Watchdog group assails mosque's Saudi books

Chicago Tribune ^ | February 17, 2005 | Manya A. Brachear

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

Concerned about Saudi Arabian influence on American religious life, a Washington-based international watchdog group visited 15 American mosques to check for Saudi-published tracts, magazines and books.

The researchers found the literature in all 15 mosques, including the Muslim Community Center on the North Side. In all, they documented more than 200 pieces of literature promoting Wahhabism, a puritanical Muslim movement that dominates Saudi Arabia, denounces democracy and criticizes other faiths, including moderate forms of Islam.

The Freedom House Center for Religious Freedom conducted the study to examine one way by which the Saudi kingdom promulgates its unique brand of religious ideology. The literature is objectionable, the group says, because it promotes armed violence and alienation from American society.

"Our concern is what a foreign government is distributing in the United States," said Paul Marshall, a senior fellow at Freedom House who contributed research to an 89-page report. "We have made no claims about the overall pattern of literature in American mosques. Our focus is on the question of what the Saudi Arabian government is doing."

[indcons]

"Wahabbi garbage in USA" ping

[DTogo]

Until it specifically calls for the overthrow of the US government or on its members to carry out terrorism, it's simply an extremist religion protected by the Constitution. Similar "objectionable" literature or sermons could probably be heard within Western religious organizations.

That doesn't mean I like it or support it, which I don't. Islamo-fascism is civilization's primary external enemy in the 21st Century. Liberalism is civilization's primary internal enemy.

[indcons]

Ping

[farmer18th]

Similar "objectionable" literature or sermons could probably be heard within Western religious organizations.

That's highly questionable. Imagine walking into a conservative evangelical congregation and seeing literature advocating that no other religion, or denomination of Christianity, be tolerated in the U.S. That church would be on the radar immediately. Saudi style Islam is a one party, one church form of terrorism.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I know of no mainline Christian denomination that is critical of any other religion.

[USF]

The original Freedom House report is here.

[TexasCowboy]

"Similar "objectionable" literature or sermons could probably be heard within Western religious organizations."

That is one of the most asinine statements I've read on FR.

On this public forum I guarantee that I will mail you a check for one hundred dollars for any piece of literature in ANY mainstream religion church in the United States which promotes armed violence and alienation from American society.

[inn8]

presbyterians. they are mighty critical of the jewish folk.

christians are not perfect angels. in all honesty, most christians are a disgrace to thier own religion...

[DTogo]

In all, they documented more than 200 pieces of literature promoting Wahhabism, a puritanical Muslim movement that dominates Saudi Arabia, denounces democracy and criticizes other faiths, including moderate forms of Islam.

So you're telling me that there aren't Judeo-Christian religious groups (fringe or mainstream) in the US that aren't a puritanical movement, or denounce democracy, criticize other faiths or moderate forms of their own?

But until they actually espouse the overthrow of the US Government or encourage acts of terrorism, it's free speech and freedom of religion, even if that religion is a puritanical movement, denounces democracy, criticizes other faiths including moderate forms of it's own.

[Valin]

I believe it was Dr. Benard Lewis who compared these guys (Wahhabis..etc) to the KKK. It's better to compare them to the Christian Identity movement. If it wasn't for the money they get from the family Saud the Wahhabis would be a very very small unimportant sect.

[Valin]

presbyterians. they are mighty critical of the jewish folk.

No, the national leadership is.

[farmer18th]

So you're telling me that there aren't Judeo-Christian religious groups (fringe or mainstream) in the US

Of course they exist, and they're being watched. Sam Adams broke political bread with Anglicans, Catholics, Baptists and the rest of the American religious scene. The mosques in question were homes to so called moderate members of the American Muslim community. They better clean house against Saudi inspired terrorism or they will find themselves on an airplane someday--heading back to the 8th century.

[farmer18th]

even if that religion is a puritanical movement, denounces democracy

Once you start denouncing representative government and advocating a one party mullah dominated state--which they do unashamedly--they are in the same category as Communists--and they deserve the same treatment.

[infocats]

"it promotes armed violence and alienation from American society."

Freedom of speech and religion is protected. Antisocial action is not.

[RS]

"...they are in the same category as Communists--and they deserve the same treatment."

You mean they get tenure ?

[farmer18th]

"...they are in the same category as Communists--and they deserve the same treatment."

You mean they get tenure ?

Only after they play the martyr for a bit. Good, sad, tragic point. National Review some years back pointed out that the only people who didn't get to work in Hollywood were the ones who identified Communists, not the ones cheering for Papa Joe and state-sponsored torture.