The Irony
There has been a lot of controversy and media attention given to our community recently over a proposed Islamic Center. I didn't know about it until after the fact, but apparently there was a Rutherford County Commission meeting in which hundreds of people turned out to voice their concerns over the proposed mosque. An article in the DNJ began with these words:
"Inflammatory comments over a new Islamic center south of Murfreesboro have residents and professionals arguing their points while many more are calling it one of the ugliest displays of religious intolerance in the county’s history." (http://www.dnj.com/article/20100620/NEWS01/100619008/Islamic-center-divides-county-opinion)
My pastor attended this meeting and was misquoted by the DNJ, (subsequently corrected), in the same article:
"I would submit to you that we have a duty here at home to understand thoroughly the nature, the intent, the funding of any group that is being invited into our community under that general banner (of Islam)," Allen Jackson, the pastor of World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, said during Thursday’s meeting.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The above quote is a correction to the original story, which misquoted Jackson as saying, "We have a duty to investigate anyone under the banner of Islam." The DNJ regrets the error.)
I think that's a pretty serious misquote in an article which insinuates that legitimate concern is really just fear-based religious intolerance.
Not every individual is skilled in articulating their concerns. For a concerned citizen to make the claim that all Muslims want to kill us is extreme and far from the truth. But why would a newspaper misquote someone who has chosen his words so carefully? I have my own opinion, but I'll let you draw your own conclusion about that.
In various parts of the world, converts to Christianity (from Islam) are being persecuted and even killed, while it seems that we in this country cannot even voice our concerns passionately without being labeled as hateful and intolerant. I read this blog entry of Dr. Terry Hamblin's (who resides in the UK) this morning with the recent controversy over Rutherford County intolerance in the front of my mind. I hope you will take the time to read it also.
mutations of mortality: Afghan Christians
Why is the media so silent on what is happening to Christians all over the world? Better yet, why are some of us (myself included), as Christians, not paying more attention? This is much bigger than Rutherford County.
"Inflammatory comments over a new Islamic center south of Murfreesboro have residents and professionals arguing their points while many more are calling it one of the ugliest displays of religious intolerance in the county’s history." (http://www.dnj.com/article/20100620/NEWS01/100619008/Islamic-center-divides-county-opinion)
My pastor attended this meeting and was misquoted by the DNJ, (subsequently corrected), in the same article:
"I would submit to you that we have a duty here at home to understand thoroughly the nature, the intent, the funding of any group that is being invited into our community under that general banner (of Islam)," Allen Jackson, the pastor of World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, said during Thursday’s meeting.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The above quote is a correction to the original story, which misquoted Jackson as saying, "We have a duty to investigate anyone under the banner of Islam." The DNJ regrets the error.)
I think that's a pretty serious misquote in an article which insinuates that legitimate concern is really just fear-based religious intolerance.
Not every individual is skilled in articulating their concerns. For a concerned citizen to make the claim that all Muslims want to kill us is extreme and far from the truth. But why would a newspaper misquote someone who has chosen his words so carefully? I have my own opinion, but I'll let you draw your own conclusion about that.
In various parts of the world, converts to Christianity (from Islam) are being persecuted and even killed, while it seems that we in this country cannot even voice our concerns passionately without being labeled as hateful and intolerant. I read this blog entry of Dr. Terry Hamblin's (who resides in the UK) this morning with the recent controversy over Rutherford County intolerance in the front of my mind. I hope you will take the time to read it also.
mutations of mortality: Afghan Christians
Why is the media so silent on what is happening to Christians all over the world? Better yet, why are some of us (myself included), as Christians, not paying more attention? This is much bigger than Rutherford County.
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