What is essential to Islam

[Ibrahim]

[Tinker]

Heh, I am pretty well sold on the notion of a universal consciousness. The way human beings interact, and most specifically their attractions to one another based upon intellectual memes suggests to me, a larger set of cognitive processes going on at the species level that is expressed through the literal movement of individual humans in relation to one another. Filing systems and the way human beings integrate data as a group speaks to a macro-memory of sorts with the individual acting as more or less the axon passing the data to the dentrite for distribution down its neural pathways to the proper motor unit. Obviously there are differences in the way information is integrated at each scale so that the metaphor of one scale isn't a perfect approximation for the next scale, still, the externalization of information speaks to me of a level of cognitive processing that is externalized and shared amongst groups. To me this is essentially what Providence means. But it integrates Empirically, not unlike DNA recombination. This is why you get the 'silo' effect in human organization, because larger super-organisms such as a corporation are semi-discrete from other silos and only pass along input/output in accord with relationship data in the form of contracts and transactions and other such business that facillitates the panoply of specialized institutions and also shows that the integration isn't random, there is a purpose to it, an intelligent design if you will. And I do not view creation as having a particular author in the sense some people have, but more as an architect who setup a series of rules that matter and energy must follow in relationship to itself. So it's not so much that it was preordained at some point that I would buy a house in 2016, it's just that the confluence of proper events and access to resources allowed me to purchase a home. So God is immanent in that the sum total of the universal consciousness represents the part of God that our universe makes up. Universe as defined as the sum total of all things that have been categorized, defined and understood. God as such is all that is, the rulesets being God's will. But the rules evolve while the game evolves, even at the most fundamental level.

I suppose this is closer to the Christian archetype for God with the linear progression of Providence toward Eschaton. As I understand it Allah creates the universe immanently at every moment. Which is to me consonant with the idea of going beyond time to where all that ever existed; exists simultaneously.

So God is personal, as you are made up of his flesh.

[Ibrahim]

[Hapax Legomenon]

To be honest, I really don't much about Islam. I've read a few passages here and there, my best friend in jail was a Muslim, and my best best friend at work is a Muslim. I feel like I am suffering severe cognitive dissonance on Islam, yet the freak outs are still there. For the record, my friends that are Muslim are very similar to me with Christianity: questioning everything, very American and products of our culture.

[Ibrahim]

[Hoosiernorm]

Ok so If I were to show up at the mosque on Friday and go through the typical service what would it be? Prayer? Responsive reading? Singing? Sermon? Tithing? How does the service proceed?

[Hans Bulvai]

[Hoosiernorm]

Any Singing?

[Hans Bulvai]

No, although Quran recitation is not uncommon in some sermons especially those that mark an event (Ramadan, Eid, etc...)

[Hapax Legomenon]

[Tinker]

Well there is such a thing as Islamic radicalism. But the nature of radicalism is that it's by definition a fringe. You can find radicals in any group.

[Hans Bulvai]

[Hoosiernorm]

How does the tithing work in Islam can you just support a charity or does it have to go through the mosque first? Do you give tithe every week or just during certain holidays?

[Hans Bulvai]

No have to's. You can give to a charity, the mosque, directly to the poor, or orphenage. If you are able, you shoul give. I can only afford to buy a cow to be slaughtered in Iraq and Jordan on both Eids. About $500 a year. Then a little misc. stuff here (habitat for humanity voulenteering, cloth donations, etc...) What we can really.

It is called

[Ibrahim]

[Ibrahim]

[Hapax Legomenon]

[Ibrahim]

[Hans Bulvai]

[Hoosiernorm]

[Ibrahim]

[jerryberry]

Are mosque's branded like churches are? In the states I can find the super liberal or super conservative churches fairly easy. I can figure this out by going to the church and asking flat out "hey are you lib or conserv" and most times I'll get an honest response. I think I'm wondering if this stuff is any different than the other abe faiths. So, I get that there will be "this is the word and you follow it period" and "this was what was written, what does it reveal or inspire or how can we interpret it etc..." mosques.

Where do the "gays" go?

[Hans Bulvai]

[jerryberry]

Oh man, the gheys got it bad all over the place.

Thanks for the info. I'm going to check out a couple of mosques for the cultural exposure. A while back at church I had a discussion with an elderly lady about how it would be nice to visit a mosque. I really looked up to this person, she was especially nice and was a well respected Physicist. Well, she passed away and now It seems that visiting a mosque would be a great way to honor her memory.

[Hans Bulvai]