Christian Evangelical Center Plans to Compete with Ground Zero Mosque

[Turborama]

Source: DNAinfo Manhattan Local News

LOWER MANHATTAN — The proposed mosque near Ground Zero is about to get some competition.

Bill Keller, a televangelist from Florida, announced Monday that he is building a http://www.911christiancenter.com/">$1 million Christian center in lower Manhattan in response to the Cordoba Initiative’s plans for a http://www.dnainfo.com/20100712/manhattan/landmarks-preservation-commission-weigh-future-of-ground-zero-mosque-building">13-story mosque and community center there.

"If they can put a mosque near Ground Zero, we should be able to put a Christian center near Ground Zero and give people a choice," Keller told DNAinfo in a phone interview Tuesday morning. He called the Islamic center "a spit in the face of the people of New York."


Bill Keller, an evangelical preacher, hopes to draw new converts to Christianity through his lower Manhattan center. Starting Sept. 5, Keller will hold weekly services at the Embassy Suites hotel in Battery Park City. By January, he plans to open a permanent center with daily services near Ground Zero, featuring a 300-seat gathering space, a 9/11 prayer room, classrooms and offices.

Keller, 52, said his 9/11 Christian Center at Ground Zero is "not just another church."

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20100713/manhattan/christian-evangelical-center-plans-compete-with-ground-zero-mosque#ixzz0taVZAwhv

---

The article goes on to say that he has called Islam a "1,400-year-old lie from hell" and described Mohammed as a "murdering pedophile who propagated his false religion through hatred, violence and death".

ETA Warning: Anyone who is offended by extreme Islamaphobia may find his site (which is embedded at "$1 million Christian center") very disturbing.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

1. a $1M Christian center in Lower Manhattan?

That should get him about 600 square feet or so. He can set up a card table and hand out tracts to the burgeoning Manhattan Christian Evangelical movement. It is burgeoning, right?

[sharp_stick]

4. That was my first thought too

shit a million bucks won't get you a ground floor efficiency facing the alley.

[ProudDad]

5. Wouldn't that be the RENT

for 600 Sq. Ft. for about 2 years?

It probably costs $1 Million for a hot dog cart permit in Manhattan...

[msongs]

2. he works hard the money, so hard for it, honey....nt

[madrchsod]

3. jesus hangs his head in shame for the fools who say his name in vain

[Alcibiades]

6. You must follow the link!

It show you where stupid is on the internet.

http://www.911christiancenter.com/

[AlbertCat]

7. How about feeding the poor with that money?

Both of you!

Doncha think God and Allah would prefer that to a pissing contest?


I'm sure it NEVER occurred to either religion. Religion is ridiculous.

[CLANG]

8. I think Bill is a dead man walking when the jihadists hear about this

[The Stranger]

27. Nonsense. Bill and the Jiadists are one in the same.

Bill confirms the Jihadists' propaganda, and the Jihadists confirm Bill and the Christian Hate Machine's propaganda.

They almost wouldn't exist without one another.

It is time for another screening of The Power of Nightmares.

[gauguin57]

9. The fundy pastor behind the "9/11 Christian Center" is a big Birther. Oh brother.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/birthers/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/07/13/ground_zero_church_birther

"Joining them in opposing the community center is Keller, a fundamentalist Christian pastor who runs an Internet prayer service called LivePrayer. He calls the project "a spit in the face of the people of New York." Keller is now proposing a $1 million project next door that he dubs "the 9/11 Christian Center at Ground Zero."

It looks a lot like Keller is seizing an opportunity to reap easy cash from conservatives around the country who are horrified by what they read in Human Events about the proposed Muslim community center -- just as Keller saw an opportunity when he tapped into the Birther movement with an informercial last year.

"Where was President Obama born? Why does he refuse to produce his official state of Hawai birth certificate? What is he hiding?" Keller asked in the Birthermercial, which was running in at least seven states in the South. "Don't sit back, do nothing. Act now! Tell President Obama to prove where he was born."

[The Stranger]

28. Christian Fundamentalism is White Supremacy warmed over.

Connect the dots. They're everywhere.

[paparush]

29. Internet Prayer Service - Jim and Tammy Baker nod in approval.

What a shyster. What a huckster.

My deceased grandmother, late in her life, got sucked into the whole 700 Club, Jim and Tammy Baker media empire. The cast looked like a Vegas Used Car Salesman Convention thrown into a blender with wigs that even Dolly Parton wouldn't wear. I mean, those people were SCARY to look at, not to mention the mind mush they were peddling.

[JHB]

10. There's already Christian centers near Ground Zero...

St. Paul's Chapel, Trinity Church, St. Peter's Catholic Church...

Oh, but "his 9/11 Christian Center at Ground Zero is 'not just another church.'" Naturally. It's a tax exemption, free publicity, and looney-tune recruiting ground for him.

[EC]

11. In competition?

So faith really is just a business...It's all about who has the most members or what?

[AlbertCat]

12. It's all about who has the most members

Well, for conversion religions, yes! (As if the whole world will ever be all anything :eyes: stupid delusions.)

[tanyev]

24. For many it's all about who gets the most $$$$ from their members.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

13. I don't see either being particularly well patronized

One of the two will probably be an Apple Store inside of five years,

[4saken]

14. More superficial religions

It's sad that many people actually do end up believing in one mythology or another based on the location of a church, and not the veracity of their claims.

[laconicsax]

15. I guess he didn't notice the other nine or ten churches within a block of ground zero. n/t

[Chulanowa]

19. They're all going to hell for being apostates, you know

They don't pray to Jesus in the proper fashion, after all.

[laconicsax]

20. Heretics, not apostates.

Apostasy is leaving the religion entirely. Heresy is following incorrect/forbidden/false doctrines.

[Chulanowa]

35. Either way, they weigh less than a duck

[laconicsax]

38. I think there's a distinction as far as punishment goes.

One you're probably supposed to stone to death, the other is to be burned alive.

:shrug:

[KT2000]

16. this is why I love religion

disputes - wars - competitions

My little town has about 20 Christian churches. Lots of big expensive buildings. One does have a reduced rate medical clinic though.

:shrug:

[demodonkey]

17. St. Paul's Chapel = a lovely "Christian center" right across the street from the WTC

When I lived in NYC and traveled through the WTC almost daily I often stopped at the cemetery there and pondered what the people buried there would think if they could see the towers a block away.

Of course they would have a lot more to ponder now.

[pepperbear]

18. "give people a choice"

I heard mcdonalds and burger king are also vying for a spot.

[SkyDaddy7]

21. Note to Bill Keller and Christians...

Christianity was spread via murdering pedophiles who propagated their false "ideology" through hatred, violence and death"...A tradition that lives on to this day!

Not defending Islam here just stating the obvious that Christianity has more blood on its hands as well as stolen lands & natural resources spreading it's ideology than Islam does by a long shot! Of course, Islam is 700 years younger than Christianity so they have plenty of time to close the gap. So, to hear Christian Leaders talk about Islam like that is the first religion to rape kids and use hatred, violence & death to spread their religion is typical of the false ideology they are a part of!

As for the ground zero "Ideology Center" cat fight goes...I think "Religion" has done enough damage there.

Hands down the most influential Book of the Bible that confirmed my atheism was the Book of Job...Where the devil & god trade some laughs destroying a man's life for their egotistical enjoyment. I see many similarities in the ongoing 1400 yr long fight between Islam & Christianity! Maybe god & allah are simply engaged in long drawn out game of "RISK" using billions of people instead of ONE for their egotistical game? I bet the devil is jealous!

[Blandocyte]

22. Sure put 'em both there

They can play sports against each other to see which religion is the one God wants. Great microcosm of religious intolerance waiting to happen. Pass the popcorn, please.

[Solly Mack]

23. Pathetic

[pokercat999]

25. Competing cons...gotta love it.......... suckers everywhere...nt

[Javaman]

26. Competition? Save your soul for half price? Holy water fire sale?

buy the first crucifix get the second one free?

(I could go on all day. ;) lol )

[AlphaCentauri]

33. Hey somebody has to pay The Jizyah Tax

;-)

[fascisthunter]

30. of all the important issues, these religious idiots fight over what exactly?

do they even know????

[AlphaCentauri]

31. Back to Constantinople n/t

[closeupready]

32. All subsidized by the American taxpayer.

:eyes:

[smirkymonkey]

34. Great. I thought I would be safe from those lunatics here.

Guess not. Also, they had better do a little research on Manhattan real estate. $1M will barely get you a parking space.

[KamaAina]

36. There are a hell of a lot more Muslims in NYC than there are fundie nutbags

part of what makes it "the city so nice, they named it twice"!

[jberryhill]

37. It's just a fundraising scheme - he won't build anything /nt

[burnsei sensei]

39. This is nothing.

If it were some Spanish Catholic zealots who had decided to build the Reconquista Center, then we'd have reason to worry.