"All Black Beings are Buddhas from the Beginning"

In the midst of the moral and humanitarian crisis we are facing in our nation, this image from the Buddhist Peace Fellowship reminds us of our common humanity. The Buddhist Peace Fellowship acknowledges the depth of the struggle for justice, stating, "We know that the karma of slavery, policing, and anti-Blackness is unbearably heavy in this country. And it is our responsibility to burn through this karma with clarity, compassion and willingness to act."  

"Racism is a virus. It infects the spirit." (The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III)

Words and actions from other faith traditions:

The United Church of Christ minister Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III's riveting and challenging sermon, "The Cross and the Lynching Tree: A Requiem for Ahmaud Arbery" was preached Sunday, May 17, 2020. While the sermon was delivered before the killing of George Floyd, the critical need for his words is even more apparent now. On Sunday, May 31, Rev. Moss offered another sermon, "When Is Someday?" suggested as a prelude to the May 17 sermon. Both carry messages we as a nation and as people of faith need to hear.

"As people of faith, we must bear witness to this moment. That means that we must name hard truths, but we must also act," states the first line of the pledge the Unitarian Universalist Association is inviting their members to sign. It continues with a reminder of the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorouly as we condemn the riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear?" See full statement, suggested organizations to support, and pledge here.

"The brutal murder of George Floyd is the consequence of a racist system that disproportionally targets people of color for violence, imprisonment, and premature death," said Shanene Herbert, American Friends Service Committee's (Quaker) director of the Healing Justice program in Saint Paul, Minn. Read the full statement here.

The organization T'ruah: the rabbinic call for human rights lifts up the Jewish teaching that, "one who sheds blood is considered as having diminished the divine image." "We say once again: Black Lives Matter. And we commit to creating a country that lives by this statement." Read their full "Statement on the Murder of George Floyd and Violence against Protesters."

"As an organization which advocates for the needs of the most marginalized, we do what our Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) taught us: to firmly confront what is hateful and destructive to life, love and community. Our faith is incompatible with systems of racial hierarchy. We are taught to always promote justice, work to end suffering, and seek abolition of that which is cruel and unjust," states "A Letter of Solidarity in Support of Black Rage" from CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) San Francisco Bay Area. Read full statement with concrete suggestions for actions here.

The National Council of Churches' statement acknowledges, "Deplorably, while the coronavirus has infected the U.S. and been the cause of death for more than 101,000 people in less than three months, racism has infected this country since its beginning and this virus has seeped into every aspect of American life."

The Christian Science Daily Lift program offers this perspective in a 4 minute podcast by Trudy Palmer, "Our part in responding to injustice."

Continue to work and pray, speak out and act for racial justice!