“What does is mean that a man should have nothing?” (from “To have or to be?”)
I’ve been listening to the news a lot lately. There are two issues in the United States today that my mind’s been fixed upon. One concerns illegal immigration specifically from Mexico. The other issue is that of an Islamic center being built near the ground zero site. I “have” VERY strong opinions concerning both of these issues. My opinions are solidified. They are what they are and I can’t see any way around them. On the first issue I don’t believe that people who’ve entered the United States illegally should be allowed to stay here. In my opinion the law that defines legal and illegal status should be followed. Concerning the second, I believe that the Imam has every right to build his mosque wherever he so chooses but I feel that it is incredibly inconsiderate, rude, destructive, and untimely for him to even consider building it in the particular location he has chosen and he just shouldn’t do it.
These are my opinions. I “have” them. Lately however I’m trying to consider that other people have other opinions for reasons that I’m apparently unaware of. There’s always more to the picture that what I can see. But my opinion is based on what I can see only. I find myself wondering what made my ancestor’s entry into the USA legal. Should the people who’ve come here for a better life; with hopes and dreams of a brighter future for their children; people who’ve entered this country by all means necessary, without criminal intent be looked down upon and forced to leave? Is this not America, the Land of immigrants? I don’t appreciate that we have unsecured borders that very bad people can bypass. But why exactly is it illegal for the good people to find refuge here? I guess before I rant and rave that the laws should be enforced at all costs I should understand the laws. This is one clear reason why “having” an opinion can be a foolish thing to do because I don’t “have” all the information necessary in order to back up my opinion.
This mosque thing is more difficult for me to find an alternate viewpoint on. I do not want it built there. I think the Imam is a Meany head. In fact I think he’s a bad guy. He is currently touring the world promoting the Islamic center and his book on our Government’s ticket. That means that our tax dollars are paying for this guy to travel to Islamic countries, raise money for the multimillion dollar project in New York city (that a supposed %70 of the American public doesn’t want built) and we’ve paid for his book to be given away to the many Muslims he’s fundraising to. I don’t get it. I don’t like it. I cannot seem to find an alternate view. I understand that this is a country of religious freedom and that without that our country wouldn’t have even been founded. I understand that religious freedom is one of the founding principles of America. I’m trying to replay that over and over in my head but what happened to separation of church and state? Why are we (American tax payers) essentially funding this mosque? I’m not ok with that much religious freedom. I’m just not. I wouldn’t ask a Muslim to help me build a Christian church.
I am very much bound to my opinion over this mosque thing. In fact I’m angry about the issue. I wish I could vote on it somewhere. I wish I could hold a sign and tell people that it should be stopped. But when I picture myself voting against a religious right to build a place of worship I feel like there’s something wrong happening. When I envision myself holding a sign that says something about stopping this Meany head I feel like I'm a Meany head. But even though I know that somehow somewhere I am wrong I can’t see the other side of this one.
I guess we’re supposed to love everyone. There’s a lot about love that doesn’t come very naturally. I don’t love that Imam right now. I’m mad at him and I want him to stay in whatever Islamic country he’s visiting at present. He can build his mosque there… I think that’s the other side of it. The other side of this one is that something about the issue has caused me to stop loving a person (or people, or a people group possibly) and that is never right, no matter how RIGHT your opinion may seem. Aha.
I’m trying desperately to force myself to learn that I’m not always the only one who’s right. I'm not so sure it's ever a good thing for me to "have" an opinion. When this happens I've automatically declared the end of the matter concerning all further knowledge and enlightenmight. It's like I'm saying,"I am the enlighted one!" That appears to be a very foolish thing to do. My goodness the foolish thing to do is soooo very much more comfortable. (I hate compromise)
First of all, we should be free from our own things and our own actions (and our own ideas). This does not mean that we should neither possess anything nor do anything (nor think anything); it means we should not be bound, tied, chained to what we own and what we have… - Erich Fromm
Agreed, in 100% of the opinion.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying, but I think you are being a little hard on yourself. Also there's a HUGE difference between the government allowing somebody to build a mosque versus the government endorsing it and throwing tax dollars at it. The latter is always wrong in my opinion, and I would have the same contention no matter what religious rite it were. Is the mosque actually being built on the site of ground zero? Or down the street? Or what? Either way, that seems absurd.
ReplyDeleteit's being constructed in a building a few blocks away. It's definately not on the ground zero site but it's one of the buildings that was hit by debree so alot of New Yorkers think it should be conserved as historical (or something like that). One additional point, Muslim's have a record of building mosque's on very specific sites after they've made a conquest. ALOT of people are seeing this as a very strategic move on this Imam's part to proclaim some sort of a Muslim victory concerning 9-11. It's creepy and WRONG!
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