Muslim American Society responds to Staten Island pastor's bid to cancel sale of convent

Posted on Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:25:26 AM by Free ThinkerNY

Staten Island, N.Y. -- The Muslin American Society, in the name of the Muslim community, has issued a response to the bid by the Rev. Keith Fennessy of St. Margaret Mary R.C. Church, Midland Beach, to undo the sale of the parish's vacant convent to the MAS, which would build a mosque at the site.

The MAS response is dated today and bears a Washington dateline.

The text reads as follows:

In reference to Rev. Keith Fennessy's letter withdrawing his support for the mosque purchase sale in Staten Island, N.Y., we feel strongly that much of what is taking place now is being driven by fear and hysteria, with some of it being stirred up by professional groups that have a history of being prejudiced against Muslims. We are American citizens and we love our country. We do not operate as an extension of any non-American religious or political organization. What have we done wrong to cause anyone to deny us the right to build a house of worship?

Nevertheless, we believe in the good will of the Catholic community leaders, and that ultimately they will do the right thing and allow this sale to be completed. We know that the Catholic community in the past has endured some of the same prejudice and fear mongering that we, as Muslims, are now facing. What should we tell our children? That as Muslims we are second class citizens without religious and civil rights? Or that the 1st and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution become void merely because you are an American Muslim?

To: Free ThinkerNY

Here is a letter to the editor I wrote, after our community sucessfully ran off a bunch of Muslims who wanted to build the Southeast Islamic Center about 2 miles from my house. We had a big city fight but the people prevailed and the permit to build was not granted to the Muslims.

The editor of the paper was lamenting for the “displaced” muslims that they wouldn’t be able to have a short drive to their worship center as she and her children enjoy this close proximity to their church.

I address this point to open my comments.

By: ThirtyYearResident on 5/21/10

Susan, I’ve been looking for an appropriate time to publically say how much I LOVE this online newspaper. As a 30 year resident of Brentwood I appreciate this paper’s accessiblity but that is not why I am writing. After reading your column on the Islamic Center, it struck me how naive Americans really are and how others take advantage of our goodness.

What you did was equate your religious experience with a Muslim family’s religious experience. That is a definite apples and oranges comparison. Before anyone can make a
valid asessment of Islam,it is imperative that you have a complete working knowledge of Islam and Sharia Law. Without that you are at best naive and at worst dangerous. Our Brentwood community was about to become the largest Southeastern Islamic Center. Did you look into the Dearborn, Michigan situation where the Muslims made Dearborn the largest Islamic Center in the North? Dearborn Michigan is no longer recognizable as an American city that it once was. Did you want that for Brentwood? If everyone would just read what Sharia Law is, you would run from this “religion” and not want your children to be exposed to such an anti American, anti Constitutional system of religious government that all Muslims live under. It is very discrimnatory and non tolerant. I will post a few of the Sharia Law precepts and then ask yourself, Do you really want your children to be exposed to a people who embrace these laws?
Under Sharia law:
· There is no freedom of religion
· There is no freedom of speech
· There is no freedom of thought
· There is no freedom of artistic expression
· There is no freedom of the press
· There is no equality of peoples-a non-Muslim, a Kafir, is never equal to a Muslim
· There are no equal rights for women
· Women can be beaten
· A non-Muslim cannot bear arms
· There is no equal protection under Sharia for different classes of people. Justice is dualistic, with one set of laws for Muslim males and different laws for women and non-Muslims.
· Our Constitution is a man-made document of ignorance, jahiliyah, that must submit to Sharia
· There is no democracy, since that means that a non-Muslim is equal to a Muslim
· Non-Muslims are dhimmis, third-class citizens
· There is no Golden Rule
· There is no critical thought
· All governments must be ruled by Sharia law

As Christians are expected to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel so to Muslims are to spread their religion which is based on the aforementioned laws. Thanks but no thanks, I don’t want to help or encourage a religion that will take away my American freedom.

It was Christians praying and walking the Wilson Pike property praying that kept this Islamic Center pushed back but if they can I am sure they will be back. Hopefully those with the power of influence will research Islam and be more knowledgeable about it’s precepts.