Building on Faith

Building on Faith
By Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

As I read the above linked editorial by Imam Rauf, my analytical mind couldn't help but ponder the significance, and possible implications of, each carefully placed sentence. I double majored in sociology and religion while in college, and found this editorial ripe for analysis.  Let's start with the following statement by the Imam, found three paragraphs in:

"My life’s work has been focused on building bridges between religious groups and never has that been as important as it is now."

What a thankless task this must be.  While studying various religions in college, I tried very hard to understand what makes people from all over the world put their faith in particular creeds.  What I discovered is that the biggest determiner was not choice, but rather location and heredity.  I believe that lack of choice is part of the reason that individuals hold on to their faiths so dearly, even when nothing else is left.

In general, when humans are given a choice, we often pick one option, only to select a different option later in life.  For example, when I was young my favorite color was purple.  Now it is pink.   Religion is different because we are born and raised a certain way.  We are not given a choice to be baptized, or circumcised.  Because of this lack of choice from the onset, we are less driven to stray from our ancestors worldview. Which particular worldview a person is born into is determined largely by geographic location. 

This discussion may seem like it is going off-track, but indeed I believe that it cuts directly to the heart of the matter Imam Rauf is alluding to in the above quote.  Because faith is usually determined by heredity, and not choice, and further because that heredity is largely based on location, strong social support structures are in place from the moment an individual is born. These social pillars, if you will, extend beyond the family and into the community.  Even when there are small variations in denomination, the pillar takes on the same general form.  Usually, these social pillars serve as bolsters, providing support for people throughout the various stages of life.   But when debates such as the one surrounding Cordoba House arise, they often become much more like barriers, divisive and insurmountable.
 
That is why I find it sadly ironic that the Imam has spent his life "building bridge between religious groups."   There would not be the need to build bridges, if there were not raging rivers to cross.   But to eliminate the rivers, we would need to simultaneously knock down the pillars, which is still far from happening given our current stage of human evolutionary development.  Now I am veering off track.  Back to the Imam's editorial.

"Our initiative is intended to cultivate understanding among all religions and cultures." 

This quotes touches me personally.  When I decided to take on a second major in college, and chose religion, it was with this goal in mind.  But I was naive.  A project in my Sociology of Religion class quickly showed me that adherents to the most conservative, radicalized denominations of all faiths are far too convinced of their religion's own superiority, to care to learn about any others.  This leads me to surmise that the folks willing to walk through the doors at Cordoba House are not going to be the ones who need to have their understanding of Islam cultivated. Just like a jihadist would never walk into a nondenominational mega church, or a bustling synagogue, one of the conservative Christians waving a poster that reads, "All I need to know about Islam, I learned on 9/11," will never step foot in Cordoba House.

Which leads to the next quote I wish to discuss:

"I do not underestimate the challenges that will be involved in bringing our work to completion. (Construction has not even begun yet.) I know there will be interest in our financing, and so we will clearly identify all of our financial backers."

I am afraid that the Imam does not fully grasp the hatred in the hearts of some of the protesters.  Sadly, these folks don't realize that their actions are making them become that which they despise most.  But, I fear they will not realize this, and violence could be the result.  The burning of equipment at the sight of a future mosque in TN, hundreds of miles away from Ground Zero, is only a reflection of what may occur as construction goes forward.  I would strongly advise that 24 hour security be budgeted to protect the sight.

The second sentence of the above quote is also important.  This list will be scrutinized as much as Obama's birth certificate would be if Hawaii would release it.  The people behind attempting to stop Cordoba House from ever being built will make sure to dig so deep into these financiers pasts, that we will probably find out about their 5th grade report cards.  It is inevitable that at least one person on the list of financiers will have some stain that the right wing, conservative media will sic their teeth into, and shove down our throats for weeks on end.  There is nothing Imam Rauf can do to prevent this.

Moving on, I would like to briefly mention that the Imam made special note of President Obama's support for the mosque.  I would have been much more critical of Obama's wavering commitment to every person's constitutional right to practice religion.  You can read more of my critique here:  If I were President

Then, the Imam wrote the most enlightened, and eloquent, paragraph of his editorial: 

"The wonderful outpouring of support for our right to build this community center from across the social, religious and political spectrum seriously undermines the ability of anti-American radicals to recruit young, impressionable Muslims by falsely claiming that America persecutes Muslims for their faith. These efforts by radicals at distortion endanger our national security and the personal security of Americans worldwide. This is why Americans must not back away from completion of this project. If we do, we cede the discourse and, essentially, our future to radicals on both sides. The paradigm of a clash between the West and the Muslim world will continue, as it has in recent decades at terrible cost. It is a paradigm we must shift."

We cannot let the few, uninformed and uneducated, undermine what this great county was founded upon:  freedom.  Yes, those against the mosque have a right to voice their opinion.  But so do those of us who know that it's completion represents everything America stands for.  Let's raise our rallying cry loud and clear:  We have had enough war, enough fighting, enough clashing.

Overall, I hope that the Imam's call for Peace is echoed throughout the world.  But, given the history of religion, I don't hold my breath.

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Listening to Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf on Larry King with Soledad O'brien, I find myself agreeing with most of what he says.  One thing that caught my attention in particular was how he stated the fight taking place in the world right now is not Christians vs. Muslims or Jews vs. Muslims, but rather moderates vs. radicals.  These extremists feed off of, and need each other to keep the fight going.

"We must make sure the moderates take over the conversation."  Imam Rauf

I also agree with his perspective that there is truly a National Security threat inherent in giving in to the radicals, and moving the mosque.

"If we don't do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world." Imam Rauf

When asked if America's policies in the Middle East contributed to 9/1, I think that he should have been stuck to his ground and said "yes".  His life as a mediator, however, prevented him from voicing the same sentiments he had during the early interview clip shown.  I respect his decision, and his desire for a peaceful future.  And I also have no problem answering the question in the affirmative for him, though my voice is still weak in comparison. People don't like hearing about America's shortcomings, but identifying problems is the first step in solving them. 

The likelihood of another 9/11 attack is a serious topic no one likes imagining.  Given the current socio-religious climate in the world. I can't bring myself to discuss how high I believe the chances really are.  All I will write is that I agree with the Imam.  I think it is essential that we take the discourse back from the radicals of all religions to prevent it.

"We are a country of justice for all...We have to mean what we say."  Imam Rauf

This point is so important, and often overlooked that it deserves at least a paragraph in this post.  We can't claim to be a country that cherishes separation of church and state, religious freedom, and tolerance, and then not extend that right to an entire ethnic community.  We should have learned some of these lessons during the Civil Rights movement.

"People want this problem to go away."  Imam Rauf 

This quote almost brought me to tears.  It was this desire that brought me to study all religions, with an open heart and absorptive mind.  I was searching for an answer, for a way to make all of the hate and divisiveness, all of the claims at superiority and condemnations of inferiority, disappear.

Finally, after much soul searching, I realized the answer doesn't lie in any organized faith.  I was able to bring the pillars bolstering and blinding me, come tumbling down.  I cannot rush, and will not try to persuade others to this path.  Everyone must take their own journey.
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Andy on the after-interview show is a perfect example of the radical willing to twist the Imam's words for his cause.  And the poor woman sitting next to him, Rosaleen, is so ill-informed and naive I want to hug and educate her.  She needs to grieve, and I grieve for her.  But she does not have the right to take away Muslims rights.

"This is a turf war."  Andy

Only because you have listened to the right-wing media and made it one.

"This is like the super bowl of interfaith relations."  Bruce

I couldn't have said it better. 

71% of Americans are not radicals, David Gergen is correct.  However, 71% of Americans are uneducated enough into being fooled by the right-wing political machine into thinking a mosque many blocks from Ground Zero is really an issue to begin with.

"What America is about is finding a way for people to coexist."  Bruce

That is what we claim America stands for.  But when this maxim is truly tested, we have time and again fallen short.  For the benefit of the world, it is time we lead by example instead of by force.
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