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Hindu statesman Zed engages in dialogue with Catholic-Protestant-Muslim-Jewish

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed engaged in dialogue with Catholic-Protestant-Muslim-Jewish leaders in Nevada (USA) today where they attempted to find connections among Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism.

This conference, organized by the Catholic Diocese of Reno, also compared, contrasted, and commented on similarities and differences between Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism as viewed through their respective sacred texts.

According to Father Charles T. Durante, Pastor of Saint Teresa of Avila Catholic Church of Carson City, who facilitated this dialogue, "We live in a diverse world, filled with religious practices different from our own. In order to truly live in peace and harmony, we must strive to understand others".

From left to right, Imam Abdul Rahim Barghouthi, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, Rabbi Myra Soifer, Episcopal Rector Emeritus Reverend V. James Jeffrey, and Father Charles T. Durante at the dialogue.

Besides Durante and Zed, other participants included Rabbi Myra Soifer, Imam Abdul Rahim Barghouthi, and Episcopal Rector Emeritus Reverend V. James Jeffrey. About 200 Catholics were in the audience.

Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, has congratulated the Catholic Diocese efforts in reaching out to other religions for a dialogue. "Religion is a complex component of human life. Dialogue helps us to see interconnections and interdependencies between religions and even similarities in doctrines," Zed adds.

Catholic Diocese of Reno, established in 1931, covers 70,852 square miles spread in eleven Nevada counties in addition to Carson City. Before 1840, this area was under the Diocese of Sonora in Mexico, when it came under the jurisdiction of Bishop Moreno of California. Current Bishop is Most Reverend Randolph R. Calvo.