One of the top news of the day is the proposed building of a mosque/community center in the site of the former twin towers, those two buildings that were destroyed on September 11, 2001. I still remembered that day, I was on an Amtrak train to Chicago from St. Louis. I can imagine how much more memorable this day was for those who have lost their loved ones that day. It was a day of pain and sorrow.

     I understand the sensitivities of those who oppose the building of a mosque at this site. This was a burial site and the mosque will remind people of the evil that happened that day. How is that so? Let me explain.  I reflected on what would I feel if a loved one was murdered in a certain place. The closest analogy I could think of is if a family member of the murderer built a house in that place. I would be very uneasy, even though my resentment is against the murderer himself.

     I suspect that the issue is not that a building is being built in on the site because I see crosses erected on a highway, on the site of a big accident where a death occured. I suspect that if a church is proposed in that site, there would not be too much rumbling. There is a deeper issue to be considered. The resentment, whether they like it or not, is against Muslims themselves. People see Islam as the culprit in this evil, not just individual Muslims. 

     Moderate muslims can distance themselves, saying that the hijackerrs were not real Muslims or they are misled. This reminds me of Christians, responding to those who point to the crusades as an example of "evil" that Christians do, saying that the crusaders were not real Christians or just misled. The problem with this reasoning for a muslim is, how could you tell a real Muslim from a fake Muslim, especially since the hijackers looked zealous for their faith. Answering this question would make this conversation degenerate into an endless theological discussion, instead of what would really serve the cause of peace, a heart to heart conversation.

   Also, the underlying assumption is that real Muslims "like them" don't do such things? They may not kill but its a possiblity that they hurt other people's feelings- their own spouses or their own children. Does not evil reside in all people? If they deny this, saying that they are better than those other muslims (or fake muslims), then they are being unreal. Evil does reside in all people, no matter how closely they follow their religion. Christians who respond to the crusades issue in the same way are unwittingly denying the universality of the sinful nature, and consequently, the gospel.

     An honest answer, which probably serves reconciliation better is to own the Muslim hijackers as their own and empathize with the pain of the people affected by this act of fanaticism. This would open up heart to heart conversations, which will begin the healing of resentments.

    I end with a message to fellow Christian. The evil that resides in the crusaders also resides in us (greed, murder, etc.) Let us confess that, and also remind others that evil resides in them also. That evil was taken away when Jesus died on the cross. To those who believe in Jesus, their evil nature has also died. The life of the follower of Jesus is a life of living in that reality. Sometimes we may fail but if we turn back to the cross, there is forgiveness.