When: October 14th 11am-1pm
Where: Zuccotti Park / Liberty Plaza (or by email)
Faith Leaders Sign-on Statement of Support
11 am Press Conference and 1 pm Jummah Prayer Friday, October 14
Ongoing Multi-Faith Services
Statement
THE PLAN FOR THIS STATEMENT – is to get signatures from many faith leaders, with over 100 faith leaders “signed on” by tomorrow: Friday, October 14th.
To sign on:
If you are ordained clergy, OR a lay leader of a faith community, please send an email to “occupyfaithnyc@gmail.com.” Then forward this email to other leaders who would also sign-on as a show of support.
Here’s the statement:
We, the people of faith communities throughout New York and the United States, stand with Occupy Wall Street, for here we see the promise of democracy renewed.
Our spiritual traditions are clear: the impoverishment of the many for the benefit of the few destroys us all. The cries of our people are clear: the American dream is compromised; the moveable middle is slipping away; and in our politics, all fairness is lost. The Soul of this Great Nation is in danger, threatened by the false idols.
So together we affirm the golden rule: treat our neighbors as ourselves. We commit ourselves to the restoration of justice in our economy, and compassion in our politics; that together we might behold a revolution of values for all our people. We ask all Americans to join us in this prayer, that once again our country might be a hope, and a dream, and a promise for all who reach its shores.
Press Conference
TOMORROW – (Friday, 10.14.11) Faith leaders will meet at Judson Memorial Church at 11:00am for a press conference to announce the multi-faith “statement of support” and then to march down (weather depending) to Zuccotti Park to support the Jummah Prayer Service at 1:00 pm .
Ongoing Interfaith Services
SUNDAY ? (Judson, 10.16.11) Judson Memorial will again host a Multi-Faith Service at Zuccotti Park at 3:30 pm ? and they plan to do so every Sunday for the foreseeable future. Their hope is to continue to have a diverse mix of leaders each week ? if you are interested in participating, please contact Rev. Michael Ellick at mellick23@gmail.com.
Additional information about Protest Chaplains, housing for protesters by faith communities, etc. will be sent when details about each are available.
Islam, Shari?ah, and Religious Freedom in the U.S.
When: Monday, October 17th. 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Where: The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037
In the wake of the recent misguided anti-Shari’ah laws that have been passed in several states, Women In Islam Inc will host a town hall meeting on Islam, Shari?ah, and Religious Freedom in the U.S. at the Schomburg Center. Sponsored by KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights. (See the attached).
The event will feature: Rev. Dr. James Forbes, The first African-American to serve as Senior Minister of The Riverside Church in New York City. Founder and President of the Healing of the Nations Foundation. Currently the Harry Emerson Fosdick Distinguished Professor of Homiletics; Dr. Azizah al-Hibri, Founder and Chair of KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, Commissioner on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and professor at the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond; Prof. Theodore Shaw, Professor of law at Columbia University, Prof. Shaw worked with the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund from 1982 through 2008, serving as the President and Director-Council from 2004-2008 and was a trial attorney in the Civil Rights division of the Department of Justice from 1979 to 1982; and Prof. Anisa Mehdi (Moderator) Emmy award-winning journalist and filmmaker specializing in religion and the arts. Founder and President of Whetstone Productions. Adjunct professor of Communications at Seton Hall University, and Fulbright Scholar in Amman, Jordan from 2009 to 2010.
During this event, scholars and experts will explain what Shari’ah is, how it is practiced in the U.S., constitutional issues surrounding a potential ban, and the effects a ban would have on religious freedom in America. After a brief introduction from experts, a town hall meeting will be held for attendees to converse with the experts and each other.
This event is free and open to the public, please join us!
