Weekend thoughts

'They're just using religion as an excuse to be really crappy to one another'.-Dave Lister, Red Dwarf  episode: 'Waiting for God'

It'll soon be yet another 9/11, and life goes on for most of us.

There have been a couple of things of late getting news notice here and I suppose around the world. The first, of course, is the proposed mosque/community center near the Ground Zero hole where the WTC towers wer in New York City. I wrote about this earlier, and my original thought was 'They have the right to do this. But is it the correct thing to do?' I personally don't think it needs to be there. Sure, they have the right. It's poor taste though.

A couple of days back, Imam Rauf, the central figure in the mosque controversy, was on Larry King Live. He said, in effect, 'If I'd known the mosque would have created this much trouble, I'd have deferred. But if it doesn't get built now, the Muslim world will see it as an attack on Islam, and this could become a national security issue.'

You know what, Imam? You can go pound sand. Now I definitely don't want you and your vague Mafia-style threats around that part of New York. Try doing something constructive with your time. Maybe try to drag your religion out of the 12th Century. I'm tired of having of this country having to watch its step so as not to offend 'Muslim sensibilities'. How about the Muslims over here worrying about 'Judeo-Christian sensibilities'? You want respect for your religion? Try giving some respect to other people's religions first.

The other tempest in the teapot is the pastor of the church in Gainesville, Florida, who wanted to have 'Burn A Koran' night on 9/11. He has since 'gracefully' decided not to hold the event, but he reserves the right to do so. I got a few words for you, too. You're rapidly using up your 15 minutes of fame. And you're no different then some of the fellows we're currently fighting over in Afghanistan, except for the symbol you use for your faith. You and your congregation want to burn the Koran? Have at it. Roast hot dogs over the embers for what I care. It's your right. Just don't make a national story out of it, because now you just look like some backwoods cracker.

Honestly, I don't care what faith other people practice. It doesn't matter at all to me. At the same time, grant me the right to practice my faith. If you can't or won't do that, than there's going to be a problem. I suspect the majority of Americans feel the same way I do, or at least humor me and say 'Yes, YD, you're right.' Christianity doesn't offer a recruiting bonus, so I don't feel too inclined to evangelize.

Is it too much to ask for everyone here on this mudball to worry about their own relationship (or lack of) with the Almighty and not worry about everyone else's?

Let's see: Crusades, the Great Schism, the wars of the Reformation, pogroms, the Holocaust, and religious cleansing. Yep. I guess it is too much to ask. Never mind.

yankeedog out.