buddhists and Jews.

The most frequent reasons the participants gave for attending the dialogue dinners were to learn more about the deeply held spiritual beliefs of others in the group, to deepen their understanding of the role that religion and spirituality play in the lives of others, and to get to know people of other faiths.

The stories told by participants of their religious and spiritual journeys were very moving. One woman described how she was raised in a Southern Baptist home and how her grandmother loved to dance, but the church was against dancing. She stated, "I was empowered when I saw my grandmother defy the church edict and dance whenever she could. I went on to a Baptist College where, again, I wasn't allowed to dance. I left after two years and became a Christian mystic." Later she went into the dramatic arts and became a dancer, studying dance from many ancient traditions.

Another participant grew up in a traditional Lutheran family, married in the church and raised her children in that faith until she and her husband got a divorce. "This pushed me out of my safe nest. I had to find what was true for me." Her spiritual journey led her to study eastern religions. She lived in several intentional communities during this period, and then entered a Lutheran Seminary. "After Seminary I became a Youth Minister and a Christian Education Minister, but I grew dissatisfied with having to play a lesser role in the church because I was a woman." Later she went to a Quaker Seminary because of their stance on peace and justice issues and served as a minister at several churches. Now a hospital chaplain, she says: "Because of my past experiences, I can walk alongside my patients and hear them in a non-judgmental way. I feel blessed that my experiences have brought me closer to God, even though it is not in a traditional church setting."

"The major threats to world peace so often involve people who pray differently," said one of the dinner hosts. "Listening to people of different faiths is amazingly powerful; it gives me experiences and insights I didn't have before." What struck him most were the similarities in perspective everyone shared--from a Catholic nun to New Age worshipers. Although the rituals and structure differ, the essence is similar. "It was all us, no them," he concluded.

Upon completing the dinners, most participants indicated that they developed more compassion for the religious/spiritual beliefs of others in their group and got to know other people they would not normally interact with. One participant said, "I really like the respect that people gave each other during our sharing." Another participant said, "I felt I learned more about myself by speaking with others about my religious beliefs" Almost all of the participants were eager to continue meeting with their groups beyond the three sessions. A number of the participants said, "This was a great experience, now what is next?"

This positive response led us to plan a follow-up experience for those who completed the Dialogue Dinner process and others who might want to have a similar experience. In collaboration with Spirit in the Smokies and the Chamber of Consciousness, we have scheduled a "Conversation on Kindness" gathering June 8 at Los Volcanes Restaurant (275 Smoky Park Highway/Patton Avenue West, or Exit 44 off I 40 near the Best Western). This is an excellent opportunity for dialogue with others on how we can make a difference in this community. We want your voice to be heard

If you wish to order food, please come at 5:30 PM. From 6:00 to 9:00 there will be an inspirational talk by Dr. Barry Weinhold, founder of the Kindness Campaign, on "The Kindness Revolution is Happening In Asheville," networking opportunities, and most importantly, Maureen McCarthy and Zell Nelson, internationally known facilitators, will lead small-group dialogues on how to help Asheville become a truly kind community. Bring a friend, and bring YOUR passion, vision, and insights! Please RSVP: 252-3054.