At the root of many of the world's religions is a respect for others - something that has been lost in recent political discourse, according to Feisal Abdul-Rauf, an imam coming to a Bard College conference next week to help defuse tensions.

The conference, "Seeds of Transformation: Toward a Spiritual Renaissance in a Time of Fundamental Change," features religious leaders from more than a dozen religious perspectives. The aim is to "locate and dismantle" misinterpretations of religious fundamentals that can be as hurtful as weapons of mass destruction, according to organizers. Abdul-Rauf was invited because of his common-ground perspectives on Islam, Judaism and Christianity.