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Pastor Jeff, Irma Johnson, Donna Mosebach, Barbara Korup, Eva Seeton, Marylou Gross and Ed Gross represented Christ Church in a visit to the Islamic Society of Greater Valley Forge. Women, donning head covering, and all removing their shoes, allowed the group to enter the mosque and observe a prayer service.
The most important part of the evening was an exchange of information exploring the similarities and differences of the two religions and cultures. The primary learning is that the extremists and radicals operating in today’s age of terrorism and middle east violence do not define the Islamic faith any more than the violent actions of those professing to be Christian define our religion. Islam has a great variety of interpretations, as does Christianity, and some of those interpretations are influenced by the culture, politics and poverty in various parts of the world. Unfortunately, Islam and Islamic Scholars who have responded against those who promote violence don’t get the same media coverage that the sensationalism of brutal acts of violence provides.
The hosts for the evening were very gratious in engaging in open discussions which provided an insight into the fact that we are all similar in our beliefs and worship of a Divine Being, whether God or Allah. We should dwell on the similarities and not criticize the differences.
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