(Pictures from http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2010/08/design-ideas-fo.html)
The Ground Zero Mosque has been approved by the New York government. There will be a mosque, house of worship for the coreligionists of those who killed over 2,500 people less than two decades ago.
Although the mosque will be for “moderate” Muslims and it will include an interfaith center, where Islam will meet other religions, crowds are skeptical. The definition for moderate is quite relative, relatively speaking. Moderate Islamic organizations will condemn terrorism. They do not, however, view Hamas or Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization. Twenty five percent of American Muslims believe that suicide bombing is an appropriate measure of action to achieve certain goals (see Third Jihad).
Where were the “moderate” Muslims when Nine Eleven happened? Why weren’t there protests on the streets of New York proclaiming that the majority of Muslims disapprove 9/11? Since Muslims had no public outcry against the act, it would follow that Moderate and radical Muslims alike approve 9/11, and for some reason want their mosque to be exactly on the spot of the terrorist attack. It is not surprising that Islam has a tradition of building mosques on conquered territories as a sign of victory.
The Ground Zero Mosque will have an interfaith center to encourage dialogue between different religions. How wonderful. Rabbi Marc Schneier supports the mosque because it will bring Muslim-Jewish relations to different levels. Having inter-faith dialogue held in
An Islamic facility built on a place that was devastated as a result of Islamic terrorism is highly cynical and insulting. It is comparable to Jews meeting with Nazis for a “mutual understanding” gathering during WWII in a concentration camp. If Muslims are serious about inter-faith dialogue, they should be more sensitive with choosing their location.
America is a democracy. There is freedom of religion. People are allowed to build a house of worship. Yet somehow, this Ground Zero Mosque sounds wrong…
Ironically, this week Germany closed down a mosque where terrorists of 9/11 used to pray. Germany seems to have learned that freedom must be limited in the short run sometimes to ensure freedom in the long run.
If democracy means that the majority of voices win, eventually democracy will eat itself. The Muslims will use their advantage in human number and will abuse democracy by voting for a system that opposes democracy in its very essence. They already are populating at an alarmingly high rate and will soon have the power to outweigh anyone standing in their way.
If tolerance does not stop where intolerance begins, intolerance will take its place.
Articles I used:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/134863
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139029
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/08/questions_for_opponents_of_the.html
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/08/04/patrick_indicates_support_for_ground_zero_mosque/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russell-simmons/ground-zero-mosque-are-we_b_670138.html
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2010/08/design-ideas-fo.html
