AC360: Bruce Feiler SCHOOLS Insane Pastor Who'd Just "Disparaged 1Billion Muslims" Live On CNN Int.

[Turborama]

Run time: 10:24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPJ9GqwJH34   Posted on YouTube: August 12, 2010 By YouTube Member: MOXNEWSd0tCOM Views on YouTube: 304   Posted on DU: August 12, 2010 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 2324

 

By the way, AC360 is one of the only CNN USA shows which is broadcast live All Over The World on CNN International

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COOPER: Well, the battle over that Islamic center and mosque several blocks away from Ground Zero in New York picked up pace today.

Come over here to the wall. I want to show you a new billboard that's going to be soon appearing on buses here in New York.

A conservative blogger apparently came up with the idea there's a private group supporting it. On the left here, obviously, a picture of one of the Twin Towers with the plane about to hit it, on the right over here, this is an image of the proposed Islamic center. You got the Islamic symbol there and the big question why there? Asking why have an Islamic center, a mosque, so close to Ground Zero?

The Bus Service originally refused to put the signs up, but they announced today that they would be appearing on buses in New York very soon.

Just to give you, again, a sense of where this site is, it's about two blocks away from the -- the old World Trade Center site from Ground Zero. Park 51 is what they're now calling this proposed site. Not too far away, in fact, from another mosque that's been in the neighborhood since 1970.

Today, the planners turned down an offer from New York's governor of state property elsewhere to build an Islamic center. It was another development as well.

We learned today that the imam who will be head of this center is being sent by the United States State Department overseas to talk to Muslims overseas about Muslim life here in America. So, the -- the U.S. government may not have any doubts about this imam, but apparently, a lot of other people do. Clearly, American people not so sure.

New polling tonight, 68 percent oppose putting the center and mosque near Ground Zero. Just 29 percent favor it.

We're going to talk with Fareed Zakaria about the controversy coming up.

But first, opposition not to this mosque in particular but to any mosque anywhere in America. Let's take a look at some of the images we've been seeing now over the last couple of weeks. This is in Staten Island, New York, a local Catholic Church rejected plans to sell a vacant convent to a Muslim group after outcry there. There were demonstrations there.

And here in Temecula, California, members of a local Tea Party group picking a mosque that's seeking to build a new worship center on a nearby vacant lot.

This one is Murphysboro, Tennessee; protesters marching against a Muslim center after a local political candidate accused it of secretly pursuing a radical agenda. Some protesters are saying that Islam is not a religion, it's just an ideology.

Here protest in Gainesville, Florida, local church group picketing a local mosque. This is the same group. They also have scheduled a public Koran burning on September 11.

Also in Bridgeport, Connecticut, there was a demonstration. This is just one of the demonstrators, a local mosque. The local mosque is now asking for protection this Ramadan after a Texas-based group called Operation Save America protested there saying Islam is a lie.

In a moment, we'll talk to the leader of the Connecticut protest about why he was protesting at this mosque.

All of these groups' right to protest Islam, of course, are protected in the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, freedom of speech, but so is the right of Muslims to pray and express their faith, freedom of religion. Here it is, of course, just in case we need to be reminded.

First amendment, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech.

It's not this religion or that religion or just Christian faith or only popular faiths, it says religion, period and it continues or abridging the freedom of speech, period and not just the speech that on majority can agree on and not just the speech that's popular.

And that's the whole point. If the First Amendment only protected the popular and the uncontroversial, we wouldn't need a First Amendment in the first place. So, let's find out what's behind some of these protests at mosques around the country.

With us now, the Reverend Flip Benham, director of Operation Save America, the group protesting last week in Connecticut; also bestselling author, Bruce Feiler, whose books include "America's Prophet" and "Walking the Bible" which was on the "New York Times" bestseller list for a year and a half.

Both of you, thanks for being with us.

Reverend Benham, I understand you don't like Islam. Their beliefs are against your beliefs, but in this country, doesn't everyone have a right to worship and hold the religious beliefs that they want?

REV. FLIP BENHAM, OPERATION SAVE AMERICA: Well, I don't think there's any question about that, but what we do have is a battle over truth. Islam says that Jesus didn't die on a cross. Islam says that Jesus wasn't raised from the dead. Islam says that Jesus isn't God. We have a diametrical problem here.

Islam is a lie from the pit of hell, and we need to be able to speak that truth from the corners and the streets and the highways as contesting America --

COOPER: No one is contesting your right to speak the truth, but -- what you believe is the truth, but, I mean, why protest some mosques in Connecticut that hasn't done anything wrong? There's not some -- some terror plot that you've uncovered.

BENHAM: I understand exactly what you're talking about, and what's the problem with us not -- we're not protesting anything. We're proclaiming the truth that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by Him.

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: Would it be all right with you if Muslims came to your house of worship routinely and yelled at you and said, you know, you were promoting a lie and all sorts of things?

BENHAM: They came to my country and smashed into the Trade Towers and killed almost 3,000 people. They crashed into the Pentagon building.

COOPER: So you see no difference between extremist, terrorists and Muslims who are practicing who are citizens in the United States?

BENHAM: You have to understand --

COOPER: I'm just asking. Do you see a difference?

BENHAM: Islam is not just --

COOPER: I'm just asking. Do you see a difference?

BENHAM: Islam is not a religion --

COOPER: You won't say what you see different.

BENHAM: Yes, I will.

COOPER: Ok.

BENHAM: If you let me. The problem is that Islam -- Islam is not just a religion. It is a political ideology that demands and forces its dogma down our throat.

COOPER: Not -- not for all Muslims, though. Not -- just let me point out, not for all Muslims. There are some extremists Muslims who do believe Islam -- political Islam --

(CROSSTALK)

BENHAM: Let me say that Islam -- I'm talking about Islam.

COOPER: American citizens here are not saying that America should become under Sharia law.

BENHAM: Anderson, I understand exactly what you're saying. You need to ask yourself the question why are all terrorists Muslim? Not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslim, and that's just pretty --

COOPER: Well, that's just not completely true because, in fact, the guy who blew up the Oklahoma City --

(CROSSTALK)

BENHAM: Yes. You will use that one -- that one man, Timothy McVeigh, you'll use that, but that's not his modus operandi.

COOPER: Ok, let me bring in our other guest.

BENHAM: But however, it is the modus operandi of -- no. It's the modus operandi of Islam --

COOPER: Ok.

BENHAM: -- from 6/22 to this day.

COOPER: Bruce Feiler, what do you make of this? I mean, there are increasing numbers of protest and again, it's not even the Ground Zero thing. That's kind of a separate thing. You can say, look, it's near Ground Zero, a few blocks away.

These are protests against mosques or mosques that are trying to expand or, you know, a mosque in Murphysboro, Tennessee.

BRUCE FEILER, AUTHOR, "WALKING THE BIBLE: Yes. I think -- I'm not Reverend Benham who feel qualify to talk about what is truth or to speak for God. But I do feel qualified to talk a little about the history of religion and what Americans believe. And I think what we've seen over time is that for better or for worse, there is a correlation between violence and religion.

If you took a room, if you took all the religions in the world that have no violence in their past go to one side of the room and all of the religions that violence in their past go to another of side of the room, guess what, one side of room is empty.

Fifty million Europeans were killed in the first century after Christianity or Christians fighting among Christians.

I think what we have here, Anderson, is a fairly simple choice. You can have open warfare among the religions or you can have co- existence, and co-existence depends on dialogue.

And I think what we're hearing now from Reverend Benham and people now protesting these mosques is -- and he's been very open about it -- is a war against Islam. The Ground Zero thing, as you said, is one small thing. This is a larger war against Islam.

And I think the moment that we're in now is that anybody of any religious tradition who has ever been discriminated against, and guess what, that includes all religions. That includes Jews who were told they couldn't build synagogues. Catholics who were told in this very spot, 200 years ago, they couldn't build churches, Protestants. Anybody who has ever been vulnerable at a time for their belief system is at risk in this controversy.

COOPER: So, Reverend, I mean, the logical conclusion though of your -- of your thoughts, and I respect you for coming on and talking, you know, talking about your thoughts and that's what we try to do on the show is have an open dialogue between people with different points of view.

The logical conclusion seems to be, I mean, do you believe Islam should be outlawed in the United States? Do you believe a Muslim can be a good citizen in America?

BENHAM: I think it would be impossible for a Muslim to be a good citizen in America because he must swear his allegiance to Allah.

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: So, the 5.8 million American Muslims, they're not good citizens?

BENHAM: Listen, they can't be if they swear their allegiance to Sharia law, unless, you believe it's all right to beat your wife and you believe it's all right to have four wives, I mean, that's fine. If you believe it's all right to cut the throats of people --

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: You're making gross generalizations about people's religious beliefs that are simply not true.

BENHAM: I'm telling you that that's what it says in the Koran. Just look at (INAUDIBLE) and then you tell me what that means.

(CROSSTALK)

FEILER: What we're talking about here is on the opening night of Ramadan, someone going on CNN and disparaging a billion people in the planet. That's fine, OK?

BENHAM: Not the people. Not the people.

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: What do you mean not the people? You've just said that they can't be good people.

BENHAM: Not the people. I'm talking about the bondage of Islam. Islam is a lie from the pit of hell. It brings destruction and death. That's what it does. Not the people. God loves those people.

FEILER: Let me make a point here. You've -- you've thrown your weapons out there, as I said, on the first night of Ramadan. Let me talk to you about what I think --

BENHAM: The weapons are the word of God. This word is the weapon.

(CROSSTALK)

FEILER: What I think is at stake here, I think there are two issues here. One is looking backwards, and it is in 3,000 years of western religion there has been a contribution from the United States, OK, and that is that the government doesn't tell you when to pray, where to pray or even whether to pray. That is what's at stake here.

Looking back is the idea that the government cannot go into your mosque and tell you where you can put it or where you can't. Four in ten Americans, Anderson, are in interfaith marriages. Is he talking about going door to door and sitting down with people after dinner table and saying, I agree with your faith or not and then slitting your throat if he doesn't believe it.

And then there's another thing and that is looking forward, Anderson. And that is,

We live in a world where there's 2 billion Christians, a billion Muslims, and 3 billion people of other faiths. And we all know we live in a global world of communications, the Internet and trade. And America's place in the world is dependant on the idea that we can exist and work and trade and do business and live alongside other people.

And that is what's at stake here. I understand -- there's not a lot of people who are clearly going to march in this war that Reverend Benham is but a lot of people do have doubts. My kids walk past the mosque to go to ballet practice.

And I think that what those people have to understand is it has been a core American value, and going forward it will be a core to America's leadership in the world with our ability to exist with people whom we may disagree with.

COOPER: We're going to leave it there. Reverend Benham, appreciate your time tonight. And Bruce Feilar, appreciate you being on, as well. Thank you very much.

[gadjitfreek]

1. Wow...

This pastor wants to declare war on Islam. Not just war...holy war. You know, Jihad. OH MY GOD!!!! HE'S A MUSLIM!!!!!

[Turborama]

3. Good connecting of the dots there!

I was so incensed and trying to get my head around what I'd just seen that I hadn't thought of it like that. Bravo!

I'd say welcome to DU but, as you joined a while ago, I'll say welcome back! :hi:

[shanti2]

7. I guess he didn't learn in the Bible

that all three religions...Christianity, Jewish and Islam all
came from Abraham.  It seems he left that part out of his
education. If he went to a seminary or a Bible College he
needs to get his money back as they shortchanged him.
GOD, ALLAH, JEHOVA...all words for the same thing.
Back when the students in Iran took American's hostage I was
in a Catholic Nursing School in CT. One of the nurses said
that we would win because our GOD is stronger than their GOD.
She wouldn't believe that they were the same GOD.( Even when
the Nuns told her what we did.) Some people are simply too
comfortable in their bigotry and stupidity and ignorance.

[Enthusiast]

17. I like this:

"comfortable in their bigotry and stupidity and ignorance"

[Turborama]

19. That is something that has always annoyed me

"There is only one God" is what they all seem to say as if the other main religions (Hinduism is an exception) believe in more than one God and it proves the other religions are wrong, or something.

Well... hello?

You all (apart from Hindus) believe "There is only one God"" so it must be the same one!

Thanks for sharing your great anecdote and welcome back to DU. I look forward to seeing more of your posts. :hi:

[roguevalley]

9. I have his books. He's good.

[kestrel91316]

2. IIRC, Flip Benham is an old warrior from Operation Rescue, Randall Terry's handmaiden.

[Celtic Merlin]

4. Rev. Benham is no Christian.

A Christian is one who professes a belief in the Christ - Jesus of Nazareth. The teachings of Jesus promote love, peace, tolerance and acceptance of others, and helping the poor. This Benham abomination believes in none of those things. That asshole patted his Bible and said, "This is the weapon." Jesus would be horrified by people who use his words as a weapon.

He wants to promote himself and his "church" because there's money in it for him when people support that intolerant garbage. Say the words "Muslim" or "Islam" and you'll find that the Cheney Bush administration so demonized those words and those people for political gain that now all of America fears "the terrorist Muslims". This joker is preying on that fear for personal gain - just like the last president.

Celtic Merlin
Carlinist

[Turborama]

6. Very well put

Thank you! As I said above, I still can't explain properly how I feel about this exchange yet and your succinct analysis is one which I think everyone here on DU (whether they are religious or not) could agree with.

[roguevalley]

10. agreed, Celtic Merlin, +1000

[rexcat]

5. Anderson Cooper gave a nice civics lesion...

in the beginning but how sad is it that Anderson felt compelled to start off with that introduction. He obviously knew that the one guest was a closed minded bigot who will never understand the basic principles our our country. This country is doomed!

[Douglas Carpenter]

8. kick and recommend!! VERY IMPORTANT!!!

[EC]

11. All terrorists are Muslim?

He conveniently left out the whole Catholic/Protestant thingy in Ireland and England didn't he? That should have been recent enough for him to recall and it sounds as though it's even starting up again over there.

[JBoy]

12. Love to see the look on Benham's face when he reaches the pearly gates

and discovers that god is a Muslim.

What a hateful prick.

[Frisbee]

13. HOLY F--K!

Reverend Benham may be in the running for most despicable human I have ever seen. And yes, I am even including Dick Cheney in that group. He is quite possibly also doing as much harm, though in his own special way. This guy and video of him is like a recruiting film for anti-American feelings and recruiting terrorist to attack this country and Americans abroad. I can't begin to imagine what it would feel like to be an American Muslim who has been living in the US, paying taxes, minding my own business and generally just being a good citizen being talked about the way this guy talks. This asshole is a special kind of evil. Oh, and it sure is nice to know that Islam is an ideology and Christianity is a religion and that Timothy McVeigh was the only http://www.commonplacebook.com/current_events/politics/christian_terro.shtm">Christian Terrorist . :grr: :grr: :grr:

[lumpy]

23. I know one thing, Americans have terrorized a lot of Iraqis and

Afghans.

[okieinpain]

14. how come no one use's these peoples in their campaign

commercials. I would use this interview and title it "vote Republican in November if you love hate".

[Turborama]

15. I just saw this when coming in to read the new replies and had to make a screen shot....

The direction of the arrow + the view count seemed quite apt...


(edited to add a new and improved version)

[Enthusiast]

16. Reverend Benham is more disgusting

than Robert Gibbs. Make that far more disgusting.

This guy actually makes me a little sick in my stomach. People like this don't even understand the meaning of America.

[FedUp_Queer]

18. I admit it...

I have serious issues with Islam. But I can't help ask: If Muslims can't put an Islamic Center (it's not a Mosque AND the Board of Directors is interfaith) near Ground Zero, should we not allow Catholics to put Churches near elementary schools? Before I get any grief...I'm Catholic (and, yes, I have more than my share of issues with the Church and religion in general.)

[BetterThanNoSN]

20. hmmm....

it may have been subliminal thinking on my part but i swear i heard 'pastor venom' when he was being referred to

[PDJane]

21. I don't ever remember Jesus saying that he was God.

The way and the light, yes, but not God. This man is twisted and ignorant, and deserves a smackdown. However, nothing dented that smug self-righteousness in the least. These folks leave me gobsmacked.

[MrModerate]

22. Sometimes the O'Reillian "Shut Up -- Cut his mike!"

Might be the right thing to do.

Of course, from a moral-tactical point of view, more good is done by allowing Rev. Slimeball to vomit out his bile and thereby discredit anything he and his deranged adherents might say.

But it's very hard to listen to.