 Fort Wayne, Indiana sends its love Below is a letter written by faith leaders in the Fort Wayne community in a show of interfaith solidarity against hate and bigotry. Short, succinct and to the point. The signatories are listed at the end in alphabetical order. We also had a great turn out and many prayers tonight. May God bless you and your families. #ourthreewinners February 17, 2015 We mourn with great sadness the senseless murders of Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad, and her sister, Razan Mohammead Abu-Salha, whose lives were taken from this earth in what appears to be a hate crime. As religious leaders, as Americans, as neighbors and colleagues, we are alarmed that a neighbor would do this and in cold blood. Our hearts ache as we pray for these young victims, their families, and for all who love them. We pray for the healing of their community and renew our commitment to interfaith solidarity as we strive to create a world where such acts have no place. Our variety of faith traditions unite in the teachings that God is love, God is mercy, God is compassion and to use such divine love to respect one another, to promote kindness and love. We stand together in opposition to acts and attitudes of hatred wherever they occur. We stand in solidarity with all who are victims of hate crimes and other discriminatory and intolerant behaviors intended to harm or diminish the personhood of another. Given the circumstances of this most recent tragedy, it is especially important that our Muslim siblings know they are respected, valued and appreciated in our community. As we lead our congregations and help our communities navigate this hateful ugliness that too often rears its head in our country, we vow to pray more, to reflect more, to sing more, and to speak words that nourish our tired souls. Together we will fall to our knees, clasp hands, and walk more tenderly upon Mother Earth in order to feel and embody the grief of our world. We will not be silent in the face of injustice. We will not stand idly when any of our neighbors are targeted in acts of persecution and violence. United on the principles of love, mercy and compassion, we will live for what is humane and just for all people in this community and throughout the world. Signatories (in alphabetical order) Ahmed Abdelmageed, Pharm D Muslim Alliance of Indiana Imam Nuhu Abdulai Muslim Resident Scholar Universal Education Foundation Rev. Dr. Terry Anderson Executive Director Just Neighbors Interfaith Homeless Network Rabbi Javier E. Cattapan Congregation Achduth Vesholom Bhante Devenanda Indiana Buddhist Temple Rev Dr Gary M Erdos Trinity English Lutheran Church Rev. Brian Flory Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren Rev. John P. Gardner Plymouth Congregational Church of Fort Wayne, UCC Dr. Carl Jylland-Halverson Ambassador for Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions Rev. Thomas P. Hansen Trinity Episcopal Church Rev. Fred Hasecke, Pastor Emeritus of Trinity English Lutheran Church Sister M. Anita Holzmer, OSF Assistant Vice President for Mission Integration University of Saint Francis Rev. Kimberly Koczan Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren Rabbi Mitchell Kornspan Congregation B'nai Jacob Rev. Arianne Lehn and Rev. Jeff Lehn First Presbyterian Church. Venerable Matugama Mahanama, Spiritual Director Rev. Ruth E. Phillips, Plymouth Congregational Church, UCC Dr. Gohar Salam Universal Education Foundation President Rev. Misty-Dawn Shelly Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Wayne Ferril M. Sorenson II Fort Wayne Stake President Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints L. Michael Spath, DMin, PhD Executive Director Indiana Center for Middle East Peace Lori Way Volunteer advocate The Sikh Coalition
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I am going to write freely so please excuse what might come across as the midnight ramblings of an exhausted soul.
I am, as I’m sure you all are, tired of how cheap the human life has become. I am tired of waking up every morning to news of senseless killings, whether politically motivated, racially motivated, socioeconomically motivated or just simply pure hate…..killing is nothing but a sinister, premature ending of someone’s life on the hands of those who have no regard to the sanctity of life and peace. Today’s news were especially shocking and they stirred me beyond just a condemnation and a prayer. My sister’s comments on the issue broke me down. She said “they are my children’s age”. My nephews are the same age of the three killed in North Carolina and I can’t help but think that they could have been the victims. What is keeping me up at night however is that this person was their neighbor and he killed them “execution style” and in cold blood. No dispute over parking space prompts someone, who ranted regularly on social media about his hate of religion, to kill others in that manner. He did it out of spite to their faith and others have done it in the name of their faith but we all know that no God decrees a faith on the basis of killing others. What are we to do? I don’t want my children growing up in this environment. I don’t want this hate to seep into the hearts of our citizens. We preached, and we continue to preach, that God is love, God is mercy, God is compassion yet we continue to lose some of our own flock to hate. So what are we to do? Condemnation and prayer are not enough. You, as leaders of the various faiths that make up our beautiful city, need to do something collectively. The thought of “interfaith solidarity” keeps popping in my head. How wonderful would it be for all of our congregants to see their faith leaders come together, embrace each other and pray together. All under the banner of “Not in my faith’s name” we show all the beauty that makes up our community and unite on the principles of love, mercy and compassion. Again, I apologize for my rambling. I am simply exhausted and I am seeking your help. There are people out there who are fanning the flames of bigotry and hate. Wolves prying on our flock. We need to send a clear message to this community, and to be an example to all other communities, that we all stand united as beautiful pieces of the most exquisite mosaic. I pray this email find you in peace and I pray that the God of mercy envelopes us all with His abundant love. Your brother, Ahmed |
AuthorPalestinian, Muslim, American, Husband, Father, Academic, Pharmacist, Coffee Addict, Nutella phene, Pseudo writer, Soccer player, former Canadian, Community servant, Pinch hitter imam, interfaith ninja, Intellectual vigilante, and the undisputed KING of snark Archives
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