P.O. Box 4343 Macon, GA 31208
478-742-1191
September 14, 2010
Dear Friends in Faith,
There is a part in all of us which seems to admire the zeal and fervor that certain people take from sacred altars and we stand in awe at the powerful utterance of certain individuals on matters of faith and conscious. They move tender souls to make tough decisions; stir bashful spirits to take bold action and inspire humble hearts to stand proudly.
Yet, the events of recent days have shown us the potential of extreme perspectives of life and faith to inflame the world to violence more than to inspire the world to peace. Such events have reminded us how just one, single, voice of intolerance can infuriate gentle souls everywhere. We have seen how the hateful attitude and fanatical behavior in certain unfamiliar areas in our country can have brutal repercussions in an equally unfamiliar and well known sections as well, on the other side of the world.
But in the arrogant gesture of such vulgarities, the American Muslim community…and no doubt, other Muslim communities in the world…exhibited a sense of kindness and grace not often extended to them. Whatever feelings you might have felt about such insults to your Holy Book, you stood tall and lived the message of your Ramadan season. It is a testimony to the Muslim communities of our country that, when it could have vented its frustrations….if not its anger…American Muslims took the high road of restraint against the insensitivities of others and of self control against the temptation to retaliate.
On behalf of Interfaith Task Force of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) of Georgia and the many individuals and churches of our Fellowship, I ‘Thank You’ for such a noble display of the spirit of God…however we spell His name. Because of such indignities hurled at you and your sacred writings, building bridges of understanding is needed more today than ever before! Therefore, our Interfaith Task Force will encourage the participants in our Fellowship to seek opportunities to further the cause of respect and tolerance…and even more, to foster acceptance and appreciation of one another.
Yours truly,
D. Wayne Martin, Chair
Interfaith Task Force of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia
