The Joy of Supporting Religious Freedom

Fantine

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Today I had the privilege of praying with Americans who are suffering religious persecution, and it was one of those rare occasions when I felt completely "on purpose," knowing exactly that I was where God meant me to be in that moment.

Right after lunch I received an email from our interfaith group that our local mosque had been vandalized the previous night, defaced with obscenities and swastikas in spray paint. My friends who are more deeply involved with social justice issues than I usually am had just left on a mission trip, so another friend and I left to attend their prayer service as an expression of compassion and solidarity.

When we arrived, a local Muslim doctor greeted us warmly, pointing to a beautiful flower arrangement at the door, a gift from our town's small Jewish community. Several policemen were on the grounds, and children were playing on the lawn. We were directed to the women's worship room, where we removed our shoes, hugged some of the women, and sat respectfully to join our prayers to theirs.

Women and children attended the service through a closed circuit TV link. The service began with chant followed by alternating sessions of Arabic prayer and English mini-homilies about Allah, the prophets, persecution, God's tests, and God's mercy. I have met members of the Muslim community before, and felt absolutely connected in sharing their sorrow and offering our support as my friend and I offered silent prayers in our own faith tradition and our own language.

When the service was over, the Episcopal priest and several other Christians came forward to offer support. The women all hugged us and invited us to come back any time.

I know God sent us there to represent all the good Christians in our town who descry such violence and persecution. My non-profit employers allowed my friend and I to spend an hour in prayer with them as a sign of their support as well.

Hatred can bring forth goodness--and I was blessed to be a part of it. I pray that violence will end against our Muslim neighbors--people of faith and good will.
 

Fantine

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This thread began as a testimony which I hoped would inspire.

If changing the hearts of Muslims is your eventual goal, how difficult that is to do after they have experienced vandalism and discrimination from other Christians...you are starting much further back because of the wrongs that have been done.

But I looked at it as a person-to-person outreach, not a Christian-to-Muslim outreach. When we reach out to people in crisis, God is present. God is in control, and God will bring good out of the situation.
 
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