Uganda Today Edition: The Fragile Fabric of Faith: A Tale of Intolerance and Redemption
In the heart of Australia, a serene town nestled amidst the eucalyptus trees, an act of religious intolerance shattered the peace. It was a sunny afternoon April 15, 2024, when an Islamic fundamentalist, driven by fervor and misguided zeal, attacked and injured Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, a revered figure in the local Christian community. 15 other congregants were also injured.
The incident sent shockwaves through the community, sparking fear and anger among both Christians and Muslims. As the news spread, tensions escalated, threatening to tear apart the delicate fabric of religious coexistence that had been carefully woven over the years.
In the aftermath of the attack, questions arose about the roots of such extremism and the importance of religious tolerance. Uganda Today delved into the heart of the matter, seeking to understand the underlying factors driving such acts of violence.
Interviews with religious leaders, community members, and scholars shed light on the complex interplay of ideology, socio-economic factors, and political influences that fuel extremism. It became clear that while faith can inspire acts of kindness and compassion, it can also be twisted to justify hatred and violence.
Through the lens of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel’s journey to forgiveness and reconciliation, Uganda Today highlighted the critical importance of religious coexistence and tolerance. Despite the pain and trauma inflicted upon him, the bishop extended a hand of forgiveness to his attacker, embodying the spirit of compassion and understanding that transcends religious boundaries.
As the town grappled with the aftermath of the attack, voices of reason emerged, advocating for dialogue, empathy, and mutual respect. Religious leaders came together to condemn violence in the name of faith and to reaffirm their commitment to peaceful coexistence.
In the end, the attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel served as a sobering reminder of the fragility of religious harmony and the urgent need for communities to come together in solidarity against extremism. Through empathy and understanding, they could mend the wounds inflicted by hatred and rebuild the bonds of trust that bind them together. In the face of adversity, they found strength in unity, proving that even in the darkest of times, the light of tolerance can still shine through.
Who is Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel?
Early life
Emmanuel was born in 1970 in Haditha, Iraq, to a devout Christian family. He grew up in Baghdad, but his family left Iraq in the early 1980s and settled in Sydney, Australia, where he attended Fairfield High School. He worked as a bank manager in the 1990s before becoming a deacon in the late 1990s and then being ordained a priest in 2009.
Independent church
In January 2015, Emmanuel established himself as bishop of an independent church in the East Syriac tradition, in Wakeley, Christ the Good Shepherd Church. As of 2023, he is not listed as a clergyman in the Ancient Church of the East’s Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand, and Lebanon.
Controversies
On 19 July 2021, amid the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant outbreaks and the lockdown in Sydney, Emmanuel presented an online sermon that reprimanded the COVID-19 vaccinations and lockdowns calling them “mass slavery”, and saying that the coronavirus is “just another type of the flu, no more, no less” and called it a “plandemic“. In his video, he implored Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian to do more and aid those with financial and emotional adversity, in addition to saying, “have we really lost the plot?”
The beautiful Bahai Temple on Kikaaya hill, Kampala known as the Mother Temple of Africa
It is one of the many houses of worship for people of different religious persuasions in Uganda and signifies the religious heteregeneity and tolerance of the country
The temple was built in the late 50s and early 60s and sits on 52 acres of land
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In addition to criticising non-Christian religions, such as Judaism and Islam, the Bishop is also known for preaching anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and describing homosexuality as a “crime in the eyes of God“. In one sermon, he stated that “Islam flourished and expanded with the sword“. However, amidst the Israel–Hamas war, he has called for peace. In addition, he has supported American former president Donald Trump, imploring him to remain faithful to Christianity and defy the influence of the Freemasons. A sermon of his posted online by fans depicts him to claim the United Nations was established by Satan.