Representatives of four religions — Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism — spoke about the challenges they face within their own constituencies and from others at an Oct. 10 panel discussion in Woodbridge sponsored by the American Conference on Diversity.

The event, held at Berkeley College, was sponsored by the Central Jersey chapter of the New Brunswick-based ACD, formerly known as the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

"I happen to believe in diversity," said Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg of Congregation Beth-El in Edison, who served as the panel's moderator. "I don't believe that any one religion is the truth to everyone. I have a feeling when God created all of us he wanted us to find the different truths."

Imam Raouf Zaman of the Muslim Center of Middlesex County in Piscataway spoke of what he called the myths that have been perpetuated in the media and even by law enforcement agencies about Muslims since 9/11.

Muslims, he noted, believe that Allah made human beings alike and are instructed "to not insult others on Earth."

"I'm interacting with Muslim youth and I have not seen any radicalization process," said Zaman, a native of Guyana.

The Rev. Dr. Sydney Sadio of the United Methodist Church in New Brunswick said misperceptions of Christianity exist as well, spread by negative images of evangelical ministers on television and child molestation scandals in the Catholic Church.

"If you get your views from television, you would get the impression the whole Christian church hates gays and is pro-life," he added. "That is because the people you see are the ones who blow up abortion clinics."

Sadio said stereotypes persist even in discourse among liberal and conservative Christians.

"To some conservatives, if you say you're a liberal Christian, they look at you like you're the scum of the earth — that anyone who differs with their point of view doesn't count," he said. "Some Christian conservatives believe that you must be a believer in Jesus Christ to go to heaven. But, that is certainly not the view of a whole lot of Christians, and certainly I do not subscribe to that view."

Suhrid Swaminarayan of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in Piscataway said that contrary to popular belief, Hindus are not polytheistic and do believe in an overall deity.

The misconceptions, he said, are partly due to the fact that it's "very hard in the United States and most countries to find a theological school of Hinduism. The Hindu faith is kind of interesting, especially in the United States, where we have this identity we don't show outside."

Swaminarayan, a native of London, said Hindus believe they should respect all religions and are told to "bow down" when passing another's place of worship.

Rosenberg, who was born in a displaced persons' camp after World War II to Auschwitz survivors, warned of a resurgence of anti-Semitism.

"Anti-Semitism is raging throughout the world, except in America," he said. "They now don't call it anti-Semitism; they call it anti-Zionism. That's the new term."

With such hatred surfacing, it is important for all faiths to support each other, said Rosenberg, the president of the Metuchen-Edison Interfaith Clergy Association.

"As a Jew, if I don't defend my brother Muslim — and I do — I open the door for more hatred against Jews," he stated.

John Hogan, an ACD board member, said the organization's goal is to bring together people of different religions, ideologies, and ethnic backgrounds. The Woodbridge conference was the second of three being held this year addressing religious stereotypes. The first was in New Brunswick; the location of the third, which will take place in the spring, has yet to be determined.

"We promote understanding of different people through understanding and education," said Hogan.