alt.education

Is “American” a Synonym for “Christian”? Sheila Musaji
http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/is_american_a_synonym_for_christian1/0016054

Posted Mar 31, 2008

Is “American” a Synonym for “Christian”?

by Sheila Musaji

Cenk Uygur recently posted an article about a you tube series by The Young
Turks. In his article “Muslims are 100% American”
http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2007/12/19/muslims-are-100-american/
he pointed out that:

“Whenever right-wing politicians start pulling the “this is a Christian
nation” stuff on us, I cringe. They’re not saying this is a predominantly
Christian country; they’re saying being American is somehow integrally
connected to being a Christian. And that flat out isn’t true. Read the
constitution.

Did you know that America was the first secular country in the world? We
were the first country to say specifically that we are not ruled by any
religion. So, when the Christian right try to turn that logic on its head,
they are actually being as un-American as you can possibly be.

Whether the right-wing likes it or not, a Muslim American named Mohamed
Abdullah is just as American as any Southern Baptist named George Thompson.
I know that drives them crazy, but Christians don’t own this place. They
need to stop treating the rest of us as renters.”

and, he suggested that his readers view a Young Turks video “What if Muslim
ran an ad?”

He makes excellent points but as is often the case, the comments left on
his site were even more revealing:

Ignoring the predictable hateful comments like: “muzzslimes are free to
pack their camels and leave anytime they want... (comment #13). Others
actually raise dialogue issues:

"Where Muslims are in the majority they do not tolerate any other religion
or life style that does not conform to their beliefs or customs. Saudi
Arabia is a good example.Try to go there and propose building a church,a
synagogue or even a Shia Mosque in a Sunni area. Why should a religion that
preaches zero tolerance be tolerated in our society? Where Islamic Law is
in force freedom ceases to exist. I have never heard a right wing Christian
propose the establishment of a body of religious police to enforce their
beliefs and lifestyle on everyone else. Perhaps Muslims in the West are
more moderate in their views but knowing what transpires in Muslim nations
around the world it would be naive to not be at least a little suspicious
of their true motives." (comment #1)

In this comment and many others, there are a lot of “facts” stated as if
everyone knows them to be true. Saudi Arabia is not a “typical” Muslim
country, and the customs and laws of Saudi Arabia are representative only
of their own culture and incredibly narrow minded interpretation of Islam.

And, unless American Christians are to be held responsible for every
country on earth with a Christian majority (for example Rwanda and Bosnia),
then it is a little hypocritical to think that American Muslims have any
control over what goes on in other countries. Like any other American I
may have an opinion about events in other countries and may even work to
make that opinion know, but I have no control. I am not responsible for
what happens in other countries, and whether or not there are injustices in
other countries why should that make it necessary for Americans to commit
the same injustices in order to even the score. I am an American citizen
and a Muslim - and I have the right under the constitution to practice my
religion (as does everyone else of every faith). If some countries do not
give the same rights to others, shame on them, but to think that this would
justify removing my rights is nonsense.

Even in the case of a country like Saudi Arabia about which I have a
negative opinion of their legal system, government system and many customs
claimed to be Islamic, I nevertheless make a distinction between ordinary
Saudi’s and their government.

As an American who has been fortunate to be able to travel, I have heard
the statement in every country I have visited: “I don’t approve of your
governments’ foreign policy but I like American people.” Having also
visited Saudi Arabia for Hajj and met many Saudis, I know that this
distinction holds true as much for Saudis as for Americans.

There are South American dictatorships with nasty policies. There are
ruthless tyrants in countries with a majority Christian population. The
Rwandan and Bosnian genocides were carried out by Christians, and in Rwanda
some clergy have even been convicted of participating in the genocide. This
does not reflect on all Christians.

"I am an Orthodox Christian priest, so please spare me the “godless
liberal” comments. The ONLY protection that we,as Christians, have is the
absolute separation of Church and State and the government neutrality
towards religion --- neither approving it nor disapproving it --- whatever
that religion may be. The reason this is essential for Christians as well
as Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus, Zoroastrians, and atheists or
agnostics is very simple. There is NO “Christian religion.” There are many
different interpretatons of Christianity and many Christian sects. If we
call America a “Christian nation,” and begin to behave as a “Christian
nation,” which sect’s belief system are we going to follow? Do we put icons
in every classroom? How about a crucifix? Are 7th Day Adventists Christian?
What about Mormons? How about Roman Catholics? Presbyterians? Who is to
say? Inevitably, making Christianity a state religion winds up with one
sect’s beliefs being the state religion. So we won’t wind up with a
“Christian nation,” but, rather, a Presbyterian nation or a Catholic nation
or a Jehovah’s Witness nation, or whatever. And Christians might not always
BE the majority. What happens if Muslims become the majority? Or Jews? Or
Sikhs? Or Atheists? No, the only protection for all of us to freely worship
as we wish is for America to be completely neutral towards every religion,
neither favoring one nor denying another. And let’s not forget that
Muslims, Jews, etc. all pay taxes, too. WHY do the right wingnut
“Christians” insist on cramming our holidays and our beliefs down
everyone’s throat? Jesus said to go and TEACH all nations, not forcibly
“convert” them. Finally, whenever religion has been joined with the
coercive power of the State, it has resulted in absolute disaster,
persecution, bigotry and strife. God forbid we ever take down that
essential wall of separation between Church and State. The State must be
secular, the Church as a separate witness to Jesus’ love, not the hatred
and bigotry of the right wingnuts. Cenk is correct." (comment #15)

As an American Muslim, I believe that this comment is “right on”. I don’t
believe that America can be defined as anything but a secular democracy
(secular meaning neutral towards religion, not devoid of religion or
hostile to religion) in which all religions are free to worship. As soon
as we begin to define ourselves in terms of any religion we limit the
participation of others. No matter who is in the majority, they do not own
this nation, and every minority must have equal rights and status -
otherwise this will no longer be America.

***************************************************************
You are invited to check out the following:

The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm

American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm

The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html

[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]

HRSepCnS · Historical Reality SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/

***************************************************************
. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
. . .
****************************************************************
USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote

"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"

That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.

It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.

*****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
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