September 1, 2010

Freedom of Religion and the Ground Zero Mosque

MANY PEOPLE believe the question of whether the Ground Zero mosque ought to be allowed or not is a very simple question. This is America and we have a guaranteed freedom of religion. But as I was explaining to someone, this is not as simple as it seems. Here are the facts:

1. The First Ammendment guarantees freedom of religion.

2. Islam is legally considered a religion.

3. A fundamental part of Islam is the political goal of bringing every person on earth under the rule of Islamic law (Sharia).

4. That political goal, and the way this goal is pursued in most mosques in the United States, falls under the definition of sedition.

5. Sedition is illegal.

So which law should we follow? Should freedom of religion be protected? Or should sedition laws trump that right? Which is more important, freedom of religion or the survival of a government that guarantees freedom of religion?

If we had to choose, which would we choose? If we didn't have to choose, what alternatives could we pursue? Monitoring mosques? Does that violate the freedom of religion?

I believe in freedom of religion. But what do we do with a political ideology that promotes the sabotage of our government? Should a political ideology that encourages sedition be protected by the freedom of religion?

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