"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
I am taking a different turn from my usual blog routine. Today, I want to write about the outrageous debate that is taking center stage in our countries news media. The debate about whether or not to build an Islamic Mosque a few blocks from ground zero where two planes piloted by terrorists hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 has become an issue of political campaigning, religious zeal and a full blown discussion about the Constitutional right of practicing one's religion.
One comment that has made it's way through the news media from an amazing number of commentators is: "If Islam is the religion of peace that Muslim's claim it to be, then for the sake of keeping peace in this country, let them build the Mosque in another location." This comment was said yesterday on Hardball with Chris Matthews by a local evangelical Pastor.
The debate of this Muslim Mosque in New York City is another example of how we in America and in many cases in the Christian Church need to engage in discussions concerning the privileged of our society vs. those who are not. I know I am a resounding gong, but not having the conversation about privilege and those who are not, is why such issues are becoming the problems that they are. It is so very easy to not discuss the issues of the privileged vs those who are not, because then we do not have to face our own issues with those who are different from ourselves. The issues around race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, health, wealth, religion, language, challenge and the like, and the reasons society and the Church do not handle them well, has a lot to do with what we are not talking about.
Let me write about why I have a problem with the statement: "If Islam is a religion of peace, let the Muslims move the Mosque to another location to keep the peace." Christianity is also about making peace. Yeah, Yeah, I know this past weekend we heard Jesus say in Luke 12: 49-56 "Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" What is taking place over the issue of this Mosque is just such an example that Christianity can be divisive, especially when Christians fail to take the opportunity to work towards peace. Muslims have been persecuted and denigrated by Christians for centuries. The Christian Church still has the Crusades in our history. The Christian Tradition has a sad history of supersessionism. Supersessionism is the idea that Christianity is an superior religion and all other religions are suppose to succeed to Christianity. This attitude has been used to justify so much violence towards Muslims, Jewish people, and other religions, as well as women, LGBTQ, African Americans, Native Indian and many more. In attempting to reconcile these differences the burden to make peace is on the religion that has been waging the violence, not the religion that has been experiencing the violence. Given that the founder of the Christian religion, Jesus Christ said: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" Christians should be more eager to work towards peace with the religion of Islam, and not placing the responsibility of being "first peacemakers" upon the Muslims. That is wrong.
I think Conservatives are wrong on this one. There were Muslims as well as Americans and Christians who were killed in the attacks on September 11, 2001. The terrorist attacks took the lives of so many different communities of people, that we should all be supporting each other in our grieving and healing. Not looking for ways to shut and keep each other out. A Muslim Mosque a few blocks from ground zero would be such an opportunity to make some peace. But to make that peace means facing our prejudices to get there. It means facing the hate we all still feel towards who ever caused the terrible events that happened on September 11th and being willing to admit that it was not the Muslims that caused the events to happen. It was religious and political extremism that caused the deaths of over 10,000 people, American, Christian, Muslim, LGBTQ, and so many more. Allowing a Muslim Mosque a few blocks from ground zero would be a sign that all of the many factions that were part of what happened at the World Trade Center, are beginning to make peace with each other by having some honest conversations about whatever biases we all have. That is why this issue is so blown up. We do not want to have those conversations. We would rather debate keeping people apart, our prejudices deep inside and not even discuss the issue of privilege vs the non-privileged.
The discussion of privilege and the non-privileged that we as Americans and Christians are unwilling to have affects not only the relationship between Christians and Muslims, but also the relationships between Christians and LGBTQ people. Those who are privileged to be heterosexual right wing Christians, do not want to discuss the advancement of the rights of those who are considered underprivileged because we are LGBTQ, progressive and still Christian or any other religion. The conversation we need to have about privilege and the non-privileged is the same conversation that is needed over the controversial subjects of immigration, race, class status, health care, Wall Street reform, the reform of corporations not having the same rights as individuals when it comes to spending money on national elections, caring for the challenged and elderly through Social Security and Medicare. All of these issues are about those who are so privileged to be able to make such decisions verses those who are so underprivileged of living with the decisions the privileged make about those who are not. That is why the burden of making peace first is on Christians, not on those whom Christians have and in many cases continue to violate in one fashion or another.
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of this redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 15, Book of Common Prayer, Page 232).
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, Page 815).
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (Prayer for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, 815)
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