It seems that everywhere I go, I'm hearing talk of the "mosque at ground zero." Church, Wal-Mart, Facebook... It's unavoidable. I tend to shy away from posting anything controversial or politically related anymore because so many people can be downright mean and un-accepting of others' opinions. While I will admit that I am against having the mosque built there, I will also say that it isn't for the reasons that so many people are vehemently against it. I wanted to write this post today because this debate is about so much more than religion.It's about racism for so many people. It's about prejudiceness- something I really hate. We live in a world of fear and suspicion (and with good reason!). After the events of 9/11 and the wars that followed, it's easy to see how we've arrived at this place. We aren't recognizing the "good guys" from the "bad guys" anymore. We're simply generalizing and it's affecting how Muslim Americans are viewed. This isn't the spirit of America!
I love this country for what it stands for: Freedom. As citizens, we all have equal rights to practice freedom of speech, religion, etc. I do hold fast and remember that this country was founded on Christian principles, but that isn't to say that others shouldn't be able to worship Allah or their big screen T.V. if they see fit. That's part of what makes America so great. If we continue to flourish this fear of Muslims then we take away some of what makes America so awesome. Not to mention, we will probably miss out on some great friendships, too.
As a Christian, I'm called to share my beliefs with as many as I can. I'm called to not judge others (Matthew 7:1) and wait for God's judgement (2 Corinthians 5:10). I am also told to abide by the verse in Galatians 5 that says:
14- For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
And this doesn't mean I'm to only love those who are like me. I'm called to extend love and acceptance to everyone. Is that really so hard?
(*Please refrain from rude comments about my beliefs, opinions, or questions re: the mosque. I really don't care to hear that I'm a "Bible Thumping Republican" (although that would strengthen my argument here that we should freely allow freedom of expression and religion without judgement). I didn't write this to talk about politics. It's just something that has been on my mind the past few weeks.)
