WCC Condemns Extremists Who Stir Up Hatred in the Name of Faith

The leaflet calls on people to violently attack Muslims

Extremists who seek to victimize those of another faith are strongly condemned for their "abhorrent incitement" said World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

Tveit comments came in response to the hateful and violent fliers encouraging people to take part in "Punish a Muslim Day", a hate campaign that was initiated to stir up hatred between believers of different faiths.

On March 29, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the largest Arab-American civil rights organization in the United States condemned the campaign, which originated in London, where flyers instigating violence against Muslims were left at the steps of several mosques.

"The freedom of religion and belief is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which this year celebrates its 70th anniversary and is also part of the constitutions of so many nations in the world. So, it is abhorrent and ungodly for any person from one faith to call for iniquitous acts against those belonging to another religion; merely because they follow that belief," said Tveit.

"Freedom of religion is as much about Christian minorities in Muslim countries as it is about followers of Islam in countries where Christians are a majority," he added.