Where is your grace?

Lately, I have seen a post on Facebook making the rounds that has really offended me. Not because it related to me or that it affected me in any way but it does show just how small minded some people can be. The post reads as follows:

Regarding the mosque near ground zero, I say let them build it. But across the street, we should put a topless bar, called "You Mecca Me Hot", Next to that, a gay bar called "The Turban Cowboy" and next to that, a pork-rib restaurant called "Iraq o' Ribs?" And a check cashing center called ..."Iran out of money" Lets see who's ......really tolerant! Repost if you agree !!!


I understand the controversy about ground zero and the building of the mosque but what I don't understand is why we have all seemed to forget that the whole idea that people flock to the U.S. from other countries is because we are a free nation & we have always been a nation tolerant of one an others differences. This post, for me at least reads, 'Hey! I'm an ignorant American who believes that everyone that is of the Muslim Faith is a terrorist'.
 
One of my dearest friends is Muslim. She is one of the most generous, sweet and upfront women you will ever meet. She and her husband have an amazing marriage and their children are an example of two completely different backgrounds becoming one. So, when I see the news and hear the remarks that people make about those of the Muslim Faith, it truly saddens me.
 
My family and I are of the Southern Baptist Faith. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, coming to this world to die for our sins. We believe in a Lord that sat and ate with those coming from different faiths, walks of life and honestly, those who lived down right sinful lives. These, are the people He loved and reached out to. The Lord showed a heart of tolerance and grace. He listened with an open heart and He gave as much love to those who turned their backs on Him as He showed to His disciples. While He may have not agreed with their beliefs, He loved them all the same. He prayed for their souls in hopes that they would turn from their sins and follow Him. Is this not the example that we should be showing now? I understand the fear. I understand the pain but what I don't understand is lumping all these people into one group.
 
The ground that they want to build this mosque on is said to be 'Hallowed Ground'. Why? Because it is near the site of the bombing? What makes that hallowed ground? Hallowed ground, for me, would be where the bombing happened or where a war was fought, lost or won. Where a Christian Man stood for a group of people in hopes to find them equal rights or better yet, where a mother selfishly gave birth to an innocent child that would she knew would some day give His life for you and I. That is Hallowed Ground. That is a placed that should be protected.
 
I don't begin to understand those of the Muslim faith. What I do know about it, I don't agree. As I said before, I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to this world to die for our sins and there is and never was another God before Him. I have one book that I read, the Bible, and believe it to be true. I don't need to read another book in order to interpret the Bible. The Bible is the pure word of the Lord. That being said, I am also of the belief that I am not to shut out those of other faiths. How am I, as a child of God, going to bring other's to Him if I run off anyone that doesn't believe as I do? What example are we setting if we 'terrorize' these people with our protests or refuse to let them build their place of worship? After all, isn't this exactly why people come to America? Aren't we in the land of the free?  If so, then someone explain to me what the problem is, in building this mosque?
 
Yes, there are Muslims that are terrorists but there are Irish terrorists, there are American terrorists, and so on and so on. Yes, there are terrorists that want to hurt the United States but honestly people, is every Muslim in the U.S. a terrorist? NO! Please, let's stop placing posts on Social Networks that group all of these people into one group. I believe, if you truly search your heart, you too will find that you know someone of the Muslim faith that you know, is not and will never be a terrorist's and deserves to live and worship freely as we all do.