Conservatives love to talk about how we should strictly interpret the US Constitution and seem to think that it is some sort of infallible document created with a heavy dose of divine intervention. Then why is it that so many of them seem to hate the concept of religious freedom?
Here in Middle Tennessee there is a major battle brewing over the construction of a mosque. Muslims in the city of Mufreesboro have out grown their current facilities and are planning on building a new Islamic Center that would not only serve as a mosque but that would be open to everyone in the community who could use its planned meeting and exercise facilities. The public hearings for zoning approval have sounded like a modern version of the Salem Witch Trials.
The proponents of the mosque have been accused of wanting to build a terrorist training center here in Middle Tennessee. Sweeping claims of Muslims hating America have been made. Christian "pastors" have stood up to denounce Islam stating that the Quaran is a book that encourages racism and violence (have they not read the Old Testament lately). All of this has led to doubts that the mosque would ever get approval from the local government, but there is hope.
Today an article was published in the local Murfreesboro paper, The Daily News Journal that discusses the legal ramifications of the local government not allowing the mosque to be built. It seems that a law was passed by the overwhelmingly conservative Tennessee Legislature in 2009 that makes it almost impossible for a local government to deny approval for the construction of a church or any other religious institution. This means that more than likely the mosque will be approved and hopefully will be built so it can show people, over the years to come, how misguided their hatred and bigotry has been. But in the mean time we will have to listen to people complain. The attorney who brought the law mentioned above to the attention of the regional planning commission is quoted at the end of the article;
"I'm not very happy with this law," Dean said. "It just seems to me it goes way overboard. It seems to me that the local government should have more power to regulate religious institutions."
Conservatives want to give government, local or otherwise, more control over something? Especially control over religion? I guess this just shows that religious freedom is something that conservatives don't cherish.
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Yeah, this is ridiculous. It's another example of some Christians (not all, there are a lot of good ones out there like you George) that need to sit back and reread their bibles. "Judge not lest ye be judged" and "do unto others as you'd have them do unto you" are not mean to be "Judge other christians not", or "do unto other christians".
ReplyDeleteI know that you were talking more about conservatives and less about christians, but you and I both know that around here those 2 go hand in hand most of the time.
Just like Christians can be good people to cross over into not so good people so can conservatives. I myself tend to align with conservative more on a number of issues but definitely not all (usually the parts that have to do with religion or use religion as a backdrop for their insanity). It's one of many reasons I don't align myself with any specific religion.
I hope this gets built, and I hope the people of Murfreesboro and Rutherford county will eventually see the error of their thinking. It is embarrassing and disgusting.
Thanks George, I love reading your blog.
As always, you are right on the money. My opinion about religion is well known. My issues are a result of some of the things you have pointed out. I will say that religion did provide comfort to my mother during the recent death of my grandmother. The funeral and her belief seemed to offer he some comfort when nothing else could.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think there is the opportunity for religion and religious organization to do so much good. But, many of them are wrapped up in telling people how wrong they are for whatever reason, instead of focusing on what they can do to help. So many of them are focused on my religion being "right" vs. celebrating the diversity that their god created.
At any rate, if more religious people followed your example, I might have to reconsider my opinion of the place for religion in our society. Thanks for being so purposely thoughtful.