Public Statement on the Orlando Shooting

We offer our sorrow, our prayers, our condolences, and our love to the victims of the recent heinous hate crime in Orlando, and we ask God to bless the souls of the victims with eternal peace and rest. We pray for those injured to recover swiftly and completely. We condemn and repudiate the slaughter of innocent people in Orlando, while standing in solidarity with the victims, the LGBTQ community, and the officers who risked their lives.

We state unequivocally that this horrifying act denies the true teaching of all religions. A murderer does not speak for a spiritual group.  A terrorist does not define a religion of any kind.

Jewish, Christian, and the Muslim scriptures all affirm the sacredness of life and condemn murder in all its forms: “…if any one killed a person, it would be as if he killed the whole of mankind; and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole of mankind.” (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 37a, Quran 5:32); “Thou shalt not murder” (Exodus 20:13); “…and do not kill a soul that God has made sacrosanct, save lawfully.” (Quran 6:151), “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.” (Matthew 5:21).

These religions all come from Abraham, and it is not a surprise that common tenets are shared.  As devout members of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish faiths working together to foster peace through human connection and understanding, the Abrahamic Reunion stands with Muslims, Jews, and Christians everywhere in affirming the religious teachings of peace and goodwill.

Let us each remember the core teachings of our religions at this time and the love that abides at the heart of them all. Let us make no person or group the “other,” remembering that all are in need of love, healing, and compassion. Let us do everything we can to oppose and prevent murder, to stand strong together in the face of hatred and prejudice, and to actively work to to create understanding, dialogue, friendship, and connection between religions, peoples, communities, nations, and the world. Truly by doing these things we can be the saving grace of humanity, and the fulfillment of all true faiths.

Amen

 

By THE ABRAHAMIC REUNION, with participation and support from Rabbi Michael Werbow, Imam Yousuf Memon, Rev. Elizabeth Thompson, Fr. Dave Cottingham, Rabbi Geoff Huntting, Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, Rev. Dr. Anna Less, Rev. David Less, Rev. Chris Miller, & Board Members Dr. Neil Rothenberg, Monika Kornisch, Hermione Garland, & Amanda Kenton. 

  

The Abrahamic Reunion is an interfaith organization founded in 2004 in the Holy Land to bring together Palestinians and Israelis for interfaith understanding, and to use religion as a force for peace. We host monthly events that offer a forum for hundreds of people from diverse religions and cultures to get to together to eat, pray and learn from one another. We have grown into a global organization with chapters The Holy Land, America, Canada, England, Germany, and Turkey. In Florida we meet monthly in Sarasota and West Palm Beach.  During our meetings clergy and their congregants from different faiths study their scriptures together and discuss the common themes in their religions. 

PRESS CONTACT & COMMENT:

Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, Abrahamic Reunion International Co-Director, (941) 894-8481, ghassan@abrahamicreunion.org

Rev. Chris Miller, Abrahamic Reunion US Coordinator, (941) 993-9994, chris@abrahamicreunion.org