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July 14th, 2010
08:40 AM ET
Opponents dominate hearing on Ground Zero mosqueThose for and against a proposed mosque near Ground Zero butted heads during a passionate three-hour hearing of New York's Landmarks Preservation Commission Tuesday night. Officially, the hearing was for testimony on whether a more than century-old building near Ground Zero is worth preserving. Supporters of the landmark status are opposed to a project to build a mosque and community center at the site where the twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed by Islamist hijackers on September 11, 2001. |
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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I was on a train going to work when the Twin Towers were hit. Had I made my usual train, I probably would have been in the WTC Path station when the first tower fell.
And I think the mosque should be allowed to be built. Terrorists took the towers down not the entire Muslim religion. Had the terrorist been, say extremist Christians, would you say no Christian churches could be built?
All Muslims are not terrorists and and all terrorists are not Muslims.
There are already Mosques in the area, one controlled by this same group. To my knowledge, none of them has been attacked.
please check out http://www.islamicsolutions.com/islam-a-quick-introduction/
Aren't there competent folks who could explain to us about the real meaning of a mosque? It's known that a mosque everything to a true Muslim: a "spiritual" house, a shelter, a propaganda hub, a military base - a symbol of conquest etc.
Freedom of religion means ALL religions. It saddens me that so many Americans don't understand this.
Drew, Islam is not a religion but a overgrown cult driven by koranic passages to dominate the world by any means. Google, "koran passages world domination" and see for yourself.
Ridiculous! These prejudice comments are stupid and ridiculous. This shouldn't be about religion. Muslims died in the twin towers on 9/11 too. If you haven't read the Quran from cover to cover, you can not state it instructs violence because that is not true. It's better to show mercy than inflict vengeance per the Quran. Christians read the same bible to justify their sick ideology. Eventhough rape & homosexuality is condemned in the bible, it's a major problem amongst Christians. Are all Christians freaks, homosexuals and predators? It doesn't matter what man wants or says, God has the final say so in all matters. We have muslims in this country and having a Mosque is not foreign. I trust a Muslim in my home, to watch my property, to keep company with my family before I would a Christian and growing up Christian and my experiences makes make this conviction. I can not dislike or hate that which I do not have full knowledge of. And most of these ignorant comments are from getting 3rd hand information, hearsay, word of mouth, just plan prejudices. That which you are afraid of most you shall be confronted with to deal with. White folks was afraid of Blacks gaining equal rights, education, jobs, housing, freedom, but it happened anyway. Same with Muslims in this country and Islam, it too shall shine through against all odds.
When Saudi allows the first church and temple to be opened in Mecca opposite the Kabba to show their respect for other religions and cultures will muslims be justified in demanding the same.
Benny - this isn't Saudi Arabia. This is the United States. We have different principles - remember the First Amendment? If we were to follow your logic, we'd end up like Saudi Arabia.
OK I read a few of these and was disgusted. Don't anyone see whats even being said here? They want to build a foreign building on an USA memorable area? And then made the claim do you think we would want USA to build a building were 1000 or so Muslims died...No. That should be American soil not any other countries. If anything is built there it should be American! And if they can't be happy even putting there building 3 blocks away then they forget they are in America. Putting that building there is letting them run over us. Literally bc of all the lives lost on that ground. Has America forgot this. Im sure the soldiers haven't that fight for it every day!!! Hooah!!!
i am a soldier in the army and what do you think that we fight for freedom right? These people are americans and they lost people in 9/11 so who are we to tell them they cant build a mosque. If that building was considered a landmark they would have never been able to buy it regardless of how much they paid.... They were allowed to purchase the property so therefore they should be able to put whatever they want on that property without a bunch of people giving them grief.....
I feel like this mosque and many more can only be a good thing. I come from a very multicultural background. When I moved to this country I noticed a severe lack of mixing of cultures. Or even tolerance of someone who is different. Back home, people of all races and religions have to live together. And on one of the many holidays, we partake each from the other. We all know of each others cultures because we all have a friend or family who is different. So we are invited, or just show up to all manner of celebration at their houses. Even in school, if you are hindu, and it is Divali soon, students come in wearing saris. If it is Christmastime, we exchange presents and sing carols. Why can't we do that here in the US? If we all had a friend or family who was moslem, we wouldn't be so quick to call thei r religion terrorism.
On Jul/11/1995 more than 7000 Bosnian Muslim has been executed by Serbs (Christians) in Srebrenica. I can not imagine how media in USA would react if you hear that people in Sarajevo oppose project for building church in there. Blaming religion and collective responsibility is not an option.
this is racism if i ever heard it...yea there are israeli extreamists but who is to say that all of them are the same... thats like saying that all white people are members of the kkk. These people have the same rights that every other citizen does, if they want to build a mosque who are we to tell them they cant they bought the property right? If you were to buy some land you wouldnt want a bunch of criticizing people telling you what you can build.. If they arent allowed to express there religion then i dont think anybody else should be able to neither. They are coming to America to make a better life for themselves and everybody is looking down on them for it..Honestly if they are terrorists which i highly doubt they wouldnt come here to build a mosque especially to blow it up that is there place for worship..Christians dont get criticized when they need a new church built so why should these people they are the same as you and me regardless of how long it takes many of the people to realize it.
How about no sandals is that is what is going to happen next I mean if a women and her belief is to cover completely being so let it be said so let it be written. Our world does need to be mindful of suicide bombers as everyone needs mindful about this and radicals ruin so much that is really pure and beautiful. I remain centrist on this topic but we also have to obey the law and the law of folk beliefs. Radicals spoil a whole bunch of good apples literally and figuratively. Muah. gtaylor 07142010 1037
I believe the mosque should go up. Regardless of it's proximity to ground zero. Remember its only real estate and thats what it comes down to. The only question is where does the money to fund its construction come from. I think that based on the origin of it's funding it is doomed and should not be built, if it can be shown to come from militant and extremist who seek to only antagonize The USA, and or religions.
"The only question is where does the money to fund its construction come from. I think that based on the origin of it's funding it is doomed and should not be built, if it can be shown to come from militant and extremist "
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What makes you jump to the conclusion that the funding is tied to militant extremists?
Do you believe all Catholic charities support bombings by the IRA?
Do you believe all Christian charities support bombing abortion clinics?
Every religion has a fringe of violent extremists, but most people are decent, normal people, whether Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, whatever.
I will fear for the safety of the members of a Mosque in that section of the city. Passions against it run so high. It wouldn't take anything to spark a mob mentality and the people and it's occupants would be in grave danger.
However I do agree with the idea that people need to see and understand the difference between Islam and the viloent radical extremism that espouses the violence that we hear so much about.
Barb, You noted, "However I do agree with the idea that people need to see and understand the difference between Islam and the viloent radical extremism that espouses the violence that we hear so much about."
There is no difference between Islam and violent radical Islamic extremism. The operating manual, the koran, dictates said extremism. When the koran is rewritten without said dictates of violence, then and only then will "infidels" like ourselves be safe from Islamic-sponsored terror.
This is replay to Reality,
What do you know about Koran ? As I can see it is Zeroooooooooo. What should I tell you as a person who spent time in Concentration Camp for Muslims in Bosnia made by Christians, that Bible is manual for that ? No, I can not because religions are not responsible for that. People are – extremists.
"There is no difference between Islam and violent radical Islamic extremism. The operating manual, the koran, dictates said extremism. When the koran is rewritten without said dictates of violence"
The Bible is way more violent than the Koran - just look at all the times God orders his followers to run around Canaan murdering people for having a different religion. Today we call that terrorism and genocide. Every religion has violent extremists and evil people–just look at the Christians blowing up abortion clinics and the Catholic priests raping children.
But most people you meet who are Jewish, Muslim, or Christian are normal, decent people.
It's always easier to hate and mistrust people you don't know.
Carl, The OT/Torah teaches an "eye for an eye". The NT teaches "love thy neighbor".
"I will fear for the safety of the members of a Mosque in that section of the city." The Financial District is a veritable den of vipers, only when the Mosque is rejected will the downtown area be safe from the threat of mob action by outraged tourists.
Why there should be no mosques and no burkas anywhere in the USA- Two burqa-clad suicide bombers on Saturday struck a food distribution camp for people displaced by anti-militancy operations in north-west Pakistan, killing 41 people and injuring 65 others."
OK, those 2 suicide bombers were wearing burqa alright but their hundreds of victims were Muslims and their women were wearing burqa too. Saying that all the women wearing burqa are terrorsits or Muslims are terrorists is like blaming the victims here. Muslims today are the biggest victims of terrorism and we should not forget that.
Umme, We don't forget as we are reminded every day from the front lines of the significantly stupid civil war between the Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq (actually Sunnis and Shiites kill each other all around the world). Apparently these warring factions have short memories when it comes to the "peaceful" koran? And what version of the koran does each side read? What language is it in? Whose side is Allah on anyway? 96,845 – 105,596 Iraqi civilians killed so far in this civil war! What would Mohammed say? And where is Gabriel in all of this?