Image Courtesy of Clergy Beyond Borders

A rabbi, an imam, and a reverend walk into a room.  Sounds like the opening to a cliche joke.

But this is no joke. This is the mission of Clergy Beyond Borders, a group formed with the goal of promoting religious and cultural pluralism.

In this era of increasing Islam-o-phobia, the group has decided to take their message of tolerance on the road in the USA.

The Reconciliation Ride is a national tour organized to engage communities that have faced religious conflict.

The adventure began on September 11th of this year, and since the kick-off the traveling group has been to 10 different states, 14 cities, and spoken with over 5,000 people in mosques, synagogues, churches, and universities.   The audiences have included a mix of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and Baha’i.

One of the tour’s most notable stops took place in Murfressboro, Tennessee.  The town had been a focus of Islam-o-phobia over the past year.

When members of the local Muslim community planned to construct a mosque, other locals objected.  The proposed property became the target of vandals, arsonists and obstructionist lawyers.

Tour participant Rich Eisendorf explained

“This resistance and discrimination isn’t uncommon in many of the places the tour is stopping”

But even in the face of these attitudes, the tour has received warm welcome in cities from Nashville and Chattanooga to Toledo and Cleveland.

In Chattanooga, an Imam’s message of religious tolerance in these difficult times brought 500 people to their feet for a rousing 0vation.

In South Carolina, the clergy team engaged citizens in a discussion about the big question of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict:  Is it possible to reconcile the differences between the two warring factions?

The conversation continued for over an hour and half after the clergy’s talk.  The public found that the less they shied away from important dialogue, the more likely healthy discussions would ensue and bring communities together.

Now, the Reconciliation Ride will come to Frederick for its last stop at St. Katherine Drexel Church and will feature an introduction by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.

USDemocrazy will be there covering the event.

Check back on Monday to read more!  In the meantime, leave us your questions for the rabbis, imams, and reverends in the comments below.  What do you think of this plan to fight religious extremism and bring communities together?