Study to see how well Americans "comply with Islam"

[Guest]

You don't have to dig very deep to understand the Cordoba Initiative, the Muslim group fighting to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. Look at their website and read. There is nothing hidden. It is all right there spelled out in black and white. Just like Obama's policies, goals and beliefs before the election.

The separation of church and state is not acceptable to this group. In the Muslim world, the state is the church. Muslims in the western world, in courtries like America where the government doesn't control religion, this is a big challenge. So to better help Muslims in America and other countries where the head of your religion isn't the head of the government, the Cordoba Initiative is working on ways to intergrate their religion into the government.

Their website logo with their name: Cordoba Initiative Improving Muslim-West Relations. One of the group's initiatives is the Shariah Index Project. This project spells out the manner the Muslim group wants to improve relations with the west. In their eyes, to improve relations with the west is to intergrate Islam into our government.

The Cordoba Initiatve's Shariah Index Project is a "working team of Sunni and Shi’a legal scholars from Morocco to Indonesia achieved consensus on a final structure on philosophy, methodology, and approach to providing the general public, opinion leaders, and state officials in both the Muslim and Western worlds with an Islamic legal benchmark for measuring “Islamicity” of a state.

"In addition to producing The Shariah Index book, comprised of the essays and deliberations of these scholars, and which provides the Index’s theoretical foundation, Cordoba will present the Annual State of the Muslim World Index. This index, which involves a partnership with the Gallup Organization, polls people from 44 Muslim-majority nations (and members of the Organization of Islamic Conference) on how well their nations comply in practice with this Islamic legal benchmark of an Islamic State."

This is the first paragraph on the Cordoba Initiative's website about the Shariah Indes Project. "The Shariah Index Project seeks to address the religion-politics relationship question that has racked the Muslim World since the death of the Prophet Muhammad."

Think about this for a minute.



http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/shariah-index-project

Please read this article about the project. It isn't denouncing the Shariah Index Project or the leader Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf or the the Cordoba Initiative. It is just giving an update on the project with an interview of the cleric fighting to put the mosque at Ground Zero.

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090721/NATIONAL/707209836/1138

[Guest]

It should be noted that Islam has two aspects to it. One is its religious aspect and the other is the political. It must be made very clear that although our Constitution embraces the religious aspects it does not embrace the political side of Islam.

Although we may agree or disagree with Islam as a religion our Constitution still allows for its practice. The political side however is a direct threat to the United States Constitution and to the country itself. It cannot be tolerated within the borders of the United States. The question here is can Islam except that. I see no other choice. Either comply with our laws and Constitution or go away, it's that simple. Two systems of law cannot exist side by side in the United States. It is unconstitutional.

Just some thoughts.

Yoda

[Guest]

I agree Yoda. But how does Islam separate, in your words, the "religious aspect and the other is the political" ?

[Guest]

You don't have to dig very deep to understand the Cordoba Initiative, the Muslim group fighting to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. Look at their website and read. There is nothing hidden. It is all right there spelled out in black and white. Just like Obama's policies, goals and beliefs before the election.

The separation of church and state is not acceptable to this group. In the Muslim world, the state is the church. Muslims in the western world, in courtries like America where the government doesn't control religion, this is a big challenge. So to better help Muslims in America and other countries where the head of your religion isn't the head of the government, the Cordoba Initiative is working on ways to intergrate their religion into the government.

Their website logo with their name: Cordoba Initiative Improving Muslim-West Relations. One of the group's initiatives is the Shariah Index Project. This project spells out the manner the Muslim group wants to improve relations with the west. In their eyes, to improve relations with the west is to intergrate Islam into our government.

The Cordoba Initiatve's Shariah Index Project is a "working team of Sunni and Shi’a legal scholars from Morocco to Indonesia achieved consensus on a final structure on philosophy, methodology, and approach to providing the general public, opinion leaders, and state officials in both the Muslim and Western worlds with an Islamic legal benchmark for measuring “Islamicity” of a state.

"In addition to producing The Shariah Index book, comprised of the essays and deliberations of these scholars, and which provides the Index’s theoretical foundation, Cordoba will present the Annual State of the Muslim World Index. This index, which involves a partnership with the Gallup Organization, polls people from 44 Muslim-majority nations (and members of the Organization of Islamic Conference) on how well their nations comply in practice with this Islamic legal benchmark of an Islamic State."

This is the first paragraph on the Cordoba Initiative's website about the Shariah Indes Project. "The Shariah Index Project seeks to address the religion-politics relationship question that has racked the Muslim World since the death of the Prophet Muhammad."

Think about this for a minute.



http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/shariah-index-project

Please read this article about the project. It isn't denouncing the Shariah Index Project or the leader Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf or the the Cordoba Initiative. It is just giving an update on the project with an interview of the cleric fighting to put the mosque at Ground Zero.

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090721/NATIONAL/707209836/1138

Your post is clear and informative BK.

If only more posters on this political forum would drop the mud slinging and half truths and insults, they would make much better points to their view and maybe even change someones mind.

[Guest]

...from the religion practiced by some followers of Islam in the United States. The same could be said of some of the more powerful Churches in other countries as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_States

I was a close friend of a man from Mosul while at the University of Denver. He hung around with other followers of Islam at the University of Denver but many of these men were from various Arab countries in the Middle East. They had different attitudes and views towards materialism (consumerism) in the US, Israel, pornography, gays, women's interaction with other males, and various other subjects like Kurds.

He was a fellow student in the Masters Program in Librarianship at the University of Denver.

[Guest]

The state religion of Islam should be distinguished however...

...from the religion practiced by some followers of Islam in the United States. The same could be said of some of the more powerful Churches in other countries as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_States

I was a close friend of a man from Mosul while at the University of Denver. He hung around with other followers of Islam at the University of Denver but many of these men were from various Arab countries in the Middle East. They had different attitudes and views towards materialism (consumerism) in the US, Israel, pornography, gays, women's interaction with other males, and various other subjects like Kurds.

He was a fellow student in the Masters Program in Librarianship at the University of Denver.

What does any of that have to do with the Cordoba Initiative building a mosque at Ground Zero or the Shariah Index Project?

[Guest]

It should be noted that Islam has two aspects to it. One is its religious aspect and the other is the political. It must be made very clear that although our Constitution embraces the religious aspects it does not embrace the political side of Islam.

Although we may agree or disagree with Islam as a religion our Constitution still allows for its practice. The political side however is a direct threat to the United States Constitution and to the country itself. It cannot be tolerated within the borders of the United States. The question here is can Islam except that. I see no other choice. Either comply with our laws and Constitution or go away, it's that simple. Two systems of law cannot exist side by side in the United States. It is unconstitutional.

Just some thoughts.

Yoda

This seems to fit with some countries' practice of religion.

[Guest]

For the most part if not completely religions that are being practiced in the United States conform to the laws of the nation and the Constitution. There is a separation of church and state. This was intentional by our founders although it was not iterated in the Constitution and exactly that manner the fundamental reasoning behind it was to protect religion from government and to prevent government from establishing a religion.

The Catholic Church in its doctrine adheres pretty much to canon law. Canon law however does not provide punishments for civil or criminal malfeasance. This is true or should be true of any other religion practicing within our borders. The problem that Islam may face or will face is that it does not believe in the separation of church and state. Frankly I doubt very much if any other religion believes in the separation of church and state either. However Judaism, Christianity, Catholicism if you want to keep it separate, have all learned to abide by the rules of our Constitution and laws. Can Islam do this? I don't know. I hope that it does. But if it does not I for one do not intend to budge one iota in order to accommodate it.

Just some thoughts.

Yoda

[Guest]

This group is admittedly sponsored and financed by the Islamic government of Malaysia. Did you hear about the riots in Malaysia this year where Malay Muslims were attacking and burning Christian churches for using the word Allah?

The Muslims said Allah is a word to be used only to mean the god of Muslims because the Christian God is a false god. Now this is one of the financers and supporters of the Ground Zero Mosque.

Does the name Anwar Ibrahim mean anything to you or the Sodomy Trials? They should.

http://dayakbaru.com/weblog08/2010/01/08/brief-review-of-the-%E2%80%9Callah%E2%80%9D-controversy-in-malaysia/

[Guest]

:plane::cus:This is the most informative and accurate string of posts I have seen in a long time. I agree with this post 100% and give my full support to the intent and clear warning to all Americans. Be vigilant and prepared. There is some, but very very little condemnation of radial Islam from American Muslims and that speaks loudly of support for what those like Osama Bin Laden are doing.

[Guest]

Did you hear about the riots in Malaysia this year where Malay Muslims were attacking and burning Christian churches for using the word Allah?

The Muslims said Allah is a word to be used only to mean the god of Muslims because the Christian God is a false god.


You know, I wish I could say "you have GOT to be kidding me" but it wouldn't surprise me at all if it were true.

I'd really like to know how it's possible that the "Christian God" is a false god when muslims believe that Christ was a prophet and, like Judaism and Christianity, have Abraham in the religious family tree.

[Guest]

I am a Christian person. I haven't studied much about the Muslim religion. What I love about the Christian faith is the tenet of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

It doesn't appear that a similar philosophy guides the Muslim faith.

If it did, wouldn't they draw back on this very controversial, and fear producing plan to build a Mosque in that area of Manhattan during these very troubled times?

[Guest]

Gracie - there are a few people out there who really do NOT embody that principle. History is replete with people thinking they were doing "God's work". I don't know if there is an "I'm saving your soul by killing you, the infidel, in Allah's name" tenet in the way that, in the Dark Ages, Christians had things like the Inquisition..

Bill Maher just had an interesting comment..

Would we be so angry at the muslims building their mosque/cultural center near the WTC site if, 9 years later, *we* had actually built *anything*? I mean, if one of the proposals I saw (a gorgeous set of circular glass towers to be the new tallest building in the Western Hemisphere) had been build an this center was "in the shadow" of 'our' glorious new tower, would we be as upset?

[Guest]

You know, I wish I could say "you have GOT to be kidding me" but it wouldn't surprise me at all if it were true.

I'd really like to know how it's possible that the "Christian God" is a false god when muslims believe that Christ was a prophet and, like Judaism and Christianity, have Abraham in the religious family tree.

Uuhh, because Christians don't believe Jesus was just a prophet djplong. That is the whole basis of the Christian religion.

And, no, I'm not kidding you about the riots.

The riots in Malaysia: Jan. 9,2010 The Sunday Times

"There were protests in Malaysia yesterday and four arson attacks on Christian churches, apparently provoked by a court decision to allow Christians to use the word Allah.

"Police were increasing their patrols of areas around churches and Christian communities were hiring security guards, after petrol bombs were thrown at four churches in and around the capital Kuala Lumpur, partially destroying one of them.

"Hours later, Muslim preachers used Friday prayers to object to a court decision that would allow use of "Allah" as the Malaysian language term for the Christian God..."


The rest of the story:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6980360.ece

More on the issue.

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/politics/2194/