Robin Orton wrote:I had an interesting and encouraging afternoon yesterday participating, without about 150 (guess) other people in an inter-faith walk for peace through the rainy street of central Lewisham. We started at the synagogue off Bromley Road, and visited the civic centre, a mosque (where we were all given lunch), a church (Methodist) and a Hindu temple (the incredible Sivan Temple, with the exterior totally covered with statues of Hindu gods, many with the heads of animals.) There was also a Sikh leader and a humanist representative on the walk, as well as Sir Steve, Heidi Alexander MP, and the newly-appointed police commander for Lewisham borough, Kate Halpin. The event was organised by the police in consultation with a group of Lewisham faith leaders.
Everyone was incredibly friendly and relaxed, and I felt quite proud to live in a borough which seemed to be doing well in encouraging tolerant and constructive relationships between faith communities. The only slightly uneasy moment (for me ) was my own fault; I imprudently asked a Muslim man how he felt about seeing a picture of a holy person (Jesus) in a place of worship (a stained glass window in the Methodist Church.) He started to lecture me, politely but quite fiercely, about idolatry. I mumbled my excuses and moved away.
Just as a matter of interest, were any of the local faith and community leaders involved in this event among those referred to here by the Hon Mr. Justice Haddon-Cave?
These testimonials were from the following figures. First, Chief Inspector Graham Price of the Lewisham Police spoke of the Claimant’s work with the local police. He described the Claimant’s objection to the Government’s PREVENT programme as ‘principled’ (see further below). He said he believed the Claimant to be a valuable contact for Lewisham police who is actively involved in the local community and a well-known local figure within partnership circles. Second, Reverend David Rome of the Catford and Bromley Synagogue spoke of the Claimant’s significant inter-faith work. Third, Father Charles Pickstone, vicar of St Laurence Church, Catford, said that to the best of his knowledge the Claimant adhered to and taught to others a moral code that seems entirely ‘unimpeachable’. Fourth, Reverend Malcolm Hancock, who headed up the Chaplaincy Department at the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, said that the Claimant had played a key role in fostering good multi-faith and multicultural relationships and said that he could not imagine the Claimant inciting anyone to act in a way that would be considered irresponsible or a threat to the wider community. Fifth, Dinah Griffith, former chair of the Lewisham SACRE, spoke of the Claimant’s valuable work with different schools. Sixth, Gerald Rose, a retired schoolteacher, also spoke of the Claimant’s valuable work with different schools, including Jewish schools. Seventh, Peter Brierely, the lead organiser for South London Citizens, said that the Claimant was ‘passionate’ about ensuring that the Mosque and young Muslims were integrated into British life. He said that he had never heard the Claimant espouse extremism. On the contrary, he had heard the Claimant speak against radicalisation, isolationism and extremism. Eighth, Simon Marks, a teacher and community and charity worker in Lewisham, said that the Claimant and the LIC shared his belief and passion in creating an inclusive community for young people in Lewisham
And would you now, and perhaps some of those faith and community leaders, accept the judgement in this case that the Imam of the Lewisham Islamic centre is an extremist:
The Hon Mr. Justice Haddon-Cave wrote:In my view, the Claimant’s ostensible cloak of respectability is likely to have made his (extremist) message in these speeches all the more compelling and seductive to his audiences. For this reason, therefore, his messages would have been all the more effective and dangerous.
If so, does this make any difference to future local ecumenical events?
Source here