NCC repeats statement deploring plans to burn Qur'an

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>The NCC reiterates its condemnation
>of church's plans to burn the Qur'an 

New York, September 2, 2010 -- The National Council of Churches today 
reite rated its statement of August 11 condemning plans by a Florida 
church to bu rn the Qur'an on September 11.

On the eve of Ramadan, the NCC and its Interfaith Relations 
Commission call ed upon Christians and persons of other faiths to 
express respect for Musli ms and Islam. The August 11 statement, 
which expressed dismay over recent o ut outbreaks of Islamophobia and 
anti Muslim sentiments, said, in part,

"We also decry the anti-Muslim actions and plans of many church 
leaders and  members, such as those of the Dove World Outreach Center 
in the U.S.A.  Mi sguided or confused about the love of neighbor by 
which Christ calls us to  live,  leaders and members of this church 
and others are engaged in harassm ent of Muslims, and in the planning 
of an "International Burn the Qur'an Da y," to be held on September 
11th.   Such open acts of hatred are not a witn ess to Christian 
faith, but a grave trespass against the ninth commandment,  a bearing 
of false witness against our neighbor.  They contradict the mini stry 
of Christ and the witness of the church in the world.  

"We ask all Christians to promote respect and love of neighbor, and 
to spea k and work against extremist ideas, working with Muslims as 
appropriate, in  order to live out the commandment to love our 
neighbor, and to promote pea ce."

The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National 
Council of  Churches, said the council had chosen to repeat its 
statement in response  to "many requests from persons of good will 
who wish to make it abundantly  clear to the international community 
that millions of Americans reject the  anti-Muslim expressions of 
some communities who seem to be reacting out of  fear and a 
misunderstanding of the true nature of Islam."

See earlier NCC statements at

http://www.ncccusa.org/news/100811ramadanrespect.html

and http://www.ncccusa.org/MK.cordobamosque.html          
                

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of 
Christ  in the USA has been the leading force for ecumenical 
cooperation among Chri stians in the United States. The NCC's 36 
member faith groups -- from a wid e spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, 
Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African  American and Living Peace 
churches -- include 45 million persons in more t han 100,000 local 
congregations in communities across the nation.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 
646-853-4212 ( cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org