Several Faiths Join Together to Celebrate International Women’s Day

Divers women of faith are joining together to celebrate International Women’s Day. This is “a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities,” according to un.org.

Happening at the Islamic Center of Tennessee, the event is being called “Sorority of Eman (Faith): Deriving Direction, Inspiration and Strength for Today from the Women of Yesterday,” and will be held on March 8, 2018 from 6-8pm. The event will include a panel discussion with women of faith on how one can derive direction, inspiration and strength from their lives. This is the first event in a series called “Daughters of Eve,” which brings women from various faith traditions together to foster mutual respect and understanding through discussion, shared goals, breaking bread and community service.

Panelists for the Women’s Day event include the Rev. Carol Cavin-Dillon, Pastor at West End United Methodist Church; Carol Grady Mansour, Member of Baha'is of Middle Tennessee; Sarah Levine, Cantor at West End Synagogue; and Aisha Lbhalla, Founder of The Muslim Women's Council. The event will be emceed by Julie Brinker, Director of Community Relations for the Church of Scientology.

A truly interfaith and interactive experience, the event will also include a demonstration on self-defense, a Henna tattooist, spoken word artists, and the Faith in Action Awards which are being presented to incredible women from each faith tradition who are all working for a better community.

“Sorority of Eman” is being organized by the Muslim Women’s Council, an organization which brings cultural awareness of Islam and Muslims to the public by providing accurate information on Islamic practices and beliefs with a purpose to correct misunderstandings and stereotypes particularly those about Muslim women. MWC addresses some of the education, social and personal development needs of women as well as engages in interfaith cooperation, cultural competency training and collaborates with those outside of the Muslim community in order to make a healthy, vibrant, inclusive community for all.

The event takes place Thursday, March 8, 2018, from 6:00 – 8:00pm at the Islamic Center of Tennessee in Antioch. For more information, visit the event Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/events/388007201661100/.

Nashville Church of Scientology Holds World Interfaith Harmony Breakfast and Dialogue

The Church of Scientology in Nashville opened its doors to all religious communities for a special interfaith breakfast and dialogue in observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week.

Last July, the USA Today had an article on The State of Hate in America. It covers a wide variety of hate incidents dividing Americans in a land that was long ago intended to be “land of the free and the home of the brave.” Included was an incident where two men on a Portland train were stabbed to death trying to stop a white supremacist's anti-Muslim tirade against two teenagers.

“In order to truly combat religious discrimination in this day and age, we have to come together and learn about the religious other,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, Pastor of the Church of Scientology, who called together people of many different faiths and cultures to take part in an innovative and unique interfaith dialogue on February 1^st to open World Interfaith Harmony Week.

Participants included members of the Sikh, Baha’i, and Humanist traditions, as well as Scientologists.  

In proclaiming Interfaith Harmony Week in October 2010, the United Nations stressed that "mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace."  It was hoped that religions would work together "to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith" because "the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions and beliefs call for peace, tolerance and mutual understanding."

The Church of Scientology’s creed begins with the words: “We of the Church believe that all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights; that all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance…”   

“It is part of our very fabric to support others’ rights and abilities to practice their religion in peace, so that is what we are lifting up through this dialogue,” says Rev. Fesler.

One participant described the dialogue like this, “World Interfaith Harmony Week was kicked off in Nashville with a breakfast where we were challenged to explain some of the basic tenets of our faith in just a few minutes to someone who would then explain it to the group. It was a lot of fun, and a big thumbs up to the organizers.”

For more information about the Church of Scientology or its activities, visit scientology-ccnashville.org. 

Citizens Commission on Human Rights Holds Conversation on Racism

Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Nashville (CCHR Nashville) held a special breakfast meeting at the end of January.

The Nashville Chapter of Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR Nashville) held a special breakfast meeting in late January to confront a serious topic: racism in pop culture and advertising.

CCHR is known as an advocate for human rights, especially as relates to patients’ rights in the field of mental health. Per the international CCHR website, cchr.org, “CCHR has long fought to restore basic inalienable human rights to the field of mental health, including, but not limited to, full informed consent regarding the medical legitimacy of psychiatric diagnosis, the risks of psychiatric treatments, the right to all available medical alternatives and the right to refuse any treatment considered harmful.”

During this conversation on modern racism, attendees dove into a heated and passionate topic and looked at the roots of racism and how it came to be in this society.

 “CCHR is committed to helping people learn their rights, and this includes diving into the sordid history of racism. The only way to overcome racism is by knowing the truth,” says CCHR Nashville Board Member, Brian Fesler. “Racism is not natural. It is learned and we need to know from who.”

CCHR Nashville regularly hosts events and meetings with local leaders who give insight into patients’ rights, parents’ rights and more.

CCHR is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious mental health watchdog. Its mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. CCHR receives reports about abuses in the field of mental health and is especially interested in situations where persons experienced abuse or damage due to a false diagnosis or unwanted and harmful psychiatric treatments, such as psychiatric drugs, electroshock (ECT) and electronic or magnetic brain stimulation (TMS). CCHR is often able to assist with filing complaints, and can work with a person’s attorney to further investigate the case. To contact CCHR Nashville for more information, visit cchrnashville.org.