Unprecedented Muslim call for peace with Christians

[MADem]

LONDON (Reuters) - More than 130 Muslim scholars from around the globe called on Thursday for peace and understanding between Islam and Christianity, saying "the very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake".

In an unprecedented letter to Pope Benedict and other Christian leaders, 138 Muslim scholars said finding common ground between the world's biggest faiths was not simply a matter for polite dialogue between religious leaders.

"If Muslims and Christians are not at peace, the world cannot be at peace. With the terrible weaponry of the modern world; with Muslims and Christians intertwined everywhere as never before, no side can unilaterally win a conflict between more than half of the world's inhabitants...Our common future is at stake. The very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake," they wrote, adding that Islam and Christianity already agreed that love of God and neighbor were the two most important commandments of their faiths.....Such a joint letter is unprecedented in Islam, which has no central authority that speaks on behalf of all worshippers.

The list of signatories includes senior figures throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. They represent Sunni, Shi'ite and Sufi schools of Islam.

Among them were the grand muftis of Egypt, Palestine, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Bosnia and Russia and many imams and scholars. War-torn Iraq was represented by both Shi'ites and Sunnis. ....


http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL1162787420071011?feedType=nl&feedName=ustopnewsearly

[spoony]

1. Rec for peace

[stellanoir]

2. woh

Could it be. . .

the imagine peace tower is fully operational. . .?

http://www.imaginepeace.com

Just IMAGINE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iH3kDppo8U

It's a start.

[More Than A Feeling]

3. I was going to ask if they had considered including Humanists

but the article answered my question for me:

The overture to Christians could be followed by similar letters addressed to Jews or secularists, he added.

Good for them for remembering that non-believers are the third largest group after Christianity and Islam.

[bonito]

4. Kick & R

[bdamomma]

5. kick

kick for uniting and for peace.

[pingzing58]

6. No Palestinian Nation/State no peace. Osama Bin Laden began by wanting the U.S. base out of Saudi A

The U.S. need to control oil exports it's the only reason we are in the middle east. It's in our self-interest to convert to alternate fuels and put Bushco in the poor house. If those countries want a Theocracy (like Hagee and Pat Robertson and the religious right want for us), then let them have one. What does that have to do with me and my family here?

[Matariki]

7. Repression of women & hatred of sex? That's some common ground they can work with.

Okay, sorry. That was harsh. It's a great thing they're doing. Anything to foster understanding and peace is a good thing.

[Beam Me Up]

8. Yeah, the Jeudeo Christian religions would never do things like that.

:eyes:

[Matariki]

18. That's what I meant. They have that in common.

[spoony]

10. "Anything to foster understanding and peace is a good thing."

Except, apparently, refraining from posting your bigoted rot in a nice thread eh?

[Matariki]

19. Unfortunately, it's a fact.

Both Islam and Christianity have an unfortunate history of denigrating women. Do you disagree?

There is also good in both religions. Things aren't always 'black and white'.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. All cultures have an unfortunate history of denigrating women.

Can we can the hypocrisy please?

[Matariki]

22. True.

But what hypocrisy are you talking about?

I made a half-joking, snarky comment that if they are looking for common ground, the Chistians and Muslims can pick on women, since they both have a common history of that.

Oy.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

23. Ah, the "I was only joking" argument.

Hmm.

[Matariki]

24. There you go. Better to use an opportunity to be rude than clarify your statement.

Again, what hypocrisy were you referring to? Since my joking reference WAS to the fact that both religions have a history of denigrating women.

[MADem]

15. Well, there's truth there, and close to the surface, too. NT

[garybeck]

30. those were not the teachings of Mohammad.

[BurtWorm]

9. It's an Islamo-fascist trick.

:sarcasm:

[AspenRose]

11. This is wonderful

I hope Benedict XVI doesn't screw this up....

[Donald Ian Rankin]

12. This means nothing, sadly.

It is possible that it may lead to a more cordial relationship between a small number of relatively liberal Islamic theologians, and an equally small number of Christian theologians, but it will have negligable impact on the Christian in the street, and even less impact on the Muslim in the street.

I think the two basic points of Christian Muslim dialogue are:

1)Either Christ was the son of God or he wasn't; either Mohammed was the messenger of God or he wasn't. At least one of Christianity and Islam must be wrong about basically everything (I think that both are).

2)Just because they disagree about theology is no reason to kill one another.

I would be far more encouraged by temporal dialogue acknowledging the incompatability of the two religions (inasmuch as it's relevant to "not killing people", which isn't much) than by theological discussions attempting to downplay it.

[Taverner]

13. "the very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake"

No perhaps here, it is at stake.

[loudsue]

14. Hopefully there will be more & more people world-wide who want peace.

Humankind HAS TO evolve beyond the ignorant notion of war to solve problems. Because of the explosion in world population, and the fact that we're running out of enough resources to feed & house ourselves, supplying maniacs with weapons and killing each other has been the solution of choice for those sociopaths that control the world resources. It's time that the more sane, evolved people start speaking up and taking control.

War uses up our natural resources, and takes the focus off peace-time solutions for planting the deserts, rebuilding forests, figuring out how to clean up enough water for people to drink safely, creating new sources of eco-friendly power generation, and a multitude of other proactive endeavors. People are more productive and creative when there is peace, and when the future can be plotted on a rational and sober course. War is insanity. And it's a racket.

I praise these muslim leaders, and wish we had a different pope in the vatican, rather than the extreme rightwing Opus Dei maniac that has taken over that seat. I sincerely hope that we can put a quick end to the Dark Age that has befallen us.

:kick: Kick & rec.

[AuntPatsy]

16. No suprise from me, actually it is old news, many have called for peace for

some time.

[MADem]

25. It;s actually new, in that you've got competing factions all signing off on the same sentiment.

These are guys who can't agree on how to hold one's hands whilst praying, never mind the line of succession of the Prophet.

It's significant.

[knitter4democracy]

17. I wonder how the Christian leadership will respond.

Isn't there a group called something like the International Something of Churches in which most every denomination is represented? They would be the right ones to answer this.

I entirely agree. It is long past time for peace.

[Skidmore]

20. If a tree falls in the forest...

who heard it? Maybe KO can bring this up on his program.

[Mnemosyne]

26. For Peace on Earth. knr n/t

[file83]

27. "Quick! Someone publish a cartoon defaming The Prophet Mohammed, stat!!!"

-- Overheard deep inside the halls of the Military Industrial Complex.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

28. Great news -- now Christians must respond in kind n/t

[garybeck]

29. Uh..... where does that leave us Jews?

All three religions worship the same God, so I would think peace with the Jews wouldn't be a bad idea too.

[MADem]

31. Well, they didn't pull a 'Benedict'--but it's never too early to join the fray, I'd say. NT

[Swamp Rat]

32. Jews can join.

So can you and I.

[mmonk]

33. Anyone stepping up for peace should be congratulated

and encouraged.