Author Pamay Bassey Helps Public Use September 11th Anniversary to Foster Interfaith Dialogue Post 9/11: Is interfaith Understanding a Growing Reality or an Elusive Dream?  

CHICAGO, IL, September 08, 2012 (Press-News.org) Eleven years after 9/11, America still faces the backlash of religious intolerance. The recent Sikh Temple shootings in Wisconsin and on-going anti-Islamic sentiment underscore fears that still dominate many Americans' views on religion. Pamay Bassey, author of My 52 Weeks of Worship, continues to help individuals and communities facilitate interfaith dialogue and understanding. She offers four simple ways to foster interfaith connections and deepen inter-religious understanding:
 
1. Approach unfamiliar situations with an open heart and good intentions. We need more people in this world who are courageous enough to build bridges and combat hate with love and uninformed trepidation with right action. You will likely increase mutual respect between communities of faith just by your positive actions.
 
2. No need to pretend, be yourself. Visiting a new worship community doesn't mean you have to pretend you don't believe what you believe. Simply listen respectfully, and learn from a community whose belief set is different than yours.
 
3. Be humble. When you speak to someone about their religion, listen with a goal to understand. You'll quickly realize that you have much to learn. To feel comfortable visiting and help calm any fears of the unknown, call ahead and respectfully ask questions. Is there an ideal time to visit? Should you cover your head or remove your shoes? You'll be amazed how inclined some people are to share their beliefs--if you only ask.
 
4. Just go with the flow! In an unfamiliar situation, sometimes the best thing to do is just stand up when everyone stands, and sit when everyone sits! Places of worship are full of kind, helpful people. Keep your eyes open, stay silent, and blend if you prefer - or whisper to your neighbor, let them know you are new, and more than likely they will help you navigate.
 
"I have found that while most people are staunchly against faith-based discrimination and violence, they struggle to actually take concrete steps out of their comfort zones and into interfaith relationships with fellow community members," says Bassey. "What we fail to realize is that stepping out of our comfort zones can be as simple as stopping by a beautiful place of worship nearby and spending time there."
 
About Pamay Bassey and My 52 Weeks of Worship
Pamay Bassey is Chief Experience Officer of the "My 52 Weeks of Worship Project," which started after a series of devastating events led her to commit to visit a different place of worship each week in one year - whether it reflected her personal religious tradition or not. In one year she visited 61 churches, temples, mosques, shuls, synagogues, covens, living rooms, and other places of worship in the USA, Mexico, the UK, Nigeria and South Africa. Bassey has written a book about her experiences, My 52 Weeks of Worship: Lessons from a Global, Spiritual, Interfaith Journey. She travels the country leading discussions on building interfaith relationships and religious acceptance, and maintains a blog about her ongoing experiences, http://www.my52wow.com. She holds degrees from Stanford and Northwestern Universities and is a graduate of the acclaimed Second City Comedy Conservatory program in Chicago.

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