Nick Coltrain

nickcoltrain@coloradoan.com

Dozens of anti-Muslim fliers were distributed at a Fort Collins church Sunday.

The Rev. Gretchen Haley of Foothills Unitarian Church said the fliers, filled with dubious statistics and anti-Islam rhetoric, were placed on congregants' cars during the 9:30 a.m. service, where about 200 people worshiped.

She did not know who distributed the fliers and there is no group credited on the fliers. Haley said she planned to notify Fort Collins Police Services in case similar incidents happened. The church, which preaches an inclusive message in a non-dogmatic way, saw its attendance pick up in the weeks before the November election and boom following President Donald Trump's victory.

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Haley credits much of the attention her church has received — including the fliers — to a series of signs signaling that all are welcome at the church and specifically naming marginalized groups, such as the homeless and Muslims.

"To me, (being targeted with the fliers) means that we're being effective because the sign of effectiveness has to start with works to suppress," Haley said. "It doesn't scare me, but it is shocking or frustrating, though I guess I'm not shocked because if these feelings didn't exist we wouldn't need to do this."

The fliers target "self-styled politically correct, doctrinaire-liberal, virtue signalling, 'mainstream' (read: stagnating) Christian denominations, as well as universalists, non-denominational new-age pantheists and upscale deistic 'cosmopolitan' congregations." It cites a website that describes itself as examining "the ideological threat that Islam poses to human dignity and freedom" and an opt-in survey from the Center for Security Policy that Politifact describes as "shaky."

Haley said there have been heightened concerns as the church's message gains more public steam — she recalled a 2008 shooting at a Knoxville, Tennessee, Unitarian church that left two congregants dead. However, the fliers were ultimately pretty mild.

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Pushback on Foothills Unitarian's signs and message also wasn't entirely unexpected, since that's the point of public discourse, even if it is to "depoliticize" the idea of "one human family."

"Mostly we've just gotten lots of support and a gratitude from the wider community for the inclusive message," Haley said. "In some ways, I hesitate to give (the fliers) too much more attention, because I think it is a real strong minority that is vocal, and I don't want to give them more of a platform."

She added she still thinks Fort Collins is overall welcoming to people of all religious and political stripes.

Tawfik AboEllail, president of the Islamic Center of Fort Collins, said Monday his facility has not seen the anti-Muslim fliers.