Before Saturday, Rebecca Corona-Nickerson did not know too much about Buddhism – including the fact that Buddhism has no god.

“I didn’t realize that the Buddhists don’t worship a god,” said the 51-year-old Valencia resident. “Their whole thing is to be kind and live each day.”

That was one of several insights Corona-Nickerson gained while attending a Saturday forum on different belief systems including Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Atheism.

The forum, titled “God... Yes, No, Maybe?” was hosted by the local branch of American Association of University Women, with the support of the Santa Clarita Interfaith Council.

Although Nickerson is Catholic, she attended the forum to learn more about other religions and beliefs.

But she walked away with more than new knowledge and a lesson in tolerance.

“Sometimes tolerance is done because we have to be politically correct, respect is the real indicator,” she said. “They, (the panelists), were a wonderful example of respect for people who don’t exactly think the same way as they do.”

Corona-Nickerson was perceptive of the considerate interaction between the panelists.

“They all seemed so interested in what the other person had to stay,” she said.  

The panelists were each given an equal amount of time to answer questions from the moderator, Rev. Lynn Jay of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and from the audience. Questions ranged from what does your religion preach and what do your beliefs say about an afterlife to what is the role of women and what is a weakness of your belief system.

Buddhist speaker Jonathan Kraut, of Fair Oaks Ranch, saw many eyes open wide when he told the audience that Buddhism does not have a god, he said.

“There was a lot of surprise. ... People believed that Buddhism was a religion — which it is not — and that (Buddhism) had a god, which it does not,” he said.  

Although Buddhism is often considered a religion, Kraut wanted the audience to understand that “it’s a practice.”  

Buddhists believe that correct thinking and self-denial will enable the soul to reach nirvana, a state of release into ultimate enlightenment and peace. Until nirvana is reached, believers cannot be freed from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Corona-Nickerson said she loved the way Kraut described the practice and the requirements of its followers.

She also was particularly enlightened by Rabbi Mark Blazer’s answer when asked about a weakness in Judaism.

“The Jewish gentleman said their weakness is that there are not very many of them,” she said. “I hadn’t really thought of that.”

Blazer estimated there are 15 million Jews worldwide.

“I didn’t really know that’s how few of (Jews) there are in the entire universe,” she said. “So that’s a big issue for them and of course it is.”

A forum organizer, Robin Clough, said the feedback received by attendees expressed a desire for more such forums in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“There seems to be a hunger or thirst to know more about these different religions,” she said. “Everyone thought that they learned a lot.”

Blazer said he believes people who attended the forum walked away with a sense of respect that religious people can have for one another.

“We often hear of religious intolerance, the reality is intolerance exists in (religions), atheist and agnostics,” he said. “It’s an unfortunate human characteristic rather than a symptom of religion.”