Keeler: Understanding the faiths of Asia

A lot of temporary insanity broke out after 9/11, and perhaps the craziest was the persecution of Sikhs.

As it became known that the hijackers were Muslims, and images of Osama bin Laden appeared everywhere, often wearing a turban, life became miserable for Sikhs. Their faith requires them to wear unshorn hair and turbans, and too many Americans mistook them for Muslims and tormented them.

That was doubly wrong. To persecute Muslims because of the actions of a fanatic few was deeply unfair. To attack Sikhs was also unfair -- and ignorant. Sikhs not only are not Muslims, but suffered centuries ago in conflict with fundamentalist Muslims in India.

"We're mistaken for the fundamentalists that we fought against," said Jessi Kaur, a Sikh from California. In an interview, she recalled examples of ignorance about Sikhs. In one case, the gurdwara, or temple, in San Jose held a fundraiser for 9/11 victims. The hosts outlined Sikh history and beliefs, but the guests somehow didn't comprehend. "As we were taking them back to their cars, they asked us what sect of Islam we belong to," Kaur recalled.

Now she and adherents of other Asian faiths have a chance to dispel ignorance in a valuable new documentary, "The Asian & Abrahamic Religions: A Divine Encounter in America." The two-part film airs at 3 p.m. this Saturday and next Saturday on WNET/13.

It's the third in a series from Auteur Productions in Maryland. The others were "Jews & Christians: A Journey of Faith" and "Three Faiths, One God: Judaism, Christianity, Islam."

This latest film examines the beliefs and practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. It features members of those religions and of the three Abrahamic faiths.

One of them, Bishop John Bryson Chane, former bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, says in the film: "If I were to go into a church and say, 'Do you know that Sikhs are very theistic, they are very monotheistic?' they would not believe me." In the film, Chane and other Christians, Jews and Muslims dispel erroneous ideas about the Asian religions.

"These films are really meant to change attitudes in terms of misconceptions and stereotypes about the groups," said producer Gerald Krell, in an interview.

Before starting Auteur Productions, Krell had a career making films for the United States Information Agency. He is Jewish, but not religious. Still, he's open to listening and learning about other faiths. The film, produced by Krell, Meyer Odze and Krell's son, Adam, takes viewers on that journey, with interviews and live action.

"There's only 20 seconds of narrative in two hours," Krell said. "We try to let people who know what they're talking about tell us the story."

That story will have a life beyond these two weeks. Krell's previous films are still shown in high schools and play a role in interfaith dialogues. And the Henry Luce Foundation has given Auteur a grant to put a DVD and study guide of the new film in divinity schools, to foster understanding.

"The core message of all our interfaith films is that pluralism is critical to human survival," Krell said. "If religious conflicts of the past are to be avoided in the future, religious pluralism and serious interreligious conversations are essential to the global community." Kaur added: "What he's doing is highly commendable. He's eradicating ignorance."

If this film had been shown widely before 9/11, perhaps there would have been just a tiny bit less of the ignorance that led to Sikhs being harassed, and even killed. But it's never too late for us to learn more about the nation's increasing religious diversity. This documentary is a good start.

Bob Keeler is a member of the Newsday editorial board.