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Religious
leaders address terrorism
A
Jew, a Muslim and Christian offer their perspectives
By Andrew Matte
A trio of local religious leaders will
bring their own perspectives to a panel discussion on terrorism
slated for May 2 in North Toronto.
This multi-faith workshop is free to the public and will
encourage audience participation geared to allow people to learn
the varying attitudes toward society’s most pressing hot
button issues.
The event, which is being organized by a group of North Toronto
Christian ministers, is being held at the First Christian Reform
Church, 67 Taunton Rd., one block east of Mt. Pleasant Rd.
The panellists include Jewish leader Fredelle Brief, Christian
minister Clarence McMullen and Imam Ahmad Kutty, an outspoken
opponent of Islamic extremism who was once arrested and jailed
overnight by police who suspected him of having links to
terrorism.
Vision TV producer and host Sadia Zamen will moderate the
discussion, which will include questions from the audience.
All three panellists suggest that religion has received bad
press in recent years, but will argue that a peaceful approach
to spirituality and a respect for one another’s beliefs could
help heal a world.
"It is such a timely issue that we can come to grips with
it by looking inward and harnessing the spiritual resources
embedded in our God-given nature," said Kutty, a former
director of the Islamic Centre of Toronto and Islamic Foundation
of Toronto.
Kutty was in the news last September when he and another
spiritual leader form Toronto were on their way to speak at a
Muslim gathering in Florida when they were arrested. They were
questioned and kept in jail overnight, apparently because they
were Muslims and suspected of terrorism connections.
Kutty believes that religion can help steer humanity towards
peace.
He sees this public event as "part of a larger issue of
religious people uniting for peace and reconciliation and
raising their voices against violence and hatred directed
against any racial, ethnic or religious group."
Rev. McMullen similarly believes that spirituality can help
bring peace, and insists that using violence under the guise of
protecting a religion only works against it.
"With the exception of Buddhism, all religions believe that
God is almighty and infinite. We are finite and weak. We draw
our strength from God and submit to his or her will," said
McMullen, who currently serves on the board of several Christian
organizations and on the Christian-Muslim Liaison Committee.
While living in the Punjab with his family during the Sikh
separatist movement (1982-93), McMullen experienced racial
violence first-hand when two of his students and one of his
friends were killed in terrorist attacks and police retaliation.
"Our claims or efforts to defend God thus are
contradictions in terms. When we become ‘defenders’ we
distort the basis of the very religion that we are trying to
protect," McMullen said.
Brief said that she is always hopeful when right-thinking people
form different religions come together because understanding
breeds peace.
"When faithful people talk to each other about difficult
issues of common concern, a sense of hope takes root and
grows," said Brief, who has worked as a social worker and
is active in her synagogue and the Canadian Jewish Congress.
"Alternative approaches to problem-solving between groups
can be identified. We can risk developing new relationships with
people who are different from us because we are all made from
one image."
From
Town Crier On-Line, April 13, 2004.
http://www.towncrieronline.ca/main/main.php?direction=viewstory&storyid=3617&rootcatid=&rootsubcatid=
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