Tennessee Official Says Islam May Be a 'Cult'

No question about it, a death cult.

 

B

 

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/tennessee-official-says-islam-may-be-a-cult/

 

July 27, 2010, 10:51 am

Tennessee Official Says Islam May Be a 'Cult'

By ROBERT MACKEY

Updated | 11:51 a.m. Tennessee's lieutenant governor, Ron Ramsey, has been asked to explain recent comments captured on video in which he suggested that Muslim Americans might not have a constitutionally protected right to worship in the United States.

Mr. Ramsey, who hopes to win the Republican nomination for governor in a primary next month with support from Tea Party activists, was asked by a constituent this month to explain his position on the "threat that's invading our country from the Muslims." As Jeff Woods of The Nashville Scene reported, a tape of the exchange posted online shows the lieutenant governor responding, "I'm all about freedom of religion," before casting doubt on Islam's credentials as a religion by saying:

You could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion or is it a nationality, way of life or cult, whatever you want to call it.

This video of the event is cued up to the start of the question that prompted Mr. Ramsey's musings:

Mr. Ramsey's comments were made on July 14, the same day as a demonstration against the planned construction of an Islamic center outside the town of Murfreesboro. According to a report from Murfreesboro's Daily News Journal, a few hundred people gathered to protest the new building, "but the majority of the crowd was already waiting, bearing signs that said, 'I love my Muslim neighbors' and 'Freedom of religion.' "

Sherry McLain, who demonstrated against the center, told WPLN, Nashville public radio, "Something's going on, and I don't like it. We're at war with these people."

On the other side, a supporter of the building named Tony Pegel told the radio station that opposing it would be counterproductive for Christians: "How are we going to convert one single Muslim, if you think that's what your job is to do, convert Muslims, then how are you going to do that if you drive them out of the county and make them hate you also?"

Placards held by people on both sides can be seen in a slide show on the Web site of The Murfreesboro Post.

On Monday, Mr. Ramsey responded to a request for comment from Evan McMorris-Santoro of Talking Points Memo by writing in an e-mail message, "My concern is that far too much of Islam has come to resemble a violent political philosophy more than peace-loving religion."

He added, "It's time for American Muslims who love this country to publicly renounce violent jihadism and to drum those who seek to do America harm out of their faith community."

In fact, the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro's imam, Ossama Bahloul, already posted a statement on the Web to that effect two weeks ago:

Since there are many different sects contained within each religion I want to remind our congregation and let our neighbors here in Murfreesboro know our type of belief. We believe in Islam, the message of peace toward all of mankind. We look to all people in our community as our neighbors that we love and care about. We are against any kind of violence, emotional, physical or any other kind. We believe that all people are equal regardless of their gender, financial situation or the color of their skin. It is also part of our religion to obey the Constitution of the U.S.A. and to respect the laws of the land we life in. We care about our city, state and country. The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro has its own identity and only supports organizations that lead people toward peace and is against any organizations that lead people toward any type of hatred.

Of course, community leaders in Tennessee are not alone in their inability to distinguish between violent extremists and most Muslims. In recent statements on Twitter and to Fox News, politicians like Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich have objected to plans for an Islamic center in Lower Manhattan, not far from the site of the World Trade Center.

One Florida church has even announced plans to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 with an "International Burn a Koran Day," according to a report by Maggie Hyde of the Religion News Service. Ms. Hyde explained:

The Dove World Outreach Center, a non-denominational church in Gainesville, has marked the date in previous years with protests against Islam. The church holds protests on other issues, such as homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and abortion.

Pastor Terry Jones said members of the church plan to be at the Gainesville City Hall on Aug. 2 to protest the election of the city's openly gay mayor. Church-state groups had previously accused the church of illegal politicking for its "No Homo Mayor" signs. Jones, who is also the author of a book titled "Islam is of the Devil," said protests are key to the mission of his church.

"We feel, as Christians, one of our jobs is to warn," said Jones. The goal of these and other protests are to give Muslims an opportunity to convert, he said.

 

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