[net.religion] An Example Of "Christian" Xenophobia

amra@ihlpa.UUCP (s. aldrich) (06/06/85)

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{...You Unlock This Door With The Key Of Imagination....}

 I AM NOT ATTEMPTING TO "LABEL" ALL CHRISTIANS AS BIGOTS and/or XENOPHOBES!
But with all the recent "discussion(s)" regarding Racism, Don Black, and
Religious Intolerance, (among others), I believe this article will help to
ILLUSTRATE numerous points which have been "raised in vain" in net.religion.
{By Myself, Rich Rosen, Tim Maroney, Richard Brower, and Several Others.}

 Recently in my town, a far-west suburb of Chicago, there has been an
on-going "war of words" over the construction of a Hindu Temple. As is
usually the case, there are "various Christian Xenophobes" who are against
the construction based "entirely" on Religious Grounds.

 There are also some elements of the community whose "bigotry/xenophobia"
may not be related to Religious issues completely, but who none-the-less
wish to "exclude" the Hindu members of the population from "equal access" 
to the town and/or a place of worship. (There are probably "others" as well)

 There are also SEVERAL CHRISTIAN LEADERS and their FOLLOWERS who are
"In Favor" of the construction of this Temple. The City Counsel's action
has, so far, has been COMMENDABLE! They've said, in no uncertain terms, that
their decision(s) would be based "entirely" upon the "merits" of the issue(s)
and not upon "Religious Objections". 

 The "pre-annexation" change required to allow construction of this
facility/temple complex was "unanimously approved" by the City Council.

 To "illustrate" these statements, I've included some "background
information"  from the local newspaper. I feel, as do many others in my 
town, that this recent "revival" of Bigotry/Race-Hatred/Xenophobia/Religious
Persecution is an ABOMINATION that has NO PLACE in our society and/or
community.

 I'd appreciate any "commentary" you have regarding this and/or "related"
issues. 

==> Begin Excerpts From Newspaper <==

 Beacon-News 05-22-85 { AKA: The Be-Confused :-) }

 "HINDU TEMPLE PLAN OK'd"

" It was a city council meeting which at times resembled a `revival' meeting

  It was a night which mixed religion and politics, the Constitution and the
Bible, the freedoms of speech and religion. And in the end Tuesday The Aurora
City Council unanimously approved a pre-annexation agreement that will bring
a Hindu temple to Randall and Sullivan roads in Aurora.

 That approval came after an emotional, stormy, two-hour hearing, which
Alderman Robert O'Conner, at large,summed up as a night where there were
`several rights entwined.'

`We have the freedom of choice, of religion, of speech, of opinion,'
O'Conner said. `Certainly all have been demonstrated here tonight. There
is a freedom here that has to be respected.'

 Approval of the pre-annexation agreement paves the way for development
of what Aurora attorney Richard Schiller called `a very unique religious
complex.' Schiller represents a partnership of 11 Indian doctors who own
the land on which the temple is to be built.

A non-profit religious organization will spend about $1 million to develop
a 20-acre site which will include: a 13,500 square foot Hindu Temple, the
largest of the three American temples dedicated to the Hindu god Venkateswara;
a cultural center with information on Hinduism and the nation of India, which
will have $9 million to $12 million in artifacts provided by the Indian
government; residences fo Hindu priests and another six apartments for
worshipers who travel to spend weekend at the temple.

 The Hindus hope to break ground on the temple development by June 1, and
will finish in about eight months, Schiller said. Most of the work will be
done by local contractors, he said. But the ornate stucco work on the towers
of the temple will be done by imported Indian artisans because `no contractor
in the United States has the ability to do that kind of work,' he said.

 `The temple itself will be open to the general public for visits and tours,'
Schiller said, `This is not going to be a closed thing.'

 The other 50 acres will be a commercial and light industrial development,
stretching along Randall Road to the East-West Tollway.

 Schiller said the partnership of Indian doctors will develop that as a 
money-making venture, separate of the non-profit organization developing
the temple. The two projects are part of the same annexation because the
same partnership owns all 70 acres, Schiller said.

 Schiller touted the commercial and light industrial part of the development
as `the anchor of a significant industrial development on the West side' and
`the first major commercial development on the West Side.'

 Rusty Erickson, the City's Planning Department head, said the industrial
development fits the city's comprehensive plan, which shows light industrial
and commercial development for land along Randall and Sullivan roads.

 J. Christopher Lannert, of the Lannert Group in Geneva, the site planner for
the temple project, showed a proposal plan for the development that includes
a number of retention ponds. The ponds will help control flooding in the
area, he said.

 `I went to the temple in Los Angeles to visit it and it is truly a 
masterpiece', Lannert said. `There is nothing in the Midwest I have seen 
like that.'

 Detail of the development, however, failed to deter those who showed up to
protest the temple for RELIGIOUS REASONS. (All such emphasis is Mine)

 Some, such as Dan Fenske of Aurora, said the temple would cause RAT-INFESTED
AREAS of town BECAUSE Hindus consider rats and other animals sacred.

 Other residents said the feared the Hindus would bring to town a DRUG
INFLUENCE, HUMAN SACRIFICE AND A MAXIMUM SECURITY FACILITY WITH TIES TO A
FOREIGN POWER.

 `If the Ayatollah Khomeini had come here 10 years ago and asked for land,
you'd have let him have it,' said Haze Avery of Aurora.

 Others were concerned about the temple and commercial development tieing
up traffic along Randall Road, and the possibility that bringing city
services to the development would cost taxpayers.

 Most of the objectors asked the council to delay its decision to get more
information on India and Hinduism.

 One resident even suggested the city pay to send alderman to India for
a month.

 `I don't believe there's been a study of the culture you're bringing in 
here,' said James Feiden.

 William Penn of Aurora, SPEAKING FOR THE INDIAN TRAIL CHURCH OF GOD, said
THE TEMPLE WILL CAUSE `A HARDSHIP ON AURORA.' HE CRITICIZED HINDUS FOR
`WORSHIPPING' ANIMALS AND `CREEPY-CRAWLY THINGS.' 

 `I'M AFRAID IF THE CITY COUNCIL DOES THIS, GOD WOULD REMOVE HIS HAND OF
GRACE UPON US,' Penn said, CLUTCHING A BIBLE AS HE SPOKE. ` I ASK THAT YOU
DO NOT PLACE A CURSE UPON AURORA BY VOTING IN THIS TEMPLE.'

 THE Rev. Larry Hodge, PASTOR OF THE FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH, SAID HE
WAS SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF, NOT FOR HIS CONGREGATION. Hodge said Aurora is a
`MID-SIZE MIDWESTERN CITY' THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE INFLUX OF A
MEGACHURCH.'

 `THIS WOULD BRING INTO THE CITY A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH VALUES 
CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT THAT THE PEOPLE HERE,' Hodge said.

 `CAN WE ASSIMILATE THEM? WILL THEY EVEN WANT TO ASSIMILATE WITH US? AURORA
IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH FOR THAT KIND OF DIVERSITY.'

 The Rev. George Zarris, pastor of the Fox River Baptist Church and Illinois
HEAD OF THE MORAL-MAJORITY, CALLED THE DEVELOPMENT AN EXAMPLE `OF A RELIGIOUS
GROUP USING A CARROT OF AN OFFICE DEVELOPMENT TO GET CITY SERVICES.' Zarris
said by adding the industrial development, the temple was getting city
services such as sewer and water.

 But Erickson, after questioning by Mayor David Pierce, said the developers
are paying to build the sewer and water facilities and the roads, which they
will later dedicate to the city. He said the developers also are paying to
bring the city utilities to their property.

 The public hearing took on a revival atmosphere at times, with supporters
of the objectors issuing occasional cries of `amen' and `halleluja,' and
applauding speeches by objectors.

 Just as fervent in giving applause were people who came to the hearing to
SUPPORT the Hindu Temple project, including several Indians who already are
residents of Aurora.

 Anuradha Khetarpal of Aurora scoffed at the suggestion that Indians in the
Chicago area will move to Aurora in great numbers because the temple is here.

 `There is no possibility of a sudden influx of Hindus, although it probably
would help the economy here,' she said.

 Giving an emotional speech in which her voice wavered, Khetarpal said the
issue was one of religious freedom.

 `I have lived in Aurora, I think I have contributed to this community,'
she said. `I AM A Hindu, BUT I RESPECT CHRISTIANITY. I STUDIED IN A 
CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN INDIA FOR 12 YEARS-- THAT'S THE RESPECT I HAVE FOR
CHRISTIANITY.'

 KHETARPAL CHIDED PENN FOR HIS COMMENT THAT HINDUS WORSHIP ANIMALS AND
`CREEPY-CRAWLY' THINGS.

 `THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH REVERENCE FOR LIFE,' SHE SAID.

 Man Singh Das, an Auroran who is a sociology professor at Northern
Illinois University, said he was speaking as an Indian who CONVERTED from
Hinduism to Christianity. He said he is an ordained Methodist minister.

 `WE ARE A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY, WE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID,' Das said. `THESE
PEOPLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BUILD THEIR TEMPLE.'

 The Rev. L. Alexander Harper, PASTOR OF THE NEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH, URGED THE COUNCIL `TO GIVE QUICK APPROVAL AS A SYMBOL OF RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM.'

 `THIS IS A GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO GROW UP AS PART OF A
LARGER WORLD,' Harper said.

==> end of article <==

 Well for ANYONE who is STILL READING, I offer my humble THANKS for your
time and attention regarding this matter. I am EXTREMELY INTERESTED to
hear ANY & ALL Comments/Opinions/Additional Information.

              Peace & Best of Karma
From The Random Association Of Atoms Currently Known As:
         Steve Aldrich (ihnp4!ihlpa!amra)
"When I was real small i heard about a thing called the decline of
civilization...and decided it was something I would like to become
involved in." G. Carlin 

kjm@ut-ngp.UUCP (06/10/85)

[]

From: amra@ihlpa.UUCP (s. aldrich) in <296@ihlpa.UUCP>:
>
>[...]
>
> Schiller said the partnership of Indian doctors will develop that as a 
>money-making venture, separate of the non-profit organization developing
>the temple. The two projects are part of the same annexation because the
>same partnership owns all 70 acres, Schiller said.

This case is utterly crystal-clear.  The people who own the land have
the right to build on it.

>[...]
>
> Others were concerned about the temple and commercial development tieing
>up traffic along Randall Road, and the possibility that bringing city
>services to the development would cost taxpayers.

This problem (of taxpayers paying for growth) occurs under any 
collectivist form of government, whether totalitarian or democratic.

>[...]
> But Erickson, after questioning by Mayor David Pierce, said the developers
>are paying to build the sewer and water facilities and the roads, which they
>will later dedicate to the city. He said the developers also are paying to
>bring the city utilities to their property.

Sounds like there isn't much rational objection to be made, after all.

>         Steve Aldrich (ihnp4!ihlpa!amra)

The religious objections voiced by various christianoids in the
above account are noise.  No religion that I know of has objective
validity, and thus no religious considerations should be heard by
City Councils, etc.

--
The above viewpoints are mine.  They are unrelated to
those of anyone else, including my cats and my employer.

Ken Montgomery  "Shredder-of-hapless-smurfs"
...!{ihnp4,allegra,seismo!ut-sally}!ut-ngp!kjm  [Usenet, when working]
kjm@ut-ngp.ARPA  [for Arpanauts only]