The proposed mosque near Ground Zero (which is more of a cultural center than anything else) has created a big enough controversy in the news lately that I felt the need to make a very few comments.
1. I understand why emotion by those directly affected by 9/11 would drive them to not want this to be built at this site.
2. I don't believe there's a logical argument to stand on to keep it from being built.
I believe the attempted logical argument goes something like this: Some terrorists committed atrocious acts. Those terrorists claimed to be Muslims. Now Muslims want to build a center to celebrate Muslim ideas, the same extreme ideas that killed lots and lots of Americans. If this is built, Muslims win.
I don't care for this logic because the terrorists represent Islam in the same way the idiots who disrupt military funerals with signs that say "God hates fags!" and claim that our soldiers are dead because God is punishing our godless nation represent Christianity. These extremists do not represent me. Nor do the "Moral Majority" Republicans who quote the 2% of the Bible that will get them elected and ignore the rest. Nor do billions of other people just as flawed as I am. I am a Christian. I attempt to follow Christ the best way I know how. Extremists are not the voice of the faith - Christ is. If it were otherwise, "Christianity" would have a lot of answering to do still about Crusades and witchhunts and cross burnings.
Frankly, I could care less whether this thing gets built or not. I don't, as many liberals claim (at least the ones getting quoted, anyway), see the construction of this mosque/cultural center to be some sort of flag we can wave about how great and tolerant and free our country is. The fact that millions of immigrants are begging to get here is sign enough. Build it, don't build it; I don't really think it makes a big difference. What does make a difference, though, is if any of us want to make a habit of labeling groups based on extremists. That's simply a dangerous road to travel.
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The logical argument goes like this: Comparing Christianity to Islam is a false parallel. Christianity is a religion and Islam is a full complete culture incompatible with America. The Salem Witch Trials were isolated and very quickly eradicated. According to any book I read, they never had any influence over regions/countries nor did they mass slaughter through terrorism. Burning of a book is--you know,1st amendment stuff, done all the time in this country.
ReplyDeleteNow, if you chose to take the logical approach by putting all of the following in one group: United States Constitution, the three branches of government, our Judeo-Christian foundational principles, our military, social services, non-profit and profit businesses, financial institutions AND our churches.----THEN, you can compare it to Islam. Of course your findings will be that Islam is incompatible and will destroy our culture if you let it--but it will be an actual comparison.
I sure hope you notice that America allows for Religious freedom but Islam does not--do you actually expect Islam to share our land with us once the mission is complete? Have they ever? *laughing*
A clever strategist uses an enemies own tools against them. Stealth Jihad is real. We should not be so stupid to think it only happens to other countries. --our three branches of government?-forget about it..they are being replaced with Fundamental Muslims whose mission IS Stealth Jihad--all in the name of diversity.
Not to worry, while sharing the stories of days gone by, you can explain to your offspring that you couldn’t think of a logical argument against "it"--They will understand.
Please NEVER teach my children anything!