Pasco's first mosque to open Saturday

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Pasco County's first mosque will open this weekend, replacing a strip mall off State Road 54 where Muslims had been having prayer.

The Islamic Center of New Port Richey will have a grand opening at 10 a.m. Saturday at its new building at 4715 Grand Blvd. The event will include a ribbon cutting and interfaith service. Local officials scheduled to attend include New Port Richey Mayor Dan Tipton, police Chief Martin Rickus and Pasco Sheriff Bob White.

Until now, local Muslims have been worshiping in various places, first in three doctors' offices, later in the home of a pharmacist, which they quickly outgrew. They rented one office in a strip mall off State Road 54 and then a second office for the women. Today, about 100 families come for prayers.

- Lisa Buie, Times staff writer

Comments

Probably doubles as a place to stash their bombs too.

[Tony]

New Terrorist camp opens in Pasco county is how the headline should read. I am sure CAIR will be there telling thw world how bad the USA is.

[Scott]

Notice how they had a separate place for women....I have said before and will say again, this is less about a religion and more about a class of immigrants coming to America and failing to assimilate our values, including respect for women. While this country has come a long way with regards to equality of women, it still has a long way to go, and these people of middle-eastern backgrounds will only keep us from reaching that goal.

[Scott]

Mohammed was a criminal.

class, NPR, classy.

classy, NPR, classy.
you truly are a city on a hill.

[tony]

Mohammed was a molester of little boys.

[Chris]

Bunch of pea brains responding here. Wasn't this country founded on freedom of religion? What if it was a synagogue - would you still say the same things? Maybe these people have assimilated into the US and just want to practice their religion.

I'm sure if it was in some other town, you idiots would say "yea, couldn't have it in NPR, bunch of (insert derogatory term)". Get a life, folks.

Hey Chris,
When was the last time you heard a rabbi spouting anti-American rhetoric from his pulpit in a synagogue?

"Notice how they had a separate place for women....I have said before and will say again, this is less about a religion and more about a class of immigrants coming to America and failing to assimilate our values, including respect for women."

Do you include Orthodox Jewish congregations in that sentence? They separate by sexes during services as well. If you think about the position Muslims assume in prayer, segregating by sexes just makes common sense.

[Mike]

Take it easy. Most Muslims are good, hard-working, tolerant people. What's wrong with them having a place to conduct religious worship?

This headline taken from Foxnews today "Thousands in Sudan Call for British Teddy Bear Teacher's Execution" lets me know this is not a loving faith. I would not want to live anywhere near people who think like this - I don't really care if you call me closed minded because I know who I am and that God is a god of love, though He must show His wrath at times. And for the statement "freedom of religion" let's get real - isn't Wesley Chapel fighting a Christmas Tree display saying there will be nothing with a religious note in it. So say what you will - but the freedom of religion is only for the religions that yell the loudest and make our people afraid to go against them.

Those ragheads in Sudan are calling for the execution of that teacher; Muslim are so savage, primitive, and Third World, that it's appalling.

I'm not gonna even pretend to be open minded about this abomination of a religion; enough is enough.

Islam = Anti-Christ. It's a cancer to the free world.

[repubican]

I pray to Rush everyday

I'm guessing everyone sitting behind a computer screen thinks they're big and tough making rude comments. But I bet none of you attended the event, or even tried to break stereotypes through the dialogue set up. Pat yourselves on the back.

[Ahmad]

To all those with bigoted comments, I just want to say that I'm proud to be a Muslim and I'm proud that I worship at that Mosque.

[Sam]

Just blab away folks. Show the world how little you know about Islam. Just keep that xenophobic mouth of yours open.

[Romi]

I bet everyone that posted a comment against that Mosque doesn't even know anything about Islam and Muslims. You guys should learn something first and than put comments when you actually know something. Muhammad was a Child Molester ?? Now that's real smart..

Proud To Be A Muslim !!!!!