Church Acceptance Of Islam In The United States Essay

The acceptance of Islam in the United States is a very important social justice challenge for the Catholic Church to address in the twenty-first century. Muslims have been in the United States even before the founding of this nation in the colonial period yet like many other groups are misunderstood. The founding fathers just like today have a hard time of accepting them. Ever since 9/11 though they have been discriminated against due to extreme views one side of the religion has undertook. Therefore, it is very important to understand why Muslims should be accepted. The Catholic Churches acceptance of Islam in the United States has changed from what it used to be in last few decades. The churches acceptance of Muslims in United States plays

Campaigning for religious freedom in Virginia, Jefferson followed Locke, his idol, in demanding recognition of the religious rights of the "Mahamdan," the Jew and the "pagan." Supporting Jefferson was his old ally, Richard Henry Lee, who had made a motion in Congress on June 7, 1776, that the American colonies declare independence. "True freedom," Lee asserted, "embraces the Mahomitan and the Gentoo (Hindu) as well as the Christian religion.” (Huston) This shows how the founding father even though they wanted to accept Muslims they were still ignorant of them and didn’t truly understand the. This is the main reason why it is hard for many other minorities to become accepted because they are not understood. In Jefferson’s autobiography, “he recounted with satisfaction that in the struggle to pass his landmark Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom (1786), the Virginia legislature "rejected by a great majority" an effort to limit the bill's scope "in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan." (Huston) Even the great George Washington was divided on how to treat