The New York Times reports on Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s annual interfaith breakfast, which for the first time in eight years included representatives of nonbelievers:
Nazli Parvizi, the mayor’s commissioner of the Community Affairs Unit, decided to invite atheists for the first time. She said she was inspired in part by President Obama’s inaugural address, which included a prominent reference to America’s nonbelievers, and by her own sense of fairness.
“I always do my best to make sure every group is represented,” said Ms. Parvizi, who is an atheist herself. “I guess all these times I’ve ignored my own religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs, and so we reached out to atheist societies.”
Ms. Parvizi said she did not think her personal beliefs influenced her decision to include atheists. She maintained that the purpose of the Interfaith Breakfast was more civil than religious.
“We reach out to clergy all the time, and the point is these are groups of folks who are really trusted by the community,” Ms. Parvizi said. “It’s not about a religious message; it’s about a message in community-building.”
Read the full article here.