'Terrorism has no religion': MN faith leaders condemn Paris killings
Days after the terrorist group ISIS attacked Paris, Minnesota's faith leaders stood side by side Monday to condemn the group's actions.
Terrorists are our common enemy, the leaders said, and they do not recognize geographical boundaries.
ISIS' goal is to strike fear into innocent people's hearts and create mayhem within communities of different faiths, said Cynthia Bronson Sweigert, interfaith and multi-faith program associate at Minnesota Council of Churches.
"We cannot let them win," she said. "We'll extend our hands to our neighbors, especially to our Muslim neighbors who also mourn, who risk coming under the fear of terrorists, just like the rest of us, but who also risk coming under the hatred of those who blame them."
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
The community leaders offered prayers for the victims and said terrorism does not represent the values of any faith.
"Any action that harms innocent civilians is reprehensible and deserves condemnation," said Nausheena Hussain, deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Minnesota. "Terrorism has no religion."
The leaders called on Minnesotans to continue building trust and relationships across different faiths.
"Muslims are not represented by those who slaughter others because we work with Muslims and Jews and Christians together every day," said the Rev. Douglas Mitchell, associate pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Interfaith activist Gail Anderson of the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities said people should counter violence by coming together to create a peaceful community.
"Terrorism is violence, violence engenders hate, hate endangers more violence," she said.
Terrorists are a threat to all people and their acts are evil that run "contrary to all religious teachings and customs," said Imam Mohammed Dukuly of Masjid Al-Ansar Islamic Community Center in Brooklyn Center.
Attacks carried out by ISIS and other terrorist groups should not divide communities, said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Minnesota.
"ISIS, al-Shabab and other terrorist organizations are purely un-Islamic," Hussein said. "These terrorist organizations unfortunately kill Muslims every single day in the streets of Iraq, Syria and Somalia."