I believe in interfaith dialogue. Religion is deeply rooted in our society and many cultures. Whether you are religious or not, I personally believe that it is important for people to have interfaith dialogue and try to understand different religions with open-mindedness. For some people, their faith background defines a part of who they are as their beliefs often influence in shaping their core values. To be frank, there are times Dickinson community seems to be less open when it comes to religion. Although Dickinson tends to be liberal and open to many ideas, there are times I feel like you get judged when you start talking about your religious beliefs.

During Fall Pause, I went on the interfaith service trip to Philadelphia as a trip leader. The purpose of this trip was to provide opportunities for Dickinson students to explore different faith traditions and participate in different community service projects in Philadelphia. For religious services, we went to a Jewish synagogue, an African Methodist Episcopal Church, and a mosque; they were all very welcoming. Personally, it was my first time attending services at both a synagogue and a mosque. Although I grew up going to different churches, the African Methodist Episcopal Church was dramatically different than any church services I have attended. From this first hand experience, I once again was fascinated by different religions. The best part of trip was having open and deep discussions each night about the religious and community services in which we participated. Students openly shared their thoughts and beliefs without worrying about getting judged. One night, few of us on the trip stayed up till 3 am having interfaith dialogue. We constantly challenged each other asking tough questions about each other’s beliefs. We all stayed very respectful throughout our intense conversation. I was able to not only question other people’s beliefs, but question my own as well. I realized how important it is to actually get to know and learn about each individual’s beliefs since everyone shares different views. I believe that it is eye opening to find out about where they come from, what they believe in, how they come to believe what they believe in, and how their faith background has shaped who they are. This trip was a wonderful opportunity for me personally to break down stereotypes within different religions.

Often times, people may avoid having deep interfaith dialogue since religion seems to be a foreign topic in a secular environment like Dickinson. In addition, some people may have had negative experiences with religion or people from religious backgrounds; this may have led them to be less open when it comes to religion. However, people should keep in mind that one or few people they encounter do not necessarily represent that specific religion and there is a bigger picture that is always not easy to see. Therefore, interfaith dialogue plays a crucial role. People should attempt to learn about different religions for themselves before judging them. I also hope that people question and learn about other people’s faith backgrounds with respect and open-mindedness while they also challenge their own beliefs as part of their learning experience. Most importantly, interfaith dialogue goes beyond just talking about different faiths. It also is about your personal values and how you find meaning in life.

I am fortunate to be one of the four student-programming leaders for Office of Religious Life on campus. Our office works to educate Dickinson community about different faiths, support both religious and non-religious groups, and help students to explore meaning and purpose in life. I hope to foster an open and safe environment on Dickinson campus where our community engages more in interfaith dialogues with respect.