repeat of discussion post

(this is just a copy of a discussion post from our paths up the mountain discussion, I copied it here so that months from now I could find the information in it.)

Jim, thank you so much for your insights into how the Buddha relates to our Christian tenets. The discussion on The Tao also is illuminating to me, I came into that thought puzzle from the other side of Bill, wanting to understand The Tao and using my Christian knowledge to help me do so. (I also taught a really quirky class called "the Tao of watercolor" which mostly excused my inability to completely explain some things that you just have to know or feel when it is right. Which is neither here nor there, unless it helps make sense of it all.)

In the amazing synchronicity that is our world, another blog post in my list of blogs I always check is about Islam and how it relates to Christianity. Today, that was the post. Like "Sleepless in Seattle" I exclaim, "It's a sign!"

Really it's not so much A SIGN as it is the synchronicity of events, the Archbishop of Canterbury gave a lecture relating to Sharia law without calling it the big bad evil. (This given as response to the British-Muslim problems in the UK.) And because the ABC (ArchBishop of Canterbury, now remember that acronym because I'll surely use it again, being a lazy typist) didn't call Sharia law the big bad evil, it seems the extreme conservative population is now screaming for his removal. Which is really neither here nor there as it applies to our discussion, I just wanted to give you the background. So now that I've filled in a little of the backstory...

This is from the blog Father Jake Stops the World and seems to directly apply to us here:

"My knowledge of Islam is limited, but what I do know suggests that it is a tradition that holds its adherents to a high standard of personal and public morality. The extremists, who can be found in every religious tradition, get all the press, but they are the exception. To claim that a terrorist bomber is an example of Islam is as absurd as claiming that Timothy McVeigh represented Christianity when he brought down the Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

"Muslims, Jews and Christians believe in the same God; the God of Abraham. This point is affirmed by all Muslims, and is central to Islamic theology. Within Islam, Jesus is a revered Prophet, whom they speak of with the deepest respect. There is much within our traditions, especially in regards to ethics and morals, which we have in common. My experience is that there are two big points on which we do not agree, and, from the passionate arguments I have had, I would imagine we will probably never agree; the Incarnation and the Trinity. As a Christian, those are pretty important matters on which to disagree. I am not willing to compromise on those core doctrines. But I can certainly respect Islam, and work together with Muslims towards common goals.

"To understand Islamic Law (Shariah) requires at least a basic understanding of the tenets of Islam. "Islam" means "submission to Allah (God)." The Prophet Mohammad was given a revelation from God, through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation was written down to form the sacred text of Islam, the Qur’an.

"From my experience, there is little or no debate among Muslims regarding the accuracy of the Qur'an. Every word is Divine revelation. I have heard it describe as "absolute truth" and "perfect." It is considered to be without error. The Qur'an contains about 350 laws. Added to this are the laws from the Sunnah (the way or deeds of the Prophet) drawn from the Hadith (a collection of the narrations of the words and deeds of the Prophet). These form the primary source of Shariah Law.

"Since Shariah is considered Divine Law, it is absolute. This is difficult for many Western people to grasp, as our system of laws developed in a different way. Our laws were drawn from Roman sources and common laws. Natural law, as developed by Thomas Aquinas, among others, established a system of rights that was drawn from nature. There are no equivalents to these developments within Islam.

"Shariah Law covers all public and private behavior. It includes rules for personal hygiene, diet, sexual conduct, prayers, fasting and almsgiving, along with many other aspects of daily life. "Shariah" can be loosely translated as "the path." To Muslims, Shariah is not a code book of rules; it is a way of life"

(Janet back again) I think, if we can get past our impulse to discount anything of Islam, there is so much bigotry against this religion that seems almost blessed by the powers that be, another reason I'm so eager to change TPTB, if we can rise above the bigotry, I think we can see many Muslims on their spiritual journeys up our mountain. I have no trouble seeing them walking my path with me, or seeing them the next path over. And no question in my mind that they are indeed coming to the Father through the teachings of Jesus.

Just one more thought into this mix of ideas. I knew Muslims were similar to me in belief, but I never knew just how similar until I read Jake this morning.