Leftist pseudo-journalist/propagandist David Edwards uses a suspicious story about a domed church in Arizona that people are supposedly "fearing" because they think it is a mosque to claim that "Islamophobia" is reaching a fever pitch, and that Pamela Geller and I played a role in that by successfully "dubbing" an "Islamic center that is planned near Ground Zero" a "Ground Zero Mosque."
"Church in Arizona protested because it looks like a mosque," by David Edwards in The Raw Story, November 16:
Islamophobia may have reached a point in this country where people condemn Christians that they suspect are Muslims without ever checking the facts.In Phoenix, Arizona, a new Christian church has residents fearing that it is an Islamic mosque.
The Light of the World multidenominational church is being built just off of Interstate 10 and features a dome-like structure.
"Since the distinctive dome shape went up, church leaders said they have received phone calls from concerned neighbors who've mistaken the building for an Islamic mosque," KPHO reported.
"I heard many people, they came over and they say, 'Is this a Muslim temple?' No, it's not," church member Juan Calixto told KPNX.
"It is unfortunate that people are so intolerant to differences that they aren't willing to see that the place of worship is not a mosque," said Tayyibah Amatullah of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Arizona chapter....
No mention from Edwards, unsurprisingly, of CAIR's Hamas links, the terror convictions of various of its former officials, etc.
Officials are trying to avoid the type of backlash received by the Park51 Islamic center that is planned near Ground Zero.The cultural center was largely ignored when The New York Times first reported about it in December 2009.
The project received wider notice in May 2010 when a community board considered the construction plans. Conservative bloggers Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer dubbed the proposed center the "Ground Zero Mosque" which started a national controversy.
"But with so many high-profile figures selling unfounded, anti-Muslim fear to the public, is it any wonder that all many Americans can see in Islam is a phantom menace?" asked Tanya Somanader at the liberal blog Think Progress.
David Edwards must think that the American people are very stupid, if he really believes that Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer could hoodwink the 70% of Americans who oppose the Ground Zero Mosque into thinking that it was a mosque at Ground Zero in the first place, when it's really just an innocent "Islamic center that is planned near Ground Zero."
In reality, most Americans believe that the Ground Zero Mosque is a Ground Zero Mosque because they can see with their own eyes that it is a Ground Zero Mosque.
The Burlington Coat Factory building that will be torn down to build the mosque is part of the attack site, as the landing gear from one of the 9/11 planes crashed into its roof and fell five stories to the basement. The building is thus an essential part of Ground Zero itself, which will greatly enhance the mosque's symbolic value in the Islamic world as another triumphal mosque, a la the Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (the grandest cathedral in Christendom for a millennium, converted to a mosque in 1453, now a museum), and thousands of others throughout the Islamic world.
What's more, mosque organizer Feisal Abdul Rauf in December 2009 spoke happily about building the mosque on a site "where a piece of the wreckage fell." In other words, the Ground Zero location is very much part of the point for him.
And as for its not being a mosque, it will contain a mosque, and thus it isn't in the least unjustified to call the whole thing a mosque, as did Daisy Khan, one of the organizers of the Ground Zero mosque initiative. No one says that the evangelical mega-churches that contain swimming pools and counseling centers, etc., are not churches because they contain things other than a worship space.
"It is unfortunate that people are so intolerant to differences "
Differences: Stoning. Beheadings. Amputations. Murder of Apostates. Suicide bombing. Burkhas. Intolerance of other religions. Refusal to critically examine the Koran and the life of Mohammad. Whitewash of Islamic history. Hatred of Jews.
"But with so many high-profile figures selling unfounded, anti-Muslim fear to the public, is it any wonder that all many Americans can see in Islam is a phantom menace?"
"unfounded" ???????????
""It is unfortunate that people are so intolerant to differences that they aren't willing to see that the place of worship is not a mosque," said Tayyibah Amatullah of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Arizona chapter...."
Meanwhile in Muslim dominated countries.."No New Christian Churches allowed to be built and no Old Christian Churches allowed to be repaired"....Tayyibah Amatullah of the Council on American-Islamic Relations fails to mention this...THe people are waking up to realize the evil that new mosques bring..and the people are beginning to investigate anything that looks, sounds, or smells of Islam as they know by learning about Islamic history what happens to the Non Muslims once the Muslims move in...
People should have been Investigating Islam long ago...Islams threats to dominate the world have been open and there is plenty of evidence of the violent and secretive ways the Muslims are using to "get it done".
Islam has always been a destroyer, not a builder of great nations.
Robert, I believe America's perception of your (and Pamela's) patriotic motives are changing. Y'all just keep on doing what y'all do best.
This article by David Edwards is bad enough, what with its typical self-righteous preening about how only bigoted people are critical of Islam (yep, Winston Churchill, John Quincy Adams, Alexis de Tocqueville and Thomas Jefferson were just a bunch of haters too), but click on the link provided and read some of the comments and you'll come across first-rate examples of extra stupidity that almost defy classification. One rube in Rosie O'Donnell mode opined that he's more concerned about Christians than Muslims. Ah, where does one begin?
Hey David, do you know why they are building the mosque a few blocks away from Ground Zero?
Because they couldn't get any closer...
(probably wouldn't catch the ridicule, any more than he catches the drift)
''. .with many high-profile figures selling anti-muslim fear. .'' says Tanya SOMAnayer. . unhuhh, Aldous Huxley was ahead of time with Brave New World. .he had the Progressives card so well marked they just slot into the narrative. .soma. .
Hmm what's that other famous building with a dome ? Oh right, the Saint Peter in Rome. Shame some people don't think further than their nose, so to speak.
The more that Islam and sharia grow in fame, the harder it will be for dhimmi not so brights like Edwards, and numerous, others to hide behind the false front of relevancy...
As weak in the knees as Aslan is, he is more relevant than Edwards...Other kufr writers who attack Spencerman and Gellerwoman, or any other noted anti-jihadists, are in the same irrelevant boat, and it is sinking...One reason for that is because they repeat the same lies and distortions over and over...
They know they are lying...Aslan does not know he is lying because he is Islamodeluded...For him heavenly deceit is appropriate behavior...As long as it's for Allah, no lie is a lie...But Edwards et al, don't have Allah to hide behind...
There is no heavenly deceit going on here, just lies and distortions...Maybe Edwards watches 'The view', and was inspired by Whoppy Goldberg, and Joyous Behar...But of course, they are not lying because they are Islamodeluded also...They are not quite the expert as is Aslan, but they are experts on Islam just the same...They are so expert, they boycotted another Islamodeluded expert, Billie O, because he forgot to use the word 'extremist'...The word 'extremist' for the left has taken on the same function as vowels in language, without vowels no words exist, and no meanings are known...Without the word 'extremist', sometimes 'radical', nothing about jihad would have any meaning to them...Unfortunately for them, those of us who are not Islamodeluded, will move forward, and leave them to compost in their irrelevancy...
I am trying to figure out what is it you're trying to say, but no luck. The sarcasm is evident alright, but the substance escapes me. Please, do explain.
The Moslem spokesman says "the place of worship is not a mosque". The day will come when a mosque is no longer called a mosque. Instead it will be called an Arab pseudo-church with ersatz-synagogue and massage parlor. And respect will be required as usual.
Jew York city is falling. The Zionist domination of Jew York City is finished. I was there not too long ago and it was glorious seeing the rise of Islamic people there.
Alfarin
You most eloquently identify yourself as a virulent anti-Semitic follower of Islam, and a dull-witted example of the "religion of peace" at that. Of course, you are merely blindly following the example of your "prophet" Muhammad, who hated Jews and Christians and made sure that the Qur'an reflected his hatred and bigotry in its many demeaning and hateful verses regarding the "people of the book".
The vast majority of those reading comments like yours are wise to the dangers of Islam to freedom-loving people everywhere.
Take your hatred and bigotry and put it where the sun don't shine!
Hark! A magical incantation: Saying something makes it so, from a preliterate wannabe Arab. Something about Autumn in New York as lyrics to a rap ditty. Where's the rhyme?
Yours Truly, April in Paris
If my suspicion is correct, this multi-denominational church with the dome will have bibles right along side Korans on the backs of benches in the pews.
I have a feeling this may be a Chrislamic church.
The US multi-denominational theological society is going the way of Chrislam. Christianity with Islam.
This is another prime example of how creeping sharia will work its way in.
The people of Arizona and all states for that matter have a right to question the dome.
Keep an eye on the rooftop and look for a cross with a crescent moon right beside it to appear.
Not necessarily. They might have an admiration for the Eastern Orthodox: who were building churches with domes long before Mohammed was born.
Me, I'd like to see a huge community effort from all Christians in America, to get St Nicholas's Greek Orthodox Church, New York City, rebuilt right smack dab on its old site at what's now Ground Zero: but *bigger*, at least 16 stories tall (i.e. taller than the proposed Ground Zero mosque) with a proper Greek Orthodox profile, dome and all, and bells too, and a big golden cross on top, and all fitted out inside with gorgeous mosaics and icons, and a lovely memorial garden around it. It would make the Muslim mosque, if built, look dowdy and dull by comparison.
"... they say, 'Is this a Muslim temple?'"
Since when has simply asking a reasonable question been "so intolerant to differences" or causing an uproar? There is no suggestion that anyone, having been told that it is a church, has said anything negative at all. CAIR must be getting desperate if they are trying to demonstrate intolerance here.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it really is probably a duck.
It is disingenuous to pretend that the Ground Zero Mosque is anything other than a Mosque. Do these idiots think the public are stupid?
The problem is, if Leftists and their muslim friends, cannot convince the people of certain facts which the people know are not true, they resort to abuse. Anybody protesting at this constant pandering and crawling to muslims wishes is labelled a racist or that newish term of abuse - an islamaphobe.
These are the actions of scoundrels.
Elfarin,
while you were away you missed the hordes of people amassed in our streets decrying the building of your mosque here on OUR sacred ground, among other demonstrations I dont have time to get into. Dont loose hope tho, there are many many disillusioned, liberal, Americans as well as your garden variety angry, megalomaniac muslims still out there bombing and plotting and stoning,sewing up their underpants to hide stuff in, here and there to get us to accept this islam "stuff",and persuade us we should really be like them, and respect the hate/destruction.(They REALLY are an embarrassing lot tho, is the self degradation really worth world domination?maybe you can put in a few words out to the caves, those on high may want to tweek some things so you all dont lok so ,well,lets just leave it.) so it will take a little while for all of us to really get it and decide its best for you to go away. Not too many are hoodwinked by your take on your peaceful, loving religion. You may argue Obama, and his admin, but between friends, people are on to them too. They wont be here for too much longer.
Just A Note Of Encouragement:
Keep going Mr. Spencer and Ms. Geller...peace to you.
I admire you both.
An Anecdote:
My best friend got mad at me for (mildly) criticizing Islam.
He didn't (of course) know what a Hadith was.
That's the key...education about all of this.
May the love of Jesus and His Holy Mother enfold you.
Love to all (especially Muslims...and those who want to be ex-Muslims)
theyellowumbrellabook.com
"Islam is a phantom menace"- Edwards will see the light in time.
"Church in Arizona protested because it looks like a mosque"
......................
In the body of the story there is absolutely *no* indication that there were any "protests"—just that some concerned neighbors had asked about the building's status.