When I wrote about the monthly meetings of our local interfaith group, I mentioned the planned dialogue. I've shared some of the statements made during a dialogue of this kind. In my last blog article, I talked about a unscheduled dialogue, one that I had with the volunteers of S.A.V.E.S. Today I will comment on that dialogue.
I wanted to focus our debate on something we have in common. I have shared with volunteers from some of my observations on a tour of the Cathedral of our Lady of the angels. Some members of our interfaith group had been through this Cathedral in December 2004. Given is the largest in the County of Los Angeles Catholic Cathedral, he was pretty sure that at least some of the S.A.V.E.S. volunteers had been in that Cathedral.
My personal faith beliefs cause I have great respect for everything that promotes unity in diversity. I felt that you a characteristic of our Lady of the angels's Cathedral to promote such unity. The Cathedral had a number of small niches. Immigrants to Los Angeles could honor its regional santos for worship in one of those niches. I admire that aspect of the Cathedral.
I shared the same observations with the S.A.V.E.S. volunteers. I was surprised to hear one of the volunteers said that he objected to one of the aspects of our Lady of the Cathedral in los Angeles.
Traditionally, as I learned, each Church has the "13 stations of the cross." In each of those places, there is a representation of an event which took place as Christ walked to the place where he was crucified. At least one volunteer group that I spoke with felt that tradition had been ignored or forgotten by the designers of the Cathedral of our Lady of the angels.
Now, I can understand how someone wishing to retain some aspect of a tradition long held. For the same reason, I am sure that had not heard my participant in dialogue about the total demolition of other religious sites. The demolition has in some cases, was ordered by the Government.
If someone feels that his own tradition of faith should be kept, then, I believe that the same person should respect the structures that have a meaning for the members of a different religion. I mention this today, because I learned yesterday that the Iran Government has destroyed a site which held meaning for the Sufis, the members of a sect of Islam.
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