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Why not an interfaith monument?
A mosque near ground zero?
The New York City community board endorsed the Cordoba House, a community center and mosque planned for construction near Ground Zero.
Significant opposition has emerged against the project. Sarah Palin even weighed in this weekend, tweeting, "Peace-seeking Muslims, pls understand, Ground Zero mosque is UNNECESSARY provocation; it stabs hearts. Pls reject it in interest of healing."
Should there be a mosque near Ground Zero?
Months after 9/11 when there was all this talk about building a fitting memorial I suggested that they consider building a true interfaith monument -- something that would symbolize the unity and oneness of all religions. In Mumbai, India, we have one small structure which houses a temple for Hindus, a mosque for Muslims, a church for Christians and a place of worship for the Buddhists. In down-town Dallas, Texas they have a beautiful Thanksgiving Square. It is a huge garden on the roof of an underground parking lot. In the middle of the garden is a small, round structure, meant for universal worship. There are no religious symbols. Just chairs for anyone who wants to worship or spend a few quiet moments.
Like it or not, 9/11 does represent a clash of civilizations. That one senseless incident has torn Christians and Muslims apart as nothing else in recent years. Why can't Ground Zero be the place for healing? Why shouldn't New York, and the USA in general, give the world a lead in Interfaith understanding?
The conservatives on both sides are incapable of rational thinking and should not be taken seriously. If we cannot have an interfaith monument then I see no reason why a mosque and an Islamic Cultural Center should be denied the permission to build in the vicinity of Ground Zero. If the Conservatives feel so strongly about it why don't they raise money to build a church next door? The trouble is then there will be a big fight over which denomination the church should belong to. It is truly amazing how we human beings, in what we would like to think of as the enlightened 21st Century, have reduced religion to meaningless shreds.
By
Arun Gandhi
|
July 21, 2010; 3:46 PM ET
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Posted by: ramakrishnahosur | August 5, 2010 11:26 AM
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Why are you still a panelist? Following your virulent antisemitic diatribe of 2008, you were fired from the University in which you worked.
We were told by Sally Quinn that you would remain here and report back to us on what you had learned in the aftermath of your racist spewing. Judging from the comments you made in the wake of the reaction, you learned only to be more racist.
Arun, you are no one to talk of Ground Zero or anything else. It has been two years. You have not reported back because you learned nothing. You are a bloviator, a hypocrite.
You are the last thing we need in a nation striving for an enlightened pluralism.
Posted by: farnaz_mansouri2 | July 25, 2010 9:25 PM
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We have never needed a greater separation between church and state then now. It reaches far beyond 9/11-- it has corrupted our governments, our public dialogue, and our relationships with each other as citizens. I am against a mosque, a temple, a church, a monument to Xenu, or any other religion, in a government-supported space.
What we DO need, is a place where we can look at each other again as living human beings-- not as extorting conduits of the religions we are each free to follow.
Enough is enough. And we, the world, have had enough of the unGodly thuggery and degeneracy found in each and every established religious institution. Let's just BE. The answers we individually divine about the nature of life, should arise from singular contemplative postures. The crazed demands that our dogmas be recognized by others have lead us to enough "faith-based" murders, enough "faith-based" lies, and far far away from what this country is supposed to represent.
Posted by: Megs | July 22, 2010 6:48 PM
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An alternative? Why? Why not build nothing related to religion, let alone the hateful violent muslims.
Posted by: SimmertimeinDC | July 22, 2010 4:00 PM
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I don't want a mosque, a church, a temple, a synagogue , or any kind of religious symbol at the site of the 911 tragedy. There is an alternative. I want peace and enlightenment and healing at ground zero. Michael Jackson explains what is needed best.
Please click on the link below and read, listen, and be at Peace:
I want a plaque with the words and music this song at the site of 911.
"Heal the World":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WJrtms8EoQ&feature=related
Thank you, Michael Jackson.
Posted by: Cherubim | July 22, 2010 12:27 PM
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The 2000 year old Bamiyan Buddhas were balsted by Islamicists.It would be a fine gesture if the Statues of Buddha were installed from the money reserved for building a mosque.$100 mio is a lot of money.any balance from this fund can be given to the survivors of 9/11