Today's MOZEN: Let's Duke It Out

Word and photo F LoBuono

Is there no hope for enlightenment? Is there no way to shine a light on ignorance,bigotry, cruelty, hatred, and intolerance - one that blazes so brightly as to burn the evil away?

Based on current events, it sure doesn't seem possible.

Even when someone wants to do something right it seems to get turned into something so wrong.

In response to the recent murder of seventeen innocent people in France at the hands of Islamic terrorists, Duke University decided to use the bell tower of the Duke Chapel as a minaret for the traditional call to Muslims for noon prayer. About five percent of Duke's students are Muslim (about 700 students).  In a column for the student paper, Christy Lohr Sapp, Duke's associate dean for religious life, said "This small token will provide a platform for a truer voice to resonate: a voice that challenges the media stereotypes of Muslims, a voice of wisdom, a voice of prayer, and a voice of peace."

Sounds great, right? A call for peace and reconciliation, right? Muslims finally standing shoulder to shoulder with their "infidel" brothers denouncing violence and hatred. It's about time, right?

Well, WRONG!!

It didn't take long for the NAY SAYERS to rear their ugly heads and have their negative voices heard. Led by Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, a coalition was created to stop the event. Graham was outraged and urged alumni and donors to withhold their support until it was cancelled. He claimed that Duke was promoting Sharia law "in the name of Pluralism."

Of course, he missed the point which was not to promote "pluralism" but to extol understanding and tolerance. He slapped away a hand that was extended in a long needed gesture of peace. It was meant to be INCLUSIVE. Muslim students have met in the basement of the chapel for their noon prayers (Jummah) for years - and will continue to do so. They just wanted to share the fullness of their faith with all. Is THAT so terrible?

Well, according to the fundamentalist Christians, is is! They sited atrocities committed against Christians at the hands of Muslims - forgetting the centuries when it was the other way around as reason. They sought justification because Muslim fanatics, led by ISIS, are persecuting Christians and imposing Sharia around the world. And these things ARE happening. However, to take a gesture of peace and understanding, like the scenario at Duke, and place it in the same category is not only foolish, it is counterproductive. All it would do is create more paranoia, more mistrust, and more hate. In fact, it is no different in practice than the intolerance of those they wish to compare them to. They should read and follow their own doctrine!

Siting the strong opposition to it, and threats of physical violence, Duke relented and cancelled the event.

I am not a "religious" person. In fact, for reasons like the one we are discussing here, I am usually against most organized religion. Most (if not all) say, "do it my way, or the highway". That's not for me. It fosters and attitude of exclusion instead of inclusion. And, so it is the case here. Those who would have INCLUDED are now being EXCLUDED. And, all of it in the name of GOD. Perhaps, in the end, the only way is to forget about the chapels, forget the minarets, forget the prayers, and IMAGINE a world where there's no heaven, above us only sky . . . .