The Interfaith Roundtable of Kaua‘i is a collection of religious leaders bound by an intent to serve in non-denominational community service. Kaua‘i’s group started about four years ago when a few ministers, pastors and reverends decided to unite forces in
The Interfaith Roundtable of Kaua‘i is a collection of religious leaders bound by an intent to serve in non-denominational community service. Kaua‘i’s group started about four years ago when a few ministers, pastors and reverends decided to unite forces in an effort to promote peace on Kaua‘i.
Reverend James E. Brooking of West Kaua‘i United Methodist and president of the group said, “Our main focus is on the things that unite us and not divide. It’s really about mutual respect.”
The project that originally brought the group together and remains an annual project is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Martin Luther King was just something we all came together for,” Brooking said.
Hundreds of community members turned out for their most recent celebration at Kukui Grove last month with hula, song and inspired sharing from a broad spectrum of island ministries including Lihu’e Hongwanji, Bahai and the Kaua‘i Hindu Monastery.
“Every year it is even better,” said Brooking. “And we hope next year will grow even more as we strive for more community involvement.”
Reverend Annaleah Atkinson, secretary of the group and a minister of the Fellowship of the Inner Light said the day came together flawlessly in just under three weeks.
What’s the next shared project for the group? Peace poles.
According to worldpeace.org, a peace pole acts as a silent prayer and message for peace on Earth. It is a hand-crafted monument that displays the message and prayer “May Peace Prevail on Earth” on each of its four to six sides. It is 8 feet above the ground with 3 feet planted in the ground. There are more than 200,000 peace poles in 180 countries all over the world dedicated as monuments to peace. They serve as monuments dedicated to peace and create a focal point for communities to come together and visualize world peace.
“The brothers at Kaua‘i’s Hindu Monastery will make them,” said Atkinson.
Peace poles vary in the number of sides they have. One maker of peace poles, Joel Selmeier (peace-pole.com) said that his poles are five-sided because according to the Olympic Committee there are five continents on Earth. There’s more than one way to count the number of continents though. The way the continents are counted in Europe and China produces the number seven. They consider Europe and Asia two separate continents even though they are one contiguous landmass.
Kaua‘i’s peace poles will be hexagrams with the inscription “May peace prevail on Earth” in languages representative of the islands.
A recent letter by Brookings states, “The idea is to make a statement of peace in public venues that will cause people to reflect on the important issues of bringing an end to conflict.”
Interfaith Roundtable is a national organization but each group operates independently. There’s also an Interfaith Alliance that is similar of aim but stretches into a more political realm than the roundtable.
The group’s mission states: “Interfaith Roundtable Kaua‘i exists as a forum to share information and concerns, to promote respect and understanding for the benefit of our own faith communities, ourselves and our shared community of Kaua‘i.”
Atkinson added, “Ultimately, we all work for the same boss — ‘Boss’ with a capital ‘B,’” she laughed.
“As for the peace pole — we were looking for something else we could do together as a group,” she said.
Two locations the group would like to see the poles are the airport and Nawiliwili Harbor.
Other areas up for consideration are hospitals, Lydgate Park, in front of the administration building at Kaua‘i Community College and the Civic Center in Lihu‘e.
Letters of inquiry are being sent to potential land holders wishing to provide a home for a peace pole. To learn more contact the Rev. Annaleah Atkinson at annaleah@hawaii.rr.com or attend a meeting at noon on the second Tuesday of every month at Lihu‘e Hongwanji.
The Golden Rule
• Buddhism: Hurt not others that you yourself would find hurtful — Udana-Varga 5, 1
• Christianity: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets — Matthew 7:1
• Hinduism: This is the sum of duty to do naught unto others what you would not have them do unto you — Mahabharata 5, 1517
• Islam: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself — Sunnah
• Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary — Talmud, Shabbat 3id
• Taoism: Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss — Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien
• Zoroastrianism: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for itself — Dadisten-I-dinik 94, 5
• Pam Woolway, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) or pwoolway@kauaipubco.com
