Where to begin? This is a story as old as time Christians and Muslims fighting it out, seeing who will ultimately prevail. Only unlike the crusades this time the battle is being fought in the media instead of an open plain or a castle.
While Muslims cry “Freedom of Religion” as they build a mosque that 60% of New Yorkers don’t want, an angry pastor decides to burn the Quran and cries “Freedom of Speech”. The question is who is right?
This situation has truly amazed me, how our political leaders are fairly silent when Muslims want to build a mosque a block away from ground zero (and then even send an imam with radical ties on trip to the middle east on the taxpayers dollar). Then these same politicians are outraged when a preacher decides to stand up to them (radical Muslims), and actually try to convince him not to go forward with his protest. In my opinion the leaders should have been equally vocal on both counts, or not vocal on either of them. Do I think the government should have used its power to stop either event? No, it isn’t within their power to do so.
The case has been made that the burning of the Quran will endanger our troops, and increase recruiting for Islamic extremists. I can see that and I definitely agree that it would be a problem, and I don’t want to put our troops in harms way (my brother is one of them). That being said, I also think that a semi-radical leader who refuses to condemn Hamas, and who has ties to the Islamic Brotherhood building a mosque on American soil could be just as dangerous for American citizens and just as good for radical Islamic recruiting, as burning the Quran.
So, what why are they treated so differently? The answer is simple, American Christians (with the exception of the Quran burning pastors) don’t throw as big a fit about not getting their way as the Islam’s do. Plain and simple, Christians are viewed as the oppressors, (fairly or unfairly is another matter all together) and Islam is playing the victim card. I think the media has a great deal to do with this, I didn’t realize that they actually burned Bibles in Gaza until I ran across an article on the Drudge Report.
Life isn’t fair I guess, and even if Christians knew about the burnings that were going on I don’t think we (Christians) would have threatened violence against Islam. I think the pastor has every right to burn the Quran, just as I think the Islamist have the right to build a mosque, but just because you have a right doesn’t make it right, right?
I do think Islam is a false religion leading people to Hell instead of heaven, I love Jesus, and Jesus commands us to “Love our neighbor as our self” and although I screw up at it a lot I do my best. I think this preacher may be mistaken in what he is doing. I think it will harden the hearts of most Muslim’s to the one thing they need, Christianity. Part of me also thinks America needs a wake up call, we need to realize that the radical Muslim world is pushing a double standard on us. They push the Muslim law on their own people and don’t allow Christianity to even exist legally in their countries while telling us that we (Americans) have to let them do whatever they want.
It is, put simply, a contradiction.
Much Love,
Ryan
5 comments:
I believe (although I don't follow the news outside of reading headlines on NYTimes.com) that the gov't has not gotten involved in stopping of the building of the mosque near ground zero, and that is what people's problem is? I agree with you, that it should be build, because that is supposed to be what is great about being an american, you have freedom of religion.
I think the media has gotten involved with the Gainesville pastor, not the gov't (similar to the mosque).
I don't think the gov't has power over either of these events, and they haven't tried to exercise their absence of power (although I could be wrong, i mean there are political ads out there right now for the governor of FL stating that the democrat wants to lower Medicare spending -- HELLO?!?!?! the state gov't doesn't have power over Medicare spending, so I wouldn't be surprised if some politician are making statements, but empty ones at that, that are all about just drumming up votes because they don't have any real power here).
Personally, the Gainesville pastor disgusts me. And I think he is using this as a method to get publicity to sell something. I think it is all about money to him.
You should take off word verification too, it is annoying.
I could be wrong but it sounds like you and ryan are saying the same things. Isn't he saying that the gov't doesn't have the power over either of these, but people want the gov't to step in. I think he's saying the people who want the gov't to step in are in the wrong. Ryan doesn't agree with either of these, and he doesn't think the gov't should step in because each of these group of people have the right to do what they are doing.
I do agree with Ryan. I was just stating my opinion also (which happens to be mostly the same as his).
:)
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