DOJ files brief in support of mosque in TN

Great news.  Let's see more of this.

The Department of Justice today filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit in Murfreesboro, Tenn., where opponents of a new mosque are trying to stop its construction. In the brief, the DOJ declares that Islam is a religion and is entitled to freedom of expression.

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Nicholas Kristoff: Muslims, I'm sorry

Nicholas Kristoff has written a very nice column this week in the Times. He takes the theme of journalistic balance and twists it like a pretzel to show its ugly side. I can only quote part, so I'll do the Muslim–Christian opening. But do click through; his cleverness and insight will delight.

Many Americans have suggested that more moderate Muslims should stand up to extremists, speak out for tolerance, and apologize for sins committed by their brethren.

That’s reasonable advice, and as a moderate myself, I’m going to take it. (Throat clearing.) I hereby apologize to Muslims for the wave of bigotry and simple nuttiness that has lately been directed at you. The venom on the airwaves, equating Muslims with terrorists, should embarrass us more than you. Muslims are one of the last minorities in the United States that it is still possible to demean openly, and I apologize for the slurs.

He then goes on to tell about his interaction with the editor of the the story of the Portland (Maine) Press Herald. Seems they published a "good Muslim" story on the front page, and all hell broke loose (so to speak); oops, the date was last Sept 11. Balance; gotta add more balance.

He ends with a serious point, one I share. Yes, there are horrid Muslims in the world — "theocratic mullahs oppressing people in Iran; girls kept out of school in Afghanistan in the name of religion," etc. — but there are millions of gentle Muslims as well, literally millions.

It's in fact a gentle religion; more about practice than orthodoxy (how refreshing). And that practice is prayer, five times a day, every day of your life, in which you acknowledge the primacy of an Other and humble yourself before it, again literally.

Kristoff appreciates this as well:

I’m sickened when I hear such gentle souls lumped in with Qaeda terrorists, and when I hear the faith they hold sacred excoriated and mocked. To them and to others smeared, I apologize.

As should we all, sir. Thank you.

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Skateboarder stops Quran burning in Texas

Also, well done by the local Unitarian church as well for organizing a response to the religious extremist. The skateboarder really won the day though. Read More......

The Ground Zero mosque that used to exist

Business Insider:

It turns out there was a Muslim prayer room on the 17th floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center, where Americans and other traveling Muslims prayed every day.

On September 11th, 2001, when a handful of terrorists flew planes into the towers, some of the folks who used the room evacuated in time. Others probably didn't.

In other words, there already was a "ground zero mosque"--used by Muslim Americans who were murdered just like everyone else.

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Face of Muslim stonemason added to famous French cathedral

What a great idea which is of course, under attack by right wing extremists. Why should it be a problem for a Muslim to be immortalized after working a lifetime restoring a World Heritage cathedral? Anyone who has visited Spain is no doubt familiar with the beautiful Mudéjar architecture that is everywhere in the south. Should that all be destroyed because Muslims built some of the most stunning buildings of the 15th and 16th century? Extremists really need to get a life.

Why damage control? This was a nice thing to do so if people don't like it, tough. This was an exceptionally nice gesture and all religions could learn something from it.

A Muslim stonemason who spent nearly four decades helping to restore a Roman Catholic cathedral in France has been immortalized as a winged gargoyle peering out from its facade - with the inscription "God is great" written in French and Arabic.

It was conceived as a symbol of inter-religious friendship that reflects the city of Lyon's links to its large Muslim population. But a widely publicized outcry from a small extreme-right group has forced the Archdiocese of Lyon into damage control.

"This has nothing to do with religion. It's a sculptor who wants to pay homage to a construction site chief," said the Rev. Michel Cacaud, rector of the cathedral. "That's all."

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Why is 'halal' food so dangerous?

When it's available, I buy kosher for certain foods and travel across Paris to my favorite butcher who sells halal products. I know some people who choose kosher meals on flights because they believe that it's going to be better than the standard meals. The way some are reacting to this scandal that's not a scandal, you would think that eating halal will somehow force Islam on you and you will be a changed person. I can somewhat appreciate one mayor's concern that by selling halal only products at a Quick (when other Quick restaurants sell non-halal) might promote segregation instead of bringing people together but it still sounds like a stretch.

I can't say that I feel segregated when I buy food at my halal butcher. I'm much more interested in the fact that I'm buying the tastiest chickens for the best price in Paris. Is that really so bad?

On Wednesday, popular French fast food chain Quick, the No. 2 burger chain in France after McDonald's, started serving halal-only food in 22 of its French outlets, targeting France's large Muslim population, an underexploited market that has long been ignored by big business.

If it's a savvy business decision — Quick says sales doubled at restaurants that have tested the concept — the move has also opened a new chapter in the perennial war over how much society should accommodate Muslim traditions.

Or in essence, what it means to be French.

Politicians left and right have attacked the move from every conceivable angle. Some ask why halal food should be foisted on the general population, while others worry the Quicks in question will promote segregation of the Muslim community instead of acceptance. France argues that integration is the only option for minorities, and the only way to preserve social cohesion.

Just a guess here but any talk about "preserving" social cohesion is a joke. It doesn't exist today and focusing on side issues like this rather than true integration into schools and jobs will only delay any serious progress on the issue. Read More......

And yet another mosque attack that involved a gun

Should this really be a surprise considering the constant stream of attacks by the Teabaggers?

A group of teenagers in western New York has been accused of harassing members of a mosque by yelling obscenities and insults during evening prayers for Ramadan, sideswiping a worshiper with a vehicle and firing a shotgun outside, the authorities said Tuesday.

The teenagers were cornered by members of the mosque, who held them for the police. They were charged with disrupting a religious service, a misdemeanor.

The obscenities episode occurred Monday and the shooting last Friday, both outside the World Sufi Foundation mosque in Carlton, N.Y., the authorities said. They said a 17-year-old fired the shotgun; no one was hit.

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'Yes we can, but should we?'

This is too good not to pass on. If you haven't seen it yet, click and learn. Jon Stewart on the Little Mosque That Shouldn't:



My fave part? The trip to Beckistan. The phrase I'm gonna steal honor by remembering? Team Yes we can; but should we?

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Obama offers support for the mosque in Lower Manhattan

From the President's remarks at the White House Iftar dinner:

Now, that's not to say that religion is without controversy. Recently, attention has been focused on the construction of mosques in certain communities -– particularly New York. Now, we must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of Lower Manhattan. The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our country. And the pain and the experience of suffering by those who lost loved ones is just unimaginable. So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. And Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.

But let me be clear. As a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. (Applause.) And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America. And our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country and that they will not be treated differently by their government is essential to who we are. The writ of the Founders must endure.

Strong language from Obama honoring our nation's long-held values. That'll set off the right-wingers. Because, you know, "our commitment to religious freedom" is only as old as this nation.

Glenn Greenwald says it's "one of the most impressive and commendable things Obama has done since being inaugurated." Read More......

Sam Seder on the BS about the Mosque in Lower Manhattan

Reporting from the location where the Muslim Community Center will be built, Sam Seder cuts through the BS:
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The ADL thinks religious freedom exists only if bigots don't find you icky

What kind of BS is this coming out of the ADL? You'd think a Jewish civil rights group might appreciate the irony of caving to bigots simply because they find your religion uncomfortable.

From the ADL, about that new mosque being discussed for construction near Ground Zero.

We regard freedom of religion as a cornerstone of the American democracy, and that freedom must include the right of all Americans – Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other faiths – to build community centers and houses of worship.

We categorically reject appeals to bigotry on the basis of religion, and condemn those whose opposition to this proposed Islamic Center is a manifestation of such bigotry.

The controversy which has emerged regarding the building of an Islamic Center at this location is counterproductive to the healing process. Therefore, under these unique circumstances, we believe the City of New York would be better served if an alternative location could be found.

The healing process? It's been 9 years. Just how long do we ban Muslim-Americans from participating in our democracy, before we're all well and healed? Is ten years enough? How about twenty? And does the same rule apply to synagogues? After all, Israel makes some people mighty uncomfortable too. Should we ban synagogues in, say, Detroit - you know, for that healing process thing.

This is disgusting.

J Street responds, God bless them:

The principle at stake in the Cordoba House controversy goes to the heart of American democracy and the value we place on freedom of religion. Should one religious group in this country be treated differently than another? We believe the answer is no.

As Mayor Bloomberg has said, proposing a church or a synagogue for that site would raise no questions. The Muslim community has an equal right to build a community center wherever it is legal to do so. We would hope the American Jewish community would be at the forefront of standing up for the freedom and equality of a religious minority looking to exercise its legal rights in the United States, rather than casting aspersions on its funders and giving in to the fear-mongerers and pandering politicians urging it to relocate.

What better ammunition to feed the Osama Bin Laden’s of the world and their claim of anti-Muslim bias in the United States as they seek to whip up global jihad than to hold this proposal for a Muslim religious center to a different and tougher standard than other religious institutions would be.

UPDATE: Krugman agrees. Read More......

GOP Tennessee Lt. Gov calls Islam a 'cult,' says religious freedom may not count for Muslims

Who needs Osama bin Laden to stoke the hate of the world's Muslims when we have Republicans.

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, currently running third in the state's Republican gubernatorial primary race, says he's not sure if Constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion apply to the followers of the world's second-largest faith, Islam.

At a recent event in Hamilton County, Ramsey was asked by a man in the audience about the "threat that's invading our country from the Muslims." Ramsey proclaimed his support for the Constitution and the whole "Congress shall make no law" thing when it comes to religion. But he also said that Islam, arguably, is less a faith than it is a "cult."

"Now, you could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion, or is it a nationality, way of life, cult whatever you want to call it," Ramsey said. "Now certainly we do protect our religions, but at the same time this is something we are going to have to face."

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Should state governments fund Baptist universities?

Interesting case:

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a Baptist university can't keep $11 million awarded by state lawmakers some four years ago to open a pharmacy school.

Justice Lisabeth Abramson, writing for the majority, said the appropriations violated two sections of the state constitution.

"If Kentucky needs to expand the opportunities for pharmacy school education within the commonwealth, the Kentucky General Assembly may most certainly address that pressing public need, but not by appropriating public funds to an educational institution that is religiously affiliated," Abramson wrote.

Abramson also said the scholarship program "is precisely the type of special privilege and favoritism" that the constitution condemns.

On the face of it, I'd like to hear more about why such schools shouldn't be eligible for funding non-religious activities. Then again, this little tidbit suggests that perhaps there are no non-religious activities at an inherently religious school:

The gay-rights group Kentucky Fairness Alliance filed the lawsuit in 2006 after the University of the Cumberlands expelled a gay student for posting comments about his sexual orientation and dating life on the Internet. Attorneys for the organization tried using the expulsion to bolster their arguments in the lawsuit that the school shouldn't receive funding from Kentucky

taxpayers. Read More......

Palin rejects notion that God is separate from the state

Steven Benen at Political Animal:

THE THEOCRATIC WING OF THE GOP.... A certain former half-term governor appears to be drifting even further away from the American mainstream. Over the weekend, appearing at evangelical Christian women's conference in Louisville, Sarah Palin rejected the very idea of separation of church and state, a bedrock principle of American democracy.

She asked for the women -- who greeted her with an enthusiastic standing ovation -- to provide a "prayer shield" to strengthen her against what she said was "deception" in the media.

She denounced this week's Wisconsin federal court ruling that government observance of a National Day of Prayer was unconstitutional -- which the crowd joined in booing. She asserted that America needs to get back to its Christian roots and rejected any notion that "God should be separated from the state."

Palin added that she was outraged when President Obama said that "America isn't a Christian nation."

[F]ar less amusing is the fact that Palin and others of her radical ilk reject any notion that "God should be separated from the state." It's the 21st century, for crying out loud. There are some countries that endorse Palin's worldview and intermix God and government -- Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan under Taliban rule come to mind -- but they're generally not countries the United States tries to emulate.

The separation of church and state has long been a concept that all Americans could embrace, and has served as a model for nations around the world to follow. For Palin to publicly denounce this bedrock American principle suggests she might actually be getting worse.

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National Day of Prayer ruled unconstitutional

Prepare for Armageddon.

A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional Thursday, saying the day amounts to a call for religious action.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb wrote that the government can no more enact laws supporting a day of prayer than it can encourage citizens to fast during Ramadan, attend a synagogue or practice magic.

"In fact, it is because the nature of prayer is so personal and can have such a powerful effect on a community that the government may not use its authority to try to influence an individual's decision whether and when to pray," Crabb wrote.

I've never been fully comfortable with the National Day of Prayer. I'm a Christian. And it has nothing to do with my government. Quite the contrary. I don't want my government getting anywhere near my religion, or anyone else's. Far too often, you see corrupt governments, and corrupt religions, influencing each other. If politicians want to pray on their own time, great. But Congress shouldn't be mandating special prayer time. It's creepy in a democracy, in my view. Yours? Read More......

Dobson forced out of Focus on the Family

I had heard a while back that Dobson appeared to be losing his empire, but this appears to be confirmation.

Dobson is - was - THE leader of the religious right. They didn't come any badder than him. I remember a Republican friend telling me, only a few years back, that the GOP tended to think of the religious right as nutballs, other than Dobson. Dobson they feared.

Not any more.

A prominent friend and supporter of James Dobson believes Dobson was pushed aside by the new leadership of Focus on the Family, who want the powerhouse evangelical ministry to project a softer image on issues ranging from abortion to gay marriage to relations with President Obama.

"[T]the board of directors voted privately on Wednesday -- before we got there -- to ask for my resignation, although their request was made with kindness and respect. We can only guess the reason for their decision because frankly I don't fully know," Dobson said. "But it apparently has to do with the desire for closure on my tenure and the beginning of another."

The article goes on to quote our good friend, arch-homophobe Pastor Ken Hutcherson. You might remember Hutcherson from a few years back when we were both sparring over Microsoft's support for gay rights (I won).

This article substantiates everything Joe and I have been writing for the past year. The LEAD religious right group forces out the LEAD religious leader because he's too harsh on abortion and gay rights.

So what are the two issues that Democrats still routinely cave on? Abortion and gay rights. Well, they cave on everything. But there's still a special place in the White House's and Congress' hearts for caving on choice and the civil rights of gays and lesbians.

So what does this tell us? That the White House and the Democrats in Congress are deeply out of touch with the American people. Think about it. Not only have Republicans pretty much refused to make gay rights an issue over the past year (with the sole exception of Kevin Jennings). But we now see the religious right pulling back on those issues. You'd think the Democrats would smell an opportunity, or at the very least would stop being afraid to stand up for those constituencies.

But they don't.

That's because there is something seriously wrong with the thinking in the White House and Congress. A kind of fear seems to paralyze both locales. I have no idea what we can do about it, though it seems pretty clear what they voters are thinking of doing about it. Voting the Democrats out in 2010, and quite possibly doing the same on a larger scale in 2012. Read More......

Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad may be based on falsehood, power lawyer alleges

His mom "chose" not to have an abortion in a country in which abortion was illegal anyway, according to attorney Gloria Allred:

Despite resistance from women's groups, the ad is expected to air during the Super Bowl. It is believed that the commercial will focus on Pam Tebow's 1987 pregnancy, during which time she fell ill in the Philippines. According to reports, doctors recommended that she abort the pregnancy, but she chose to go through with the birth of her son Tim.

Tebow grew up to be one of the most accomplished and celebrated stars in college football history, capturing two national championships and becoming the first sophomore to win the Heisman trophy.

Because abortion under any circumstance has been illegal in the Philippines since 1930 and is punishable by a six-year prison term, Allred says she finds it hard to believe that doctors would have recommended the procedure.

The attorney, who has represented a roster of famous clients, claims she will lodge a complaint with the FCC and FTC "if this ad airs and fails to disclose that abortions were illegal at the time Ms. Tebow made her choice," according to RadarOnline.

The religious right is behind the ad, and we all know how fast and loose the religious right can be with the truth. Read More......

Defense contractor will stop putting secret Bible references on gun sights shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan

It's a sad day when a Christian can no longer kill in the name of his Lord. Background on this story here. Read More......

Pat Robertson voodoo doll for sale on ebay -- proceeds to Haiti relief

This ought to really make Pat's day. One hundred percent of the sale prices will go to the Haiti relief charity.

Finally! What you've all been asking for! A one of a kind, handmade PAT ROBERSTON VOODOO DOLL.

After an exclusive deal with devil, we are finally able to bring black magic into your very own home! The lucky winner of this auction will attain the soul of Televangelist PAT ROBERTSON in a handheld figurine comprised of the finest straw, cloth, and other organic natural materials!

Ever wanted to cause Pat Robertson a massive headache? give him back pain? jab him in the crotch? Of course you have! Well then BID NOW to own your very own physical representation of the dark, dark soul of Pat Robertson.

Accessories included with the doll are Pat's very own "HOLY" BIBLE and BAG OF MONEY taken from real Americans! WOW!

Make sure you read the Q&A; at the bottom of the ebay posting, it's fabulous. Read More......

France pressing forward to burka ban

And it's all in the name of one person's obsession with being the next political leader. Even Sarkozy is against the ban. As offensive as I find the burka/niqab, a law like this will only force these women inside even more and cut them off from society. How is that beneficial for anyone? The Independent:

The announcement by Jean-François Copé, cutting short an anguished six-month debate on the burka and its Arab equivalent, the niqab, will divide both right and left and is likely to anger President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Mr Copé, in an interview with Le Figaro to be published tomorrow, said that he would bring forward a law which would impose fines of up to €750 (£675) on anyone appearing in public "with their face entirely masked". Exemptions, still to be drafted, would permit the wearing of masks on "traditional, festive occasions", such as carnivals. Stiffer punishments would be laid down for men who "forced" their wives or daughters to wear full-body veils.

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