InterfaithNews.Net

Dear Readers,

Whether we speak of the fate of
a Christian
convert in Afghanistan [Wikipedia],
Muslims in the United
States [CAIR], or the

Bahá’ís of Iran [UNHCRC], religious freedom is not
today as respected around the world as it should be.

Religious freedom is a serious and ongoing challenge for millions of
people around the world, one that raises many questions about the ability of
religions to progress and adapt to new circumstances — including
whether or not we should expect them to do so. I cannot tell clerics and
communities how to interpret the words of their Prophets, peace be upon them.
I can only ask that we guard freedom of belief for all religionists —
as well as those who do not believe — regardless of whose path they
follow.

Executions for apostasy, desecration of holy sites, and incitement of
hatred of other religions by media personalities (be they in Iran, Denmark,
or the United States) are all examples of how “religiously motivated
violence” includes far more than just out-and-out warfare. If the interfaith
movement is to address this violence, then religionists of all stripes must
bear witness to the need for constructive dialogue and must raise their
voices in proclaiming a unified front not just against fanaticism, but for
peace among religions.

That is why I am thankful that the Council on American-Islamic Relations
made a clear

call for the release [CAIR] of the Afghan convert, citing numerous
passages from the Qur’an in their defense of this man’s freedom of choice.
Likewise it was heartening to see the
National Council of
Churches [NCCCUSA] standing “in solidarity with North American Islamic
organizations” and calling for a “dialogue of civilizations” in response to
the cartoon crisis.

If we are to prevent a

firestorm [URI] of religious violence, we must take the lessons of
interfaith dialogue into our workplaces, into social justice, into the halls
of governance, into our places of worship. And we must share the stories of
our success, the means to our actions, and the inspiration for our visions
— that we might advance together towards a future that is sustainable,
just, and spiritually fulfilling for people the world over.

Peace be with you,
Stephen A. Fuqua
Editor, InterfaithNews.Net

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 6th, 2006 at 9:41 pm and is filed under Editorial and Op-Ed. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.