[ WAR IN IRAQ ]
KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Gene Tamashiro, left, Akira Morikawa and Tatiana Maurin talked while holding candles along Pali Highway yesterday following an interfaith gathering at Harris United Methodist Church. After the service, participants came out to the highway.
Candlelight The first Honolulu interfaith gathering since the Iraqi war began took its candlelight peace vigil from a downtown church to a busy intersection last night.
peace vigil convenes
in Honolulu
The interfaith group demonstrates
with prayers and speechesBy Mary Adamski
madamski@starbulletin.comUnlike the honks and hollers that anti-war sign holders have evoked in past weeks, passing motorists were as silent as the 100 peace advocates, many in clerical robes, who lined the curbs at Pali Highway and Vineyard Boulevard.
Earlier, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim and native Hawaiian participants shared messages, songs and insight from their different holy books to affirm that they all believe in peace.
"I'm grateful to be among religious leaders preaching peace and not among ... some religious leaders that exploit the theological language that serves special interests and inflames the situation, leading wicked opportunists and ignorant fanatics to perpetrate hate crimes and more violence," Hakim Ouansafi told the crowd at Harris United Methodist Church.
Using the U.S. government's "shock and awe" attack theme and military terminology for civilian victims of battle, the Muslim representative said Americans are experiencing shock from the comfort of their couches, "the shock of seeing and hearing this 'collateral damage' speak, bleed, cry, mourn and bury their dead in the same manner that we do; the shock of seeing the bodies of soldiers on both sides that died in fighting or friendly fire simply because they are fulfilling their oath."
The use of "violence as a path to achieve peace ... is not acceptable in Islam," said Ouansafi, president of the Muslim Association of Hawaii. "We appeal to you to awaken the longing for a peaceful and just life in all those whose hearts are filled with hatred for others," he said in a prayer.
KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Interfaith worship service for peace was held at Harris United Methodist Church last night. Those who attended included, front from left, Gene Tamashiro, Dr. Ha'aheo Guanson, Gary Barbaree, Jan Youth, Rev. Kekapa Lee. In the second row was Rev. Vaughn Beckman (scarf) and Hakim Oansafi.
As the audience lined up with hand-held candles, many sought out Ouansafi to ignite their lights from his and to murmur words of encouragement for the community of about 3,000 island Muslims that he represents.
"I can't imagine the anguish he must feel as his people are suffering," said Wally Wake. "We need to be concerned about one another."
The crowd recited responses to verses from the Torah read by Rabbi Avi Magid, of Temple Emanu-El. "He will make an end to war throughout the world. He will break the bow and smash the spear. He will make the chariot of war go up in flames."
The Rev. Gary Barbaree, Harris pastor, told the crowd, "We are not here to resolve the issues of the war, but to proclaim that the tension between light and darkness, between silence and sound, is where we are today."
Husam Uddin, a Palestinian Arab who has lived in Hawaii for three years, sat in the back row for the service. He said, "I wish that every church and temple would practice what they say here tonight."
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