Muslim letter of peace

The remarkable letter to the world  from Muslim scholars, published today and asking for peace between Christianity and Islam,  is in many ways heartening. Particularly following the new UK website "Islam is Peace"   Most striking of all in today's letter is the not-very-veiled rebuke to Jihadists -

"And to those who nevertheless relish conflict and destruction for their own sake or reckon that ultimately they stand to gain through them, we say that our very eternal souls are all also at stake if we fail to sincerely make every effort to make peace and come together in harmony."

However, there is a third religion "of the book":  Judaism.  And even more heartening is the fact that this too is mentioned in the full text.    Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama has also appealed for religions to work together.

Comments

[Dr. Irene Lancaster FRSA]

Dear Libby

Here is my blog on the subject

http://irenelancaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/10/muslims-send-th.html

Where is the Jewish religion mentioned in the text? I am afraid that I regard the letter as a threat and as very discourteous to all the religions it has omitted, including Buddhism.

Every time I have been engaged in dialogue with Muslims, in contrast to every other religion, it has resulted in a rant from their side about the perfection of Islam and the sinfulness of all other religions.

I mean, do you really want Sharia Law in Britain? It's already there in some areas.

Furthermore, it appears from Ruth Gledhill's blog on the same subject that Muslims do not believe that we are made in the image of God, which is a central tenet of Judaism and Christianity, and maybe explains why a huge proportion of Muslims, particularly in Britain, are in favour of suicide bombers.

My own view is that the Muslim world is worried at the volte face of the Archbishop of Canterbury and other church leaders over the question of Israel and its legitimacy in the wake of HAMAS, which is nothing more than the Muslim Brotherhood writ large. In addition, Muslims do not believe in interfaith dialogue, but in putting across their version of religion alone, which of course is not about peace at all but about submission. Neither do they have a theology of repentance, or forgiveness.

Please do not mention Sufism, as most Muslim countries have banned it. As for people like me, who write or lecture about Islam, even in the cultural settin of the Middle Ages for instance, this is totally and utterly verboten at British universities, which highly-respected academic Dr. Matthias Kuentzel found out the hard way when he was booted out of Leeds University on the say so of two Muslim students.

I do admire your fiction novels about education and childhood, but we have to grow up and realise that Islam is not the stuff of fairy tales and romance, but a very real and present danger to all of us, not least in its attitude to dissenters from within the fold.

In addition they totally and utterly reject the idea of a Muslim diaspora. It is the concept of making the most of diaaspora which has been the raison d'etre of Jewish life for 2000 years or more and which the Dalai Lama has stated is Judaism's greatest gift to humanity.

End of sermon.

[NL]

Best not rejoice too soon. Emphasis on the unity of god, in an islamic context, rules out christian concepts of the trinity and of the specific nature of Jesus. Words do not always mean what they appear to mean to us; what counts is what they mean to the speaker. In this case, I fear your reaction is premature.

[Geoffrey Smith]

When the consensus of opinion in the Muslim world is to live and let live, and acknowledge the permanence of the state of Israel, then and only then will I believe that any such appeal from the Muslims has a genuine credibility.

[Abidah Sawsan]

Talking about God is always a good idea. Attempting to bring all sides together to talk is always a good idea. Trying to understand the other is always a good idea. Getting over prejudice is always a good idea. Being peaceful is always a good idea. Having patience is always a good idea.
The Muslim invitation is a good idea.

[Ian]

I read the full text of the letter and it is very clear that the 138 Muslim scholars have no idea at all what the 'Christian' faith stands for. It would have been so much more polite to first have asked that question of us.
Christians will never have any sort of parley with Islam simply because they do not believe Muhammad was spoken to by God at any time. Christians do not regard him as a prophet and will never listen to anything he ever taught about God.
Besides, you can only have peace if you first think there is war, and the war I see is between politicians not Christianity and Islam, that is not our Father's business.

[Geoffrey Smith]

If you want peace, prepare for war.

[Maggie Millington]

The following is written by a living exMuslim /Apostate a Doctorate in Islamic studies & now a PHD in Christian studies , but must live in hiding.

" A committed Muslim will have only one defining characteristic-----his faith. All other identity not based on his faith is irrelevant, including lineage,race,nationality & family."

So how does this square with Christianity ?

[Ian]

Maggie, Islam is not a 'faith', it is a 'religion'. If you read that letter you will find it says,
"The Fatihah, recited at least seventeen times daily by Muslims in the canonical prayers, reminds us of the praise and gratitude due to God for His Attributes of Infinite Goodness and All-Mercifulness".
The repetition of words to enhance a doctrine is 'treading in' and hence the word tradition comes to mind, as does the word 'brainwashing'.
Christianity is a messianic concept that goes back to Noah's age and before that time and cannot be compared with Islam at all.
Nonetheless, if those Islamic 'prophets' are not able to address the Jewish nation directly, seeing as they have a bitter conflict with our Messianic friends, how on earth can we trust them to want peace with us, if they can't make peace with their "neighbour"... they won't with us either, and if they cannot respect "Jehovah", they certainly will not respect Jesus and his teaching because Jehovah is the word for God on the lips of all Jews & Christians.