Should a mosque be built in Athens? Why? Should the public pay for it? Why? Why not the people who want the mosque instead of the public?
A blogpost of BareNakedIslam reflects the tension on both sides of this question.
On the one hand, there are about 500,000 Muslims living in city of Athens. The city does not presently have a mosque. Previous attempts to build one encountered opposition from the public, even when rich overseas Arabs wanted to fund it. The government promised to build a mosque in 2006, but has yet to deliver. The Muslims are threatening violence if a mosque were not built for them.
On the other hand, builders have not successfully brought their mosque-building projects to completion because of public opposition. Most of the society is Greek Orthodox. The Muslims who have come to live in Athens are mostly illegal immigrants. The country is struggling with economic problems and has been for the last 6 years. Why should the government be pressured to build a mosque for these Muslims given the present circumstances?
Should illegal immigrants have the right to make such demands from the governments of their host countries? Should they not be grateful for what they already have, instead of threatening violence if they are not given more?
What do you think? Can there be a peaceful resolution to this tension? Can Muslims and Greek Orthodox live happily together?
The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.
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