Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The Collaboration of Mosque and State


The Islamic Center of Washington is a mosque and Islamic cultural center in Washington, D.C

While much attention has been focused on questions surrounding the Ground Zero mosque and the appropriateness of the State Department funding Ground Zero mosque imam Feisal Abdul Rauf’s trip to the Middle East, little attention has been given to the fact that U.S. taxpayer money is funding mosque development around the world.>—Caroline May
Here is something that all fair-minded Americans need to consider. In Barry Hussein Soetoro’s American, there seems to be a disparity. It seems there is Separation of Church and State for Christianity while Islam enjoys the Collaboration of Mosque and State. Now that doesn’t seem fair or constitutional but that is what’s presently going on with our government. Allow me to explain.

With all of the high-minded talk about first amendment freedom of religious rights one would think American is going through another Age of Belief.

It is not. Instead, America is reverting into another Dark Ages one, which the Great Inquisitions of the past gives away to the sweet Azan, which according to president Barry Hussein Soetoro is “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.”

Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated (it’ll give Alabama voters heart attacks), Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.”-- NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF (source)

The media insist on attempting to make the ground zero mosques a intolerance issue, but it is not there are already two mosques in the vicinity of ground zero as reported by CNN’s Susan Candiotti (see 1:48min video)




This debate is not about building a mosque. There have been many mosque built in America as there are churches built. Its not about opposition to a mosque, because Governor Patterson has offered another possible location to the developers where the mosque could be built.

It is becoming apparent, even through all of the misuse of civil rights jargon, that Muslims and supporters of this project are not concerned about a mosque. It isn’t about a mosque to them it’s about location, location, location. It's about ground zero. They’ve rejected offers of building elsewhere because is not about having a mosque, rather it’s about having a mosque as close to ground zero as possible. It seems, if they could build directly on top of ground zero they would.

What this austere approach, to seeking rights, shows us is those who support this project are not willing to give deference for the true hurt and feelings of their neighbors. We use to call it Christian compassion. Rather they demand their constitutional rights in the most hateful way imaginable, as if they were using the very constitution to fly into the twin towers of our memories of all who died on 9/11 and into the offense that this mosque symbolizes in this particular location.

If one listens, closely one can hear the Muslim call to prayer wafting through neighborhoods all across America and throughout the world. Can you hear it? Not yet? Soon it will be very soon. What does this mean, and why would I say this?

It means that the fundamental transformation of your way of life and the United States has already begun. There is no more constitution, at least not as you’ve once known the constitution.

Do you remember when George W. Bush sent Christian envoys throughout the world as representatives of Christianity in America? You don’t remember that, you say that would be a violation of separation of church and state. Well you do remember when the United States government funded the building and refurbishing of Churches all around the world don’t you? Hum, you don’t remember that either.

Why not? Because it never happened, Bush never sent a Christian minister or priest as a special envoy on the behalf of the United States anywhere at any time. In addition, Bush never authorized the funding of Christian Church projects throughout the world for building and refurbishing Churches.

So why is president Barry Hussein Soetoro’s state department paying for and sponsoring the ground zero imam, Feisal Abdul Rauf, trip to the Middle East on behalf of the United States representing Islam to Countries in the Middle East?

According to Washington Times Mr. Rauf is scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar to foster "greater understanding" about Islam and Muslim communities in the United States.

Huh? Mr. Soetoro how is sending the Ground Zero imam to the Islamic Middle East to foster greater understanding about Islam and Muslim communities in the United States?

Isn’t that like sending a Mexican Illegal alien back to Mexico to foster greater understanding about crossing the border illegally. And reporting how illegal Mexican communities are getting along in the United States?

And who’s paying for this nonsense? “Youse” paying for this nonsense! Imam Rauf will get a daily $200 honorarium for the 15-day tour to Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirate.

Airfare is included, as well as the standard federal government per diem for expenses and lodging in each of the cities, he will visit. Those per diem rates range from nearly $400 to nearly $500, according to official documents. Our federal government according to the Associated Press discloses that this unconstitutional trip to “foster greater understanding” about Islam in the United States will cost you and I sixteen thousand dollars. That’s only what they’re willing to disclose.(source)

But, that’s not even the half. You and I are paying mosques to be built and refurbished all around the world. That’s right, U.S. taxpayer dollars are going to fund construction, renovation, and rehabilitation of various mosques abroad. The benefiting countries include Bulgaria, Pakistan, Mali, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Benin, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Egypt, Tunisia, the Maldives, Yemen, Turkmenistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Serbia and Montenegro. (source)

How is the government able to violate separation of church and state when it comes to Islam? According to the DailyCaller by The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) —, which is putting millions toward “heritage preservation” projects in the developing world — financed mosque-related projects in all the aforementioned countries. By calling it “Heritage” that’s how. Don’t even think about saying that Christianity is a part of America’s heritage though you would be supported by Alexis de Tocqueville who wrote, “Democracy in America.”

In Montenegro, for example, the State Department has funded an effort to restore and conserve the Shadrvan (Fountain) of the Old Mosque in Pljevlja. According to the State Department’s website, without needed repairs there would not be a sufficient place for ritual washing before prayer.

“To support the restoration of a fountain at a 16th-century mosque concurrent with the restoration of the mosque itself. Used for ritual ablutions before prayer, the fountain has deteriorated over time and needs a new wooden octagonal roof, pipes, water-taps, and pavement,” the description of the project reads.

I can think of many churches in this country that would benefit from such generous government largess. Oh but there’s that pesky ACLU and lawyers that would raise constitutional issues if a mere dime where spent on a church.

Caroline May informs us that, “The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has also spent millions reconstructing and financing multiple mosques in Cairo and Cyprus, as well as providing computers for imams in Tajikistan and Mali.

Interestingly, however, according to the Code of Federal Regulations, “USAID funds may not be used for the acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of structures to the extent that those structures are used for inherently religious activities.”’
The Washington Times disclosed that in April, U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Alfonso E. Lenhardt helped cut the ribbon at the 12th-century Kizimkazi Mosque, which was refurbished with assistance from the United States under a program to preserve culturally significant buildings. The U.S. government also helped save the Amr Ebn El Aas Mosque in Cairo, which dates back to 642.

The mosque's namesake was the Muslim conqueror of Christian Egypt, who built the structure on the site where he had pitched his tent before doing battle with the country's Byzantine rulers. For those who think the Ground Zero Mosque is an example of "Muslim triumphalism" glorifying conquest, the Amr Ebn El Aas Mosque is an example of such a monument - and one paid for with U.S. taxpayer funds. (source)

Is anyone getting that this is double standard? For Christians its separation of church and state but for Muslims it’s taxpayer funding and the collaboration of mosque and state. I've an idea why doesn't bankrupt America discontinue funding the religion Islam and let the multi-billionaire oil rich Muslims fund their own religion.

The whole irony is, while the supporters of the ground zero mosque are calling us all racists, bigots and haters of Islam U.S. citizens are paying imam Rauf expenses, of over $16,000 to go fundraise for the $100 million dollars he needs in the Islamic countries of Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar. For money to build his Mega mosque, an Islamic headstone to the 3,000 that died at ground zero.

Furthermore, while we are being called intolerant and ignorant and insensitive to Muslim concerns we, U.S. taxpayers are building mosques in Muslim countries Bulgaria, Pakistan, Mali, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Benin, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Egypt, Tunisia, the Maldives, Yemen, Turkmenistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Serbia and Montenegro.

Can you hear it now, faintly in the distance…

God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no God except God.
I testify that there is no God except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success! Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is none worthy of worship except God.

Isn’t that one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset?