With last weekend’s anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., the surge of anti-Islam rhetoric and activism is sadly increasing in Texas as well. In late August, for example, the pastor of one of the state’s largest churches, Rev. Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, gave a sermon describing “the deep, dirty secret of Islam. It is a religion that promotes pedophilia — sex with children.” Even after a professor of theology and Islam scholar at Southern Methodist University said there was no evidence “whatsoever” to support Jeffress’ claim, Rev. Jeffress insisted that “uninformed, I am not.” He went on to say that “(Islam) does incite violence. . . . The worst thing about Islam is that it is a deception that leads people away from the true God.”
The headlines and air waves are full of stories about anti-Islam and even anti-Muslim activity around the country, including in at least two Texas communities. In separate incidents in Arlington in late July, a mosque operating since 1998 suffered a fire, damage to its children’s playground equipment and graffiti containing racial slurs. The FBI is investigating. In Katy (near Houston), a newly formed group is raising questions about the impact of the proposed new mosque to serve 500 Muslim worshippers and 100 students in an adjacent Islam school. According to a Houston Chronicle, “the underlying fears….are questions about security and rumors that the organization (Muslim American Society) may have radical Muslim roots.” No evidence of such radical ties has been forthcoming.
This is a time for responsible leaders — civic and religious — to stand up against those who feed on ignorance to promote fear and prejudice. Who will? And who won’t?
It is unfortunate that islam is being singled out for discrimination. Religions are equally useless. I would be in favor of NOT having special favors for ANY of them. If we pick one for special treatment–they all get in line. Why should any of them expect others to respect them? Laws and policies should protect people, not institutions. Respect for people’s right to faith isn’t the same as the right of faith to demand respect.
Maybe we should have some guidelines for that type of policy,…oh, wait…
This is all part of the politics of distraction and division. While we protect religious freedom and call out the bigots, we need to keep the political focus on the lack of leadership and the damage that the current gov., SBOE members, etc. are doing to the social fabric, economy and future of Texas.
Nationwide, the true issue is , the GOP created the Great Recession, the GOP/Fox News have done everything they possibly could to obstruct a recovery.
They have been throwing up distraction after distraction to divert attention, immigration, gay weddings, terror babies, “the Pres.’s a Muslim”, mosques, etc.
Stoking this fear is a craven political act.
Islam is a dangerous political cult with a single false profit who was a military leader and conqueror. The god of Islam is just a device used to control, conquer and subjugate. This is why muslims refuse to obey the laws of the countries they immirate to. Instead they try to change these countries’ laws to sharia in ordr to acheive a “peaceful” conquest. Their jihad is a struggle against their perceived sins and infidels (us). We need to vigorously turn them back and the cancer they bring with them to where they came from as has been done many time throughout history (and with the least amount of blood as possible.)
Note from TFN: This comment is a prime example of the ignorance, mistruths and intolerance the right is promoting.
He did get “perceived” right.
The Muslims have us right where they want us, while our military is out of the country taking their oil, they can have their way with us.
Thanks TFN, for your disclaimer following ol’ clem’s uninformed ignorant diatribe. Perhaps he should spend a little time reading the Bible, particularly the Old Testament to discover more about his chosen religion’s goodness. Also, a few history refresher courses might be in order too – the Spanish Inquisition, Philip of Spain, the Albigensian Crusade, the sacking of Constantinople and Charlemagne’s forcing Christianity upon the Saxons, to mention just a few. The hope is that society will evolve and these ancient procedures will relegated to the dustbin of history. Reading comments like clem’s and watching current political rhetoric reveals we still have long road to travel.
It’s interesting that Clem and the like-minded are playing right into the terrorists’s hands with their anti-Islamic speech. This is EXACTLY the kind of talk against Islam the terrorists are claiming about the West. And people are believing them. Despite all the times Pres. Bush praised Islam and urged us NOT to hold all Muslims responsible for the 9/11 attacks. He made such speeches on numerous occasions. Apparently, that’s all gone now. Now it HAS become a war against Islam.
Clem is un-American on 2 levels: (a) he is saying what the terrorists want him to say, and (b) he is opposed to Freedom of religion, a concept that was supposed to be enshrined in the Constitution and American tradition.
Thank you to DBTexas who repeats what I’ve said here many times: the so-called “Old Testament” is chock full of violence committed against non-Israelites. The God described therein commanded the Israelites to commit genocide against the Canaanites AFTER “he” allegedly commanded them on Mt. Sinai NOT to commit murder. Furthermore, Shaaria Law isn’t that much worse than Biblical law. (Check it out for yourself, nobody will take my word for it. Just one little hint: stoning your disobedient child). Catholics have committed several jihads against the non-Christian AND Christian world. Later we had Protestant on Catholic violence in retaliation, and Protestant vs Protestant. Not to mention all of them that persecuted Jews. Europe is drenched with the blood of Jews murdered by Christians over centuries.
Funny how SO many Christians have to be reminded of these things. They think they are so damn holier-than-thou. Truth stinks, doesn’t it?