By Tricia Pursell
The Daily Item
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PAXINOS — The 19 Muslims who hijacked four jets, flying two of them into the World Trade Center in New York, a third into the Pentagon and the fourth into a field in Shanksville, created one thing: virulent animosity toward Islam among some Americans.
“I think there’s so much hatred that has occurred since Sept. 11,” said Aron Carter, of Elysburg.
That hatred may have been stoked with news of the proposed mosque to be built near the former World Trade Center site, where a majority of the 3,000 people who died on that date perished.
Carter wants Valley residents to confront their emotions and express their opinions.
He will moderate a townhall-style public meeting about the proposed mosque at 6:30 p.m Sept. 18 at Clark’s Grove United Methodist Church, Irish Valley Road, Paxinos.
“I hope Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Shieks ... atheists — I hope they all come, because I still think this is a very teachable moment for our community,” said Carter, who will referee the discussion, “Teachable Moment in Faith: Park 51: To Be or Not to Be?”
This discussion will allow everyone to “get all the cards out on the table,” Carter said.
Added Susan J. Roehs, pastor of the church that is attended by 75 to 90 people each week: “We need to research all sides of a news story, not just depend on the news media to give us our opinions. In other words, people need to think and decide issues on their own.”
A lot of misinformation has been presented, Carter said. Too often people are afraid or don’t understand an issue, so they immediately think that issue is bad.
“If you don’t face fear,” he said, “nothing will ever change. You will still have these same, unfounded beliefs about religion and creed. I think reconciliation requires you to get outside of your comfort zone.”
He hopes people will come together in a non-emotional and adult manner to discuss this issue that has caused passionate debates and demonstrations on both sides throughout the nation.
Personally, Carter said, “I don’t think there’s a fair justice that is being given to this project.”
“If we believe in freedom of religion,” Roehs said, “then we need to accept that all recognized religions are free to choose where they build their houses of worship, and we cannot ask the government to intervene to stop a building if all codes and requirements are met.”
Carter realizes that there may be some people who may be upset with him, or the church, because they are hosting such an event.
But it’s not about him, and it’s not about the church, he said.
“We’re not out trying to sell anything,” he said. “We’re trying to open this up for the community at large.”
In fact, speaking with people of other beliefs and experiences may cause him to change his mind on the issue, he added.
Believing there shouldn’t be a problem with people becoming to rowdy or things getting out of hand as opinions and thoughts are shared, Carter said if that does happen, the discussion will stop, and Roehs will lead the group in prayer.
The goal of the discussion, Roehs said, while Christians must seek God’s will on this issue, is to “remind people that God loves everyone. All people are of value to Him and we need to respond to others, whoever they are, as beloved children of God.”
A poll by Quinnipiac University, of 1,497 registered voters from Aug. 23 to 29, last week showed that New Yorkers by 71 percent to 21 percent said the Muslim group should move its planned center somewhere away from near the site of the former World Trade Center. Though they agreed 54 to 40 percent that the group has the right to build the mosque, 53 to 39 percent believed the mosque should not be at the site “because of the sensitivities of 9/11 relatives.”
Muslim leaders last week also responded to verbal attacks aimed at Islam and its followers amid the Islamic center plans, labeling them “un-American.”
U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, a 20-term Harlem Democrat, described the attacks as “beneath New Yorkers.”
-- E-mail comments to tpursell@dailyitem.com
