The Interfaith Coalition on Mosques

The Anti-Defamation League has announced the formation of a coalition of religious leaders to defend the rights of Muslims to build Mosques in various places around the country where they have been opposed. In their Statment of Purpose they say in part:

Mosque opponents are misrepresenting the Koran and taking passages out of context and seeking to use the statements of a few extremists to claim that all American Muslims secretly want to impose Islamic Shariah law in the United States. 

The level of hostility, fear mongering and hate speech is unacceptable and un-American. 

We believe the best way to uphold America’s democratic values is to ensure that Muslims can exercise the same religious freedom enjoyed by everyone in America. They deserve nothing less than to have a place of worship like everyone else.

We also believe that public figures, particularly religious figures, have a special responsibility to demonstrate sensitivity and respect.

Therefore, we have come together, individuals and organizations from different faith traditions, to announce that we will stand together to fight for the rights of our Muslim neighbors when they are being violated.

Working as the national Interfaith Coalition On Mosques (ICOM) under the sponsorship of the Anti-Defamation League, our purpose is to assist Muslim communities who are being denied permission to build mosques in their neighborhoods.

Dr. Richard Land, President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, is listed as a Charter Member of the Interfaith Coalition on Mosques. Dr. Land explains his alignment with the ICOM here.