I'd be curious to know how many of you have shared a meal with Muslims on more than three occasions excluding instances related to work.
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Non-Muslims only: Care for some dessert?
- Thread starter Jayhawker Soule
- Start date
I ate dinner with Muslims for a year while in Kuwait. I didn't cook, and eating by yourself at restaurants is boring. Luckily, their culture tends to be much friendlier than ours, and I rarely ever had to. Within minutes of sitting down, I would normally have a couple of people ask if they could join me. Many just wanted to practice their English with an American, but I still enjoyed the company.
I've done so several times in the US, but it usually at interfaith dinners and the like.
I've done so several times in the US, but it usually at interfaith dinners and the like.
esmith
Veteran Member
How would one know? I for one don't ask questions like; what religion are you, what is your political party, what education level did you obtain, are you divorced, do you have a criminal record, etc.
I don't think I would want someone as a friend that had to tell me a personal issue unless it directly affects either me or my family directly
I don't think I would want someone as a friend that had to tell me a personal issue unless it directly affects either me or my family directly
Thanks. That is an interesting thing to ask.
Unfortunately (far as I know) I have to answer "no".
I know plenty of Muslims.
But the closest I've knowingly dined with are ex-Muslims (who've become atheists).
I haven't discussed this with them, but I strongly suspect that they were Muslim in
label only when back in the old country, where being otherwise could bring trouble.
But the closest I've knowingly dined with are ex-Muslims (who've become atheists).
I haven't discussed this with them, but I strongly suspect that they were Muslim in
label only when back in the old country, where being otherwise could bring trouble.
BSM1
What? Me worry?
Trained some Muslims while in the Navy back in the day. Found on the first day they didn't care for ham sammiches. Still remember those guy's name though it's been over 45 years ago. They showed us some sights in Instanbul that most people never get to see. They were just people.
Several times. More than I could remember.
Mainly because I sought them out.
Back in the late 90's, some intafada or another erupted between the Israelis and Palestinians. Listening to the news, I just couldn't make heads nor tails out of the events. I realized that it was because I knew far more about the Golden Age of Egypt than the modern Muslims with whom I share the planet.
This was in the pre-internet world, at least for me. The number of actual Muslims in semirural Indiana is negligible, to put it mildly. But an hour or so drive is Indiana University, and there is a more substantial Muslim community there. They have a very nice mosque. They regularly sponsored everything from guest lectures to openhouses. I went to nearly everything for years. Once they got to know me, they were extremely friendly and open. Got to the point where I brought food to events sometimes.
This was mostly during the period from a couple years before 9/11 to maybe a year after the invasion of Iraq. I not only learned a lot about Islam. I also learned a huge pile of gut wrenchingly horrible things about my own country.
Tom
Mainly because I sought them out.
Back in the late 90's, some intafada or another erupted between the Israelis and Palestinians. Listening to the news, I just couldn't make heads nor tails out of the events. I realized that it was because I knew far more about the Golden Age of Egypt than the modern Muslims with whom I share the planet.
This was in the pre-internet world, at least for me. The number of actual Muslims in semirural Indiana is negligible, to put it mildly. But an hour or so drive is Indiana University, and there is a more substantial Muslim community there. They have a very nice mosque. They regularly sponsored everything from guest lectures to openhouses. I went to nearly everything for years. Once they got to know me, they were extremely friendly and open. Got to the point where I brought food to events sometimes.
This was mostly during the period from a couple years before 9/11 to maybe a year after the invasion of Iraq. I not only learned a lot about Islam. I also learned a huge pile of gut wrenchingly horrible things about my own country.
Tom
Voted yes. Not including times With an ex of mine. Our old neighbors often shared meals with us, and we shared our garden with them . Even visited them when we were in the area again For holiday. Actaul the asked us to move back lol there kids loved us. The lady who we were care takers for was Muslim and we often shared meals with her as well.
A Vestigial Mote
Well-Known Member
I have. We took to helping a Syrian refugee family acclimate to American life about a year ago. My wife sat for sessions with the wife/mother of their family and had conversations so that she could more quickly pick up English. They invited us over several times - twice for meals, and we had them over to our house for 2 meals also.
They were extremely nice people, very respectful, open, honest. They seemed like they practiced or adhered to their faith (Islam) pretty tepidly, however. On one occasion, they said they'd attended a Christian church service near their new home. The husband relayed to me the story of Jesus that was told in the sermon, and asked me if it was true what was done to him. I was sort of taken aback - not sure how to respond. It was early on in the relationship, and up to that point I had figured that he'd be pretty entrenched in his chosen faith, his wife wore a hijab, and they hailed as Muslim... but I came to realize that their adherence was not all that strict - probably much like Sunday-only Christians I see in my parts quite often.
Regardless all of that, I've never had better stuffed grape leaves... hands down.
They were extremely nice people, very respectful, open, honest. They seemed like they practiced or adhered to their faith (Islam) pretty tepidly, however. On one occasion, they said they'd attended a Christian church service near their new home. The husband relayed to me the story of Jesus that was told in the sermon, and asked me if it was true what was done to him. I was sort of taken aback - not sure how to respond. It was early on in the relationship, and up to that point I had figured that he'd be pretty entrenched in his chosen faith, his wife wore a hijab, and they hailed as Muslim... but I came to realize that their adherence was not all that strict - probably much like Sunday-only Christians I see in my parts quite often.
Regardless all of that, I've never had better stuffed grape leaves... hands down.
Jedster
Flying through space
I have eaten with Muslim friends in Israel and England. I knew some Bedouins who lived in the Negev and one family who lived in Bethlehem, we would eat in each others homes. Excellent food all around.
Lorgar-Aurelian
Active Member
Used to have dinner with a muslim almost 3 times a week, that number went up in the summer and during things like Ramadan when we would break the fast together.
metis
aged ecumenical anthropologist
Many times, including dining with an imam twice.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
Two of my closest friends in college were Muslims - one was Lebanese and one was Malaysian. I ate with them plenty of times. Since then, I've been friends with many Muslims I've worked with. However, I haven't socialized with them much outside of work. I generally keep my outside socializing with fellow employees to a minimum, in general, though.
psychoslice
Veteran Member
I haven't, never was game to.