On Rights, Offensiveness, and Taking Offense

[lhynard]

Ok, I've hesitated to write my thoughts on this topic, because it is bound to be controversial, and I don't always like dealing with comments from people who don't understand what I'm saying in context. (This is not to say that I can never be wrong; I'm sure most of you who have read me for a long while have shown mistakes in my thinking or changed my opinion on some matter. I try to always admit when such things happen. A reason I blog is so I can welcome such critical feedback. I'm just saying that it is tiring to reply, "I didn't say that; please read the entry more closely," and that tends to happen when a post triggers an emotional response, which I assume this one will.)

Anyhow, to get right to it....

I feel exactly the same way about the "mosque" near Ground Zero as I do about the pastor wanting to burn the Quran.

They are almost identical issues really.

• Rights: Our country is one in which people have been granted by the government a right to free speech and to action that does not directly harm another.
  
  Building a "mosque" (It's not a mosque; it's more like a rec center with a prayer room, but whatever....) near Ground Zero doesn't harm anyone. It may and will insult, offend, and frighten a whole bunch of people, but it doesn't harm anyone. It may even motivate some lunatic to go on a Muslim-killing spree, but the lunatic is responsible for his or her own actions and to blame a rec center for that is faulty logic. The Muslim man who wants to build his "mosque" has every right to do so, and I see no logical or legal reason to try and prevent him.
  
  Likewise, burning one religion's holy book doesn't harm anyone. It may and will insult, offend, and anger a whole bunch of people, but it doesn't harm anyone. It may even motivate some terrorist group to go on a Christian-killing spree, but the terrorists are responsible for their own actions and to blame the burning of a book for that is faulty logic. The man who wants to burn the Quran has every right to do so, and I see no logical or legal reason to try and prevent him.


• Offensiveness: That being said, if one were a legitimate Christian, he would know that Christians are to love their neighbor (i.e. everyone) as themselves. He would know that Christians are to avoid anything that would obviously offend another if it can at all be avoided. Frankly, this pastor is not at all following the God he claims to serve if he burns the Quran. Even so, he has every right as an American to do so, and he should not be hindered.
  
  I don't know enough about Islam to know if the Muslims are instructed to live in a similar way. (I have a feeling they are not.) But regardless of one's religion or lack of it, I think it could be argued that it is at best unethical to knowingly do things when you learn that the act will cause great offense to others. (I've said as much in regards to strong language in the past.[1]) In other words, while I think that the Muslim man has every right as an American to build his "mosque" and should not be hindered, at the same time I think that he is wrong to go ahead with his plan, now that he is well aware of how many people are bothered by it.


• Taking Offense: I shall simply quote myself (edited) from a previous entry:[I]f I myself take offense at something someone says [or does]..., perhaps I should determine whether my offense is warranted. Honestly, I find little reason to think that it is ever warranted. Even if what they say is not true... [or even if what they did was wrong], why should I let it bother me? ...I should deny my pride and... get over myself.
  That may sound harsh, but I am convinced it is true. If ever I am offended, it is my own problem. Feeling offended is an internal emotional response; it is never forced upon us; it is our own problem.
  
  Again, I don't know the Islamic teaching in the matter, but someone should remind the Christians bothered by the "mosque" plans that Jesus said we are to "turn the other cheek". I somehow doubt that Jesus was being only literal there. If you are metaphorically slapped in the face, get over it; that's what He was saying.
  
  And if you are an atheist, I'd still think you would argue that listening to logic trumps listening to your emotions; what good will it do if you get angry about something that offends you? Get over it.

Now, both of these issues seem to have come to an interesting end, if what I have read in the news turns out to be true. The Muslim man has agreed to move his "mosque" elsewhere if the "Christian" man agrees to not burn the Quran. We'll see if it works out that way in the end, but I'm happy if it does work out this way, because I'd rather people didn't end up offended; I'd rather we didn't provide excuses to "Christian" lunatics or terrorists.

There, I said what I was thinking....

Edit: Ok, I misread the news, and things have changed a bit. The "mosque"-builder never said he would move the buiding; it was a Florida Muslim who said he'd arrange a trip to NY with the pastor to discuss the issue with the two men. However, the pastor misinterpreted what the Florida Muslim leader said and is now angry again....