[Faith-talk] Life and Religion

[Ericka]

Reading your emails from the past and knowing that you have come to understand Islam, I really appreciate you responding to this guy. While I don't mind learning something, I don't appreciate being attacked. He reminds me of one of those Bible thumpers that tries to show their way of looking at things down your throat without anything to back them up. They don't ask questions, they just assume you don't know anything just because you don't show up at their particular church/synagogue/mosque.

Thank you again Brandon!

Ericka Short
"What is right is not always popular; what is popular is not always right."

 from my iPhone 6s

> On May 30, 2016, at 2:34 PM, Brandon Olivares via Faith-talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I want to reply to a few points. There’s a ton to reply to, but if I did, it would be a very long email indeed.
> 
>> Religious beliefs are unestablished in the west. This is why you see lots of people attempting to abandon and embrace various religions simultaneously. I noticed lots of people who alternate religions, not knowing what to infinitely embrace. Religion in the west is temporal and experimental. The west does not like what we are satisfied with.
> 
> 
> Why is this a bad thing? Why should we find something to “infinitely embrace”? Why shouldn’t beliefs be “temporal and experimental”?
> 
> You state these as facts without any reasoning as to why this is a bad or undesirable thing.
> 
>> the formal commendation of same gender marriage
> 
> 
> Same as above. Why is this bad? Some people see it as progress, myself included.
> 
>> the west does not regard religion as it should be regarded. I do not necessarily consider that right or wrong, I am just reporting facts.
> 
> 
> Uh, no you are not just reporting the facts. The word “should” points to an opinion, because the facts never have a “should” or any kind of judgment. “Should” according to whom?
> 
> So I’ll ask the hidden question directly: Why should religion be regarded differently than what it is?
> 
> That’s enough for now I think. I hope to see a genuine answer. If you truly want intellectual discussion, then please don’t write off my questions.
> 
> Brandon
>> On May 30, 2016, at 3:05 PM, Mostafa via Faith-talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> This is a continuum of what I commenced. As we can observe, religion is collectively abandoned in the west due to numerously contravened beliefs and philosophical concepts. This is a recognisable phenomenon. People in the west are heavily uncertain about what to determine in faith. Religious beliefs are unestablished in the west. This is why you see lots of people attempting to abandon and embrace various religions simultaneously. I noticed lots of people who alternate religions, not knowing what to infinitely embrace. Religion in the west is temporal and experimental. The west does not like what we are satisfied with. Their thirst for genuine faith has not yet been quenched. Of course, they will argue to attempt proving otherwise but, their argument is based on indecisiveness. This is why we see lots of moral corruption in the west. Yes, the west adheres basic principles of morality but, it does not get any conservation in their family disassociation, illicit and irregular relationships and, the formal commendation of same gender marriage last year in the States proves exactly what I am talking about. They may stick to certain beliefs to improve their secular life such as work environment and so on. They may not lie, not because lieing is a sinful act but, because it comes against their interest. On other occasions, they may attempt to justify lieing or deceit because it actually concurs with their interest. I do not say that either Judaism or Christianity justify these iniquitous acts but, the west does not regard religion as it should be regarded. I do not necessarily consider that right or wrong, I am just reporting facts. We may not agree with many things in the west and, our disagreement with some western customs is essentially based on religion. Western Christians may approve alcohol consumption, eating pork or not kosher meat, they may possibly get engaged in wedlock and so on. What I personally perceive, that the west restructured the use of religious principles, so what it served their secular life, they embraced and, what gets someone close to piety, they abandoned and actually, substituted It with what satisfies their temporal pursuits. That is the major crisis in the west and to be quite fair, even here. Lots of Muslims are abandoning faith for  almost the same reasons of faith abandon in the west. People are tempted with lots of confusion and disarray. Even those who may not abandon faith entirely, are not practicing properly. There is actually an ordeal of religious adherence. The west though, determined to impose expulsion of religious impact. Thus far, we ought to decease our indolence  and seek knowledge. It is plainly discernable that our recognition of religion is quite different from what it is in the western world. Our recognition is essentially based on introspection and repudiating cynicism. Our role is to keep clarifying what religion is for us to those who predominantly inhabit the western world. Religion is not highly revered in this culture and thence, they may not conveniently apprehend why religion is so sacred for us. This is why they did not fathom in Denmark for instance, why we were so offended with the unhallowing caricature. This is a decisive proof that the west in general does not recognize religion as sanctified as we do. Church is really a place for socialisation more than it is a place of worship. People do not stand in rows praying as we do in the Masjid. They just sit down and listen attentively to the pastor and then, they either sing or just leave. This is absolutely serious. Ramadan approaches and that may keep me a bit occupied more than usual but, I will inshallah make sure to render my posts on regular basis. I wish you all blessing and I keenly look forward to hearing from you. Mostafa currently resides in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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