Missionaries of the Sacred

Freedom of assembly is guaranteed by the First Amendment, and freedom of religion is generally well-protected in the United States, yet inter-religious dialogue and religious tolerance remain very important social justice issues.

Striking evidence of the need for religious tolerance can be found as recently as in the  tragic shooting of a security guard at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. The attack was motivated, or at least fueled, by anti-Semitic views. Religious intolerance was also a factor in the May killing of Johanna Justin-Jinich, a Wesleyan University student. Furthermore, extremely intolerant groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, sometimes attempt to use religion as a justification for actions that disrespect the dignity of each and every human being.

• 18.4% of hate crime incidents in the USA in 2007 were motivated by religious bias.
• The majority of these hate crimes were anti-Jewish, followed by anti-Islamic.

Improvements in inter-religious dialogue and respect for other religions are not just necessary in the “Countries of Particular Concern”,  they are also important to peace within the United States.