Comments on: A Case for Youth Action, by Frank Fredericks http://irdialogue.org/articles/best-practices-non-profit-articles/a-case-for-youth-action-by-frank-fredericks/ The website of the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:03:54 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lauren Santerre http://irdialogue.org/articles/best-practices-non-profit-articles/a-case-for-youth-action-by-frank-fredericks/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Lauren Santerre Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:22:41 +0000 http://irdialogue.org/?p=888#comment-74 I work at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston in Texas as the Interfaith Relations Manager and we have just begun to explore how we can engage the youth of Houston in The Amazing Faiths Project, a "movement" we co-operate with Rice University. As I have grown to understand more about people, human nature, and religion there are always many ways that change comes to take hold in a society. I agree, however, that youth are a critical component to moving the general public to a place on the side of the 'bridge-builders.' I also agree that we are underfunded and often an after thought. My analysis of this particular dynamic is that it is easier and more comfortable for us as human beings to address the "symptoms" of our societal deficiences (such as providing food to the hungry or shelter to the homeless) than it is to address our own depravity and shortcomings. Promoting and working for peace requires us to ascertain and address the places of our own human weakness and make an effort to change it. We would rather offer a blanket or a sack lunch than change ourselves to release our stereotypes, meet someone we are afraid of, or walk into a foreign place of worship. We fear that somehow the "other" will make us less than we are because we are not secure in our own humanity. We as bridge-builders have to find ways to motivate others to embrace the dark parts of our own souls and move past them...that is our true challenge, the funding is only the tip of the iceberg. Thank you Frank for an engaging post. I work at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston in Texas as the Interfaith Relations Manager and we have just begun to explore how we can engage the youth of Houston in The Amazing Faiths Project, a “movement” we co-operate with Rice University. As I have grown to understand more about people, human nature, and religion there are always many ways that change comes to take hold in a society. I agree, however, that youth are a critical component to moving the general public to a place on the side of the ‘bridge-builders.’ I also agree that we are underfunded and often an after thought. My analysis of this particular dynamic is that it is easier and more comfortable for us as human beings to address the “symptoms” of our societal deficiences (such as providing food to the hungry or shelter to the homeless) than it is to address our own depravity and shortcomings. Promoting and working for peace requires us to ascertain and address the places of our own human weakness and make an effort to change it. We would rather offer a blanket or a sack lunch than change ourselves to release our stereotypes, meet someone we are afraid of, or walk into a foreign place of worship. We fear that somehow the “other” will make us less than we are because we are not secure in our own humanity. We as bridge-builders have to find ways to motivate others to embrace the dark parts of our own souls and move past them…that is our true challenge, the funding is only the tip of the iceberg. Thank you Frank for an engaging post.

]]> By: Dilara Hafiz http://irdialogue.org/articles/best-practices-non-profit-articles/a-case-for-youth-action-by-frank-fredericks/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Dilara Hafiz Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:07:24 +0000 http://irdialogue.org/?p=888#comment-17 I second your suggestion that more 'bridge-builders' are needed from amongst our youth - I'm the Vice President of the Arizona Interfaith Movement as well as the Youth Director - the youth have the energy & motivation to dialogue & put their dreams into action. Eboo has called for an 'interfaith movement' in America following in the footsteps of the civil rights movement & the equal rights movement - the time is now! I second your suggestion that more ‘bridge-builders’ are needed from amongst our youth – I’m the Vice President of the Arizona Interfaith Movement as well as the Youth Director – the youth have the energy & motivation to dialogue & put their dreams into action.

Eboo has called for an ‘interfaith movement’ in America following in the footsteps of the civil rights movement & the equal rights movement – the time is now!

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