WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2003
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 74
Religious leaders deal with different stances on war
By Cal Creek
ccreek@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
By Cal Creek
The war with Iraq has produced a number of concerns and actions from area religious organizations and leaders. Some offer services that address the war directly, others have not faced problems or concerns from students.
"We hope that this war never started in the first place," said Moussa Elbayoumy, director of the board for the Islamic Center of Lawrence. "Now we hope it stops immediately."
The Islamic Center of
Lawrence doesn't support the war in Iraq in any way.
In a press release issued as war with Iraq began, the center said, "We believe this war is illegal, unnecessary, unjustified and not in the long term interest of the U.S. or world at large."
They have also asked the Lawrence Police Department and Lawrence schools to be on alert for any hate crimes committed against Muslims. At this time no hate crimes have been reported.
Elbayouny has asked all Muslims in the community to express their opinions on the war and to enlighten their classmates, neighbors and friends to rely on other sources than just American media because the media might not be providing all perspectives
Hesaid several peace groups in Lawrence, in addition to Web sites and international TV stations, provided varied points of view both about the background of the war and latest information.
First Baptist Church reacted immediately to the war with a prayer service, said the Rev. Marcus McFaul of the First Baptist Church.
The Baptist church has also included the war in its weekly Sunday prayers. McFaul said although members of his congregation held a
"We'll pray for everyone who finds themselves in danger," he said, "It also includes innocent Iraqi women and children as well as our own soldiers."
variety of opinions about the war the church had to address it.
McFaul said that the Baptist church had not released a policy statement on the war as did the Catholic Church, but his church did support the pursuit of peace.
"You want people to realize peace making and peace and justice are a part of the Christian process," he said.
The St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Centerwould also like to
see a quick and peaceful resolution to the war, the Rev. Vince Krische said.
"I would hope that we would be able to not deliberately kill anyone," Krische said.
Krische said this would include not killing Saddam Hussein, and he didn't support any efforts to go in and kill him.
The Catholic center had a prayer service at the beginning of the war. Since the war started, a number of concerned students have come in to seek counseling, especially those with family in the military. Krische said concerned students should call or just stop in
to talk to someone.
As for a solution, Krische had only one answer.
"The only thing I know is just pray," he said.
The Jewish organization on campus has taken a much less active role during the war than other campus religious organizations.
Director Jay Lewis said the organization, Hillel, had no plans for special services. Students weren't asking for programs or spiritual counseling, and Hillel itself had no official stance on the war, Lewis said.
Edited by Anne Mantel
Students study local religions
By Cal Creek
ccreeek@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Throughout the semester, a group of graduate and undergraduate students have studied the diversity of religions in Douglas County.
The 11 students are part of a class called "Contours of Religion in Douglas County." taught by Religious Studies professor Tim Miller.
"The goal is simply to compile the most comprehensive picture we can of organized religion in Douglas County," Miller said.
The class visited about 200 religious organizations. Each student in the class visited three organizations a week, said Andrew Mitchell, Topeka graduate student. The students asked a variety of questions to try to ascertain certain characteristics, such as membership, attendance numbers and congregation history.
Jessica Proctor, Lawrence junior, said the reaction she received as an interviewer varied from organization to organization. Some groups would hug her as soon as they met, but others were more conservative.
Kellie Harmon, Lawrence graduate student, said it had been an eye-opening experience.
"Its interesting to see all the different religious traditions," Harmon said.
The class sees its short-term goal as getting a glimpse of what religious groups are in the county, Harmon said.
On a more long-term range. Miller said, he wants the information to be available for comparative use in 10 to 20 years.
Miller said he wanted to do the study because no one had this kind of information on record.
"We've never had comprehensive information of this kind,"Miller said.
He said national religious surveys compared the religious beliefs of about 1,500 people. Miller said to extrapolate generalizations about religions in America from these surveys could've been a mistake because they didn't provide a look at a lot of the smaller organizations.
As the photographer for the class, Mitchell takes pictures of meeting places for each religious organization the class visits. He photographs everything from traditional churches to movie theaters to personal homes where religious services meet.
The class will continue to compile the information into the summer. Once all the information has been collected, Miller will turn it over to the state historical society. Miller said the information from the completed project would be available some time in the fall.
Edited by Anne Mantey
Audiotape urges Muslim action
The Associated Press
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — An audiotape purportedly from Osama bin Laden exhorted Muslims to rise up against Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other governments it claimed were "agents of America" and called for suicide attacks against U.S. and British interests to "avenge the innocent children" of Iraq.
The 27-minute tape quoted extensively from the Muslim holy book, the Quran, and said jihad, or holy war, was the "only solution to all the problems."
The tape was obtained Monday by The Associated Press from an Algerian national, known as Adil, who said he had slipped across the border from Afghanistan, where the tape was apparently recorded.
There was no way immediately to confirm that the voice on the tape was that of the Al Qaeda chief. But it was translated by an Arabic-speaking Afghan who met with the terrorist mastermind years ago and said he believed the voice seemed to be bin Laden's.
There also was no clear indication of when the tape was made.
although it makes references to the war in Iraq and the leaders who launched it. President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
"You should avenge the innocent children who have been assassinated in Iraq. Be united against Bush and Blair and defeat them with suicide attacks so that you may be successful before Allah," the voice urged.
"Oh Muslim brothers, let us promise to devote our lives to martyrdom in the way of Allah. America has attacked Iraq and soon will also attack Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan. You should be aware that non-Muslims cannot bear the existence of Muslims and want to capture their resources and destroy them."
The voice purported to be bin Laden's urges the faithful to attack governments in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
"All of them have been imposed upon you and jihad (holy war) against them is your duty," said the tape, handed to AP in the remote northwestern region of Pakistan.
The only other individual iden
tified by name on the tape was Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai. "One of the slaves of America is Karzai in Afghanistan because he supported non-Muslims over Muslims. Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi are also agents of America."
Bin Laden, the top suspect behind the Sept. 11 attacks, has been in hiding since a U.S.-led coalition ousted the Taliban regime that gave him protection in Afghanistan.
The cassette tape made repeated promises of heaven for those who carried out suicide attacks. "I ask the Muslim women to join jihad by providing food to mujahedeen (holy warriors.) Elders should pray for us. I am proud of those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of Islam.
"Do not be afraid of their tanks and armored personnel carriers. These are artificial things," the voice said. "If you started suicide attacks, you will see the fear of Americans all over the world. Those people who cannot join forces in jihad should give financial help to those mujaheeden who are fighting against U.S. aggression."
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