At an interfaith prayer service at the First Baptist Church of America, nine ministers reflect on recent events.

07:41 AM EDT on Friday, May 14, 2004
CATHLEEN F. CROWLEY
Journal Staff Write


PROVIDENCE -- A bowl of stones sat on a table inside the First Baptist Church of America with a note asking people to take one.

The Rev. Duane Clinker, pastor of Hillsgrove United Methodist Church, explained the meaning of the stones during an interfaith prayer service that was held last night to reflect on the recent events in Iraq.

As the sun set, a soft light enveloped the church where about 100 people had gathered. Clinker held up a rock in his hand. He noted that it was the first tool of humankind, and the first weapon. "We can choose what to do with that rock; to throw it in rage, to hold on to it in anger . . . or to drop it in forgiveness," Clinker said.

The ministers prayed for the dead, the abused, the violence, and for an end to the war. "Give us the courage to renounce the god of war, to renounce violence for violence, to renounce the god of nation -- believing that we are somehow better than others," Clinker said. "Give us the courage to denounce the god of fear." He asked the people before him to drop their stones into two bowls in the front of the church. Almost everyone in the sanctuary rose and walked toward the pulpit. The chapel was silent except for the sound of feet shuffling across the carpet and the smack of the rocks hitting the sides of the glass bowls.

"You decide, weapon or tool or just something you want to carry around with you," Clinker said.

The vigil was sponsored by the Rhode Island State Council of Churches. Nine ministers, including the leader of the Muslim American Dawah Center of Rhode Island, spoke, prayed and sang. Imam Farid Ansari, of the Dawah Center, shared his unique perspective on the war as a Muslim, an American, and a former police officer. A police officer, Imam Ansari said, has the power over life and death, but may only use that deadly force when his life, or the life of another, is threatened.

"We as Americans have been blessed by God as custodian of an enormous amount of power," he said.

Do not abuse it, he warned. "We cannot forget those values that established this country," Ansari said.

Nearly 50 clergy of the Council of Churches also signed a statement expressing their shock at and disapproval of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

"The vision of our country now displayed before the world is not the vision that reflects our highest aspirations," the statement said.

"This is not what we want to be. . . . The human rights abuses committed in Abu Ghraib prison are a stain upon our souls that must be cleansed.

As a nation under God, we must atone for our actions. We call for an immediate return to our shared values of justice and respect for all people of the world. We urge our leaders to be transparent and exert moral leadership at home and abroad.

"In light of recent developments, and in view of the continuing deterioration of the situation in Iraq, we affirm that we are morally called to seek aid of the international community in bringing the conflict in Iraq to a just and expedient conclusion. Shrinking from the course only deepens the crisis in faith in U.S. policy in Iraq." The Rev. John Holt, executive minister of the Council of Churches, said the prayer service was created so people could grieve over the images that have emerged from Iraq.

"The news has just been so horrible, whether it's the decapitation of the American citizen or the continuing loss of life," Mr. Holt said, shortly before the service began. "I do not know what to do except pray."

http://www.projo.com/extra/2003/iraq/content/projo_20040514_faith14.18c237.html