First, I must give all credit to Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio and Fighting For The Faith. He has recently done a show where he spends the entire broadcast talking about the Ground Zero Mosque and the controversy surrounding it. This is the LINK to that specific show. It is a little over 1.5 hours, but very well worth listening to, as well as his other shows.
Here's the gist. There's a whole lot of shouting back and forth over something that probably WILL NOT happen. Read this LINK. And you also check this PIECE from the NY Post. From the sounds of it, this was a business venture that went bad. The company wanted to develop some condos or something of the sort, but needed the additional property adjacent to the piece they already own. They didn't have the capital for it. They still don't. According to the NY Post piece, as of August 8th, 2010, they have not raised near the amount of funds to complete this project. Whether it is condos or a mosque.
So why all the hub bub, you ask? Why are the likes such as Nancy Pelosi, Pres. Obama, Newt Gingrich, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly entering the verbal melee? Over something they all probably know will never happen in the first place.
The conservative wing of this debate have mostly admitted that constitutionally, this group has the right to build a mosque. But they ask, "Is it wise?" On the surface, this sounds like a great question. I bought it completely. Sure, they (the Mosque builders) have every right to build a mosque on private property no matter where, but is it "wise" to build it so close to such a sensitive place? But this is the wrong question. The only question we should be asking is, is it constitutional?
Normally, people like Gingrich, O'Reilly, and Beck are lambasting Obama and the left for destroying our Constitution on a daily basis. But on this issue, these guys are doing the very same thing they attack the left on. They are attaching feeling and sentiment to this issue, despite its constitutionality.
The First Amendment to our Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
We all need to be VERY careful! If this debate turns into an actual suspension of a group's right to freedom of religion and freedom to assemble to having private property to do as they wish, because it is 'unwise', then the same argument could be made of any other person or group.
For example: Imagine a pastor preaching to a congregation and teaching things that others deem as 'harmful' and 'dangerous.' The very same thing that many are saying of this group and the building of this mosque. If we suspend the rights of this group, then the very same thing can happen to Christians down the road.
We cannot suspend anyone's freedom to assemble, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech because we feel it is 'hurtful' or 'unwise.' If we do that, it is only a matter of time before hearing and preaching the gospel of Christ on your own private property, i.e.- your church, will be considered 'hurtful' or unwise' by others, and your rights will be suspended, also.
Again, I want to point you back to Mr. Rosebrough's show. He goes into much more detail, and lays out this argument much more succinctly. I would just reiterate this. We all need to be careful. Whether you are liberal, moderate, or conservative. Our constitutional rights are being attacked from all sides.
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