Oklahoma Interfaith group plans “prayers for Paris” in response to terrorist attacks
Published: November 15th, 2015
OKLAHOMA CITY – Members of the “Interfaith Community” here in the state capital city announced plans Saturday (November 14) to offer “prayers for Paris” (#Prayers4Paris) on Sunday evening (November 15).
The attacks in both Paris and Beirut are heart wrenching and display the worst of humanity in the actions of those who perpetrated the attacks. We will come together to display the best of humanity by offering our thoughts and prayers for our brothers and sisters in humanity.
Saturday a post on Facebook was made by the group, calling for prayers of victims of the Paris and Beirut attacks. The event will be held at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City (ISGOC, 3815 N. St. Clair Avenue) in Oklahoma City, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening.
Speakers will include:
– Imam Imad Enchassi, Islamic Society of Greater OKC
– Rabbi Vered Harris, Temple B’nai Israel
– Rev. Dr. William Tabbernee, Oklahoma Conference of Churches
– Dr. Carl Rubenstein, Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma
– Dr. Noel Jacobs, Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma
– Mike Korenblit, Respect Diversity Foundation
– Adam Soltani, CAIR Oklahoma
– Ersin Demirci, Dialogue Institute of OKC
CAIR Oklahoma is listed as host for the Facebook page where the announcement was made.
In other news, The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Washington, D.C., issued a statement condemning the Paris attacks that took the lives of at least 127 people. A statement from CAIR, provided to CapitolBeatOK and other news organizations, said:
“These savage and despicable attacks on civilians, whether they occur in Paris, Beirut or any other city, are outrageous and without justification. We condemn these horrific crimes in the strongest terms possible. Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of those killed and injured and with all of France. The perpetrators of these heinous attacks must be apprehended and brought to justice.”
On Saturday, the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), a coalition of national and local Muslim organizations, was holding a press conference at Noon (ET) “to condemn yesterday’s terror attacks in Paris and to suggest ways in which the American Muslim community and all Americans should respond to the carnage.” That event was held at the national CAIR headquarters in Southeast Washington.
The Paris attacks, for which the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL) has claimed responsibility, have dominated U.S. press coverage in the past 24 hours.
The attack in Beruit, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), took place on “a busy street in the southern suburb of Burj al-Barajneh, a stronghold of the Shia Islamist Hezbollah movement. The Sunni jihadist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility, but there has been no independent confirmation. It is the deadliest bombing in Beirut since the civil war ended 25 years ago.”