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Hearing Today on Buddhist Building
Magnus said the centers are commonly used for peace rallies, conferences and other large events. Unlike churches that draw crowds only on Sundays, Magnus said, the Buddhist center will create traffic and parking problems and disrupt the Massachusetts Avenue Heights neighborhood several days of the week.
"The group says that 100 percent of their activities are focused on advancing peace, culture and education," Magnus said. "Personally, I think that's fabulous. All my neighbors think that's fabulous. It's just not worship."
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John Magnus, who heads opposition to the Buddhist temple, says it will disrupt traffic. Officials with the temple say it will include two sanctuaries. (By Melina Mara -- The Washington Post) TOOLBOXCOMMENT Discussion Policy Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post. |
Aiken said the center will have a main sanctuary and a smaller one, both of which would have altars and a scroll that is part of the chanting ritual. He said it would be "an overstatement" to describe it as a place for peace rallies. A large event it sponsored in 2005 was held at Constitution Hall, he said.
The thick zoning file on the case includes a letter from the Internal Revenue Service, saying the group is exempt from federal income tax because it is "organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes."
Terry Lynch, executive director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations, wrote to zoning officials in support of the Buddhist group's building.
"There's no question in my mind that this is a house of worship," Lynch said in an interview. "This strikes at the whole debate of diversity of religious expression that a lot of our communities across the country are going through. It may not be a residence or a chancellery, but it's certainly a matter-of-right use for that location."
Aiken said he is optimistic.
"We know we're a place of worship, and it will be used for worship," he said. "A year from now, we'll be happy to invite folks in to see how we use it."