Religious Leaders on Islam in America
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-08-16/religious-leaders-islam-america
Organizers of a planned Islamic center near Ground Zero say they want to repair the breach caused by the nine-eleven terrorist attacks. Opponents consider the location insensitive. Leaders of different religions discuss attitudes toward Islam in America.
Guests
Akbar Ahmed
chair of Islamic studies at American University, the first Distinguished Chair of Middle East and Islamic Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy, and former Pakistani high commissioner to the U.K. His latest book is "Journey into America."
Rabbi Bruce Lustig
Senior Rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation
The Rt. Rev. John Chane
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington
Dan Senor
Former Bush Administration foreign policy advisor, based in Iraq (2003, 2004)
Currently founding partner of Rosemont Capital, a global private equity firm; and Fox News Middle East Analyst
Barry Lynn
executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State and author of "Piety & Politics" (Harmony Books)
Comments
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To L W Behr (August 16, 2010 - 10:43 am):
I'm sure segregationists had their feelings "assaulted" by the Civil Rights marches of the 60's. Should the marchers have gone somewhere else?
It's really very simple: either you believe in religious freedom for everyone or you don't. Clearly you don't.
Bo Jones (August 16, 2010 - 10:44 am) asked: "if Muslims are so fair, peaceable and loving, why couldn't a Christian church be built in Saudia Arabia?"
Irrelevant, sir. We are not governed by the standards of Saudi Arabia. We are governed by the Constitution. Furthermore, Muslims in America are no more responsible for what the Saudi government does, than Chinese Americans are responsible for Red China!
As for whether Christians kill, ask the doctors murdered in the name of the (largely Christian) "pro-life" movement. Ask the Muslims killed by Christians in Bosnia. Etc., etc., etc. If it's wrong to blame all Christians for the lunatic acts of a few (and it is), it's also wrong to blame all Muslims for the lunatic acts of a few.
To Eric J (August 16, 2010 - 10:50 am):
You want "decisive and clear denunciation from Muslim political leaders and clerics of the 9/11" attacks? Ever hear of a "search engine"? Try typing the words "Muslim denouncing 9/11" and here's what you'll get:
Islamic Statements Against Terrorism: http://www.unc.edu/~kurzman/terror.htm
News Flash: Muslim Denounces Terrorism!: http://mideast.blogs.time.com/2007/09/22/news_flash_muslim_denounces_te/
Muslims Condemn Terrorist Attacks: http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php
You can also check out these links: http://islam.about.com/cs/currentevents/a/9_11statements.htm
Thanks for another uninformed opinion about this vital question of American principles and ideals
C. Cantu (August 16, 2010 - 10:52 am):
What other Muslims may or may not do in their own country is irrelevant to what we should do here. Communists seize private property and throw their political enemies into gulags. Should we seize the property of American communists and throw them into a gulag?
Not while the Constitution still means something!
To Bo Jones (August 16, 2010 - 11:03 am):
Sir, there is a religion whose leaders took "certain verses out of " its holy books to justify acts of terrorism against others, including destroying the "heretics" homes and places of worship, torturing them and burning them alive, expelling them from their lands, and waging war against anyone who deviated from their "religious reasons". In short, Christianity has a proven track record of inspiring terrorism (and worse).
Do you not see the similarity?
Oh, I admit there are some Christians who preached and actually practiced "love they neighbor", but it only takes a few thousand radical terrorists who get inspired by religious reasons to wreak disaster upon the non-Christians!
Guess we better stop building churches.
shortindiangirl (on August 16, 2010 - 11:08 am) wrote: "Sure, but would you try to build a church right next to the bombed abortion clinics ?"
The mosque is being built two blocks away, not next door to the 9/11 site. Also, its builders have stated that its purpose is to promote tolerance and understanding.
Your opinion is contrary to the facts, and therefore worthless!
shortindiangirl (on August 16, 2010 - 11:23 am) wrote: "although we have equal rights, we shouldn't exercise an equal right to be insensitive or an equal right to be purposely provocative."
Bring on the "heckler's veto". If something can offend anyone then it can't be said or done. Personally I find Christian claims that "Jews killed Jesus", or that "Jesus is Lord", or that their way is the only way to heaven to be both insensitive and provocative. Does that give me the right to demand no Christian churches be built?
eric (on August 16, 2010 - 11:32 am) wrote: "Don't allow it until all Fatwas are lifted and apologies are made on to all victims of Muslim fanatics".
Great idea! As a Jew I want an apology from every Christian denomination for all the Jewish victims of their persecutions for two thousand years. And, since talk is cheap, I want reparation paid, with interest. Until then, no more churches can be built. (I haven't decided whether the ones already standing should be torn down.)
P.S. - of course I'm being sarcastic.
To shortindiangirl (August 16, 2010 - 11:36 am ):
I'm tired of repeating myself at length, so let me just say that all the false statements and arguments you make about Islam apply equally well to Christianity. What's sauce for the goose . . . .
eric (on August 16, 2010 - 11:45 am) wrote: "You are making the point for us that are against the building of the mosque."
Now there's a great non sequiter.
"Muslims are in control and it is a theocracy." I presume you are referring to Saudi Arabia. The point you keep ignoring is that they don't have our Constitution. You also seem to think that all Muslims want to subvert our Constitution. (The only ones I see trying to do that is opponents like you.)
Hey, what about the Vatican and the Catholic Church? The Pope constantly says Roman Catholicism isn't a democracy (one Pope actually denounced democracy). Why aren't you afraid of the "Catholic hordes" who want to make America into a theocracy?
To kirsten borden (August 16, 2010 - 12:41 pm):
Why should 9/11 families have "veto power" over what can be built two blocks away from "ground zero"? Do Jews have the right to veto the building of churches?
As for Islam's treatment of women, condemn the countries that engage in those acts, not the faith itself. Must I again point out the terrible track record of Christianity's persecution of Jews (among others)?
Please read James Carroll's book Constantine's Sword. Better yet, go see the movie of the same name, and discover such persecution is still going on, even in America!
You cannot blame every member of a religion (or the religion itself) for the crimes of some of its members.
Sorry to have gone on for so long, but religious freedom and equality is something I take very seriously!
Political correctness has reached a peak- where are we going from here? We all have freedoms in this country but what about our responsibilities? Should not we be a bit sensitive about the feelings of our neighbors? What's next? Will we start sticking crosses and crescents in our yards? After all we have a right to do so!
Let all patriotic Muslims introspect about this, and for once take a stand in the longer term benefit of the nation that has given them so much.
We still have people in this country that believe Iraq was behind the 9-11 attacks. How are you going to convince the people with ear-blinders that Islam does not equal terrorism ESPECIALLY with rupert murdoch's assault on America from within?
America Indian (on August 16, 2010 - 9:50 pm) wrote: "Will we start sticking crosses and crescents in our yards?"
Actually we already do. Many Christians have crosses, crucifixes, shrines to Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saints in their front yards. Well, to use your own "logic", what about my feelings as a Jew? For two thousand years my people were subjected to every form of persecution, every crime, every sin "in the name of Jesus". Even today, many Jews cannot look upon such symbols without suppressing a shudder. So, how about our feelings?
I'll make you a deal: I'll join in your call to "ban" the mosque at Ground Zero (which isn't a mosque and isn't at Ground Zero - but what does truth matter) if you agree to ban all Christian symbols and houses of worship. After all, to hell with the First Amendment, "feelings" matter more than law, principle, or the Constitution.
Right?
The “flamings” from the person who adopts as a pseudonym a characteristic of an obsolete technology produces heat but no light. Perhaps that person should consider addressing the question instead of attacking the people – not their comments, but the people themselves – with whose comments s/he disagrees.
The “flamings” from the person who adopts as a pseudonym an altered version of the last name of a fictional character created by Jane Austin produces heat but no light. It deserves the kind of satirical response Ms. Austin was brilliant at. Alas, I can claim no such skill.
I presume you are objecting to my response to your post of August 16, 2010 - 6:40 pm, where you equated the building of the mosque with human sacrifice, thusly:
"Religious freedom isn’t absolute. We do not allow human sacrifice."
I stand by what I wrote in reply, if you can't tell the difference between murder and a construction project, then you have no business making moral or legal pronouncments.
As for "personal attacks", your Comment was filled with them:
"In the New York case reports are that the imam in question is a radical whose first two elements of belief (not necessarily in this order) are (a) that there is no god but Allah and (b) that America is the root of all evil."
"I suspect that the choice of location has more to do with the Imam’s desire to “flip off” the Trade Center."
And let's not forget your comparison of the builders of this community center with the KKK!
You still haven't answered the challenge I made in reply: "As for your slander about the people who want to build the mosque, how come no links to 'prove' your claims?"
In other words, you can dish it out, but you can't take it. Sorry, sir, madam, or whatever, but what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. When you start treating others with respect, you'll have earned some yourself!
Oh, and I was addressing your comments, and not just attacking you.
I just listened to the show today & was saddened by the African American caller criticizing Islam when it was very possibly the religion of her slave ancestors who were forced to accept Christianity. As far as her saying other religions don't promote violence..it's not just the crusades - it's the inquisition,the holocaust,& neo-nazis plus their modern off-shoots. The bible is filled with violence & includes a Biblical law much more severe than Sharia law. Let's be fair. Should we forbid churches being built near synagogues?