Ground Zero Mosque Debate Shows No Sign of Going Away

My religious education has been a speckled one, to say the least.

As a young child, I was raised Irish Catholic. Church on Sunday, Communion, Confession, Confirmation and religious education classes (commonly referred to as either C.C.D. or just Catachism) one night a week.

By the time I was 10 or 11, we had stopped going to church. One of my friends belonged to a small church of indeterminate faith and they did lots of fun stuff so I asked my mother if I could go to his church. This also included Vacation Bible School and day camp in the summer.

In my teens, Mom decided to switch over to the Presbyterian side of the street. Why? I don't know, but from then on it was Church and Sunday School every week as well as week-long summer camps.

After high school, I decided I had had enough religion so I made the executive decision to forego any further formal training. Instead I began reading books about various religions and faiths around the world.

Eventually, in my thirties, I decided that there was insufficient data to convince me of the existence of God - so I proclaimed myself an Agnostic.

The thing I like most about being Agnostic is the fact that I can look objectively at the way other religious types act. Sort of the way it's fun to go to a party and remain sober while everybody else gets drunk, it's almost always entertaining.

Case in point - the recent brou-ha-ha over the proposed Mosque near the site of the Twin Towers in New York City.

My position on the Mosque? I don't think the decision to use that particular site was very well thought out. If the Muslim community really wanted to cultivate a spirit of understanding they should probably understand that what they are proposing is being interpreted as a gross display of disrespect.

That being said - I'm really getting a kick out of some of the reactions I've observed from people of faith...

This topic has become the hot blog topic of the month, possibly the year. I can't even count the number of postings I've seen on Facebook from scripture quoting believers about the Mosque-everything from disapproval to hatred, and in a couple of instances, vicious retaliation.

My question - as an Agnostic - is "What would Jesus do?"

My religious training always told me that Jesus was a very understanding guy. Live and let live, turn the other cheek, do unto others...all that stuff.

What I'm seeing now is people spouting hatred and revenge in Jesus' name, saying the Bible gives them the okay to play judge, jury and executioner.
Whatever happened to; "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good"Romans 12:19-21
Similarly - if I remember my U.S. history...one of the fundamental concepts behind the founding of this great nation was "Freedom of Religion." Every person in this country has the right to practice their chosen faith as he/she sees fit.
Being opposed to the location of this Mosque is understandable, but hate-filled protests and anti-Muslim campaigns are the absolute wrong way to voice that disapproval.
Islam is a religion - just like Catholicism, Buddhism and Wicca.
Is it true that some Islamic people are terrorist whack jobs? Sure it is.
Adolph Hitler was raised Catholic, so was Timothy McVeigh...but their lunatic actions were not standard behavior for all Catholics.
This country has been trying to shed the reputation of bigotry and racial prejudice for the better part of a century now - blaming the entire Muslim community for the actions of a group of radicals sets that effort back fifty years.
Putting this Mosque so close to Ground Zero is a bad idea - there is little debate about that - but trying to change that decision by hate-filled protests and vows of revenge will not work.
Religion is a two way street, if you want them to respect yours...you must respect theirs. Your religious views are no more right, or wrong, than theirs - so in the name of religion...
Practice what you preach.