There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us.
Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
1 John 4:18-21 New Revised Standard Version
Earlier in the week I reflected on the grim reality that Jews live with the constant concern about whether gathering as a community for worship is safe. I was motivated by the hostage-taking at a synagogue in Texas but anti-Jewish sentiment abounds and aggression abounds, everything from violence against persons to destruction of property. When I was the minister of Bridge St.UC here in Belleville I wrote a letter of support to the tiny Jewish congregation after their synagogue was vandalized.
Today we are reminded that anti-Islamic hatred exists as well, and can be deadly. This is the fifth anniversary of a cowardly attack on a mosque in Quebec City during which six worshippers were shot dead and 19 others wounded. As is often the case, someone obsessed with the supposed threat of Islam and Muslims became a terrorist, killing innocent people with families who were worshipping Allah. Those left behind, both the injured and loved ones of the dead will never be the same. A young girl in the mosque at the time saw her father shot (not fatally) and was shielded by other men who were present.
January 29th now marks the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque and Action Against Islamophobia. It should be noted that when Motion 103 condemning Islamophobia was first presented in Parliament in 2017 it was not supported by the Conservative Party. Some evangelical Christian leaders opposed it as well and there was a hateful outcry against this supposed singling out of Muslims for special treatment. Can you imagine the outrage if a young Muslim man wreaked havoc in a Christian church? The frenzy on the Right would know no bounds.
No person of any faith should live in fear of going to their place of sanctuary to worship God. For those of us who have never experienced violence or even a threat of it must stand alongside brothers and sisters who summon the courage to do so despite hatred.
I offer some reflections on being a "be-wildered outsider" in today's Groundling blog
https://groundlingearthyheavenly.blogspot.com/2022/01/reflections-from-be-wildered-outside.html
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