The Golden Rule is Truth (suicide, Commandment, Jewish, pray)
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Alright, you tell us: If a christian went to where the Hajj is held and started preaching christianity, what do you think would happen?
If you think the people going to the Hajj would welcome that christian and sit around singing Kumbaya, I think you're greatly mistaken.
But go ahead...you tell us what would happen with that "what if'. You tell us how our "oneness" would be demonstrated.
I know exactly what you meant. While I don’t think most, or even many, Muslims would react with physical violence to a proselytizing Christian at Hajj, you only need a few pilgrims out of the 1M+ to take extreme exception in the worst possible way. The Saudi government not only would do nothing to stop this act of violence but may even praise it. Keep in mind that it is illegal for non-Muslims to enter Mecca under any circumstances.
I also find the oneness meme recently adopted by several religious posters here to be very curious. Surely they know, in their heart of hearts, that the notion that the irreligious are the source of inter-religious strife is nonsense.
I know exactly what you meant. While I don’t think most, or even many, Muslims would react with physical violence to a proselytizing Christian at Hajj, you only need a few pilgrims out of the 1M+ to take extreme exception in the worst possible way. The Saudi government not only would do nothing to stop this act of violence but may even praise it. Keep in mind that it is illegal for non-Muslims to enter Mecca under any circumstances.
I also find the oneness meme recently adopted by several religious posters here to be very curious. Surely they know, in their heart of hearts, that the notion that the irreligious are the source of inter-religious strife is nonsense.
I don't think people who subscribe to "all paths up the same mountain" or whatever are so naive as to think this makes the leap to all religions getting along, or even people within the same religion getting along. OBVIOUSLY, that's not the truth.
But there are a lot of people who do think that way and strive to work together with that type of thinking, even in small ways in their daily lives. It's not that it IS that way, it's that it's an ideal, and they seek others of like mind.
I am one of them. Every year on the 9/11 anniversary, I publish on my FB and Linked-In pages something I wrote in that regard as a survivor of a place where a lot of people of different races and religions DID get along, not in a newsworthy way, but in the mundaneness of daily living, only to be whacked by a group that saw us all as a monolithic "them". I ask people to look to our commonalities rather than just focusing on our differences.
Is it so terrible a thing to hope that more people can put down their defenses and weapons and see one another as fellow human beings rather than throw up our hands and say there is no point?
I don't think people who subscribe to "all paths up the same mountain" or whatever are so naive as to think this makes the leap to all religions getting along, or even people within the same religion getting along. OBVIOUSLY, that's not the truth.
But there are a lot of people who do think that way and strive to work together with that type of thinking, even in small ways in their daily lives. It's not that it IS that way, it's that it's an ideal, and they seek others of like mind.
I am one of them. Every year on the 9/11 anniversary, I publish on my FB and Linked-In pages something I wrote in that regard as a survivor of a place where a lot of people of different races and religions DID get along, not in a newsworthy way, but in the mundaneness of daily living, only to be whacked by a group that saw us all as a monolithic "them". I ask people to look to our commonalities rather than just focusing on our differences.
Is it so terrible a thing to hope that more people can put down their defenses and weapons and see one another as fellow human beings rather than throw up our hands and say there is no point?
You’re not one of the posters I’m referring to. There was an exchange in the middle of the Ask an Atheist thread where the oneness meme I’m referring to arose.
I agree with your ideal, and as you recognize, it is just that—an ideal. Nor do you purport to claim that the irreligious are the source of religious strife and division.
I know exactly what you meant. While I don’t think most, or even many, Muslims would react with physical violence to a proselytizing Christian at Hajj, you only need a few pilgrims out of the 1M+ to take extreme exception in the worst possible way. The Saudi government not only would do nothing to stop this act of violence but may even praise it. Keep in mind that it is illegal for non-Muslims to enter Mecca under any circumstances.
I also find the oneness meme recently adopted by several religious posters here to be very curious. Surely they know, in their heart of hearts, that the notion that the irreligious are the source of inter-religious strife is nonsense.
1. actually, I didn't know that
2. I think some of them believe that...or let's put it this way...i take them at their word
I don't think people who subscribe to "all paths up the same mountain" or whatever are so naive as to think this makes the leap to all religions getting along, or even people within the same religion getting along. OBVIOUSLY, that's not the truth.
But there are a lot of people who do think that way and strive to work together with that type of thinking, even in small ways in their daily lives. It's not that it IS that way, it's that it's an ideal, and they seek others of like mind.
I am one of them. Every year on the 9/11 anniversary, I publish on my FB and Linked-In pages something I wrote in that regard as a survivor of a place where a lot of people of different races and religions DID get along, not in a newsworthy way, but in the mundaneness of daily living, only to be whacked by a group that saw us all as a monolithic "them". I ask people to look to our commonalities rather than just focusing on our differences.
Is it so terrible a thing to hope that more people can put down their defenses and weapons and see one another as fellow human beings rather than throw up our hands and say there is no point?
Great post, MQ. Exactly.
Many people went out of their to check in on Muslim friends, neighbors, staff and doormen in NYC to be sure they were safe. Muslim cab drivers gave free rides to people who had no way to get home in the melee.
It is our humanity that connects us and people of faith believe that humanity is Oneness.
Every year on the 9/11 anniversary, I publish on my FB and Linked-In pages something I wrote in that regard as a survivor of a place where a lot of people of different races and religions DID get along, not in a newsworthy way, but in the mundaneness of daily living, only to be whacked by a group that saw us all as a monolithic "them".I ask people to look to our commonalities rather than just focusing on our differences.
Be the change.
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