At a time when hate crimes against minority faiths in the United States are surging and religion and politics are divisive topics on the nation’s tongue, six faith leaders came together on Thursday, Aug. 3 in honor of United Nations Friendship Day. They shared their deeply held beliefs, expressed respect for their fellows and highlighted the importance of religious tolerance before a diverse crowd of more than 140 San Fernando Valley community leaders and members.

The event, emceed by Rev. Mark Loweree and hosted at the Church of Scientology of the Valley, included Nirinjan Singh Khalsa, executive director of the California Sikh Council, Pastor Eddie Ledesma of New Hope Community Church, Mahomed Khan, director of Interfaith Outreach at the King Fahad Mosque, Rev. Drew Johnston of the Church of Scientology of the Valley, Pastor Kyle Joachim from the Presbytery of San Fernando and Dr. Michael D. Stanley, director of the Latter-day Saints Institute of Religion at the University of Southern California.

“Now, more than ever, we need to move beyond tolerance and learn to accept and respect each other and allow each other the freedom of expression,” said Khalsa.

“In the diverse LA, California culture, all saints have to work together in creating bridges of understanding,” added Khan.

On the panel, Stanley shared the history of Mormonism, its interfaith and humanitarian emphases and activities and its purpose to create goodwill and transcend differences among people.

“I hope that we can join together with like-minded people to act in areas where we may serve together, protect one another’s freedom of religion and promote goodwill and prosperity for all of God’s children,” he said.

Khan spoke about humbleness as the fundamental characteristic of a Muslim, the significance of fasting as both a physical and spiritual cleanse, a Muslim’s five daily prayers and the importance of leaving this life with a clean heart. He also spoke to the beauty and purpose of a multi-faith world.

“God wanted there to be different faiths,” he said. “God gave us different water to quench our spiritual thirst.”

Pastor Ledesma shared the history of religious tolerance in America and its intersection with the Baptist tradition, highlighting that the separation of church and state was advocated by Puritan-turned-Baptist Roger Williams to protect religion, not dismiss it.

“We as faith leaders coming together to renew our commitment to religious tolerance in America is a step in the right direction,” said Pastor Ledesma.

 Khalsa spoke about the roots and beliefs of Sikhism – its egalitarian foundations, its celebration of the importance of women, its emphasis on keeping the body sacred as God made it and its mandate that members carry or display on their person five tokens of faith at all times.

Rev. Johnston conveyed that personal improvement is at the core of Scientology, which espouses that man is basically good, that he is seeking to survive and that to “help one another” is the religion’s fundamental message –the antithesis of intolerance.

“Fear is where religious intolerance is born,” he said.

Pastor Joachim addressed the subject personally and directly, acknowledging that he has fallen prey to the urge to denigrate other religions.

“But religious tolerance is only going to stop if we stop saying sorry and start turning in the other direction,” he said, adding that people must back away from the idea that to make themselves “big” as believers of the faith they must make others and their beliefs small. “Is there any religion that wouldn’t say that love was the heart of what we do?” he asked.

United Nations Friendship Day was created to celebrate the need for human solidarity and friendship in times of hardship and crisis.

For more information or to participate in next year’s forum, email Hagit Raviv-Ron at hagitr@churchofscientology.net or call (818) 279-1997.