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Interfaith Dinner and Talks “Spirituality in the modern world: how our faith helps us.” September 2008
On Thursday 4th September, Swamiji, Ma Devi and thirty members of the Shiva ashram were invited to a joint Hindu-Muslim Ramadan Iftar meal by the Australian Intercultural Society. Held at the Isik College in Keysborough, the evening was the first time such an event had been held between the Muslim and Hindu faiths in Melbourne.
After a wonderful meal, served with great warmth by the men and women of the Turkish community, Swamiji and Dr Salih Yucel (Head of Islamic Studies, Monash University) then both delivered addresses on the theme of the evening: “Spirituality in the modern world: how our faith helps us.” Swamiji began by invoking the words of his Guru, Baba Muktananda when he opened saying, “With great respect and love I welcome you all with all my heart”. His lecture centred on this welcome as a recognition of the divine in all of us, irrespective of our spiritual paths, and said that it was one of the greatest means by which we could express our spirituality. Swamiji praised the interfaith initiative of the evening saying that ‘interfaith’ represent a modern expression that is the ‘divine way’. He said that the evening represented the triumph not of Hindu love or Muslim love, but human love.
Dr Salih Yucel then addressed the theme from the Islamic perspective saying that faith can profoundly help us in modern life by allowing us to answer the eternal human themes, “Who am I?” and “Where am I going?” Dr Yucel also encouraged us to take the great Muslim saying, “have a chair in your heart for everyone who can sit” as our guide in life. The evening was certainly evidence of this maxim in action, and we all felt the great hospitality and spiritual generosity of the group.
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