EMBRACING OUR MUSLIM NEIGHBORS
The Fuller Dome, on the campus of Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, was the setting for an evening of sharing worldviews and perspectives on the Muslim faith as it is experienced in the United States today. A panel of Muslim-Americans along with moderator Steve Tamari and 2014 C.S.S. "Spiritual Leadership" award recipient Rev. Anne Clark came together to build bridges of understanding among people of different faith traditions. Listed below are a series of questions presented to our panelists during the 2015 C. W. F. Please join in on the discussion began in the dome and continued here in the comment section of this post. Thank you in advance for keep the dialogue elevated and respectful.
Due to time constraints here are a few questions that our panelist were unable to answer during the C. W. F. Our panel is being invited to answer these questions and continue the discussion in the comment section below.
- What are some points we should make in replying to friends who believe that Islam teaches the oppression of women?
- What causes extremism among some Muslims, and do such groups as the Taliban and Boko Haram consider themselves observant Muslims? How do they attempt to justify their violet acts?
- During the discussion, Karen Armstrong was mentioned as a theologian than has written much on Islam. What specific books of hers are recommended?
- What are the prevalent misunderstandings in the U. S. of Sharia Law, and how have they come about?
- Is there a concept similar to the "golden rule" found in the Koran?
- How do diverse Muslim populations in different countries, such as Afghanistan, Iran and the Arab Peninsula, differ in their or interpretations of the Koran?
- How does someone learn more about the Interfaith Partnership organizations mentioned by the panelists that were organized in response to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center?
Answers and discussion of these questions can be made by referring to the question by it's number listed above.