Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 7, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE -A rabbi, a bishop, an aboriginal elder, and a Muslim scholar gathered Tuesday to talk about what faith meant to them.

The question posed to speakers at the World Religions Conference at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre was 'why I believe in my faith.'

Rabbi Itzchak Marmostein, one of five speakers at the World Religions conference at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre Tuesday, makes his point during a presentation on why he believes in Judaism. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo

It was only when the audience of close to 40 had a chance to pose their questions that the speakers began to struggle.

One question asked was whether any of them felt that believers of other faiths would go to heaven or hell.

Yellowknife's Bishop Larry Robertson of the Anglican Church said that he didn't feel the question was fair because it isn't his job, or anyone else's to say who goes where after they die. He also said it wasn't fair to ask the question when so many people with a diversity of faiths were there to discuss their respective religions.

"It is God's decision and it's not a human decision. As a Christian I leave the judgment of who goes where to God," he said.

Rabbi Itzchak Marmostein of British Columbia said that, in the Jewish faith, conversions are very rare and that they have a requirement where people must be asked why they would want to change.

"God doesn't need you to be Jewish, he loves you the way you are," he said.

Maseem Mahdi, representing the Islamic faith, agreed with Robertson that the decision of who goes where is not up to people.

"We can hope that all those that are good human beings will go to heaven." He quoted the Koran, saying that whoever believes in God would go to paradise.

Francois Paulette, former chief of Smith's Landing, Alta., said hell was never a concept aboriginal people believed in until Europeans came.

He said there was only the Creator who was good.

"The Creator is forgiving, he is loving and he is understanding. When someone passes on we leave them in the hands of God."

One of the more misunderstood religions is Islam, Mahdi admitted. He said media have not done a good job of portraying his religion.

"You will see that the Islam portrayed on TV is not the true Islam."

He pointed to the fact that the word Islam, as translated in Arabic to English, means "peace." He also added that Islam recognized Jesus as one of Allah's (God's) prophets.

"Islam requires a belief in Jesus," he said.

"I think that the emphasis from the (Islam) speaker was the peace, and it runs counter to what popular media has said," said Father Joseph Daley from St. Patrick's Catholic Church during a reception held between speakers.

Brian Wincherauk said he found what Paulette had to say enlightening.

"I don't know much about aboriginal spirituality," he admitted, but added that he had learned something from Paulette.

Curiosity drew Derek Faria to the conference. "So far I find all the presentations to be informative," he said.