PRECEDE:
CASEY Multifaith Network president Jim Reiher released a statement this week following reports of alleged acts of terror planned for Anzac Day services in Melbourne.
IT IS with great sadness that we heard about the arrests of four young men from the City of Casey regarding alleged plans to do a terrorist act. We can only hope and pray that it is not true. If it is not true, we will all breathe a sigh of relief.
If it is true, then we can all be grateful that it has not happened, and be appreciative for the work of the police and any community members who helped avert a terrible act. If it is true, we surely must grapple more with how to prevent our young people from being so badly radicalised. Passionate young men in their late teens or early twenties are so full of energy, zeal, and a desire to change the world.
To have those good qualities funnelled into terrible pathways is tragic. How can we best channel that kind of passion into good pathways? Things that seek to do good in the world, not harm? That seek to bless others, not curse them? We feel for the parents and friends of these young men.
We want them to know we are grieving with them, and praying for them. And we know that what these young men were alleged to be plotting is not reflective of the high ideals of Islam. Doing evil and randomly hurting others is not the religion of Australian Muslims.
It is as horrid to our Muslim neighbours as it is to the rest of the community.
Please do not stereotype your Muslim neighbours because of the tragic alleged extremism of some idealistic and misdirected young men. We have a wonderful multicultural community. Let us not allow incidents like this to undermine it.
