As the Texas State Board of Education prepares to join in on the anti-Muslim hostility roiling the country, it is worth noting that many interfaith groups are stepping up their efforts to correct the misinformation and slander circulating about Islam. There are a number of interfaith endeavors scheduled in central Texas in the coming days that will attempt to use education and dialogue to ratchet down the fear and apprehension gripping our communities.
The SoL Center at University Presbyterian Church in San Antonio is offering a series of lectures and education events in October addressing this issue, including:
Who Speaks for Islam?
October 5 and 12Introduction to Islam
October 2, 9, 16 and 23
Click here to learn more about the SoL Center’s upcoming programs (and to register to attend).
And in Austin next week, Austin Area Interreligious Ministries (AAIM) is sponsoring a special gathering to respond to the heated rhetoric and fear-mongering targeting the Muslim community. The event next Tuesday (September 28) is a part of AAIM’s ongoing “Red Bench” series and will be open to the public. Click here if you would like to register to attend.
Positive and inclusive education events like these are more important than ever, and they prove that people of diverse faiths and differing beliefs can participate in thoughtful, constructive dialogue. The State Board of Education could take a lesson.
This sort of thing is timely.
In a similar vein, our church is putting on a series of in-house seminars on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our assistant pastor is doing the seminar, which is based on the Bible, world history, and his travels in the Holy Land. As a result, we are getting a rarely seen view of the conflict from both sides. It is interesting stuff and you come away with gazillions of things you did not know—that you thought you knew—but were just plain wrong about until you had an encounter with the truth.
Jesus said that he was the way, the truth, and the life. For those who believe in him, all truth is his truth. Y’all go on down to this seminar in Austin and get the real facts on Islam.
I can personally recommend the SoL Center. I’ve taken classes there before when my rabbi, Samuel Stahl, was the instructor. (The SoL Center welcomes teaches to teach there who come from all kinds of different traditions). The SoL Center are good people.