Sep 20

Written by:
9/20/2010 10:12 PM 

By VIC Board of Directors

One of the most cherished rights of Americans is freedom of religion, included in the First Amendment to the Constitution and sometimes called the “First Freedom.”

The San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council (VIC) has always been a champion of this freedom and now we must speak out again, this time on behalf of our Muslim friends and neighbors.

The voices of intolerance are currently being amplified on the internet, in magazines, newspapers, radio and on cable television. We would caution against the use of emotional and inflammatory rhetoric and encourage instead the application of calm and informed logic.

Freedom of Religion is routinely celebrated in America. But beyond this basic right guaranteed by the Constitution, we at VIC actively support the efforts of members of all religions to practice their faiths in whatever manner they choose.

We welcome Muslim mosques in our community. We believe that respect and tolerance of all faiths involves more than acknowledging the letter of the law. It also expresses of the spirit of the American experience…the hope that we may all honor and live by the highest principles of our faith traditions.