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randominityVery interesting post at the link below, and one of the most thought-provoking reactions to Little Mosque on the Prairie that I've seen so far....
hxxp://alaynesthoughts.blogspot.com/2007/01/strange-story-amazing-fallacies.html
Is it wrong that I keep sort of identifying with Islam just because it's so misunderstood and misrepresented? I mean, back when I was straight-up trying to be a practicing Muslim I always found it so tiring to have to address accusations from bigots all the time, and it contributed in a huge way to my falling back from doing all of that.
But nowadays I see people say ignorant things and I'm like "RARRR I'm an example of the myriad ways in which that is SO NOT TRUE!" Like I think of it in the present tense. Which is crazy, since I handwave away most of what annoys me about Islam anyway, lol, so I could in no universe be considered a good Muslim.
Anyhoo. Interesting link.
hxxp://alaynesthoughts.blogspot.com/2007/01/strange-story-amazing-fallacies.html
Is it wrong that I keep sort of identifying with Islam just because it's so misunderstood and misrepresented? I mean, back when I was straight-up trying to be a practicing Muslim I always found it so tiring to have to address accusations from bigots all the time, and it contributed in a huge way to my falling back from doing all of that.
But nowadays I see people say ignorant things and I'm like "RARRR I'm an example of the myriad ways in which that is SO NOT TRUE!" Like I think of it in the present tense. Which is crazy, since I handwave away most of what annoys me about Islam anyway, lol, so I could in no universe be considered a good Muslim.
Anyhoo. Interesting link.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-25 01:33 pm (UTC)I dunno...that's just MY opinion, anyway. Besides, you know what they say about denial--it just means that any reform/change will be that much harder, as you've spent all this effort claiming that it doesn't exist/doesn't need changing.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-25 07:48 pm (UTC)OF COURSE all of this is said knowing that extremist, fundamentalist, and even a majority of mainstream Muslims would object to this approach! But to be completely honest, I've always tended to side with the voices on the fringe anyway. If I wanted to listen to a particular Muslim voice I'd probably go to the Sufies, or the Lahori Ahmadi Muslims, who outlawed physical jihad, or the Ismaili Shi'ites. I'm just not really concerned with whether they're considered "real" Muslims by the mainstream. If anything I think that non-Muslims who are worried about the future of Islam should support these groups so that they can increase their influence! If Warith Deen Muhammed could reform his group of black Muslims away from the Nation of Islam into moderates, then why not other groups?
So yeah, when people get to talking about what Islam is or isn't, I'm that contrary person who will ask "WHICH Islam?" and bring up every example of every group I can think of. I'm not interested in letting the loudmouths speaking on Saudi Arabia's dime speak for me anymore than I'm willing to let Louis Farrakhan speak for me :P.
That said, I can't really consider myself a Muslim because although I have a huge affinity for Muhammed and the overall philosophy of the Qur'an, there's too much in there that I feel I have to say "no" to :P. I'm terrible with following rules, ahaha.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-26 01:16 am (UTC)I think that reform of your religion is MUCH easier when you're a minority and so the "traditional" religion does not have the social and even legal authority to put down "heretics" and the like--hence, why reformist voices are found primarily in non-Muslim countries where the clerics have NO legal authority or very much social prestige--many Western Muslims simply do as they please and call it Islam. :-P Also, as the religion has not fossilized into centuries of tradition, you may be able to think of/about it in different ways. Of course, none of that is for much good if the traditionalists take over the community and silence all dissenting views, alas, or if fanatics simply threaten death to all who fail to be "sufficiently Muslim" for their tastes...reformists, even in the West, often have to fear for their lives. :-/
Ha, I don't like rules, either (in case you hadn't noticed, ha ha ha)!