You'd think that if a religious group was mobilizing its members for a massive rally on Capitol Hill to pray for the soul of America, religious conservatives would be all about it.
But that does not seem to be the case here, because this rally is being organized by Muslims:
A New Jersey mosque is spearheading a national prayer rally in Washington, D.C., that organizers expect to attract tens of thousands of Muslims to pray for the soul of America.
Describing the event as the first-ever of its kind, leaders of Dar-ul-Islam in Elizabeth, N.J., expect 50,000 Muslims from around the world to gather for the Sept. 25 rally being held on Capitol Hill.
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Some Christians also are mobilizing to pray on that day. An email circulating virally calls for Christians to oppose what they see as Islam's growing influence on the U.S. through prayer.
"If ever we needed to be crying out for mercy for America, it is now," the email reads. "We must stand strong and speak Truth wherever we are and at every given opportunity. ... May there be multitudes come in to the kingdom of God while there is yet time."
Abdellah said he doesn't understand why Christians would object to Muslims praying. "What is there to fear about that?" he said. "Nobody's praying for any destruction? We're praying for reconciliation and that people get along."
But Nigerian minister Mosy Magdugba believes the Muslim prayer gathering is part of a spiritual battle for the soul of the nation. In an email, the leader of Spiritual Life Outreach in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, called on Christians to fast from midnight Sept.25 until the Muslim prayer event ends at 7 p.m.
"It is warfare time," Magdugba wrote. "Do not joke with this. If Christians fail to frustrate this game plan in the spirit, you will regret the outcome."
Florida resident Karen Leach agrees, saying she plans to fast and pray on Sept. 25 because she sees the event as a subtle form of "cultural jihad."
"I'm very distressed," Leach said. "I'm distressed when I read the statement, ‘We want to show America how we pray.' ... I feel that any kind of prayer speaks into the heavenly realms. So I feel if they're going to be speaking into the heavenly realm into the forces of darkness, I want to speak into the forces of light."
When Lou Engle organized his prayer rally on the Mall, he was joined by high-profile Religious Right leaders like Mike Huckabee, Tony Perkins, and Harry Jackson.
I'm guessing we won't see any of these people at this prayer rally.
