Posted on 07/01/2009 1:24:15 PM PDT by Hawk720
Sayyid Syeed remembers an interfaith event several years ago when a Jewish leader went to embrace him, saw someone snapping a photo, then suddenly pulled back.
"He said to the man, 'Stop,'" Syeed recalled, "'I'll lose my job.'"
Times have changed for the Islamic Society of North America and for Syeed, who leads the group's interfaith outreach. In a sign of growing acceptance of U.S. Muslims, one of the most prominent religious leaders in the country, evangelical pastor Rick Warren, will speak at the Islamic Society's annual convention this weekend. Representatives from the two largest streams of American Judaism, the Reform and Conservative movements, will also be there to highlight their recently formed partnerships with the Muslim group.
"The landscape of religion in America is changing," Syeed said. "America itself has reached a certain level of fulfillment in terms of diversity of faith."
The Islamic Society, an umbrella association for tens of thousands of Muslims, has worked for years to persuade leaders of other faiths to attend its convention, a massive family reunion in its 46th year that draws about 30,000 people.
Major American Jewish groups had largely stayed away from the event, mainly due to hostility between U.S. Muslims and Jews over Israel, the Palestinians and the role of Hamas in the region.
Many conservative Christians did the same. They viewed Islam through their experiences with Muslim countries where Christian minorities have been targets of violence and discrimination.
Also, suspicions over the origins of the Islamic Society lingered. The organization grew from Muslim Students Associations, campus groups that had received funding from Saudi Arabia.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Oh I cannot stand thi$ money spinner fraud Rick Warren.
I’m already less than enthused about what Rick Warren, as a supposed pastor of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, is going to be saying to Muslims...
I hope it’s none of this... “We all worship the same God..” garbage...
Wasn’t he FOR Obama?
That tells me he has absolutely no discernment and is a fraud.
Does this Islamic organization DENOUNCE the oppression of religious minorities in Saudi Arabia?
Do they speak out that the death sentence on non-muslims who’d enter the segregated cities of Mecca and Medina is “extreme”?
Do they support the open exchange of religious traditions around the world, or is this about expanding the number of muslims around the world but capping growth of non-muslim faiths in muslim ruled countries?
Tolerance must be shown all around.
But he’s pro life and anti-gay marriage. That makes him a-okay! Right?
Is he going to speak at Jacko’s funerally.
A social gospel isn’t The Gospel.
*Osteen is handicapped by a psychobitch wife
I’m interested to see how he uses this opportunity.
I figure, they invited him knowing what he believes. So he may as well give it to them. Preach Christ, and deliver the invitation afterwards.
What he should not do is spend too much time looking for any artificial common ground. Preach it, and let them find the common ground. If he’ll do that, he’ll have my respect. You don’t get an opportunity like this very often. If he’ll be a bit bold it may go better than anyone would expect. The radicals won’t be listening, but they aren’t the only ones there.
I don’t know a whole lot about Rick Warren — however from what I have seen — he appears to have become one of those people who desires to be loved. And once you want the world to love you, you stop following Christ.
Ah, Rick Warren... Emergent [apostate] Church, anyone?
AGREED.
Gag. . .gag; cannot stand this! This is not humility speaking; but an arrogance; born of ignorance.
What’s with Rick Warren? I thought he would be in Columbia trying to counsel Mark Sanford.
Isn’t Rick Warren’s 15 minutes OVER?
Didn’t GWB on several occasion equate Mohammedism with Christianity? I may be mistaken .
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