Spirit of Truth (the Blog)

This is the first blog for Spirit of Truth and that's kind of exciting. It would be intimidating if anyone was actually reading the blog yet. The idea behind Spirit of Truth is simple: A faith community (sometimes known as a church) dedicated to love and justice. We are inspired by the idea that love is at the center of creation and that justice is the public expression of love. We see ourselves as living as a part of God's grand narrative of freedom and liberation. Those are the places I am grounded in my own thinking.

So much of what's around us, however, is a different message.

I've been listening to the debate the last few weeks about whether or not a mosque should be built three blocks from ground zero in New York City. I think we all feel that the place where so many people died senselessly and cruelly is holy ground. When you think of the families who were hurt, the children who had parents who never came home, ground zero feels like a personal and national scar, and honoring all those who died there, we won't ever forget what happened. Now plans are underway to build an Islamic community center and mosque three blocks away and some people are feeling hurt and offended by the idea.

Finally the president spoke and he said what we would expect any American president to say. He defended the constitution and the deep American values of the separation of Church/mosque and state. He defended the right of any religious group to build on private property and practice their religion in peace without interference. I don't know how any one could disagree with that, but I will admit, I wish there had been more.

Here's what I wish the president would have said, "My fellow American's there has been a proposal to build a mosque three blocks from the site of one of our greatest American tragedies, and while there has been debate about this, I think the distance is too far. The pain we have suffered as a country at the hands of terrorists might only be healed by the prayers for peace from all faithful people. I would like to ask those building to mosque to find a way to build closer, if possible on the site of ground zero and, if I may be so bold, name that mosque Sal am. Further I call on leaders in the Jewish tradition to find space at ground zero and build a synagogue where beutiful prayers for peace in hebrew can be added to those in Arabic. And if I could be so bold, name that synagogue Shalom. And I call on Christian leaders to find space at ground zero so that Christians can gather for prayer and if I could be so bold, consider naming that church, Peace. There are others who worship in other ways but whose hearts prayer is for peace, find space to honor your hearts, to honor your faith there at ground zero because we need your prayer. And please, those who don't use words like worship or God at all, we need you. Make the space that you need for your hearts message to be heard at ground zero.

Three blocks away is too far from our national sacred space for our people's sacred response."

I know that no president would ever make such a speech. He or she would be slaughtered from many directions. Still, I hope our national discussion about this can change. We were not attacked by Islam. We were attacked by terrorists who insulted every faithful peace loving Muslim. The rest of us who believe in a God of love and peace and justice should be offended by their violence too but our response must be love and a joining of our hands to the others who were also hurt by that day.