My Thoughts

“We claim the privilege of worshiping the Almighty God, according to the dictates of our own conscience; and allow all men the same privilege. Let them worship how, where, or what they may.” -11th Article of Faith

I was inspired by a friend to write my thoughts on the conflict surrounding an Islamic Cultural Center that is being proposed a couple of blocks from Ground Zero in New York City. I have been working on this for a few days now, hoping that my words might not offend. If they do, that is not my intention. But this is a pretty cut and dry issue for me.

As an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I am saddened (and sometimes a little annoyed) when all people can associate with my faith is polygamy, Prop. 8 and Glenn Beck. I have a desire to help people know that the tenets of my faith are kindness, understanding, forgiveness, compassion, family, service to country, faith in God, sacrifice, charity and so many more. I know that there are things about my faith that are less than appealing to others and that is fine. I don’t have to have everyone believe as I do- just allow me the freedom to believe it.

And yet, here we are, 220+ years after the signing of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights and a fundamental freedom, the one which I hold most closely to my heart, is being relegated to the back burner because of simple thing: the actions of a relative few have caused great pain and sadness for others.

This is a proposed Islamic community center, yes. And I recognize that thousands of people died on September 11th because of the actions of a very few radical Islamic fundamentalists. I remember standing in the lobby of the student center at Utah State and watching the attacks and then listening as seasoned news veterans couldn’t find their words as the towers fell. I have a brother and a brother-in-law in Iraq because of what happened that day- I get that it is a sensitive issue for a lot of people.

Would there be an issue if people wanted to stop an LDS temple from being built in an area where Warren Jeffs once lived? What would happen if a new Catholic church was proposed in a neighborhood where there had been issues of abuse? Why Islam? Why the Muslim people?

Come on people, this is the United States of America! Show me where the 1st Amendment says that this right only extends as long as it doesn’t offend the sensibilities of a larger group of people. This is racism and bigotry at its core. Don’t tell me that it is about being respectful, because you just can’t convince me that is the case. There are over 1 billion Islamic men and women in the world. Are we, as a people, really so judgmental that we’re going to hold an entire population accountable into the eternities for the actions of such a miniscule portion of their population? These men and women are Americans! It is their right to build there so they can worship as their conscience dictates- how can it even be an issue to not give it our support?

I will grant you that I do not know a large number of Muslim men and women. But those I have been privileged to know are hardworking, family-oriented, peaceful people. Last time I checked, those are principles and characteristics that every faith espouses. They are Jewish values, Catholic values, Christian values.

I have heard the “we are a Christian nation” argument tossed around- let’s stop and think about what that means. Last I checked, to be a Christian is to forgive. It is to serve. It is to leave judgment up to the One True Judge and see others as the children of God that they are. It is to turn the other cheek and love our neighbor as ourselves. So, is not the Christian thing to do to pick up a shovel and help build rather than seek to tear down?