In Patterson, New Jersey, a 0600 alarm is now the Muslim Adhan, or call to prayer. Despite pleas from residents, the council voted 5-4 to allow the call to prayer five times a day, over a loud speaker.
This needs to stop. Set an alarm, iPhone alert, carrier pigeon notifications….Not the Adhan. How and when you worship is your business. It should not be a broadcast over America’s streets.
The difference between a church bell and the adhan is glaring. Falling somewhere between a screeching cat and a lyrical melody, depending on the skill of the “caller”, we hear the adhan. Unlike an anonymous tolling bell, the Muslim call to prayer is exactly that… a prayer. Broadcast over a loud speaker. Five times a day.
At a time when our nation grapples with the “moment of silence”, because “prayers” might be offensive, Patterson residents get to hear this,
Translated to English,
God is Great! God is Great! God is Great! God is Great!
I bear witness that there is no god except the One God.
I bear witness that there is no god except the One God.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Hurry to the prayer. Hurry to the prayer.
Hurry to salvation. Hurry to salvation.
God is Great! God is Great!
There is no god except the One God.”
Yes, church bells may be perceived as a Christina call to prayer. They are also anonymous. When a bell is rung, it’s a noise. Like birds chirping, or a siren blaring… the sound may be from a Catholic cathedral, or a Baptist church. It may be from a nearby school, City Hall, or even a clock tower. Unless I’m attuned to the tone of a specific sound, a ringing bell tells me the time. If I’m religious it reminds me to pray.
A bell doesn’t broadcast a specific prayer all over the city… a “Dong, Dong, Dong, Dong, Dong, Dong”, alerts me that it’s either 0600 or 1800. It isn’t stating, “that there is no god except the One God.”
Bells are anonymous. Shouting about your God is not. Adhan wailing about Muhammad is not. Forcing non-adherents to listen to your broadcast of prayers is literally forcing me to hear you preach. In my school. At my business. In my home. 365 days a year, 5 times a day.
Cristina Laila, at “The Gateway Pundit“, writes,
It is a total nuisance and it is also a way for the Muslims in the community to show their dominance, forcing a city with Christians, Jews and perhaps agnostics to be subjected to Islam.”
The decision by Patterson, and other cities to allow call to prayer, opens the door to the courthouse. If Muslims are allowed to broadcast their prayers, why can’t Christians? Is my local church going to swap out bells for “the Lords Prayer”? Is there a Buddhist Monk anticipating his chant over city streets? Perhaps, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will belt out a few hymns during the day.
America is a rare nation. No religion is off limits. Satanist monument on the town square? Sure!! Wiccan symbology in National Cemetery, fine!!
Islam gets a little extra protection. Especially from those who are offended by Christians.
Remember the fury directed to the Muslim baker who refused to make a gay wedding cake. Oh, wait. It was a Christian baker who continues facing extensive legal attacks for adhering to his religious beliefs. The original case went all the way to the Supreme Court, meanwhile, Muslim bakers without lawsuits did this:
Despite very legitimate noise complaints, “north jersey.com” reports the original purpose of the ordinance as,
Officials who supported the changes in the noise ordinance said they were designed to prevent overzealous enforcement that could target a mosque’s call to prayer.”
At a time when our nation grapples with displays of religion in public spaces, Islam gets a pass. The adhan is being protected under noise ordinance, because it’s ripe for a lawsuit about freedom from religion. American citizens should be able to walk about public spaces, live in their homes, and attend their schools without having to hear prayers forced upon them.
Featured Image: Dcubillas via WikimediaCommons License Under: CC BY-SA 3.0 Image Cropped: 400×400
Kathy says: I agree with you. Streets should also not be blocked for prayers.
Issuing a permit, or having a public gathering is protected by freedom to assemble. I have no problem with that act. Even if I personally disagree with the purpose of the gathering. I can avoid it, and being a resident of Northern Va we often circumvented gathering on the National Mall. But if street preachers are subject to harassment violations, disturbing the peace violations…. a literal prayer being broadcast across public spaces should face the same scrutiny. We either allow everyone the opportunity to “shout their religion” or we don’t.
Scott says: These truly are the end times… If we don’t put a stop to this insanity, our Republic is lost!
Dietrich says: But but but, Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.”
Drew458 says: So he’s tone deaf in addition to all his other shortcomings?
Politically Ambidextrous says: I’m wondering what the permitted volume level is and how it varies with time of day. Church bells modulate their volume. So do airports, construction sites, etc. There can be a live-and-let-live solution in which the call is symbolic, soft, and minimally invasive. Today (at least in the USA), there is no need for a “public watch” to let the masses know what time it is.
Removing all public expressions of religion or culture won’t make us a better nation. But it’s vital that these sights, sounds, or smells are not intended as, nor interpreted as, an expression of dominance. This is true whether the expressing religion or culture is the local majority or a minority.
When your religion informs you what you need to do, it’s probably OK. When your religion informs you what I need to do, it’s probably not.
Scott says: “When your religion informs you what you need to do, it’s probably OK. When your religion informs you what I need to do, it’s probably not.”.. You just described islam, and the major problem with it.. in reality, it is a political ideology, not a religion, and its followers seek to have it dominate all aspect of life. You either convert, submit, or die…
That being said, this is Joisy we’re talking about, and as such, it;d be a shame if somethin was ta happen to da speakers broadcasting… I’m not sayin, i’m just sayin….
Politically Ambidextrous says: “You either convert, submit, or die.” It sucked to be a Jew in Spain in 1492 (as one example throughout history). It’s the belief that “your behavior/beliefs are preventing my/our salvation” that contributes to religiously motivated aggression.
No doubt there are Muslims who believe and act on this, and they present a big problem to the American melting pot. Sadly, it’s also true of some practitioners of other religions.
Scott says: Without a doubt, other religions had had members, or times where they persecuted non-believers. And you are correct those were NOT good times.. Thing is, ONLY islam has the convert / submit / die thing actually written into the tenants of the “religion”
Politically Ambidextrous says: Islamic tenants certainly have such unfortunate provisions. So do the Old and New Testaments. A reading of Deuteronomy 13:6-9, Deuteronomy 17:3-5, and Matthew 5:17-20 shows that similar tenants are there for the following whenever Jews or Christians want to feel justified about being jerks to their neighbors. Fortunately, all the Jews, Christians, and Muslims I have met do not make these parts of their liturgy the central part of their religious identity and actions. When your religion informs you that I must die — that’s definitely not OK!
Harlan says: Here’s an idea. How about all of the Christian churches get together and ring their bells at EXACTLY the same times the muslim noise is broadcast?
Anchovy says: Leaf blowers are the devils call to prayer.
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