Being a Christian ally to Muslims means getting to know them, listening to their needs, becoming friends, speaking out against Islamophobia and standing with them in the face of threatening words and actions.

Those were some of the ideas that came out of the sixth and final workshop in the Haydenville Congregational Church series “Understanding Islam and Combating Islamaphobia.”

Thirty people attended the June 4 session, including seven members of the Valley Muslim community. The session was led by Doug Renick and Lisa Hall from the Peace and Justice Committee.

The conversation was rich and lively. There was respectful disagreement on some points, but several key ideas emerged.

* Being an ally is about being a friend. It describes a relationship with someone we’ve gotten to know. It means we listen to our Muslim friends, become educated about Muslims beliefs and practices, which may include visiting a mosque, as some members of HCC have done. It means we have empathy for Muslims and their situation. Develop a mindset of equity and empowerment. Be worthy of being a friend.

* Understand that as children of Abraham, Christians, Muslims and Jews have a common religious heritage, and share many beliefs and practices. Just as some Christians misuse the Bible for their own political agenda, so, too, do some Muslims skew the meaning of the Quran.

* Listen, to get to know our Muslim neighbors.  Listen to their stories and their faith.  Listen to what their needs are.

* Speak up and speak out. If you hear a prejudiced remark, speak up. Send an “I” message, like, “I don’t share that opinion” or  “What you’ve said makes me feel bad” or “That is not my experience with Muslim people.” Respond to ugly posts on social media. Write letters to the editor in support of the Muslim community and condemn hate and bigotry. Our voices matter. Teach our children about Muslims and also teach them about courage by speaking out.

* Continue to examine ourselves and our values. Overcoming our own prejudices is the work of a lifetime.
Understand that there is great diversity of beliefs within the Muslim community. For example, there is an active Progressive Muslim organization in the Valley.

Next: The HCC Peace and Justice Committee will review the notes from the session and continue to look at ways church members can support our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Here are the notes of what was said at the session taken by Lisa Hall:

What does being an ally mean?
Be careful you aren’t creating a power differential – accompany, be a friend.
Quit being sympathetic and start doing something
Empathy for others, basically
May not experience Islamophobia in person but on social media—gently redirect, avoid argument. “That’s not been true in my experience.”
The underlying purpose of hate in the media is to divide us and maintain the status quo.
Prejudice doesn’t change in one moment.  It requires attention every day.  Also, being an ally is daily work.
We’re works in progress. Acknowledge unearned privilege. Look at how you would like to be supported.
Use your voice. Send “I” messages.
Doing with, being with. Don’t make assumptions.
Listening with equality and empowerment and accept help to do better.
Be worthy of being a friend.
How do we make friends?

What has been helpful when people have acted to support the Muslim community?
Term ally—relation between folks who have gotten to know each other.
Children of Abraham—much in common.
Find ways to work together and develop relationships.
You will make mistakes but then you can learn.
To be allies—need common interest.
Wars are often not about terrorism, but rather, about maintaining power/money.
Become educated about what being a Muslim means.
Individual leaders may skew the meaning of the Quran.
Get together with Muslims and others—Faith Club, make friends
Talk about Muslims but may not address individual’s needs
As friends—what is our friend experiencing?
Recognize diversity of Muslim experience
Being proactive. Invite the community in to share your faith.
Relationships bring good things.
We have to understand each other.
What are the underlying motives when division is promoted?

What can we do—on-going?
Look for new experiences to get to know each other.
Break bread together, invite others
Go to a Friday service.
With the current political discourse—we need to vote our beliefs
Don’t get caught in rhetoric—look at what underlies it
Develop our own experiences and share them
What does the Creator want us to do together?
Find a project to work on. Interfaith. Like the work being done by the Pioneer Valley Interfaith Refugee Action Group (welcome kits, furniture pick up and delivery).
Share what we love about our faith, what gets us through the night, share our faith practices together.

Background: The series started in January with a film about the life of the Prophet Muhammed. The series continued with a conversation with a Muslim imam, a multi-faith panel on the Abrahamic traditions shared by Christians, Jews and Muslims, a special worship service with Dr. Ali Hazraii as guest preacher, and a talk on the Roots of Islamophobia by Karen Pfeifer, professor emeritus at Smith College.