Do Moderate Muslims Want Global Peace?
Prominent Muslim scholars are warning that the “survival of the world” is at stake if Muslims and Christians do not make peace with each other.
In an unprecedented open letter signed by 138 leading Muslim scholars from every sect of Islam, the Muslims plead with Christian leaders “to come together with us on the common essentials of our two religions.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and Pope Benedict are believed to have been sent copies of the document which calls for greater understanding between the two faiths.
The letter also spells out the similarities between passages of the Bible and the Koran.
The Muslim scholars state: “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 similarities to the New Testament passage: “He that is not with me is against me” - a passage used by President George Bush when addressing a joint session of Congress nine days after 9/11.
The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, a non-governmental organisation based in Amman, Jordan, has organised the letter.
The Institute said: “This historic letter is intended by its 138 signatories as an open invitation to Christians to unite with Muslims over the most essential aspects of their respective faiths - the principles of love of one God and love of the neighbour.
“It is hoped that the recognition of this common ground will provide the followers of both faiths with a shared understanding that will serve to defuse tensions around the world.”
It continues: “Finding common ground between Muslims and Christians is not simply a matter for polite ecumenical dialogue between selected religious leaders.
“Together they (Muslims and Christians) make up more than 55 per cent of the population, making the relationship between these two religious 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.”
Among those launching the letter in the UK will be David Ford, Regius Professor of Divinity, and Fellow of Selwyn College, University of Cambridge and founding director of the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme.
Aref Ali Nayed, a leading theologian and senior adviser to the Inter-Faith Programme, will also take part at the event in central London.
Evening Standard
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As as professed Christian, I have this to say to the moderate Muslim breathren:
When the veiled threats and required submission to Allah against all of humanity stop; when the egregious errors in the name of Islam for the last 70 years are admitted to and apologized for; when moderate Muslims have personally have taken it upon themselves to stop the radical factions of their own religion, including the Palestinians; and when Israel is recognized not only as a sovereign state but with a Jewish capital called Jerusalem and has the luxury of living in peace without fear of attack, give me a call. I’m all ears.
Until then, I consider you an enemy and would be a fool not to believe this another lame ploy to delay. And I believe Christians and Jews will not only survive but prosper, with or without your agreement.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:02 amTwo things: Name the similarities. I’ve read the OT, NT, the Koran and the Hadith. From my own studies, there are none.
Lastly this: “…while saying it wants to build on common ground, the letter (amid copious Qur’an quotes) never mentions Qur’an 5:17, which says that those who believe in the divinity of Christ are unbelievers, or 4:171, which says that Jesus was not crucified, or 9:30, which says that those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God are accursed, or 9:29, which mandates warfare against and the subjugation of Jews and Christians. It would seem to me that verses like these would need to be addressed in some way, even if only to give them some benign interpretation, if there is to be any true and honest dialogue.”
October 11th, 2007 at 11:33 amSimilarities between the Bible and the Koran:
You can get either of them in hardcover or paperback.
Also…
“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…”
So long as…
Provided…
Unless…
Otherwise…
And then you’ll really be fucking sorry!
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
Same old story. From a raving pack of liars.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:49 am“The Archbishop of Canterbury…”
The Archbishop of Appeasement is more accurate.
“The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought..”
Institute for Islamic WHAT???? Gimme a fucking break.
ISLAM, in those instances where it isn’t a plagiarism of Judeo-Christian theology, is a political ideology of oppression and death. PERIOD.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:50 am” Dan (The Infidel)
Two things: Name the similarities. I’ve read the OT, NT, the Koran and the Hadith. From my own studies, there are none.”
guess you didn’t read very closely…
The Bible and the Koran share many of the same people and events. Abraham, Jacob, Issac, David, Solomon, Jesus, John the Baptist, they’re all in the Koran as prophets. There are, as with any literary text, different interpretations of those stories and people, but the same meanings are there.
3:003
“It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong). ”
The Koran is not “plagiarism.” If it’s so dissimilar, like you claim, then how could it be plagiarism? Islamic theology speaks of peace and divine revelation. Muslims believe that it is the final prophecy from God. Muslims also believe that the Bible, Torah, and Koran are complements, as all three books expound on the relationship with the same God and His prophets. Muslims, Jews, and Christians all worship the same God, just with different interpretations and practices.
What has happened is that radical Islamo-Fascists have taken single verses and perverted the religion to one of hate and war.
Anyone who believes that Muslims will just disappear and that this problem will go away is sorrily mistaken. And those who think that treating Muslims will disrespect and indifference will help the situation is just ignorant.
I’m sure it would surprise many of you to know that there are many Muslims living in America. What do you think should be done about them? Should we kick them out, as they clearly are the moderate ones if they reside here, so they can go and convince the radicals of the danger of their ways? Of course not.
“Until then, I consider you an enemy…” How ignorant. You will be missing out on many great people; intellectuals, artisans, mathematicians, doctors, lawyers, Americans.
October 11th, 2007 at 1:22 pmproducts of the muslim world?…..name one….just one.
and then explain why these great people aren’t speaking out about the hijacking of their religion by these fanatics.
October 11th, 2007 at 1:42 pmOur Baletinian friend:
“The Koran is not “plagiarism.” If it’s so dissimilar, like you claim, then how could it be plagiarism?”
It was me and not Dan who referred to ISLAM as a “plagiarism” and, as I said, it is. Except where it delves rather deeply into that politician and General Mohammed’s motivation for conquest.
“What has happened is that radical Islamo-Fascists have taken single verses and perverted the religion to one of hate and war.”
It may be a “religion” if you use the Latin meaning of that word - ‘to bind’. But it certainly is not theology.
“Should we kick them out, as they clearly are the moderate ones if they reside here,…”
Oh really? Like these “moderate” folks many of whom “reside here”?
http://www.pipelinenews.org/images/2007-05-29-US v HLF-ListCoConspirators.pdf
October 11th, 2007 at 1:46 pmwell posting that link ain’t working…
try this one and then go to the extensive list of “unindicted co-conspirators”
http://www.pipelinenews.org/index.cfmpage=cairholyland6507.htm
October 11th, 2007 at 2:05 pmfunny how a single “God” can imply divergences of exploitation ; one “God” makes possible the greatest hates, intolerences and calamities on that earth.
How about returning to the Mithra cult ; at least that cult didn’t kill that much ; well, a few youngs at the begenning, (Abraham was about to kill his son too) but not in an every-day ritual, just once a year then replaced by a bull, then by the eucharistie…
or by phylosophy ? but the latter is only effective at the level of wiseness, a whole life of apprentiship
October 11th, 2007 at 4:01 pmHow ignorant. You will be missing out on many great people; intellectuals, artisans, mathematicians, doctors, lawyers, Americans.
My response to الٲمريكي (The American):
Well, in my home town your “moderate” Muslims threatened the life of one of their own and his family when he dared write the local paper as a guest editor; excommunication or whatever the Islamic term for getting booted wasn’t enough. Seems he had the audacity to condemn any American mosque that provided financial assistance to Hamas or Hezballah. Oh, to be a moderate Muslim.
While I am sure I’ll miss the joy of many intellectuals, doctors, lawyers, and other overachievers, I also will have the luxury of knowing I wasn’t one of the naive rubes that weighed the practicing moderate by their professional status; like the doctors in Europe who found sport in driving suicide vehicles into buildings.
It might help change my belief if you took to the streets loud and clear to commend the Jews for their accomplishment and right to exist in peace in Israel.
Ironic that for all of my post, “enemy” was the only item you addressed…which in and of itself, speaks volumes.
October 11th, 2007 at 4:20 pmUmm, that’s nice, Mr. Muslim. One problem, though:
Seems your prophet advocated lying your ass off to non-muslims, in order to trick them into a false truce with you.
After which, you regroup and go back to killing the Infidels. Peace be Upon Him.
SO, you’ve an awful lot of ’splaining to do.
If you REALLY want peace with Christians, you can start by allowing Christians to worship and preach openly in your countries without killing them.
That’d be a start. Maybe then we’d have *one* reason to trust you.
In the mean time, I’ll take your appeal to our common religious ideals as another trick from the Prince of Lies.
October 11th, 2007 at 8:30 pm“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.”
This just angers me….The guiltiest of the guilty and I feel their just to stupid to deal with
October 11th, 2007 at 9:35 pmالٲمريكي (The American)
This jackass has got to be kidding me…this is not an opinion, this guy is infiltrating this site with propaganda
“Anyone who believes that Muslims will just disappear and that this problem will go away is sorrily mistaken. And those who think that treating Muslims will disrespect and indifference will help the situation is just ignorant.”
Is that a threat @%@#$%#
First off the message has no creedence because I don’t know who these “”Prominent Muslim scholars “” @#%@#%# are.
I’ll also conclude where ever you e-surgent, its being traced….
So, you have the wrong site @%@%..Go preach your views somewhere else where somebody gives a @#$#. We know all about your 1st grade explanation of the world we live in
October 11th, 2007 at 10:05 pm