Showing My Prejudices

[poliphilo]

The trees along King's Rd are turning. Some are now bright yellow all over, others have patches of red. Those that are not yet rusting look sorry for themselves.

I sit in the waiting room at the health centre while Ailz goes through diabetic clinic. First I read the publicity pamphlet for the Alpha course, which aims to turn turn run-of-the-mill people into happy, shiny Christians. It carries endorsements from Cliff Richard and Old Beardie the archbishop of Canterbury and some smooth chopped catholic and- oh my God- Hercule Poirot. Yes, folks, Hercule Poirot- I mean actor David Suchet- has had his life turned round by Alpha and has celebrated by shaving off the moustache.

I scan the pictures of happy shiny faces (so many, I had not thought death had undone so many) in search of black ones. On the second run-through I find my first example- miniscule- and then another- so tiny you almost need a magnifying glass.

Then I read Emmel- the glossy "magazine of Muslim lifestyle". After the white-bread wilderness of Alpha it is nice and warming to look at pictures of people with a bit of colour in their cheeks. Emmel is liberal. It has pieces about criticising Islam and how good it would be to have female Imams. I'm thinking of taking out a subscription.

Seriously.

Comments

[solar-diablo.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you simply came across rather limited examples for either religion. http://alphacourse.org/ lists a string of worldwide sites, but all of them decidedly European or Asian (the two possible exceptions, South Africa and India, are arguably on the border). Odd, since the greatest growth for the Christian faith is currently occuring in Latin America and Africa. As for the other, based on the female imam commentary alone I would argue that Emmel's perspective is rather fringe for mainstream Muslims, much as those Christians who argue for female priests or gay marriage are for middle of the road Christians. But in either case I wouldn't take these publications to be a comprehensive representative of the faith.

Damn, that's twice in as many days you got me rambling on about religion!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

A lot of the Muslims I know would deny that such a thing as "liberal" Islam could possibly exist, so stumbling across this magazine was a pleasant surprise.

And Alpha, well, I know that's not typical either. It just represents a strain of Christianity I find shallow.