I still remember, Russell, when you came to my debate with Rev. Al Sharpton, nine years ago, in New York City. You struck me then as a man of warmth and openness. In that spirit I offer you this response to your recent blog postings supporting the Ground Zero mosque and your categorization of those opposing it as being guilty of hatred and bigotry, which strikes me as a bit harsh.

For the record, I
am a supporter of the mosque being built, but only under two conditions. First,
that its builders consult the families of the Ground Zero dead, who are the
people whose opinion matters most. Second, that the 13-story complex include a
museum detailing the events of 9/11 with exhibits explaining the modern abuse
of Islamic teachings by extremists and their repudiation by Islam itself.

I don’t expect you
to agree with my conditions, or with those who oppose the mosque outright. But
I do ask that you consider this.

We live in a
secular age where religion has been largely repudiated. Sure, people still go
to Church and they still celebrate Chanuka and Christmas. But religious values
have ceased to be impactful on their lives. It’s secular values that dictate
what’s important, from money and fame to material comfort and financial
security. How did religion which was once all-powerful  become so
marginal? There are many considerations, but perhaps the most important has
been religion’s hypocrisy and intolerance. Simply put, when people witness religions
behaving badly they conclude that it’s all a farce. Whether it’s a priest being
caught molesting a child, or a Rabbi being arrested for money laundering, or,
most seriously, an Imam telling his faithful to blow up children, the average
person looks at this and determines that religion is a farce.

Which is why it’s
so important for the religious faithful, in general, and religious leaders in
particular, to behave with morality, ethics, and sensitivity at all times.

But your blog post
completely ignores the need for religion to behave with sensitivity at all
times. It makes no mention whatsoever of how Islam might win public opinion
back and instead accuses Americans of being bigots.

There are bigots
in America but Americans are not bigots. There are a hundred mosques in New
York alone and nobody objects. But the average American is souring on Islam not
based on any intrinsic prejudice but based on the violence they constantly read
in the newspapers. And yes, I agree with you. They should rise above that and
understand that the extremists do not define the faith and that the vast
majority of religions Muslims are G-d-fearing and peace-loving.

But this is where
the builders of the Ground Zero mosque squandered a unique opportunity to
portray Islam in a favorable light, even as you completely let them off the
hook.  Given the huge media profile of this particular mosque, the
organizers could have showed Americans how wrong they were about Islam. The
builders could have taken out a full-page ad in The New York Times (they have,
it is reported, $100 million for the mosque, and this expense would be tiny in
comparison) announcing their intentions of building an Islamic Cultural Center
at Ground Zero and inviting all the families of the 9/11 victims to the Jacob
Javits Center on a specified day to lay out their plans and obtain the families
reactions. They could have said that they while they are firm about their
intentions of creating an Islamic presence at this hallowed site, their
intention in so doing is not offend the families sensibilities but to repudiate
the fanatics who have tarnished the name of Islam and hence, the builders wish
to proceed with the greatest sensitivity and understanding.

Sadly, Russell,
none of this happened. Rather, it was announced that a mosque is being built
adjacent to a giant American cemetery irrespective of the families wishes, that
it’s a First Amendment right, and that all those who oppose it are bigots.

Fair enough. It’s
a free country. Say what you want and build what you want.

But if you’re
intention is to reverse people’s negative impressions of religion in general
and Islam in particular, then you’re probably not going to achieve that by
telling ten thousand people who watched their loved ones incinerated at Ground
Zero, and whose remains are now part of the very air and dust of the place,
that they are no longer victims of a terrible attack, but a bunch of
cold-hearted bigots who hate Islam.

This, Russell, is
just not the way to bring peace and reconciliation.

I wish G-d’s
blessings for all the good work you do.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
hosts ‘The Shmuley Show’ on 77 WABC in NYC. He is the founder of This World:
The Values Network, and is the author, most recently, of ‘Renewal: A Guide to
the Values-Filled Life.’ Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley.