Are you good for writing a few notes for the sake of peace and goodness in the world? And for the sake of your religion?
There are 11 comments at the bottom of this article…. 10 of them are not for peace. If you can jump and write one or two lines to give hope to the mankind that Muslims are indeed peacemakers, then the good people will not be overwhelmed with the avalanche of letters from the extremists.
The only way to solve the problem is to offer good ideas and hope – that is called Islam. Just write a few lines, so you can do more of it. Can you sacrifice some of your idle time and invest in peace for the world?
Follow up on this dialogue will continue as Muslim-Christian peace talk -I, II, III … on this blog
Mike Ghouse
http://www.mikeghouse.net/
The future of mankind depends on us making peace, Muslims tell Pope
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2641855.ece
From The Times
October 12, 2007
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent
The “survival of the world” is at stake if Muslims and Christians do not make peace with each other, leaders of the Muslim world have told the Pope and other Christian leaders.
In an open letter signed by 138 leading scholars from every branch of Islam, the Muslims pleaded with Christian leaders “to come together with us on the common essentials of our two religions”.
The scholars stated: “As Muslims, we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not against them — so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on account of their religion, oppress them and drive them out of their homes.” The phrasing has echoes of the biblical passage “He that is not with Me is against Me”, which was used by President Bush when addressing Congress after the September 11 attacks.
The open letter, addressed to the Pope, the Orthodox patriarchs, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and “leaders of Christian Churches, everywhere”, has been backed by the Archbishop and by the Bishop of London, the Right Rev Richard Chartres. It is expected to be followed by a joint conference.
RELATED LINKS
• Fatima’s giant church hides no secrets
• Leading Article: Half the World
“Finding common ground between Muslims and Christians is not simply a matter for polite ecumenical dialogue between leaders,” the Muslim scholars said. The faiths comprise more than half of humanity, “making the relationship between these communities the most important factor in contributing to meaningful peace around the world. If Muslims and Christians are not at peace, the world cannot be at peace.”
The Muslims even quoted verbatim from the Bible, a very rare move in this kind of publication. They said: “And to those who nevertheless relish conflict and destruction for their own sake or reckon that ultimately they stand to gain through them, we say that our very eternal souls are all also at stake if we fail to sincerely make every effort to make peace and come together in harmony.”
Signatories of the letter, sent out yesterday by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Jordan, include Sheikh Sevki Omarbasic, Grand Mufti of Croatia; Dr Abdul Hamid Othman, adviser to the Prime Minister of Malaysia; Dr Ali Ozak, head of the endowment for Islamic scientific studies in Istanbul; Sheikh Dr Nuh Ali Salman al-Qudah, Grand Mufti of Jordan; and Sheikh Dr Ikrima Said Sabri, former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Imam of al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, an expert on Islam, criticised the letter, saying the appeal was based on the Muslim belief in the oneness of God. He added: “One partner cannot dictate the terms on which dialogue must be conducted. This document seems to be on the verge of doing that.”
Dr Williams said: “The letter’s understanding of the unity of God provides an opportunity for Christians and Muslims to explore together their distinctive understandings and the ways in which these mould . . . our lives.”
HAVE YOUR SAY
____________________________________
We take comfort, not in offers of peace which may be sincere and well meant, but in the fact that all of this is foretold in the bible. In the coming “one world religion”, true believers will refuse to bow to the god of this world and will be martyrd. True believers will not terrorize or kill, we will go like lambs to the slaughter. Our god exists as one in three distinct persons. This god sent the son to the world born of a virgin in the flesh of a man who lived with us, without sin. He told only the truth and was killed as he knew he would be, but in him we find our salvation. If you love God, and would follow him, rejoice in the signs and wonders taking place everyday. Sometimes they will bring hardship on us but in the end will be the glorius coming of the lord. Peace and love to all brothers and sisters.
Amen
Kevin, Zimtown, Mn. USA ____________________________________
Islam is a religion of peace in much the same way MacDonalds is committed to healthy eating. They promote their healthy eating / non violent credentials yet their entire history, from foundation to right now, is based on junk food / aggression and murder.
If they could they would destroy the west, our people, our technology, our culture and yes all our lives. There are no examples of a fair and successful Islamic states. Some have so much mineral wealth that they make money is spite of their backward ways. It is a flawed system better suited to the tribal dark ages of sexism, murder and living in fear. Let the Islamists be sure of this. If they inflame us to rage and create a total backlash (ie.Dirty-bomb) then it will be all over in a Intercontinental Ballistic Flash. I am an Atheist not a Pacifist so do not keep provoking and threatening my people, country & way of life. I don’t turn the other cheek and I am getting sick of this drama. I think Enoch Powell saw the future.
John, Highlands, Scotland ____________________________________
If the world were all Muslim, as the Koran wishes, then the Sunnis and the Shiites would be battling to the death as they are in Baghdad.
If the world were all Muslim, the world would be thrown back into Tribalistic dark ages forever-the end of intelligence as it is known.
jon becker, las vegas, USA/Nevada ____________________________________
If one truly wants survival of the World, then rid the world of 99% of it’s religions.
jon becker, las vegas, USA/Nevada ____________________________________
I doubt if the above quoted Muslim scholars are sincere. If it is true that Muslims want peace then I want them to answer the decisions made by Allah or Muhammad in the Quran.
The following injunctions are in the Quran and let the Muslim scholars above quoted deny the Quran first:
(1) Allah divided the world into two- the house of Islam and the House of War (i.e. Dar al Hab and Dar al Islam). The Catholic Pope also divided the world into two for Spain and Portugal.
(2) Allah tells Muslims not to make friends with Christians and Jews. Quran specifically tells Muslims to chop of the heads and hands of Christians and Jews and not to make friends with them.
The Quran also teach Muslims to make non Muslims fear them by being aggressive to others.
(3) Allah tells Muslims to spread Islam by the sword. If Allah is really a God who makes the universe there would be no need for Muslims to kill other believers unless this Allah is human being moved by greed for political power.
Tan, Sarawak, Malaysia ____________________________________
Wow, I’m stunned – finally religious types are admitting responsibility for the insanity they’ve imposed on the world for thousands of years. All those people who claim that it’s a fallacy to equate religion to war and conflict now don’t really have a leg to stand on.
If we can get some Humanists into power in the US and Middle East we’ll be on the road to a new world order. That way, while we’re all concentrating on preventing the self-destruction of humanity, religious people can sit in the corner out of the way and “understand the unity of God”.
James M, Southport, UK ____________________________________
What are these 138 people talking about? The Pope and other Christian leaders have never displayed any “relish” for conflict with Muslims. The 138 seem to think otherwise and find it necessary to “plead” for dialogue before it’s too late. They’re talking to the wrong people.
With rare exceptions, Islam knows no secularism at the political level. The 138 appear to think Christian leaders drive politics when they refer to “waging war against Muslims”. Of course, secular governments in the West are the wagers of war, paying little heed to Christian leaders’ dissenting pleas.
Islam needs to get it’s own religious house in order. Sadly, that won’t happen anytime soon because it’s riddled with contradictory interpretation from one faction to the next, often on a fundamental level. The results are no strong centralized global leadership, rampant radicalism, and lousy PR. Islam the religion must surface, separate itself from tribal politics, and find a leader, the sooner the better.
Rick, Montreal , Canada ____________________________________
If the world has any chance of peace, it is in this. The humbleness of the Muslim religion should prove to Christians across the world that maybe it is time for a change; not of religion, but of perspective. One can only imagine what it would be like if religion wasn’t a reason of war; if people of all different races and religion could peacefully come together, not as Muslims or Christians, but as brothers and sisters. Forgetting the specifics, doesn’t really come down to just loving God? There is no reason that the human race can’t unite in doing this. I hope and pray that the Christian Church accepts the letter whole-heartedly and can reach an understanding of each other and their motives, and hopefully pave a new road for humanity; a peaceful one.
Josh, Ogdensburg, USA NJ ____________________________________
Does this mean that the world will be divided into Christian or Muslim religions?
Does a Christian and Muslim world include Jews, Budhists, Janes, Hindus, Confusionists, Gays, Zoroastrians, Atheists or do they convert? Or do they just “go away”?
Does Ahmadinijad want to wipe out Jews or just Zionists?
Notice that a religion can only validate itself by the larger number of its members and poligamy is part of being Muslim…?..should Muslims adopt birth control? or should Christians adopt poligamy?
Why does it take 138 Muslim experts to equal one Pope?
Afterall, it would only take 1 expert if he or she was correct…
jon becker, las vegas, USA/Nevada ____________________________________
Isn’t it bad enough that people kill each other over money, land, and oil. Why must they also kill eac other over who has the best God?
Any religion that must use force to prove how right it is, is wrong and bad for everyone. I thought religion was about love and kindness, but religion is only about the power over the people.
Richard Carroll, Sparta, TN ____________________________________
I have posted the following comment today:
I am amazed at the un-willingness expressed by many in the comments to a dialogue, where is the silent majority?
Peace is the responsibility of each one of us, and each one of us should be constantly attempting at it.
We need to stop hate sermons from the pulpit, http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2007/06/hate-sermons-from-pulpit.html
And the good for nothing silent majority need to come forward in all faiths in the interest of the peace, so all of us can live a life without fear http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Articles/GoodforNothing_SilentMajority.asp from all extremes.
Mother Teresa said once, if you want peace, go talk with your enemies, you don’t make peace with friends. She is so right.
99% of the people in all faiths are fine, it is only the 1/10th of 1% that is extremists, and we need to engage them or get the silent majority to speak up.
Mike Ghouse
To post your comment on the Times blog, click the following link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2641855.ece?Submitted=true#comments-form
Please copy your comment on this blog by clicking the following link: http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3462242975774901312&postID=2408377603721186196
The link to the above article on this blog: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2007/10/muslim-christian-peace-talks.html