KEY POINTS:
I used to envy people who could kill.
I'm not talking about murderers but people who could swat flies and spray mosquitoes without fear of backlash.
Growing up as a Buddhist and taught the concept of reincarnation, I was told that any life I took - even that
of an ant - would put me at risk of returning to this world as a lower life form in my next life.
Besides, the mosquito or fly could be a great-uncle or aunt paying a visit.
So, when I went camping as a Boy Scout, I had to grit my teeth when these great-uncles and aunties feasted on my blood, while the other scouts could just Mortein their mosquitoes away.
Last week I spent an hour with the Rev Man Wang, a Buddhist nun at the Fo Guang Shan temple in Manukau and related this experience and shared my thoughts on Buddhism with her.
Rev Man Wang explained that Buddhists believe compassion for others is central to being happy - and the teaching of not taking any life, is part of making one more compassionate.
I confessed that with the number of flies and mosquitoes I had killed since I became a Catholic in my late teens (sorry, great-uncles and aunts), I'd be lucky to come back as a bed bug.
We talked about the differences in our beliefs and areas where we agreed to disagree, but after that meeting I understood Buddhism and the thought patterns of Buddhists a lot better.
I didn't expect it, but it actually felt good talking about religion - and I don't think we are doing it enough at ground level. I don't mean preaching and attempting to impose our beliefs on others, but simply talking and sharing our faiths so that we can better understand each other.
Here in New Zealand, interfaith dialogues are taking place mainly at governmental and policy level, and usually involve only the heads of the various religious organisations.
But where's the dialogue at a people-to-people level?
At a national religious diversity forum last month non-Christians said New Zealand was not welcoming of other religions. Governor-General Anand Satyanand acknowledged that religious conflicts here were fuelled by a lack of understanding, and that people feared what they did not understand.
How can we understand if we don't talk? Living in a society where being politically correct is paramount, people here tend to shy away from talking about sensitive issues like religions and the different sets of beliefs and values that each one of us holds.
So instead of asking a Muslim or Jew why their religion does not allow them to eat pork - fearing such a question could be deemed offensive - we avoid asking.
Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims at the religious diversity forum objected to the word "tolerance" in a draft National Statement on Religious Diversity. But tolerating - as long as we do not take pains to understand the beliefs of others - is what we would continue to be doing. The Fo Guang Shan temple will mark Buddha's birthday this Sunday and they want to involve other religions and cultures in the celebrations.
There is nothing new in bringing religious leaders together to pray for world peace - churches and mosques have done the same before.
The temple has invited other religious and cultural groups to be involved in the event through performances, dances or presentations.
And some groups have been motivated to find out more about a religion other than their own. I know of a Muslim cultural group, who after receiving the invitation, did their own research on what Buddha's Birthday was all about and held a special meeting to discuss their involvement.
The temple's initiatives may be too liberal for some religious organisations, but I think there is plenty to be learnt.
Perhaps churches could invite Muslims, Buddhists, Jews and Hindus to join in their celebrations this Easter, or have their youth groups work with groups from other religions.
Or the Hindu temple could encourage non-Hindus to join devotees in lighting lamps for Diwali and getting other religious organisations to participate in the fascinating Thaipusam rituals.
At a Christmas Mass last year, Catholic Bishop Patrick Dunn explained how a teacher friend of his found a distinct difference between Buddhists and Christians at a school he was teaching at in Thailand. When it was time to pray, Christians would look into the heavens while the Buddhists would close their eyes and look to the ground.
But I think the biggest weakness in most of us is the failure of not looking sideways - left and right - to talk about our faith with others and taking an interest in their beliefs.
