Desecration of Islamic Center

The Ventura Interfaith Ministerial Assn. and Oxnard Ministerial Assn. members are offended and horrified to learn of the recent desecration of the Islamic Center in Thousand Oaks.

Our organizations have members representing the many faith communities in our area. We believe strongly that we are in this world to build bridges, not walls. We cherish our differences in theology and celebrate the opportunity to join together on a regular basis for dialogue with all religions.

Our Christian members observed that to attack another religion’s house of worship in the name of Christ is a blasphemy. Our Jewish members noted that to attack our Islamic cousins is an attack on us as well. To our members of eastern faiths, it is a reminder of the oppression their groups suffered in their lands of origin.

We pray that the demons of hate that motivated this horrendous act be exorcised from the hearts of its perpetrators and that the malevolence that rules their hearts be cured.

Let us work together to build a world, not of mere tolerance, but of celebration of one another, as each of us, in our own way, struggles to understand and to reach out to the Infinite Source of All Existence whom we address by many different names.

Rabbi John M. Sherwood

Oxnard