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Imam delivers remarks on NY mosque debate in op-ed

danarhea

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NEW YORK — The imam behind plans for an Islamic community center near ground zero writes in a newspaper that the facility will include "separate prayer spaces for Muslims, Christians, Jews and men and women of other faiths."

The national debate over the center has focused on plans to include a mosque near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf (rah-OOF') writes that the attention surrounding the project "reflects the degree to which people care about the very American values under debate."

This is fantastic. Muslims, Christians, Jews, and other faiths, essentially praying together in the same building. Yes, I know, separate spaces, but this will do much to bridge the gap between our various religions. And, after all, isn't worshiping a loving God something we all have in common? Let the extremists, wherever they are, piss and moan, and let those who love the Lord God celebrate. This IS what America is all about, folks.

I would like to see something like this become a model that will inspire religious people throughout the entire world to build more projects like this. And that, one day, we Americans will be known not for our differences, but for what binds us all together as Americans. I've said it before, and I will say it again. America is a beacon. Let it continue to be so.

This July, America celebrated 234 years of awesomeness, but as awesome as we are, our best days are ahead of us. God bless America, and God bless all of her people, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or any other religion.

Article is here.
 
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Same guy who won't call Hamas a terrorist group

Same guy who said the US bared responsibility for 9.11

Same guy who has supported as does support CAIR, an organization with convicted board members supporting Islamic terrorism.


His credibility is shot. Suckers who want to believe him despite all the evidence presented are just plain sad.


If he really wanted to be a uniter the choice is simple. Build it away from ground zero. But he wont which proves he has no true goal of uniting everyone.
 
Another play in the imam's shell game.
 
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf once made the statement that the Islamic community center (Mosque) to be built would be able to take the overflow from two other Mosques in the area. With the level of controversy, the Imam is now stating seperate prayer areas for other religious faiths. Is this in a predominant Muslim area? If so, would this make the statement relating to other religious faiths prayer areas somewhat redundant? Similar to a politician telling constituents what they want to hear so as to appease dissidents.
 
Same guy who won't call Hamas a terrorist group
From the Cordoba Initiative website:
“Imam Feisal has always condemned terrorism (see his ... hundreds of speeches). Hamas is both a political movement and a terrorist organization. Hamas commits atrocious acts of terror. Imam Feisal has forcefully and consistently condemned all forms of terrorism, including those committed by Hamas, as un-Islamic.”

Same guy who said the US bared responsibility for 9.11
No. He said US policy was an accessory to what happened. There's a pretty distinct and important difference. If I repeatedly slap you in the face, and you shoot me, I didn't deserve to get shot, but calling me blameless is also inaccurate. We've been screwing around in the middle east for decades. There's a lot of people there who hate us for it.


Same guy who has supported as does support CAIR, an organization with convicted board members supporting Islamic terrorism.
You can play the terrorism version of the Kevin Bacon game with any person you like.
Sean Hannity -> Fox News -> Newscorp -> Shareholder Al-Waleed bin Talal -> This Same Imam.

His credibility is shot. Suckers who want to believe him despite all the evidence presented are just plain sad.
Evidence of what, exactly?


If he really wanted to be a uniter the choice is simple. Build it away from ground zero. But he wont which proves he has no true goal of uniting everyone.

Yes. Let's all unite by making sure those Muslims are as far away as possible.
 
In further news, a pastor has abandoned plans to burn a Koran in protest at this abominable urination on the biggest mass murder site in the USA:

U.S pastor cancels plans to burn the Koran on anniversary of 9/11 | Mail Online


President Obama warned that such a justifiable action could be used by howling Muslims as a pretext to set the world ablaze again.

That's a bit like when British politicians used to be told not to do anything to upset the Nazis, lest they start causing trouble early.

And as for seperate prayer spaces, you don't need a mosque funded by extremist or terrorist regimes for that. And we've also seen before the 'community centres' get taken over by Muslims for their exclusive use from place to place to place. Particularly in places like Birmingham (UK), nobody else would go near or by.

Do NOT believe the taquiyya!
 

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In further news, a pastor has abandoned plans to burn a Koran in protest at this abominable urination on the biggest mass murder site in the USA:

Your bias [and appeal to outright hysterics] is showing. :roll:
 
What's biased about the truth?

It IS the biggest mass-murder site in the US.
 
Again, this Imam has ZERO credibility.

Imam Faisal 'Abd Al-Rauf's book What's Right with Islam: A New Vision for Muslims and the West was published in Indonesian in 2007 with a different title – Seruan Azan Dari Puing WTC: Dakwah Islam di Jantung Amerika Pasca 9/11 ("The Call of Azan from the Rubble of the World Trade Center: Islamic Da'wa in the Heart of America Post-9/11").

The azan is the muezzin's call to prayer. It consists of a number of sentences repeated several times: "Allahu Akbar," the Shahada (la ilaha illa Allah wa-Muhammad rasoul Allah – "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger") and the phrase "Gather for prayer." It is noteworthy that, in the period of Muslim conquests in the first centuries of Islam, this call was made from newly conquered sites.


The MEMRI Blog - Full Blog Entry

For all the apologists for this Imam, if he is so tolerant and understanding, why the two different titles? One for English and one in Arabic?
 
What was I supposed to say about such a travesty?


Let me re-phrase that for liberal 'sensibilities' (ie - overblown senses of faux-outrage directed at the wrong targets as usual):

Muslims wrecked it, now they fixed it in their own indomitable way! You just can't keep them down and it would interfere with their well-crafted victimhood to complain!!
 
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What was I supposed to say about such a travesty?


Let me re-phrase that for liberal 'sensibilities' (ie - overblown senses of faux-outrage directed at the wrong targets as usual):

Muslims wrecked it, now they fixed it in their own indomitable way! You just can't keep them down and it would interfere with their well-crafted victimhood to complain!
 
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1. the things that get some people all excited and inspirational...

2. mr rauf wrote...

3. the stated purpose of this project, it says, is to improve relations with the community

4. you can't do that by pissing people off

5. you have to be sensitive, you have to listen (lessons by mom)

6. his funding is potentially troubling---not only do 71% of NEW YORKERS want this mosque moved, the same 71% want ag cuomo to INVESTIGATE

Poll: 71% of New Yorkers want developers to move mosque | poll, new, finds - Local News - WRGB CBS 6 Albany

7. many of the remarks mr rauf has made are very, very odd, very provocative

8. last nite on larry king, hosted by soledad obrien, mr rauf made a comment about his fear of radical reaction to moving his mosque that was immediately interpreted (while sitting in the green room, he said) as a threat by the hard hat who's shown so much interest

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/nyregion/09mosque.html

9. was it a threat or wasn't it, the question became the dominant topic for the panel, led by fareed zakaria

10. cnn this morning opened with the same line of thought

11. it became the lady's headline

12. bottom line, this mosque will never be built, it never had a chance

13. mayor bloomberg came out this morning in defense of the koran burner's rights

14. worst of all worlds, as always, for our woebegone white house wonderboy---all the political pain, no gain

15. but aren't we all moved?

16. hi character sans commonsense is worthless
 
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What was I supposed to say about such a travesty?


Let me re-phrase that for liberal 'sensibilities' (ie - overblown senses of faux-outrage directed at the wrong targets as usual):

Muslims wrecked it, now they fixed it in their own indomitable way! You just can't keep them down and it would interfere with their well-crafted victimhood to complain!

Funny how he talks about liberal sensibilities when it's conservatives who are somehow getting their feelings hurt by this whole deal. Oh my goodness, some people who happen to use the same word for God are building a mosque kinda near a place where other people using that same word attacked us! WHY WONT THEY BE SENSITIVE TO MY FEELINGS?
 
Same guy who won't call Hamas a terrorist group
OK? 100+ other nations don't consider Hamas a terrorist organization. They do consider the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades to be a terrorist group, but not Hamas (which was founded in Israel and funded by Israel to dilute support for the PLO).
Same guy who said the US bared responsibility for 9.11
OK? I believe the US beared some responsibility for 9/11. Anyone who says otherwise is clueless. The billions of dollars they gave to Afghanis to counter the Soviet Union came back to bite them in the ass. Maybe next time don't try to secure your own interests at the expenses of others.
Same guy who has supported as does support CAIR, an organization with convicted board members supporting Islamic terrorism.
Name one CAIR board members who has been charged in convicted in a US court. You can't because no CAIR members have ever been indicted. The Holy Land Foundation is another organization.
His credibility is shot. Suckers who want to believe him despite all the evidence presented are just plain sad.
You have no evidence. Your credibility is laughable.
If he really wanted to be a uniter the choice is simple. Build it away from ground zero. But he wont which proves he has no true goal of uniting everyone.
Why should he build it away from Ground Zero? Because you and bunch of intolerant losers associate him and his religion with the acts of a handful of fanaticals? Yes, that makes sense :roll:
 
100+ other nations don't consider Hamas a terrorist organization.

most americans do

I believe the US beared some responsibility for 9/11.

you sound like rauf (except for the "beared" part), say it louder

Why should he build it away from Ground Zero?

because mr rauf says his purpose is to improve relations
 
most americans do
OK? What exactly makes their opinion on the matter even remotely important? Millions of people in the Middle East believe the Republican Party is a terrorist organization. Is their opinion on a foreign nation's political party even relevant?
you sound like rauf (except for the "beared" part), say it louder
You sound like the Pastor from Florida :roll: Are you going to counter my position that US involvement in the Middle East played a role in 9/11?
because mr rauf says his purpose is to improve relations
So he should listen to those that are intolerant of him/his religion? He should succumb to the demands of people who associate him/his religion with extremists? Such people are not even looking to improve relations. There are many 9/11 victims' families that have shown support for this center. Is their opinion less valid than those other families who are against it?
 
This is fantastic. Muslims, Christians, Jews, and other faiths, essentially praying together in the same building. Yes, I know, separate spaces, but this will do much to bridge the gap between our various religions. And, after all, isn't worshiping a loving God something we all have in common? Let the extremists, wherever they are, piss and moan, and let those who love the Lord God celebrate. This IS what America is all about, folks.

I would like to see something like this become a model that will inspire religious people throughout the entire world to build more projects like this. And that, one day, we Americans will be known not for our differences, but for what binds us all together as Americans. I've said it before, and I will say it again. America is a beacon. Let it continue to be so.

This July, America celebrated 234 years of awesomeness, but as awesome as we are, our best days are ahead of us. God bless America, and God bless all of her people, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or any other religion.

Article is here.

Wow, the words are hard to find.

I am surprised this olive-branch was offered. But my respect for the Manhattan Mosque and it's planners has increased ten-fold. Really good show of faith and compassion.
 

ok

What exactly makes their opinion on the matter even remotely important?

what makes remotely important the opinions of those with whom one is trying to improve relations?

ask your mom

ask anyone's

Millions of people in the Middle East believe the Republican Party is a terrorist organization. Is their opinion on a foreign nation's political party even relevant?

more relevant there than here, i spose

such an odd question, in new york

You sound like the Pastor from Florida

LOL!

Are you going to counter my position

by no means

So he should listen to those that are intolerant of him/his religion? He should succumb to the demands of people who associate him/his religion with extremists? Such people are not even looking to improve relations.

i guess it is rather difficult to improve relations with so many millions of people one has so low an opinion of

indeed, many might wonder whether one ought even try

but then, that'd be mr rauf's problem, wouldn't it

There are many 9/11 victims' families that have shown support for this center. Is their opinion less valid than those other families who are against it?

it appears relations with that minority of upstanding americans are already pretty good
 
Millions of people in the Middle East believe the Republican Party is a terrorist organization. Is their opinion on a foreign nation's political party even relevant?

No. Especially when so many of them voted for Hamas or have no trouble with their existence.


He should succumb to the demands of people who associate him/his religion with extremists?

If they do they have no idea of the difference between Christianity and Islam, the second being a religion re-built for war by its creator himself.


There are many 9/11 victims' families that have shown support for this center. Is their opinion less valid than those other families who are against it?

And how many are they out of all of them? 1/2? 1/3? 1/4? 1/18, etc.?
 
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