At Muslim fair, France's Muslim Union (UOIF) wants to convey a 'message of peace'
Source: France 24
At the entrance, visitors are greeted by the smell of incense and a happy hubbub of children and religious songs. In the stalls, you find books, clothes, pastries and toys. The Le Bourget exhibition hall is open from 3 to 6 April to host the the 32nd annual meeting of the Muslims of France.
Organized by the Union of Islamic Associations of France (UOIF), whose 250 associations bring together a broad spectrum of Islam in France, the event is a meet-up for the Muslim community of the Hexagon, which has about 5 million followers. They can attend conferences, follow theological teachings, but also walk the aisles of the trade show and make purchases they might not find elsewhere.
© Amara Makhoul/France 24 | More than 50,000 visitors are expected at Bourget from 3 to 6 April.
Besides information Pavilions for youth and families, there is a humanitarian village, exhibitions, a competition for memorizing the Koran, etc. If the UOIF is the French branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, the influence of this event on the biggest Muslim community in Europe goes far beyond the "brotherhood" movement.
Read more: http://www.france24.com/fr/20150403-uoif-organise-foire-musulmane-rencontre-annuelle-musulmans-france-islam-charlie-hebdo-ramf/
This is frontpage news in France right now, as the UOIF is under scrutiny as being just a 'mouthpiece' for the feared 'Muslim Brotherhood'.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)people killed others in an effort to convert them.
This report on the threats against Christians in Kenya by Muslims in Somalia kind of contradicts Muslim claims to peaceful intentions and good will.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141058549
That behavior worked maybe in the 16th century, but today????? We all have to live together in peace, Christians, Buddhists, Tao, Jewish, and, hopefully, Muslims. These horrible ethnic and religious slaughters must stop. Goes for all countries and all peoples and all religions.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)your perfectly reasonable and rational post may get hidden. Free exchange of ideas is no longer a norm on DU but rampant alerting and gang-hiding posts that one disagrees with has sadly become commonplace.
"Jurors" rarely vote based upon violations of DU rules or TOS -- they just vote to hide everything they personally disagree with.
demosincebirth
(12,544 posts)Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Why does one group obviously represent "Muslims" while the other does not?
There are plenty of Christian terrorist cults in America...does that mean Christianity is "stuck in the 16th the century" - whatever that means?
Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)But I thought the same as you. I've read JDPriestly's posts before, and he/she usually sounds pretty reasonable, but yeah, um, the point of the OP was to show a contradictory side to your usual stereotypical fanatical Muslim slaughtering infidels. I guess with some, it's damn if you, and damn if you don't.
I, for one, appreciate these stories of people coming together in peaceful ways - regardless of religion. To some, I guess their automatic response is the same as the knee-jerk reactionaries they supposedly condemn.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)Every once in a blue moon, I get something right.
samsingh
(17,601 posts)and killing or kidnapping hundreds and thousands of school kids from other religions - in the name of their own religion and to go to their heaven.
something in the last 50 years would be better than pointing to the 15th century.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)!
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)lobby and the anti-islamists, my particular interests and opinions seem to be displeasing to somebody! Go figure!
Comment va, cosmicone ?
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)J'ai trouvé que ne disait rien du tout mais simplement un titre est plus puissant
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Last edited Sat Apr 4, 2015, 02:37 PM - Edit history (1)
Ils disent que çà, c'est crier, mais parfois il le faut pour se faire entendre !
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Last edited Sat Apr 4, 2015, 04:34 PM - Edit history (1)
c'est de l'or' !
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)J'ai cherche et recherché le forum francophone mais il n'y a pas de mouvement la.
sur le sujet, j'aime bien votre poste ici. Je pense que c'est impossible pour certains membres ici d'imaginer/ de concever que la grande majorite des Mussulmans ne sont pas violents.
Je vous remercie
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)de groupe francophone, pour le moment. Je suis anglophone, moi-même, mais je vis en France avec double nationalité.
Est-ce que tu sais t'exprimer un peu en anglais ? Il y a plusieurs francophones ici qui font plein de fautes, mais on arrive bien à les comprendre.
Et là, t'as tout dit:
'Je pense que c'est impossible pour certains membres ici d'imaginer/ de conçevoir que la grande majorité des musulmans ne sont pas violents.'
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Suis Quebecois, moi, mais nous (ma famille) avons immigre aux E.U. et nous habitons environ de Chicago.
Sur le sujet, et en anglais:
I do think that it is perhaps not impossible, but certainly very difficult for many people to understand that Islam is not the problem. Just as Christianity is not the problem, nor any other religion. The problem arises when violent individuals commit violent acts and claim religion as an inspiration.
I have had discussions on this site with some who persist in framing Islam as a religion of violence and misogyny. I have told people that the Prophet Mohammed and Islam fought against slavery 1000 years before the American Civil War. As to misogyny, a handful of verses in the Quran are used to condemn the entire book, when in fact Islam was more respectful of the rights of women than any European Christian country.
Et un grand bienvenue a vous, ami/e. (Et sur le sujet des fautes grammatique, on peut voir plusieurs erreurs ici en anglais.)
Guillaume
samsingh
(17,601 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Can not have it both ways.
That is what is cheesy, like a ripe room temperature runny Gouda.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)I am more impressed by the Norwegian Muslims who came out to protect a synagogue and Muslims who risked danger by marching against ISIS caricaturing and denigrating their faith.
I am more impressed by Fateh al Sisi who came out in support of reforming the teachings of the Q'uraan.
Direct and explicit actions will be far more effective than fairs where they also seem to be peddling goods and making money.
The points that needs to be driven home to people are:
1. Islam is no better (nor worse) than any other faith
2. Islam is not going to dominate the world
3. Islam has to become tolerant of others in order to have peace for all, and, more importantly,
4. Q'uraan is not going to elevate Muslims but learning science, math, philosophy and arts will -- sort of like taking Islam back to the days of Kahlil Jibran, Rumi and Omar Khayyam.
(Many of the above apply to fundie christians as well)
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)2. Islam is not going to dominate the world
3. Islam has to become tolerant of others in order to have peace for all, and, more importantly,
4. Q'uraan is not going to elevate Muslims but learning science, math, philosophy and arts will -- sort of like taking Islam back to the days of Kahlil Jibran, Rumi and Omar Khayyam.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)people of various faiths. We have been to each others' residences for meals etc. and have become friends to their whole families.
I am a Hindu but I have also prayed in churches and lit candles, prayed in synagogues and when allowed prayed in Mosques as well. I never felt my religious identity was threatened by going to others' houses of worship.
Indians' Islam has roots in Sufism, patronized by the late Nawab (Muslim ruler) of Lucknow. Sufi saints in India such as Hazrat Nizamuddin and Sai Baba are worshiped by all Indians regardless of faith.
Emperor Akbar (a Mogal muslim ruler) tried to create an understanding among faiths and even tried to create a new religion called Din-e-Ilahi (دین الهی religion of god) drawing elements from Hinduism, Jainism, Islam, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism. (This was at a time when there were no christians in India)
All this harmony went to pot when Saudi Arabia started funding Wahhabism all over the world with madraasahs popping up emphasizing Q'uraan over the arts and sciences. It radicalized the youth while keeping them ignorant. This has not worked well for Islam and its followers at all, equating Islam with violence, terrorism and misogyny all over the world.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)It is my spiritual home. Namaste, dear one!
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)A mantra I learned as a child
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)centuries long struggle for religious freedom and tolerance.
Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)and others who fund Wahhabism rather than these people who are trying to convey that they mean no harm (as you suggest in your other post), no?
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Doubly so, since it has its roots in Saudi which exclusively rules Islam's holiest sites--Mecca and Medina.
Thus, in the minds of many impressionable young believers, it is equated with purity and adherence to the Prophet's (pbuh) teachings.
Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)I read a very interesting, though quite long, article on Slate (if I recall correctly). At first, it was sort of patronizing, but the part that interested me most was a profile of Salafists who were opposed to ISIS. The theme of the article was that "reformers" weren't going to convince the fundamentalists, and it was, perhaps, other fundamentalists, those that believe in a pure and unadulterated Quran that were more apt at swaying those that would turn to ISIS.
I'm not sure if that's true or not, but it certainly was interesting.
I just tried to find the article but can't recall the name. Something about "cure" or some such.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)European wars of religion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_wars_of_religion
Islam has the bad luck of playing out its Reformation in the electronic age and in front of the whole world.
Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)And with states acting with impunity in fostering the less than savory aspects of Islam, we are seeing the backlash, as well - even on progressive sites such as this one.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)... and if there's anything that sews a little hope for me are:
Many people are ready to denounce the fanatics
Many people are ready to denounce the fanatics
What I'm trying to say is that there are many people ready to denounce the fanatics on both sides.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Can you believe the hypocritical double-think of some of the knee-jerk anti-islamists on this board?
And, Camembert gets much runnier than Gouda!
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)samsingh
(17,601 posts)i guess the bloodied victims day after day are getting a little too much
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)samsingh
(17,601 posts)in the past.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Little Tich
(6,171 posts)A little bit like stale anti-muslim bigotry, you know...