The internationally respected preacher, professor, author and sociologist said it was possible, since many prominent politicians and religious leaders actively promote America as a "Christian nation" and certainly the terrorists empowered by our invasion of Iraq consider their sponsors to be "Muslim nations."

Then he gravely said he hoped the war would stay on political grounds and not religious, because religious wars are the worst kind.

When combatants feel they are tools in the hand of their god, being used for his purposes, no sacrifice is too great to make, no horror too mean to inflict.

Although Baptists long have tussled over ideas and called our little conflicts "wars," few Americans comprehend the deadly hatred between Muslim Sunni and Shiite sects. While we try to classify their differences as similar to the difference between a senior adult class and the youth, there seethes between them a 1,300-year old blood hatred that the youngest Sunni or the oldest Shiite could quote.

George Braswell helped me understand that this spring when I participated in a special dialog he sponsored through the World Religions and Global Cultures Center of Campbell University Divinity School.

We studied the history and players of Islam, then visited two mosques and heard directly from their imams, both of whom answered our questions easily and forthrightly. All the participants—from retired folks to divinity school students—came away from that event with a better understanding of Islam and an appreciation of its common root with Jewish and Christian heritage through Abraham.

That's what Braswell does at the Center. He helps participants better understand other cultures and religions, for better understanding leads to peace.

In September he is doing the same thing with a few other world religions: Judaism, Mormonism and Scientology.

 On Sept. 15 Braswell will meet with Rabbi Eric Solomon at Beth Meyer Synagogue in Raleigh in the morning, and with the president of the Mormon mission in North Carolina in the afternoon.

On Sept. 29, Braswell will host a workshop on Scientology at Campbell at which Susan Taylor, pastor of the founding Church of Scientology in Washington, D.C. will participate.

These events are open to you and he encourages churches to bring a van load to sit in and learn. The Sept. 15 events are near a prominent Raleigh shopping mall with lots of convenient eateries.

Space is limited, so email George Braswell, or phone him at 800 760-9827 ext. 1506 or register here.

You may wonder why it is important for you to become familiar with world religions. They are coming to our doors and those who practice them are becoming our neighbors. Just as Christ provides peace that passes understanding, we want to encourage an understanding that leads to peace.