Observatory: Western churches' stance reveals innocence of religions from terrorism

CAIRO – 20 March 2019: Egyptian Dar al-Ifta's Islamophobia Observatory issued a report on Tuesday showing that the stance and statements of Christian and Jewish religious institutions revealed the innocence of the heavenly religions from terrorism.

The report added that those who commit heinous acts are fanatical terrorists who do not represent their religions but rather represent the logic of ideological and spiritual distortion and bankruptcy.

This came after a terrorist attack on two mosques in New Zealand's third largest city on March 15; the attack killed more than 50 worshipers.

The observatory’s report added that terrorism is a psychological and social disease that is widespread in societies around the world, and has nothing to do with religions and tolerant heavenly beliefs.

The report revealed that it has monitored various forms of solidarity from ecclesiastical institutions worldwide, including the words of the Pope: "I pray for the victims, the wounded and their families. I am close to our Muslim brothers in their religious and civil communities. I renew the call to unite for prayer for peace and to renounce hatred and violence. Let us pray for our Muslim brothers who have been killed."

Pope Tawadros II also condemned the New Zealand mosque attack, considering the perpetrators as souls suffering from the diseases of intolerance, extremism and hatred; the Council of Churches of Egypt condemned the attack, stressing that it is neither Christian nor human.

Furthermore, The New York Jewish community announced the closure of the synagogue for the first time in history after the incident in solidarity with the victims. The Baptist Church of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand, said on its official Facebook page that it opened its doors to Muslims because the mosques were closed after the terror act.

The Archbishop of Canterbury called on churches to campaign for solidarity and raise funds for the victims of the attack; $400,000 were collected. The Coptic Orthodox Church in New Zealand also rang its bells of sadness for the victims of the terrorist attack.

A joint prayer for the three monotheistic religions was held at the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary for Catholics and the Coptic Church of St. John the Baptist of Sydney; the prayer was attended by the prime minister of Australia, opposition leaders and government officials.

Moreover, the report pointed out that the majority of European people recognize the importance of coexistence and peace as contemporary European societies are based on diversity and public freedoms for all without discrimination on the basis of color, sex or religion.

The observatory's report confirmed that the solidarity visits paid by a number of European Christians or Jews to Al-Nour Mosque or Sheikh Zayed Mosque in New Zealand were a powerful blow to the terrorist and his bankrupt and perverted ideas.
The report concluded by stressing the need to invest in the stance of moderate Europeans and Christian and Jewish religious institutions rejecting all forms of violence and terrorism.