A powerful thing happened in Virginia last week: More than 90 interfaith leaders from almost every religious tradition and denomination stood together to strongly condemn the actions of Boko Haram, a terrorist group that kidnapped 300 Nigerian girls to prevent them from receiving an education.

We are a diverse group including the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and the Virginia Council of Churches, convened by U. S. Sen. Mark R. Warner. Though we hold distinct religious beliefs, we have united to speak clearly with one voice to urge President Obama, United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki- moon and Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to take immediate coordinated action to locate and return the girls to their families.

We believe that together, we can create a stronger voice of protest against Boko Haram’s perversion of religion as a justification for their actions. A few days ago, Boko Haram’s leader released another video, allegedly of some of the kidnapped girls, and justified his threats to sell the girls into slavery by citing Islamic precedent. We reject this false reliance on religion to justify heinous acts. Al- Azhar, a preeminent Islamic theological institute, has publicly denounced the abductions, saying it “completely contradicts the teachings of Islam and its tolerant principles.” We agree: It completely contradicts the teachings of all of our religions.

There are many differences in the faith traditions we each represent. But all of our faiths call us to be kind to one another. On this, there is no distinction:

Serve God, and… do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer...

— Islam, Quran 4:36

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.

— Christianity, Matthew 7:12

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

— Judaism, Leviticus 19:18

This is the sum of duty: Do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.

— Hinduism, Mahabharata 5 1517

Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

— Buddhism, Udana-Varga 5:18

We are concerned that this event might polarize people of different faiths and cause doubt and skepticism of — or even backlash against — particular faith communities. We seek a different outcome. We seek to show the world that, here in Virginia, we respect one another’s faiths, acknowledge our differences and celebrate our similarities.

Instead of letting this divide us, let it unite us in our purpose to speak out and to bring something positive from this heinous act.

Please join us by signing our online petition at Virginia InterfaithCenter.org to urge President Obama, Secretary General Ban and Nigerian President Jonathan to call on the:

(1) United Nations, in concert with the African Union, to assist Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad in locating and returning these girls to their homes, and to root out Boko Haram terrorist elements from these countries;

(2) United Nations and the African Union to invest in education for girls as a symbolic rejection of Boko Haram’s ideology against education, which led them to kidnap these young girls;

(3) Religious leaders and people of faith around the world to speak out against the vile acts of Boko Haram, whose actions are motivated by warped religious interpretation.

We also ask that you consider donating time or money to one of the many organizations that support education for girls. One of the best ways to fight extremism is through better educating youth, especially girls. Girls’ education boosts economies by growing the formal labor force, raising living standards, and decreasing the appeal of extremism. Learn more by visiting the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative, www.ungei.org, online.

Finally, we encourage you to tell your elected officials that you expect the U. S. to support Nigeria and its neighbors as they fight back against Boko Haram.

On behalf of this diverse and united group of Virginia’s faith leaders, I invite you to join us so that we can send a message that it is unacceptable to distort religion in order to oppress women.

Our voices are stronger when we stand together.

Marco Grimaldo is CEO and president of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy; contact him at Marco@virginiainterfaithcenter. org. The Rev. Jonathan Barton is general minister of the Virginia Council of Churches; contact him at barton@vacounci

Click here to sign the petition.