Three Idaho interfaith groups have released a statement condemning last week’s luncheon in a Statehouse meeting room, organized by state Rep. Vito Barbieri, that featured a speaker on “The True Face of Islam,” suggesting Muslims are trying to infiltrate and take over conservative western regions of the United States. The interfaith groups, the Interfaith Alliance, the Interfaith Equality Coalition and Healing Our Future, said, “As people of faith and conscience and as citizens of Idaho, it is heartbreaking for us to see a lack of understanding, fear and suspicion of unfamiliar faiths and refugees.” They called the talk “a glaring example of this kind of ignorance and fear mongering,” and said, “There are many issues that require our time, money, and attention in this state. Keeping out Muslims is not one of them.”

The statement was endorsed by an array of Idaho religious leaders, including representatives of the Islamic Center of Boise, the Cathedral of the Rockies, Cole Community Church, Bahai’s of Boise, the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, the United Church of Christ, Southminster Presbyterian Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Kuna United Methodist Church, Liberating Spirit Metropolitan Community Church, Hillview United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church of Boise, Boise Family Friends, Hyde Park Mennonite Fellowship, Whitney United Methodist Church, and more.

You can read the groups’ full statement here. “As long as any religion or faith group is singled out and discriminated against, every faith is in danger of the same,” they said. “We find this unacceptable and offensive.”

A defensive Barbieri said in response, "It’s not fear-mongering, it’s fact finding." He said he's concerned about the interplay between Sharia law and American jurisprudence, and wants to learn more.