Faith Leaders Promote Petition Calling on Rep. Goode to Affirm Religious Toleration

Friday, January 05, 2007

For Immediate Release
January 5, 2007

In the wake of comments by Rep. Virgil Goode regarding the swearing in of now Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress, a diverse coalition of Catholic, Protestant and Jewish leaders are calling on people of every faith to stand together with our Muslim neighbors in defense of religious liberty, mutual respect and tolerance.

Religious leaders are inviting persons of every faith to sign a petition urging Rep. Goode to make public his affirmation of the importance of preserving religious toleration by attending a mosque in his district with a delegation of interfaith leaders. By this action, Congressman Goode can show that he supports the rights of all Americans to worship as they see fit and that it is possible for all of us to live in peace with people whose views are very different from our own.

Signatories of the petition already include George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary; David A. Robinson, Executive Director, Pax Christi USA; Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, General Secretary, National Council of Churches; Joseph C. Hough, Jr., President, Union Theological Seminary; and Rev. Timothy F. Simpson, Christian Alliance for Progress.

For more information, please contact:
Rev. Timothy F. Simpson, President, Christian Alliance for Progress at 888-381-0108 or 904-737-3906 cell
George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary, at 609-252-2114 or 609-683-7830
Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, General Secretary, National Council of Churches, 917-821-0852 or 201-947-9378 or 212-870-2025

The text of the petition, which can be found at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/virgilgoode, is as follows:

A Call for Inter-Faith Reconciliation

As religious people from diverse traditions, we call upon Virginia Congressman Virgil Goode to re-examine his opposition to newly-elected Representative Keith Ellison, a Muslim, taking his unofficial oath of office using the Quran, and to apologize for his statement that, without punitive immigration reform, "there will be many more Muslims elected to office demanding the use of the Quran."

Mr. Goode insinuates that having more Muslims in the United States would be a danger to our country. As people of faith, we reject such ill-considered words.

An attack against one religion is an attack against them all. Next week, it could be Jews. Next month, it could be Christian fundamentalists or evangelicals. Right now, it is Muslims. It is they who feel targeted by repression and abuse, and they who live among us in a growing climate of fear.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel once implored us: "No religion is an island! We are all involved with one another. Spiritual betrayal on the part of one of us affects the faith of all of us."

We hold it to be self-evident that all Americans have the right to practice their faith, whatever it may be, and that any Americans - regardless of race, color or creed - may be elected and sworn into office holding whatever book they consider sacred.

We would point out that there are some five million Muslims in the US. Many have been here for generations. They are every bit as American as Rep. Goode. Some Americans have also converted to Islam, including Rep. Ellison. We call for a renewed unity among people of conscience and of faith.

We would further point out that just as it was appropriate for the late President Ford to be honored by a profoundly Christian memorial service, so it is equally appropriate for Rep. Ellison to be sworn into office, in a private ceremony, holding the book representing his deepest religious convictions.

Above all, we urge all Americans to stand up for religious freedom and to deplore the hurtful words of any public figure who would disparage a particular religion.

In a spirit of reconciliation and peace, we invite Rep. Goode to join with us in an inter-religious delegation to visit a mosque in his district, in order that the healing may begin.

Please visit http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/virgilgoode for a list of signatories so far.

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CONTACT: Rev. Timothy F. Simpson, 888-381-0108 or 904-737-3906