WTF is a knish?

Pieces of you.

If they read it, they wont burn it.

9/11 is a bitter subject here in new York. The taste is potent when you’re in earshot of the hole where those towers once stood. AM New York documents, in layman’s terms, the fierce and despicable battle over the proposed mosque just blocks from the world trade center. These comments and lists raise more questions than answers for me. How can a good christian arrange such a hateful event as a religious doctrine burning? How can any compassionate mind call for such radical and horrible behavior? Can this contradiction of faith and humanity be justified in any way? The list goes on but I have an argument worth looking in to.

Two years ago I took a ride. I used craigslist to get down to LA. Tamim picked me up at my friend’s house and we were on our way. I asked him what he did for a living and he explained that he worked for the us marines. I knew there was something more because he didn’t say he was a marine or in the marines. He explained to me that he works in a mock village to teach our troops basic cultures and linguistics of Iraq and Muslims. As we continued with our 6 hour drive, I got a lot more than I had bargained for. Islam became the topic of conversation and I was consumed by it. When someone talks about something they’ve devoted their life to, you can feel their enthusiasm within yourself. Islam is beautiful- but one should understand that ugly things can come of great beauty.

“every tool is a weapon if you hold it right” –ani difranco

Let’s not forget the hatred and horrors inflicted by Catholics and Christians alike in the name of their God, protected by the words in their bible. Christianity has it’s own documented rewards for martyrdom as well and have been taken advantage of just as freely as in any other religion.

Does America understand the struggles and great faith, intentions and devotion of followers required to even consider building a mosque?

The basic and most important tenets of islam are so great in their intentions and require a devotion much greater than the common and casual Christian. It is not to say that one religion is better than the other, but one should respect the discipline and self sacrifice. Fasting, continued prayer, earnings to the poor and commitment to faith- it is these things that inspire me to remind those who don’t know what Islam really means. Tithing is not to your church as it is in Christianity, Islam believes that God does not need your money but that the poor do. Fasting every year to remind yourself what you have, focus on prayer and devotion, this is admirable and respectable.

I do not write to avoid the obvious and questionable practices of the religion’s teachings, especially those towards women. But let’s not forget the old testament of the Christian bible and it’s similarities. Many of the teachings are similar because the Islam faith is based on what it considers to be a combination of four religious texts including the christian bible. It is believed to be the “final draft”.

I have to say to the angry Christians, if you read it you might not hate it; it is a part of you. Try not to despise what you don’t understand and don’t give the American media so much power over your attitude towards other cultures. We blame a lot of evil on things we don’t understand or practices different than ours- but you may find that the Muslims are not much different on a fundamental level. They believe in God, love and peace. But just like you are showing the world, there is hatred in the most holy of places- that doesn’t change the beauty of that place. The ugly in you is in you alone and you may wear the mask of God over your face, but ultimately it is you that is evil.