Strange Sight:Muslims praying at a packed public park

I just want to say before I start that I could care less about Muslims, specifically compared to any other religious group. I have never, in my 30 some years witnessed any of them(other religious groups) praying at a public park in the middle of the day, it was just a strange sight to see. So after reading one of the threads about the supposed "Islamization of America", I thought I would relay something I saw the other day that seems to point to this assumption.

So I was visiting a family member, who lives next to a large park in a central Ohio suburb. To give you a idea of the size it has two baseball fields w/ batting pitching cages, two volleyball courts, large toddler and older kids playground, large indoor/outdoor reception areas, soccer field with goals, and about a half mile full circle (bike,dog,walking) path.

So we go out to walk a few laps on the path that encloses the soccer field and one of the baseball fields, as we have done countless times over the several years she has lived there. The park was literally packed, the baseball field was being played by a junior baseball league(8 to ten year old's) and the soccer field was being played by a group of very obviously Muslim men, that I have seen countless times before in the park. There is a large Mosque down the road, and they often come to the park to play soccer while they're wives and children walk the path(btw, completely covered and veiled, even the newborn babies, toddlers, everyone.. but that is another thread). That day I would say there was ten to fifteen groups of people walking the path. My point is there were people every where, from babies to adults.

As we rounded a corner, to come in view with the far end of the soccer field, placing the goalie ten to twenty feet from the path, I see four prayer rugs laid out in a row, with four guys going back and forth getting up and down on there knees. Now like I said, although I have seen these guys here before, I had never witnessed them praying here before, but it wouldn't be the last time.

It was just so in your face, when I think of prayer, I think of being in a church, or in your house, typically a private type of thing. I guess the fact that I have never witnessed another individual praying(from any religion) at a public park like this, is what really threw me off. They were very bold about it, and you could tell by the looks on on the faces of the other people in the park that I wasn't the only person who was puzzled by there actions. This coupled with the fact that a Mosque(a giant one) was located literally less then a mile away , made me feel like they were doing this to make a statement to everyone there. What that statement was I really don't know exactly, but nonetheless, this was the feeling I got and it was a strange sight to see.

Ultimately, I just shrugged it off, I lived in DC for about six years and knew many Muslims, and I know that they always pray at certain times, but the Muslims I knew would never think of doing something like that, in a public park. They were always very private about they're prayer time. I guess it just makes me wonder..religion has always seemed to be "separated" from school and things like this, are we all going to have to witness Muslims(who at this moment are the only ones doing it) praying in public places(like this park) just because it's time to prayer? What will that lead to? Like the children being forced to cover their entire bodies, as they walk in the same park, it just doesn't seem like the America I once knew.

If Islam was merely another religion none of this would be an issue. But Islam is not merely a religion, but a combination of theological, political, and cultural imperatives that includes the ultimate objective of imposing Islam and Sharia law worldwide, subjugating all else to Islam.

I think it'd be nice to see some Christians doing the same thing,but then there is this:


"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:6

reply to post by RKWWWW


That sounds an awful lot like the Christian religion.
www.seesharppress.com...
Here's a list of 20 reasons to abandon the Christian religion.
www.comparativereligion.com...
Here is a list of the evil in Christianity and other religions.
www.behindthebadge.net...

reply to post by PersonalChoice


Did I miss something or is this a simple story about seeing some people pray in a public park?

Islam teaches to pray 5 times per day at specific time frames.

Perhaps the guys didn't want to waste gas or time driving to the mosque, so chose to pray there instead.

I have prayed outdoors many, many times. To be in the fresh air and warmth of the sun is an excellent feeling when trying to communicate with the Creator. At no times have I ever prayed outdoors as an act of provocation or trying to offend. I simply did not want to drive all the way home or to a mosque. Islam teaches you can pray anywhere except at graves or in filthy places.

So in my times of prayer, I guess I should apologize for offending people. Never figured giving praise to God was a reason for people like you to take offense or have a problem with me.

Do you find offense in the public recitation of the Lord's Prayer? How about in court or government swearing ins when they sometimes say, "so help me God?"

The other day I was walking around here in the Netherlands I saw a bunch of Americans!

Usually I hear about all the imperialist Americans and their corporations trying to take over the globe, though I have seen and know plenty Americans I never expected to see them in such a manner, I didn't expect such behaviour. Speaking American out loud like it was their piece of land!

Then the other day I was walking around the beach and I saw a congregation of Christians playing volleybal and having a good time.

Usually I hear about the free Christians of the Western world and these people weren't wearing any swimming gear on the beach because it showed nudity! Now I know a bunch of Christians who would never play volleybal on the beach in anything less than swimwear, let alone have a good time doing it! So I didn't expect any of what I saw!



Mass Media 1 - 0 Topic Starter

Originally posted by Romantic_Rebel
reply to post by RKWWWW

 

That sounds an awful lot like the Christian religion.
www.seesharppress.com...
Here's a list of 20 reasons to abandon the Christian religion.
www.comparativereligion.com...
Here is a list of the evil in Christianity and other religions.
www.behindthebadge.net...

There is no Christian equivalent of Sharia law. In fact Christ was very specific in his instruction to defer to the law of the land in which one was living.

Originally posted by RKWWWW
There is no Christian equivalent of Sharia law. In fact Christ was very specific in his instruction to defer to the law of the land in which one was living.

Abortion is legal in the United States of America. If what you are saying is true, I should NOT be able to find any examples of Christians actively trying to change the law of the land to better reflect what they feel is moral, correct? I certainly should not be able to find any Christians who have killed in order to achieve that goal, correct? Or is this really just the difference between one religion having a catchy name for their rules and the other one being a little more sneaky?

reply to post by RKWWWW


Oh Lord. You Christians lie more then anything.
www.usbible.com...
Of course you can keep on lying to make it seem you're right.
www.usbible.com...
All laws from religions are barbaric. Christianity the most barbaric.

You say, "There is no Christian equivalent of Sharia law. In fact Christ was very specific in his instruction to defer to the law of the land in which one was living."

Oh really? You might as well take the entire Old Testament out of the Bible and burn it up! Have you read the chapters upon chapters of commandments, laws, rules, punishments, and orders of genocide to be committed by the Hebrews to the inhabitants of the Land of Milk and Honey in the Old Testament? Keep that in mind and let's see what Jesus says about it:

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." [Matthew 5:17-18]

So... seeing as heaven and earth have not passed and are still here... and seeing as "all being fulfilled" includes waiting for Jesus' second coming and Judgement Day... I'd pretty much say the rules of the Old Testament are still supposed to be in effect.

Unless you want to quote Paul the anti-Christ instead of Jesus.... or refer to doctrine and dogma instead of scripture... or maybe you just like to take Biblical verses out of context... or is it that you only quote and follow the passages that you agree with while ignoring other passages dealing with the same issues?

Originally posted by evil incarnate

Originally posted by RKWWWW
There is no Christian equivalent of Sharia law. In fact Christ was very specific in his instruction to defer to the law of the land in which one was living.

Abortion is legal in the United States of America. If what you are saying is true, I should NOT be able to find any examples of Christians actively trying to change the law of the land to better reflect what they feel is moral, correct? I certainly should not be able to find any Christians who have killed in order to achieve that goal, correct? Or is this really just the difference between one religion having a catchy name for their rules and the other one being a little more sneaky?

I said there is no Christian equivalent of Sharia law, I didn't say that Christians do not vote based on their morals. We all vote based on our morals. Abortion is legal in the USA because the USA is a nation of secular laws. No Christian can change that without fundamentally changing the way this nation is ruled. Christians are specifically instructed to defer to the laws of the land they live in. However the Sharia law movement is motivated by the diametrically opposed view point that a government created by man is inherently wicked and must be supplanted by Islamic law AKA Sharia law.

Originally posted by PersonalChoice
I just want to say before I start that I could care less about Muslims,

If it doesn't bother you why did you start this thread in the first place?

reply to post by RKWWWW


More Christian bias. A stupid man's report of what a clever man says is never accurate because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand.

Originally posted by RKWWWW

I said there is no Christian equivalent of Sharia law, I didn't say that Christians do not vote based on their morals. We all vote based on our morals.

You can not now nor have you ever been able to vote for or against the legalization of abortion. It is the law of the land and any candidate vowing to try and change that law to better reflect Christian values is the same thing as trying to impose Christian laws where the law of the land is already clearly stated.

Abortion is legal in the USA because the USA is a nation of secular laws. No Christian can change that without fundamentally changing the way this nation is ruled.

You mean by changing the laws to more Christian friendly laws. How is that different from Sharia law?

Christians are specifically instructed to defer to the laws of the land they live in. However the Sharia law movement is motivated by the diametrically opposed view point that a government created by man is inherently wicked and must be supplanted by Islamic law AKA Sharia law.

Like I said, if that were true then I would not be able to find one Christian trying to CHANGE THE LAW OF THE LAND or even KILLING TO CHANGE it. But we both know that I can.

Originally posted by On the Edge
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:6

Christians are suppose to be anti-gay, but this confirms that they are secretly still in the closet themselves.

reply to post by PersonalChoice


I doubt these muslim soccer players were trying to be "in your face". It was time for prayer, so they prayed.

I have witnessed a muslim man pray. For an assignment in college, I forget the exact requirements, but basically we were supposed to present something to the class that represents something that we love/makes us feel alive.
One student performed his daily prayer. He also showed the rosary he moves the beads of to keep count of the prayer repetitions. I don't remember which prayer he performed, but it was beautiful.

As far as rituals go, the daily prayer seems like a pretty good one. You are guaranteed 5 ten minute breaks throughout the day. During this break you get to relax, stretch a bit and sing.

As soon as I get home I always grab my guitar and sing a couple songs first thing, it's a great mood elevator.

Originally posted by Sahabi
You say, "There is no Christian equivalent of Sharia law. In fact Christ was very specific in his instruction to defer to the law of the land in which one was living."

Oh really? You might as well take the entire Old Testament out of the Bible and burn it up! Have you read the chapters upon chapters of commandments, laws, rules, punishments, and orders of genocide to be committed by the Hebrews to the inhabitants of the Land of Milk and Honey in the Old Testament? Keep that in mind and let's see what Jesus says about it:

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." [Matthew 5:17-18]

So... seeing as heaven and earth have not passed and are still here... and seeing as "all being fulfilled" includes waiting for Jesus' second coming and Judgement Day... I'd pretty much say the rules of the Old Testament are still supposed to be in effect.

Unless you want to quote Paul the anti-Christ instead of Jesus.... or refer to doctrine and dogma instead of scripture... or maybe you just like to take Biblical verses out of context... or is it that you only quote and follow the passages that you agree with while ignoring other passages dealing with the same issues?

Christians are not bound by the Old Testament. You should know this. That's what the whole "new covenant" thing is all about.

Let's cut to the chase. If the Christian equivalent of Sharia law exists, tell me where it is found in the scriptures. Feel free to quote Paul or any other apostle.

reply to post by RKWWWW


Sure I'll go right ahead of you and do that.
Here's a list of lies by Jesus.
www.evilbible.com...
Here's a great article why the Christian God is impossible.
www.evilbible.com...
Contradictions in the Gospels.
www.evilbible.com...
Of course you Christians already ignore the OT which you shouldn't.
www.evilbible.com...

Originally posted by evil incarnate

You can not now nor have you ever been able to vote for or against the legalization of abortion. It is the law of the land and any candidate vowing to try and change that law to better reflect Christian values is the same thing as trying to impose Christian laws where the law of the land is already clearly stated.

Well that's my point. Not only are Christians instructed to defer to the law of the land, under American laws they have no mechanism change fundamental rights of others.