MARYSVILLE – Terry Kyllo says homosexual couples didn’t get the right to marry over night. It took a long time.

And it wasn’t just because of letters to the editor.

“People got to know gays and lesbians,” said the pastor of Catacomb Churches and St. Philip’s Episcopal Church.

That also is how hate against Muslims in Marysville also will be quelled, he said.

Toward that end, Kyllo released a web page Jan. 29 called, “Muslims and Christians as Neighbors.” Kyllo and others will be putting on 10 informational events at churches all along the Interstate 5 corridor. The overall message is “Love in a Time of Fear.” The goal is to get Christians and Muslims to get to know each other so they can get past stereotypes.

Kyllo said Muslim speakers in the project will focus on three things.

1. Muslims on not trying to convert every one. They want to leave Christians and Jews alone or become friends.

2. Muslims are just as horrified of Isis as others area. “They reject it all and are grieved to the heart,” Kyllo said.

3. Sharia Law is different in every community. For example, a woman does not have to wear a hijab, but scarves available if they want to. Muslims will not get mad or offended if you don’t wear one. When an event is put on, people can do their own thing. “They do not impose anything on anyone else,” Kyllo said.

Kyllo said the national media and politicians have only added fuel to the fire against Muslims. Hate groups funded by the far right are putting horrible information on social media that is inaccurate.

“We can’t match them dollar for dollar,” Kyllo said. “But we’ve got a network of churches all across the nation” that can fight back with the truth.

He challenged other Christians to step up in the fight for civil rights of Muslims, since they failed to help Native Americans, Jews, blacks and the Japanese.

“Where were the Christians?” in those battles, he asked. “They can speak up this time. It’s not only unChristian, but it’s unAmerican” to allow the prejudice to occur. Christian leaders fold far too often.”

Kyllo said Muslims are no more likely to be terrorists than Christians, athiests, agnostics, Buddhists, jews or anyone else.

“When it comes to the risk to human life I-5 is worse. Way down the list would be terrorists,” he said.

While no system is full-proof, Kyllo said the U.S. process of bringing refugees here is trustworthy.

“When it comes right down to it, there’s not that much difference,” he said.

Kyllo explained that Jesus, Moses and Mohammed believe in peace and stand against extreme violence. They all preach to love thy neighbor in a manner that means to help work for their well-being. If everyone has enough and feels safe there is peace for all.

Kyllo said the 10 events coming up are all about raising awareness and building relationships. Problems can develop if Muslim kids are bullied, businesses and mosques are vandalized, and they feel hatred from the larger surrounding culture. “Some (Muslims) may be more prone to reciprocate,” Kyllo said.

But, “we want to break that cycle,” he added.

Their strategy is simple.

“We live around a lot of people, but they often aren’t our neighbors,” Kyllo said. “Let’s work for their well-being.”