Good discussion
I'm all about treating individuals as individuals. But people who build "Islamic community centers" are kind of seen as speaking for a group. I believe they've claimed to want to be seen as speaking for the group. It's a perception issue. It might not be fair, but the stereotype of Islam involves terrorism. The Koran, the five pillars, sharia law -- most people don't know much about those things. But they have heard of terrorism in relation to Islam. These Cordoba characters are not doing *anything* to improve that.
Judiasm was certainly meant as a theocracy, so I'll concede that point. Jews have never been big on prostelytizing, though, and they haven't really conquered much of anything since 5000 BC so there doesn't seem to be as much of a threat there.
Jesus, however, said things like "my kingdom is not of this world" and "render under Ceaser the things that are Ceasar's". The epistles talk about obeying the civil authorities (at a time when the civil authorities were brutalizing Christians, btw). Has that been followed consistently? Hell no. Human beings generally screw things up, if given time. The early church was good but when they started converting Roman Emperors (real Rome, not the HRE) then church and state got way too close, for a long time. That was bad for both church and state, but it was *not* Christian doctrine
The thing about religion vs. science, btw, is a myth invented during the Enlightenment.
Anyway, point is, the concept of separation of church and state is explicitly in the New Testament, but explicitly not in the Koran. Their respective adherents may or (more likely) may not follow their scriptures, but that's the foundation. One's based on love, the other on a sword.
Speaking as an American, I do not *want* to be at war with Islam. Considering how American forces were used in the Balkans, in Kuwait, and in Iraq, to the overall benefit of Muslims, I don't think a rational case can be made that we are at war with Islam. But that's western logic, and it's not even all that popular in the west right now.
And it's hard to escape the notion that at least parts of Islam are at war against America.
I don't hate Islam or Muslims. But there are undoubtedly some Muslims that hate me, for specifically religious reasons. That fact is going to color my emotions. Like I said, I think they have the right to build this mosque, in accordance with our law. But I really really don't like the idea. It is seen as a thumb in the eye by many people who are not going to improve their opinion of Islam over this.
PJ
