Park 51

Man, those Muslims... What are they trying to do? Oh right, they're planning to build a mosque near the former World Trade Center. Except it's more a community center than a mosque. The top 2 floors will be for worship; the rest will be open to all comers. A basketball court and culinary school will be there. Cooking and throwing hoops, how radical and non-Christian is that!? Geez. The building's been abandoned for nearly ten years; how nice to have the space put to some use again.

It's to be called Park 51. Sounds so "New Yorky" and not at all "Muslimy." And it's location is actually 4 blocks away by foot (2 as the crow flies) and out of sight of the former WTC. So what's the big deal? Oh yeah, some people like to hate Muslims, I forgot. They're not usually white, and they're not "us." Give me a break. Racism against non-whites is still racism, and still ugly.

I forgot that Muslims are the ones involved in this current war my nephew is now stuck in. You know, the one where we went to support the citizens - the Muslim citizens - against Hussein and his terrorists. So... our loved ones are fighting to help, and dying for our enemies? Am I an idiot, or are some Muslims actually our friends there?

Do you know religious Muslims believe Jesus was born of Mary via a virgin birth? Yes, really. And their Bible includes the gospel books, and they believe He ascended into heaven, but dispute that he died on the cross. In fact, Muslims and Christians have a few things we believe in common, but a lot we don't agree on. I don't know that much about the Muslim faith, but it takes little actual reading to know they needn't be our enemies.

Just as a huge number of people like to call themselves Christian because they went to a church once, or their parents did, but have absolutely nothing in common with true Believers, many people call themselves Muslim, but hold no bond with the tenets of that faith either.

Do you think the Christians who died on 9/11 at the Trade Center would be glad to see their former co-workers who were Muslim be discriminated against because of their own faith? Because of revenge? That's no honor.

I'm so sick and tired of people claiming the name of Christ to gather support for their angry, hateful and stupid reasons for action. They make Christians look bad. Unfortunately, some of these boobs are Christians, and that breaks my heart. I guess all people can be idiots and jerks. I hope you're smart enough to know the difference, and to know that using the name of Christ is NO assurance that someone actually is one. Most people I know personally who are true Believers rarely use Christ's name in their own defense. They just live as if He's in them. And hate isn't part of who they are.