Okay folks I'm getting incredibly frustrated with the debate for the so named "Ground Zero Mosque." Up until a couple days I had my personal opinions on the matter which I kept to myself...that was until I saw these hate-filled, ignorant, and inflammatory videos seen below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=966WFdC48PE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG2mupPwpyI
Okay seriously? The first guy's arguments about building monuments to Hitler at Auswich and Benihanas at Pearl Harbor are nothing more than Red Harings. The analogies he draws are completely irrelevant. I would have a problem with a statue of Hitler being built at Auswitch just as surely as I would have a problem with a monument being erected in honor of Osama Bin Laden at Ground Zero. I would not have a problem nor, I think would anybody else if Germans erected a Lutheran Church at Auswitch, similarly I do not have a problem with Muslims building a Mosque near Ground Zero.
As for the second video. I think the bigotry is obvious to any critical-thinking observer. The video implies that all Muslims are jihadist extremists who hate America and Democracy, they state a mosque would be a symbol of their victory over America. Actually I do believe that not allowing citizens of the United States the right to build a religious edifice where they so choose would be the real attack on all that is American.
As for the claim that all Islam is evil....I actually heard a Latter-day Saint say this to me. Okay really? In February of 1978 the First Presidency of the Church stated
"The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohamed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals. … We believe that God has given and will give to all peoples sufficient knowledge to help them on their way to eternal salvation” (“Statement of the First Presidency regarding God’s Love for All Mankind,” 15 Feb. 1978).
I have read the Qu'Ran and find it to be a beautiful book that teaches many truths, and instructs men to live a good life in the name of a loving God. Does it have it's passage condemning the non-believers? You betcha!But then again you ever read the Book of Joshua or Judges in the Bible? Or how about Nephi killing Laban in the Book of Mormon. Taken out of context some of the verses in the Qu'ran seem very hateful and evil. But the same is true of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Evil-designing men have used verses from all three books to help convince others to join their designs.
I do not think history will ever forget when a group religious zealots declared an unprovoked "Holy War" on a peaceful people. Thousands of innocent men, women and, sadly enough even children lost their lives. But I'm not talking about 9/11, I'm talking about the Crusades. Does what those Christian zealots did define all Christians? Of course not; they attacked in a manner that is at a complete contradiction to the Savior's teachings. So it is with Muslims who are true Muslims, the Muslims who "say assalamu alaikum" (peace be upon you) and mean it. The citizens f the United States who, five times a day face east to pray to Allah, a God whom they believe loves all men. What right do we have to tell any citizen of the United States they cannot build a religious edifice? None it would be at complete odds with the constitution and the American way. It would be un-democratic. In this way the Jihadists DO win if the mosque is not allowed to be built.
Of course this would all be assuming there was actually a mosque planned to be built at Ground Zero. Truth is that's only a half truth...actually only like a 1/4 truth. The plan is to build a Muslim cultural center 2 long-blocks away from Ground Zero this equates to about six regular Manhattan blocks. The center will have a library, an arts studio, an auditorium, a pool, and exhibits explaining Islam. It will also contain a prayer mosque and will be open to all visitors, Muslim and Non-Muslim alike.
All of you Latter-day saints should sympathize with the Muslims' wanting to build something holy and being opposed. How many times have communities fought us building temples in their community? Their reasons have varied but all stem from a misunderstanding of our church. It is no different and if you think so I would remind you of the Danites, the Mountain-Meadows Massacre, and modern polygamists. All of these groups did terrible things, but they did not act for the church. They are all individuals who lost their way. Yet do we not have a temple near Mountain Meadows? Indeed did we not construct a monument there? We did to show the world we as a church did not condone what those local leaders did. Shouldn't we give Muslim citizens the same chance? I think so. Let's show the world we can forgive, let's show the world that we live by what makes this country great like the freedom to worship God how we see fit, and the equal chance all citizens have at the pursuit of happiness.
Please leave your comments. Let me know what you think. Also should you want to view pure, unbiased facts from a Pulitzer-Prize winning site go here:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2010/aug/20/fact-checking-ground-zero-mosque-debate/
Thanks for posting this. I whole-heartedly agree. America was partially founded upon religious tolerance. I think it's really important to give every religion an equal opportunity to practice thier beliefs. I have some friends that are Muslim... I'm pretty sure they're not terrorists. It saddens and frustrates me that so many people are willing to place the blame on an entire group of people when only a tiny percentage (I've heard less than 1%) of that group did anything harmful. All of that aside, I don't understand the big deal when the COMMUNITY CENTER (it's not even predominantely a mosque) is not even visible from Ground Zero. No disrespect to people who lost loved ones on 9/11, but in my opinion, they need to do the right thing here and be the bigger person. It might not be easy for some people, but since when was the right thing synonymous with the easy thing?
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