Well, according to them, all Muslims are terrorists, so it's a matter of national defense.

Kind of interesting logic, though. They prefer that these 'terrorists' meet clandestinely, as opposed to out in the open, in a large center, where everyone knows where they are, and knows what they are doing.

Seriously, matter of fact is that the American Muslim community is unremittingly hostile to Islamic extremists. The majority of tips against extremists come from the Islamic community itself. Smart idea pissing them off, huh?

Smaller government when it pertains to them. When it pertains to those not like them, (gays, muslims, blacks, teachers, etc..) they want as much restriction on rights as possible. I guess it makes them feel better about themselves if they get more rights than others do.

How did America get (back) to the point where blatant, institutionalized racism and discrimination is acceptable in polite society?

Seems to me we've let 9/11 turn us into "other"-phobic Neanderthals.

SO much for freedom, so much for smaller government

Isn't this 2012? Are there really still people out there that are trying to prevent people from practicing what ever kind of religion they want to? You have got to be freaking kidding me. Please Tennessee citizens, try to keep up with the evolution of our society before you get left behind with the other 3rd world populations. Unbelievable!

Yes, smaller government. Except when it comes to telling you who to love, how to plan your family, where you should worship and what history should be taught in school. Seriously, the small government conservatives have been known as hypocrites by women for years.

Just wait, its the mosques now, but it will be the churches they don't agree with later. Just look at that guy in Arizona. Zoning laws are just an excuse for religious persecution. If you don't defend the Muslim's right to his mosque, you may be wondering how this country got to the point its nailing the doors to the local Church shut.

I wonder how many Americans realize that the terrorists actually won

Think about it... we're financially broke, in part due to the wars, have next to no privacy, can get bullied by pretty much any form of authority, have lost numerous rights and most of this country is plain disgusted with the way things have changed. This country was founded on 2 prime concepts: separation of church & state and freedom of religion. Tennessee is just playing into the fears from 9/11. Idiots

Forcing a country to give up the things that give it it's identity and throwing it's people into chaos is worth more than killing any number of people. It's like murder vs rape... when you murder someone, you take a life, but when you rape someone you force them to live in constant fear

Again I say, the terrorists won

I reckon these good ole boys will fix this with an old fashion cross burning. I personally would be more afraid of the Baptists who throw snakes at each other.......

Jesus Christ....I mean.....My God ........what I'm trying to say is lets follow the Constitution and not discriminate based on Religion. I'm not a very religious person myself but I do believe everyone in American has a right to worship or not worship without me or our government getting involved. This was just wrong from the beginning and it's time to move on.

No Jon...they are not the same. You are sterotyping or profiling a group of people with different beliefs from you. You know....the same thing thousands blast anti gay people over.

And he is right...it was a victory for this country. Freedom of religion.

Someone above wrote, "isn't this 2012" Yes, It is and yes, we are still dealing with moronic people who in one breath say that they want to follow the Constitution and in the next breath don't want to allow others the freedom of religious choice. I live in this state and I am horrified by the redneck mentality.

What's with the use of the term "redneck"? I thought rednecks were referred to as cowboys, or is it now a derrogatory term for the white man? Just wondering.

Since this is Tennessee, I am somehow not surprised though. In my time living in the region, I came to appreciate that ignorance and racism are a way of life for a lot of people in Tennessee. If you are not white, "Christian" (their brand of it), and Republican, you rank lower than a dog on their scale.

I think in general, so-called "Christians" are terrified that logical thinking will prevail in the matter of freedom of religion; that we will see through their masquerade as followers of the actual teachings of Jesus (haven't seen it lately), and that Christian churches will keep losing followers and money.

Bigots are as bigots do.

Isn't this the same state that decided it would be an awesome idea to rape women with a transvaginal ultrasound before they're allowed to have an abortion? Regardless of one's opinion of abortion, this is disgusting.

Cynic,

I believe that the vaginal probing law was in Virginia, but it is the same mentality. And they can both be described as scary. Really, freaking, scary.

To some conservatives, taxes are too intrusive, but the government can invade our houses of worship and bodies? It makes no sense.

Byron Raum,

Spot-on. Thank you.

How did America get (back) to the point where blatant, institutionalized racism and discrimination is acceptable in polite society?

the answer to that question is simple. Right wing conservative extremists have turned 'anything not of the proper version of the Christian faith AND not of the proper political thinking' into the enemy. Thier bigotry and hatred is so obvious, so blatant and so pervasive that they think it's the only proper way to live/breath/think/act.

They want smaller government - unless it's something they want to prevent OR something that they want to force upon the rest of society.

They want to get government out of our lives - unless it's something they want to prevent OR something that they want to force upon the rest of society

They demand that the Constitution be followed - the letter of the intent of the original signers - unless it's something they want to prevent OR something they want to force upon the rest of society.

They demand lower government spending and less regulation unless it's going towards something that they want to prevent OR something that they want to force upon the rest of society.

And then 'it's perfectly ok, because only an un-American person wouldn't want to be forced to be/act/think/behave in the proper manner' (with proper manner being only the way that these right wing conservative extremists want to allow).

Reading the comments on this thread, I am very hopeful for our country. I hope we are in the majority and not the minority.

One fact that a lot of mosque supporters ignore is how many American mosques (and elsewhere in the west) are funded and operated by wealthy Saudi backers. "So what!" one can say, but what happens is that those fundamentalists then export and install their own favored Wahhabi extremist Imams to preach at the new mosques. Of course those preachers then inject these profoundly regressive messages into sermons and literature of the mosques, spreading the most backward and intolerant version of Islam that exists in the world among the new American Muslim flock.

So yes, unfortunately they have a right to build all these mega-mosques in America (even though very few churches or other faith-houses are allowed in many Islamic countries, and NONE in Saudi Arabia), but anyone who celebrates this process of spreading the worst kind of Islam around the world from Wahhabi central command in the Arabian Peninsula is living in a dangerous fantasy world thinking that this is a good and/or healthy thing.

Well guys, this IS Tennessee we are talking about. Anyone remember the Scopes Trial and Butler law? I can't BELIEVE this state is back with yet another try. Why would ANYONE want to live in TN????

"The terrorists are getting pretty close to home."

Yep Tim McVeigh actually lived here his entire life.

What's your point again?

FormerMarineSgt

Nice job!

Corgis, just what bastion of liberty do you live in?

Look on the bright side. First, the Tennessee tea party will be very happy because the judge is following that pesky old U.S. Constitution, like they want, second, the Tennessee red necks will have a whole new class of people to hate, the Tennessee judges, and finally, President Obama will have a great new place to worship when he visits this part of Tennessee on the campaign trail, see, everybody wins, isn't America great!!!

Being a conservative, I do believe the initial stoppage and ruling were against our US Constitution, specifically the 1st amendment. It is not the conservatives who would be agains the building of the mosque, it is the religious zealots who would be against it.

Ah, how quick people are to condemn the state of Tennessee, when the same thing has been going on in the middle of NYC, the great city of acceptance (blank stare)...I live in memphis and the church I go too called Heartsong...when all this started in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and NYC, we were having Thanksgiving Dinner with our Muslim Neighbors. They used our church for the prayer services until their Mosque was finsihed being built and we are in the procress of building a "Friendship Park" that will connect our two properties and have regular picnics and parties together. Odd how a little church in the deep south "Gets it" and the rest of the country has to play catch up. Members of the US state department as well as members of international press corps have been to our church while no one of our own National press have said a single word of the work we are trying to do for the sake of peace and friendship.

Adam, this is different from Catholicism how?

President Obama will have a great new place to worship when he visits this part of Tennessee on the campaign trail

*sigh* He's not Muslim (remember that Church he went to with Rev. Jerimiah "God Damn America" Wright), and given his policies, it wouldn't matter if he was.

motoricker - why did this have to go to Federal Court if it was just a small group of anti-Islamic nutcases?

why don't the republicans just abolish the first amendment(they don't believe it anyway) and since they want all the money concentrated in the hands of a few , why don't they work to appoint a king(instead of this nasty democracy ) i know they would feel so much better(and after all isn't that the most important goal?)

(even though very few churches or other faith-houses are allowed in many Islamic countries

Adam ... that's the GREAT thing about the U.S. We aren't LIKE those Islamic countries to which you refer. (Even though many ultra conservative religious people would LIKE to institute their version of religions law).

Our Constitution makes us different and, I for one, like it that way. I don't want ANYONE'S religious law imposed ... Islamic, Jewish, Christian or Zoastic!

Right on Beth! I don't WANT to have the US turn into a Christian Version of Saudi Arabia. If you want that, move to the Vatican City.

Our Governor is being sanctioned by the GOP because he isn't being "conservative" enough because he hired a lesbian and a muslim...what does that tell you about conservative??? Some guy earlier in the thread said it had nothing to do with conservative republicans...I live in TN and they are sanctioning the Governor because of the sex and/or religion of the people he believe can do the best job? Don't tell me that it has nothing to do with the Republicans...the GOP is doing this...Redneck is the term I use and will continue to use and I live here. I would rather live somewhere else and I am working to do that. Scary people here...not all, but many.

From Enough-2735007:

Adam, this is different from Catholicism how?

Are you suggesting that Islam and Catholicism are the same? Maybe 700 years ago if that's still relevant which I doubt. I know a lot of people here would rather talk about anything but Islam, but Islam really is the topic at hand. Do we really want to celebrate the importation and spread of the worst version of Islam from Saudi Arabia all across the world, including America, and just sit and congratulate ourselves for being so liberally tolerant and broadminded for doing so?

p.s. I need to go for now but will check back later for those interested in discussing further.

Diver - because what you said sounded far fetched, I had to look up what is being done. You condem the GOP like it was all of the GOP.

According to an article today in The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), it is supposedly a group of 10 or 12 activists who are requesting sanctions.

By using your reasoning, we could have said that Democrats ordered Joe Liebermann out of the party when it was actually his choice.

Half truths will get exposed.

People in TN are really backwards, especially those in Rutherford Country. Because so many are uneducated, they don't realize that people have freedom of religion in this country as a constitutional right. They also don't understand the difference between extremists and Muslims. But perhaps they are interpreting Islam in the same way they interpret the worst of Christianity.

I tutor a woman who came here with her family from Iraq a few years ago. Her husband helped the U.S. during its invasion of her country. Listening to her story, I can't imagine having to live a life like hers--having to flee from Sadaam, first to Vienna, then to Kuwait, back to Bagdad, then to Syria. Highly educated, her family lost everything, then her husband died soon after they finally got to come to the U.S. It's so hateful here that she envies her sister who escaped Syria recently to go to Canada, where the people are more like people and not like mouth-frothing lunatics who at best ignore her because she wears a scarf.

We must wonder why so many people hate others they don't even know. I'm not a religious person, which is probably why I happen to like people and their cultures.

Sadaam Hussein had nothing to do with Islam--he was crazy. We killed and displaced hundreds of thousands of good people for NOTHING and didn't even have the courage to take out the mastermind of 9/11. The world must think we are truly primitive and ignorant.

Diverdown, I'm with you. Tennessee is The Matrix and these people don't even want to be unplugged.

@FormerMarineSgt: They want a smaller FEDERAL government. They've given up on trying to impose their will through Federal lobbying, due to the scrutiny of the national press. So they're balkanizing the country, and investing their resources on lobbying local and state governments instead. Nobody cares about anything going on in the state next door, so they dismiss the local looniness as an exception, whereas in reality it is part of an organized effort. Why else, again, would three states simultaneously introduce vaginal ultrasound legislation?

This pattern emerges over and over again: the lobbyists have learned how to focus their efforts on 50 targets, not one. So the Feds are left in de facto gridlock and the states are individually corrupted. Legislatures, school boards, and state Board of Education are their targets.

Citing acts of vandalism, arson and a bomb threat against the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro

Ohhhh the irony from the Christian Taliban, really, a bomb threat ?

I wish all these believers in the pie in the sky master would just go away and stop worshiping invisibility and start dealing with the visible stuff like grown ass people. And idiots, you live in a country that was based on religious freedom, not a redneck wet dream.

Half truths??? Ok, sorry, NOT ALL OF THE GOP...but really, can you explain the difference? It is the same mentality. Didn't mean to step on any toes. ScottW714, ironic isn't it? Actually, disgusting is the word I choose. These people just want a place to worship. They are not trying to turn the country into another Saudi Arabia...There are extreme fundamental christians that I find just as frightening as Al Qaida...There are crazy people in every religion and in every state. That's just the way it is.

RW, I was incorrect to blame the entire state. Just seems your legislature has some kind of odd bent on forcing the govt into the personal lives and education of the state populace, yet preaches small govt all the time. The first judge was SO wrong and I'm glad the Fed Judge called him out.

Hjack, I live in Arkansas where a past Republican Gov tried to pass a similar law as TN now has on creationism. Well, he didn't read the law, but professed it was proper and signed it into law. He was run off the next election and forever remembered with a banana in his mouth.

Islam and Judaism come from the same person, ABRAHAM. The Quran has the first five books that the Bible has...so, really...research this stuff. Isaac and Ishmael both came from Abraham. Isaac from Sara and Ishmael from Haggar...the hand maid...before Sara could have children. It is all in both books. What was the argument again?

Byron Ryum:

I half agree with you.

YES, MANY Muslims dislike the fundamentalists, but, if you think that the number of Muslims who live in the U.S. and hate the U.S. are limited to those few who would actually use violence, you are heavy on political correctness, and heavier on naivete'.

While those who would do violence to us number few, the fact is that when you pain a circle around them of Muslims who Finance, aid, and abet them, the circle grows MUCH bigger. ADD to that the circle of those who , in private, pump their fists when violence claims lives, and the circle is bigger still.

The FEAR of Tennesseans, is that Mosques have played a HUGE role in the ability of Muslims to congregate and share their hate. This FACT cannot be denied.

NOT that I am advocating limitations on mosques OR Muslim - I AM NOT ! I am just saying that the BASIS of the fears in Tenn. are NOT completely groundless.

@TNRebel

I used to live in Greeenville, Tennessee. You are correct in that NOT EVERYONE I knew there was an uneducated racist loser. Much the same way that not everyone who lives in New York City is a rude cold-hearted jerk. However, generally speaking, in both cases there is a higher concentration in the area that adds some grain of truth to the stereotype. Tennessee was the birthplace of the KKK and as of when I left there was still an active chapter in the county. There were still people who thought interracial marriage was a sin, people who flew a rebel flag on their house, and threatened to shoot any n*****s that trespassed in their yard.

That being said, I now live in Philadelphia. While people are more polite about their racism, it still exists very strongly. If someone decided to build a Mosque in South Philly, the poorly educated inner city white people would do everything in their power to block it. "Yuz guys don't want no f****** terrorists building a mosque here, do you?" Not sure how the black muslims in the city would react to it though - Islam in the Middle East and Islam in the black inner city is a different ballgame entirely.

While we are on the topic, has anyone seen the 1999 movie "The Siege"? In some ways, it was very prophetic of what lay ahead.

@Tom,

There have been plenty of Jewish suicide bombers. They were the ones who started the terrorism in the Middle East trying to drive out the British. Google "king david hotel bombing" to see just one example. For centuries, disputes involving children, marriage and business have been decided by rabbinical courts called beth dins, which do not report their findings to the secular authorities, even when they judge someone guilty.

When was the last time you heard these Muslims declare a Holy War against the West? When was the time you heard a Tennessee Iman say Death to the infidels?

These Christians aren't afraid of these Muslims - they have no reason for fear. What it is is hatred, plain and simple.

Tom-1921301-1921301 - I doubt that would be the case, Michael. They wouldn't have cared about a synagogue going up.

Ummmm......sounds like you know nothing about southern history. A few decades ago Jews were treated in much the same way.

Byron....right on. This is plain and simple hate at it worst. And that judge that blocked the mosque needs to be removed from office.

When was the last time a Muslim country invaded the United States.

And the so-called Christians wonder why their religion is becomming a dirty word.

The KKK has done a number of synagogue bombings. Here's just two of many:

- September 1967, the KKK bombed the Temple Beth Israel in Jackson, MS.

- May 1968, the same KKK group bombed Temple Beth Israel in Meridian, MS.

Sounds like the Southern Baptists in Tennessee today have the exact same values as the Southern Baptists in Mississippi 40 years ago.

KKK and Christian fundamentalists are cut from the same cloth, or sheet.

Yeah, Michael. Those Jewish Radicals really did knock down those towers.

KKK and Christian fundamentalists are cut from the same cloth, or sheet.

You mean they grew up in the same hood?

@ Another Tom

You ask what law he missed? How about this one?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

When was the last the Jewish Navy and Air Force attacked America. Read about what happen the USS Liberty during the Israeli Six Day War!! The USS Liberty incident was an attack on a United States Navy technical research ship, USS Liberty, by Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft and Israeli Navy torpedo boats, on June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War.^[2] The combined air and sea attack killed 34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two Marines, and one civilian), wounded 170 crew members, and severely damaged the ship.^[3] At the time, the ship was in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula, about 25.5 nmi (29.3 mi; 47.2 km) northwest from the Egyptian city of El Arish.^[1][4]

To those who keep bringing up the King David incident, remember a few truths:

1. The Palestinian Jews warned the British of the impending attack. The British chose to ignore the warnings;
2. The British were aiding and abetting the Palestinian Arabs in their efforts to make Palestine Jew-free;
3. 77% of the land that was the original British Mandate had already been given to the Palestinian Arabs. It became known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

But let's not let a small think like THE TRUTH get in the way of Jew-bashing.

Michael, nice attempt at being an apologist for terrorists who killed people.

You'd fit right in with the KKK in Tennessee.

Michael-267231-

maybe what you need to recall is the fact that 99% of the Jews who were agitating against the British in 1948 were foreign born and many of them had emigrated to the Palestine illegally. there was a very important reason that the British were trying to help the Palestinian Arabs create a Jew-free kingdom. what is that? it is because that region had been 99% Jew free for nearly 1800 years at that point. that is one thousand eight hundred years with a very tiny minority of Jewish residents. the people of the Palestine were in danger of being forced out of their homes and lands by a foreign people who made no secret of their intention to deny citizenship to any non-Jew who remained in the land that they were attempting to seize. which is precisely what they did when they were able to force the United Nations to recognize their specious land claim and acknowledge them as a nation, sparking the last 70 years of Middle Eastern turmoil. and all of this was sparked by European guilt about the Holocaust coupled with a desire to be rid of the Jews for real by giving them a place they would (hopefully) all choose to move to.

somehow, I suspect that if all of the American Indians who remained in this country got the backing of the United Nations to strip all non-Indians in the United States of their citizenship and property rights, and turned us into a 'non-people' in 'our own' country, based on their historic land claims, that we would be pretty angry and do everything we could to fight this unfair action. why does anyone expect the Arabs do be any different?

Allie22, perhaps you should recall that the Jews agitating the British had bought the land from the Turkish landowners before the British Mandate had been established. This was back starting in the 1870's and 1880's.

You ask: "that the British were trying to help the Palestinian Arabs create a Jew-free kingdom, what is that?" The answer: the British hated the Jews. The White Paper of 1939 condemned 6 million Jews to Europe who could have escaped. The British have had an anti-Jewish bias since the 11th or 12th century with the "Baby Hugh" incident.

Remember, the British had already set up a Jew-free kingdom in the Mandate Area - the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Truth, not facts. Also, you might want to check the Sykes-Picot Agreement, where the British and the French didn't want to help the Jews, even the ones who were there, and wanted to get rid of them, simply put.

I could say more, but I have a feeling you don't really care about the history or the truth or the facts.

@Michael,

1) Israelis no longer claim that the British were warned. They now acknowledge that they called the hotel switchboard but that they had been copnducting a campaign of false bomb warnings so the person answering told that they they ignore all bomb threat calls.

2) Yes, the British did favor the Arabs. But this was because the Arabs were the legal citizens and Palestine was the Palestine Mandate which specifically was identified as "Arab lands."

3) You don't know your regional history very well. Transjordan, now called Jordan, was pretty much the same borders as it is now since 1921. The mandate document formalzed the creation of two distinct British protectorates - Palestine, as a national home for the Jewish people under direct British rule, and Transjordan, an Emirate governed semi-autonomously from Britain under the rule of the Hashemite family. It was only adopted in mid-1922. They didn't give any land, let alone 77% of Palestine) to the Hashemites in Jordan. Jordan was already defined and semi-autonomous BEFORE the British Mandate.

Either your understanding of the regional events and history is defective or you are intentionally trying to deceive.

Actually, Chris, you're the one trying to deceive.

Transjordan was part of the British Mandate. It was 77% of the mandate. It was given to the Palestinian Arabs. The 1947 Partition vote was to give 11.5% of the original mandate to the Palestinian Jews (even though they had bought more of the land from the Ottoman Empire) and the other 11.5% to the remaining Palestinian Arabs (who wanted it all). Also, let me remind you that the Jews begged the Arabs to stay and live in peace. The Arabs, believing the propaganda from the Arab League ("We'll drive the Jews into the sea!"), chose to leave. Had they stayed, we wouldn't have all these problems today.

I actually understand the events better than you, methinks. To me, and this is my opinion, it is you who wants to help rid the world of its Jews and are willing to call those who defend themselves "terrorists" instead of the actual terrorists. And yes, I am calling you a Jew-hater.

And some more proof of your deception, Chris:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David_Hotel_bombing

I doubt that, Michael. (Post 2)

First, because Christians see the opportunity to convert Jews;

Second, there is no FEAR that Jews are going to congregate in Synagogues to discuss how to kill Americans. (NOT that every mosque does, mind you (they dont); but, you've heard MANY instances of just that with Mosques - you've NEVER heard of it in a Synagogue).

Keep your support to yourself. It's not "Tenn." you support, it's a small group of bigots who live here. There are plenty of us here who think this whole controversy was a disgusting travesty and an embarrassment to true freedom.

Your imaginary sky-friend can beat up their imaginary sky-friend?

I live in TN and I can tell you that you are wrong in thinking that the whole state supports this.

Extremists are extremists, regardless of which religion's flag they wave.

John Clemnetstone

You mean like Christians:

But that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

2 Chronicles 15.13

or try Deuteronomy 13:6-11

You obviously don't know the difference between a cult and a religion, dumbass.

If you follow your bible, death for apostasy is there too. There is a difference between doctrine, dogma and practice. There is a vast lack of education and opportunity in many of these countries. The more educated nations do not preach and practice this anymore. (see Indonesia)

Deuteronomy 13:6-9 "If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying: Let us go and worship other gods (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other, or gods of other religions), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people."

2 Chronicles 15:13 "All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman."

So what you're saying is that, although their religion has been around for thousands of years (even longer than Christianity,) it's not right for them to have their own place to worship and that they should still have to worship in the parking lot of their old building? And just because they're Islamic? That would be like me saying that you can't go to Church every Sunday because in my religion (Pagansim) we don't believe in having a Sabbath, so your Church is a fraud. Did you ever read the Old Testament? Deuteronomy: 17.5 then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman who has committed that wicked thing unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones till they die.

Wickedness could be considered "changing one's mind." Let's not forget that AMERICAN Muslims hate the fact that we have Islamic Extremists in this world that make their religion look bad. And also: most Christians outside of America hate their American counterparts.

Last I checked, excluding 9/11. most of the terrorism in America has been committed by Christians, KKK acts, Oklahoma City, countless abortion clinic attacks. Also throughout history more people have been killed under the cross that any other faith. ALL religions are cults. I fear the one most prevalent in this nation that seems to value ignorance over education.....

For those of you touting support for the Muslims, explain why three of the largest Muslim led countries in the world, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia have crowds of thousands who shout "Death to America" and who have killed many people over such a simple thing as a cartoon? Islam is not a true religion. It is a barbaric cult with a strong political agenda of world domination by force. If you are Methodist and decide to become a Baptist instead in this country, it is okay. If you are Muslim and decide to become a Baptist in a Muslim country, the penalty is death. Those are the kind of people many here are defending.

Too funny the uneducated responses...The bible, and Christianity, has been declawed by the continued assault of free-thinkers thoughout the ages...to suggest that Christians have anything like death for apostasy is, while not unexpected, not correct.

When free-thinkers attempt to declaw Islam...they get a knife in their chest (van gogh), or have to go into hiding for 10 years (rushdie)

Islam is a cult...Tenn, we support you!!
Islam -- just say NO!

Leave it to those right wing, Southern hicks to define freedom as only freedom for themselves and no one else. Guess the constitution doesn't apply in in Tennessee. (By the "mizeryschild," Islam came after Christianity, not before. Just want to clear that up - - not that it should make any difference. )

George Douglas-

Then try to prevent new mosques in those countries. The muslims here are peaceful, and just want to go to church like you or anybody else. You follow the same Bible as the crusaders but that doesnt make you evil.

Also, Miseryzchild, sorry for nitpicking, because i liked your post, but Islam began with Muhammad(born in the 6th century)

George, you're a moron with a head stuffed full of bigoted sound bites instead of "thoughts." No, these aren't the kinds of people we're supporting; we're supporting the kind of people who serve the same community as the bigots who tried to repress them; who run shops and stores and drive buses and treat patients and teach school and raise their families just like the neanderthals in their community claim to do, and built this mosque and merely want to worship in it in peace. Orthodox Jews who marry out of the faith are viciously ostracized and treated like corpses. Evangelicals who leave their churches or have children out of wedlock are routinely cold shouldered, ostracized and receive hate mail. And American Muslims are free to choose their faith as they wish, and the only instances of violence have been within "off the boat" families whose elders never got the "old country" out of their heads. Islam wouldn't work for me, but your brand of mindless, hateful, paranoid "good Christianity" sure wouldn't work for me either.

You are a idoit . What makes Islam anymore a cult then the CCatholic Church ? in fact its less as there is no Central Control

LOL John, you sound like a broken record - stuck on repeat when someone calls you out on your ignorance.

As for you, George, did you forget that this country was set on the values of religious FREEDOM? Barring someone in this country from having a right to worship (as the Tennessee Government in the city of Murfreesboro (Rutherford County) Tennessee did) is against Federal Law. If you would like to go against the US Constitution, by all means petition the court and see where it will get you. What remains now is that you're just as brainwashed as all the other radical Christians in our country.

For those of you touting support for the Muslims, explain why three of the largest Muslim led countries in the world, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia have crowds of thousands who shout "Death to America"

Because we overthrow their governments to put in place leaders of our choosing, redraw their map on our whims, and extract their natural resources without compensating them?

@johnclemnetstone,

You are confused. Islam is a RELIGION. Mormonism is a CULT.

Islam began in the 6th century AD as an offshoot of Judaism, but well after the Christian religion was starting to attract converts. Christ is specifically named in the Koran as a major prophet. He is not consider a prophet by Judaism.

Mormonism, however, was started as a separate religion disctinct from Christianity. Mormons do not accept the Nicene (Apostle's) Creed, rejecting several parts of it. The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a new religious movement or other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. Saying that Christ preached to Indians and turned them brown because they wouldn't follow him or saying that God lives on the planet Kolob are pretty bizarre, don't you think?

I live in Murfreesboro, and you can keep your "support". Most of us are embarrassed by this whole fiasco. It sinks the heart to know that this is likely coloring how the rest of the country views our town.

For those of you touting support for the Muslims, explain why three of the largest Muslim led countries in the world, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia have crowds of thousands who shout "Death to America" and who have killed many people over such a simple thing as a cartoon?

We are expressing support for Americans to worship as they like.

Islam is not a true religion.

Speaking as an atheist, I can assure you that there is no such thing as a true religion. All religions are false, including your own. To me, all your worship practices are as ridiculous as standing on one leg and hopping in a circle while waving your hands wildly in the air.

But, you can say whatever you want. Including telling the Muslims that their religion is false. Yell as much as you like. What you may not do is to stop them from practicing their religion, on their own property, lawfully and legally.

If you are Muslim and decide to become a Baptist in a Muslim country, the penalty is death. Those are the kind of people many here are defending.

No relevance. Not in this context. What someone who calls himself Muslim does in some random country has no bearing on what an American chooses to do at his or her own place of worship.

We are a nation of laws. So long as the law is obeyed, people may do whatever the heck they want.

You folks got suckered into another BASELESS, MERITLESS and ridiculous argument by a troll (John Clem). I will dive into this because I personally believe that John Smith was a charlatan and the Church of Latter day saints is a PERFECT example of a religious cult. John, how do you feel about Mormonism?

John is one of those bigots who hears something on the radio or reads it on the internet and doesn't bother to question it because it fits his belief system and doesn't force him to question ANYTHING. "Critical thinking is not critical" must be his mantra.

Oh, by the way, NO where in the Qur'an does it state a physical punishment for apostasy. Scholars and factions of Islam do believe that corporal punishment (including execution) is a proper punishment. Meanwhile the bible EXPLICITLY states that apostates are to be killed even if it is "thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend".

Ahhh, religious hypocrisy at its best.

.. explain why three of the largest Muslim led countries in the world, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia have crowds of thousands who shout "Death to America"

Perhaps our foreign policy in the region over the decades? Ya think the U.S. making Israel a nuclear power and supporting their military has anything to do with it? Or how about invading Iraq, Afghanistan and calling Iran part of an "Axis of Evil"?

If you think they "hate us for our freedom" you need to be slapped.

mizeryschild--sorry, but Islam is not in fact older than any of the other religions in the family. Judaism is very old, Christianity's about 2000 years old, and Islam is several hundred years younger than that. But other than that little factual detail, I have no particular complaint against your comment...

Stephen-3584703 (et. al.)

Yes, I realized my mistake after it was too late. Thank you for supporting my viewpoint, everyone.

Obviously Islam is a cult, and not a religion...and therefore not protected by the constitution...

If we take the wikipedia definition as "other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre" ...and we look at death for apostasy (changing ones mind)...then yes, we have a cult.

If you wish to claim that killing somebody for changing their mind is not abnormal, then your definition of what is normal would have to be pretty strange.

Islam is a cult...get over it.
Tenn. is corrrect, get rid of the Mosque.

George,

Did you miss the memo, this isn't about Iran, Pakistan, or Saudi Arabia, this is about American Citizens and their right to build a house of worship and practice a religion.

Now, are you for the government telling Americans how they can/can't pray?

John,

We don't limit protected civil rights, like the right to free practice of religion, based on Wikipedia definitions or your opinion of who fits them.

Islam is a cult, not a religion, regardless of any legal opinion.

Obviously Islam is a cult, and not a religion...and therefore not protected by the constitution...

Well, John it's good to know you've appointed yourself as the arbiter of what is or isn't a cult, and what is or isn't constitutional. Get back to us when you've been appointed to the Supreme Court, and we'll see how that works out.

@ John

Obviously Islam is a cult, not a religion, and therefore not protected by the Constitution.

So, what do you think of Moonies? Jehovah Witnesses? Snake slinging whatevers? Scientology? Or even, gasp, the religion practiced by the front runner for the Republican nomination for president? (Btw: the latter is one of the fastest growing religions in the world) Many people would consider one, if not all, of those "cults" by YOUR definition ... do you think they should not be protected by the Constitution because YOU may or may not agree with them?

(No offense to my Mormon friends, I was trying to point out how ridiculous John's comments were)

rconstant - I live in Murfreesboro, and you can keep your "support".

My condolences. This must be terribly embarrassing - especially the behavior of your county judge.

Islam and Judiasm come from the same place. Abraham!!!! Remember Abraham? He had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. The two religions split at that point, however, both religions follow Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Do the research.

@Skrekk,

Yeah this has just been unbelievable. I talk to friends and neighbors and we're all just stunned.

You know what's strange. I remember back when 9/11 happened. Our community rallied behind our ME citizens. I had Muslim friends tell me how touched they were that they felt no judgement based on the actions of a few radicals. They really felt it spoke to the spirit of our nation. It was a good feeling.

Then a few years later its like its totally cool now to be openly bigoted. What happened to us?

That's been going on for over 200 years, actually. Just ask followers of the Earth-based spiritualities. Wiccan prisoners in many a prison are NOT allowed to have space to worship, at least the Muslims ARE allowed spaces in ALL prisons. And that's as of 2012. A Christian-based group was actually at Kindergarten registration at my son's elementary school when I went to register him in April. I wonder what would happen if I asked the school and/or school board to allow ME to be there all day next year to advocate for Wiccans, Druids, Shamanistic religions and other Earth-based faiths.

Our current administration is doing their best at attacking religious liberties. So do we continue with them?

Elite,

Except you and ALL OF SCIENCE can't prove when HUMAN life begins. That's why it's the MOTHER'S choice, not the GOVERNMENT'S.

Do you see the difference? One falls under the control of the citizen, the other under the control of the government.

If we are starting to post about abortion now, here my 2 cents. I believe the life begins at the moment of conception. When the sperm and the egg touch. But I also very much believe that people should mind their own f@%$ing business. If a woman wants an abortion that is her families choice, or if alone, her's. Before protesting some poor woman's actions, adopt someone's kid that didn't choose to abort her pregnancy. What right do people have interfering with other people's lives.

I think the Lft and the Right should make a deal. The Right should stop all klilling of innocent civilians in war. Then the Left would match it in abortions converted to adoptions.

The other obvious solution would be for only a woman, and whomever she chooses to consult, should have any say in what is dont to her body, up to and including pregnancy. Post-menopausal white southern men should have absolutely no say in any woman's decisions of any kind unless she chooses to allow it.

If the Right would get off the idiocy of blocking access to BIRTH CONTROL and teaching the REAL story about how pregnancy happens to our kids, maybe there would be FEWER abortions.

I'm holding out hope for when medical science allows for transplanting an embryo into another human body. THEN the men can step forward and volunteer to carry the embryo if they're so insistent on putting their noses (and other short appendages) into a woman's uterus. How about if we FORCIBLY insert completely removable plugs in the vas deferens of pre-pubescent males and make it a public record of who and when they choose to have them removed? That would cure the unplanned pregnancy issue, wouldn't it? It would allow a woman who wanted to date a man the ability to go online and look him up in a national database to find out if he's been "unplugged" and enter into a system where for the duration of their relationship they receive text and email alerts to notify them as soon as the man decides to get unplugged. Of course, in the case of men who insist that what happens in a woman's body is their business ... they would be placed on a "do not unplug" registry whereby they would have to show proof of being married AND get their wife's PERMISSION to get unplugged.

There ... problem SOLVED. (and yes ... if you couldn't tell ... I was being sarcastic on the WHOLE vas deferens plug issue)

Exactly. Islam is not a 'real' religion? What exactly defines a 'real' religion?

Well, we (me and my neighbors) have been fighting a "makeshift" church since they decided to throw down at 2 a.m. yes we called the cops....They can still do their little snake rangling or whatever it is they do, but it just can't go down at 2 a.m.

As far as the Mosque.....DO they have all the permits? Is it up to code or according to all of you, do they get a bye for being a religion....kinda like you all voting for obamama to prove you aren't a racist. I lost friends and collegues in the 9/11 attacks. I have no sympathy for any of them. They ALL clapped and cheered as the towers fell and US citizens died.

JBMW

"I lost friends and collegues in the 9/11 attacks. I have no sympathy for any of them" How simple, or is that simple minded? Sorry your lost friends in 9/11, but that doesn't paint all of ANY religion as bad. Christians had their time too. It was called the crusades! I guess now we have to write off all of christianity.

I would vote for THAT!

journal journal

It would make me ecstatic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They ALL clapped and cheered as the towers fell and US citizens died.

ALL? You witnessed every Muslim on the planet clapping and cheering? You watched a couple of news clips of a couple of demonstrations in countries that already hated the US.

Hardly an unbiased sample.

Mark Taft: Those terrorists are the same right wing freaks that have always lived in this country.

but wouldn't that make you happy? No religion?

..then the snake charming Christians, then peaceful protests, then book clubs, then poker night with the guys.

Freedom of speech and assembly means freedom for all to do so even if I don't like them. That goes for the Tennessee chapter of the KKK, NRA members meetings, bearded ladies convention and Hillbilly grits eating contests..

Imagine no religion, yes that would make me happy, no more idiots trying to tell me how to live my life.

Christian extremists are as bad as Islamic extremists.

Christians are warmongers who have no problem sending U.S soldiers to kill kill kill

Onward Christian soldier marching unto war with the cross of Jesus something something I learned that gem in Sunday school at the ripe old age of 6

JMBW,,,you're an ignorant buffoon. ALL Muslims did not cheer when the towers fell. Only the extremists. The typcial Muslim is no different than a Lutheran, Catholic or Baptist. They worship their God and have respect for other human beings. They do not kill, they do not terrorize.

I'm guessing you do not even know any Muslims. What you know about Muslims is what you've heard on Fox News or from Rush Limbaugh... yeah, they're the voice of reason. NOT!

I feel sorry for people like you, your bigotry, hate and prejudices are burning your brain cells so quickly that you won't be able to read this. It is likely you'll be brain dead. Good riddance to bad trash.

Artsylady ?

You astound me.

What is your definition of "extremist"? ONLY those who commit the actual violence ? I dont know what YOU were watching on 9/11, but I saw THOUSANDS of ppl in Muslim countries from ALL walks of life celebrating.

Do you view the financiers of terror to be "extremists ?" How about the aiders and abettors ? If they silently pump their fists when a "ft. Hood" happens, and do nothing else, are they extremists ?

While you are feeling sorry for all the "bigots", you might want to save some of that sympathy for those who have turned to bigotry out of WELL FOUNDED "fear". Is that an excuse ? of course not - but, TRY to be as understanding to AMERICANS as you are to Muslims. This is cause and effect. Why dont you concentrate your feelings on both ?

WHAT in HELL is grenade trolling??? Sounds like somebody who takes their job a little too seriously. Ya know I've been on Newsvine for a couple of years, and I've read and made worse comments than that. I've never had the community collapse my comments, which is what I think should happen instead of having Nanny Tyler suspend my account.

But I guess some of you idiots will allow haters of the American way of life to use our own constitution to beat us over the head.

Really? Worst case scenario, that comment is MILDLY offensive. What about the one below that Tyler? According to ejfeeney:

The only terrorists I see are these ignorant hillbillies from Tenn.

Apparently people from Tenn are terrorists, ignorant and hillbillies. Sounds like somebody is not respecting others, is NOT addressing issues and arguments, and is making an obvious personal attack. What happened? Did you miss one? Or maybe it's just the ones whose views you don't agree with get deleted/suspended while those that you agree with get looked over.

And ya know what? Since I do NOT think I should leave my Constitutional rights at the Newsvine door, I STILL maintain that haters of the American way of life AND those that allow them to beat us over the head with our own Constitution, ARE IN FACT IDIOTS.

I realize that your painfully obvious psychological issues, obvious political alignments, obvious sexual orientation and obvious lack of a certain adequately sized appendage dictates that you must enter a fantasy world where you can push people around as dictator, king, and almighty ruler so that you can deal with not having a life the real world, but that's not my problem, nor anyone elses, nor should it be.

So since I know you, oh mighty Nanny Tyler King will have the last words and it will end in "you are banned", I wish to take the time now to just tell you that YOU CAN KISS MY ASS YOU MOTHER @!$%#ING PRICK.

May you enjoy many more years gaying up Newsvine world in your mom's basement.

@$$H0LE.

"This only shows bigots using laws to deny to others the same rights that they have."

The truest sentence posted on this thread. Thank you sir !

So if members of a religion that believes in sacrificing a three year old boy once a month came to your neighborhood, you would support that because they call it a religion?

it's against the law jorge. if these muslims are doing something against the law then arrest the ones who are but simply having a place for worship does not fit into that category.

George, you have crossed a line in to true paranoia. You are purposely ignoring and misunderstanding both the wording and spirit of the US constitution. I can only hope that you are in the minority and that real adults can see the difference between a religion in which people have faith, and whatever you think muslims actually are.

So if members of a religion that believes in sacrificing a three year old boy once a month came to your neighborhood, you would support that because they call it a religion?

If we were to apply your ridiculous example the Mormon Church would still be practicing polygamy.

you would support that because they call it a religion?

I've heard many Christians practice cannibalism every Sunday!

Not at all...it would depend on your definition of what a religion is.
Killing somebody for renouncing membership in a group makes that group a cult...

Thanks for playing..Next!

Somehow i doubt that these middle class Muslims in Tennessee will be hunting down members who decide not to show anymore

FrugalDemocrat -- How uniformed...no, they take them back to their home country where Sharia law is practiced, and impose the penalty THERE....anything else you don't get?

John has just outed himself as the troll he really is. I take it you're buying those plane tickets to the "home country"

"In old country, we would stone our wives... now John does that for us."

Frugal,

I hope you have Aspirin. You're going to need it.

Why are you so full of yourself John C.? You aren't that clever and actually come off as more ignorant than anything else. Just because you went to community college and read at a 5th grade reading level doesn't make you better than everyone else. You probably watch NASCAR and drive a Ford pickup truck.

Truth is, no matter how ridiculous you may think the Muslim religion is, Christianity is just as farfetched. You can't possibly believe the crap that's in the Bible without rejecting cold hard facts that were verified and peer reviewed using the scientific method. Yet somehow Christians are always pushing their agenda on the rest of us and trying to pawn it off as truth. We would all be better off if the religious extremist and fundamentalists would just go off somewhere and terrorize each other.

Not at all...it would depend on your definition of what a religion is.
Killing somebody for renouncing membership in a group makes that group a cult...

So you're saying that your definition is the only correct one, right? Just wanted to be clear on that.

not for long as the police would remove you and you would be arrested for trespassing if you came back.

Just praising God..... or in this case, Allah

on private property which means if they want you gone, you're gone or arrested.

One has to know the law you are trying to bend in your favor.

Rick, while the statement is a true understanding of the US Constitution, why would you state that a Muslim could not understand the concepts of the founding of this country as well as a Christian? For all we know, the Imam was born and raised and educated in the United States.

I don't know why I would say that, Bookem', and I didn't.

Just: In the Bible Belt? The land of Southern Baptists? They hate & fear everyone equally......

I grew up in the southeast and yet I find myself agreeing with you. Having said that, it isn't all southerners. Many in the south are liberal, progressive and independent and they feel trapped in a sea of hateful conservatism. Let's throw them a life vest at the very least.

After the next civil war, do not let southerners back into the Union. It's the way they would treat others so let's do unto them as they would do onto others.

---

hey, just because a bunch of myth believing xians don't want muzzies around don't blame the South.

Would you say the same thing about those in New York City who have voiced opposition to the mosque being built at ground zero? Didn't you see the jews in NYC screaming to go kill the muslims after 911?

plainolamerican - Would you say the same thing about those in New York City who have voiced opposition to the mosque being built at ground zero?

I would. Dumb bigots are the same everywhere, whether they live in NYC or the south.

And just an FYI - that mosque in NYC wasn't "at ground zero."

I would. Dumb bigots are the same everywhere, whether they live in NYC or the south.

---

so, you would support not letting the north back into the union after the next civil war?

And just an FYI - that mosque in NYC wasn't "at ground zero."

---

you're right ... but the exact place doesn't matter.

Nothing, but the incomplete building inspection was not the justification that the Local Yokel judge used.

The "Local Yokel judge" was over-ruled by a Federal Court.

But regardless of the courts finding, the building won't be ready by Ramadan in any case.

Or do they occupy it and comply with the building code when they desire? I sure know you or I couldn't do that with a building we build. Why should anyone else, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Atheist or any other "group" be allowed?

For the needs they could use temp porta-potty, and the fire alarm rules are actually considered minor and usually get a 60 day fixit notice... It is functional while it is still in production.

XDM,

The judge blocked it, because he claimed notice of the hearing wasn't given. The federal judge overturned it, because the first judge applied a different standard for "notice" then it does for other hearings.

It had nothing to do with occupancy requirements.

that is probably what they will do until the final touches are made on the building.

No building code issues? I love right-wing mentality, make the rules and use them to enforce a not so hidden agenda like voter suppression, and in this case religious suppression. Bible Belt? I see little difference between the Bible and the Koran, both written during a time when women had the same rights as livestock. Thank the Judge for cutting through the BS.

wje37fcsm apparently knows nothing about Christianity or its basic beliefs. Christians have the New Testament as their guide, which teaches equality, love, non-violence, honesty, etc. The Old Testament was superseded by the New Testament. In Islam, the Koran teaches to kill those that leave the Muslim religion, that all Christians and Jews must be killed, its okay to lie to further the religion, Islam must rule the world, etc. This is not about a religious freedom issue. This is really about the politically correct liberals allowing a dangerous political movement fronting as a religion to infiltrate our country and try to eventually take it over or cause death and destruction in our communities. If you want examples of how REAL Muslims live and believe look no farther than Pakistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. I am sure American girls want the threat of death when they speak to a boy who is not a relative. From the comments on this site, I suspect the same ones defending the Mosque would defend a religion that required a monthly human sacrifice.

Even funnier, they love to serve bacon at the Pancake Supper for the Church Building Fund, and eat those yummy pulled prok BBQ sammiches......but homosexuality is an abomination, don't you know.....

As a lifelong Tennesseean, I'd like to apologize for the ridiculousness of my home state, and I celebrate the wisdom of the federal court's ruling in this matter!

Wrong. Rednecks using Redtape for anti-American activites.

Having lived in TN, AZ, and TX, it seems amazing until you look at the "Ground Zero Mosque". Same kind of un-American and un-Christian attitudes, just different behavior.

You only wish it was a southern issue:

• AZ
• NY "Ground Zero Mosque"

It happens far more often in the south, but it's not unique to the south.