Sunday, December 18, 2005

Get The Rest Of The Story: The Intersection Of Islam, Chrfistianity, and Judaism

My friend, Always On Watch asked me to post this here on IBA. Gladly.

I'm just going to present an excerpt and provide a link. Here it is:


So, here it is the Sunday before Christmas, and I'm thumbing through today's edition of the Washington Post. In the Metro section, I find " Muslim Leader Forges Interfaith Accord." Some excerpts:

"He is a devout Muslim who speaks both Arabic and Hebrew. He quotes the Torah almost as well as the Koran and once protested the threatened removal of crucifixes at Georgetown University."He is a Palestinian by birth who believes in Israel's right to exist."

He wishes that the media paid more attention to his message that Islam, Christianity and Judaism share more similarities than differences, but he is not always good at returning their calls.... "

"Islam, Christianity and Judaism share more similarities than differences"?

Where have I heard that before? I have my doubts as to the extent of the similarities.

According to the above-cited article,

"At a time when his adopted country is engaged in a struggle with terrorism driven by Islamic extremists, Hendi, senior imam of the Islamic Society of Frederick County, preaches interfaith understanding and calls on fellow Muslims to rescue their religion from extremists."

"That message has helped him open doors to senior government officials searching for ways to build better relationships in the Islamic world. The State Department calls on him to host visiting Islamic clergy, and news organizations dial him up for comment, usually after a terrorist attack.

"Part of the attention comes with being the first full-time Muslim chaplain at GU, which also was the first such post in the United States. Hendi teaches theology there and also serves as a chaplain at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. And he teaches an introduction to Islam class in Rockville for Johns Hopkins University's Evergreen Society for older adults.

"As the senior imam of the Islamic Society, Hendi also has shaped the growing Islamic presence in the outer Maryland suburbs. After years of holding services in a doctor's waiting room, a hotel ballroom and wherever else there was space, his congregation recently opened the doors of its first permanent mosque. Hendi lives with his wife and four children in Frederick.

"The Islamic Society's $2 million mosque -- along with its growing list of activities, including Arabic instruction and classes about the Koran -- opened in October. Set in a renovated farmhouse on Key Parkway, the mosque has prompted Muslims to relocate from Gaithersburg and as far away as Baltimore, said mosque members and assistant imam Reda Sallam.


Click here, for the rest of the story.

4 comments:

Pastorius said...

Yes, I think so too. And, I think if they were so inclined personally, they could find verses in the Koran to support being kind as well.

Always On Watch said...

I believe that some Muslims rationalize away those militant, jihadist verses in the Koran, and Jason at Liberty and Culture has discussed this many times. The problem is the verses are there and are included in the later verses, which replace the earlier, peaceful verses.

Notice that Hendi has been threatened. Another telling detail, IMO.

Pastorius said...

Yes, that's the rest of the story.

I tried to set up the post so that people would click over and read at your blog.

That's part of the purpose of this blog.

Check out the other posts that I, and J, did today. They're basically just linkfests. The idea here is to try to get as many of the important stories onto one blog as is possible. That way Infidel Blog Alliance can become a hub, and can serve all Infidel Bloggers in a positive manner.

Pastorius said...

Yeah, I understand, but I think, perhaps, he is sincere.

If you go read the rest of the story, you might find that this guy is someone you could be friends with.

On the other hand, I'm with you, I don't like the idea of Jesus and Moses being lumped in with Mohammed considering the fact that Islam denies that Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, and denies the fact that Christ died on the cross.

If they would correct some of these obnoxious insults to our religions, then maybe we could all feel better about being ecumenical.