Freedom of Religion, Equal Rights for Christians be Damned?

by Clifford F. Thies

Among the people killed and the buildings destroyed when our country was attacked on 9-11 by Muslim terrorists, to shouts of Allah Akbar in many places in the Islamic world, was a Christian church, specifically, St. Nicholas Church of the Greek Orthodox Catholic Church. When the foreign government-financed mosque needed zoning and other permits for construction on the site of a building damaged on 9-11, New York City was forthcoming, saying "religious liberty" was involved. Yet, freedom of religion is no consideration when Christians are concerned.

The City and the Port Authority of New York have delayed the re-building of St. Nicholas Church for years, have reneged on promises made in negotiations with the church, and are in the process of using the power of emminent domain to "take" the land below the church site. The Orthodox Church has been willing, all the while, to trade the land on which the church formerly stood, for a nearby, slightly larger parcel owned by the Port Authority, so it could go ahead and rebuild St. Nicholas in a manner befitting the location, accessible to visitors to the site as well as to its parishioners.

George Demos, a Greek American, and a Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress from New York State, has called for an investigation into the entire matter, including the financing of the mosque and the bad faith of the city and the Port Authority with regard to the church.

From his campaign:

Our campaign first highlighted the tragic failure to rebuild the St. Nicholas Church that was destroyed on September 11 while at the same time plans are underway to construct a Mosque near the sacred land of Ground Zero... this unbelievable story has received national media attention and highlights the fact that our government puts roadblocks in the way of our Judeo-Christian traditions while Islamic extremists continue to provoke us.... I will do everything in my power to protect our nation from Al Qaeda and other terror groups that threaten our way of life.

With regard to freedom of religion, how could "religious liberty" be invoked when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is involved? The Kingdom opposes religious liberty 100 percent and, until recently, has even avoided condemning Muslim terrorism against non-Muslims. The imam for its ground zero mosque said, following 9-11, the United States was an "accessory" to the attack, and yet has not condemned Muslim terrorist groups saying that his role is not to criticise his co-religionists. The ass-kissers at the State Department may have to put up with this kind of bull shit, but we, as a nation, don't. We, as a nation, can demand reciprocity. Freedom of religion, here, for Saudi-financed mosques and imams, in return for relaxation of restrictions of the free exercise of religion in the Kingdom (outside the viciinity of the holy places for which the King is guardian). Recognizing the delicacies that would be involved, initial, small steps in relaxing these restrictions should be acceptable. We are happy for the recent, more forthright ruling by the Saudi scholars on terrorrism, for expanded opportunities for the free exercise of religion in numerous places in the Islamic world, and for the continuing evolution of public opinion among Muslims globally. And, we hope that the mosque at ground zero enables justice to be done for St. Nicholas Church, so that religous liberty and equal rights of all Americans is respected, including of those who are Christian.

Sources:

NYTimes, July 3, 2008, Churches troubles typify Ground Zero delays

OrthodoxNet.com George Demos: We must rebuild Orthodox Church
Aug. 3, 2010

Dr. Thies who grew up in Brooklyn, NY, is a professor of economics at Shenandoah Univ. in Virginia.