INTERFAITH ALLIANCE STATE OF BELIEF

RADIO FEBRUARY 21, 2015

RUSH TRANSCRIPT: WELTON GADDY

Click here for audio

[REV. DR. C. WELTON GADDY, HOST]: Even as prominent
community leaders and advocates struggled with the deadly threat of
violent extremism at this weeks White House Summit, it was
disheartening to read about a so-called alternative summit organized
earlier in the month by anti-Muslim activist Frank Gaffney. Luminaries
from the right flocked to the event Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruz, Steve
King, as well as Family Research Councils Jerry Boykin and others.
The naked political nature of this gathering was exposed when
President Obama was bluntly accused with, quote, Siding with the
enemy of freedom in the Middle East.
As effective as this kind of divisive rhetoric may be in riling up the
base, it is so unspeakably irresponsible to do so at a time when
innocents Muslim and non-Muslim alike are losing their lives in
horrific ways, at the hands of extremists who have hijacked the name
of Islam and are doing their absolute best to incite a global religious
war. Events like Gaffneys play right into the hands of our real
enemies. And they feed a narrative that only adds insult to injury for
faithful Muslims in America and beyond who face heartbreak and
hatred every day, as their sincerely held religious beliefs are
misrepresented in sadistic and inhuman ways.
But I want to end todays show on a hopeful note. Even as
supposedly-responsible journalists endlessly badger White House
1

Press Secretary Josh Earnest over why the President allegedly

refuses to label violent extremism as Islamic; even as anti-Muslim
sentiment is on the rise around the world; even as fundamentalists of
all stripes wish nothing less than total extermination of
fundamentalists of other stripes there are millions and millions and
millions of us who refuse to give in to their fear-mongering and the
hate-baiting. This week in Oslo, Norway, a 17-year-old Muslim named
Hajrad Arshad responded to growing anti-Semitic harassment in that
country by calling for fellow Muslims to form a friendship ring around
the local synagogue for Shabbat services. A slightly skeptical
member of the Jewish community was quoted as saying it would be
meaningful if 30 Muslims gathered for this physical expression of
solidarity and protection. Well, as of earlier this week, one thousand
two hundred people had signed up. Better still, other communities
have begun working on replicating this expression of love and support
as well.
Friends, cynics will try to dismiss this as an empty act of symbolism.
Maybe even of navet. But listen: nothing could be further from the
truth.
Standing together - standing up for each other - is all that we can
really do. But the good news is, its all we really need to do. The
merchants of hate are powerless against those of us who refuse to
hate. The doctrine of division is powerless against those of us who
stand together. And the philosophy of fear is powerless against those
of us who step outside our comfort zone and simply say, Enough.
And there is no committee or conference, no summit or symposium,
that will ever be as powerful as that simple act if enough of us do it,
together.

Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy

Author of more than 20 books, including First Freedom First: A
Citizens Guide to Protecting Religious Liberty and the Separation of
Church and State, the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy led the national nonpartisan grassroots and educational organization Interfaith Alliance
for 16 years and continues as President Emeritus and Special
Advisor, as well as serving as Pastor for Preaching and Worship at
Northminster (Baptist) Church in Monroe, Louisiana.
In addition to being a prolific writer, Dr. Gaddy hosts the weekly State
of Belief radio program, where he explores the role of religion in the
life of the nation by illustrating the vast diversity of beliefs in America,
while exposing and critiquing both the political manipulation of religion
for partisan purposes and the religious manipulation of government
for sectarian purposes.
Dr. Gaddy provides regular commentary to the national media on
issues relating to religion and politics. He has appeared on MSNBCs
The Rachel Maddow Show and Hardball, NBCs Nightly News and
Dateline, PBSs Religion and Ethics Newsweekly and The Newshour
with Jim Lehrer, C-SPANs Washington Journal, ABCs World News,
and CNNs American Morning. Former host of Morally Speaking on
NBC affiliate KTVE in Monroe, Louisiana, Dr. Gaddy is a regular
contributor to mainstream and religious news outlets.
While ministering to churches with a message of inclusion, Dr. Gaddy
emerged as a leader among progressive and moderate Baptists.
Among his many leadership roles, he is a past president of the

Alliance of Baptists and has been a 20-year member of the

Commission of Christian Ethics of the Baptist World Alliance. His past
leadership roles include serving as a member of the General Council
of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, President of Americans United
for Separation of Church and State, Chair of the Pastoral Leadership
Commission of the Baptist World Alliance and member of the World
Economic Forums Council of 100. Rev. Gaddy currently serves on
the White House task force on the reform of the Office of Faith Based
and Neighborhood Partnerships.
Prior to the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist
Convention (SBC), Dr. Gaddy served in many SBC leadership roles
including as a member of the conventions Executive Committee from
1980-84 and Director of Christian Citizenship Development of the
Christian Life Commission from 1973-77.
Dr. Gaddy received his undergraduate degree from Union University
in Jackson, Tennessee and his doctoral degree and divinity training
from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville,
Kentucky.

State of Belief Radio

State of Belief is based on the proposition that religion has a positive
and healing role to play in the life of the nation. The show explains
and explores that role by illustrating the vast diversity of beliefs in
America the most religiously diverse country in the world while
exposing and critiquing both the political manipulation of religion for
partisan purposes and the religious manipulation of government for

sectarian purposes.
Each week, the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy offers listeners critical
analysis of the news of religion and politics, and seeks to provide
listeners with an understanding and appreciation of religious liberty.
Rev. Gaddy tackles politics with the firm belief that the best way to
secure freedom for religion in America is to secure freedom from
religion. State of Belief illustrates how the Religious Right is wrong
wrong for America and bad for religion.
Through interviews with celebrities and newsmakers and field reports
from around the country, State of Belief explores the intersection of
religion with politics, culture, media, and activism, and promotes
diverse religious voices in a religiously pluralistic world.