When I say or hear the words "Let Us Pray", it is usually an invitation or a call to action. Today, I say "Let Us Pray" as someone who simply wants to join hands and pray with those whose first amendment rights appear to be under negotiation. I have had a hard time witnessing the debates about the Mosque/community center/Park51 architectural project. There are many points of departure for the debates and I am not going to use this blog to create just one more space for those arguments to continue. I am, however asking you to hear me as I say,"Let Us Pray".
Within my own Christian community, there are those who I would never ask to pray for me - for a variety of reasons better shared in a more light-hearted blog entry. My right to decide who I will agree to pray with does not have a tandem clause that grants me the authority to take away another person's right to pray regardless of their deity of choice.
In this brief blog entry, I am asking those of us who hear "Let Us Pray" from a position of privilege to consider this as we exercise that right and responsibility...let us take a moment to hear and perhaps be an answer to the prayers of those (American citizens) in Manhattan and elsewhere who are begging for permission...
as if it is ours to give, take or negotiate..."Won't you please, just Let Us Pray?"
Shalom
(Stay tuned for my forthcoming blog entitled, "In a Relationship (with God) and It's Complicated")
Here is a link to a thought provoking (and possibly prayer inducing) article regarding Islam in America
Islam in America (August 30, 2010 Time Magazine Cover story)
No comments:
Post a Comment