A Center Not a Mosque at Ground Zero
There has been much made of a proposed center that educate persons about Islam and its relationship to Christianity and Judaism. These two, in particular, seem much more concerned with gaining power than actually understanding the world. Here are a couple of paragraphs from John Esposito, professor of Religion and International Affairs and director of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal center for Muslim-Christian understanding at Georgetown University, on the topic from Cnn.com. Click the article title to read more.
Islamophobia and the Muslim Center at Ground Zero
John Esposito | Cnn.com | July 19, 2010(CNN) — The proposal by the Cordoba Initiative to build an Islamic center near Ground Zero has drawn major media attention and engendered fierce debate. Right-wing political commentators, politicians, hard-line Christian ministers, bloggers and some families of 9/11 victims have charged that it is insensitive to 9/11 families, dishonors memories of the victims and will be a “monument to terrorism.”
But here are the facts:The center is not at Ground Zero but two blocks away, and the Cordoba Initiative seeks to build a center, not a mosque. The center is not designed as a local mosque for a Muslim community but rather to serve the wider community.