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On Sunday, 21 March 2021, 16 diverse leaders in the Cape Town Interfaith community united their voices to speak out for our human rights. Interfaith leaders such as Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, Bishop Thembekile Gqwaka, Imam Dr. Rashied Omar, and many more were present.
The theme for Human Rights Day was Speaking Our Truth: A united voice for governance, justice, and inclusion. Nic Paton put together a beautiful film to commemorate this auspicious occasion.
Peace and blessings to you all.
On Saturday 8 May 2021, a car bomb was detonated outside Sayed Ul-Shuhada high school in Kabul, Afghanistan, just as the mostly Shiite girls were emerging to return home. At the time of writing, the initial death toll of 50 had risen to 85, with 147 reported injured.
Meanwhile, two countries away, brutal violence has erupted between Palestinians and Israelis in the latest flare-up of a centuries-old conflict.
And closer to home, militants claiming religious motivation make their incursions into our neighbour, Mozambique.
Cape Town Interfaith Initiative is appalled by the lack of respect for life in these tragic, deliberate acts of destruction. We also note with deep sadness the targeting of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the timing of the escalation which takes place towards the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan. Sacred places should remain sacred and undefiled by violence. History has not been respectful of Holy Days, but our future can be different.
The threat of toxic pseudo-religion that foments fear, division, and hatred, is present. Influences and ideologies which steal the hard-won freedoms of individuals and populations amount to an abuse of religion and should be resisted in the same way that we reject colonial and neo-colonial influences.
All of this violence represents a betrayal of the deepest teachings of most of the world’s religions, expressed as the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have done unto you. It is a betrayal of the Great Masters of all religions, who have taught peace.
As the Cape Town and South African interfaith community, we attest to the best elements of the great Islamic and Jewish traditions – compassion, mercy, and justice, which we see in our everyday dealings with one another. True religion is wholehearted surrender to these qualities. Any type of compulsion via fear or violence has no place in this din (Arabic for “law” or “religion”. Hebrew for “law” or “Judgement”. English: a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise).
CTII seeks to promote harmony between people of diverse religions, based on spiritual understanding and respect. We know that much of the violence is politically motivated, and that religious affiliation may often be used as a tool for fostering division, suspicion, and fear.
For those of us who have loved ones of all religions, these situations are devastating. CTII acknowledges the losses, the trauma, and the pain of people. We pray for the softening of the hearts of leaders, that they may find the compassion and the wisdom to seek peace.
We pray for healing and calm, and most of all, we pray that the children of all our children will recognise the light of God in each other’s eyes and will not know the trauma of the bloodshed of our times.
We pray together an ancient prayer without boundaries: “Source of Life, please heal us all.”
As we reflect on the meaning of as powerful and somewhat evasive a concept as ‘freedom’ to our nation, we are made aware of how the most vulnerable amongst us are often left furthest from it: The LGBTIQ+ community is once again crying out for the painful blows they must sustain by a renewed spate of hate crimes the past months.
We are also hearing South African LGBTIQ+ organisations directly addressing religious and spiritual organisations and leaders. We hear their plea to us to directly speak out and condemn the violence perpetrated against the LGBTIQ+ community as unacceptable and immoral. This leads us to deep introspection during a time when some people of faith are fasting, as we grapple with the realization that as people of faith, we are deeply implicated in what is happening.
We hear LGBTIQ organisations speaking to the fact that religious values often get abused as excuses to exclude or discriminate against members of the LGBTIQ+ community and we must acknowledge that we often become places of exclusion rather than embrace, last mentioned which the best of our values attest to.
In these times we want to commit to the implication the values of our Constitution invite us into and want to see how this could mean us actively working to promote the inclusion and acceptance of LGBTIQ+ people in congregations and communities across the country.
We urge our members to accept what may feel like a challenge to their traditional stance and understanding, what may feel uncomfortable and may lead them on new journeys and renewed engagement with the texts they hold as dear and holy. We are excited about a new journey opening before us which we believe embodies more of the fulness freedom offers us all.
The UN World Interfaith Harmony Week 2021 was different this year. We enjoyed a rich and diverse online engagement, and chose the theme: Celebrating the Hope, Healing and Harmony because this month we mark CTII’s 21st birthday and celebrate we must, even in the most challenging of circumstances. Here are some of the events we participated in. Full reports and video links coming soon!
Cape Town Interfaith Initiative (CTII) and Western Cape Religious Leaders’ Forum (WCRLF) are deeply saddened by an incident this week in which eggs were thrown at the Bait Ul Awal Masjied in Athlone.
On Tuesday, 9 February 2021, around 10pm, 4 cars drove slowly past the Bait Ul Awal Masjied. An occupant of one of the vehicles was seen to pelt the Masjid with eggs. The cars then drove off.
While the incident itself is minor, the sinister undertones of premeditated violence against the community are cause for serious concern particularly as it occurs in a context of ongoing harassment.
Archdeacon Mark Long, Chairperson of WCRLF, said: “History has taught us that small acts of contempt left unchecked turn easily to more damaging violence, conflict and loss. We are therefore compelled to call out such actions of separation, particularly in this time of pandemic where additional stress on a community is not only criminal and cruel, but also potentially highly inflammatory.”
CTII Chairperson, Reverend Berry Behr said: “The Covid19 pandemic has highlighted the need for humans in all their diversity to work together for the security and survival of people and planet. People have every right to be who they are and to practice what they believe, but nobody has the right to hurt others.”
CTII and WCRLF call on local authorities to take acts of aggression against religious communities seriously. The right to religious freedom is a Constitutional promise which needs to be safeguarded in the interests of a peaceful, prosperous, free and functional society.
CTII and WCRLF both adhere to the principles of the Charter for Compassion which states:
“The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves”.
Bait Ul Awal Masjied is an active participant in the interfaith movement and is dedicated to building friendly relationships across all religions in South Africa, supporting the core values of Cape Town Interfaith Initiative and the WCRLF.
When we lose the right to be different, we lose the right to be free. – Nelson Mandela
Compiled by Rev Berry Behr and Archdeacon Mark Long
