Pages

Jump to bottom

10 comments

1 Dr Lizardo  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 10:16:41am

The Sufi Center in Berlin I went to, while it’s Sheikh was a Turk, was training a couple of German converts to Sufism to be Sheikhs in the future. They felt it was important.

There was a more general Sunni mosque close to where I lived that bounced out an imam because he couldn’t speak German. Arabic, sure…..no problem, but the congregation wanted someone who could speak German.

2 Political Atheist  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 10:28:46am

There is another benefit. I find this next sentence sad to write, yet needs sayin’.

For the even slightly wary or more average American, these American born Imams will be less scary. More approachable.

Assimilation comes from the natural curiosity about our American lifestyle and it’s benefits of course, but that must be met with a friendly reaction from us Americans. Us of the faithful or secular American scene. That critical internal realization of “Hey I like those people”. It’s gotta go both ways.

3 CuriousLurker  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 10:40:39am

re: #1 Dr Lizardo

Unlike nowadays, when I first became Muslim (many, many moons ago) a mosque with an English speaking imam was the exception rather than the rule. It was very frustrating as not only did they not speak our language, they didn’t understand our culture in the least (and often couldn’t be bothered to learn about it, as they considered it inferior).

4 CuriousLurker  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 10:41:24am

re: #2 Political Atheist

There is another benefit. I find this next sentence sad to write, yet needs sayin’.

For the even slightly wary or more average American, these American born Imams will be less scary. More approachable.

Assimilation comes from the natural curiosity about our American lifestyle and it’s benefits of course, but that must be met with a friendly reaction from us Americans. Us of the faithful or secular American scene. That critical internal realization of “Hey I like those people”. It’s gotta go both ways.

QFT

5 electrotek  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 12:26:04pm

Hope this also means that American Muslims while living in non-Muslim lands must learn to make compromises as well.

All in all, this shows promise indeed.

6 cinesimon  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 2:45:43pm

So, you obviously haven’t spent any time with anyone from those communities.
Therefore, they all have their heads in the sand and feel resentment - because that’s the narrative from the fucking bigots on the right?
Oh that’s right - there are a few centrists and lefties who also feel this way, without bothering to actually find out whether their nonsense is true.

You people. Show some self respect.

7 klys  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 2:51:17pm

re: #6 cinesimon

So, you haven’t spent any time with anyone from those communities.
Therefore, they all have their heads in the sand and feel resentment - because that’s the narrative from the fucking bigots on the right?
Oh that’s right - there are a few centrists and lefties who also feel this way, without bothering to actually find out whether their nonsense is true.

You people. Show some self respect.

I think I’m confused about what you’re replying to.

8 Interesting Times  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 2:52:43pm

re: #7 klys

I think I’m confused by what you’re replying to.

My guess is this statement by CL:

This is a good sign, an indication that many (hopefully most) American Muslim communities now have a healthy willingness to deal with reality rather than just sticking their heads in the sand moping or feeling resentful.

…which makes his claim that she - a practicing Muslim - has never “spent time in these communities” all the more obnoxious and trollish. Presumptuous and self-righteous is no way to go through life.

9 CuriousLurker  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 3:25:03pm

re: #8 Interesting Times

You’re probably right. I don’t know and don’t care. I’m gonna stop feeding the trolls—they’re not worth the effort, so from now on all they get is the half second of my time it takes to down-ding them.

10 SidewaysQuark  Sun, Sep 22, 2013 10:55:00pm

Sounds like the same opposition every religion is dealing with in the onslaught of modernity on the world. Catholic churches had to give up on holding mass in Latin a long time ago.

All religions are struggling with survival in their traditional mode in a world where they’re increasingly irrelevant.

And good riddance to all of them.


This page has been archived.
Comments are closed.

Jump to top

Create a PageThis is the LGF Pages posting bookmarklet. To use it, drag this button to your browser's bookmark bar, and title it 'LGF Pages' (or whatever you like). Then browse to a site you want to post, select some text on the page to use for a quote, click the bookmarklet, and the Pages posting window will appear with the title, text, and any embedded video or audio files already filled in, ready to go.
Or... you can just click this button to open the Pages posting window right away.
Last updated: 2023-04-04 11:11 am PDT
LGF User's Guide RSS Feeds

Help support Little Green Footballs!

Subscribe now for ad-free access!Register and sign in to a free LGF account before subscribing, and your ad-free access will be automatically enabled.

Donate with
PayPal
Cash.app
Recent PagesClick to refresh
Why Did More Than 1,000 People Die After Police Subdued Them With Force That Isn’t Meant to Kill? An investigation led by The Associated Press has found that, over a decade, more than 1,000 people died after police subdued them through physical holds, stun guns, body blows and other force not intended to be lethal. More: Why ...
Cheechako
Yesterday
Views: 30 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 0
A Closer Look at the Eastman State Bar DecisionTaking a few minutes away from work things to read through the Eastman decision. As I'm sure many of you know, Eastman was my law school con law professor. I knew him pretty well because I was also running in ...
KGxvi
Yesterday
Views: 85 • Comments: 1 • Rating: 1