Decision Not to Rebuild Church Destroyed on 9/11 Surprises Greek Orthodox Leaders

Greek Orthodox leaders trying to rebuild the only church destroyed in the Sept. 11 terror attacks expressed shock this week after learning, via Fox News, that government officials had killed a deal to relocate the church.

The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, once a tiny, four-story building in the shadows of lower Manhattan, was destroyed in 2001 by one of the falling World Trade Center towers. Nobody from the church was hurt in the attack, but the congregation has, for the past eight years, been trying to rebuild its house of worship.

Though talks between the church and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stalled last year, church leaders say they've been trying to kick-start discussions ever since. But amid debate over whether a proposed Islamic community center should go forward near Ground Zero, government officials threw cold water on the prospect of any deal with the church -- telling Fox News the deal is off the table.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/18/leaders-disappointed-government-declares-deal-rebuild-ground-zero-church-dead/

"This little church deserves to be rebuilt. It's symbolic, not just for Orthodox Christians, not just for Christians, but for all Americans," Arey said, calling the mosque debate "helpful" to the church's cause. "I believe that people around the country are asking themselves the question -- why all this talk about a mosque being built near Ground Zero? What about a little church that was destroyed on 9/11? ,  This is basically a bureaucratic impasse. This will dissolve in the face of the American public consciousness."

Former New York Gov. George Pataki, who worked with the church as governor, told Fox News on Tuesday that the church should be rebuilt.

George Demos, a Republican candidate for New York's 1st Congressional District, also has drawn attention to the negotiations. He released an open letter to President Obama Tuesday urging him to, as he did with the mosque debate, weigh in on the church discussions.

"While we may disagree on the appropriateness of the mosque, we can surely agree that it is an issue of national importance that the only house of worship actually destroyed on September 11, 2001, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, be rebuilt," Demos wrote. "Mr. President, please stand up and defend our Judeo-Christian values, express your public and unwavering support for St. Nicholas Church, and ensure that it is rebuilt."

Father Alex Karloutsos, assistant to the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, Archbishop Demetrios, told FoxNews.com that the Port Authority "simply forgot about the church" at Ground Zero.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/18/leaders-disappointed-government-declares-deal-rebuild-ground-zero-church-dead/

I say rebuild the church.

i wonder who is/are standing in its way, and why?

nopuqeater:

I say rebuild the church.

i wonder who is/are standing in its way, and why?

To rebuild the church requires money and why is this not as important as the purposed mosque that the President supports in his speech?

OLAADEGBU:

To rebuild the church requires money and why is this not as important as the purposed mosque that the President supports in his speech?

Did Obama support it with Money? man get info or stop trying to misrepresent reliaty, better still when you see Obama ask him Why?, besisdes the Mosque became "Important" because some fanatical christian made a big Issu out it.

This issue only became an issue because a certain ex-governor of Alaska made a big noise about it. Then it caught on. The mosque is being built on private property and has nothing to do with the government. I don't know why the church cannot be built. Is it coz ov moni? Then they should collect more tithes. Sebi the earth is the lord's and the fulness thereof. But I'm sure that Obama is not responsible for the church builders running out of funds.

Here is the speech by the way. Please tell me if there is anything innocuous in it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10991021

I hope someone who has OLAADEGBU's ears will tell him what all this anti-Obama Calvinism is doing to him.

vedaxcool:

Did Obama support it with Money? man get info or stop trying to misrepresent reliaty, better still when you see Obama ask him Why?, besisdes the Mosque became "Important" because some fanatical christian made a big Issu out it.

On point throughout.

vedaxcool:

Did Obama support it with Money? man get info or stop trying to misrepresent reliaty, better still when you see Obama ask him Why?, besisdes the Mosque became "Important" because some fanatical christian made a big Issu out it.

What Obama did was more than supporting it with money, infact he put his money where his mouth is.  By openly supporting the building of the mosque shows what he sees as more important between the two and if you need information click on the link below:

Barack Obama defends plans for Ground Zero mosque

Relatives of 9/11 victims accuse president of 'abandoning America' over support for Islamic cultural centre.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/14/barack-obama-ground-zero-mosque

@vedaxcool,

You asked for information and here is one for you to be informed that the Obama administration did not only gave moral support but with taxpayers' money backs the Imam on making its propaganda for funds. Listen to a former muslim terrorists interpreting what Americans who don't understand arabic is saying in the clip of their real intentions.

[flash=500,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGgSzBZBj94?fs=1&hl=en_GB[/flash]

Uncle Ruckus is at it again, lol.

Evidence of where the Obama administration interest lies. The church that got destroyed by Islamic terrorists barely gets a mention by the Federal Government.

[flash=500,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8s6DHQjNqo?fs=1&hl=en_GB[/flash]

Ground zero church destroyed on 9/11 mired in red tape covered by CBN.

[flash=500,400]http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnnewsplayer/cbnplayer.swf?aid=17383[/flash]