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Tennessee bill would make it a crime to practice Sharia law
Editor's Note: CNN’s Soledad O’Brien chronicles the dramatic fight over the construction of a mosque in the heart of the Bible belt. “Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door," airs March 27 at 8 p.m. ET.
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been the epicenter of a months-long battle over the construction of a new mosque in the Nashville suburb. It's one example of many concerning Muslims in America, and how cities and communities are responding to efforts to build Islamic places of worship.
That battle got fiercer when two state lawmakers, one representing Murfreesboro, introduced legislation that would make it a felony to practice Sharia law, which includes lessons found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, and which can inform how Muslims live their everyday lives, including prayer rituals. Many Muslims consider Sharia law to outline basic tenets of living a moral life. What is Sharia law?
State Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, and state Rep. Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma, who are backing the same bill in the Senate and House, describe Sharia law as dangerous to U.S. national security, according to the Tennessean newspaper. The bill grants Tennessee's attorney general the power to investigate complaints about anyone who might be practicing Sharia law.
The possible punishment for practicing Sharia law is 15 years behind bars.
Last year, construction equipment on the site of a planned mosque in Murfreesboro was torched, and police suspect arson. Signs on the mosque property were vandalized with spray paint reading, "Not welcome." Two other proposed Islamic centers in Tennessee stoked much controversy last year. A Crusaders' cross was spray-painted on the side of a Nashville mosque, next to the words, "Muslims go home." In Williamson County, not far from Murfreesboro, plans to build a mosque were quashed after residents complained a turn lane into the building would be too costly. The debate over a mosque near ground zero in New York is still raging. The U.S. Justice Department supports the Murfreesboro mosque.
Tennessee isn't the first state to consider anti-Sharia law legislation. Oklahoma passed a similar bill last year. This month Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley said he would support a bill that "maintains that U.S. law shall take precedence in U.S. courts," according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Tilley referenced a case, frequently cited in the debate concerning the Oklahoma law, in which a New Jersey judge relied on Islamic law to rule in a case involving domestic violence.
More of the Fear, Fear, Fear crowd. Let's make up something new and nonexistent for us all to be scared of. Sorry, but there is nothing to be afraid of, folks. Only the U.S. Congress and the State Legislature can pass "laws." Therefore, to prohibit Sharia law, all the Tennessee legislature has to do is ... don't pass a bill containing "Sharia law." If it wasn't passed by the legislature, it's not law. Presto! No Sharia law in Tennessee. Duh!
One of the most ironic (and scary) things is that the Fundamentalist Christians might end up with more government influence if they courted Muslims – Muslims tend to be socially conservative (anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, etc).
Trucker, I haven't read the proposed TN bill but I doubt that this is about taking away right. To me it seems that this is saying that TN wants muslims to understand that there is already a law in the state and country for that matter and that existing law will not be overwritten by Shira Law.
Why would you want to outlaw something that is not even in effect in the State? Why don't the elected Representatives actually focus on the real issues like creating jobs and healthcare as well as crimefighting? Too bad ther so many dumb ppl there who can't put two plus two together and just believe everything they're told by other stupid ppl.
Now the good citizens of Tenn. can go back to juggling rattlesnakes in church like God intended.
Just when you thought that rednecks couldn't make themselves look any dumber, they come up with this! Way to go bubba's.
Just when you couldn't imagine Rednecks making themselves look any dumber, they come up with this.
Religion fills the gaps in knowledge.
ALL religions....
Okay guys, show me a single christian that condones slavery. Show me a christian that condones killing those who don't agree with the Bible. Show me a christian minister that orders people put to death who say bad things about Jesus. Show me a christian that condones killing innocents promising them paradise if they do. You guys referred to the killing of abortion doctors, I don't know a single christian that supported it, actually they openly opposed it. However, I have many muslim friends, and we respect each other's beliefs, but they also know my feelings on the mainstream muslim communities lack of response in condemning terrorism, honor killings, etc. If the mainstream islamic community came out and criticized the terrorism and the killing of innocents (in the name of Allah or Jihad, as the radicals put it) I would feel more comfortable with the situation, but they spend too much time for mu comfort defending it.
Bobby McKenzie
Okay guys, show me a single christian that condones slavery. Show me a christian that condones killing those who don't agree with the Bible. Show me a christian minister that orders people put to death who say bad things about Jesus. Show me a christian that condones killing innocents promising them paradise if they do. You guys referred to the killing of abortion doctors, I don't know a single christian that supported it, actually they openly opposed it. However, I have many muslim friends, and we respect each other's beliefs, but they also know my feelings on the mainstream muslim communities lack of response in condemning terrorism, honor killings, etc. If the mainstream islamic community came out and criticized the terrorism and the killing of innocents (in the name of Allah or Jihad, as the radicals put it) I would feel more comfortable with the situation, but they spend too much time for mu comfort defending it.
Folks. I have studied Islam for 15 years and spent 4 years in the middle east. Islam is a form of government. An Idealogy. It is NOT a religion as they would have you believe, and so it is not subject to 1st amendment protections.
Christians and Muslims will never be able to coexist peacefully. I don't have any problems with the women living here. The men should leave and go back home. Bye bye you mean – abusive – women haters. Go away.
To Nick A. "Doesn't the Christian and Jewish Holy Books also condone slavery?" I do not see these two religions doing this in the open and spreading the need for their Sharia-type beliefs in the open and in the press(not that it is always accurate...) Those two condoned slavery, just like the Koran, that were written thousands of years ago. Times have changed, we HAVE changed, and so will we all.
I am not religious at all. What can I get away with? If I am not Muslim, Christian, or Jew or any other religion, does all of this crap aplly to me? I am just a nice caring, giving sharing person who cares about all of the other people in my world. End of story.....
WITH WHAT I'VE WITNESSED IN THE NEWS TODAY – WHERE PRESIDENT OBAMA IS PREPARING TO DEPLOY OUR TROOPS INTO LIBYA – AND LEAVE US CITIZENS VULNERABLE – AND UTAH PREPARING TO REWARD ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH AN ABSOLUTE FREE RIDE –
PASS THIS LAW AND ENFORCE IT!
OBAMA IS A TRAITOR! IMPEACH!
HE'S SENDING ALL OF OUR TROOPS OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND WILL DECLARE A JIHAD!
DEMONSTRATE!
Citation? Interesting that even FOX isn't backing your claim.
Once the secretly muslim president secretly declares jihad, is he going to appoint Bigfoot to the supreme court? Will he emulate the old christian tradition of burning people on the stake again? christianity is about as believable as a Harry Potter book, with all of this virgin birth nonsense, and rising from the dead garbage. What more inane stupidity will you cook up next? Ameros? Conservatives being worthy of the air they breathe?
"Let one who is without sin, cast the first stone." Don't see many Christians practicing that nowadays, do we?
PASS THIS BILL!
PASS THIS BILL!
PASS THIS BILL!
PASS THIS BILL!