New Ground Project
The Progressive Jewish Alliance and the Muslim Public Affairs Council have extended the deadline to apply for their New Ground Project. This is an amazing project to bring LA based Jews and Muslims together to build connections, community, and understanding. This project is unique because it is actually an equal and joint partnership between local Jewish and Muslim organizations.
Angelenos who are interested in working and learning together should apply. Applications are due Feb 8th.
In order to participate are we required to endorse honour killings? Dhimminitude for all non Muslims? The application of Sharia law to the US? A one state solution? The moral integrity of suicide murderers? The justice of using Dow Syndrome girls as unwitting suicide bombers? The Burka for all women? Female Genital Mutilation?
Just wondering.
incorrect— come on. An awful lot of muslims don’t believe in those things. And you know that.
incorrect. Based on your previous posts we know you are not actually interested in learning from others who are different from you, so clearly this is not the program for you. Others, however, are interested in building connections with people who are different than them, listening, talking through some of the hard issues, and helping to heal some of the bitter rifts in the world. For those people looking to make a difference rather than spew uninformed hate, this program is a great opportunity. All I can suggest for you is that you calm down, take a deep breath, and open your ears a bit. Who knows, you might learn something.
Chorus, I am sure that the vast majority of Muslims are honourable, decent people who reject radical Islam. Unfortunately, it appears that the more religious the Muslim individual, and the more involved in the organized Muslim community, the more likely that the person is a radical.
Personally, I would love to be in that symposium – I would certainly ask the tough questions (and wouldn’t mind answering whatever questions they have), and not avoid reality by being all lovey lovey and assuming that others are as nice and humanistic as I am – I’d be willing to bet that the Jews who participate will never get into gut issues, will be “open minded” to the extent that they accept at face value whatever is told them, will walk away feeling they have accomplished something important in building bridges between Jews and Muslim: and never understand that they have never had a meeting of the minds with their Muslim counterpoints because while they have been speaking forthrightly, the Muslims have been hiding their true beliefs through code words and misdirection. Prove me wrong!
I’m not sure this thread is the place to continue this discussion. All I would say is that your conception of “challenging questions” and a “meeting of the minds” is antithetical to the kind of relationship building that I place at the center of my own life. I cannot convince you to engage in it, and I cannot model this over the internet, so we may be at an impasse. I would say that relationship building does not mean abandoning critical engagement, it does mean, however, paying attention to the “how” of communication in addition to the “what” and placing conversations in a context of ongoing relationship. The program above is not a symposium, it is an extended commitment to work together in dialogue, and in relation to some of the issue facing all communities in LA.