by M. L. Kiser
This whole, "Mosque near Ground Zero", mess is about as pathetic as we can get in this country. A country that has professed for several centuries to be, "free", a country that was found on the principles of "freedom"; a country that sports a statue which invites the, "tired", "poor", "huddling masses, yearning to breathe free", the "homeless" and "Tempest-tossed". America openly invites everybody to its' shores, yet in America today is a growing mis-trust and even a seeming hatred of all things, Muslim.
Throughout the entire country are individuals and groups who just can't seem to keep up their "American" spirit and hospitality that our forefathers so lovingly entrusted to all of us. What has happened to, "freedom" in America?
One of the most beloved American freedoms in the past has always been, "freedom of religion". The freedom for every individual to worship whom they choose, where they choose and the way they choose, (what a concept). If would be a fantastic concept if it were actually true, but there seem to be many who don't want other individuals worshipping in their own way. Individual Americans are all-too-willing to take away the freedom of others to worship as they choose.
While we may understand why many would rather leave, Ground Zero, as a patch of, "Holy Ground"; a shrine to the many victims who died unnecessary and violent deaths and to their families and friends; the fact is that they will long be remembered even by many who never knew them, personally. Such a horror as "9/11" touched us all, worldwide and stands in the annals of history as a tragic testament of "man's inhumanity to man". It is as historical fact as the Holocaust and whether the land remains unoccupied by a mosque or other building can never change that fact.
The Mosque being debated, contrary to what many people believe, is not being built at, "Ground Zero"; instead it is planned for approximately 2 blocks down the street. One would think that if 2 lousy blocks makes that much difference to people; then we are not living as "free" Americans. Instead, we are suppressing the freedom of others to live and worship in America as our constitution allows us. That is such an un-American act for any American and absurd. Yet, we seem to have become such a knit picky country that many Americans choose to practice their freedom of choice to suppress another's freedom.
Americans have always been proud of their freedom; especially their freedom of choice and religion. Many people today still believe that America is a "Christian" country when in fact, it is a country where many religions are worshipped. Still, there is also a seedy underbelly to this religions freedom in America. At some point, in America's history, someone's religion has been suppressed or downright forbidden!
Every single Christmas, Christians in America have to deal with the courts and others regarding whether or not they should be allowed to display their, "Ten Commandments" in public places. Not only that, but the bible isn't allowed in many American Schools while some do teach it as literature, but even then it's a touchy subject for many teachers to deal with. Now we also have debates about allowing Christmas Trees in public places; how is that religious freedom?
Of course, when it comes to persecution, it's often been the Christian religions who made the loudest objections to other religious practices. It was Christians who actually took away the Native American's right to practice their religions. Early Christians stooped to a number of dirty and underhanded practices, including taking Native children and forcing them to worship the Christian God.
For over a century, the original Americans, the indigenous peoples, were forbidden to practice the, "Ghost Dance" and the, "Sun Dance", spiritual rituals performed by various tribes were not allowed by the American Government. Yes, even the American Government hasn't adhered to its' own constitutional laws, especially when it came to religion.
Natives were suppressed, imprisoned, killed, herded and shoved onto reservations, so that the Government could control them and their activities, as well as, forcing them to accept Christianity as their religion. Yet, we now know that many of our founding fathers were not even, Christian, but Freemasons and Deists instead.
For centuries, even among the Christian denominations, there has been violence and hatred. Catholicism has warred with Protestants, Baptists disagree with Christians who disagree with Presbyterians who disagree with the Judeo Christians who disagree with the Jews from whence the Christian beliefs and rituals came. Christians of all denominations seem to think that anyone Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Wiccan, Pagan, among others are, "Lost" souls who will never spend eternity with God.
In the 1560's, the French Huguenot's, (Protestants), in Jacksonville, Florida at Fort Caroline, were wiped out by the Spanish Commander, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés who proudly wrote to King Phillip II, that: "...We hanged all those we had found in [Fort Caroline] because...they were scattering the odious Lutheran doctrine in these Provinces." More slaughter in the name of religion and in America.
In the 1600's the Puritans slaughtered millions in the name of religion. Their paranoia overtook them and bloodshed seems to have been more of their religion than anything else. With a fear of anyone who looked, sounded or dressed different being labeled either a, "Witch" or "Satan's spawn"; these (allegedly), God-fearing Puritans are perhaps history's greatest religious contradiction to any teachings associated with a, "God".
In early Massachusetts, only those who were known to be Christian were allowed to hold any public office. The list of injustices perpetrated in the name of religion goes on and on; America has never been, "free", religiously, yet our Constitution's 1st amendment states that: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble".
Now, we have a huge uproar about a Mosque 2 blocks away from Ground Zero. A Mosque, a physical building, a structure of mortar and brick, a simple place of worship for those of the Muslim faith who live in the (allegedly) free country of America where they (allegedly) have the freedom to worship the god of their own choosing. I, for one, would like to know, if America is still free, why is there a debate about this at all? Americans can seem to get any more pathetic than to engage in the suppression of each other's freedom and that is an American disgrace!
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Ground Zero mosque will be built, developer Hisham Elzanaty vows
New York Daily News - Leo Standora - 3 days ago
US Muslim groups unite, see mosque near ground zero as test of rights - Christian Science Monitor
Johnson: Mosque condemnation wrongGoErie.com - Lynn Johnson - 10 hours ago First of all, the building in which the mosque would supposedly be housed in is not on ground zero. It is two blocks away. ... Moderate Muslim meets radical Christian - Johns Hopkins News-LetterAtheist says: Protect religious freedom - Pocono Record all 5 news articles » |
Michael Moore: $60K for Ground Zero MosqueOregon Faith Report - 2 days ago By Oregon Report Faith News Note: The controversy behind the New York Ground Zero Mosque may not be over as liberal filmmaker Michael Moore has decided to ... Leftist Filmmaker Raises $50000+ for Ground Zero Mosque - Family Security MattersMoore raises $60000 for NY mosque - Press TV all 6 news articles » |
Johnson: Mosque condemnation wrongGoErie.com - Lynn Johnson - 10 hours ago First of all, the building in which the mosque would supposedly be housed in is not on ground zero. It is two blocks away. ... Moderate Muslim meets radical Christian - Johns Hopkins News-LetterAtheist says: Protect religious freedom - Pocono Record all 5 news articles » |
www.michaelmoore.com/.../woody-allen-backs-downtown-mosque-calls-foes-frauds -
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