I saw a very disturbing article today about a man who has been disciplined for refusing to attend a service at a place of worship, here in America. In fact, this actually happened in my home state of Oklahoma!
"The Tulsa Police Department is investigating a captain who refused an order to assign officers to attend an upcoming Islamic event because he said it would violate his religious beliefs."
The officer went on to say "'It is my opinion and that of my legal counsel that forcing me to enter a Mosque when it is not directly related to a police call for service is a violation of my Civil Rights,' Fields wrote in an internal police department memo obtained by Fox News. 'I have no problem with officers attending on a voluntary basis; however, I take exception to requiring officers to attend this event,' Fields wrote in an e-mail to his superior officer obtained by Fox News. 'I believe this directive to be an unlawful order, as it is in direct conflict with my personal religious convictions.'"
Now, I don't know about you, but I know I have been in Baptist churches that hold "Appreciation Days" for police men and fire fighters. We would never expect nor desire that a person be brought against his will to a service where we are going to recognize them, but also surely teach our views on God and the gospel.
What were the Islamic teachers planning to teach? They clearly stated in their invitation "presentations" on "beliefs, human rights, and women." They would also be able to watch a Muslim prayer service and take a tour of the mosque. Sounds like a church service (mosque service) to me! Should an American be subjected to this religious indoctrination merely because he has chosen as his profession to serve and protect the citizens of the United States?
Fox News goes on to report, "Ibrahim Hooper, the spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, called the incident an example of 'anti-Muslim bigotry.' ...It’s a symptom of the unfortunately rising level of anti-Muslim sentiment we have in our society,' Hooper said. 'It sends a message of marginalization that somehow Muslims aren’t part of American society... When somebody feels empowered to say ‘I’m not going to take part in a community outreach event at a mosque because I basically don’t like Muslims,’ it’s all part of that rise in Islamophobia in our society,' he said."
So if we refuse to learn about their religion, we are being bigots? Yet can you imagine the uproar if we insisted that lost police officers attend Sunday School... "not to worship, no, we just want them to learn about what we believe..."
Well, learning what we believe is the first step to conversion! Islamics might try to paint it as the politically correct thing to do to erase our "ignorance", but it is nothing more than the first step in indoctrination. There is no way in a free land it should ever be forced on anyone. Baptists would like more people to learn of God and be taught in a Baptist church the truth he know we hold... but most dear we hold soul liberty and religious freedom! You may come to Christ if you like, but we will not force you to listen to a presentation about Him against your will.
Another example of the peaceful religion of Islam. Forced indoctrination upon risk of loss of work and wages, at the hands of own own public servants. Despicable. The same thing is happening in our public schools as students are taught globalism by learning what Islam, Buddhism, and other religions teach. Anything except Christianity.
You can email tpdchief@cityoftulsa.org Tulsa with your comments.
Article at http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/23/oklahoma-police-captain-refuses-attend-islamic-event/?test=latestnews
Follow up link on $1.00 lawsuit: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=20110224_14_A1_ULNSbp591004
2 comments:
The event is offered to all law enforcement officers and will be open for about six hours with a "casual come-and-go atmosphere," according to the invitation. The organizers are offering a buffet of American and ethnic foods, as well as short and long tours of the mosque.
Siddiqui said the Islamic Society has no expectations of the officers who attend.
"They are guests," she said. "Whatever they like to do, this is for them. If they just want food, they are welcome to it."
Above quote from http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20110223_11_A1_ULNSus938258 The fault is in the PD for forcing attendance to a non-duty job (voluntary church service).
More from Channel 9:
He said if it was a call for service, he would readily respond, but just an invitation to tour a mosque, watch a prayer service, meet Muslim leadership and receive a presentation of their beliefs wasn't related to his work as a police officer.
A flyer from the Islamic Society of Tulsa invites all Tulsa officers to attend the law enforcement appreciation day on March 4, 2011.
"We tried to anticipate these concerns by stating on the invitation what time the prayer service begins and ends so they could come observe if they wanted or if they wanted nothing to do with the religious portion, they could come, eat, visit and leave at their leisure," Sheryl Siddiqui, Islamic Society of Tulsa, said.
Memos show it was originally voluntary to attend, but because of a lack of people signing up, Deputy Chief Daryl Webster sent a memo saying each patrol division would send a total of 6 officers and 3 supervisors to the event.
http://www.news9.com/Global/story.asp?S=14089302
Post a Comment