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People shouldn’t get too worked up about CFI:Transnational’s press release (EDIT: link removed by CFI, see below for full text) on their ‘opposition’ to the Ground Zero mosque. The title was misleading because if you actually read the paper, they’re not really in opposition to specific religious structures being built, they just think people shouldn’t bother building religious structures anywhere, which is entirely within their mandate “to foster a society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values”. CFI has always been a publicity whore and will take positions on anything if they think might get picked up by mainstream media, which I think is a good thing considering their lack of resources and their need to get their message out.

Regardless, please keep in mind that CFI:Canada is completely separate from CFI:Transnational and has no official position on this topic. Executive Director Justin Trottier tells me in an email:

I personally believe that there’s no legitimate or legal way to impede any or all religions from constructing places of worship near ground zero. I’m afraid such a position risks making us look like we’re not only equating moderate Muslims with terrorists, but all religious believers were jihadists, and may contradict our noble position on free expression and freedom of religion. If we charge that an act of religiously inspired terrorism tarnishes all believers and their places of worship, then we are left vulnerable to a similar accusation, and we’ve all had to deal with the Stalin=atheism argument too many times. I’m still flexible with my views on this particular issue, as I sympathize with the motives of many who wish to secularize ground zero, but these comments represent my thoughts at this time. I could see myself being convinced otherwise, and look forward to a productive ongoing dialogue on this and related matters.

I hope CFI Canada doesn’t bother drafting a position since the issues isn’t relevant to Canadian affairs. It was a fun summer exercise but is getting stale and I’m looking forward to September when there will be something new to talk about.

EDIT: The press release was revised and reissued two days later. See this post for more details. Full text of the first release below. Used without permission.

The Center for Inquiry is troubled by the rhetoric of some of those protesting the proposed Islamic religious center and mosque near Ground Zero, and it especially deplores the growing politicization of the dispute. CFI also holds that the focus of the protests is too narrow; it would be inappropriate to build any new house of worship in the area immediately around Ground Zero, not just mosques. “The 9/11 attacks were an example of faith-based terrorism, and any institution that privileges faith above reason is an affront to those who were killed and injured in those attacks,” observes Ronald A. Lindsay, president and CEO of CFI.

CFI fully supports the free exercise of religion; protecting the rights of believers and nonbelievers is central to CFI’s mission. Accordingly, CFI endorses President Obama’s recent statement reminding the country that Muslim Americans enjoy the same rights as other Americans and should not be treated as second-class citizens.

Further, CFI laments the effort by some to turn the proposed Islamic religious center into a political issue. Government officials and candidates for office should not intervene in disputes over the alleged offensiveness of a place of worship. Such conduct violates the spirit, if not the letter, of the Establishment Clause. Government officials should not be deciding who is a “moderate” Muslim any more than they should be deciding who is a “moderate” Christian or Jew.

A number of private individuals have protested the proposed Islamic religious center. The tone and substance of these protests covers a wide range. Some protesting the Islamic center have raised legitimate questions, but to the extent the objections to the Islamic center mistakenly equate all Muslims with Muslim extremists, CFI condemns them.

CFI maintains that a mosque near Ground Zero, in and of itself, is no worse than a church, temple, or synagogue. It is undeniable that the 9/11 terrorists were inspired by their understanding of Islam, and that currently there are far more Islamic terrorists in the world than terrorists of other faiths, but the deeper threat confronting humanity is not confined to Islam. To the contrary, it is presented by all religions. Religious morality is based on faith and authority, with the authority often being a sacred text cobbled together long ago that readily lends itself to contradictory interpretations. The Bible and the Koran have been used to justify almost everything, from mass slaughter of those with other beliefs, to slavery, to oppression of women and gays and lesbians, to the throttling of scientific research—as evidenced by the recent halt to stem-cell research. Faith will continue to harm and kill, whether it is in Oklahoma City or New York City, until people stop basing their conduct on imaginary divine commands and accept their responsibility to reason together. To honor those killed by faith fanatics, Ground Zero and its immediate vicinity should be kept free of any newly constructed house of worship — of any religion.