A Religious Shrine at Ground Zero? (Why not a mosque, a church and a synagogue?)

The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership ^ | unknown | Daniel S. Brenner

[Asclepius]

... Why not a mosque, a church and a synagogue? ...

Why only a moque, a church, and a synagogue? I demand a pagan basilica with a bronze image of Baphomet suspended above a black-granite alter. Why should I be excluded from this ecumenical display of unity and resolve?

[Ol' Sparky]

Why not a mosque? Because it is the Qu'ran and Islam that resulted in almost 3,000 deaths in the destruction of the WTC, so why honor the religion that inspired mass murder?

[Big Bunyip]

There are more than enough churches, temples and mosques (particularly mosques) in New York already. The best way to commemorate the WTC and the massacre's victims and heroes is to raise another temple to New York's real religion: Commerce and trade.

A soaring cathedral to capitalism -- that's what we need.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Building an inter-religious center on the site of the World Trade Center could be an important step in this direction. It would be a living testimony to the American conviction that secularity and diversity are not the enemies of faith, but are rather the very basis of spiritual strength and religious renewal.

Why build a memorial to religion? The monument destroyed was provate property run as a capitalist enterprise. It was Islamic religionists who destroyed it. Religionists did not build the original structures. It is Islamic religionists who are at war with Christians and Jews and Capitalists. Screw the idea or erecting a monument to Religion. Let the private sector do what it wants with the site. Let the Government get on with the business of destroying those who would destroy us. Let the religionists teach moral behavior in their own houses of worship away from our public space and our private property.

[Arkinsaw]

If you build a Mosque there then it will be the most popular Mosque in the US for adherents of the Blind Sheik, bin Laden, and every other fanatic Islamist. It would be Islamist fanatic Disneyland. Probably become their holiest shrine even over Mecca. Your average Muslim wouldn't be able to shove his way in the door for all the fanatics praying for Atta.

[Maceman]

Never, ever a Mosque!

Personally, the shrine I favor would be a missile silo with a nuclear tipped ICBM permanenetly targeted towards Mecca.

[habs4ever]

The author is so enraptured with his love for tolerance that he would have the gall to propose putting a Mosque on such a site? Maybe he would like to see an SS Legion hall built at Dachau as well.God save us from such idiots!!

[Cicero]

As several articles have pointed out, Muslims view mosques as symbols of prestige and conquest as well as places to worship Allah. A mosque at ground zero would NOT be viewed in the Arab world as a gesture of generosity and reconciliation, it would be viewed as a gesture of weakness on our part and victory on theirs. The purpose of a memorial at that site should be to honor the dead, not to make some kind of empty ecumenical gesture.

A good analogy is the different religions' understanding of martyrdom. For a Christian, martyrdom is a matter of sacrificing yourself for the sake of God, usually to avoid apostasy or sin. A similar idea of sacrifice can be found in Judaism. For Muslims, however, successful martyrdom means killing as many infidels as possible. Just dying yourself doesn't cut it.

Jesus conquered through the cross. Mohammed conquered with a sword. There's a fundamental difference in these religions.

[patent]

Man, if you built a mosque imagine the symbolism the Muslims would take from that. They have a long history of conquering other lands and building Mosques were other temples used to be. They saw the WTC as a cathedral to capitalism. So hey, lets volunteer to build a mosque in its place. We won't even make them conquer us first. What kind of idiot suggests something like that?

How vacuous can our culture get?

patent

[patent]

Well said.

[Servant of the Nine]

I am supporting Jonah Goldberg's suggestion that whatever the shrine is, it should be on the 200th floor of the new towers, right next to the anti aircraft emplacement.

So9

[Servant of the Nine]

It would be Islamist fanatic Disneyland. ... Your average Muslim wouldn't be able to shove his way in the door for all the fanatics praying for Atta.

And from time to time we could lock the doors and fingerprint, DNA sample and photograph everyone.

So9

[P7M13]

bait? I love it!

[P7M13]

I see you, and raise it to a MIRV

[watchin]

why not build a mosque at ground zero? 

Why not build a giant latrine???

An inter-religious center could serve for educational purposes, and the religiously specific chapels could be used for baptisms, confirmation ceremonies, bar and bat mitzvahs, and even weddings 

Along with bombings ... don't forget the suicide bombings at all of these blessed events. We can't leave the muslims out, you know.

And just imagine what it would be like for American Muslims, and Muslim visitors from abroad to visit such a shrine.

A real hoot, I'd bet. They would get their chance to dance on the grave of the infidel.

Building a mosque on the site would also send a message to the Islamic world about America

Yes, but why would we want to send the message that we're weak-willed losers who can be easily conquered? 

Maybe a few misguided Muslims would go there to praise Allah for his great victory in destroying the towers 

Ya think?? Judging from the number of moderate, tolerant islamic regimes worldwide, I'd guess that number might be slightly higher than the author thinks - say, a billion or so.

but I imagine the vast majority of American Muslims would go to simply offer prayers of gratitude that Allah, in his mercy, has created a place called America, where both freedom and faith can flourish.

Yeah, that's probably right. <gag>

[RushLake]

The point could be made that the mosque would be erected in honor of the glorious islamoterrorists who murdered the 3000 on 9/11. What a nice way to demonstrate our political correctness and say to the islamic world that us non-islamoterrorists all know that they are only praying for peace and the common good of all mankind including unhyphenated Americans and the Eesrahailees in their mosques.

[watchin]

Personally, the shrine I favor would be a missile silo with a nuclear tipped ICBM permanenetly targeted towards Mecca.

Ding Ding Ding Ding !!!!

Folks, we have a winner!

[Ole Okie]

It would be Islamist fanatic Disneyland. Probably become their holiest shrine even over Mecca.

Oh, are you ever right!

Mosque??? This would be one of the biggest mistakes the U.S. could make, IMHO.