This, the final day of the Parliament, Colin and I decided to join with the Sikh community in their morning observance. This interest in the Sikh observance links back to the Sikh taxi driver I had coming to the Parliament and also an extended conversation with a Sikh participant at the PWR on Sunday.
‘Sikh prayer and meditation’ inculcates a deep sense of inner peace through interactive chant. The words were translated and a cantor led the chanting of the responses for the recitation of the attributes of the Merciful, the Lord Master, and upon completing numerous repetitions of the chant, “I cannot survive without seeing my Beloved. My eyes are welling up with tears” I saw that an elderly man was wiping tears from his face. A very moving time of devotion. There is no formal priestly caste and public worship can be led by appropriately initiated male or female Sikhs. Meditation and prayer seek communication with the Unknown. See more at www.sikhinterfaithvic.org.au.
‘The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne’s Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 2)’ interestingly canvassed three questions:1. Is there a future for religion among young people in Australia? 2. How does your religion approach inter-religious marriage? 3. How do young people handle homelessness, substance abuse and mental illness? This was a superior panel engagement than for Seminar 1 because the young people who had formulated the questions also joined in answering them. Very valuable.
‘Milestones and Signposts in Interfaith Relations’ were indicated by three panellists: Hindu, Muslim and Christian. The latter took St Francis of Assisi and his engagement with the Sultan in 1219 AD as an example; concluding: 1. Draw near in powerlessness; 2. Reject nothing that is true in other religions; 3. Do acts of service; 4. Witness to our faith. The Muslim speaker presented the ‘Medina Charter’ of Mohammad with the non-Muslims of Medina as an interfaith signpost. But this did not get us far because Mohammad ended up expelling them and killing the third Jewish tribe. Muslim and Jewish accounts of the failure differ but it is hardly seen as a model of good interfaith relations! The Hindu speaker presented the ‘giant umbrella’ of Hinduism with its emphasis on ritual rather than creedal faith under which innumerable groups can find shelter and live in harmony. Gandhi as the model peacemaker using non-violence to topple British rule.
‘How can we all get on? It’s the big question of our time.’ was from Day 5 and relates to the above session. It is from Compass presenter Geraldine Doogue and a panel of five high profile international and Australian guest speakers attending the Parliament and recorded for an ABC Compass episode (13 December 2009) on Parliament of the World’s Religions.
Lunch included conversation with a Christian Spiritualist and getting ready for the Closing Ceremony. The security and queues were significantly increased, was the Australian public becoming increasingly interested in the Parliament of the World’s Religions? No, in just one very famous religious person, the arrival of the Dalai Lama to the final session.
The media’s interest in the PWR? Throughout the Parliament there was some excellent coverage from the Age newspaper’s Religious Editor, Barney Zwartz and the ABC team led by Margaret Coffey. But the biggest circulation Melbourne newspaper the ‘Herald-Sun’ did not cover the seven day international event of 5,000 delegates. Rabbi Levi suggested that we may have received increased media coverage if the PWR had been a ‘sexpo’ rather that a religious parliament! A sad reflection on the very secular nature of Australian people. We do not seem ‘to get’ religion and its formative shaping of our lives and culture. A huge focus for our prayers.
‘Closing Ceremony of the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions’. A highlight was Archbishop of Melbourne, Philip Freier’s blessing based on the Beatitudes – see it here. Sand animation artiste to the playing of the Didgeridoo and Tibetan music. Dalai Lama spoke of peace and an enchanting scene where he was presented by Wurrunjeri Senior Elder Joy Wandin Murphy with the traditional gum branches and leaves and also the hide of a possum! The latter causing clear perplexity to the Dalai lama who placed it cautiously on a chair, it started to fall and after some to-ing and fro-ing between himself and Joy Murphy, finally had the possum hide placed on his knee. I think we all enjoyed this engagement between vegetarian and carnivorous communities which was done with respect and goodwill. A good example of the safe space for religious conversation, learning and co-operation that the PWR engenders. Photo of the exchange here.
ABC Video Day 7 – Farewelling Friends and much more on the ABC Religion Blog of the PWR with thanks to Margaret Coffey and her Team.
Interesting note on USA sending delegates to find out more at ‘Obama team seeks enlightenment on Muslim relations’. Also Hindu delegates issued a statement about climate change – see ABC report here. Further videos, photos and news available at 2009 Parliament Coverage.
My blog articles can be found at: Parliament of Religions – It’s coming!, and at Multi-faith society – an oxymoron? and also at Parliament World Religions Day-1 and at Parliament World Religions Day 1 and Parliament World Religions Day 2 and Parliament World Religions Day 3 and Parliament World Religions Day 4 and Parliament of Religions Day 5 and Parliament of Religions Day 6.
