(RNS) In times of rising Islamophobia, President Obama made a plea for religious tolerance at the first visit to an American mosque of his presidency.

A lot of Americans have never been to a mosque, the president said as he began his speech, shoeless per Muslim tradition, in the Islamic Center of Baltimore’s prayer hall on Wednesday (Jan. 3).

“Think of your own synagogue or church or temple, and a mosque like this will be very familiar,” he said.  “This is where families come to worship and express their love for God and each other.”

Read the article “Obama Pleads for Tolerance in First Visit to US Mosque — a Mosque with Past Extremist Ties” on religionnews.com.