Supporting Muslims as members of our communities

[Aupmanyav]

You conveniently forgot to mention radical Hindus, which can be just as much of a problem.

Yes, we have radical Hindus too. They are not much of a problem for many reasons. Firstly the Constitution, the Courts, the national and state elections (we are going to have our national elections in April/May) and the long association of various faiths of working and living together. You do not see Indian Christians and Muslims as refugees. Whatever problems arise are ironed out. In most cases, they are because of provocation from Muslims egged by the clerics and Pakistan. The clerics are trained in Saudi Arabia and Middle-East.

 

[Vinayaka]

Radical Islam or Radical Christianity (that you see in Religious Forums. Others too, who quote extensively from their books - the word of God or his prophet/messenger/manifestation), that is the cause of all sorrow in the world. Why does God send his word? We would have been better without it.

And that's what the refugees, like in NZ are also escaping. We had a fairly long discussion with our room renter yesterday, and it took us a long time to convince him that the bombing was done by a white supremest, not a Muslim. His experience, of course, is limited to Delhi, and interactions there. So he does have a limited world view, and I also understand that.

 

[Aupmanyav]

That does not speak well of his general knowledge.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

When is the right time to discuss Islam and the effects it is having on modern society?

Certainly not just a day or two after a lethal attack on multiple mosques; and certainly not when the global Muslim community is both in a state of shock & fear, along with the rest of the world.

Can we not lay off for just a little while? It's not just tactful, it's common ****ing decency. How would you feel if someone like Servant was still here going on about how the victims of an Islamic terror attack like the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists had asked for it just a day or three after the fact?

It'd be pretty heartless, wouldn't it?

The media are demonising the internet over this. They do not want any free discussion about Islam and Islam certainly does not either.

Islam would like blasphemy laws to be reintroduced.

I would rather good things and bad things were said on open forums than behind closed doors.

None of which is pertinent to my point: we should take a break from the anti-Islam discussions for just a few days out of a sense of common decency. People have lost their lives and you're on here moaning about people asking you to just knock it off for a bit. I'll try not posting anything anti-Islamic for the next few days. It's no sacrifice or anything.

These people have just been attacked in the most literal sense so maybe now's the time to show a bit of humanity?

 

[LuisDantas]

In NZ the Muslims men, women and children were attending Friday prayers and were massacred. From that how are we now focusing on them as intolerant people when it was a callous Australian who was intolerant?

Isn’t it the anti-Muslim attitude in the world that needs reforming?

A fair question to ask. The answer is not very simple, unfortunately.

 

[Lyndon]

Its not very hard for you, in your postings you repeatably express intolerance for anything to do with Islamic religion!!

 

[Notanumber]

Do you have Beit Din in your country? Has it impacted your rights or your laws?

Are they hyper sensitive and easily offended if anyone criticises their religion?

Are they calling for blasphemy laws in the West?

 

[Notanumber]

Certainly not just a day or two after a lethal attack on multiple mosques; and certainly not when the global Muslim community is both in a state of shock & fear, along with the rest of the world.

Can we not lay off for just a little while? It's not just tactful, it's common ****ing decency. How would you feel if someone like Servant was still here going on about how the victims of an Islamic terror attack like the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists had asked for it just a day or three after the fact?

It'd be pretty heartless, wouldn't it?




None of which is pertinent to my point: we should take a break from the anti-Islam discussions for just a few days out of a sense of common decency. People have lost their lives and you're on here moaning about people asking you to just knock it off for a bit. I'll try not posting anything anti-Islamic for the next few days. It's no sacrifice or anything.

These people have just been attacked in the most literal sense so maybe now's the time to show a bit of humanity?

If we don’t ask the questions, we won’t find the answers.

The answer is not to shutdown debate.

 

[sooda]

Are they hyper sensitive and easily offended if anyone criticises their religion?

Are they calling for blasphemy laws in the West?

In the US we have lots of people who earn their living trashing Muslims and ramping up fear like Jihad Watch.. and they are intense.. even putting anti Muslim posters on busses in NYC.

 

[loverofhumanity]

I've studied three different translations of the Quran. It teaches prejudice and intolerance.

There is no command or teaching of the Quran that can be referenced as promoting prejudice or intolerance.

The Quran praises good deeds and condemns evil deeds.

 

[Vinayaka]

That does not speak well of his general knowledge.

True, and a lot has been a shock to him. A city of 15 million people ought to have a wide variety of views. He's anti-Muslin, almost extremely, but most of it is borne of ignorance.

 

[Vinayaka]

Its not very hard for you, in your postings you repeatably express intolerance for anything to do with Islamic religion!!

Who are you addressing in this post?

 

[Vinayaka]

In the US we have lots of people who earn their living trashing Muslims and ramping up fear like Jihad Watch.. and they are intense.. even putting anti Muslim posters on busses in NYC.

I think it would be very difficult to become a home-grown (western) Muslim terrorist. Those few individuals who have become radicalised tend to have left the country to join ISIS in the middle east. There are both moderate Islamic insiders, and law enforcement people who take pains to watch what imams here say, closely. Most terrorism actually done here has come from very recent immigrants, or total outsiders.

 

[loverofhumanity]

If we don’t ask the questions, we won’t find the answers.

The answer is not to shutdown debate.

The answer is that 49 peace loving innocent people were massacred purely and simply because of prejudice.

They are our human family members that were slaughtered because of worldwide prejudice being fuelled throughout the world.

The real question is why some are not accepting that all humanity are equals but are engaged actively in demonizing fellow human beings.

 

[dawny0826]

Many will be aware of a large number of Muslims being shot in mosques last Friday in New Zealand. Muslims in two mosques located within Christchurch were targeted. They were unarmed and gathered together peacefully for worship. 49 were killed and over 40 were injured from gunshot wounds. The attack had been planned and perpetrated by a 28 year old Australian National who had set up base in the city I live. He actually lived just down the road from me. There appears to have been at least two other accomplices and police are continuing their investigations.

I am in shock as are many in my community. Yesterday community leaders met together with Muslim leaders to discuss how we can support our Muslim community. I was invited as I’m currently the chairman of our cities interfaith council a role which I feel largely unworthy to fulfill.

Many Muslims were feeling unsafe in our communities. The police investigation is ongoing and it is unclear if all perpetrators and accomplices are in custody. In the interim there are to be no meetings in mosques for safety reasons. As an outpouring of support many are approaching Muslim neighbours and associates with gifts and expressions of love and support. Most New Zealanders are appalled by the actions of these far right terrorists. At the meeting yesterday I mostly listened to the concerns of others as we collectively tried to find our way forward.

I’m wanting to discuss and reflect on the journey towards pulling together as a multicultural and multifaith community to support our brothers and sisters in the wake of an act of terrorism and hate. I also wanted to share my personal journey through this horrific time. Thanks for taking the time to read my OP and consider a topic that really affects each and everyone of us.

As it happened: 49 killed, 48 injured in Christchurch terror attack

My thoughts are with those suffering within your communities and to those impacted by this tragedy, globally. I've a hunch that you're quite worthy for the council role that you're assuming.

It's only through compassion and patience that healing can take place. All my best to you and your community on this journey of healing.

 

[loverofhumanity]

In the US we have lots of people who earn their living trashing Muslims and ramping up fear like Jihad Watch.. and they are intense.. even putting anti Muslim posters on busses in NYC.

Prejudice is like a poison and cancer that is destroying our humanity. It needs to be addressed worldwide urgently as it is so destructive.

 

[loverofhumanity]

True, and a lot has been a shock to him. A city of 15 million people ought to have a wide variety of views. He's anti-Muslin, almost extremely, but most of it is borne of ignorance.

My understanding is prejudice is an emotional attachment to an untruth and is so, so destructive. It needs to be educated out of us. We can’t fight prejudice with guns or more security. I think we can only fight prejudice with the opposite sentiments of love and ahimsa.

 

[Vinayaka]

Prejudice is like a poison and cancer that is destroying our humanity. It needs to be addressed worldwide urgently as it is so destructive.

I agree. It includes prejudice against the act of homosexuality, and prejudice against women being able to hold leadership positions. We simply can't afford to be selective about our prejudices.

 

[Vinayaka]

My understanding is prejudice is an emotional attachment to an untruth and is so, so destructive. It needs to be educated out of us. We can’t fight prejudice with guns or more security. I think we can only fight prejudice with the opposite sentiments of love and ahimsa.

I concur. Education is the key. But again, we can't afford to be selective.

 

[loverofhumanity]

A Muslim is a human being, a Buddhist is a human being, a Hindu is a human being, a Christian is a human being, a Jew is a human being, a Zoroastrian is a human being, a Baha’i is a human being, an atheist is a human being, a humanist is a human being - we are all human beings.

The ignorant however are trying to divide us into camps of us and them turning us against each other and we can only take back our world by speaking up for our humanity all over the world making it a voice so strong that it drowns out the voices of the ignorant until all that is heard is ‘We are one’.