Mosque Controversy Obscures Bigger Issue

When I received this "Press Release" from Rev. Dr. Kathy Hearn of our Sister
Organization this morning, I felt compelled to put this on my blog. Not out
of a sense of duty to the organization, but out of a sense of Divine
Rightness. In a country founded of the precepts of all types of freedom, and
especially Religious Freedom, we seem to have swept some of our beliefs
under the rug, and allowed fear and righteousness creep in to take their
place. jts

From: Rev Dr Kathy Hearn, United Church of Religious Science

Golden, CO.As the media frenzy around the controversy over a proposed mosque
within blocks of Ground Zero has continued to grow, and verbal and physical
attacks against Islamic people take place, I am struck with the thought that
many Americans have forgotten some basic tenets of not only the U.S.
Constitution, but also of civility and common decency. While I appreciate
the raw feelings surrounding the site, which has rightly become sacred
ground in the nine years since the fall of the World Trade towers, it does
not make sense to me to deny rights to groups who had nothing to do with the
tragedy. September 11th was not an act of Islam. It was an act of terrorists
who distort the precepts of that religion.

As the Community Spiritual Leader for United Centers for Spiritual Living, I
have had the honor of traveling throughout the Middle East and experiencing
Islamic people firsthand. Hospitality is a profound spiritual practice that
lives at the heart of their religion. It stretches back to the patriarch
Abraham - acknowledged as the father of Judaism, Christianity and Islam -
who kept his tent open on all sides to welcome any traveler.

Our organization teaches that there is a deep and essential unity underlying
our apparent differences. Underneath diversity is the shining reality that
there is only One God, One Life shared by all. Consequently, we honor all
paths to God, understanding that each religion has a golden thread of truth.
We know that, as Albert Einstein said, we cannot solve a problem with the
same consciousness that created it. Fear and hatred will never transform
fear and hatred to create a peaceful world. We need to envision a world
beyond what we now know; a world free of war, homelessness, hunger, poverty,
disenfranchisement and terror - a world of peace, freedom, justice, caring,
compassion and unity. The bigger issue, then, is not the proximity of one
piece of sacred ground to another. The issue is finding common ground to
create a peaceful, tolerant world that works for everyone.

Rev. Dr. Kathy Hearn is the Community Spiritual Leader for United Centers
for Spiritual Living, a global organization that provides spiritual tools to
transform personal lives and help make the world the better place.

To find out more go to http://www.UnitedCentersforSpirituaLiving.org