WASHINGTON (RNS) Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders condemned the DVD “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West” that has been circulated in U.S. newspapers and urged Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain to do the same.
More than 20 million DVDs were distributed as paid advertisements in
12 electoral swing states. The Interfaith Alliance, a coalition of Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders, condemned the DVD as anti-Muslim propaganda at a press conference on Tuesday (Oct. 7).
“Invoking fear and hatred in American voters is not the way to address the real problems of extremism and terrorism that our nation faces,” leaders said.
The Interfaith Alliance aims to promote inter-religious cooperation, and said the DVD was “religion-based divisiveness.”
“We challenge … the manipulation of both religion and politics in a manner that weakens the integrity of religion and the vitality of politics,” said the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of Interfaith Alliance.
By Ashley Gipson
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