Talk, listen to resolve religious conflict

6:10 p.m. EST January 26, 2015
Dan Weyand-Geise and Margaret A. Fox
The Rev. Dan Weyand-Geise is president and Margaret A. Fox is executive director of the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati, which is an interfaith coalition of 17 denominations of Muslims, Jews, Roman Catholics, Protestants and Unitarian-Universalists who work to improve policy and raise the level of civil discussion.

The Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati expresses its sorrow to our sisters and brothers of all faiths and creeds for the loss of life in Paris and the terrorists' attacks across the world. Attacks that have caused the world to weep. In light of these tragedies, we seek to console and appeal to our shared humanity as one way to begin to talk about, understand and cooperate.

What challenges us as an interfaith coalition and community is how do we talk about violent extremism that is referred to as radical Islam. If we use the term "radical Islam" to identify the common link among groups operating worldwide, we run the risk of criticism by some in the Muslim community. In their opinion, the term does not reflect any tenet of their faith. On the other hand, if we use the term "violent extremism" then some Muslims and non-Muslims believe it is dishonest. In their opinion, the term does not reflect the pattern of specific violent acts committed by an organized effort that identifies itself as a sect of Islam.

In recent honoring of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, we are reminded how he lived his life based on the tenet of universal love, while at the same time recognizing the hatred and extreme violence of the Ku Klux Klan. King insisted that Christians and other religious people stand up to this warped and racist interpretation of Christianity. They were to name it, claim it and reject it. Yet, to this day, the KKK considers itself a Christian group. The majority of Christians in our society disagree with the KKK. The progress made in civil and human rights led by King demonstrated his choice to live non-violently to make a difference. King chose life over death.

People of faith, members of World Religions and holders of treasured creeds or beliefs, all cherish and choose the gift of life over death. All struggle with ways to dialogue openly and to respond to the organized effort of terror around the world. This occurs whether it is al-Qaeda killing Muslims, Christians and Jews; Boko Haram killing mostly Muslims in Nigeria; the Taliban in Pakistan; or recently a young man in Cincinnati claiming to be aligned with al-Qaeda.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2015/01/26/talk-listen-resolve-religious-conflict/22373069/