Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Amnesty International Alert Regarding Troy Davis: Alert Your Local Media
http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/troy-davis-finality-over-fairness/page.do?id=1011343
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Muslim Groups Oppose SBC's Plans to Build Mega-Church Near Site of Massacre
"Enraged," says Ali Hili when asked to describe his feelings in one word. "How can they do this to us? How much more dignity can they strip away from us?"
Hili is referring to the Southern Baptist Convention's plan to build a mega-church complex near the remains of a two-mile stretch of Iraqi land that once contained Iraqi-owned businesses, restaurants, and a day school. In the summer of 2005 when the war in Iraq was raging, this cosmopolitan, mostly secular area--which Iraqis had once proudly touted as the beginning of “a new Middle East”--was completely destroyed by a vigilante group of right-wing Christian U.S. soldiers who claimed to be “reclaiming the Middle East for God.”
These five men—in direct violation of their orders—took matters into their own hands and slaughtered non-combat civilians, including women and children. They entered restaurants and businesses and shot diners and workers in the face. They opened fire on civilians in the streets. Tragically, a bomber pilot calling himself “the 13th disciple” bombed most of the buildings before flying the plane into the Badr Day School, killing himself and hundreds of children and adults.
This savage act of vigilantism was condemned by the United Nations and several human rights groups, and was harshly criticized by President Bush, who said, “While I understand the anger these men felt, I do not endorse what they did. They are distorting the Christian message, which is a message of peace. Christianity is a religion of peace, in fact.”
“It was a massacre,” Hili says. “The streets filled with blood. Parents were searching through the rubble for their sons and daughters for days after [the violence.] That is why [the SBC’s plan for the mega-church] is so surreal.”
The SBC ignited a media firestorm last week when the conservative Christian organization made public its long-gestating plans for a sprawling, ten-million dollar complex near the grounds where the massacre took place—an area many Iraqis now see as a place of sacred sadness. The complex will include what will be the largest church ever built in Iraq, a Christian bookstore, and a McDonald’s, as well as a swimming pool, a gym, and a spa for church-goers to enjoy after sermons and all week long.
Many Iraqis consider the SBC’s plans to be overwhelmingly insulting and inflammatory since it was militant Christians who slaughtered their loved ones.
“It’s outrageous,” says Sadi Hussain. “They are taking sacred ground where thousands of Iraqis were slaughtered by Christian fanatics, and they are building themselves a worship and relaxation center for other Christians! How is this ethical? How is this Christian?”
But Richard Land of the SBC sees it differently. “It’s a way to promote understanding,” Land said in an interview with the New York Times. “Understanding and tolerance. Because, you know. . . we are building the church complex, a lot of Iraqis are upset about it, and they should, you know. . . just tolerate it. That’s what tolerance is all about. Seeing something you think is awful and just looking the other way.”
Land also says there is something more sinister afoot than a mere disagreement. He says critics of the church complex are actually bigots. “It’s pure, unadulterated Christianophobia,” Land told the Wall Street Journal. “The Iraqis who are saying ‘oh please don’t build a church where Christians murdered my sister’ are raving bigots who are driven by the same hatred that fueled Hitler. They are foaming-at-the-mouth lunatics, and I mean, they might as well turn their burquas into Klan hoods. There has been a dramatic increase in Christianophobia over the last few years, with South Park making fun of Jesus and churches being picketed after Proposition 8 passed."
When asked in a phone interview if the complex will only cater to Christians, Land assures us that is not the case. “This will be a place for all Iraqis. Christianity is a universal faith. It is not simply for one ethnicity; we welcome Arabs, Jews, everyone. The message that the Son of God died for our sins is for every ear to hear, and that includes ethnic people who were raised in the wrong faith. Anyone who wants to attend our church, work out with us, swim with us, eat non-hallal and non-kosher McDonald’s food with us is certainly welcome.”
“It’s obscene,” says Haider Faiek of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “My grandson was living in Iraq at the time; he was killed by one of the vigilantes when he was taking an algebra test at school. He just happened to be there when that maniac crashed his plane into [the building.]” Faiek tries to fight back tears, but soon they are streaming down his face. “I miss him so much,” he says, “ and I cannot believe these savages are putting a victory flag over his grave.”
When showed a video of an Iraqi woman begging the SBC to not build the church complex over the place where her twin daughters were murdered, Sarah Taylor of Christianity Today says, “I see her lips moving, but all I hear is ‘I am Hitler and I hate everyone who is not exactly like me.’”
Is Taylor not the least bit touched by the Iraqi woman’s plea? “Not one bit,” Taylor says. “She’s obviously a bigot. I’m not sure she can even be helped at this point. Everyone wants to beat up Mel Gibson for his comments, but they should look at this lady. It’s like she’s reciting Mein Kampf and crying about how beautiful it is.”
Not everyone is upset about the complex. Summer Peterson is a 17-year old girl from San Diego, California, whose family is planning to vacation at the complex next spring. “I can’t wait,” she says, smiling. She shrugs off the controversy. “Anyone who criticizes Christians is a racist. Saying we shouldn’t build this church here is exactly like saying black people should be slaves or Jews should be put in ovens again. The vigilantes are extremists; they were distorting true Christianity. I understand where they’re maybe coming from, but I don’t think it’s right to kill people. But also, what do Iraqis expect to happen when they have governments we don’t like and hold a position on Israel we don’t agree with? That just makes Christian terrorists angry and then they get worked up into too much religious, like, I don’t know. . . fervor?”
Is Peterson worried about the dangers of vacationing in Iraq? “Not at all,” she says quickly. “Think about it. The complex is the safest place there. It’s the one place in Iraq that Christian terrorists and Americans would never bomb.”
Copyright 2010, Eli Jeremiah
Hili is referring to the Southern Baptist Convention's plan to build a mega-church complex near the remains of a two-mile stretch of Iraqi land that once contained Iraqi-owned businesses, restaurants, and a day school. In the summer of 2005 when the war in Iraq was raging, this cosmopolitan, mostly secular area--which Iraqis had once proudly touted as the beginning of “a new Middle East”--was completely destroyed by a vigilante group of right-wing Christian U.S. soldiers who claimed to be “reclaiming the Middle East for God.”
These five men—in direct violation of their orders—took matters into their own hands and slaughtered non-combat civilians, including women and children. They entered restaurants and businesses and shot diners and workers in the face. They opened fire on civilians in the streets. Tragically, a bomber pilot calling himself “the 13th disciple” bombed most of the buildings before flying the plane into the Badr Day School, killing himself and hundreds of children and adults.
This savage act of vigilantism was condemned by the United Nations and several human rights groups, and was harshly criticized by President Bush, who said, “While I understand the anger these men felt, I do not endorse what they did. They are distorting the Christian message, which is a message of peace. Christianity is a religion of peace, in fact.”
“It was a massacre,” Hili says. “The streets filled with blood. Parents were searching through the rubble for their sons and daughters for days after [the violence.] That is why [the SBC’s plan for the mega-church] is so surreal.”
The SBC ignited a media firestorm last week when the conservative Christian organization made public its long-gestating plans for a sprawling, ten-million dollar complex near the grounds where the massacre took place—an area many Iraqis now see as a place of sacred sadness. The complex will include what will be the largest church ever built in Iraq, a Christian bookstore, and a McDonald’s, as well as a swimming pool, a gym, and a spa for church-goers to enjoy after sermons and all week long.
Many Iraqis consider the SBC’s plans to be overwhelmingly insulting and inflammatory since it was militant Christians who slaughtered their loved ones.
“It’s outrageous,” says Sadi Hussain. “They are taking sacred ground where thousands of Iraqis were slaughtered by Christian fanatics, and they are building themselves a worship and relaxation center for other Christians! How is this ethical? How is this Christian?”
But Richard Land of the SBC sees it differently. “It’s a way to promote understanding,” Land said in an interview with the New York Times. “Understanding and tolerance. Because, you know. . . we are building the church complex, a lot of Iraqis are upset about it, and they should, you know. . . just tolerate it. That’s what tolerance is all about. Seeing something you think is awful and just looking the other way.”
Land also says there is something more sinister afoot than a mere disagreement. He says critics of the church complex are actually bigots. “It’s pure, unadulterated Christianophobia,” Land told the Wall Street Journal. “The Iraqis who are saying ‘oh please don’t build a church where Christians murdered my sister’ are raving bigots who are driven by the same hatred that fueled Hitler. They are foaming-at-the-mouth lunatics, and I mean, they might as well turn their burquas into Klan hoods. There has been a dramatic increase in Christianophobia over the last few years, with South Park making fun of Jesus and churches being picketed after Proposition 8 passed."
When asked in a phone interview if the complex will only cater to Christians, Land assures us that is not the case. “This will be a place for all Iraqis. Christianity is a universal faith. It is not simply for one ethnicity; we welcome Arabs, Jews, everyone. The message that the Son of God died for our sins is for every ear to hear, and that includes ethnic people who were raised in the wrong faith. Anyone who wants to attend our church, work out with us, swim with us, eat non-hallal and non-kosher McDonald’s food with us is certainly welcome.”
“It’s obscene,” says Haider Faiek of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “My grandson was living in Iraq at the time; he was killed by one of the vigilantes when he was taking an algebra test at school. He just happened to be there when that maniac crashed his plane into [the building.]” Faiek tries to fight back tears, but soon they are streaming down his face. “I miss him so much,” he says, “ and I cannot believe these savages are putting a victory flag over his grave.”
When showed a video of an Iraqi woman begging the SBC to not build the church complex over the place where her twin daughters were murdered, Sarah Taylor of Christianity Today says, “I see her lips moving, but all I hear is ‘I am Hitler and I hate everyone who is not exactly like me.’”
Is Taylor not the least bit touched by the Iraqi woman’s plea? “Not one bit,” Taylor says. “She’s obviously a bigot. I’m not sure she can even be helped at this point. Everyone wants to beat up Mel Gibson for his comments, but they should look at this lady. It’s like she’s reciting Mein Kampf and crying about how beautiful it is.”
Not everyone is upset about the complex. Summer Peterson is a 17-year old girl from San Diego, California, whose family is planning to vacation at the complex next spring. “I can’t wait,” she says, smiling. She shrugs off the controversy. “Anyone who criticizes Christians is a racist. Saying we shouldn’t build this church here is exactly like saying black people should be slaves or Jews should be put in ovens again. The vigilantes are extremists; they were distorting true Christianity. I understand where they’re maybe coming from, but I don’t think it’s right to kill people. But also, what do Iraqis expect to happen when they have governments we don’t like and hold a position on Israel we don’t agree with? That just makes Christian terrorists angry and then they get worked up into too much religious, like, I don’t know. . . fervor?”
Is Peterson worried about the dangers of vacationing in Iraq? “Not at all,” she says quickly. “Think about it. The complex is the safest place there. It’s the one place in Iraq that Christian terrorists and Americans would never bomb.”
Copyright 2010, Eli Jeremiah
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