The National Council of Churches USA is praising the restraint of some Islamic groups over the Muhammad cartoon controversy while calling for a ‘‘dialogue of civilizations.’’

 The NCC on Monday said it stood in solidarity with North American Islamic organizations that “exercised disciplined restraint and advocated diplomacy and education” in response to the caricatures of the Muslim prophet Muhammad.

The NCC, which is composed of 35 Orthodox, Protestant, Episcopalian, historic African American and peace church traditions, listed the following North American Islamic organizations as those which have “exercised disciplined restraint and advocated diplomacy and education:” Islamic Society of North America, Council for American Islamic Relations, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Islamic Circle of North America and the ASMA Society.

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