Do you believe in religious freedom?

1. 59

   Daniel J. Neumannposted 13 years ago

   Do you believe in religious freedom?
   
   Yes, this does relate to that pesky Mosque built near Ground Zero. Will you abandon the 1st amendment?

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   efwebmposted 13 years ago

   I'm not a huge fan of religion, but I can understand the value of letting everyone live by their own faith.
   
   I probably go out of my way to defend other religions, like Islam, because many people hold the hypocritical believe that Christianity belongs in this country more than others.
   
   As long as they push Christianity into politics, I will push back with other religions, that, per the Constitution, have just as much right in this country as they do.
   
   So, yes, I uphold the right of Muslims to build their cultural center two blocks from Ground Zero. Unless they show ill-intent, there is no connection between the cultural center and the terrorists that attack NYC.

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3. 61

   Apostle Jackposted 13 years ago

   Yes,I believe that one have a right to believe in anythng that pleases him/her .God do noe force one to serve HIM .He let us see the picture and we choose to acept or not except.

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4. 74

   SteveoMcposted 13 years ago

   Of course, it is one of the founding principles of our country.   We are free to believe as we wish.
   
   I think that public opinion has some relevance in certain situations, and it is clear that the majority does not want a mosque at ground zero.   
   
   I question the wisdom of this choice.   
   
   Don't think it should happen.

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5. 0

   jasper420posted 13 years ago

   yes we all have and should have the right to worship a higher power of our own understanding

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6. 60

   chrysstilposted 13 years ago

   I believe that everyone is free to believe what he or she  want. They must not exceed the limits of common law.

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   Coming of Ageposted 13 years ago

   The answer is a resounding YES! Isn't  the belief in religious freedom one of the great things that make us unique as a country?
   
   However, religious freedom in practice is now and always will be tenuous at best. We live in a time that could enable those who seek to harm our country to use religious freedom as a springboard for doing so.
   
   It is difficult for most westerners (myself included) to differentiate between a Muslim extremist and a moderate Muslim. One thing is true however, and that is that the individuals who perpetrated the attacks of 9-11 were Muslims. In fact, Muslim men have comitted many attacks/atrocities against those who hold other beliefs around the world over the last 40 or 50 years. That doesn't make them all terrorists, but how are we to tell the difference?
   
   If there is a conspiracy between the so-called moderate and extermist Muslims to harm America, what better way than to implement the modrate branch of Islam as "bridge of peace", while funding the extremist through back door channels. Granted, it's probably paranoid, but rhetorically, wasn't that what folks were saying about Hitlers plan for attempting a world takeover when German troops crossed into France?
   
   Do the Muslims have a right to build near "ground zero"? Sure they do, but that doesn't make it tasteful. If the true intention is to build a bridge of peace and healing, then why not use funds from the moderate American Muslim community actually build a small bridge over perpetual stream near ground zero honoring those who died there. Just an idea, but I think that more folks would see that as a true "olive branch" for healing.
   
   By all means build the Mosque; enjoy the freedom granted all Americans under the Constitution, but please do it away from ground zero if the true intention is to promote emotional healing.

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   Thesourceposted 13 years ago

   Freedom of religion is good. Having said that should it be OK for approve a religion that does not respect the freedom of religion?
   
   What if this religion does not respect the 1st Amendment? Should you still approve based the 1st Amendment?
   Does Sharia Law respect the 1st Amendment?
   
   Today, religions like Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism all respect the 1st Amendment and I have no problem for their institutions be be near Ground Zero.
   
   Since Sharia law, which is sacred to Islam, does not respect the 1st Amendment, I feel it is hypocritical to support a Mosque there.

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9. 61

   Tom_Radfordposted 13 years ago

   Religious freedom is an oxymoron. By tying yourself into religion you give up much of your freedom and you push your mind down a narrower channel. By becoming less broad minded in this way you become less tolerant of some aspects of society and some other religious beliefs. Unless your religion is called the church of common sense. Religious groups say that they are not tolerated but by joining any religion you are by definition setting yourself apart from others and so excluding them. I can put up with any religion that does not insight hatred or put lives at risk, but personally I think the world would be better off without any of them.

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    weholdthesetruthsposted 13 years ago

    Yes, I believe in religious freedom.   And freedom of speech, and assembly and  the right to tell our government officials just where to get off.  Along with many other rights the Declaration of Independence says are "self evident".   But this has little to nothing to do with the Mosque in the news.   Partly because Islam is only partially a religion.   It is mostly a religio-authoritarian ideology.  It is not a religion, as western nations view religion.  It is a political, social, religious, cultural, economic, and even militaristic ideology.  The tenets of those who publicly claim to speak for Islam include the requirement to work to spread the control of Islam over those areas and people who are not in conformance.   This makes questions of whether Islam is to be treated as merely a religion, or whether it is treated as a political, social, and military organization.   The latter is true, the former is not.    So while individuals who wish to live within the boundaries of our law may wish to and are in fact, free to be Muslims, the organized Islam is not compatible with our freedoms and cannot be sponsored nor treated as if it were simply another version of faith - like Baptists, Episcopalians, Russian Orthodox, Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventism, or even Bahai.   Thus the question about the Mosque isn't actually about "freedom of religion", because Islam is not a religion as we envision it, and the purposes, laws, and controls it seeks to establish are not compatible with the freedoms we consider to be human rights.

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    ThePeeDeeWildcatposted 13 years ago

    I believe in religious freedom and am grateful to live in a nation where it is respected. It has been under attack in America for several decades. I think that I have tried, over the years, to honor others freedom to worship or not worship as they please. I am, however, cynical of this mosque/Islamic Center near Ground Zero. I can't help but wonder about how big of a pay day that Mayor Bloomberg and other New York officials will enjoy if it does finally come to pass.

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    drbillfanninposted 13 years ago

    This question is pointless, respectfully. Everyone will tell you that they believe in religious freedom, and then go right out and try to violate the freedom of others. Religion is so full of hypocrites, I wonder where the real devote followers are. Christianity is extremely hypocritical. Preachers trash other religions like there's no tomorrow. They start rallies to ban gay marriage, stop homosexuality, don't sell beer on Sunday, then go preach love and forgiveness in the name of Jesus. They better watch who they are really worshiping. I never read Jesus doing that stuff.
    
    Islam is being true to its roots for the most part. Their mission is to destroy the enemies of Allah: aka, Jews and Christians. After they conquer the world, Allah will bring about the battle of Armageddon and raise them all to sainthood in Heaven. So they have no tolerance for other religions, and they make no doubt of that.
    
    See the hopelessness in this? Islam was designed by Mohammad to be the only religion by conquering or killing the competition. Christianity professes the Bible, but then preaches the Devil. They believe too that Jesus is converting the world to Christians, and He will destroy the ones who don't convert. Personally, I don't see any major difference between them.
    
    PS: I am a Christian minister, and my messages are unlike what most churches teach. I guess that's why I don't have a church. People don't want to hear the truth.
    
    There is no religious freedom, and there never will be, so long as humans control it.

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    nightwork4posted 13 years ago

    100%. i think we should all believe how we want to. do i think religions should be given tax breaks, not a chance. it's an insult to our lives and to anyone who doesn't believe in god or religion.

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    1morningposted 12 years ago

    Absolutely!  Just as all rivers lead to the ocean, all paths lead to God.  And... if we believe that there is only one God, then everyone must be worshiping that One.  We just each have our own ways of connecting.  If someone believes someone else is worshiping a different God then they themselves must believe in many Gods.

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