Today across the world there are increased incidents of violence and prejudice against Muslims, and against non-Muslim Arabs. Arab organization offices, mosques, and Islamic centers have been bombed and torched. Muslims and persons whose garb appears Islamic (particularly Sikhs) are being detained in airports and other places without justification. They are continually subjected to harassment and discrimination. Though discriminatory acts against Arabs and Muslims do not stand in isolation from similar acts perpetrated against other racial and ethnic persons around the world, their existence and effects upon Arabs and Muslims have been little acknowledged in society, with concomitant deleterious effect on perceptions in primarily non-Muslim parts of the world, as they touch upon relations with predominantly Arab and Muslim nations and organizations.
Therefore, The United Methodist Church, in the knowledge that Jesus calls us to the blessings of peacemaking and reminds us that the highest law is to love God and neighbor, calls its members and its leaders:
1. To oppose demagoguery, manipulation, and image making that seeks to label Arabs and Muslims in a negative way;
2. To counter stereotypical and bigoted statements made against Muslims and Islam, Arabs and Arabic culture;
3. To increase knowledge of neighbor by study and personal contact that yield a greater appreciation of the Muslim and Arabic contributions to society;
4. To act decisively to include Arabs and Muslims in interfaith and community organizations;
5. To pray for the perfection of community among us and to participate fully in the process of bringing it into being; and
6. To publicly denounce through statements from the Council of Bishops and the General Board of Church and Society current practices that discriminate against this community.
In order to aid United Methodists to respond to this call, all boards, agencies, and institutions of The United Methodist Church are requested to provide resources and programs and, where appropriate, to act in advocacy.
ADOPTED 1988
AMENDED AND READOPTED 2000, 2004
READOPTED 2008
AMENDED AND READOPTED 2016
RESOLUTION #3126, 2012 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION #3128, 2008 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION #78, 2004 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION #69, 2000 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
See Social Principles, ¶ 162B.
From The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church - 2016. Copyright © 2016 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.
