Rep. Moran’s appearance at CAIR event disturbing When I called Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., to express my extreme distress that he was giving the keynote address to the 17th annual Council of American-Islamic Relations Conference in Crystal City, a condescending staff person in his office tried to placate me, saying that “Islam is a religion of peace, and Congressman Moran is reaching out to our Islamic neighbors to discuss freedom and democracy.”
I am gravely concerned that a U.S. congressman would share a podium with an Islamic imam connected to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing who also called for violent jihad against the U.S. government.
Mr. Moran, how can you stand up and talk about the ideals of American freedom and democracy to a group aware that Israelis and Christians in the Middle East live in daily fear of nuclear annihilation from their Islamic neighbors, or that Muslim women and teenage girls here in America are victims of honor killings?
These actions certainly cannot be described as democratic or peaceful.
Mark Stevenson
Springfield
Mormons are not Christians
The issue of whether or not the Mormon religion is true Christianity or a “cult” has gotten some recent media attention, considering that many prominent Mormons are also political figures. Instead of mindless, baseless bigotry, here are some facts about the Mormon religion:
Mormons say Prophet Joseph Smith found golden tablets in Palmyra, N.Y., which form the basis of the Book of Mormon. The language is allegedly “reformed Egyptian” but cannot be found in any other place or time. There is no linguistic, genetic, archaeological or paleontological evidence to support Mormons’ claim that the tablets were left by an ancient Semitic tribe.
Mormons also say Jesus Christ preached His gospel to Indians living in Central and South America, but there is no archaeological or paleontological evidence of Christianity before the arrival of Christopher Columbus.
Finally, the Book of Revelation clearly prohibits adding books to the Bible. No Joseph Smith is possible after that! That said, the religious beliefs of candidates should play absolutely no role in deciding their fitness for public office.
Lawrence K. Marsh
Gaithersburg
All Americans can embrace freedom to choose
Re: “Planned Parenthood pushes abortion over true choice,” From Readers, Oct. 16
Mr. Kosciesza said that freedom of conscience and religion is one thing conservatives, liberals and everyone in between should be able to agree on.
Americans have widely diverse opinions on abortion, contraception, divorce, theology and a host of other matters, and no level of government has any right to stick its nose into these sacred areas.
In any event, men should not impose their anti-choice opinions on women who have yet to achieve electoral equality.
Edd Doerr
Silver Spring
