Hate crimes such as the burning of the Joplin mosque are deplorable. Yet we should remember that it was a much larger, more horrific hate crime in the form of brutal terrorism that set off such regrettable acts such as mosque burnings in our nation. It was 9/11: the massacre of 3,000 innocent men, women, and children. But even that does not justify more hate crimes.
However I would like to respectfully point out that although the difference between a religion and a cult is very subjective, I feel that if a belief helps people, it may be a religion and if a belief hurts people, it may be a cult. For example, many Christians strive to emulate their great spiritual leader and man of peace Jesus Christ, who taught people to love and help one another. All Christians believe he is the Son of God.
In contrast, many Muslims strive to emulate their great spiritual and military leader Muhammad, who united Muslims and conquered much territory, including Arabia, for Islam in his bloody Jihad “holy war.” All Muslims revere him as the Prophet of Allah. And so my friends, the world continues to suffer.
Steve Cottrell
Carthage
Opinion
Your Letters: Even 9/11 doesn't justify more hate crimes
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Other Views: Conflicts in SEC
Money talks. In the continuing dispute over the all-too-cozy relationship between the people who create and sell financial products and the people who rate their risk, the money says: Shut up and let us do what we want.
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Phill Brooks, columnist: Missouri Senate did what Founding Fathers had in mind
George Washington once described the Senate as being like a saucer in which you pour coffee or tea.
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Our View: Fixing failure
Some 1,200 injured workers will finally get the payments they are owed. In its final week in session, Missouri’s General Assembly, through bipartisan efforts, passed a solution to address the insolvency of the state’s Second Injury Fund.
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Herb B. Kuhn, guest columnist: Delaying Medicaid reform could hurt rural Missouri
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Kevin Wilson, guest columnist: When fear wins out, so do the terrorists
I’m going to make a bold statement that’s sure to draw a lot of comments, but hear me out before reaching for the keyboard to type a rebuttal.
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Sandie Morgan, guest columnist: Unions benefit workers more than they may know
In a recent guest column (Globe, May 14), Elliott Denniston made the case for Missouri not to become a right-to-work state, and he made this case very well.
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Marta Mossburg, columnist: Maybe government is tyrannical after all
Less than two weeks ago President Obama stood in front of graduates from The Ohio State University and told them to reject those who warn of government tyranny.
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Our View: Spying on us
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Our View: Pass on the legacy
Forty hungry members of the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry began gathering corn at the Rader farm near the village of Sherwood when they were ambushed by a guerrilla band of about 70 Southern sympathizers.
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Our View: Big Brother looms large
The federal government, working under the cloak of secrecy, has been having a heyday at the expense of all Americans.
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