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"I love my next door Muslim neighbour and I love you," Warren told a cheering, receptive ISNA audience. |
WASHINGTON — America’s famed evangelist Pastor Rick Warren has proposed a Muslim-Christian coalition to combat bias and prejudices across the world.
"Frequent stereotyping of all of us needs to be challenged," Warren, founder and pastor of the Southern California Saddleback Church, told the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North American (ISNA), currently in session in Washington DC.
"It needs to be challenged not by one group, in other words Muslims challenging Muslim stereotypes and Christians challenging Christian stereotypes.
"We need a coalition of people…who’d say that we’re not going to allow stereotyping of anybody."
Warren, one of the most influential Christian leaders in the world, told his Muslim audience that "the two largest faiths on the planet" must start action to combat bias and solve global problems.
"Talk is very cheap. I am not interested in interfaith dialogue; I am interested in interfaith projects."
Outlining practical steps, Warren called on Muslims and Christians to work together to promote peace, restore civility and create respect among people.
"This is the time for action; this is the time for civility; this is the time for respecting each other; it’s the time for the common good."
He also urged them to be partners in working to end "the five global giants" of war, poverty, corruption, disease and illiteracy.
"Some problems are so big you have to team to tackle them."
ISNA's annual convention, which dates back to 1963, is the largest gathering of Muslims in North America attended by tens of thousands every year.
This year’s convention, which ends on July 6, features some 300 speakers touching on several key issues such as spirituality, economic development, family, Islamic banking and outreach.
Muslim Bias
Warren, a popular evangelist whose churches minister to some 20,000 people every week, expected criticism for accepting the invitation to address the Muslim gathering.
"It's easier to be an extremist of any kind because then you only have one group of people mad at you," he said in his 20-minute speech.
"But if you actually try to build relationships — like invite an evangelical pastor to your gathering — you'll get criticized for it. So will I."
Anti-Muslim sentiments have been on the rise in the US, home to nearly seven to eight million Muslims, since the 9/11 attacks.
Many American Muslims face discrimination and stereotyping because of their Islamic attires or identities, while others blame the problem on misconceptions about their faith.
"The fastest way to raise money is to demonize the enemy and make people hate them," Warren underlined.
"The fastest way to raise ratings on television is to create conflict."
The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that the negative view of Islam in society is largely affected by the media.
The head of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), America's largest Jewish movement, has accused US media and politicians of demonizing Islam and portraying Muslims as "satanic figures."
"I love my next door Muslim neighbour and I love you," Warren told a cheering, receptive ISNA audience.
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