The State We're In, 25 September 2010. We look at novel ways to navigate the currents of tension between Islam and Christianity. Former Catholic priest turned imam Idris Tawfiq tells us why he hates to proselytise, while a Lebanese evangelical describes it as a way of life. Comedy writer Ariane Sherine explains how one article she wrote sparked public anti-religious advertisements all over the world. We learn of Nigeria’s “Chrislam”, a blend of Christianity and Islam and Professor Brandon Robshaw returns to the show to answer listeners’ questions about the day a student in a burqa walked into his class.
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To whom we serve
Idris Tawfiq was once a Roman Catholic priest working in England. He’s now a Muslim based in Cairo and
travels the world talking to people about his faith. “I don’t like the word proselytise,” he says. “It’s never been my way.”
In God’s name
Samir is Lebanese and a Southern Baptist. He’s also a filmmaker and photographer travelling around the world not only taking beautiful pictures, but also using every opportunity he can find to spread the word of his evangelical faith.
In God we don’t trust
Ariane Sherine was so bothered by a religious advertisement she saw on the side of a London bus, she wrote about it for a British newspaper and sparked public anti-religious advertisements all over the world.
Chrislam
Nigeria has recently seen a lot of bloody conflict between Christians and Muslims. But in one community, the two faiths have melded together in what’s called “Chrislam”. We hear from Christians and Muslims who worship together, including a Christian pastor and his Muslim wife.
The philosophical burqa dilemma redux
Brandon Robshaw is a professor of philosophy at a British college. We first had him on the show to ask him about the day he was giving a lesson on the meaning of tolerance and a student walked in shrouded from head-to-toe in a burqa. He wanted her to take off the burqa or leave the class and he told us why. A number of listeners were perplexed, even upset by his reasoning. So we invited him back on the show to answer their questions.
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I am a Jehovah's Witness.
We do not believe a Creator that is described as being "love" (1 John 4:8) is capable of creating such a place as hell.
We go door to door not so much to "convert" as to tell people the good news about Jehovah.
It's like when you eat at a really, really good eatery you want to tell everyone how great it is!
Finding out the truth about Jah is like that.
You want to tell everyone how great he is.
Oddly enough, bad information about God has turned a lot of people off to Christianity.(Such as the woman whose parents sent her to church in order to turn her off to church!)
I like to believe I give people a choice. to be on the side that's winning!
All the problems of today are mentioned in the Bible (Matt 24;Rev.18)
It is the end of the wicked world not the literal world.
That is the good news in a nutshell.
Now you know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely
Robert
As an adult convert to the Christian Faith: my job is simply to tell what I have seen and heard - that is my dictionary's definition of the word "witness." It is God's job to do the converting. i.e to change a person's heart and soul. What are the foremost commandments? To love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and to love my neighbor as myself. Part of loving my neighbor as myself is to respect him even when I may not agree with him; and part of loving God is realizing that He is the one with all the answers. I am not.
Great show!!! My sister is an ethologist/zoologist (the study of animals and their behavior). Once, when a Jehovah's Witness came knocking on her front door to proselytize about Jesus and God, she stopped him and said, "I'll do a deal. You can spend 10 minutes teaching me about Jesus and God, and then I'll spend 10 minutes teaching you about evolution and science. What do you think”? The guy looked at her, made some excuse and left. That just shows the hypocrisy of proselytizing. It's a one-way street.
I thought everything Ariane Sherine said was witty and above all, SANE!
I found the piece about Chrislam absolutely fascinating. I love it that it's an African that is bringing these two religions together, and if there has to be religion, why not one big one? Especially where the Abrahamic faiths are concerned, Christianity (in its various guises), Islam (in its various guises) and Judaism, should all unite!
I had mixed thoughts about Brandon Robshaw's stance on the burqa. I absolutely and completely agree that religion should NOT trump all other ideals and cultural norms. I've often believed that 'when in Rome...do as the Romans do.'
Listening to Idris Tawfiq was heart warming. Thank you for interviewing him and sharing his interview with us. If only there were more level headed people like him (whether Jews, Muslims or Christians). It is nuggets like these that keep me a member of WAMU!
Interesting debate! To follow or to not to follow a religion has always been a dilemma for most. However, my father had a very clear view about it. He called it the call of the soul. He was a Kashmiri Pandit and a staunch believer of Lord Shiva, but he did not impose his views on my mother who was a Punjabi Sikh. She followed Guru Nanak Dev ji. We, the children were free to chose between the two religions. I was influenced by Lord Jesus, and later by Zenism, but it never was a issue for my father. He believed in rebirth and was of the view that the progress of the soul should never be obstructed by birth in a new culture/religion/ country. He wanted us to listen to our soul and follow it. So, our house was a pleasant place where all followed all, and we even used to have late night discussions on different aspects of different paths to one God. My parents are no more, however, I follow their tradition and my sons follow their own souls' calling. That's the way our world should be!
"Idris Tawfiq was once a Roman Catholic priest working in England. He’s now a Muslim based in Cairo and travels the world talking to people about his faith. “I don’t like the word proselytise,” he says. “It’s never been my way.”.....Idris Tawfiq was a Catholic priest, yesterday and today he is a Muslim, and tomorrow, what? I liked it when he stated "I quote (your) Christian saint ..." Now, if he believed in the same Christian saint, yesterday, and preached the dogmas of the Catholic church and now he states "your" Christian saint, he makes one believe his faith in Islam is also on a weak foundation. The interviewer might have questioned him on matters such as Christian conducts and lifestyles for both priests and believers. For example, he stated a priest's lifestyle is one of being alone. His interview, without him coming-out and directly stating it, makes one believe that his human desires conflicted with the expected Christian lifestyle of a Catholic priest and his weak faith lost out to those human desires. How can one firmly believe in the Trinity one day as a Christian and then the next day as a Muslim firmly believe Yeshua was just a great prophet? Very weak faith. Note: Idris Tawfiq chose to live the lifestyle of a Christian and priest. He knew or should have known the Christian path is very narrow and difficult to travel on.
Are you saying that people cannot change their minds? If so, that is absurd! Changing your mind does not mean Weak Faith because a person could gain knowledge. Now I am not saying that Islam is the way to go because it is just as wacky as Christianity. Is it okay to become an Animist after being a Roman Catholic Priest? You would probably say yes, so it must be okay to become a Muslim then.
Most people continue to follow religion because they are either too stupid or too stubborn to change.
The story was "The State We're In - Keeping the faiths(s)"! Nothing was said about people not being able to change their minds. If one wants to be a Muslim, then one has a right to be a Muslim. If most people continue to follow religion because they are either too stupid or too stubborn to change, what about the others who follow religion? Most is not all and therefore they too must have a reason to follow religion. You stated "Changing your mind does not mean Weak Faith because a person could gain knowledge........Knowledge is what got Eve into trouble.
An intellectual you are obviously NOT!
Yuu made me smile when you stated: "An intellectual you are obviously NOT!" Janv, you have a good day!
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