But no symbol of Islam is as prevalent as the minaret. Five times a day, an muezzin shouts the call to prayer for all to hear. Well, modern technology has reduced this call to a recorded chant and a loud speaker. It is probably equivalent to a church bell but a bit more irritating to the non-Islamic person who is disturbed by the sound.
I remember a night in Konya, Turkey, where my hotel room was directly aside a mosque and minaret. I just about came out of my skin as the morning call to prayer blasted from the tower. “Allah is great,” the chant says but I didn’t have a prayer rug and tried to get a few more minutes of shut eye. I also concluded that, "Allah is very noisy."
Now the country of Switzerland wants to ban these infernal prayer machines. Of late, militants who believe in jihad against the West are using the towers for propagandist and inciting unrest. Having been in Switzerland, I can attest it is one of the most secular countries on Earth. Many think their god is the almighty dollar. No other gods are tolerated unless the agree that the accumulation of wealth through world banking is a good thing.
I have no problems with religious symbolism. While in a Muslim country I expect the minarets to call to prayer five times a day. It is one of the pillars of Islam. All good Muslims will then turn to Mecca and pray to Allah. But when a religion is also condoning killing, terrorism and violence against anyone who is a non-believer, maybe it’s time to take a second look at the symbolism? The Swiss are doing just that. Accordingly, France which is a very tolerant country is banning the wearing of any symbolic items, such as crosses and head scarves. Are they right?
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posted by SherriAnne
Any facet of a specific religion, when turned into a means to intimidate others should be viewed as disruptive and a nuisance. Requesting exceptions be made to rules that are created for the good of the whole just turns into a war of whose beliefs are more devout and important.
Sorting out which symbol is appropriate to tolerate within a specific country or area is a gordian knot of gigantic proportions.I'm sure there are those who would argue that seeing churches on every corner, or great cathedrals is just as offensive as seeing minatrets, or roadside shrines, etc.
The town crier has fallen out of favor,and in some places church bells no longer ring , calling the faithful to prayer. Perhaps in non Muslim countries minarets should adhere to guidelines designed to promote harmony and accord rather than devisiveness.
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posted by MoDee
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posted by johnH56
The French, as I understand things, are in the midst of a great debate over what it means to be French. As part of that debate, they have called into issue the use of English, the burqa and other nonFrench things. There is a very large immigrant population today in France from former colonial territories which is increasing in numbers at a rate far greater than the natives. The French feel threatened. But then the French always feel threatened.
The Swiss surprisingly have never been a tolerant religious society since it broke away from Catholic rulers some centuries ago. It is one thing to be Swiss and another to be anything else.
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posted by CaliforniaBlonde
Do I have an opinion of minarets? Not really. Do I abhor killing in the name of religion? Absolutely.
No easy answers, I think.
Cali
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posted by starrybright
As you said...you had no choice but to be part of the morning call to prayer, because it was blasted.
I'm not against the right to practice ones own religion, unless of course, it takes another's right away, not be part of it.
Symbolism is something I like...its a form of communicating and one that we all can relate to. Rather it be in how we dress or the foods we eat. I recently bought a gold cross to wear. We want the world to see what we believe in. But should there be symbolisms of violence? My cross doesn't have the Crucifiction on it. I couldn't deal with having a show of violence around my neck. The world is so full of religion and violence...seems as if they go hand in hand. Its the saddest thing I have ever seen.
BTW, I really want to visit Switzerland. If I do I'll be sure to have ear plugs with me, just in case the
call to prayer isn't yet banned.
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posted by exedir
There were some of course that didn't go to a church, they went to a temple. And there may have been some going somewhere else, but I didn't know about it.
I did know about it when I went to college...a large Midwestern university where just about every religious persuasion was represented and many flavors of the same religion by students and faculty including none at all, religions that is, except rock 'n roll, having a good time and finding interesting properties and uses of chemicals and organic material.
Then came a year or so in a place with only a few churches, and where the largest and highest item in the area was a statue of Buddha mixed with a war going on around it.
In the years since, the churches are still here but now there has been added a mosque, Hindu temples and a Sikh temple amongst shopping mall size mega-churches. Religion is still here but not the way it was in the past.
Usually when I'm outside in the yard doing stuff...and it is noon...there is a bell ringing a tune. It isn't loud or I don't think it is, it is a few blocks away. But as it rings, I usually remember the tune and most of the words that I heard and remember from all those years long ago when I was a child and remember it as a call that cause most of us to think and remember.
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