A timely piece on myths about mosques in America in today's Washington Post, particularly in light of the arson at the site of the Murfreesboro Islamic Center. Let me highlight one myth, the one I have heard the most around here, that mosques will spread sharia law (emphasis mine).
In Islam, sharia ("the Way" to God) theoretically governs every human act. But Muslims do not agree on what sharia says; there is no one sharia book of laws. Most mosques in America do not teach Islamic law for a simple reason: It's too complicated for the average believer and even for some imams.
Islamic law includes not only the Koran and the Sunna (the traditions of the prophet Muhammad) but also great bodies of arcane legal rulings and pedantic scholarly interpretations. If mosques forced Islamic law upon their congregants, most Muslims would probably leave -- just as most Christians might walk out of the pews if preachers gave sermons exclusively on Saint Augustine, canon law and Greek grammar. Instead, mosques study the Koran and the Sunna and how the principles and stories in those sacred texts apply to their everyday lives.
Anyway, I think this is a good start to countering the extremists in our state that have "drunk the tea" and believe all muslims are evil.
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More good news...
More good news...
A local cretin blog is
A local cretin blog is claiming the fire was set intentionally by Muslims to stir the pot.
Daily show's Asif Mandvi on TN Mosque
(link...)
This was one of the best Dailyshow interviews of all time.
Shows the teaparty for exactly what they are.
Even more good news: Shots
Even more good news: Shots fired.
Time for Bredesen, Ramsey, Corker, Alexander, and the House delegation to make a joint statement to condemn this bullshit, don't you think?
Yeah, they all seem to be MIA
Yeah, they all seem to be MIA on this. The new third rail, I guess.
sigh
The Murfreesboro paper commenters claim the shots were just squirrel hunters. Or fireworks.
Are you free to be a Muslim in TN?
Exactly. This is terrorism and those fanning the fire should be held accountable.
So pissed that this is happening.
Feels like the UU shooting all over again.
Time for everyone whose ever enjoyed that Lee Greenwood tune "Proud to be an American" to stand up and be counted. Are you free to be a Muslim in TN?
Finally
Bredesen urges religious tolerance in mosque dispute
It's about time. I wonder if
It's about time.
I wonder if he's had any conversations with Mike McWherter about tamping down the negative rhetoric.
....only after being prompted
....only after being prompted by reporters to comment.
Full Q&A here.
It would be nice to see a little more gumption here, but as Woods intimates, it's at least something.
Timothy McVeigh made me hate
Timothy McVeigh made me hate and fear Catholics. Surely to God and Katie Couric we've made sure that none of "those people" are practicing mass terrorist acts anywhere near a federal building these days.
Candidates weigh in
Chattanooga Times Free Press:
Haslam's statement is an
Haslam's statement is an outrage. The "others" of which he speaks are Muslims in Murfreesboro who were assaulted, and he's reminding THEM to be respectful of the law?
Indeed. Shamefully weak
Indeed. Shamefully weak statement from Haslam. Bodes poorly for TN's future.
Do we want to be the Mississippi of the 21st C?
All your interest & concern
All your interest & concern for religious freedom is admirable.
Hi
How are you doing metulj? I was praying for you today.
What's you context?
My questions to the folks that...
are so against the mosque being built in Murfreesboro is this:
What are you so afraid of?
Is your religion so weak that you think it will be overcome by a small minority of the residents of your town?
Is your faith so shallow that you must fear people who have lived among you for decades without doing a bit of harm simply because they wish to build a nicer place of worship for themselves?
Would you object as strenuously to another "fringe" religion like the Jehovah's Witnesses or the Mormon Church if they wished to build a house of worship in your town?
Do you fear the Hare Krishnas as much?
Would a Buddhist temple offend your sensibilities so?
What about a Shinto shrine?
What if the Spanish Inquisition showed up in town and wanted to open shop...would you protest them?
Remember...no one expects the Spanish Inquisition.