Hundreds of people – Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike – have gathered at Sikh temples in Wheaton and Palatine this evening to attend prayer vigils in honor of the Milwaukee-area shooting victims and to call for peace.As of 8 p.m. candles were lit and a five minute "moment of silence" was under way.
At the Sikh Religious Society of Palatine, Ruby Kular, a member for 10 years, said there is no fear, only resolve.
“This has just strengthened our faith,” she said. “All of us believe in God's will, and we believe in living in high spirits no matter the circumstances.”
About 275 people from different denominations – including Jewish, Hindu, Mormon and Christian -- gathered at the Illinois Sikh Community Center in Wheaton to pray for and collect money for the victims in Oak Creek. Sikh congregants bowed before a framed photo of Police Office Lt. Brian Murphy, who was shot after responding to the temple in Oak Creek, where authorities say six people were shot and killed by a man with ties to extremist groups. The gunman was killed by police.
“When something like this happens, people of faith need to come together around other principles other than what separates us,” said the Rev. Linda Tossey, a pastor at the Community Baptist Church in Warrenville.
Zehra Kazmi, 24, of Naperville, said she came with a fellow Muslim who knows members of the Sikh community to pray for the victims.
“Ever since the tragedy unfolded I’ve been glued to my computer. Like how could this happen,” Kazmi said. “I just feel like it could happen to my community. I’m looking around here at the people and they look like me. The adults, that could be my aunt, that could be my uncle.”
The visitors in Palatine weren't all Sikh, and volunteers handed out blue scarves to non-members who were not aware of the custom of covering one’s head inside the temple.
Those visitors, of various races and religions, sat quietly on the white carpet outskirts of the pristine Diwan Hall, while members sat cross-legged, engaged in the ceremony.
Mary Singh, 59, a Sikh congregant from Winnetka, said she visited the Wheaton center Monday to “show solidarity” and pray for victims. She said the American and Sikh values of freedom and liberty for all are the same, and that it “hurts, it’s very painful” to consider the attack in Oak Creek.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a turban that caused somebody to think anything. It’s just that everybody does look different,” Singh said. “The original Americans had every color.”
[email protected]
[email protected]
At the Sikh Religious Society of Palatine, Ruby Kular, a member for 10 years, said there is no fear, only resolve.
“This has just strengthened our faith,” she said. “All of us believe in God's will, and we believe in living in high spirits no matter the circumstances.”
About 275 people from different denominations – including Jewish, Hindu, Mormon and Christian -- gathered at the Illinois Sikh Community Center in Wheaton to pray for and collect money for the victims in Oak Creek. Sikh congregants bowed before a framed photo of Police Office Lt. Brian Murphy, who was shot after responding to the temple in Oak Creek, where authorities say six people were shot and killed by a man with ties to extremist groups. The gunman was killed by police.
“When something like this happens, people of faith need to come together around other principles other than what separates us,” said the Rev. Linda Tossey, a pastor at the Community Baptist Church in Warrenville.
Zehra Kazmi, 24, of Naperville, said she came with a fellow Muslim who knows members of the Sikh community to pray for the victims.
“Ever since the tragedy unfolded I’ve been glued to my computer. Like how could this happen,” Kazmi said. “I just feel like it could happen to my community. I’m looking around here at the people and they look like me. The adults, that could be my aunt, that could be my uncle.”
The visitors in Palatine weren't all Sikh, and volunteers handed out blue scarves to non-members who were not aware of the custom of covering one’s head inside the temple.
Those visitors, of various races and religions, sat quietly on the white carpet outskirts of the pristine Diwan Hall, while members sat cross-legged, engaged in the ceremony.
Mary Singh, 59, a Sikh congregant from Winnetka, said she visited the Wheaton center Monday to “show solidarity” and pray for victims. She said the American and Sikh values of freedom and liberty for all are the same, and that it “hurts, it’s very painful” to consider the attack in Oak Creek.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a turban that caused somebody to think anything. It’s just that everybody does look different,” Singh said. “The original Americans had every color.”
[email protected]
[email protected]