Recently, several military vets and social workers went to the San Diego Mosque to enlighten themselves about Islam by having a discussion with the Imam. Their goal was to gain some insight into the current Religious/Political aspects of Islam; where they are separate, where they coincide, and how do Muslims view themselves in our Western Society.
The Imam answered all of their questions with clarity and candor. Some of the answers were surprising, some were obvious and some were actually quite disarming.
When they asked what the Muslims Community was doing to assimilate into our American culture and society, the Imam asked them to step outside. Once outside the Imam asked them about a tree growing near the Mosque. “Do you see that tree?”
“Yes.”
“Do you see the ground under the tree?”
“Yes”
“Are they the same – the ground and the tree?”
“No”
“You are right. They will never be the same, yet the tree needs the ground. The tree is nourished by the ground. The ground always gives way to the roots of the tree and yields to the growth of the tree. As the tree grows it bears fruit and gives birth to tree after tree until a forest has grown to cover the ground. Without the ground the tree cannot grow or spread but the two can never be the same. The tree could not be the same, for then it could never grow and spread. It would simply be lost as pebbles of dirt in a field of ground.
Islam is that tree. There are trees in all countries; Germany, England, France, Spain and here – America. The tree of Islam grows and prospers and the shade from that tree will one day cover all of the ground of this Earth. We are the trees. We will never be the ground.”
In other words the Imam was simply saying we will not assimilate.
This conversation was profound and telling, honest and frightening. Even more frightening in lieu of recent events.
Recently, Obama administration officials were in Israel where they told their Israeli counterparts that Obama had come to terms with Iran possessing nuclear weapons. They were also strongly warned against making a pre-emptive strike against Iran and if they did, and there was any retaliatory action against the U.S., that the Obama administration would hold the government of Israel responsible and accountable.
Recently President Obama gave a speech to the Muslim world. The night before, he slept in the summer palace of the Saudi King. A year ago (prior to election) stated that his father was agnostic. Now, official White House press statements are saying his father was a Muslim. Why the change in stories,facts?
There is grave consequence in the assumption that good can be attained by negotiating with evil. Islamic regimes by far, represent some of the most brutal, oppressive, torturous and iron-fisted governments currently existing on this planet.
Now it appears we are abandoning Israel, our ally and friend, a lone beacon of democracy in a land of dictators and theocracies.
It looks to me like Obama is not interested in planting the seeds of democracy, freedom or hope but more interested in providing the fertile ground for a future forest of trees.
Ernest Emerson
June 15, 2009
