Church leaders denounce White Lives Matter rallies

Religious leaders across Tennessee are denouncing white supremacy ahead of Saturday’s White Lives Matter protests in Murfreesboro and Shelbyville.

Scores of clergy have signed their names to statements opposing the white nationalist groups’ values. They have planned community prayer vigils celebrating diversity and advocating for unity.

And they have sent a strong message that hate is not a religious value.

All faith traditions are meant to promote peace, understanding and love among people, said Rabbi Laurie Rice, a leader of the Brentwood, Tenn.- based Congregation Micah that has members in Murfreesboro and Shelbyville. That is why she is among those countering the groups that are protesting refugee resettlement and immigrants this weekend.

“Any movement that works to do the opposite, that promotes hate and puts barriers up and creates fear about the other — who can stand in support of that?” Rice said.

In a statement condemning the white nationalist groups, her synagogue is one of 15 Jewish congregations and organizations to say, “We will not allow purveyors of hatred to disrupt the sacred bonds of community harmony.” Rice also joined more than 160 Tennessee faith leaders who disavowed the protests.

“This gathering has especially vitriolic and violent things to say about our immigrant and refugee neighbors,” the interfaith statement says. “The core teachings of our faiths clearly promote human equality and love for all of God’s creation. Gatherings like this one have no other end but the promotion of white racial nationalism.”