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 The site of the proposed Islamic center near ground zero in Lower Manhattan.
September 19th, 2011
10:28 AM ET
Islamic center near ground zero touts first big event as center’s grand openingBy Heather M. Higgins,CNN New York (CNN) - Earlier this month, signs of life returned to what was once a gaping pit, frozen in sadness and rife with emotion, as part of the memorial at the World Trade Center opened on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. This week, another grand opening – this one steeped in controversy – is scheduled for just a few blocks away from the site where the Twin Towers once stood. The first part of Park51, the planned Lower Manhattan Islamic community center that sparked an international controversy last year, is set to open Wednesday with an art exhibit that features photographs of children. “It is a huge step forward,” said Katerina Lucas, Park51’s chief of staff. “I hope it shows we are about inclusion, not exclusion.” The photography exhibit, Park51’s first big public event, comprises portraits of children from 169 countries who now live in New York City. The opening coincides with the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. When plans to construct the high-rise Islamic institution were unveiled last year, a heated debate erupted over whether it was insensitive to build it so close to the site attacked by Islamic extremists. Though the interfaith center’s leaders said the project was rooted in a spirit of cooperation and coexistence, it provoked vocal opposition from some families of 9/11 victims, politicians and others. The driving force behind much of this opposition was Pamela Geller, editor and publisher of a blog called Atlas Shrugs. Geller organized a protest of Park51 on the tenth anniversary of Sept. 11 and says she is appalled at the organization’s decision to highlight the photographs of children. “It is an obvious and cynical attempt to manipulate public opinion and divert attention away from the Islamic supremacist ties, shady financial dealings, and contradictory statements of the mosque organizers,” Geller said in an e-mail. But Park 51’s photography exhibit is a reminder that the project is quietly moving forward, despite rumors that it had been put on hold. With $70,000 raised in under two months via KickStarter.com, a funding platform for creative projects, the remodeled space at 51 Park Place will serve as a temporary community center until groundbreaking for the rest of the building. The project’s developers, led by Park51 Chairman Sharif El-Gamal, have hired a staff of six and continue to hold Muslim prayers at the space, just north of ground zero. But they are not speculating about a timeline for construction. In June, El-Gamal parted ways with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the cleric who had been the public face of Park51, over a difference in vision. At a recent interfaith event honoring 9/11 families, Rauf said his vision to build an American-Muslim identity and enhance multi-faith dialogue hasn’t changed in 20 years. Even though Rauf isn’t associated with Park51 any longer, he continues to focus his energy on establishing a Muslim center in Chautauqua, New York, with the hope it can be replicated in the United States and around the world. Park51’s planners say they are committed to their original Lower Manhattan location. They are now seeking to raise $7 to $10 million in financing. “We have broken some ground, but there are still many hurdles,” Lucas said, pointing to fundraising as the biggest one. Lucas, who graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 2009, said the upcoming photography exhibition is about showcasing the diversity of New York City, which includes Muslims. “Islam is not about extremism,” she said. “We can have a meaningful dialogue across religions.” It’s a message shared by Danny Goldfield, the Brooklyn artist behind the exhibit. He got the idea for his children-focused series while driving from Los Angeles to New York in 2003, right after the war in Iraq started. “I met Danny Goldfield when Park51 was still a new idea. Danny told me about NYChildren and I said his photographs should be the first event at Park51," El-Gamal said in a statement. "I am proud to say the idea has been realized. Opening this incarnation of the community center is a fantastic accomplishment." Goldfield photographed children living in New York City’s five boroughs from countries as different as Japan and Zimbabwe and as far apart as Afghanistan and Argentina. While his pictures have been on display before, this is the first time he has shown them all at once. The exhibit will be open for approximately three months. Over 700 people have been invited to the opening and Lucas said that others are welcome, too. “I bring photos together on a wall the same way a space brings people together,” Goldfield said.
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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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How much you wanna bet it gets bombed?
By a typical xtian thug.
Bombs are too expensive. Anyone would go for the more archaic-American approach: bricks
Thanks "Jimtanker." Sometimes logic is better than "Common Sense."
There should be a massive boycott of anything that has anything to do with this "mosque". By boycott, I mean that NO company should do the construction, provide construction materials and supplies, deliver anything to that address, visit their sick, twisted, cynical "childrens" photo exhibit, contribute any money or services in any form to any company, charity, or person in any way linked to this building, make any repairs to the building, etc. No money, no honey and it will not get built.
Unfortunately logic doesnt work on these people. Otherwise there would be no religious people at all.
@Jimtanker
By a typical xtian thug.
Ah, so your true colors come out, how long have you been Muslim
@f
You're forgetting something very important.
America isn't founded on Christianity – it is founded on Capitalism!
In orther words, the Almighty dollar trumps any religion in the U.S.A.
If they can afford it, the mosque will stand.
Never Carl. I've also never been a stipid hick xtian either.
What's up, Doc? Thanks for comment. Christians can "safely" read works such as Weber's "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" in order to understand your point without fear of going to "hell." Or can read Christian church history from 1800's. But most of them are too lazy, or too dumb to go to divinity school. The "Original Americans" were not Christians: This is revisionist history at its best.
Muslims have friends in high places. Very high places.
Not for long.......only until they target a building and FLY INTO IT.
Like ... in heaven!
You mean like in the White House !
@Sagebrush
Really?
I thought the Illuminati answered to a secret cabal of 6 Jewish bankers who are in turn controlled by King Hizuzu of the Lizard People.
So I guess some here do not know Islam is based on "Old Testament?" Read Q'ran: Read about Jesus, His mother Mary, and Abraham... If you love Christianity, you'll get a kick out of the Q'ran. Try it: You'll like it.
The cluelessness exhibited by liberals will kill us all. The rest of the world is keenly aware of the threat that Islam poses. It is impossible to debate people who claim that stating your vocal opposition to this project is somehow equal to the actions of Mohammad Atta and the rest of the 9-11 hijackers. Liberals are dangerously clueless. We were given a beatiful country, and the left, in the name of tolerance, is hell-bent on destroying it.
Man from are the comments I see one would think christianity is filled with hateful extremist. maybe it is.
@mm
Too bad the House Committee on Un-American Activities was shut down, eh?
The Department of Homeland Security will be happy to tap your neighbours phone if you report him as a terrorist, but you just can't start a Hollywood Blacklist like in the good old days before those hippy liberals came to prominence.
Doc Vestibule: Yeah, Thomas Jefferson with his hippy hair was such a loser eh?
mm- Sadly, the stupid nasty liberals will never admit they are wrong, even if the Muslims' dagger is sticking them in the gut.
Sadly, "conservatives" do not know preacher/priest dagger sticking them in the but...
You blithering idiot everyone is aware of the threat posed by ANY extremist. Your cowardice is sickening and reeks of cat urine
folks – let them build this mosque. it will polarize the country so badly, everyone will isolate & fk these fellows. even the liberals will dump them. now everyone will root them out once & for all from the US.
YES!
Cant believe they are allowing this. If you want to live in our country, then go to our churces a and adapt to our beliefs. If you dont like it saty the heck out of our country.
YOUR beliefs. Not our beliefs. You can remain an ignorant person all your life all you want. Some of us have evolved.
"If you want to live in our country, then go to our churces a and adapt to our beliefs. "
*cough* freedom of religion *cough*
Thanks Jimtanker.
If you want to live in a theocracy, go live in Iran where you belong.
It's not your country. Freedom of Religion (or thankfully in my case, a lack thereof) is part and parcel with what makes America great. Demanding that people worship YOUR god is the unamerican belief.
@Jimtanker – you have evolved? Into what exactly? A shaira-law suporter? Let one of them marry your daughter and they will beat her into submission, r+a+p+e her when she looks the "wrong" way and keep her in the house and stupid....Stupid just like you must be to believe that Muslims have ANY redeeming value in thiscountry.
What do you mean, "allowing this"? What makes you think these people aren't American from birth? Some Muslims are Caucasian. Many of them have been born here, as their parents and grandparents were. They're as American as you and me. And based on the founding principles of the USA, they have equal rights to practice their religion as you do. THAT is the American way – freedom of religion for ALL religions. Preventing them from building a place of religious worship would be extremely un-American. The Muslims I know are good Americans and good neighbors, more so than many of the Christians I know. I'd feel safer with a mosque in my neighborhood than a Pentecostal church, that's for sure. And no, I'm not Muslim.
@Leo – nice try, but useless. once the brain has been warped by generations of inbreeding and extremist indoctrination, it's virtually impossible to expect any sort of rational thought from it. don't waste your time... you know what they say about trying to teach a pig to sing...
If you don't believe in the religious principles that our country was founded on i.e. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost and you want to practice another religion, that's fine. Just shut up and do it and quit trying to take my God out of my government and my schools and forcing your way of life on me.
Our country wasn't founded on any xtian principles. Oh, and BTW, what are those principles? Slavery? Tolerence to others like the Native Americans?
@Charles
Your country is NOT founded on the Trinity.
Your founding fathers were very careful to keep all religion – including yours – out of the public sphere.
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—"
– Treaty of Tripoli, 1797
Ratified by John Adma, 2nd President of the United States
Your God references on money, in the pledge of allegiance, etc. ad nauseum were added at the height of McCarthyism in the middle of the 20th century.
They may as well have put "Better Dead Than Red" on the money instead of "In God We Trust".
The only people who are forcing their beliefs on others are "people like you." You don't want "government" telling your kids how to act or what to do unless it's based upon your religious beliefs, then it's ok to have your beliefs forced upon others. Stay out of people's marriages, Stay out of people's wombs. If you want your kids raised with the Holy Trinity then teach them at home and teach them on Sundays in Church and the 90% of the rest of the time you should be raising your kids. School is about teaching kids about the world, about its people and how to function as an adult. It's not for indoctrinating kids into a religious philosophy.
@Charles – The US was not founded on Christianity. It was founded on Judeo-Christian principles of freedom, justice and equality. There is a big difference!
@Carl
@Charles – The US was not founded on Christianity. It was founded on Judeo-Christian principles of freedom, justice and equality. There is a big difference!
This Carl for one agrees with Charles and have studied to see that his information is correct. But to study you have to be able to read, and that is the problem with most libs they cannot read for themselves
To All you hosers posting to Charles....This country was/is based on Judeo-Christian beliefs. Not a Muslim Sharia Law in sight.
Actually, several of our founding fathers were either atheist or agnostic (like Jefferson). The principal was freedom of religion of of manner of worship, which includes freedom to have no religion and not to worship.
**** Just shut up and do it and quit trying to take my God out of my government and my schools and forcing your way of life on me.
Sorry, its not "your" government, its ours.
I promise i wont force my way of life on you
if you promise the same to me......
why do i doubt that.
It's: "Separation"...
Teach your children how to pray and God will be in schools. No one's keeping them from praying at school.
Everyone just calm down. Its being "taken care of". Who saw the blood drive Muslims did in NYC on 9/11? The symbol was of all the blood spilled in New York on that day ten years ago.
I defend the right of any American to speak openly without fear of retribution. However, there are limits to our freedom of speech--such as the restriction on anybody's right to falsely cry "fire" in a crowded theater. Pamela Geller has been essentially crying "fire" for quite a few years now, inciting hatred and disdain against all things related to Islam. Geller shows the worst side of humanity, when hate and fear motivate every aspect of her behavior. She is a sad and pathetic woman.
She's just telling it like it is, James. Don't shoot the messenger just because you won't hear the message.
You defend that person's right in an unusual way. If Geller is the worst of humanity then I wonder how you consider the Taliban, Al-qeda, or any of the hundreds of terror groups worldwide, and the millions of people who support them?
@Big Bob – She's just telling it like she's an idiot. Which she is. Perhaps someone SHOULD shoot the messenger, and save us all the headache of having to listen to her idiocy.
She must be a member of the tea party.
I say we stick it to the terrorist by doing the things that they seem to hate us for doing: expressing and enjoying our freedom. Such as freedom of religion. The fact that Muslims have a right to put up a Mosque so close to ground zero with no threat of retaliation from government should be celebrated as another expression of the freedom that terrorist hate so much.
America! F–k yea!
You make an excellent point and something everyone should give consideration to.
Bravo!!!!!
When the Soviet Union collapsed the Neocons knew they could not
keep going to war without a new enemy to sell to the American Public.
Tada !!!!!!!
Taliban, Al Queda, Muslims !!
They have created an enemy that has no borders
no conventional army.
These people are not your enemy.
The people that have created this fear, are your enemies,
and you swallowed it lock, stock and barrel.
Are we America with freedom of religion or are we some other country ? Some of you scare me with your anit-American statements.
Amazing! Such an insult
And just how is it an insult?
If you don't know the answer to that, then you don't belong here in the USA.
And who makes you the authority on who stays or goes? I think that I deserve to be an American more than most people, probably a lot more than you.
folks – let them build this mosque. it will polarize the country so badly, everyone will isolate & fk these fellows. even the liberals will dump them. now everyone will root them out once & for all from the US.
Since you are defending the indefensible. Go and watch some video and pictures of 911. Look at the ones that show people jumping to their deaths. Then look at the other pictures that show faces of demons in the smoke, yes, they exist. Liberals sometimes can't tell which end is which. Defending those that wish to kill us in insane unless you are one of those converts to the mohamedan cult.
Indeed, it is a terrible insult that Americans of any faith be treated so unfairly by their fellow countrymen. It's a terrible shame to us all that people like Geller and other bigots have made these peoples lives and their good work such a difficult process.
@witchiepoo, I assume you are wiccan? I did not know witches violently opposed to Islam? Please explain?
It is an insult but what is even more of an insult are those islamic apologists to the events of 911. Muslims had a great opportunity to show some understanding, compassion and respect how ever fake it was and not done this. They chose to get a mosque built as close as possible to their perceived victory. They always try to use our laws and openness against us perceiving weakness. Little do they know who they are dealing with. More people oppose them than ever. More people read about islam and immediately reject it. All is well.
BuddhaCall, thanks for asking but not even close. Billy Hayes was such a great actress and the witch was so goofy and funny...But to answer your question, Evil exists when men/women of good character do nothing to oppose it. All it takes to vanquish darkness in a pitch black room is to light a single candle. (Mahakala)
"Then look at the other pictures that show faces of demons in the smoke, yes, they exist."
oh geez, you really believe that dont you? and that there were demon faces in the smoke, too funny, simply too funny.
What a wonderful idea to have pictures of children of the world living in NYC to be part of the opening of Park51. I wish I was near NYC to see it there! Hopefully it will travel to other cities (like Boulder/Denver Colorado) and include some background photos of Park51...
Careful what you wish for, Ed. Islam IS coming! It willl consume us all unless we take a stand.
Hopefully it will travel to Somalia or Saudi Arabia and NEVER come back.
Where's the peace when Muhammad killed 900 defenseless men of the Banu Qurayza tribe and enslaved their women and children?
Where is the peace when HitIer kiIIed millions during WWII in the name of Catholisizm?
Crusades, Witch hunts, inquisitions........all in the name of your god.
In reply to JimTanker, "Where is the peace when HitIer kiIIed millions during WWII in the name of Catholisizm?" you may need to study a liitle more. Hitler killed millions of Christians also
@ Carl
So that makes it a good thing?
If I remember right, it was a Jewish lady that eventually did Mohamed in with a piece of poisoned leg of lamb.
To JimTanker: Hitler exploited Christianity to kill in the name of his own personality cult. If you are going to slander Christianity, please pick a crime actually committed by Christians.
@JImTanker who said it is good you are the one who made the false claim that Hitler did what he did for God. Now the Muslims did do what they did for their god
Every religion (including Chrstianity) has had periods where they were warlike and cruel. I'm sure that the Incan's would be very interested in hearing about their peaceful takeover... oh, no, wait, they were killed off by Christians.
The reason I am not Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim or any other false religion is because I choose to follow Jesus Christ, the only One who rose from the dead and is not still buried in their grave! I pray to the One True God that you all turn from your idols and false gods and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The ONLY way to the Father is through the Son Jesus Christ....John 14:6
The only insult to America here is people, like yourself, showing the same intolerance the extremist show towards us.....
So the good people in Dearborn Michigan who where dancing in the streets celebrating the fall of the towers are extremists yes?
Carl: which Fox News personality did you hear that from?
Many Muslims have given their lives defending this country in the War on Terror. Based on your criteria, I say they are more American than you are.
@Tom "Carl: which Fox News personality did you hear that from?"
Fox news what are talking about I live there, I work there, I saw it myself. Blocks upon blocks of people celebrating
Yes I'm sure you did Carl. Now go take your medicine.....the voices are starting up in your head again.
Carl, I live in the Metro Detroit area... there was no mass celebration in the streets in Dearborn... there was, however, a lot of public outcry denouncing the terrorists and their actions in the name of Islam. Go try to sell that one elsewhere, please. Just give up and admit that, in total renunciation of your supposed faith, you are a mean-spirited and hateful person.
I really don't mind people expressing their religious beliefs as long as it isn't offensive to others but this mosque at ground zero is very offensive to all Americans. Like Ahmed praying for the 19 marters he calls heros that killed over 3 thousand people. MUslims want to take over America and have their own court system and their own government. Let them go back to wherever they came from and have their own government. I don't nimd legal immigration but I still believe that all immigrants should assimilate to the American way of life and our laws. If they don't want to do that then "Go back where you came from and quit trying to change our way of life." Get the Hell out."
"Let them go back to wherever they came "
you mean America?
and I guess you want the Jews to stop being Jews as well and start acting like whatever you think Americans actually act like.
All Americans? You realize there ARE American musllims right?
Soooooooooo....that whole 1st Amendment thing should be overlooked? Just this one time? Yea, let's force Muslims and other religious groups that we deem a "threat" to obey the American way of life by ignoring the one law that we all hold with the utmost importance to the American way of life...
Perfect logic...
Hi Charles,
Your post sounds like you are trying to be open-minded. The State Department is very involved with this ground zero mosque, and it's certain all the connections are seriously vetted. It is critical that we work with moderate Muslims to help bring extremists into the modern age and help be an "early alert" system. There are plenty of Islamic countries in which Shariah law is not running the country. It's a complete falacy that Shariah law has to be part of the system. The Economist had a good article a while ago talking about 20% of the non-violent group of Muslims in Asia, referred to as Sufis. Some of them don't even follow Shariah in the daily lives. If you look into Islam, you will find a wide range of beliefs. Pacifism all the way to extreme violence can be found. We can't be alone in this battle. The founders of this mosques work closely with the State Department and are trying to de-radicalize some Muslims, while also educating the rest of us. If you are sincerely trying to understand this, then look into it a bit more.
And just how is this place ruining the "American way of life" or breaking any laws?
Its not offensive to all Americans. I'm Christian, American, and delighted that it is opening. Its time all Americans embrace the ideals on which our nation was founded, and that is of inclusion and acceptance. Yes, there are a few terrorists who claim to be Muslim, just as there are terrorists who claim to be Christian, Jewish, and anything else you can imagine.
Muslims also don't want to "take over America" or have their own systems rule, in fact a big part of Sharia law is that it only applies to Muslims. Just as Jews don't apply the Torah to other groups. In fact of the big three, Christians tend to be the ones that are fastest to push their beliefs on others. (ie: Sundays off laws) You really might want to do some research before making these claims.
To give into fear and hated is to allow the terrorists to win, their goal is to divide us. Don't let them.
Charles. I am an American, and this community center is not in any way offensive to me. So please, don't say you speak for all Americans when you don't.
I'm an American, a US Army veteran, a Caucasian, and I'm from a half-Christian, half-Jewish family. This mosque DOES NOT offend me in the slightest. The ability to embrace diversity is what makes American BETTER than theocratic nations like Iran. I know many Muslims, and they're good Americans. Their beliefs and traditions are very comparable (if you step back and actually LOOK) to the beliefs and traditions of Christians and Jews.
Likewise, just as a Jewish person who follows the Kosher dietary laws doesn't try to enforce Kosher laws on everyone, American moderate Muslims have no desire to enforce their religious laws on anyone else. Actually... the only religious group in America that seems to be trying to actively force their religious laws on everyone is... the conservative Christians. They want to tell public schools to teach their religion, they want to force their faith into government, they want to tell gays what to do, and they want to push their religious edicts into women's health clinics. I've never heard an American Muslim say that "gays are going to hell and ought to be jailed," but I've heard plenty of American Christians say it.
So, no, I'm not offended by the mosque. I'm offended by the notion that you're trying to speak for all Americans.
Still with the victory mosque garbage? You're the example of why we need better funding for secular education.
Secular education?! Whoa!!! Who would agree to that besides us?! I have $2,000 on NOBODY!
May: I don't understand. The entire civilized western world practices secular education
We don't need to fund secular education at all. We need to put God back in our schools, our government and our every day public lives. That's the problem with America now, we've submitted to secular beliefs and the ACLU and taken God out of our lives. We're being taken over by terrorist and extreamist because of political correctness and not wanting to offend any one. Let's grow a pair and start taking up for ourselves again instead of everyone that is coming into our countty trying to change our way of life.
So Charles, you want to make our childeren more ignorant and less marketable in the future job market by teaching them fairtytales?
Yeah, right Charles. More people have died or been persecuted in the name of "God". That sounds like a GREAT idea to me.
Maybe some of those strip clubs could get a good deal to move next to Park 51. It looks like they decided to take over this place as a slap in the face as they are now going to go out and look for $7-10 M, what is that for a minaret.
It is not fair to open this islamic center. Unless Saudi Arabia lets Christian churches to be constructed in their land, America will react in reciprocity. In addition, most of Muslim clerics especially in the Middle East are the main instigators of all violence, terrorism, hatred, vengeance and discrimination around the world. Mosques and Islamic schools (maddrassahs) are incubators of terrorists and fanatics. Muslim clerics brainwash people's minds transforming an ordinary person into an irrational beast capable of committing the worst atrocities and without experiencing any remorse. Please keep America free of this evil religion.
So you only do the right thing if someone else does?
By the way, go to Jesus camp and you will be indoctrinated into insanity as well
So you're saying we should act MORE like Saudi Arabia? Brilliant!
but this exactly why America is better than saudi arabia. freedom of religion. its a country where, dispite disagreement, people can openly practice their faith without fear of persecution. this what makes this country great!
Let's not try to be like Saudi Arabia. Let's try to be a good example of pluralism. In addition, let's not assume Shariah law is practices by all Muslims, that's misinformation. I applaud all the Christian and other intefaith organizations that have worked hard to develop this mosque to be a bastian against extremism – Christina, Muslim, and any other religion. Even Atheist can lose sense of reality and start killing people in mass! I respect the fear and the sense of outrage people have about this center, though. I do believe that once they have more information, they will understand, unless they are fundamentalists themselves.
We are not Saudi Arabia. We have freedom of religion.
Forget Arabia. What about Morocco? They are just as islamic as anyone else in the world. Are they trying to brainwash people into becoming the menace of America?
C. Cantu:
You are right. Even though the only way to salvation of the soul for eternal life is through Jesus Christ, as it written in the Bible 600 years before pedophile and child molester Mohammed came to disturb and confuse them, Islamists will never allow Christian churches to be built in their God forsaken countries. Islamists fear Jesus Christ because He is the Way the Truth, the Life and the Son of God; Jesus is not a regular human neither a pedophile stand up prophet like Mohammed.
If Islamists really had faith in their ideology, they would allow Christian churches to be built and Christianity to be taught in Arab/Muslim countries to prove that Islam would prevail against it; but Muslims know their Islamic ideology does not stand a chance against Christianity, that is why they do not allow it in their countries.
Islamists have been losers since the beginning. Ishmael was not in ancestral lineage of the Messiah, Esau was abhorred by God for neglecting his inheritance, then Esau marries the daughter of Ishmael, Then, their descendants chose to follow child molester Mohamed instead of Jesus Christ; therefore, Islamist are messed up and the only way to break their vicious circle of rejection by God and by many nations of the world, is to embrace Jesus and accept Him as their savior. No one is going to put them under the threat of being beheaded if they do not accept Jesus as their savior. Mohammed beheaded all those who so rightfully rejected the Islamist ideology. But Jesus does not want anyone to accept Him by force or under duress.
what the news doesn't tell you is that this "islamic center" was bought and paid for by the al saud family of our erstwhile allies in saudi arabia. saudi islam–wahabbism–is the most extremist and vile of all sects of islam. but we are the ones buying their oil, enabling them to spread their hate from malaysia to new york city. before blaming these people for building the mosque, take a look at who is financing their backers. hint: it's us.
Ari, I really do hope it's not Wahabis funding this mosque. You are correct, many of them are extremists. We fund them with oil purchases. But, if some of the money does end up in this mosque, it appears a vast majority is being provided by interfaith organizations and people who are really trying to begin a dialogue and healing. I doubt they planned on being such a lightning rod. Nevertheless, they should have expected it. If any extremists chooses to visit or get involved in this "center", good, I'm sure they'll be tracked by about 100+ US gov organizations! 🙂
Insane, their building permit better be denied for their traditional war victory mega mosque. Money for the development has already be traced back to muslim extremists. It's not a coincidence they wanted a building that was damaged by the engine of the plane used in the attack.
This is an insult to our armed forces, veterans and all Americans!!!!
No, you are an insult to our armed forces. They fight for the freedom for Americans, they fight against exteremists. Yet, here you are, an extremist that is so deluded that you want to take away a group's rights. You are an insult, not innocent muslims who are trying to do good. Also, if "war victory mega mosque" is even an illusion of an intelligent claim, then does that make Christian Churches "War Victory Mega Churches" since they were used in much the same way during Crusades or any war between Christianity and a differing religion.
Such a disgrace, they fight oppression in foreign lands, but people like you preach oppression at home.
Chris, that was exactly what I was about to say!
Well pout as a vet I agree with you. For those who do not understand the Crusades maybe you study more. The Crusades where in retaliation to the extermination of thousands of Christians who where trying to worship. You all want us to be tolerant of people who will kill you just because
You do realize that there are Muslims serving in our armed forces, yes? Because 'all Americans' includes Muslims. And Buddhists. And Atheists. And Pagans.
@footnotegirl- Sweethaert, you better get of your "happy, hippie" lifestyle kick real soon or you too will be a Muslim woman suffering under 14th century Sharia Law, locked in your house, kept stupid and beaten/r-ap-e-d daily with a sheet over your head. Muslims do not SERVE in the US military, they infiltrate the US military.
Frank Garrett: Well said my friend. Keep up the good work of telling our people the fact that the construction of the Islamic-terrorist sleeper cell mosque on Park 51 “/is an insult to our armed forces, veterans and all Americans!!!!”
I will also assist you in relaying the same message. And do not be intimidated by these ignoramus Islamist thugs who reply to your comment in their usually-stupid manner.
In countries oppressed by Islam, it is a common practice to behead all those who oppose and speak out about how harmful, worthless and useless Islam is to humankind. As of today, they cannot behead American people who oppose Islam, but as soon as they acquire a population majority, they will do it with no hesitation.
If Islamists were wise, they would detach themselves from such a horrible and deadly ideology. Nevertheless, they act as if it were a great honor to convert and turn people onto potential Islamic terrorists.
Frank Garrett,
Well said my friend. Keep up the good work of telling our people the fact that the construction of the Islamic-terrorist sleeper cell mosque on Park 51 “/is an insult to our armed forces, veterans and all Americans!!!!”
I will also assist you in relaying the same message. And do not be intimidated by these ignoramus Islamist thugs who reply to your comment in their usually-stupid manner.
In countries oppressed by Islam, it is a common practice to behead all those who oppose and speak out about how harmful, worthless and useless Islam is to humankind. As of today, they cannot behead American people who oppose Islam, but as soon as they acquire a population majority, they will do it with no hesitation.
If Islamists were wise, they would detach themselves from such a horrible and deadly ideology. Nevertheless, they act as if it were a great honor to convert and turn people onto potential Islamic terrorists.