In the last few weeks, some people in the Portland area and elsewhere have expressed hatred and anger toward refugees fleeing danger and toward Muslims.
I’m a secular Christian by culture who doesn’t know a ton about Islam, and I’m not sure I know a single Muslim. I would like to do my part to help prevent a wave of hatred from engulfing our country but that’s hard to do when you don’t know anything or anyone directly affected.
That’s why I’m going to ride my bike to an event Saturday at the Ahmaddiya Muslim Community, on Southwest 35th Drive.
Here’s the event description from the mosque, which is also posted on its website:
The atrocious acts of militant groups have not only grabbed headlines but also spurred fear and backlash towards Muslims around the world. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community responds by inviting you to explore how well their actions match Prophet Muhammad’s teachings.
From free speech to freedom of religion, what is Muhammad’s track record with human rights? Can the Paris attacks or the behavior of ISIS find justification within the life of the Prophet Muhammad? Did he permit deception or falsehood to advance the cause of Islam?
Join us at the first and oldest Mosque in Portland for a special seminar entitled “Muhammad: Messenger of Peace” to explore the true life and character of the man who has been called the most influential person in world history.
Saturday, December 12, 2015 @ 12:00 pm
Portland Rizwan Mosque
9925 SW 35th Drive, Portland, OR 97219
I have no idea what to expect, except that I’ll learn things I didn’t know, hear from people I don’t otherwise hear from, and hopefully figure out how to show a little support for people who might not know they had mine.
Would you like to join me? If so, I’d love to have you along.
We’ll meet at 10:30 on Saturday and leave within a few minutes of 10:45. It’s a one-hour bike ride, mostly on the bike lane of Southwest Barbur Boulevard – not currently a safe route for young children but all right for adults in a group.
If you’d rather take the bus or a car, that’s fine too. If you want to meet downtown, the No. 12 bus at either 11:02 or 11:17 from the west end of the Burnside Bridge should work. At the end, there’s a 15-minute walk from the Barbur Transit Center to the mosque.
You can read more about the Rizwan Mosque here. It’s worth noting that this mosque is just one particular mosque, and doesn’t represent other Muslim organizations any more than a single church represents other Christian organizations.
Happy holidays, and if this interests you, see you Saturday.
The mosque is requesting RSVPs on its website.