There aren't very many Muslims in Texas. Not that I've crossed paths with, anyways. What I know about Muslims comes mostly from the media, and they've gotten a pretty bad rap in the last couple of years. Burkas, beards and turbans. That's the image that pops into my head. But that's really not the whole picture at all. I'm taking a class called ... [Read More…]
Faith mandates spur conflict
Religious conflict in the Middle East and northern Africa is a testament to the complexity of cultural relativism. Islamism is the belief that the religion of Islam must be the guiding force for the social, political and personal lives of humanity. It's unsurprisingly rampant in this region. Mere opinions of secularists are no match for the true, ... [Read More…]
Pastor ignites controversy on Sept. 11
This past Saturday marked the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 hijacking attacks - and the end of a week-long ordeal surrounding a Florida pastor's proposed 'Burn-a-Koran Day.' Rev. Terry Jones had been planning the event since July 30. As the day of the Koran-burning approached, Jones, the leader of a 30-member congregation in Gainesville, Fla., ... [Read More…]
PRO: Religious freedoms basis for building Islamic center
Any argument for or against the building of a mosque close to ground zero cannot begin without first acknowledging the pain that is tied to the site. On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 innocent men and women were killed by religious fanatics who sought to inflict violence on a country they believed was at odds with their religious ideology. ... [Read More…]
CON: Community center insensitive to memory of 9/11
For many Americans, Sept. 11, 2001 is one of the most terrible and painful days they can remember. The thousands of families that were marred by the attacks can never be made whole again, and the landscape of the world, both culturally and emotionally, will never be the same. Now, because of that one act, people are questioning whether or not a ... [Read More…]