Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Political Platform

I don't think I've EVER used this blog as a political platform, but I heard about this yesterday and I can't get it off my mind. Perhaps you've heard about it and can give me some insight to calm my soul or perhaps you haven't heard about it and will be an incensed as I am.

Have you heard that there are plans to build a mosque at Ground Zero? A MOSQUE! at GROUND ZERO! The very place where radical Islamic terrorists attacked Americans on a quiet morning that changed the course of our history.

In this article from CNN, "the project calls for a 13-story community center including a mosque, performing art center, gym, swimming pool, and other public spaces."

Daisy Kahn of the American Society for Muslim Advancement said, "this project was an opportunity for American Muslims living in New York to "give back" to the community."

WHAT? If there are American Muslims living quietly in NY without studying radical, jihadist Islam, living their lives peacefully and contributing to their communities by working and supporting the local economy, WHY IN THE WORLD DO THEY NEED TO GIVE BACK?

As a Christian, of course I wish all people in every nation would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. As a Christian who believes the Bible calls the people of God to love my neighbor, love one another as I love myself, I have no problem with people who do not believe as I believe living in my community, in my neighborhood, attending my school, shopping at the same stores where I shop, etc.

I have no problem with the idea of this "community center."

Daisy Kahn also told CNN (in the above article), "There is a lot of ignorance about who Muslims are. A center like this will be dedicated to removing that ignorance and it will also counter the extremists because moderate Muslims need a voice. Their voices need to be amplified."

I do agree that moderate Muslims are thrown into the pot with radical Muslims and as a society, we have embraced the idea that most (all) Muslims are radical, jihadist who hate America. In actuality, radical Muslims are not the norm.

I don't really have a problem with the concept of this community center/mosque/gathering place/whatever-it-is. But the location seems to violate and undermine the significance of 9/11. It does not honor the lives that were lost that day. If I had lost a mother, father, husband, brother, child, or friend that day (or since then as we've battled terror), I would want Ground Zero to be a place for reflection and a memorial for those that have lost their lives. I wouldn't want to grieve in the shadow of a mosque.

3 comments:

Katie's test page blog said...

I've been trying to do some more reading about this, just to educate myself. From what I can gather, it's actually 2 blocks away from the WTC - in an area that saw some damage, but not to the same extent - and the organization wants to buy an old Burlington Coat Factory that was damaged and build it back up as a community center. Here are a couple of other articles about it: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-fuchs-kreimer/proposed-muslim-community_b_583437.html and http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/nyregion/26muslim.html .

From those articles, which are a bit older (from when the organization was getting approval for the building) it says they will build a "worship space". I wonder if that means a full masque, or whatever might be comparable to a "chapel"?

I'll share more info if I find some. - Katie

Kyla said...

I think the only appropriate thing to be built at Ground Zero, regardless of religion, is a monument of remembrance for the lives lost, not a church, not a mosque, not a community center.

Arizaphale said...

Oooooo. Not sure how I feel about this. Think I like the idea of leaving it as an empty place to represent the hole it left in so many lives...or is that too pessimistic?