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Mosque as hallmark of religious liberty
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?
If religious liberty is an American hallmark, then a mosque near Ground Zero would be an American landmark to our nation's commitment to religious freedom for all. What better cultural signpost could we offer than one that says America is guided by its better angels, not its dark demons of fear and politicians of demagoguery.
Four hundred years ago, a Baptist founder, Thomas Helwys, advocated for religious liberty for "Turks" in Christian England in a letter to King James I. He did so when the Ottoman Empire was a global powerhouse with Islam at its core.
Helwys' courage and conviction made their way into the Baptist faith tradition which shaped the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
After the adoption of Constitution John Leland, a Virginia Baptist minister, rejoiced that it would possible for a "pagan, Turk, Jew or Christian" to be elected to political office.
Regrettably today, too many efforts are under way to block and to discourage people of Islamic faith from their free exercise of religion.
Such efforts are part of the larger cultural narrative that says Christianity and Islam are at war with each other. Challenging that negative narrative is a moral obligation for Baptists and other Christians.
In fact, less than a month ago, some 300 goodwill Baptists from across the country attended a Baptist Center for Ethics luncheon in Charlotte, N.C., where they talked about positive experiences with American Muslims.
These Baptists are framing a new narrative that says Christians and Muslims share a common word found in their different sacred texts--texts that command believers to love their neighbors. Using the documentary "Different Books, Common Word," these Baptists are advancing the common good.
Would that other Americans remembered their heritage and spoke up for the First Amendment.
By
Robert Parham
|
July 20, 2010; 8:42 AM ET
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Posted by: remliw | July 22, 2010 4:16 PM
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The Baptist pontificates thus:
“Christians and Muslims share a common word found in their different sacred texts--texts that command believers to love their neighbors.”
Muslims understands by “neighbor” as Muslim neighbor. To understand how a Muslim believes he should treat his non-Muslim neighbors read their manual: Omar Pact.
1. “We shall show respect toward the Muslims, and we shall rise from our seats when they wish to sit. “
2. “We shall not seek to resemble the Muslims by imitating any of their garments, the qalansuwa, the turban, footwear, or the parting of the hair. We shall not speak as they do, nor shall we adopt their kunyas.”
For a full list consult the following link:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/pact-umar.html
Posted by: abrahamhab1 | July 21, 2010 10:58 AM
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Yes, our First Amendment guarantees that the property owners can put a mosque there if they choose.
It also guarantees my right to tear violent passages out of a Quran on the sidewalk in front of their door.
Posted by: WmarkW | July 20, 2010 2:38 PM
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Why is is that all of us reclaim religious freedom for our own way of understanding the divine and do not care so much for the rights of others who might not agree with us?
The writer is right that unless we defend religious freedom for all (Islamic peoples included), our own religious freedom is nor assured.
Posted by: dydcar | July 20, 2010 12:29 PM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
I agree with Dr. Parham's comments completely. However, there is something that I fear. It seems that violence against people has been associated with Islam by some Muslims. I am tolerant of many things. As a Christian, I am not tolerant of violence. Some Mosques have become houses of worship in sheeps clothing, hiding a secret place of incitement to violence. I do not consider this observation as an argument against building the Mosque. It is more an admission of my fear. I can only pray that my faith can overcome my fear.