经济学人:美国的清真寺越来越多

IN EARLY 2010 opponents of a proposed mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, spray-painted “NOT WELCOME” on a sign announcing the new building. Simple-minded vandalism, perhaps; but their scrawl captured the feelings of an increasingly noisy segment of America’s population. In the months that followed, nasty disputes erupted over planned mosques in Wisconsin, California and New York. Some suggested that Islam did not deserve protection under the first amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion as well as speech.
早在2010，在墨菲斯堡，田纳西州被提议的清真寺的反对者们就用喷漆在新建筑上表示了“不欢迎”。或许这简直就是头脑简单肆意的破坏，但是从他们的涂鸦中你能感到美国人民们浮躁的片段。在接下来的几个月，在威斯康星、加州和纽约，也纷纷爆发了基于计划建造清真寺的下流的纷争。

Yet these mosque projects and others continue. Since the terrorist attacks of September 2001 Islam in America has flourished. The number of mosques has nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from 1,209 in 2000 to 2,106 in 2011, according to a new report from a multi-faith coalition.
然而这些清真寺计划和其他一系列工程仍在继续。从2001年九月开始美国伊斯兰教的恐怖主义攻击开始频繁起来。根据一篇多宗教联合组织的新报道，从2000年的1209座到2011的2106座，清真寺的数量几乎是十年前的两倍。

Several factors explain the building boom, says Ihsan Bagby of the University of Kentucky and the report’s main author. The growing size of America’s Muslim population has created a need for more mosques, partly as a reflection of the religion’s growing diversity. Muslims are also increasingly moving away from the cities, where most mosques are sited. The proportion of mosques in the suburbs has grown from 16% of the total in 2000 to 28% in 2011.
一些事实解释了建筑物浪潮，来自肯塔基大学的报道主要作者Ihsan Bagby说道。美国穆斯林人口格局的不断壮大创造了更多对清真寺的需要，这也是宗教信仰多元化的一个体现。穆斯林们也越来越多的抛弃自己的城市--大多数穆斯林的所在地。处在郊区的清真寺的比例也从2000年的16%上升到了2011年的28%

These findings will probably further rouse those who are worried that radical Islam will take root in America. But the report suggests such worries are misplaced. Nearly 90% of mosque leaders say they have seen no increase in radicalism among young Muslims. And most also say that they take a flexible approach to Islam rather than strictly interpreting its texts.
这些发现，对那些担心激进的伊斯兰们会在美国扎根的人们来说，很可能是火上浇油。但是报道也认为这样的担心是片面的。因为近90%的清真寺领袖都表示他们并没有在年轻的穆斯林们里看到激进分子。并且他们也说，他们用灵活的方式培养信仰，而不是强解经典。

Other findings back up an earlier report from the Pew Research Centre, which showed that most Muslim Americans have assimilated. Nearly all mosque leaders agree that Muslims should be involved in American institutions and should take part in American politics. They even seem unfazed by the scrutiny of a suspicious government (see article). Only a quarter say they believe American society is hostile to Islam, well down from 54% in 2000.
另一些发现要追溯到一份来自Pew调查中心的更早期的报道，它显示大部分美国穆斯林们已经被同化。几乎所有的清真寺领导都同意穆斯林们应该加入美国体系并且参与美国政治活动。在多疑的政府的监视下他们甚至似乎并不感到为难 (不为所动)。从2000年的54%的高比例到现在只有四分之一的人说他们相信美国社会对伊斯兰教徒们是怀有敌意的。

As with other religions in America, the main challenge facing Islam is not radicalism, but secularisation. The good news for mosque leaders is that there is a growing pool of prospective worshippers. The numbers in the report, if accurate, cast doubt on previous estimates, which have put America’s Muslim population at between 1m and 3m. Mr Bagby thinks the number is closer to 7m. Enthusiasts for America’s diversity will be pleased to hear that. Others, unfortunately, will be alarmed.
和美国其他的宗教一样的，面对伊斯兰的主要挑战并非激进主义，而是世俗化。从清真寺领导传来的好消息就是预期未来会有大批的教徒们加入。报道中的数字，如果够精确，就足够对先前的关于美国穆斯林人口在1百万到3百万的估算提出质疑。Bagby先生认为人口应接近7百万才对。对美国多元化狂热的学者们将会感到高兴。不幸的是其余的可能会担忧了。