WASHINGTON (BP)--Deep misunderstandings between the United States and Muslim communities around the world are causing serious problems and solving them will require constructing "bridges of understanding," says the president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
"Polls show there is a huge lack of understanding of Americans in the Muslim world. We need to broaden and deepen the understanding on both sides," Richard Land said. "The U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project will galvanize every aspect of American society to engage the Muslim society."
The group, which had 11 Muslim-American members and was supported in its work by Search for Common Ground and the Consensus Building Institute, held a briefing Sept. 24 on its report -- entitled "Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the Muslim World" -- at the Rayburn House Office Building and a press conference at the National Press Club.
"This initiative is a serious, comprehensive, bipartisan effort that seeks to address a critical problem: The world Muslim community misunderstands Americans and Americans misunderstand them," Land said in a written endorsement. "This initiative lays out a detailed and comprehensive plan to vastly decrease that misunderstanding through a multi-faceted approach that will build constructive bridges of mutual understanding between Americans and Muslim world."
The group's plan calls for significant shifts in American foreign policy to create a safer U.S. and a better world and suggests a "new blueprint" on how to reconstruct America's relationship with Muslims around the world, said Stephen Heintz, president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Project leadership has called for the next president of the U.S. to recognize the importance of improving U.S.-Muslim relations in his inaugural speech.
The report suggests a "four pillar approach" for U.S.-Muslim engagement: 1) diplomacy as the "primary tool for resolving conflicts involving Muslim countries," 2) efforts "to improve governance and promote civic participation in Muslim countries, and advocate for principles rather than parties in their internal political contests," 3) an emphasis on "job-creating growth in Muslim countries," and 4) a focus on improving "respect and understanding between Americans and Muslims around the world."
"By changing our approach, we will also help reverse the widespread perception of Muslims around the world that the U.S. is engaged in a 'war on Islam,'" Land said.
Tom Dine, former executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, said, "It is late in the day, but never too late, for American policy makers to alter their mindset about Islam and the Muslim communities, and to try and act on the common ground that exists between the peoples and government of the United States and global Muslim societies."
"Polls show there is a huge lack of understanding of Americans in the Muslim world. We need to broaden and deepen the understanding on both sides," Richard Land said. "The U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project will galvanize every aspect of American society to engage the Muslim society."
The group, which had 11 Muslim-American members and was supported in its work by Search for Common Ground and the Consensus Building Institute, held a briefing Sept. 24 on its report -- entitled "Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the Muslim World" -- at the Rayburn House Office Building and a press conference at the National Press Club.
"This initiative is a serious, comprehensive, bipartisan effort that seeks to address a critical problem: The world Muslim community misunderstands Americans and Americans misunderstand them," Land said in a written endorsement. "This initiative lays out a detailed and comprehensive plan to vastly decrease that misunderstanding through a multi-faceted approach that will build constructive bridges of mutual understanding between Americans and Muslim world."
The group's plan calls for significant shifts in American foreign policy to create a safer U.S. and a better world and suggests a "new blueprint" on how to reconstruct America's relationship with Muslims around the world, said Stephen Heintz, president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Project leadership has called for the next president of the U.S. to recognize the importance of improving U.S.-Muslim relations in his inaugural speech.
The report suggests a "four pillar approach" for U.S.-Muslim engagement: 1) diplomacy as the "primary tool for resolving conflicts involving Muslim countries," 2) efforts "to improve governance and promote civic participation in Muslim countries, and advocate for principles rather than parties in their internal political contests," 3) an emphasis on "job-creating growth in Muslim countries," and 4) a focus on improving "respect and understanding between Americans and Muslims around the world."
"By changing our approach, we will also help reverse the widespread perception of Muslims around the world that the U.S. is engaged in a 'war on Islam,'" Land said.
Tom Dine, former executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, said, "It is late in the day, but never too late, for American policy makers to alter their mindset about Islam and the Muslim communities, and to try and act on the common ground that exists between the peoples and government of the United States and global Muslim societies."