CTindex - Christian Today UK Interactive Catalogue
Society

Scottish Religious Leaders Condemn Glasgow Attack

Religious leaders in Scotland have joined in a united condemnation of the recent attack on Glasgow Airport and foiled bomb plots in London last Friday.

by Maria Mackay
Posted: Tuesday, July 3, 2007, 13:01 (BST)
Font Scale:A A A

In their statement, the religious leaders urged the public not to hit out at members of the Asian community following the attacks.

"We wish to voice our concern that the public reaction to such acts is not mis-directed against others by association of race or religious belief, and in particular against the Asian community," they asserted.

"As religious leaders, we affirm our view that any act of terrorism carried out in the name of religion is a gross perversion of the purpose of faith and is not supported by either the tenets of any of the faiths in Scotland nor by the vast majority of the followers of each faith."

The statement continued: "We hope that all of the people of Scotland will respond to this attack by reaching out and strengthening further the bonds of friendship which tie our communities together into one Scottish community and thus demonstrate the futility of violence.

"We therefore condemn any acts which target or taint members of a faith community and support the security services in protecting the public and enforcing the law."

One suspect arrested over the Glasgow Airport attack, Bilal Abdullah of Iraq, is being held at the Royal Alexandra hospital where he was formerly employed as a locum.

Detectives are still trying to trace the movements of the jeep he and one other drove into the airport's main terminal doors while loaded with gas cylinders.

Church leaders expressed the need for solidarity between Scotland's different faith groups in light of the attacks. The Most Rev Keith Patrick O'Brien, Cardinal and Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh and spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland said: "Like almost all Christians, I have the most friendly relationships with members of the other great world faiths, including those of the Muslim faith.

"Nothing must be allowed to destroy that friendship or the mutual respect we have for each other, even in times of crisis."

The Rt Rev Sheilagh Kesting, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: "It is so important that as leaders of the different faiths we are able to stand together in the face of such atrocities and to condemn utterly any backlash there might be on the Asian community in our country."

Allan Forsyth, Chair of the Baha'i Council for Scotland, added: "We are confident that this terrible attack on Glasgow Airport will not impact, at all, on the close relations between faith communities in Scotland and will only serve to strengthen it.

The joint statement has been endorsed by the following Religious Leaders of Scotland:

Imam Arif, Central Scotland Islamic Centre, Stirling.
Mr. Allan Forsyth, Baha'i Council for Scotland.
The Most Rev. Dr. Idris Jones, Primus, Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway. (Scottish Episcopal Church).
Rt Rev Sheilagh Kesting, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Acharyajee Mishra, Hindu Mandir.
The Most Rev.Keith Patrick O'Brien, Cardinal and Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh (Catholic Church).
Imam Habib ur Rahman, Glasgow Central Mosque.
The Venerable Rewatha, Sri Lankan Buddhist Centre.
Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Giffnock Synagogue.
Imam Mustaqeem Shah, UK Islamic Mission, Glasgow.
Mr. Bakhshish Deerhe Singh, Glasgow Gurdwara Council.
Rev Favian Straughan, Order of Buddhist Contemplatives in Scotland.



continue to read > 1 | 2
Copyright © 2007 Christian Today. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Have your say on this article
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.

Added: Wednesday, July 4, 2007, 4:08 (BST)

To whom it may concern,

There is a lot of concern about alienating moderate Muslims in the debate over how to deal with religious extremists. These moderates and their supporters insist that the religion of Islam has been hijacked by radical extremists. This sounds very odd to me after I have spent the last four years trying to find someone in the “moderate” Muslim community who can answer the following question that I put in a letter addressed to community leaders:

“Many people value and are involved in Islamic education. A challenge we face, however, is an objection being voiced in the media more frequently these days. It is that Islamic schools teach hatred of Christians and Jews. Americans who read the Quran do not have to read far before they encounter evidence for this.

‘Oh ye who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for friends. They are friends to one another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.’ Surah V, Ayat 51

Even if hatred were too strong a word for many, they would definitely think this verse taught disdain of, or at the very least, dislike for Christians and Jews. Based on your background and experience in Islamic education, how would you explain this ayat to a diverse immigrant and American population?”

No one has wanted to talk about the issue, preferring instead to take a head-in-the-sand approach to dealing with an idea that runs throughout all levels and sects of the Muslim community. However, the extremists are more than happy to take the same teaching and use it for all it is worth. When one team (moderates) in a game fails to show, they forfeit the game, and the other team (extremists) who took the issue and ran with it when the moderates were a no-show did not hijack or steal the game. Extremists win every time because the so-called moderates refuse to tackle difficult questions in the general Islamic ideology and interpretations of the Quran taught in Mosques all across the board.

Sincerely,

Mariam Jamil

Mariam Jamil, palo alto, USA

Christian Today Twitter
Google Advertisement
Externally generated - Report offensive links here
Scripture Union
World Headline
Gaza's children traumatised by conflict

Gaza's children traumatised by conflict

Gazans are suffering from food shortages, lack of medical care, power outages and a long list of other problems, but...
Sponsored Features
Order books for all ages commending the free and sovereign grace of Almighty God.
01582 765448 For holidays and retreats in the Scottish borders. Whitchester Christian Guest House 01450 377 477 Friendly printing company for churches, charities and businesses nationwide!
Sanct Maria Abbey, NUNRAW
Cistercian Monastery and Guest House
Bookings: 01620 830 228
Email: nunraw.abbot@yahoo.co.uk
Google Advertisement
Externally generated - Report offensive links here