something that helps them focus their mind and prayers, much like a misbah'hah or picture of Jesus does for others?
I might look to you as if they're worshipping the statue but I don't think that's an accurate conclusion to draw necessarily.
And as far as middle men go, one can find something that looks like that in many religions, I think. I know loads of Muslims who follow certain specific clerics or imams. Does that mean he is a middle man for them? I have one Muslima friend who tells me that her husband, as the head of the family, is repsonsible for making sure the family leads a proper, moral life, and that in the end he has the final word. Does that mean that he's a middle man, positioned between her and God?
Probably not, but to the outside world it can seem as such.
Ashwindoke: People hijack all the different religions for their own purposes. It might seem to happen more in the Islamic world, but it is present among Christian groups and Jewish groups among others.
I think what the rest of the world would like to see is for MORE of the TRUE believers to speak out against those hijackers when that happens.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou
something that helps them focus their mind and prayers, much like a misbah'hah or picture of Jesus does for others?
I might look to you as if they're worshipping the statue but I don't think that's an accurate conclusion to draw necessarily.
And as far as middle men go, one can find something that looks like that in many religions, I think. I know loads of Muslims who follow certain specific clerics or imams. Does that mean he is a middle man for them? I have one Muslima friend who tells me that her husband, as the head of the family, is repsonsible for making sure the family leads a proper, moral life, and that in the end he has the final word. Does that mean that he's a middle man, positioned between her and God?
Probably not, but to the outside world it can seem as such.
Ashwindoke: People hijack all the different religions for their own purposes. It might seem to happen more in the Islamic world, but it is present among Christian groups and Jewish groups among others.
I think what the rest of the world would like to see is for MORE of the TRUE believers to speak out against those hijackers when that happens.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou