The Wisdom of the Holy Man

I recall a time when we looked to our elders for wisdom and guidance. There was a time when that wisdom and guidance came from the church elders; when the religious leaders could show us the right path. This was a path of compassion and concern for your neighbor, a love for your country and a desire to do the right thing. I've never really been a church person; but I do adhere to and believe in the Commandments. And I do believe that God is guiding and watching us. Yes, I do believe I have a guardian angel -- I know that during times of young naive stupidity something or someone intervened to protect me (several times).

Disregarding the Jeremiah Wrights, the Christian Church in the US tends to possess the wisdom from the likes of Billy Graham. Maybe this is because Billy Graham is such a driving force and by sheer will he imparted common sense and wisdom into our preachers.

I know very little about the Muslim religion, aside from what I see on television and read in print. However, it seems to me that if a religious leader wanted to build a site for the gathering of all religions, he would first understand the effect of certain actions on those religions and furthermore on the surrounding community.

Here is an ABC News article which gives some interesting insight into Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/ground-mosque-imam-project-ahead-interest-national-security/story?id=11589316

He seems to be sincere in his desire. But, there are several factors which need some further attention............
My expectation is that he should have a better understanding of the US, the country which he wants to embrace. 9/11 was a horrendous act and it was carried out by devout Muslims. He understands this. He also understands that if all of this were entirely reversed and Christians had carried out a similar attack in a Muslim country, and then built a large Church near the site of that attack, it would be as much a 'spit in the face' as this mosque is to us. I also doubt that naming that church after a former christian conquest would be accepted either. The original Cordoba mosque in Spain commemorates a military conquest. If his goal is to embrace our country and further the acceptance of Islam, then the initial decision should have been to place it somewhere else and call it something guiding such as the "Friendship Mosque".

Now it seems that no matter how this situation plays out, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf has created a situation where there are no winners. That was some great wisdom and guidance Imam.

Hmmm.... Or maybe I should say Well played Imam.