I discover there is an open day at mosques up and down the country this Sunday (7th Feb). I had a look but there are none anywhere near me, which is a shame as I would have gone, just out of interest, not being Muslim.
Anyone else going, or know about it? Sounds like a good idea to me, in a simple way.
www.mcb.org.uk/visitmymosque/
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>>Sounds like a good idea to me
Yep, could be interesting. My nearest Mosque is in Plymouth - I don't do Plymouth.
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My nearest mosque is 4 miles away. It also happens to be the first and oldest mosque in the UK being nearly 120 years old. Built there for muslims recruited into the British Army from the empire.
Puts immigration into a new perspective really
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Nearest participating mosque is at Unit 6 Swansea University, 50 miles away.
It's not really worth a special trip, but I'd be interested to visit an older more traditional building. I feel quite steeped in inherited English small church culture and always enjoy a browse around the memorials and gravestones. It would be interesting to see if there is any similarity.
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"Anyone else going, or know about it?"
I don't know where my nearest mosque is - I'd guess it would be some 25 miles away in Ipswich. I wouldn't go, but that's because I don't do 'religion'. Within a mile, there's a new Christian box and a Jehovah's Witness place; I wouldn't go to them either.
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>> I don't do 'religion'.
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Neither do I - I've always known it was nonsense, but I like the time-mellowed buildings and traditions of a benign religion like the rural CofE.
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Cathedral built INSIDE a Mosque.
Both in one!
www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/mosque.htm
It's one of the most impressive buildings I've ever visited.
One of my Spanish "regrets" is not to have visited La Famalia Sagrada. Gaudi's still unfinished project in Barcelona,
Last edited by: Roger. on Fri 5 Feb 16 at 10:26
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>> Cathedral built INSIDE a Mosque.
Spain that came under Moorish/Catholic influence has the most fabulous culture and the Mosque/Cathedral hybrid is very special, and unique architecture.
>> One of my Spanish "regrets" is not to have visited La Famalia Sagrada. Gaudi's still
>> unfinished project in Barcelona,
Its best seen from afar. Preferably form Parc Guell. Its a building site up close, and a Spanish one at that. I understand tho, they are now talking about a finishing date.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 5 Feb 16 at 15:29
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I've had invites to the Mosque for religious events (Via Mrs Z's contacts) Haven't been because
1/ Like others on here, dont do religion.
2/ Mrs Z and I would have had to attend different halls.
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Did it quite regularly once upon a time up until 7 years ago. Quite a positive experience - but won't go again.
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>> Mrs Z and I would have had to attend different halls.
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And there's a Mr Muslim somewhere saying he'd like to go to a Christian church open day, but is offended by having to share it with women.
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>> >> Mrs Z and I would have had to attend different halls.
>> >>
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>> And there's a Mr Muslim somewhere saying he'd like to go to a Christian church
>> open day, but is offended by having to share it with women.
And thats fine. Mr Muslim offered I politely declined, Mr Vicar offered, and provided he is polite about it, Mr Muslim declined.
All for our own particular reasons, which is how a civilised society should behave.
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>> And thats fine. Mr Muslim offered I politely declined, Mr Vicar offered, and provided he
>> is polite about it, Mr Muslim declined.
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>> All for our own particular reasons, which is how a civilised society should behave.
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That reminds me of the time I went to look at a stained glass window commemorating a great uncle in a parish church in Islington. The church was now redundant but on loan to the Greek orthodox. The caretaker was delighted to unlock it and show me, but he tactfully called his wife to take my mother aside to check that she was not menstruating.
Not permitted in an Orthodox church, apparently.
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But you can't understand any society without understanding its culture and religion. It would be impossible to understand European civilisation if you ignored the massive influence of Christianity.
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My understanding is that any building or place can be a mosque. All it needs is an Imam and some faithful. The actual building doesn't have to be consecrated like a Christian church.
All the same, there are some magnificent mosques of course. The great mosque in Cordoba, with a Cathedral embedded in it, has already been mentioned... fabulous building, and huge.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Fri 5 Feb 16 at 15:06
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Much rather 'visit my pub' day
Spent 5 mins in a cathedral type place in Valencia yesterday. Had to get past the beggars sitting outside first.
Years ago I went to the Taj Mahal ( not the curry house in Bradford) but think that was a memorial rather than a working church. Nice place, pleasant enough to wander around for a while.
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I can't remember whether we took our shoes off and washed our feet as one is supposed to on entering a mosque. I've certainly had to do it in my time (the foot bath water was pretty murky, but sort of blessed I suppose).
Nice actually, a bit like crossing yourself with holy water and taking your hat off if male, putting one on if female when entering a catholic church.
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I'm not a religious person, well, not in any classical sense anyway. But I do find important or significant religious buildings quite interesting, awe inspiring maybe, they do seem to contain, almost like a battery or capacitor or something, an energy. Unseen but felt.
I'd welcome the opportunity to visit a centre of worship from any of the major religious groups. In that way l feel I might gain some greater understanding of the ones I'm not especially familiar with, and you never know, perhaps a little succour as a bonus.
I don't think anyway, that I'm liable to suddenly have any form of epiphany from any quarter, but the ancient belief systems, however flawed and however outdated, helped form the very basis of our modern civilisations and in their purest forms the codes of conduct which allow society to function. The trouble with all of them is the interpretations which have been drawn from them by those using them as a conduit to power and self aggrandisement.
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>> I'm not a religious person, well, not in any classical sense anyway
Nor me, although I was supposed to be and even tried to be for a short time. Never could quite buy all that Scheisse even when young and impressionable. It just didn't make proper sense.
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I think the energy you feel, Runfer, is an illusion generated by an expectation that you are somewhere in some way supernatural. Go in to a church which has been converted in to a home and the feeling will be noticeable by its absence.
Puff, superstition, tricks and guilt. That's all it is.
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Mrs B attends a "modern" church. Cant be doing with it myself.
They do charitable stuff, but its almost like they feel they must, and a few of them have this attitude that if you are not one of them then you cant possibly be as charitable and compassionate as they are.
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>> I think the energy you feel, Runfer, is an illusion generated by an expectation that
>> you are somewhere in some way supernatural. Go in to a church which has been
>> converted in to a home and the feeling will be noticeable by its absence.
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>> Puff, superstition, tricks and guilt. That's all it is.
Its not, Churches turned into something else still have an special aura. But its just the architecture, nothing else.
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>> Its not, Churches turned into something else still have an special aura. But its just
>> the architecture, nothing else.
That needs to be explained. When I say just architecture, I mean they employ classical architectural rules, with respect to size & ratios, geometry, sight lines, light, curves. etc. Church / cathedral /pagan temple design taught us all we know about building stuff.
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>> Puff, superstition, tricks and guilt. That's all it is.
Time-honoured though, and inextricably entangled with our culture and system, such as they are. Christian views or attitudes are professed by 45 to 70-odd per cent of the British population depending on your source.
Being a non-believer like you or me doesn't give us any special or profound grasp of the true nature of things. And it's a bit rude to denounce people's religious beliefs as puff and superstition. Better to let them be and not make waves.
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>> Being a non-believer like you or me doesn't give us any special or profound grasp
>> of the true nature of things. And it's a bit rude to denounce people's religious
>> beliefs as puff and superstition. Better to let them be and not make waves.
>>
Very understanding if you AC - been drinking tonight?
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>> Very understanding if you AC - been drinking tonight?
Less than usual actually, couple of glasses of red wine.
However it isn't my view that drinking promotes 'understanding'. Rather the contrary. But it does take all sorts to make a world.
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Another thing about Islam: the horrible, horrible 'hijab' or headscarf imposed on women by this religion.
It's nearly always hideous as well as offensively sexist. I've only ever seen one nice one. That was in the rv mirror of my car, on the head of a pretty smiling black girl who was driving faster than me (I let her past and she was away up the road before you could say, er, scimitar)...
I can't stand the things. Must be some sort of bigot innit. A Catholic mantilla is far less horrible because it isn't pulled tight.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 7 Feb 16 at 20:51
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Isn't it a bit rude to denounce people's religious practices, AC? Best let them get on with it, what?
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>> Isn't it a bit rude to denounce people's religious practices, AC? Best let them get on with it, what?
:o}
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