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OMG - Muslim Calligraphy in Virginia Schools!

averageJOE

zombie
If Islam is truly a religion of peace why do I not hear more "peaceful" Muslims voices outraged above that of ISIS? Where are they?
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/21/muslim-vote-drive.html
"USCMO leaders and members understand the magnitude of the challenge facing our nation, and our community and will not allow either Islamophobes or un-Islamic extremist groups like [ISIL] to define American Muslims or to decide our fate," said the USCMO’s secretary-general, Oussama Jammal.
 

averageJOE

zombie
Gotta wonder if the teacher(s) who constructed the lesson were Muslim or not. In any case, I think it's highly inappropriate to have children write

"There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah"​

or any other affirmation of a god in any language, even if they don't understand the foreign words.


.
Inappropriate? Yes. But I still don't understand why they shut down the school.
 

Gharib

I want Khilafah back
I think the reactions are plain stupid and hateful. If their children had to read an ancient Egyptian inscription, I don't think there was going to be such a reaction. If they had to draw the 'Gods' of ancient Egypt, Persia, etc etc they wouldn't have reacted like this, but because it is something Islamic they reacted the way they did.

If people are to be taught something Islamic, the declaration of faith is the first thing you learn about Islam. I remember as a child (not knowing much about Islam) we had a history class on Islam and although we knew the declaration of faith, the teacher had to explain what it was and how everything revolves around it in Islam.

We also had a class about Christianity. The main thing we were taught of it was the trinity, we actually had to say the 'In the name of the father the son and the holy spirit' thing. And our teacher did explain that he wanted all of us to say it and not take offence as it wasn't anything against our Islamic beliefs.

It is becoming more and more clear that western societies are becoming more hateful of Islam than ever before. Or maybe they are just beginning to be more open about their feelings unlike before. Either way, I know it will get worse and people will become more violent in general so much so that the living will wish they could trade places with the dead.
 

Gharib

I want Khilafah back
I will not hold back here, I detest Islam, it has shown itself to be a religion of intolerance and death. Its leaders in ISIS have embraced the middle age Christian crusader tactic toward the infidel of convert or die. If Islam is truly a religion of peace why do I not hear more "peaceful" Muslims voices outraged above that of ISIS? Where are they? And how am I to believe them when in their own holy book, the Quran, it is said to be ok with lying to the non-believer/infidel? I am very liberal and tolerant in my social and religious views, but until I am personally convinced by other Muslims that Islam is truly an innocent religion of peace and not war then I will continue to look upon Islam with a very skeptic eye.

This is a load of rubbish and hypocrisy. Muslims have spoken out against ISIS. Muslims leaders have spoken out against the violence that ISIS promotes and not even a week ago a 34-nation Islamic alliance was formed to counter ISIS and other extremist groups in the Middle East, but thanks for your dishonesty, it speaks volumes.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
What was the class itself about? Was it a writing or history class?
A school district in the US state of Virginia has closed all schools on Friday after a geography lesson that included Islam sparked vociferous complaints from around the country.
...
Officials with the Augusta County school district were quick to point out that the study of a region's religion and language are included in geography lessons.
Personally I think it's an interesting approach because it allows a glimpse as to how geography has the potential to shape culture, especially language and religion.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
A school district in the US state of Virginia has closed all schools on Friday after a geography lesson that included Islam sparked vociferous complaints from around the country.
...
Officials with the Augusta County school district were quick to point out that the study of a region's religion and language are included in geography lessons.
Personally I think it's an interesting approach because it allows a glimpse as to how geography has the potential to shape culture, especially language and religion.

I see. It seemed odd that a calligraphy assignment much less a focus on Islamic culture and religion would be related to geographic studies.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
I see. It seemed odd that a calligraphy assignment much less a focus on Islamic culture and religion would be related to geographic studies.
It does seem odd, but, at the same time it may help in learning the lessons, such as being able to not just know the Nile is in Egypt, but also know that the Nile was of such tremendous importance to the ancient Egyptians that it held a special place in their religious mythos. But even if it doesn't help with geography grades, but it does have the potential for class discussion and thought about how people have reacted and adapted to their local geography - something that is certainly much better than a lesson that requires nothing more than rote memorization of where Saudi Arabia, Israel, or Kazakhstan is.
As for the Islamic quote, as I mentioned earlier it may just be that one was more accessible and much easier to incorporate into the lessons, especially if the teacher(s) don't know enough about the Arabic language to be able to verify other things without having to take a good deal of time looking for and verifying them.
 

Riders

Well-Known Member
But whether it's appropriate or not depends on how it is presented, don't you think? If it is presented as a truth, that's one thing. But if it is presented merely as words central to the religion of Islam, I'd think that was something else.


I think its ok to use Islam caligraphy as long as they are not being taught the religion. I would have to know exactly what it said to judge.

My issue is this is such a huge issue but if it were Christianity,I think a lot of people would be fine with it.

Prayer in schools, I personally think Christian kids who pray at school try to force other kids into Christianity and its wrong. Nothing gets done about it but if any other religion is involved the whole country goes crazy.

Grant it I do not agree Muslim faith should be at schools, its just hard for me to get excited about this when i know good and well some teachers teach Christianity and nobody thinks crap about it, therefore I really don't care.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
They always accused Islam , while as other religious has some of violence squads
In this case, there'll be an element of anger over the perception that
any religion religion is being foisted upon public school students.
How much of it is anti-Islam vs church-state separation? I don't know.
But I can tell you that I bristled at public schools forcing Christianity
upon me back in the 50s. We can thank the infamous Madalyn
Murray O'Hair for putting an end to that (via SCOTUS suit).
 

siti

Well-Known Member
My God! A teacher mentioned Islam...and its central tenet...and calligraphy...in a lesson about the geography of the middle east... Its a conspiracy to indoctrinate American kids everyone...shut the schools, call out the National Guard... run for your lives! :facepalm:
 

kiwimac

Brother Napalm of God's Love
I will not hold back here, I detest Islam, it has shown itself to be a religion of intolerance and death. Its leaders in ISIS have embraced the middle age Christian crusader tactic toward the infidel of convert or die. If Islam is truly a religion of peace why do I not hear more "peaceful" Muslims voices outraged above that of ISIS? Where are they? And how am I to believe them when in their own holy book, the Quran, it is said to be ok with lying to the non-believer/infidel? I am very liberal and tolerant in my social and religious views, but until I am personally convinced by other Muslims that Islam is truly an innocent religion of peace and not war then I will continue to look upon Islam with a very skeptic eye.

I opine that it's because you haven't been listening. There have been many Muslim voices raised in opposition to Daesh and Al-Qaeda. As for Taqiyyah, it is used in life or death situations not at any other time and even then only by some.
 
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