Did you see this ad in the “A” section of today’s New York Times? After reading it, I am pleased to see the newfound commitment of some of my friends on the right to fight against anti-religious bigotry and violence against houses of worship. These are principles that have been at the core of the Interfaith Alliance’s mission since its founding.

While I wholeheartedly disagree with the position of the LDS church on proposition 8, I agree with the signers of the ad that they have every right to their opinion. I do wonder if the signers will be willing to spend tens-of-thousands of dollars along with their prestige the next time a primarily gay congregation’s legitimacy is called in to question, or a mosque is targeted for harassment.

I invite the ad’s signers to prove me wrong. I invite them to encourage houses of worship across the country to engage in dialogue across the political spectrum. Not to proselytize, but to build understanding. Not to change theology, but to understand each other’s theological perspective.