The last thing I wanted to talk about before closing the books on this series is interfaith. So, I interviewed Robert Bruttell, the chairman of the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit. He attended Catholic Seminary as a young man. He said, “I’ve maintained an interest as to how people come to their community values all my life. One of my constant concerns has been race and the racialization of our community. Much of that has to do with community values.” The ILCMD focuses on creating bridges.
<blockquote>There are a lot of ways to deal with the barriers between people, and talking about race is one of them, along with ethnicity. Another is through talking to people about their values and how to take very different points of view about why you should do things and see if you can get them to work together on some similar or mutually agreeable purpose. And the interfaith conversation is a great place for that.</blockquote>
<h2>About Robert</h2>
Robert received a graduate degree in Religious Studies. He is now a professor at a nearby Catholic university teaching History of Religion in America, Religion and Science in the West, World Religion and the occasional Intro to Social Justice course. When I told him about my being told not to go to a secular university as a  child, he said:
<blockquote>Many religious groups say that other people are not religious, or that they are “secular.” Well, it turns out that in a country that 70% of the people profess to have a religious belief, what you are saying when you say those people are secular is that other religious people make you unhappy and you will call them “secular.” But when you actually have to sit down with them and talk to them and discover that they actually have very strong religious beliefs—much of it coming from what they believe god means to them—they want that to be exercised in very powerful ways in society, and you have to lose that whole sense that there are these people out there with nonreligious beliefs that are vaguely evil and that you are vaguely truthful and good.</blockquote>
<h2>Why Interfaith Matters</h2>
<a href="http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/girl-smile_flickr_whologwhy.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-6283 alignleft" src="http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/girl-smile_flickr_whologwhy-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>The Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit brings people of all faiths together to work on projects and causes that they can agree on are important. One cause in particular that they are working on right now is literacy. He said that their group realized that while they have holy books that say very different things, they all need people to be able to read them! This is one way people can come together and work on things that matter and help make the world a better place while operating out of a place of respect.

Robert said something very important to me: “And you can see that people have to start thinking about it in terms of people who believe having different points of view rather than people without religious beliefs, or ‘vaguely evil’ who have no religious point of view. And that ‘vaguely evil’ thing is a dangerous for society; it’s another barrier that keeps people from working with each other.”
<h2>Where to Go From Here</h2>
So, now that you’ve read all of these articles, what are you supposed to do now?

Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz later, so you don’t need to remember all the specific terms for everything! But what you can do now is take what you’ve read here and do your own investigation.

<strong><a href="http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/hugs_flickr_carbonNYC.jpg"><img class="alignright  wp-image-6284" src="http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/hugs_flickr_carbonNYC-300x237.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="190" /></a>If a particular concept struck you as interesting... </strong>Look it up on Wikipedia and read more about it.

<strong>If you’re still feeling in the dark about a religion not mentioned here… </strong>Go to the library or Netflix and find a documentary. Dig into <a href="http://www.patheos.com/">Patheos</a> and find a portal related to that group and explore a little bit.

<strong>If you want to practice a kinder way of being toward other people…</strong> Go read the <a href="http://charterforcompassion.org/the-charter/#charter-for-compassion" target="_blank">Charter for Compassion</a>. Sign it for yourself or just simply contemplate the implications of the words in your life.

<strong>If you’re a voracious learner…  </strong>Go Amazon or your local bookstore and find some books or DVDs. Maybe do your own set of interviews and see what you learn!  If you’re the history buff type, pick up a book and learn more about how these religions came to be.

<strong>If you like talking to people… </strong>Maybe strike up a conversation next time you meet someone with different beliefs. Or better yet, work up the courage to ask some basic questions to someone you already know. Be sensitive and as kind, open, and warm as possible. Religion is still a sticky topic, so if they decline to talk, <span style="text-decoration: underline">be respectful</span> of that. But more than likely, if you bring a kind approach, they will probably be willing to explain concepts and discuss things a bit more. I know I had to talk to a few Buddhists before understanding the unattachment concept. Ask them a question that you’d like to know more about!

<strong>If you’re ready to put this stuff to the test… </strong>Go find an interfaith group in your area and just show up once or twice. Maybe contact one of the leaders of the group and have a cup of coffee beforehand if you want more information or if you’re hesitant. Padma Kuppa said to me, “Religion has been used to divide us. I want to use interfaith to unite us.”

<strong>If you’re not ready to do any of this…  </strong>That’s okay too! You’re doing good by a lot of people just by bothering to read this article. Maybe just work on thinking twice before slandering against one of these groups. Maybe keep your eyes out for some of them and try to look across the room at them with a new kindness. Instead of glaring, try smiling!

I appreciate you bothering to read this more than you know. If nothing else, thank you for your time and willingness to listen to what I and these wonderful people have to say.
<h2>The Point</h2>
<a href="http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/girl-ocean_flickr_rhys-asplundh.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-6286" src="http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/girl-ocean_flickr_rhys-asplundh-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>The beautiful (and tough) thing about sharing space with people different than what you’re used to is it takes time. Some people adjust to this concept really quickly, and others it will take a long time, and maybe you’ll never be convinced. It’s okay. It’s a great thing that you made it this far.

The point is to view others with kindness. Have compassion because they are just like you but in a different body, raised by slightly different people. The point is to treat others as you would want them to if your roles were switched.

We are all a part of this beautiful thing called creation. We were all created in the image of God. Even if you aren’t a person of faith, we are all a global family. The more we know about each other and the more stories we share, the better.

If nothing else, as Saeed said, "when the music stops without a chair", try to find one good thing in whoever you meet.

Try to love whoever you meet just a little bit more than you did yesterday.

<strong>Thank you to Jonathan Brink and Provoketive for taking interest in this project. Thank you to all of my interviewees for welcoming me with open arms and for sharing with me. Thank you to my husband who has be patient while I spend hours hunched over my laptop pouring my soul into this. And most of all... Thank you to you, the reader, for opening your heart for a few minutes to listen. </strong>

<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6049973495/in/photostream/" target="_blank">NASA Goddard Photo and Video</a> (Earth), <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulagway/5116382090/in/photostream/" target="_blank">whologwhy</a> (girl, smiling), <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3268320322/in/photostream/" target="_blank">CarbonNYC</a> (HUGS!), <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhysasplundh/5770177448/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Rhys Asplundh</a> (girl standing on the shore)</em>