At a great international interfaith gathering at a major convention hotel, five delegates found themselves waiting and waiting for the elevator following one of the sessions. To break the monotony and silence, one of delegates suggested they play a little game: "Let's see if we can explain our faith in the time it takes the elevator to go from here to the first floor!"   Although they would have to travel up and down several times, the delegates agreed. 

On the trip down from the tenth to the first floor, the Roman Catholic delegate volunteered to go first. He recited the Apostles' Creed, and finished just as the doors opened on the lobby.   Next, the Universalist delegate pushed the button for the tenth floor and proceeded to say, "We Universalists believe in the essential goodness of humanity and of God. We believe that God loves all creatures, and intends our well-being and happiness, in this world and the next. We believe in a God who rewards, and does not punish."   The Universalist was finished well before the elevator reached the tenth floor. 

Next, it was the Hindu delegate's turn. Pressing the button for the lobby, she began, "We Hindus believe in the great wheel of life. All is a cycle, and what has been will be again. It is for us to understand our place in this turning, to do what falls to us to do, and to celebrate our place in the scheme of existence."   Like the Universalist, she was finished long before the elevator reached its destination. 

Now it fell to the Zen Buddhist delegate to push the button for the tenth floor.   All waited eagerly for him to begin, but there was only silence as the car traveled the ten floors. When the doors opened, they asked the Zen Buddhist: "Why did you not say anything to us about your belief?"   He replied: "In saying nothing, I said all that there is to say." 

The interfaith conference delegates scratched their heads, then looked to the Unitarian delegate, the last to take a turn.   The elevator doors closed, and she reached out to push the button. All were surprised when she pushed "2."  

Why did you not push the button for the lobby?" they asked.

"Because," the Unitarian delegate replied, "there's a great little coffee shop on the second floor where we can kick back and really discuss this!"

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