STOP THE MOSQUE

If a recent poll in Europe is any indication, a majority of the population feel their civilization has taken a dramatic turn downward as the number of Muslims grows larger.  Not only do they feel the Islam religion has become too influential, they also worry that because of declining birth rates among Christian women, Muslims will one day be in the majority.  This concern has brought a heated debate to Vierzon, France, a small Catholic village that has too many churches for its declining population of Christians (e.g. only 300 out of 27,000 inhabitants attend services on a regular basis).  As a result, several churches have been abandoned.   

When one such church, Saint-Eloi, was put up for sale recently, many citizens were distressed to learn that the local Muslim community wanted to purchase it.  Unlike the Catholics, their numbers had been growing steadily and they were praying in cramped quarters in a single-family house.  When word got out that Saint-Eloi was to be converted to a mosque, some locals were happy that the vacant church was going to be used for prayer again while others were upset that Muslims would be praying in a Christian building. When the archdiocese for the church interceded, however, they decided to solve the disupte by selling the church to a local charity that was non-denominational.  This is when the trouble began. 

Besides the fact that the charity did not even have enough funds to purchase the building, they were also given more than six months to get the money.  Although it appears now as if they will raise the needed amount, it was the way they went about collecting donations that has caused such a rift in the community and hurt many Muslims everywhere.  Their slogan was “Stop the Mosque”, and in addition to gathering signatures as far away as Canada, the French conservative media also got involved.  Many articles were written with fear-invoking statistics, including how many churches were closing down throughout Europe, how many more children Muslim families were having and that the number one baby boy name in Brussels was Mohammed.  Not only did they go as far as to say that everyone would soon be praying to Allah and that the Koran would one day replace the Bible, they also implied that every local Muslim was a supporter of Hamas. 

This specific debate is not just unique to the town of Vierzon or to the country of France.  In fact, it is occurring all over Europe right now as the Muslim population continues to grow.  Although France is permitting new mosques to be built, the country of Greece has not allowed one to be constructed for over 100 years.   Because church and state are not separate in this orthodox Christian country, Muslims have been forced to pray illegally in underground basements without dignity for years. 

Although it is natural to fear change and to worry about an uncertain future, it is not natural to hate your neighbor.  We are not born with prejudice.  It is taught to us from an early age, and until we can learn to let go of our intolerance, we will never experience true peace.  We will always be uncomfortable with another person’s differences instead of finding comfort from what we have in common.  Why should it matter if your neighbor prays to the same God, a different God, many Gods or no God at all?  Can’t he still be your friend?  Isn’t it his moral character and how he treats those around him that matters most? 

Copyright © 2013 (Michelle Parsons, Getting Back on Your Path). All Rights Reserved.