The Roswell Community Masjid cut the ribbon on its new building last weekend.
With the support of local leaders in attendance, Roswell Community Masjid (RCM) cut the ribbon on its new mosque last weekend.
Representatives from other Roswell spiritual organizations, businesses and political entities showed up Sunday, Feb. 19 to the new mosque location at 345 Market Place in Roswell, not far from where it previously rented space in the shopping center at Grimes Bridge Road and Holcomb Bridge Road, next to Provinos.
"This [new] facility has the potential to house more events to provide services and resources for the Roswell community. Whether it is other spiritual organizations, schools, charities and community events," Shaheen Bharde, spokesperson for RCM, told Roswell Patch.
RCM, which began over three years ago in 2008, purchased the Market Place location and completely renovated it from the inside. Larger praying areas, a multi-purpose room for community events, library, media center and classrooms were all included in the remodel. Eventually, RCM would like to also install a full outdoor basketball court and children's play area.
"Besides functioning as a masjid for Friday and daily prayers, RCM is currently providing quality programs in youth education," said Bharde.
The masjid is home to local Muslim Boys and Girl Scouts troops and is well respected by neighboring non-Muslim institutions, due to its collaboration in social services and interfaith activities, according to Bharde.
Roswell Mayor Jere Wood and Georgia State Representative Lynne Riley hosted the official ribbon cutting, Sunday.
For more information on RCM or tours of its new facility, visit them online.
Sean
7:54 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
I recall the Alpharetta city council meeting when a council member asked a spokesman for the North Fulton Islamic Center if they would ever consider moving to a larger facility that would be a better fit for their congregation. The answer was that the were not allowed to: once a place has been used as a place of Muslim worship, it could never be used for anything else. I'd be interested in finding out the correct way to interpret that remark in light of this article.
Shaheen Bharde
9:40 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Dear Sean, Thank you for your questions. Please be sure to email us and come visit us at RCM and we would be delighted to answer all your questions. We look forward to hearing from you! - Shaheen
allen
6:32 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
you fools. Are you really unable to comprehend what is going on here?Do you not see what is happening in europe right now as a result Islamic immigration?d Do you really want to live under Sharia Law? Wake up!
Christine Foster
7:20 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
Allen, I would ask you to please refrain from name calling.
Audrey Galex
9:54 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Congratuations to Roswell and RCM for creating such a welcoming space. Roswell's diversity is its strength, and I applaud the community, and you, for providing a place where people of all creeds can come together, better understand each and learn about and from each other. Best Wishes, Audrey Galex
Michael Reissig
10:20 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
The city council of Alpharetta should take notes from this. I am glad that RCM was able to set roots and grow here in Roswell.
Sean
10:45 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
In fact, the city of Alpharetta, in looking for an amicable solution, asked if the North Fulton Islamic Center could do exactly what the mosque in Roswell later accomplished: move nearby to a larger facility better suited to the size of its congregation. Alpharetta was told that for religious reasons this was not possible. Perhaps if the Islamic Center in Alpharetta had been able to accomplish what the Roswell mosque succeeded in doing, the matter could have been resolved a few years ago.
Sean
10:26 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Shaheen, thank you for your invitation. This is an item that has the interest of a number of people, so let's keep the discussion in a public venue where everyone can benefit from the insights that are shared.
Is it correct that a Muslim place of worship can never be used for anything else?
* If so, how should the public view the decision to move the Roswell mosque from its rented space?
* If not, how should the public view the remarks made at the Alpharetta city council meeting?
Thank you for your help!
Angelika Otte
2:00 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sean, I don't know the Muslim answer to your questions, but: I grew up Catholic in the Christian heart of Europe, and grew up understanding that once a place was turned into a church, it couldn't be used for anything else. My husband won't even set a foot into a shopping center church as it is a blasphemic location for him, and he is pretty far from being a fundamentalist Christian! That's why we have church and monasteries that have been around for 1500 years over there, and nobody but Napoleon ever turned churches into barns and other secular places, which was revised after his troops left ;) The current discussion of use of church buildings for secular purposes is highly controversial - in secular 21st century Euroupe! I don't think this topic is specifically Muslim, though as I said I don't know the background. Apart from that, I am glad to live in the City of Roswell, where open-mindedness rules, as I have seen in many reasonable decisions of the city council and the Mayor over the past 8 years, not only regarding diversity but also traffic (building bike and pedestrian paths), development etc.
Daniel Shorr
11:16 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Can't wait to visit! Looks and reads that it was a beautiful ceremony.
janet h russell
11:57 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Welcome to Roswell. Our strength is in our genuine welcome of everyone.
Gary Rumain
8:58 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Good for you. You'll make an excellent dhimmi.
Michelle Engel
1:37 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
This is a wonderful addition to our Roswell community. My family visited the prior location for an Open House to learn more about the practices as my family had little exposure to the Muslim Faith and we thought it would be a good learning experience. The RCM Family is very open and welcoming and you could feel a great energy ! The new space sounds like a perfect space to grow, and enjoy time time together. It is also exciting as a mother of young children to have such a great example of diversity and an opportunity to really embrace what Roswell and North Fulton can be about...Families Living, Working, Playing, and Praying together. Congratulations on your new home, and again...Welcome!! Michelle Engel
Sean
2:22 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Angelika, thanks for your note. A Catholic Church can in fact be deconsecrated and then used for another purpose. Such a procedure is uncommon, not really desirable, and it requires the intervention of a bishop, but it is done from time to time (c.f. church closings in many parts of the northeast United States in recent years). My question, however, was not whether this can also be done with a mosque, but why a mosque in Roswell was moved while we were told in Alpharetta that such a thing was not permissible. The contradiction here may well be apparent rather than actual; I’m just curious to learn what the difference between the two cases is.
Shaheen Bharde
3:16 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sean, I was not at the hearing for the Mosque in Alpharetta so I can not speak of what was said but from my perspective I feel there are two important differences. 1. RCM was previously in a temporary rented location whereas ICNF (Alpharetta Mosque) resides in a purchased location that was intended for it's permanent home. 2. The need for RCM's move and change was simply because we outgrew the space and needed a bigger space (also a space we owned so we could customize it to our needs). As far as religious guidelines...that is unfortunately out of my scope of knowledge and so I have emailed one of RCM's spiritual advisors to join the forum to help you further. RCM is truly humbled to be in such an inclusive city and hopes to be able to give back to the community as they have given us!
Ahmed Ali
9:57 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sean, thank you very much for your excellent question. I apologize for my delay in response.
A permanent mosque is considered an endowment (a trust), and thus the rulings on it are different from the rulings on any regular property. Since an endowment is a legal contract, and its timespan is for perpetuity, it becomes impermissible to cancel.
Therefore, it is not allowed to be sold or transferred from its place so long as it is still in use.
Shaheen has excellently pointed out the difference between RCM and ICNF: that RCM at the original facility was well-known to be in a temporary location and as such, was not considered a permanent mosque. Since the location was rented, it was not an endowment.
This is common when mosques are in the beginning stages; I have seen more than one mosque in a temporary rented location for a short time, and then move once a permanent location is found, purchased, and set aside as an endowment.
Thanks very much.
Sean
12:32 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Ahmed, thank you for your reply.
It appears that your explanation of the matter stems from distinctions made in American jurisprudence rather than from a specifically religious consideration. Thus, the treatment you’re describing would apply equally as well to property belonging to *any* institution or religion, but just the one being discussed her.
The matter I am still trying to find an answer to has to do with the public remarks made by the spokesman of the ICNF at the Alpharetta city council meeting: namely, that Muslims are prohibited as a matter of their faith from yielding up a religious a place of worship for any other purpose. You appear to have appealed to American law, but then my question becomes: does Muslim law or custom allow for the distinction between an endowment or trust and a rented property or a temporary arrangement?
Also, your statement that a permanent mosque “is not allowed to be sold or transferred from its place so long as it is still in use” would appear to contradict what the spokesman for the ICNF said. He was emphatic that a mosque could never be sold or transferred under any circumstance.
Thank you for any light you can help shed.
Ahmed Ali
1:19 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sean, thank you for the clarification.
Actually I consulted texts in Islamic law to determine the issue and did not refer to American jurisprudence simply because that's not my field. It's interesting that there is quite a bit of similarity here.
Since issues in the Islamic faith cover contracts law as well, the issue of a mosque being an endowment/trust is a subsection of that subject.
If a mosque is in a rented property, then by definition it cannot be considered a trust; the property is owned by someone other than the mosque.
Unfortunately I did not attend the Alpharetta city council meeting so I'm not aware under which context the spokesman discussed the issue.
Since the body of Islamic rulings are not monolithic (various experts have different opinions), it seems that ICNF's consulting experts provided the ruling that was mentioned.
Thanks very much.
Sean
1:55 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
To recap:
* A distinction is made between a rented space and one that is owned. This parallels similar policies in other legal traditions.
* A mosque “is not allowed to be sold or transferred from its place so long as it is still in use.” The condition placed on this item seems pretty broad; in essence it sounds like a mosque is to be used for nothing else until it is no longer used for that purpose. This seems like a catch-22 perspective, or at least something very fluid. Pity this qualification did not come up in the Alpharetta city meeting.
* “The body of Islamic rulings are not monolithic (various experts have different opinions).” The possibility of varied (and presumably contradictory) interpretations makes the declaration that moving was not permissible seem like a statement that could be subject to revision. It allows for interesting range of possible scenarios, at the very least.
Ahmed Ali
2:21 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Thanks for the recap.
The statement about "A mosque 'is not allowed to be sold or transferred from its place so long as it is still in use.' " refers to for example, a village mosque that falls into disrepair due to abandonment because everyone moved from the village to the city.
Essentially the discussion is about recovery of trusts and under what circumstances that can be done.
In the case of ICNF, since the mosque is used quite often (actually moreso than its size might indicate) and the property is owned by the mosque, the options seem to be more limited.
Thanks once again.
Sean
2:49 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sure, that's not unlike the example I gave of Catholic church closings in the northeast as parishioners move to the south. As populations shift, adjustments are made.
The remarks made at the Alpharetta city council meeting carried a stronger meaning than what you've described. Based on your clarifications, I would venture to say the ICNF badly over-sold its position. As you weren't there I wouldn't expect any more than a general comment on the topic. For me, this has been a very illuminating discussion.
janet h russell
2:47 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sean, You seem to be belaboring the point of the Mosque move. Different cities, different congregations have different ideas. Christians and Jews do so why not Muslims?
Sean
8:46 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Janet, it may well be as simple as that. Rather than speculate, I was attempting to improve on my own knowledge of the topic. Hopefully someone will eventually be able to answer my question.
highplains
4:07 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
In reviewing the resources section of the RCM's website, I notice that the website contains links to the Quran only, as opposed to any of the hadith or other islamic exegesis or commentary that form a core element of islamic theology and law. The one link to Tafsir.com (an exegesis website) is notably dead. The "Tanzil" link does not allow anyone to access anything other than the Quranic text. Before you spend too much emotional energy celebrating your new islamic community center, you may want to spend some time learning what al Baghawi and the other classical Sunni commentaries have to say about you and yours in Quran 9:29, 9:111, 8:39, 65:4, 4:34, 5:51, 7:166, 2:65, and 5:60.
And btw, the large greeting/opening quote from the homepage, " . . and he was not among those who associated others with Allah . . .Q6.161" is a fairly straight forward condemnation of Christians, who are considered Mushrikun (polytheists/infidels) for "associating others," namely Jesus, with Allah. Just thought you'd like to know.
highplains
4:21 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
(By way of clarification, the "Tanzil" is Al Baghawi's Quranic exegesis - which, again, does not appear to be accessible from the linked web page).
Student of Peace
12:47 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
http://www.whyislam.org/comparative-religion-2/concept-of-god-in-christianity/
Ramona Mays
7:22 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Learn the bottom line of the Islamic teaching. It is very upsetting.
Julie Waugh
8:26 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
I am a proud homeowner in Roswell and I too believe Roswell's diversity is its strength. I am so glad I live in an open minded city with leaders like Mayor Jere Wood. I have had the pleasure to get to know Shaheen Bharde over the last couple of years and I am excited that such a smart, kind, and positive woman will be joining our community. It's hard to meet Mrs. Bharde and not leave wanting to make a positive difference in the world yourself. Julie Amos Waugh
janet h russell
8:53 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Julie: I find that a person usually finds what or who they are looking for. If you are looking for a nice person , peaceful person, positive person, you will find him or her or them. If you think that everyone is a creep then that is who you will encounter. Generally the person you meet is yourself in the mirrror. I, too, am so glad to live in an embracing city. Life would be so very boring if the only spice was salt.
jaimerua
12:12 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Congratulations! I'm also proud to be a homeowner in Roswell. I'm proud that our city embraces and supports diversity. :)
highplains
10:10 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Did you know that about 80% of mosques in the US receive theological or financial support from Saudi Arabia?
Here's what that means:
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/dispatches-undercover-mosque/
janet h russell
10:17 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Did you know that 100% of the churches in the US receive support from the US government. They don't pay taxes.
Pamela Gottfried
11:32 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Janet, Not sure why you would engage the "haters," who are using this comment section as an opportunity to spew about things completely unrelated to RCM. I am reminded of the "blessing for the tsar" in Fiddler on the Roof: "He should live and be well...far away from all of us." I have flagged "highplains'" comments as inappropriate, because they are not germane to the article and they are inciteful rather than insightful. I hope Roswell Patch will block such nastiness from their website. Open forum for comments is great, but there ought to be a moderator to establish rules of civility, don't you think?
highplains
5:20 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Is the "US Government" a wahabbi/salafi style islamic theocracy that practices (and preaches) forced veiling, gender aparteid, concubinage, halal female paedophelic marriage and wife beating, death for apostates, blasphemers, adulterers and homosexuals, permanent second class status for non-muslims (dhimmitude), and eternal holy war against the kuffaar until everyone everywhere either converts, submits or dies? No .. . ? Well, Saudi Arabia does, and so do the mosques they support (and this mosque - though it probably hasn't yet evolved to that ideological point - happens to be one of them; See below for evidence of strong links between the RCM Board of Trustees and the Saudi style "Al Maghrib" institute)
Helmut
5:10 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
If I follow your logic about the government supporting the churches, then my mortgage free home must belongs to the government because I have to pay an annual rental fee called property tax. If I fail to pay the rent the government will throw me out of my home.
Pamela Gottfried
11:36 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
I was RCM's building dedication on Sunday and was positively inspired. Hearing the voices of teenagers, Scouts and young adults who are being raised to be loyal to their faith AND responsible citizens of the larger community makes me grateful for RCM's presence and influence in Roswell & North Fulton County. Their commitment to outreach and action, including their support of North Fulton Community Charities, is admirable. I hope the members of RCM will enjoy many good years in their new home! Rabbi Pamela Gottfried
Sean
12:02 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Pamela, I'm disappointed at your severe reaction to highplains. Calling him nasty and a hater weakens your own position and is itself not terribly civil. For the record, the link is only tangentially relevant, while your reaction of reporting someone else is chilling to open discourse.
For my part, I'm still waiting for an answer to my original question.
highplains
7:14 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Thanks for requesting some fairness and civility on my behalf, M. Romer. However, in light of the links I've uncovered between RCM, the Salafi/Wahabbi Al Maghrib Instiitute, Yaisr Qadhi, the Saudi funded mosques in the video and one of their featured speakers, Bilal Phillips, it's quite apparent that the video I linked to above was not "tangential" at all.
Sean
7:29 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
highplains, in light of the subsequent articles you linked to in this thread, I'll yield the point.
Ramona Mays
12:47 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
As with any group or religion make sure you know the true agenda.
janet h russell
1:02 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Pamela, I wish I had known of the dedication. I would have surely attended to enjoy and appreciate the day with them. I have enthusiastically embraced all forms of diversity in Roswell since 1973 when I arrived here. I am not sure what the agenda of some people on this comment area is but I do like to remind people of facts which is why I reminded him that 100% of all churches in this country receive support from our government in the form of tax free status. That pretty much much makes his statement irrelevant. Facts are great when you need to put out the flames of ignorance.
highplains
4:13 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
"Did you know that about 80% of mosques in the US receive theological or financial support from Saudi Arabia?"
___________________
. . . and this mosque is one of them:
From the Board of Trustees page, "Saif Altalib was born in Kerkuk, Iraq and raised in Gainesville, GA. . . . . He has been serving as the director of the Atlanta chapter of the AlMaghrib Institute since 2010."
The prime movers of the AlMaghrib Institute, I believe, are Yasir Qadhi, Basyouni and Muhammad AlShareef. More on the Institute and its operators:
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/printgroupProfile.asp?grpid=7324
http://www.investigativeproject.org/2590/almaghrib-institute-sharia-for-egypt-and-the-west
Notably, Bilal Phillips - yes, the same Bilal Phillips that appears in the "Undercover Mosque" video I linked to earlier - is a source of lectures and recommended reading at what's affectionately known as "Jiihad U," and Qadri himself published a 15 minute video defense of the extremists recorded in that video. A notably alumni would be would be Nigerian plane bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Also, virtually ALL of the instructors are Saudi trained:
http://grendelreport.posterous.com/jihad-u-al-maghrib-institute
_________
That little bit of investigative journalism took me 15 minutes. What's your excuse?
Student of Peace
9:41 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
What is Radical Islam? Who are the Radical Muslims?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JidTIqpMs_g
highplains
4:36 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Btw, based on the RCM's affiliations with "Jihad U" (Al Maghraib Inst.), I believe that all the islamic commentaries that are so noticeably absent from RCM's "Resources" page can be examined in detail at the websites I linked above. They include the usual Muslim Brotherhood and Wahhabi suspects (e.g. Qutb, Sabiq, Al Banna, etc.)
P.S. Have a nice day, Pamela G.
Ramona Mays
4:49 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Important to know the facts good or bad. Just don't be asleep and then wonder what happened.
Shah H.
5:36 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
RCM is one of the most progressive, friendly, welcoming mosques in Atlanta. The board members and staff are exceptional and will make you feel at home regardless of your faith. I wish RCM continued success!
Saleh
11:01 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
This is not Ture.ask the people who come to RCM .
Student of Peace
9:44 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Islam is simple. Worship the One, Love the One, Fear the One and don't worry about anyone else's criticism. If Allah is pleased with you, no one else's hatred of you matters. If Allah is displeased with you no one else's love of you will matter.
highplains
12:06 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Well, I think you've got part of the answer . . . but I also think islam is about emulating Mohammad and re-creating and expanding what he created on earth . . . and first and foremost, that means extending and imposing islamic law, not in a spiritual sense, but in the sense of islamic theocracies, clerical courts and morality police.
Michael Reissig
6:25 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
It is very concerning to see such hatred and prejudice from as many people that there are here. All of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Have you forgotten history? A little, repeated incident called the crusades? Everybody practicing the extremes of their religion is causing harm to their fellow man, and such seeds of hatred are only being used to fuel that fire.
We should be embracing our neighbors, helping them go forward, not letting them get flooded out and sent away in hatred. Past comments prove that seems to be too much of you Ramona.
highplains
5:55 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Michael R, below:
The Crusades, though often misguided, were a defensive response to 4 centuries of islamic conquests, aggressions and enslavements that had resulted in the virtual annihilation of the Southern portion of the Eastern (Byzantine) Holy Roman Empire. Also, while the atrocities committed in the name of Christianity cannot be justified in the name of christ, "Jihad" (holy war to extend dar al islam and impose islamic law on infidels) is intrinsic to islam and considered its "pinnacle." In fact, to "kill and be killed" for the sake of islam is the only sure way to get your perpetually "re-virginating" virgins.
Sean
8:00 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
“It is not *where* a person is that matters, but what he is thinking about. The whole edifice of the spiritual life may be tottering to its ruin and the enemy rushing in like a flood while the subject of this terrible disaster is on his knees and uttering the sacred words of prayer.
“It is within, therefore, that the great battle of life must be fought; it is within, with our own thoughts that we must struggle if we would see the world of men and things as it really is.”
- “Discipline of the Mind” by Fr. Basil William Maturin
The author, Fr. Maturin, was a Catholic priest drowned on the Lusitania while en route to America. As the vessel was sinking, Father calmly heard Confessions on the deck of the ship; he was last seen handing a child into a lifeboat with the request, "Find its mother."
"It was a great victory of the human mind which annihilated space and time, and circled the globe with telegraph wires. But greater still is the victory which gives a man strength and courage to receive with equanimity over those wires a message telling him that all he valued in life has been taken from him."
- Fr. Maturin
Ramona Mays
8:54 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Education and knowing the truth is important in any situation regardless of what your believe
.
Tina Vane
9:14 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
The conquering is going as planned...I can't wait for the barbaric sharia laws to come about
Student of Peace
10:06 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Islam in America:A Panel Discussion (1-Hour)
http://www.youtube.com/user/IslamOnDemand#p/c/3EFD8C3897B20EB5/12/OHe1l5VW-mE
janet h russell
11:15 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Tina, clearly you have not been listening to the news for the last year. The religious right (which is neither by the way) under the title of Neoconservatives have been trying to impose their own version of sharia law by attempting to control womens' reproductive rights in our own country. I like to call them talibangelists. So if you are afraid of sharia law, be very afraid of what the Christian extreme right is trying to do in this country. They are already here.
Sean
12:35 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Janet, just so we're clear: you're saying that "sharia law" is something to be afraid of and is unwelcome?
highplains
6:46 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Janet:
Advocates of shariah law believe in forced veiling, gender aparteid, concubinage, halal paedophelic marriage for girls, death for apostates, blasphemers, homosexuals and adulterers, the permanent second class status of non-muslims (dhimmitude) and war against all non-islamic governments and peoples until everyone everywhere is living n a state of submission to islamic law.
The Christian "Taliban" opposes abortion and gay marriage.
But yeah, other than that, they're "virtually" identical. <sarc off>
Christine Foster
12:08 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Thank you everyone for your comments. Feel free to continue the dialogue, but please steer away from any personal attacks. Comments that are derogatory in nature will be pulled down.
Julie Waugh
12:38 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Thank you Christine :) Julie Amos Waugh
Lee Fleck
1:20 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Julie, Are you related to a Goree Waugh of NYC ?
Julie Waugh
1:29 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Not that I know of. Waugh is my husband's family. I did live there though! miss walking everywhere....
Lee Fleck
7:33 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Julie, If your husband is framiliar with the Waugh family commendation at Battery Park location I would appreciate him contacting me at;
fleckforroswell@gmail.com
janet h russell
4:18 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sean, You have misinterpreted my view on religious laws in general. None of them ( no matter which religion) should superced the laws that are part of our Constitution. I am not defining them as bad or good, simply not applicable when they contradict our rights guarnateed by our Constitution. I prefer not to live in a theocracy where the power is held by any religion. We are a secular country as determined by our Founding Fathers.
Sean
4:52 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Rather, you faulted the religious right and neocons and compared their efforts to those being made under sharia law. I thought it an interesting comment in light of your other remarks that you welcome diversity.
When one looks at all the horrible things done throughout history by truly secular governments, one can be thankful that the founding fathers made provisions for a healthy respect for religious considerations in their documents, laws, and directives. That topic takes us far afield from the subject of this article, however, so I'll let the matter rest there.
Ramona Mays
5:26 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
I find it puzzling when you make the statement that a person should educate himself and know the true goal behind any organization that some people feel disagree. This gives a person cause for concern.
highplains
6:25 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Student of Peace:
Here's a link to an interesting study entitled "To Our Great Detriment" commissioned by the DOD:
http://www.aina.org/reports/iwesaj.pdf
I would be interested in getting your reaction to any part of it, but particularly Appendix C dealing with Progressive Revelation and Abrogation ;with special emphasis on pages 251-253.
Ramona Mays
6:59 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
It is always enlightening to read about teachings of organizations.
highplains
9:11 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
Well, it looks as though I have finally scared off my playmates at the very hospitable and fair minded "Patch." I will simply leave you with this: there's a great deal to know on this topic. You will have no hope of discerning the good from the bad, the honest actor from the obfuscator, or the Liberal from the illiberal until you hear - and fully grasp - all aspects of this very challenging topic. . . and any non-apologetic study of islam MUST include, Robert Spencer, Andrew McCarthy, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Ibn Warraq (there are many others). Also, with the Murfreesboro mosque controversy on your door step, I understand your impulse to appear tolerant and welcoming - indeed, I honor it. It reminds of the prolific, long standing Kos diarist Eric Allen Bell, who traveled to Murfreesboro to create a documentary about what he understood to be ignorant hicks behaving badly towards muslims in his home town. Unfortunately for Eric, he was an honest broker who felt the need to actually understand his topic. This was the result:
http://frontpagemag.com/2012/02/10/the-high-price-of-telling-the-truth-about-islam-1/
Saleh
11:04 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
I wonder why non muslim are not satisfied with RCM.you have been treat nicely more than muslims
Saleh
11:08 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
If you are not muslim,you are very welcome in RCM.But if you are a muslim ,do not except the same.
Saleh
11:11 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
i meant expect the same.
Christine Foster
11:27 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
Thanks for the mostly civil dialogue everyone, we're closing the comments at this time. Have a great day!