This is an invitation to discuss issues such as reclaiming the spirit of Islam, researching the Holy Quran, tackling obscurantism/extremism and promoting peace, justice and critical analysis.
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Theah
- 2005-08-28 @ 20:51:13
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thinkingpeace
- 2005-08-29 @ 01:30:39
Well one concern when I started this blog was the increasing bigotry and intolerance among a portion of the Muslim community and also among sections of other groups which is not helping the global situation at all.
What have you been studying in theology?-
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Theah
- 2005-08-31 @ 15:48:11
People become bigots when there is something that scares them and do not
understand and because of the increasing violence that is attached to it ...
First one must understand why people become bigots...I think mostly it is
because of ignorance. I have no bigotry because I am trying to understand humane
reaction.
My simple theory is:
To start, and recognize the problem is to let people talk and stop pointing
fingers, of course you will find this in the minority.
Thea-
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thinkingpeace
- 2005-09-01 @ 12:57:56
Yeah, I agree with you. Not many people are trying to understand the situation. The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) conducted a survey in the wake of the 7/7 bombings. The survey asked various questions about the definition and causes of extremism and suggestions for improving the situation. However the outcome of the survey has been presented to blame the generally Islamophobic or Anti-Islamic media coverage and the rising frustration among the Muslims with the British foreign policy.
Although there is no doubt about these are issues, one felt that FOSIS would use the survey to give a better insight into the situation. I myself am concerned about these issues but that does not motivate me towards suicide bombing or joining shady hate-mongering groups. We need to pinpoint and address the flaws with the thinking of sections of Muslims themselves. If students have any other complaints or suggestions, they should be presented clearly. It is time we stopped living in denial and adopted a more self-critical approach.-
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Theah
- 2005-09-02 @ 22:42:10
We westerners have a lot of prejudice, I read about the Vietnam, Japanese and Korean dilemma that came off the wars, till these days people (and especially from the USA) still point to anyone from the Asian race with hatred and racist remark. There isn't much help from the government to change that around the world.
These days anyone that would look like an Arab even if he or she is not, would get a nasty look.
Just after September 11 somewhere in Detroit, a man was stoned because he looked like an Arab, but he was Mexican and a faithful Christian among other things. He has spend a week in the hospital recovering from wounds, he almost died. I have heard of many of those incidents.
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- 2005-08-29 @ 06:15:27
Hi thinkingpeace
Theah has visited my site too, in which Muhammad and the Quran are discussed. I started this writing in order to find out about Islam, and to escape from being a bigot.
Regards
Dawn -
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Trixta-X
- 2005-09-01 @ 15:36:50
I think you article was very insightful, informative and very well written.
Thanks for the information. -
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- http://the-heretic.blogspot.com
- 2005-09-08 @ 13:18:59
"People become bigots when there is something that scares them and do not
understand and because of the increasing violence that is attached to it ...
First one must understand why people become bigots...I think mostly it is
because of ignorance."
Theah,
Just a thought,
Amongst others, the fusion between the practice of culture and a culture of practice increases propensities towards various forms of bigotry. The practise of culture means simply just that. The latter however contains implicit or explicit directives coercing conformance and regimentation .
Whilst the practise of culture can descend to a culture of practise due to propensities towards the familiar and formulaic, the additonal component of the 'culture of practise' exacerbates matters. This basically means that people will be resistent to any form of change or difference, be it in terms of ideas, persons, etc. A good example is chinese culture. -
- http://the-heretic.blogspot.com
- 2005-09-08 @ 13:23:00
Btw,
regarding 'extremism'. I wrote a piece on it that disputes the general application of such a term. Basically, most extremist behaviour cannot be construed as such when couched within a capitalist/nationalist framework of being.
To the site administrator, I'm not trying to use your site as an ad. Just an attempt to further understanding of this most interesting issue, which, sadly, the western media is appreciating with the historical myopia that necessarily comes when we view the here-n-now as natural.
http://the-heretic.blogspot.com/2005/08/fallacy-of-extremism-return-of-sans.html
What a lovely idea!
I'm all ears, when do you start and on what theme? ..
Get a topic up, you're going to save up a lot of time - I was about to do the same...
I study theology and I'm extremely curious to read all aspects to all religion!
Thea