“Now is the time for religious leaders to show the world a face of religion that respects the dignity of all humankind and promotes peaceful coexistence”

We keep saying the war against terrorism is a war against radical Islam, not Islam per se. The Islamic world now has the chance to make that distinction clear. If, and hopefully, when peaceful Muslims speak out and act, we must be here to embrace them.

Now is the chance for Jews, Christians, Muslims and all religious groups to stand side by side and show the world that religion is not synonymous with war; that religious leaders can bring peace and love into the world, not just war and hatred, like so many today believe. Now is the time for religious leaders to show the world a face of religion that respects the dignity of all humankind and promotes peaceful coexistence.

Rabbi Mark Wildes, “Man On Fire”, The Jewish Week (13 February 2015), 8.