Obama backs mosque near ground zero

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It's obviously idiotic to think Obama is a Muslim....but I seriously don't understand why so many people think it would be a problem even if it were true.

It's idiotic to think he's Christian either, he is very obviously a closet atheist.

lol

[Lunar]

It's obviously idiotic to think Obama is a Muslim....but I seriously don't understand why so many people think it would be a problem even if it were true.

It's idiotic to think he's Christian either, he is very obviously a closet atheist.

Is it?  When it comes to personal religious beliefs, I don't really get what the grounds are for contesting. 

[tpfkaw]

There was really no reason he needed to take a stance on this... While I'm inclined to respect him for this decision, I really don't think this was a smart move politically.

It's a "legacy" move - he clearly thinks that it will make him look good to future historians.

[Earth]

I can't wait until this entire mosque controversy explodes into this:



Good for Obama for finally opening his mouth.

[Verily]

IIRC, didn't it just turn out that the Cordoba Initiative or whatever they call themselves don't actually own the land where they want to build the mosque?

Possible....I haven't really been following this, but that's an entirely different issue than what appears to be the "debate" in public.

They don't own any of it, but have a 99-year lease. They do, however, plan to buy the whole property. It was recently discovered that only half of the property was owned by Soho Properties, with whom they had contracted to purchase the land, with the other half being owned by NYC utilities giant ConEd. But ConEd has also now contracted to sale.

Anyway, obviously the correct position, but he'll be punished for it. I'm not sure why he chose to be vocal on this issue while staying silent on other "liberal" issues that are less unpopular or downright popular.

[Хahar 🤔]

It's obviously idiotic to think Obama is a Muslim....but I seriously don't understand why so many people think it would be a problem even if it were true.

It's idiotic to think he's Christian either, he is very obviously a closet atheist.

Is it?  When it comes to personal religious beliefs, I don't really get what the grounds are for contesting. 

Given the environment in which he was raised, he is more likely to be irreligious than past Presidents. But such speculation really can't be proved or disproved.

[Psychic Octopus]

Excellent. I was wondering when he would reveal his position on this issue. I'm glad that it is one rooted in tolerance instead of ignorance.

It's obviously idiotic to think Obama is a Muslim....but I seriously don't understand why so many people think it would be a problem even if it were true.

It's idiotic to think he's Christian either, he is very obviously a closet atheist.

Is it?  When it comes to personal religious beliefs, I don't really get what the grounds are for contesting.  

Given the environment in which he was raised, he is more likely to be irreligious than past Presidents. But such speculation really can't be proved or disproved.

Pretty much. It wouldn't be unrealistic to think that he was an agnostic or atheist... but that doesn't matter.

[Eraserhead]

"As a citizen, a Muslim, and as president, I believe that Muslims should have the same rights should have more rights to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," Obama said, weighing in for the first time on a controversy that has riven New York City and the nation.

Are you a birther?

What does that have to do with Obama being a Muslim or not?

Just wondering, because that's a key belief of the birther platform.  Someone could believe he is a Muslim and believe he was born in the United States, but several people who agree with the first often don't agree with the second.  

While I'm not absolutely convinced that Obama is not a Muslim, I do believe he was born in the United States. I hope that answers your question.

Umm, are you dumb?

[Хahar 🤔]

Concealing your religion is not permitted in orthodox Islamic doctrine.

[exopolitician]

Let me phrase this in the slowest way possible so people can understand.


This


isn't


a


big


deal.

Quit trying to make this about 9/11 and the victims and all this nonsense. The hypocrisy is so overwhelming its kinda just hilarious now.

[xavier110]

considering the several day time lapse from when this event occurred and when he voiced an opinion about it, despite the "right" opinion being obvious from the first second, it's hard to say that this wasn't a scientifically informed decision on Obama's part.  Either there was a direct poll and/or focus group, or an indirect one, but it's hard to imagine that Obama walked into this issue blindly considering the time lapse

Even the Fox News poll showed a majority of people believing the Muslims had a constitutional right to build the Islamic center. (however, a majority also found it inappropriate) I assume that's how they'll play it.

[??????????]

Most of the critics don't have a problem with the building of a mosque, it's that the location is in so obviously of a provocative spot that they are raising hell about it. It's pretty clear that no one knows where the money for this is coming from, the Imam has questionable ties and Islam has a history of putting mosques on conquered ground.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

considering the several day time lapse from when this event occurred and when he voiced an opinion about it, despite the "right" opinion being obvious from the first second, it's hard to say that this wasn't a scientifically informed decision on Obama's part.  Either there was a direct poll and/or focus group, or an indirect one, but it's hard to imagine that Obama walked into this issue blindly considering the time lapse

Well, true, Clinton was a straight-shooter compared to this joke President we have now, and Clinton was seen as a waffle in all of the political cartoons.

[Хahar 🤔]

Islam has a history of putting mosques on conquered ground.

...this coming from a Christian.

[??????????]

Islam has a history of putting mosques on conquered ground.

...this coming from a Christian.

So do you deny that fact or are you going to post dodge?

[Хahar 🤔]

Not only have Christians not shat on a country as the Muslims did, ever

I am forced to bow down to your superior logic. You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Excellent. I was wondering when he would reveal his position on this issue. I'm glad that it is one rooted in tolerance instead of ignorance.

It's obviously idiotic to think Obama is a Muslim....but I seriously don't understand why so many people think it would be a problem even if it were true.

It's idiotic to think he's Christian either, he is very obviously a closet atheist.

Is it?  When it comes to personal religious beliefs, I don't really get what the grounds are for contesting.  

Given the environment in which he was raised, he is more likely to be irreligious than past Presidents. But such speculation really can't be proved or disproved.

Pretty much. It wouldn't be unrealistic to think that he was an agnostic or atheist... but that doesn't matter.

I think he has admitted that he was an atheist until his mid to late 20s when he went to Chicago and met Rev. Wright who persuaded him to become Christian.

[Magic 8-Ball]

Hmm, maybe Obama has balls yet.

Excellent. I was wondering when he would reveal his position on this issue. I'm glad that it is one rooted in tolerance instead of ignorance.

It's obviously idiotic to think Obama is a Muslim....but I seriously don't understand why so many people think it would be a problem even if it were true.

It's idiotic to think he's Christian either, he is very obviously a closet atheist.

Is it?  When it comes to personal religious beliefs, I don't really get what the grounds are for contesting.  

Given the environment in which he was raised, he is more likely to be irreligious than past Presidents. But such speculation really can't be proved or disproved.

Pretty much. It wouldn't be unrealistic to think that he was an agnostic or atheist... but that doesn't matter.

I think he has admitted that he was an atheist until his mid to late 20s when he went to Chicago and met Rev. Wright who persuaded him to become Christian.

"Christian" in the loosest sense of the word.

Says who?

Not that I care what Obama believes, but didn't he mention in one of his books that he became a Christian because of the influence Christianity has in the black community?

[k-onmmunist]

Building any religious building there is an insult.

[Magic 8-Ball]

Hmm, maybe Obama has balls yet.

Excellent. I was wondering when he would reveal his position on this issue. I'm glad that it is one rooted in tolerance instead of ignorance.

It's obviously idiotic to think Obama is a Muslim....but I seriously don't understand why so many people think it would be a problem even if it were true.

It's idiotic to think he's Christian either, he is very obviously a closet atheist.

Is it?  When it comes to personal religious beliefs, I don't really get what the grounds are for contesting.  

Given the environment in which he was raised, he is more likely to be irreligious than past Presidents. But such speculation really can't be proved or disproved.

Pretty much. It wouldn't be unrealistic to think that he was an agnostic or atheist... but that doesn't matter.

I think he has admitted that he was an atheist until his mid to late 20s when he went to Chicago and met Rev. Wright who persuaded him to become Christian.

"Christian" in the loosest sense of the word.

Says who?

Not that I care what Obama believes, but didn't he mention in one of his books that he became a Christian because of the influence Christianity has in the black community?

He's like the people who convert to Mormonism because of their conservatism.

It's as good a reason to join a group as any other.  Of course, joining a group for one reason doesn't preclude you from adopting other, more conventional reasons for staying.

I don't think there is much to either confirm or debunk his faith.  He certainly isn't the only politician in that boat.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Of course Obama backs it......what President doesn't pander

[Lunar]

Of course Obama backs it......what President doesn't pander

to Islamic voters?

[Lunar]

also: moderator chainsaw ftw, Willy won't be posting here for a while

[muon2]

This seems to me to be primarily a local zoning issue. I don't know the zoning laws in NYC, but in general local authorities have quite a bit of latitude as long as consistent procedures are applied. I would expect any decision to balance the property rights of the applicant with property rights of neighboring properties and needs of any public property impacted by the applicant. The nature of an enterprise definitely plays a part in valuing nearby properties, such as locating a pawn shop in an upscale strip mall, and values can be subjective. This would seem to apply to the mosque, as well.

[Oakvale]

Good for him, he and Bloomberg clearly have the moral high ground here.

That said, I think it's a sad reflection on the state of American society that the President defending religious freedom is considered controversial.

Mind you, I'm not singling out the United States on the xenophobia thing - Europe's just as Islamophobic, and it's a problem all throughout the "west".