Essential ingredient

Aiming for Islam [Oct. 2011, p. 5] conjures up the spectre of a takeover of Christendom by Islamist fanatics.Like most Christians, my Muslim friends acknowledge and condemn extremists in their faith. Our receptivity to fear-mongering increases during tough times. Hitler’s Judenhass thrived in an atmosphere of financial insecurity, when those “others” could be cast as job stealers and cultural or religious enemies. We must reach out to people of other religions to share the riches of our respective faiths. Studying Islam has opened my mind and deepened my understanding of the loving submission to God contained in Jesus’ words “Thy will be done.” Interfaith dialogue is an essential ingredient. Peace! Shalom! Salaam!