Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images I found an informitive article from World Magazine concerning the mosque to be built on September 11, 2010. Apparently the mosque is planning to be built on an Old Burlington Coat Factory (2 blocks from the world trade center) where it just so happens that on 9/11 some of the plane's landing gear fell through its roof. This does bring an important implication: this battle is dealing with more than just religious issues it speaks to the emotional aspect (bitterness, anger, or depression) of those that have lost a loved one's life during the 9/11 attack in the world trade center. The 9/11 families for a Safe and Strong America protests the building of this mosque because they understand with of all the emotional baggage in the loss of a loved one, building this mosque would certainly divide victims' families.
There is another implication to be considered in this battle and that is over religion. Currently, there is a variety of religious groups protesting the building of the mosque on 9/11. Alex McFarland an Envangelical Christian who was there evangelizing after the 9/11 attacks believes that Islam and American Democracy do not mix very well and this incident is proof of this. From a Christian viewpoint, I believe that the world is increasingly day-by-day drifting from the Lord. America was founded upon God from our fore fathers. Yet, in current state Americans are over emphasizing the acceptance of all religions so as not to be prejudice, bias, or hateful towards others and in doing so have lost sight of the one true God and Lord.
While reading this article I recalled this verse in Joshua 24:15 speaking to the Israelites: "...choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amroites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord". As Americans we have a choice, whom will we serve? As counselors we have a choice will we make God and His Word the foundation of our practice and will we serve God in our vocation? I pray that in every incidence in my own life I will choose to serve the Lord.
Good to bring this to our attention, Nicky. This is certainly an area where worldviews clash! And, of course, anything to do with 9/11 is going to be emotionally charged, especially the possibility of an Islamic place to worship being built on a site where Islamic worshippers destroyed people and property in America. Also, I'm glad you pointed our attention to my favorite magazine, World Magazine, that my family has been subscribing to since about 1994.
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