In "Balancing rights and prudence" at the Washington Post's On Faith panel, July 20, Tom Flynn not only comes out against the mega-mosque at Ground Zero, but admits that Islamic supremacism in its political manifestation is "not a distortion of Islam; it is a particular understanding of Islam that crops up far too frequently to be so casually dismissed."
This is in the Washington Post, people. I am going to step out of my hotel room now and I expect to see the lion lying down with the lamb and swords everywhere being fashioned into plowshares.
This controversy has to be viewed in the context of New York City's 9/11 trauma -- and the context of one uncomfortable truth: 9/11 was a faith-based initiative. The hijackers were operating on strongly, perhaps primarily, religious motivations, and the religion that motivated them was Islam. To be sure, it was Islam as they understood it, and millions of Muslims do not understand their faith in that way. On the other hand, the number of Muslims who do understand their faith as Muhammad Atta did is far from insignificant. What we sometimes call "political Islam" is not a distortion of Islam; it is a particular understanding of Islam that crops up far too frequently to be so casually dismissed.I'm willing to grant that the Cordoba House organizers have a very different understanding of Islam. For them it may truly be (pardon the politically correct phrase) a religion of peace. But Islam is not always so. (Not that Christianity has clean hands in this regard, not when the Catholic-Protestant war in Northern Ireland, to cite just one example, remains in living memory.)
Of course, unlike the global jihad with its deep roots in Islamic texts and teachings, the Irish conflict had nothing to do with any Christian texts or teachings, but this is, after all, the Washington Post.
It's time to acknowledge that the understanding of Islam that made Ground Zero into Ground Zero lies within, not outside, the spectrum of Islam as it is understood and practiced around the world.In the abstract, Cordoba House has the right to build its mosque. When complete it would probably provide downtown New Yorkers with excellent neighbors. But there's a profound cultural tone-deafness in pursuing this project at this time and in that place.
The "On Faith" panel is very diverse.
Espsito weighs in on this one too, of course its all Islomphobia and racism that could possibly make someone weary of this project.
The mission of Cordoba House is “to establish a vibrant and world-class facility in New York City that promotes tolerance and pluralism that will strengthen relationships and attract those of other faiths to integrate and learn about Islam”.
But if one is to "learn about Islam" from Imam Rauf then one could do much better than be guided by his 2004 book, “What’s Right with Islam is What’s Right with America”. On the back-cover we are told that:
“Iman Feisal Adbul Rauf’s message – that pluralism and tolerance are historic freedoms of the Islamic faith – is like drinking fresh water in a desert of rising international radicalism.”
Among the very many highly contentious, wrong, loaded and linguistically slippery statements Rauf makes:
“Core Islamic values overlap with core American values. The three Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – share the two greatest commandments:
1. To love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength
2. To love our neighbours – that is, other fellow human beings – regardless of race, religion or cultural background as we love ourselves” (p.1)
“In the past Muslims successfully institutionalized the Second Commandment by establishing pluralistic societies that respected religious, racial and ethnic differences while including them all within the greater community. Islamic history offers models of pluralism that could be quite instructive for modern American society, such a court system that decided cases according to different religious laws...”
“When our voices are raised together to proclaim the unity of God and the unity of humankind, then our religiosity has attained its objective... On Judgment Day, Muslims believe that humanity shall be divided into two groups: those who merit God’s pleasure and those who merit God’s displeasure. We therefore expect to find Christians, Jews, Muslims and others on each side: in God’s pleasure (heaven) and displeasure (hell).” (p.275)
“Jihad is therefore legitimate only to further the Abrahamic ethic, to further political and religious freedom and justice.” (p.137)
Against that may be placed a rather different take on jihad, from a Muslim scholar, Maududi, whose work is freely available at many mosques and Islamic bookshops I have been in and whose interpretation of the Qur’an I have never seen seriously questioned by Muslims:
“It must be evident to you from this discussion that the objective of the Islamic ‘ Jihād’ is to eliminate the rule of an un-Islamic system and establish in its stead an Islamic system of state rule. Islam does not intend to confine this revolution to a single state or a few countries; the aim of Islam is to bring about a universal revolution. Although in the initial stages it is incumbent upon members of the party of Islam to carry out a revolution in the State system of the countries to which they belong, but their ultimate objective is no other than to effect a world revolution...
"The same conception has been enunciated by the Holy Qur’an in the following words:
"What has happened to you? Why don’t you fight in the way of God in support of men, women and children, whom finding helpless, they have repressed; and who pray, "O God! liberate us from this habitation which is ruled by tyrants"." (Surah 4: 75)” (Abul A’la Maududi Jihad in Islam 13 April 1939 Lahore)
Maududi at least tells it like it is. Rauf tells it like the dhimmis would prefer to believe it could be.
If we just keep listening to Rauf everything will be fine. Right? RIGHT??????
i dont know if Robert Spencer is aware of this article: thanks.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Home/Sunday-TOI/Special-Report/Taliban-style-courts-in-Gods-Own-Country/articleshow/6182633.cms
To call Ummayad Spain "pluralistic" in the modern sense, as Dr. Rauf does, is highly disingenuous. As in all other Islamic polities until very recent times, laws of Dhimmitude were in effect. Yes, these gave Jews and Christians a place in society, but it was a subordinate place in which their legal tesitmony was worth only half of a Muslim's, and in which they were subject to extra taxation.
Perhaps Ummayad Spain was more "tolerant" than the Spain of the Inquisition (or that of the Almoravids, for that matter), but it was still based on Muslim supremacy. If Jews and Christians served in some low-level official capacities under the Ummayads, it was doubtlessly because, at the time, Muslims were only a ruling minority.
Now, to change the topic, I'm encouraged that such an article would appear in the Washington Post! For quite a long time, the WP was about as PeeCee as the day was long, and scarcely ever willing to utter any comment critical of Islam per se. While I still fault the WP for being among the media that introduced the term "Islamic Fundamentalism" into American discourse possibly in order to insinuate that anti-abortion, pro-family Evangelical Christians were somehow un-American, I see this article as a very great step in the right direction.
"In the abstract, Cordoba House has the right to build its mosque. When complete it would probably provide downtown New Yorkers with excellent neighbors. But there's a profound cultural tone-deafness in pursuing this project at this time and in that place."
Provide excellent neighbors? Based upon what precedent, pray tell? This couldn't be based upon our experience with muslims, nor can this based upon anything within islam; especially since the tenets of islam run counter to our American liberties and freedom. And those in favor of this project are the ones that are tone deaf, by not acknowledging what building this mosque near Ground Zero actually means and/or represents to freedom loving Americans, and victims families of 9/11, et al.
Well, it's finally happened. Hell has froze over, and a pig just flew by my computer room window.
But, for some strange reason, I don't expect that the New York Times will notice this.
In addition to Flynn's ridiculous reference to 'the troubles', his claim that "there's a profound cultural tone-deafness in pursuing this project at this time and in that place" is equally faulty.
There is no tone-deafness on the part of the Muslims behind this intentional insult.
My guess is that tomorrow, Tom Flynn will start getting the cold shoulder from co-workers who were previously considered friends. Such is the price of heresy in the stultifying atmosphere of multicultural-championing institutions.
Then again, there may be one or two others there at the Post, rare men or women of intellectual integrity in a profession that mitigates against it, who will have a new-found respect for him.
The history of Muslim versus Christian Spain, and the situational position of minorities within those societies, does not lend itself easily to generalizations.
http://www.geschichteinchronologie.ch/eu/sp/EncJud_juden-in-spanien02-muslimisches-recht-ab-711-ENGL.html
Thank you, MBR.
As you know you could go on, and on like that.
His entire book is so crazy, it is the work of a madman, a Muslim madman.
"Many American Muslims regard America as a better "Muslin country than their native homelands. This may sound surprisingly absurd to many Americans, and Muslims outside America, but it is founded on the argument that the American Constitution and system of governance uphold the core principles of Islamic law." - Feisal Abdul Rauf
"It also would not be a violation of church-state separation to have a subsidiary entity within the judiciary that employs religious jurists from diverse religious backgrounds to comment on the compliance of certain decisions with their religious views and to provide guidance to their religious communities on how kosher or Shariah compliant these decisions are. ' - Feisal Abdul Rauf
Let's slap this hockey puck around.
Anybody else have some quotes?
"I am going to step out of my hotel room now and I expect to see the lion lying down with the lamb and swords everywhere being fashioned into plowshares." -- Robert
Well, what did you see, Robert? I'll bet you didn't see any pigs flying either, did you?
Dennis Prager on his talk radio program today opined that if the Muslim world were really interested in reconciliation, the ostensible main reason why this mosque near Ground Zero should be built Muslims and their non-Muslim supporters say, it would endorse a plan to build a church and a synagogue somewhere in Saudi Arabia.
“It bears repeating: Muslims do regard American values as a religion. The American way of life as expressed in the Declara tion and Constitution is itself an essential part—although not all—of what Muslims include in their notion of religion and religious law. “
Take it from me, Feisal Abdul Rauf likes Sharia. It gives him nystagmus. He can't see straight everything is Sharia to him.
America is "Sharia compliant".
"He states in his book, What’s Right With Islam, that a society that follows natural law, such as America, is already practicing Sharia. However, he does not note that his peculiar definition of Sharia acceptance is shared by just about no other Imam."
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.6185/pub_detail.asp
Here he talks about Aisha.
"As one wades through the Quran and sunnah, it becomes clear that there are certain inalienable rights due to women in Islam, and certain women have drawn from these rights to become exemplars and role models for others. Of the host of female saints and scholars, mothers and warriors, businesswomen and performers who parade through Islamic history, the women who stand out in striking detail are the wives of the Prophet. As Muhammad is the exemplar for all Muslims, his wives are also role models for Muslim women."
"Aisha was his youngest wife, known to have been strong-willed and feisty as well as observant and intelligent. Because of her quick mind, her years of intimacy with the Prophet, and the fact that she lived for several decades after his death, many of the hadith are attributed to her."
". . .it becomes increasingly clear that there is a strong prototype for Muslim women and that women's rights are alive in the very theology of Islam." - Feisal Abdul Rauf
Sad, isn't it?
"When complete it would probably provide downtown New Yorkers with excellent neighbors. But there's a profound cultural tone-deafness in pursuing this project at this time and in that place."
"Provide excellent neighbors? Based upon what precedent, pray tell?"
I agree. What's with this "excellent neighbors?" You gotta be joking! Tom - please provide some examples of why the gloating Muslims dishonoring and insulting the 3,000 Americans mass-murdered by Islamic Jihad on 9/11 would be "excellent neighbors." Waiting.
What is a mosque?
http://sheikyermami.com/2010/07/10/what-is-a-mosque-2/
The ridiculous Muslim claims that Islam is somehow "Abrahamic" need to be dissected.
There are no records that Abraham never visited Mecca. None whatsoever. Islam contains nothing "Abrahamic".
This hogwash is as nonsensical as the claims the Islam is "the oldest religion", that we are "all born Muslim", that "all the prophets were Muslims, including Moses, Abraham, even the messiah of the Christians, Jesus" were Muslims (!).
And then there is the equally absurd claim of Mohammed's "night-journey" to the revolting mosque in Jerusalem, which didn't exist during Mohammed's life.
Rubbish, all of it. And it needs to be laughed out of business!
OT
Muslims ban Manchester United shirts over red devil image
Muslims have been told by religious leaders in Malaysia to stop wearing Manchester United football shirts because the image of the famed red devil is forbidden in Islam.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/malaysia/7900366/Muslims-ban-Manchester-United-shirts-over-red-devil-image.html
The Johor Religious Council adviser and the Mufti of Perak both state that images of crosses, liquor brands and devils on football shirts are an insult to Allah and should not be worn by Muslims.
"The ridiculous Muslim claims that Islam is somehow "Abrahamic" need to be dissected."
Right. There are two - 2 - Abrahamic faiths: Judaism and Christianity.
The absurdity of linking Islam to Abraham is beyond the pale. I'm sure "Ibrahim" Hooper would agree, don't you think?
PAT CONDELL ON THE MOSQUE AT GROUND ZERO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjS0Novt3X4&feature=related
America (please note: not americans) has long surrendered to Sharia. Successive american governments, academics and scholars/journalists have consistently supported barbaric practices in the guise of maerican national interest.
As none of these luminaries had ever any basic idea of logic they forgot that american national interest (eg supporting Kosovar terrorists against Serbians, Pakistan against India etc etc)in no way protected americans from the forces of Sharia irrrespective of american blood and treasure being shed for the benefit of Sharia rule.
To the Sharia adherents it is as clear as day that americans remain targets as long as America does not adopt Sharia. Under Sharia (which america supports via its policy's) it is permissible to kill infidels once they reject a call to Islam.
A re orientation of American policy to the elimination of Sharia and no support to Sharia ruled country/country's is needed for the benefit of humanity. Hopefully americans will force their government to start defending humanity and not defending Sharia.
It's also interesting to notice what FAR doesn't mention.
Rauf never mentions the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights which affirms Islamic Shari'ah as its sole source.
He should be bursting with pride over that.
Did the CDHR come out after FAR published his book? No. The OIC adopted it in 1990. "What's Right with Islam " came out at least ten years later.
Why doesn't he talk this up, or mention it at all?
He is Mr. Shariah he must know about it.
I don't see much about it at his website either. By "not much" I mean ,nothing at all.
This is what Wikipedia says:
That doesn't sound good.
That sounds kind of Socialistic to me. I don't think I like that either.
Right.
That really isn't much to boast about, is it? That's probably why he left it out of his book.
It is Shariah, though.
http://newstime.co.nz/jihad-is-the-highest-level-in-islam.html
9/11 was Koran 9:111
YUSUFALI: ... for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, ... that is the achievement supreme.
ISLAM IS EVIL
8:12 "smite ye above their necks" + 47:4 "smite at their necks"
Thou shall behead non-Muslims with a knife
Vs.
Sixth Commandment: “thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)
With you there sheik yermami, and thanks Mackie for the link. First time I've seen and heard Pat Condell, and immediately related to his tone and message. He's good.
Perhaps the subtle chinks in the intellectual armor of this liberal writer and his argument are a trial balloon of sorts to see what kind of reaction there is in the blogosphere (god how I hate that word) or the Newspapers {'Journals'?}. I know my reaction is a faint glimmer of hope.
Domination of Public Space is one of the main techniques whereby Islam asserts its supremacy and intimidates the dhimmi population.
The problem lies in that many people who know about Islam by hearsays only suppose that it is just a religion, having to do with human being's existential liberation. They have a difficulty to imagine that it is not so. This is a symptom, a negative side effect of the democratic secular, indifferent to religion societies.
Islam's political aspect is organically tied to its existential-spiritual one in its very foundational texts and teachings. You can not separate them. Seperating them is impossible. If you separate them Islam ceases to exist.
The mentioned above issue is the one that makes dealing with Islam a Gordium knot.
The Muslim Spain period's tolerance is just as the one of Ottoman Empire's... A tolerance of existing in miserable dhimmitude conditions, under a constant whipping, aiming to generate despair and choosing by necessity Islam.
The life stories of the so called 'New Martyrs', the ones who suffered martyrdom when wanted to turn back, to their prior faith, after choosing Islam during those mentioned periods constitute a whole seperate section in Christian hagiological tradition.
And this... 'the Christians too have dirty hands' like expressions: a laughable ignorance, which becomes booring even to confront it, after some time. The cruelties of the Christian societies of the past have been acted 'despite' of the foundational Christian worldview, quite contrary to Islam that the cruelties have been acted 'because' of its core teachings. Anyone can assure this fact for himself, simply by opening and reading the New Testament and the Koran. You have to be totally sick in mind not to see the difference of the life approaches existing in the two texts.
The reason that we had the think called 'progress' in the Western World is just this, beside... The main cultural references are openly and deeply critical against violence, against forcing submission in -and because of- concience issues, against seeing women as inferior beings etc. If it was not so we would not have historical events as the 'Reformation' in Europe. Something that never happened in Islamic world. It could not happen because it lacks main paradigms to inspire, to awaken and to push towards such changes.
In fact everyone will be concious of this 'Gordium knot's reality in the coming years, sooner or later. Awakening as soon as possible would be of immense importance however, for avoiding a far bigger amount of suffering, for all sides.
I imagine many JW followers have received the following sickening piece of pc stupidity from Michael Bloomberg in response to their complaints about the planned grund zero desecration:
Responding to your message
From: crmrepl@crm.nyc.gov
You may not know this sender.Mark as safe|Mark as junk
Sent: July 19, 2010 8:31:58 AM
Dear Friend:
Thank you for writing to share your thoughts and concerns about the proposed mosque and Islamic cultural center to be built at Park Place and Broadway in Lower Manhattan, several blocks north of the World Trade Center site.
Our Administration strongly supports the right of faith groups to open houses of worship, or community centers, in whatever location they choose, provided it complies with all applicable laws. New York has long been America's most tolerant and diverse City, welcoming the best, brightest, and hardest-working individuals from around the world – no matter their identity or beliefs. As a City, we win by choosing to uphold the principles of freedom and respect that lie at the foundation of this tradition – and that the terrorists attacked on September 11, 2001. Winning the war on terrorism requires us not only to defeat our enemies, at home and abroad, but also to continue upholding the values that make America great.
Last month, the local community board voted by an overwhelming margin (29-1) to endorse the project. Of course, the approval process has many steps yet before it is finalized, and many questions remain unanswered. I understand that this is a particularly sensitive issue, and I am hopeful that more dialogue about the center will increase the understanding and cooperation that is so integral to the vitality of New York City.
Thank you again for writing to share your opinions on this matter.
Sincerely,
Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor
I thought this guy was supposed to be on our side! If this is the best the mayor of New York can come up with, we're in bigger trouble than I'd thought.
I pray that the good people of city will dig in their heels and use any and all tactics, legal or not, to ensure that this despicable, humiliating travesty will never come to fruition. Anyone who believes that the moslems intend this sick plan to be anything other than a means to gloat and rub our noses in the genocide of 3,000 innocent people is an idiot.
What does he mean by "...supports the right of faith groups to open houses of worship?" Doesn't he care about what they have faith in or whom they're planning to worship? The Manson family was a faith group.
It's hard to not be discouraged by the craven submission of those we have elected to protect our way of life. Maybe at the end of the day it'll be China which will have to finally put a stop to these awful people. I question whether we really have the will, after four decades of pubicly funded, collectivist, new-age brainwashing in our school systems.
A Comment on Islam as "Abrahamic"
I agree one hundred percent with posters who say there is no evidence for Abraham ever visiting Mecca; and see only a tenuous connection between the Old and New Testaments on the one hand and the Qu'ran on the other (while, as a Christian of the Reformed persuasion, I see a strong continuity between the Old and New Testaments).
However, I will not deny the Muslims (or Bahais, Unitarians, or Mormons, for that matter) the epithet "Abrahamic". It is clear that somewhere along the line, Muhammad found Judaism and Christianity more impressive religions than the Arab cult centered on the Ka'aba, and appropriated various elements of Judaism and Christianity--or, his misunderstandings of those elements--into the religion he founded.
And certainly Islam "resembles" Judaism and Christianity more than it resembles Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, or even Zoroastrianism. Hence, there's a legitimacy to the term "Abrahamic" in describing Islam. At least, this can be used as a scholastic shorthand in describing one group of traditional religions.
This being said, I must respectfully disagree with any religion--Abrahamic or other--which does not confess that God became incarnate in Jesus Christ.
And, I am also impressed that Islam's posture vis-a-vis the rest of us always seems to be hostility and agression. Some Muslims may be willing to live and let live, but the core texts themselves drip jihad, as do the most prominent and noisy Muslims.
"Times Square Bomb Could Have 'Killed Thousands,' FBI Test Shows"
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/20/times-square-bomb-killed-thousands-fbi-test-shows/
Whats his plea he didnt believe in Jihad? Oops I almost killed thousands, I didnt mean to.
And who saved thousands from being killed? Not the FBI but some t-shirt vendor
Once again with feeling...The proposed Mosque is a phallic symbol...A big one, looking down on his victims...It symbolizes Allah's victory over kufr America...It may be the largest such symbol in the world...
If American's go for this, they will go for anything, including submission...
I don't agree that "Cordoba House" has the "right" to build this mosque in New York City. We do not grant "property rights" to enemies who have clearly stated their intention of destroying our form of government and way of life. The funding for this mosque -- at least as much as we know about it -- it foreign. It comes from supporters of the overthrow of our government and way of life. We are in an active war against Islamists in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as against the Jihad. This must be emphasized even over the "insensitivity" of building a mosque next to Ground Zero.
Do you remember a time when we didn't TALK about Islam every day? When we didn't fear Islam every day? Do you remember when Israel - was Israel and not some monstrous distortion of Ultimate Evil?
It suddenly dawned on me that 9/11's greatest triumph is to get billions of people all over the world to think about ISLAM every endlessly. Whether fearing it or excusing it, we THINK about it and this is a terrifying invasion of our minds and feelings.
When NASA declares its mission is to make Muslims feel good about themselves.... we have entered an Islamic Theater of the Absurd.
The reference to Northern Ireland is not germane to this subject. The Protestants were imported into Ireland by the Bitish conquerors of the latter and the land to settle the imported Scots was confiscated from the indigenous Catholics. Had the Protestants remained in Scotland no Catholic would be attacking them. This conflict is/was about land and religion was an add-on.
"America: Break the Silence on Islam
The American people must hear the truth about Islam continually until they are completely aware of its dangers.
Sadly, our Churches dare not speak up for fear of being accused of intolerance toward another religion. Our academia, the university professors, left or right, dare not, because, most likely, they would lose their salaries. Our politicians dare not because they are master practitioners of euphemism, hedging, doubletalk, and outright deception, and they need your votes as well as your money. Our editors dare not because they would lose subscribers and fear of being shut down. Businessmen dare not because they might lose customers and clientele. Even ordinary clerks dare not because they might be discharged. So I thought I would tell you.
My fellow Americans, America is faced with a formidable enemy. This enemy has a name: Islam. I think it is time to revisit the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and see if Islam is qualified as a religion. Is this an outlandishly absurd proposal? Not at all, serious problems require equally serious solutions. The call for evaluation of the First Amendment may be seen as an attempt to curb Islam or other militant cults. The truth is: it is. It is truly a matter of survival of the United States and the free world. "
Amil Imami
http://www.amilimani.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=174&Itemid=2
Welcome to the New World Order!
The solution is to level the Temple Mount...
poetcomic1 -- Yes! That sums up a frustration I've felt for over 4 years now, since I really woke up to the fact that Islam was a danger that someone else was not going to deal with. I never had this feeling during the Cold War, which for me goes clear back to the '50s when I was a kid doing duck-and-cover under my desk at school. There were people in charge who knew who and what the enemy was and were working to keep us safe. But with Islam the people who are supposed to inform and protect us have defaulted and are either evading, trying to appease, or actively enabling the enemy. The FBI has not seen fit to educate itself on the reality of Islam, so we have had to do that ourselves and it is stealing our time, money, peace of mind, and so much of our lives as we try to sound the alarm before some catastrophic attack wakes the rest up or Sharia closes in on us. Yes, I would rather be aware of what is happening than blind as I was before 9/11. But if I hated Islam for nothing else, it would be for stealing so much of my life.
Bloomberg has shown himself to be part of the typical dhimmi class in America that some how, some way, fails to make the serious connections to what Islam is really all about. No doubt he even thinks that Christianity,Judaism, and a host of other religions have something in common with this so called religion that is really a full blown totalitarian ideology controlled by sharia law.
Muslims are taught not to make friends with non Muslims,they are taught to lie and deceive infidels (taquiya), they are taught to say half truths to infidels(kitman). Yes the dhimmi Mayor through his amazing ignorance has made himself an easily vulnerable target to the charm offensive of one terror-tied Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf,who will no doubt become a hero to the jihadists throughout the middle east if he suckers the dhimmi mayor into going forward with the mosque.
Bloomberg is probably so busy cutting business deals around the city that he to probably never heard of the new Black Panther Case either. After having studied Islam for nearly 8 years now it is frightening to still see such amazing ignorance among those in power. George Bush was still calling Islam the Religion of Peace even in his last couple of years, an incredible myth of huge proportions.
I am getting more and more enthused about Governor Sarah Palin everyday.
lilredbird- says, "But if I hated Islam for nothing else, it would be for stealing so much of my life."
Whenever it gets to you just remember Robert Spencer who has, for years had to fill his head with mind-numbingly inane hadiths and Islamic commentary and ignorant Godless idiocy just so he can do battle with the enemy using its own words. I remember him once, in a rare moment of frustration, declaring how STUPID and ugly it all was. Koran and all.
Of course, unlike the global jihad with its deep roots in Islamic texts and teachings, the Irish conflict had nothing to do with any Christian texts or teachings, but this is, after all, the Washington Post.
OT, but it's notable given the investigative stories breaking at The Daily Caller prove what we already knew:
1) American "journalism" is a fraud, we know that for sure now. IMNSHO, it has been since Walter Cronkite lied to the American people after the Tet Offensive.
2) Academia is actively conspiring with American "journalism" to help create Fictive Realities to serve the political agenda the two groups share (Globo-Socialism, multiculturalism, etc.).
This is very important to the Jihad. As we already know, the so-called MSM has committed massive sustained (and dangerous) academic and and journalistic fraud in its reportage around Islam. Without that, things would be quite a bit different now.
*** 4:142 ***
... there's a profound cultural tone-deafness in pursuing this project at this time and in that place.
No there isn't. The Moslems proposing the Ground Zero Mosque, including the Saudis funding it, made a smart move with the project. Moslems are quite attuned to how Americans feel about 9/11, and are just moving the ball further downfield is all.
All this talk of supposed "tone deafness" and "insensitivity" is just more diversion, more fraudulent reportage. Our "journalists" can claim they're just being stupid, but we can't give them that credit. Not after all that's happened since 9/11.
The Ground Zero Mosque encourages obeisance, and Moslems have always demanded that. Moreover, it discourages free speech, already charges are being leveled that those opposing the Ground Zero Mosque are racist.
Even at this early stage of the Ground Zero Moslem Community Center, the Saudis are reaping profits from their $100 million investment, cash they haven't even forked over yet.
When our church in Michigan tried to relocate to a new larger location, zoning laws, environmental regulations, and any other method of delay that Northville, Michigan could think of was used to try to stop the project. It took over 15 years to get the church built after the idea to build it was conceived.
The probably reason for the resistance was that church property wouldn't pay taxes; Northville wouldn't realize revenue, and the revenue would be plenty from property taxes on the "mini-mansions" that could be build on the land.
Two lessons: just because it's a church, doesn't mean that the government always welcomes it with open arms; second, think like the city - what might appeal to them to stop a bad project like the Ground Zero mosque?
Oppose the Ground Zero mosque precisely because of its' proposed location. Beside the problems with good taste and appropriateness, it could be that the city would not want to forego the revenue from a lower Manhattan building.
Yes. Rauf should be publicly asked if he will urge the Saudis to permit the building of churches and synagogues in Saudi Arabia. He should be asked if he will talk with Egyptian officials about the years-long delays Christians face in trying to get permission from the Egyptian government to build a church. He should be asked about the many other Islamic countries where the same obstacles are present.
Do you remember a time when we didn't TALK about Islam every day?"
Uh yeah - all of our lives prior to September 11, 2001. That's the starting point.
Islam is waging war against Western Civilization. Every Muslim is a probable supporter, in one way of another, of this imperialist political & military jihad cloaked as a religion.
All who wish to preserve Western Civilization must consider and declare every Muslim to be at least presumptively persona non grata and unwelcome. It's a pity, for hospitality is generally deemed a virtue, but every form of rejection and hostility must be considered to encourage, assist and force Muslims to leave civilized countries, invoke the Islamic principle that a Muslim must go from a place where Islam is not in the ascendancy to a place where it is in the ascendancy, and use the strongest persuasion, official and unofficial, to persuade them that it is not in the ascendancy here.
The Lebanese were hospitable to Muslim refugees and gave them succor. In return, the Muslims set up roadblocks, extracted people from their cars, identified them as Christians (national ID cards showed religion) and executed them.
Don’t like any of the previous quotes from Rauf’s book?
How about his call for a Man-on-the-Moon project to land Muslims on your face?
Does that sound like the US-Muslim Engagement Project? (see here for part two.)
This is just one man talking, Mr. Feisal Abdul Rauf, but I don't think I know you that well.
Why don't we just take it slow, and not rush things. No need to panic, or get greedy, either.
"This being said, I must respectfully disagree with any religion--Abrahamic or other--which does not confess that God became incarnate in Jesus Christ."
I wholly agree, Kepha! ...I mean I 'holy' agree, lol ...
Feisal Abdul Rauf has just posted a colunm at "On Faith"
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/feisal_abdul_rauf/2010/07/center_an_attempt_to_prevent_the_next_911.html
Everybody should go there, and give him Hail Columbia!
Right on! She may not be overly sophisticated (a good thing), and still has a lot to learn over the next two years, but really - who else is there?
She certainly speaks for me!
Just a reminder as to the significance of the name "Cordoba", ostensibly alluding to Umayyad pluralism but understood by all Muslims to signal a continuing commitment to regain the losses of the Reconquista.
http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2010/06/02/a-choice-of-names-tours-house-lepanto-house-or-vienna-house
I think a nice cosy Ladies' Lunch with, let's just say, Brigitte Gabriel, Phyllis Chesler, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan and Nonie Darwish would tell Ms Palin everything she needed to know to be going on with, and then some.
The last thing the jihadis want to see is the USA led by a soccer mom with access to the biggest set of moose and bear guns in the world, who has just gained a full understanding what the sharia pushers want to do to *her* daughters and grand-daughters and to every other non-Muslim woman in the world, and who is coldly, intelligently furious and operating in 'Mom protects the children from attacking rapists' mode.