I rarely have time to blog during the busy school year, but I am so troubled and hurt as our nation turns endless attention on a group of moderate Muslims trying to exercise their constitutional religious and private property rights I feel compelled to speak up.
The suspicion, fear, and prejudice we have allowed the media to whip us into is discouraging and disheartening. Let these words from Joseph Smith, whether you are a Mormon or not, marinate in your mind for a moment:
“The Saints can testify whether I am willing to lay down my life for my brethren. If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to die for a ‘Mormon,’ I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular…“
And these words of Joseph and Hyrum Smith passed through the Nauvoo City Council:
“Be it ordained . . . that the Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Latter-day Saints, Quakers, Episcopals, Universalists, Unitarians, Mohammedans, and all other religious sects and denominations whatever, shall have free toleration, and equal privileges, in this city.”
So instead of:
- Practicing Christian peacemaking;
- Fighting for the constitutional religious and private property rights of these Muslims (and our own rights, by Joseph Smith’s logic);
- Protecting our own national security interests by supporting moderate Muslims, as both the Bush and Obama administrations have done with the help of Imam Feisal
we allow the fear mongering media whip us into saying: “We the people will allow the fear and suspicion whispered (or yelled between commercial breaks) in our ears to override all rights and kindnesses owed to you by our Faith and Constitution. We will allow the sort of mob panic that drove the Mormons from state to state and countless other minorities, faiths, and individuals from their safety and rights to pressure and cajole you in the name of the innocents killed on 9/11.”
Were is the media, were is the outrage today, over New York Dolls Strip Club and Thunder Peep Show being located just a close to ground zero as the community center will be? Instead of the understandable concern over men and women debauching themselves near Ground Zero we are allowing ourselves to suggest all Muslims are suspicious until they prove themselves otherwise.
If you disagree with me I hope you leave a comment so we can discuss this further, and I hope you will reconsider your position. If you agree I suggest making a small contribution to help make this community center a reality. Michael Moore (who can be too overwrought himself, but whose column I can recommend 95%) will match all donations up to $10,000 if you email webguy@michaelmoore.com you paypal receipt.
“The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals.” - 1978, First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” – Act 10:15