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Judge Dismisses Murfreesboro Mosque Challenge |
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Written by Don Byrd
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Friday, 20 May 2011 |
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In Rutherford County, Tennessee, an attempt to halt the construction of a mosque on the foolish grounds that Islam is not a religion, and that it is inherently a threat, has been dismissed by Judge Robert Corlew. The Tennessean reports:
Corlew said the plaintiffs have to prove an injury different from
that suffered by other residents of the county, but denied their claims
that their religion made them targets for subjugation under what is
known as Shariah law.
He said earlier that the court did not find that Islamic Center of Murfreesboro members adhered to extremist religious ideas.
...[T]here is inadequate evidence in the
record which supports this plaintiff’s contention of a casual connection
between the teachings of Sharia law and the actions of the county
government,” Corlew wrote.
Corlew said that he respected the opinions of the plaintiffs but that
the U.S. Constitution has established the right to freedom of religion
and tolerance of differing religious beliefs.
Corlew is allowing one claim to proceed: that the planning commission violated open meetings law, but not claims that the commission made an inappropriate decision, that a mosque represents a threat to the community, or that somehow Islam does not qualify for religious liberty protections under the US Constitution.
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