Last week Ann and I and several other members of The Fountains, a Progressive United Methodist Church, traveled to Phoenix to attend a celebration of religious freedom at the Phoenix Islamic Center.

After parking, everyone had to walk past a young man who was speaking through a free-standing portable electric megaphone. He was screaming that all Muslims were rapists, murderers, thieves and worse. While I will defend his right of free speech, this did not stop me from saying a silent prayer: “May his batteries go dead!”

Once inside the mosque, attendees respectfully took off their shoes and then sat and watched as people kept streaming through the doors. Men and women of all ages, teenagers and children, coming together with smiling, excited faces, wanting to show support and respect for our Muslim neighbors.

And, why were we there? Why all this outpouring of kindness and compassion?

Because just three days earlier a group of mean-spirited ruffians, many wearing guns and military garb, stood outside this very mosque attempting to goad any kind of violent reaction from those wishing to attend worship services. And nothing happened! Peace and quiet prevailed.

So here we were. Hundreds and hundreds of concerned, like-minded, caring people coming together to say “No!” to religious intolerance and bigotry. Saying “No!” to the use of foolish and narrow minded words like “apostate” to describe anyone who dares to think differently.

As the program progressed speaker after speaker representing many faiths and religious organizations spoke of love and understanding and acceptance and unity.

While the words resonated with great meaning throughout the hall, what has stuck in my mind is the simple yet powerful image of the Jewish Rabbi standing beside the Muslim Imam who was standing beside the Evangelical pastor, who was standing beside the Episcopal priest, who was…