Because I grew up hearing the call to prayer every morning, everyone asks me about the Cordoba Mosque. (President Obama said this prayer-call was the most beautiful sound in the world. Well—you can’t argue with taste.)
I like the mosque because it is an opportunity for Islam to show America what it is about. Of course we must always oppose evil in all its forms and the celebration of 9/11 is evil. But the mosque is a painless way for Islam to show its colors. And this is what all thinking people need. When you look at it this way, 9/11 was the quintessential display of Islam. Of course all Moslems did not support 9/11. Here in the West, almost none did. And President Bush claimed that 9/11 had been done by a deluded, fringe minority. “They hijacked a wonderful religion,” he said. Is Bush an authority on Islam?
Every Moslem in the world today stands on the horns of a dilemma. Every Moslem is beaconed from both sides. One side believes that jihad does not include violence against the infidel; the other side does. Of one thing I can assure you, and every Moslem knows this: Neither side is a fringe minority.
Now here is what is important. Really important. (And this is the importance of 9/11 and the building of the mosque; they both force people to face this question.) What was Jesus like; and what was Mohammed like?
If I could get America (or even you) to focus on this question, we will achieve an understanding in due course. To jump-start your research, here’s a beginning:
1. Jesus never killed anyone; Mohammed did.
2. Jesus loved his enemies; Mohammed did not.
3. Jesus called his followers to return good for evil; Mohammed had no such teaching.
4. Jesus thought he was God; Mohammed disagreed, even considered the claim blasphemous.
5. Jesus never married a child; you probably know the rest.
These contrasts I have just articulated are considered blasphemy in many countries, punishable by death. I grew up with friends who blasphemed Jesus when I tackled them. Jesus does not want me to kill them. He wants me to love them in spite of their reaction to my tackling. Obviously, if you choose to do some research, you will go far beyond my brief summary. The more you learn, the easier it will be for you to choose one of these life paths. It is my belief that 9/11, and the construction of a mosque to “remember” it, will both contribute to your understanding.
(I will be in Asia, where internet is blocked, for the next 6 weeks. No more blogs for now. But do leave your reactions)
Good thinking plus good writing = a worthwhile read - thanks, Mark - keep 'em coming!
ReplyDeleteThis comment is unrelated to you blog post but I hope you will consider my request. After living several years with a remote tribe in Papua New Guinea I happened upon your book, Spirit of the Rainforest. I was working with several Christians teaching them the Bible and I brought up some of things in the book and they explained how they worked in their culture and they were very similar. Since then, I have recommended this book to many in Papua New Guinea (nationals and expats alike), and have purchased several copies. However, am now moving away from paper-and-ink books as they don’t travel well and it is hard to have a copy everyplace I go. I noticed the copyright belonged to you so I was wondering if there a chance I could get an electronic copy. I would keep it secure and not distribute it. I simply want to replace my physical copies with something more portable. Thank you.
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