Some conservative Christians still don't have a clue what America is all about

Two stories in today’s news stand out as reminders that to many conservative Christians, America is their country and everyone else should apparently think about leaving or just be grateful that they are allowed to live here.

In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, a county judge ruled against a suit brought by a citizens group committed to putting the breaks on the building of an Islamic Community Center. A number of local churches and conservative Christian organizations co-sponsored the suit.

In the course of 8 days of testimony, opponents of the community center called a number of witnesses who argued among other things, Islam is not a religion but a political movement that is committed to world domination.  Other expert witnesses suggested that given a chance, American Muslims will try to impose Sharia Law on the United States.  In recent months, opponents of the Islamic Community Center even organized a march, complete with unfriendly signs down Murfreesboro’s main thoroughfare.  

The legal thrust of the suit was based on the premise that the county planning commission had not taken enough community input in giving their approval for the project.  In his ruling the presiding judge simply noted that nothing improper had taken place.

The other story comes from the State of Texas where it has now been learned, a number of conservative Christian groups and individuals have been sending out emails to members of the State’s legislature directly opposing Joe Straus (Republican, San Antonio) as Speaker of the House of Representatives.  Why?  Because Joe isn't one of them, he is a Jew.  The fact that Straus happens to be a conservative Republican apparently doesn’t mitigate his religious heritage.

I light of such reoccurring expressions bigotry and ignorance by people who genuinely believe that they are “good Americans,” one can’t help but wonder if America’s most ominous enemies are not in foreign lands but right here, living among us.

One very thoughtful, eloquent American with a very different perspective on what America is all about,  wrote a very warm letter to a congregation of non-Christians just to reassure them of their rightful place in this country.  I thought it appropriate to conclude this column with an except from that letter:

"The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent national gifts. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support."

The letter was composed in 1790 and addressed to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island.  It was signed: “G. Washington.”