If you don't speak Arabic, it's just sound. Like an alarm clock. There's no reason to object, really, unless it disturbs you in a specific way. If you sleep in, then you'd be upset about the timing, and not the content, of the early call to prayer.
Point taken. And I understand being offended vs being offensive. I personally share your view and feel that much of these things we worry about (symbols & gestures) are impotent without the necessary intent. I think perhaps what people aren't articulating is that Islam (whether hijacked or not) is a religion with barbaric behaviors. Not used to be...but currently IS. I hear that argument all the time...more people have been killed in the name of Christianity blah blah blah...but that is a 'was', not an 'is', speaking in terms of the church, not individual crazies.
Since we expect to not be associated with wrong actions of past church transgressions we should extend the same to Islam. The problem is...the relative silence of the muslim communities in response to the horrors a faction of it commits this very day. Yeah, we hear the random cleric condemn things when a major event happens, but it doesn't seem like the religion as a whole is fighting the association.
And THAT is what I think is the problem. Blasting out their call to prayer is like boasting that they oppress, stone and behead in the name of that god they're praying to in a country of 'infidels' that has given them a haven.
The Muslim call to prayer is not offensive. Churches all over the land ring bells every day, especially Sunday. Settle down.
The difference is that bells are not prayers. There are no christian words being spoken. They serve merely as 'alarm clocks'.
https://network.crcna.org/ecumenical-interfaith/what-does-islamic-call-prayer-adhan-really-say
If you don't speak Arabic, it's just sound. Like an alarm clock. There's no reason to object, really, unless it disturbs you in a specific way. If you sleep in, then you'd be upset about the timing, and not the content, of the early call to prayer.
Point taken. And I understand being offended vs being offensive. I personally share your view and feel that much of these things we worry about (symbols & gestures) are impotent without the necessary intent. I think perhaps what people aren't articulating is that Islam (whether hijacked or not) is a religion with barbaric behaviors. Not used to be...but currently IS. I hear that argument all the time...more people have been killed in the name of Christianity blah blah blah...but that is a 'was', not an 'is', speaking in terms of the church, not individual crazies.
Since we expect to not be associated with wrong actions of past church transgressions we should extend the same to Islam. The problem is...the relative silence of the muslim communities in response to the horrors a faction of it commits this very day. Yeah, we hear the random cleric condemn things when a major event happens, but it doesn't seem like the religion as a whole is fighting the association.
And THAT is what I think is the problem. Blasting out their call to prayer is like boasting that they oppress, stone and behead in the name of that god they're praying to in a country of 'infidels' that has given them a haven.
Sure, just know that it's the same God, the God of Abraham, same as yours and mine. Allah, Yahweh, tomato, tomahto.