Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Fighting Islamophobia in Los Angeles

So this morning I "suited up" and headed downtown to the L.A. City Council chambers to speak in support of a resolution opposing Islamophobia and promoting religious pluralism.

It was an honor to be part of "so great a cloud of witnesses" ... and we were delighted when the City Council passed the resolution unanimously. Here's our two minutes of fame on the local news before the vote:

8 comments:

Elizabeth Kaeton said...

LA as "A headlight not a taillight".

You are SUCH the Queen of the Soundbite. I am in absolute awe of how you do that so very well so many times on so many issues.

You done us proud. Again.

Thanks so much for being a Giant of Justice who lets others stand on her shoulders so we can all see more clearly the Realm of God.

Elizabeth Kaeton said...

BTW, both the reporters - the one at the news desk and the one who interviewed you - seem just a few watts short of a full light bulb. Tell me that wasn't LA's local Fox News affiliate. Tell me LA doesn't have a local Fox News affiliate.

Charlie Sutton said...

You are aware, I trust, that if Islam gets what it wants, a world under Muslim domination, you would be jailed, at least, and more likely executed?

There are, it is true, moderate Muslims. However, such moderates ignore many of the basic tenets of their own faith. The word "muslim" means "a submitted one," and Islam aims for all the world to submit to Allah.

uffda51 said...

It’s interesting that the FOX news station covering this event promoting religious pluralism labeled the vote “controversial.” A unanimous vote would seem to indicate a lack of controversy.

LGMarshall said...

There is no relation between orthodox Christianity & orthodox Islam. There are important distinctions between the two belief systems, you cannot intermingle the two.

Islam teaches ...
--no trinity God.
--Jesus was not God
--there is only 1 holy Scripture, Quran [not the Bible].
--ritual practices, works & righteous deeds required for ascension including, Jihad - Holy Struggle
--Judgment Day will judge you on your religious practices
-- Death to those who reject Allah
-- There is forgiveness through righteous deeds. [not guaranteed though!]
--Heaven is a place of sensual pleasures
--Quran is valid only in original Arabic

By promoting religious pluralism, all youre doing is pushing both religions back to ancient paganism. [Which is what both Religions were trying to get away from in the first place!]

JCF said...

By promoting religious pluralism, all youre doing is pushing both religions back to ancient paganism. [Which is what both Religions were trying to get away from in the first place!]

Trying to leave me speechless, LGM? Mission accomplished!

*****

@Charlie Sutton: re "if Islam gets what it wants." Huh? Islam is a belief-system (like all religions, including Christianity). It doesn't have "wants". It's not a person.

Shouldn't Muslim persons define "the basic tenets of their own faith"? And not, say, *you*?

[I swear, this is the oldest trick in the book. See re "Christians Condemn Homosexuality." But wait, I don't! "Well then, you're not Christian!" Yes I am! Baptized, confirmed---even Born Again! Profess my faith via the Nicene Creed (and Eat Jesus) every Sunday! Read/mark/study/inward-digest Holy Scripture (and say my prayers) every day! "Do you condemn homosexuality?" I told you, I don't. "You're not a Christian then. None of the other things matter." {Sigh}]

MarkBrunson said...

Fundamentalism is fundamentalism. The rest is details. What passes for "orthodox" Christianity is no different in it's true aim and destructiveness than "jihadist" Islam. You're just the same.

Real Christians care about results, not the silly little theological formulations that mean nothing and attempt to restrain God.

Charlie Sutton said...

JCF, Islam divides the world into two spheres, the Dar el Harb (world of conflict) and the Dar el Islam (world of Islam). This division is found in the Koran. The Koran also authorizes Muslims to lie to non-Muslims in order to advance the Islamic faith. Everywhere that Muslims are a majority, non-Muslims have a difficult time - and in many countries in many eras, non-Muslims were tolerated only as "Dhimmis," forced to pay a special tax and not allowed to share their faith.

Muslims who are not seeking the submission of the entire world to Allah are either lying or are untrue to the foundational principles of their faith.

These are not ideas that I have dreamed up. I have read about Islam, and I have read testimonies of converts to Christianity - one of whom had been a professor of Islamic studies at the major Islamic university in Cairo. People who have been Muslims will have a good idea of Muslim convictions.

Mr Brunson, orthodox Christianity is not destructive. It may be difficult, since we are all sinners, but it is not inherently destructive. (There is, of course "sick religion," which is legalistic and not grace-centered - and oddly enough, sometimes it is both legalistic and libertine, as in the so-called Children of God.)

From my interaction with "progressive" Christians, they also seem to want their viewpoint to dominate the society. I would be allowed in ECUSA, for instance, to keep my conservative positions on a number of areas, as long as I accepted all views within ECUSA as Christian - even when every point of the Creeds are denied. I could only do so if I adopted the presuppositions of "progressives." I couldn't do so, so I have left.