<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr">Courtesy of today’s (July 10, 2020) <i>Moscow-Pullman Daily News</i> with special thanks to Rev. Elizabeth Stevens of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse.<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>———————————————</div><div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Support, love for our neighbors</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">As members of the Moscow Interfaith Association, we write today in support of our LGBTQIA neighbors. We write in support of our medically compromised and elderly neighbors as well as our general community. We write to remind all of our neighbors, regardless of their church affiliation, that the world religions are in alignment when it comes to how we should treat one another.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">We find in Leviticus 19:18 and Romans 13:9, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” In Jewish tradition, Rabbi Akiva named this the most fundamental part of the Torah.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Meanwhile, Jesus incorporates this language into his great commandment, shared in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">We find similar sentiments in the Hindu Mahabharata 5, 1517: “… do naught unto others which would cause pain unto you.”</span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">From the Baha’i faith, “… choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself.”</span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">From the Islamic Hadith, “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”</span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">We could go on. These scriptures are not taken out of context or cherry-picked and given dubious translations in order to justify personal or political opinions. Rather, they express the core of God’s message to the world.</span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">People of faith are required to care for one another, and avoid doing harm. Thus, we stand united in our belief that all people, regardless of their sexual identity or gender expression, are beloved children of God and should be treated as such. We stand united in our willingness to wear masks and take other necessary precautions to protect those who are vulnerable to COVID-19. We urge our neighbors — those who identify as people of faith, and those who do not — to practice compassion, acceptance, and kindness. We commit to doing the same.</span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rev. Elizabeth Stevens, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse</span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">This letter also was signed by 10 additional members of the Moscow Interfaith Association.</span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;">——————————————</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the words of Mr. Rogers . . .</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Songs/Its_a_Beautiful_Day_in_the_Neighborhood.mp3">http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Songs/Its_a_Beautiful_Day_in_the_Neighborhood.mp3</a></p><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.TomandRodna.com/MoscowCares</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“A stranger is just a friend you haven't met.” - Roy E. Stolworthy</span></p></div></div></div><div><div dir="ltr"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>