Religion
Related: About this forumProgressive Muslims
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/progressive-muslims-launch-gay-friendly-women-led-mosques_n_1368460.htmlProgressive Muslims Launch Gay-Friendly, Women-Led Mosques In Attempt To Reform American Islam
Two weeks ago in Los Angeles, Zonneveld gathered with progressive Muslims at a Middle Eastern cultural center to inaugurate a new mosque. Sitting cross-legged in a circle with her companions, she sang the call to prayer, exulting the glory of God. She made a bold proclamation about the believers who were joining her that day. Muslims from San Francisco to Seattle tuned in via Skype.
"We are gender equal, queer-friendly and religiously nondiscriminatory," Zonneveld declared. "In other words, all are welcome. Allah tells us in the Quran that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was a 'mercy to the worlds."
trotsky
(49,533 posts)Unfortunately, their interpretation of the Koran is just that: their interpretation. No more or less valid than others'.
rug
(82,333 posts)If you don't think religions have a consensus on what they believe, you're not paying attention. Or rather you are deliberately ignoring it. Why is that?
safeinOhio
(32,523 posts)I try not to see anything as a black and white issue. I find this very true when it comes to religion and economics.
That is just me trying to keep an open mind, so I'll always be learning. I'm never right or wrong, just trying to learn.
rug
(82,333 posts)Some just don't get it.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)There is no consensus, only division, this is why there are so many different religions, and within those, so many different denominations, and even within those, so many different sects.
The beliefs vary so widely its surprising many of these people even claim to be of the same religion.
Consensus? I don't think so.
rug
(82,333 posts)Read the Nicene Creed.
Read the Westminster and Augsburg Confessions.
Every major religion (and there are not that many) have a creed or a confession, in short, consensus.
There are far, far more points of agreement that division.
Westboro Baptist is a poor model from which to study ecclesiology.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)cbayer
(146,218 posts)I posted an article yesterday about a new muslim clothing line.
Islam adopts mainstream america. Perhaps this is where the period of enlightenment that many tout will come from.
safeinOhio
(32,523 posts)but I can't find that one.
Here is one that is still pretty good.
I'm tend to be in favor of progressive anything. From Atheism to Islam.
http://www.npr.org/2013/12/30/258382710/muslim-pop-star-yuna-on-the-rise-in-america
cbayer
(146,218 posts)and in a very good way.
I love to see the liberal/progressive muslims breaking out and redefining islam.
Thanks for the link. Another really interesting young woman.
edhopper
(33,164 posts)I would think Muslims in this country vote more Democratic, if only because the GOP is so insane about them.
It seems so:
http://www.wnd.com/2012/10/guess-who-u-s-muslims-are-voting-for/
cbayer
(146,218 posts)effort not to alienate them.
edhopper
(33,164 posts)and what I would say or discuss with a Muslim, especially dependent on the setting, are two different things.
I fully supported the right of putting the Muslim Cultural Center "near" the WTC for instance.
I also never discuss religion on FB, it is not a good place for that.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)to someone in real life.
Why would you approach them differently?
edhopper
(33,164 posts)are voluntarily engaging in a full throttled debate about religion.
Most people I meet don't want to. If a Muslim wanted to have a full on discussion, i would openly state my opinions.
I have been confronted by Christians about my soul and I don't hold back.
But when i am around friends and family, I live and let live. Religion an politics makes for awkward moments.
But I don't think it is proper to challenge a person's religion out of nowhere.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)not alienate muslims. Not saying that you should hold back from debate, but live and let live is a good policy.
Why would one think it's ok to alienate potential allies on the internet but not IRL?
I'm not talking about those that wish to engage on the topic vs. those that don't. It seems you are saying that you can let your real colors show on the internet, but know that wouldn't be the right thing to do IRL.
I don't understand the difference, I guess, though clearly it is true for many, many people. I think it's the anonymity that provides the basis for dismissing what would otherwise be accepted as just decent conduct.
edhopper
(33,164 posts)trotsky
(49,533 posts)yet you've never been able to offer up even the tiniest shred of evidence to support it.
Where is your evidence that someone posting their opinions about religion on an anonymous Internet message board will "alienate" believers from the Democratic party and its goals?
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)They always blame uppity minorities for being too vocal.
Blacks, women, lgbt people, atheists - just shut up and sit down, the party will take care of you, we promise...
trotsky
(49,533 posts)We have been warned.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)The smackdown would be epic.
Yorktown
(2,884 posts)http://www.wnd.com/2012/10/guess-who-u-s-muslims-are-voting-for/
Please note what is stated in your article:
Who needs to have Charlie Hebdo killing sprees to silence mockery of religion if half of American muslims had their way? The courts would do the job.
Or the hangman, if 12% of Muslim-American citizens had their way.
Who exactly is insane on this issue?
Didn't et past he part about voting for Obama.
nil desperandum
(654 posts)with that "insane" word lest ye be called some sort of bigot for pointing out the factual data from the poll.
Free speech for the speech we abhor is something not quite clear to a great many people looking to stifle dissent by calling it some sort of hate speech and attempting to regulate or criminalize words.
Some are going to be offended regularly in a free society where all manner of ideas are allowed to see the light of day.
There is no right to live without being offended, one should expect to hear offensive things from those expressing views counter to their tender sensibilities.
Thank you for being straightforward in your response.
Yorktown
(2,884 posts)All it takes for free speech to be curtailed is to let oneself be intimidated by name calling.
I liked your sentence: