From Polarization to Commonality

In our society there is a sense of “I’m right and everyone else that thinks differently is wrong.” Our conversation with Rev. Jerry Zehr asks the question: where do we get these thoughts and are our thoughts true? We deconstruct the idea that just because we were taught something doesn’t mean it’s true. And once we get past the myth that our self-worth is based on productivity, we have the ability to love ourselves. This shift to self-love then supports us to see others with compassion as we realize we have more in common than not.

Jerry Zehr, is a retired minister of over 36 years, working with interfaith ministries. Now more than ever, people are painfully divided politically, religiously, and culturally. And yet, there is a commonality in our faith traditions that can help us turn away from polarization and create a greater sense of community in which our differences are honored. New book “The Peacemaker’s Path: Multifaith Reflections to Deepen Your Spirituality” brings together wisdom from the world’s major religious traditions, including Bahá’í, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Native American spiritualities, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism, showing that we have much more in common than what divides us.

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