Tag Archives: Islam

Oct13

Terrorism Has NO Religion: Breaking Down The Misconceptions of Islam

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Imagine a person – let’s call her Jane Doe – who knows little about Christianity, little to nothing about the Bible, and knows only a few Christians personally (but not very well.) Jane only hears about “Christians” when reading about the horrific Crusaders in history books and when watching the news headlines about scary, hateful, violent acts and attacks that are being made by “Christian” terrorist groups like the KKK, Lord’s Resistance Army, Aryan Nations, Orange Volunteers, Nazis, etc.

One day – when Jane is feeling extra scared after catching wind of another “Christian” terrorist attack – she decides to open the Bible to see how violent Christianity really is. During her search, Jane opens the Bible up to Exodus 32:27-29, 2 Chronicles 25:12, Deuteronomy 3:3-6, Matthew 10:14-15, John 6:53-56, Acts 3:23, 1 Corinthians 10:9-10, and Hebrews 10:28-31. She reads these texts (out of context) and comes to the conclusion that this Christian religion is extremely dangerous: it must be a terrorist group because its own sacred texts condone such horrific violence and because almost all the “Christians” she sees in the news are terrorists. She decides that she now agrees with so many around her who have been saying that Christians must be profiled, that their communities should be placed under surveillance, and that Christians should possibly be restricted from immigrating to Jane’s country (even if they were fleeing war and violence in their home countries). They are just too dangerous.

Now, most of us know that:
Passages in the Bible need to be read in context.
Christians are not terrorists.
The KKK, Lord’s Resistance Army, Aryan Nations, Orange Volunteers, Nazis are not Christians. (They just claim that they are in order to try to justify their hate.)

However, we often forget this when it comes to Islam.

Folks: this is what happens too often to our Muslim siblings.

Yet, terrorism has NO religion.

We need to begin educating ourselves about what Islam really stands for and who our Muslims sisters, brothers, siblings really are. It’s well past time we start breaking down these incredibly dangerous and harmful misperceptions and stereotypes.

We can start here with this short video on some misconceptions about Islam.  But may this only be the beginning of this very important (and urgent) process.

Nov23

Can You Hear The Prayer of the Children?

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Yesterday I attended my favorite annual interfaith Thanksgiving service: where Muslims, Jews, and Christians in my neighborhood come together every year to give thanks to God and to celebrate the beauty of our diversity and our unity that comes in the teachings of all our faith traditions: that we are to shine God’s love to others, share our abundance with those in need, and work for peace and justice.

I was in tears so many times: As we joined together in song. In prayer. In reading and reflecting upon our beloved scriptures. In offering up food and money to those in our community who are hungry, cold, and hurting. In not only giving thanks to God for our blessings, but also praying that God would help us share our blessings with others in dire need – particularly our Syrian brothers and sisters (and all other refugees throughout the world) who are desperately fleeing war and violence.

I wish that more people in our city and throughout our country could have the opportunities I have to experience God’s love in this way – through a powerful and beautiful multi-faith and multi-ethnic community like this one.

And I wish that more people could have heard the children and youth who preached to us through song yesterday – especially as we find ourselves at a time when the world really needs to hear them:

Some of the Muslim children and youth preached when they sang a song that included faith expressions from Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism – reminding us that it is beautiful when we let our faith lead us in caring for one another and in joining together as one human family.

Some of the Methodist children and youth preached to us when they sang: “No matter what you say, no matter what you think: I am a child of God. No matter what they say, no matter what they think, you are a child of God.”

And some of the Catholic children and youth preached when they sang to us:

“Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light

Crying Jesus, help me
To see the morning light-of one more day
But if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take

Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day a better day

Crying Jesus, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm

Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day a better day

Crying Jesus, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm

Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands.

Crying Jesus, help me
To feel the sun again upon my face,
For when darkness clears I know you’re near,
Bringing peace again.

Can you hear the prayer of the children?”

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May we listen. May we see. May we weep. May we respond. May we welcome. May we embrace. May we love.

May we hear the prayer of the children. ALL the children.