Event will celebrate the unity of common values

Published in the January 6 – 19, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Staff Report

Leaders from local faith communities met in response to recent national reaction to religious-based terrorism to write a letter to the South Valley community encouraging charitable communication and behavior toward Muslims.

“Global terrorism is creating a climate of fear, and the refugee crisis from the Syrian civil war is unprecedented in the number of people displaced and suffering,” said the Rev. Anita Warner of the Advent Lutheran Church.

Some writers, commentators, politicians and candidates are suggesting religious difference is at the root of these threats, tragedies and conflicts, she said. The leaders of local faith communities want to state clearly that they are not threatened by the religious difference and diversity in the South Valley. Rather, all faith traditions call on their members to show respect and compassion toward one another.

“The core principles of our country, in the Constitution and First Amendment, also call us to defend our neighbors’ rights to freely practice their religion,” she said. “We hope to contribute toward a climate of acceptance, compassion and kindness in Morgan Hill and the South County. We want to be clear that those who claim bigotry or religious intolerance as a matter of faith do not speak for us. As Muslims are being harassed and mosques have been burned, we particularly want to stand together with them as a matter of neighborliness, citizenship and faith in protecting their right to live and practice their faith in peace.”

“As both clergy and laypeople for our various communities come together, we envision possibilities of learning and service events in the future that can be shaped by neighbors speaking and organizing together,” Warner said.

Imam Illyas Anwar of the South Valley Islamic Community sees the letter as a positive action to help address the violence done by some religious extremists and show most Muslims are peaceful and want to live in harmony with people of other religious faiths.

“Due to the current events including the shooting in Paris and specifically the San Bernardino shootings, the local faith groups reached out to us to see if we could come together and show our support for each other,” he said. “These are critical times and we need to remind our community that our standing with each other is more important rather then being divided. We just want to let our local South County residents know that our Jewish and Christian brothers and sisters as well as other groups are standing next to next to each other.”

Interfaith letter to the community

Dear Friends,

Times of crisis, distress, and violence too often expose our deeply held fears. People of faith share much in common: a desire for a peaceful world, respect for one another, and a commitment to strive collaboratively to advance social justice and the common good. Current attempts to isolate and demonize our Muslim sisters and brothers violate the foundation of our shared beliefs.

As an interfaith community, we must name and address the fears held by many Americans which place an undue threat and burden on our Muslim neighbors. Any words of bigotry, prejudice, narrow-mindedness, and racial or religious intolerance bring shame to us and our community. We must renew our commitment to seek more effective ways to protect and defend one another from words and actions that assault the safety, well-being, and dignity of groups and individuals.

The global refugee crisis and the acts of terror committed in this country and around the world demand our collective efforts and common prayers. Therefore, we will seek to stand shoulder to shoulder as agents of peace, justice, welcome, and reconciliation. In our effort to denounce that which divides us, we plead for the spread of love and friendship among all our people.

Imam Ilyas Anwar, South Valley Islamic Community
Rev. Dawn Boyd, Gilroy United Methodist Church
Rev. Robert S. Brocato, St. Mary Catholic Church, Gilroy
Jan Bernstein Chargin, South Valley Unitarian Fellowship
Rev. Patrick E. Davis, Morgan Hill United Methodist Church
Msgr. Jerónimo Gutierrez, St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church, Morgan Hill
Rev. Ronald E. Koch, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Gilroy
Bishop Soren Koldewyn, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Morgan Hill
Rabbi Debbie Israel, Congregation Emeth, South Valley Jewish Community
Father José Antonio Rubio, St. Mary Catholic Church, Gilroy
Rev. Dennis Tarr, Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church
Rev. Lee Tyler, Advent Lutheran Church, Morgan Hill
Rev. Anita R. Warner, Advent Lutheran Church, Morgan Hill
Pandit Ganesh Shasthry, Silicon Valley Hindu Temple San Jose/San Martin