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Statement on Hate-Inspired Violence
The Queens Federation of Churches is a Christian organization established over 88 years ago in the Borough of Queens New York. It has had one underlying theme throughout its rich history – an unyielding belief in ecumenical ministry.
This belief is founded on the scripture found in Psalm 24:1. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein.” The Federation has always understood this to mean that the earth is God’s house and we, the inhabitants of this planet, are a significant part of His creative masterpiece as members of God’s family living in His house. The Federation strongly supports all people of different places of origin, race, creed or color to have the liberty to meet in the public square of ideas to discuss and dialogue.
We seek and support freedom of speech that provokes thoughts and ideas, while we strongly reject that speech which provokes hate and incites violence. For too long we all have witnessed the extremes of our various faiths promote ideological hate and rejoice in its manifested violence that shocks the consciousness of even the most jaded among us.
We write this letter to condemn in the strongest way, sectarian violence, hate speech, arrogant fundamentalist ideologies, racism, discrimination – and the political leaders who stoke fears and appeal to our worst version of self. We also condemn those media that operate on an “if it bleeds it leads” mentality.
Specifically, we decry the sectarian fundamentalism which has led to the recent violence and deaths of Muslims in Christchurch, Black Christian churches in Louisiana, Christians in Sri Lanka, and Jews in Poway.
May 8, 2019