God and Country

In response to an inquiry, Michael Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation expressed his support for what has been dubbed the “Ground Zero Mosque” in New York City.  Notably, he criticized those who oppose the mosque/community center because…their criticism offends “jihadists.”  Interestingly, Weinstein did not reserve his invective purely for Christians:

This [opposition to the mosque] is the work of fundamentalist Christians and ultra-extreme, rightwing Jews.

Apparently, the man who believes Christians are planning to exterminate Jews believes “rightwing Jews” are now helping them.  The cognitive dissonance continues below.

For those keeping track:  Read more…

The recent controversy surrounding the proposed mosque in New York City, including the taxpayer funded trip of the mosque’s imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, has continued to highlight official government support for Islam around the world.  A recent article at the Baptist Press notes the use of “taxpayer money” to advance the cause of Islam, even in Afghanistan and Iraq:

“Americans also may be surprised to learn that the United States has been an active participant in mosque construction projects overseas,” The [Washington] Times said.

The US military’s assistance in mosque rebuilding and refurbishment has been discussed here before.

The US military notes its continuing efforts to use money and cultural support for Afghans to normalize their lives and their country.  As noted previously, the US military has direct access to government funds to “meet emergency needs of civilians in support of humanitarian operations.”

The article notes that one intentional recipient of such US government funds has been mosques, both in Afghanistan and Iraq.  As noted by a unit Chaplain, Chaplain (Capt) Abraham Sarmiento:

The next project brought buckets of paint, brushes and rolls of carpet in an effort to refurbish two mosques that were still in disrepair from the Soviet occupation.  Read more…