A shooting at a nightclub leaves fifty dead, another fifty plus wounded. As a person of faith, I struggle to make sense of such tragedy. Where was God, where is God in the face of such pain? I pray for Orlando, for the injured, the grieving. I pray for our nation, our leaders, and our world.
I am also painfully aware that prayer is not enough. This violent hate crime was committed in the name of religion. And so, as a religious leader, I must claim culpability for the ways that my silence has contributed to creating a culture of violence that is so far from the God of love whom I worship.
To my LGBTQIA siblings: There is a tragic history of violence against LGBTQIA people committed in the name of religious extremism. As a religious leader and a person of faith, I apologize to you for the times the church has been silent, or worse, has condoned such violence. I commit myself to work for the day that you do not have to be afraid to be seen. I am grateful for the hard work and the bravery of BC Pride. It takes courage and strength and commitment to do the work that you do. Thank you for making Battle Creek a better place for us all.
To my Muslim siblings: This was not an act of religion, yours or mine. This was an act of sick violence. And yet, the rhetoric taking hold in our world will try to use this to justify discrimination and retaliatory attacks against Muslims. As a religious leader and a fellow person of faith, I commit myself to stand against religious bigotry and scapegoating. I am grateful for the model of Muslim religious leaders who have helped me find the words to condemn this act, and all acts of religious extremism, as a violation of what it means to be a person of faith. I join my voice with them and with you in condemning violence in any form and in condemning that religious extremism that breeds it.
Homophobia, Islamophobia, they both have a similar root. Phobia, fear. And so…
To my siblings (myself included) who live in fear: This is a scary time we live in. But time and time again in Scripture, the message God sends to God’s people is “Do not be afraid.” 1 John 4:18 reads, “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” I ask forgiveness for the times that fear has silenced me. And I commit myself to acting in love, in the model of God who is love. My faith has taught me the power of resurrection hope. That God is always at work in the world bringing life out of death, hope out of despair, and love out of fear. May it be so.
Very well said. It saddens me that so many people think acts of hate are justified in the name of God. My heart and thoughts go out to the many people affected by this senseless tragedy. It is my hope that leaders like you will continue to encourage others to turn away from the hate and revenge purported to bring about change and seek to live a life of love and forgiveness, for that is the only thing that will ever really make a difference in this world...
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