Muslims stress interfaith relations
By Rachel Zoll
Associated Press
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| The Rev. Bob Edgar was one of the Protestant leaders who addressed the Islamic Society of North America convention.
Associated Press |
The Islamic Society of North America, which organized the three-day event, invited moderate and liberal Protestant leaders to share the stage with Muslim leaders and address participants at the opening session.
The Rev. Daniel Vestal of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, which represents moderate Southern Baptists, told the audience that not all Baptists agree with recent statements by evangelicals "demeaning Islam."
The Rev. Jerry Vines, a Southern Baptist Convention leader, has called the Prophet Muhammad a "demon-possessed pedophile." Other critical statements of Islam have been made by the Revs. Franklin Graham and Pat Robertson.
"Please know there are many other Baptist Christians whose words and deeds are different," Vestal said. "We desire understanding, community and common cause."
Sayyid M. Syeed, secretary-general of the Islamic Society, noted that when Muslims began immigrating to the United States in large numbers in the 1960s, it was the Christian campus ministries that provided Muslim college students with space to worship.
The Rev. Bob Edgar, head of the National Council of Churches, which represents thousands of mainline Protestant and Orthodox Christian congregations, drew applause when he noted that his group had opposed the U.S.-led war on Iraq.
Edgar, who condemned what he called the "hate speech" of conservative Christian leaders who condemn Islam, committed the resources of his organization to fostering respect for the religion.
"I believe our God is calling us to this moment," Edgar said. "God is asking us in the United States to model and practice good behavior."
The convention, in its 40th year, is the largest American Muslim event and is expected to draw more than 35,000 people.
Participants are planning to address issues ranging from defending Islam to increasing their political influence in the United States.
The meeting comes at a difficult time for the U.S. Muslim community, which has felt under siege since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Estimates of the number of Muslims in the United States vary dramatically, between 2 million and 6 million.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights group in Washington, released a report last month blaming the government crackdown on terrorists for encouraging other citizens to target Muslims.
The council's annual study found a 15 percent jump last year in incidents of anti-Muslim violence, discrimination and harassment.
The Justice Department said it was irresponsible to blame the government for the increase. The federal agency said it had opened about 500 cases involving backlash crimes against Muslims as of last month.
Muslims also were outraged when President Bush last week appointed controversial Middle East scholar Daniel Pipes to the U.S. Institute of Peace, a government-sponsored think tank. Muslims consider Pipes an extremist and bigot for his critique of their religion, a claim Pipes denies.
The Islamic Society of North America, based in Plainfield, Ind., is an association of Muslim organizations working in education, social service and other areas.
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