Would you agree?

amlhabibi2000 wrote:     Salam Alaikoam Peace be with you Would you agree that Education, Counseling and Consultation are key tools in our Inter Faith (Jihad) struggle to be the best people we can be? Do you agree that Education is an Inter Faith means for raising the Station of Mankind from a life just making ends meet to a life of plenty. Do you are agree that Counseling and Guidance are important tools from which we can learn skills such as good communication skills, listening skills, attention skills, parenting and relationship skills as well as effective conflict resolution skills. Do you agree that consultation is a sound frame work from which to rebuild important structure within the family, community and Nation?  Do you agree that by consulting trained personel or proffessions about our challenges we might find ready resolution for our challenges that give us all grace and dignity?  Do you agree in consulting our Families, Community and Nations we may find ways to provide needed infra structure and community support agencies such as Mental Health Out Patient Services, Parenting Centers, Addictions Services, Crime Prevention Services and Training Centers? Just curious to see how many of you support my theory on the Inter Faith Jihad idea and how many of you believe as I do that we are in a time where Peace is possible in all levels of our lives we just need to join together and share the burdens.  Inshallah may we have a great sorting out into groups. Anne Marie Elderkin Habibi

Dear Anne,

I emphatically agree with your post.  How can we expect to have peace, to raise people out of poverty, to decrease the crime rate, addiction rates, child and domestic abuse rate....IF we do not educate and guide those people who so desperately need professional help. 

So many people from all races, religions, cultures, and genders are desperately in need of help in many areas of their lives.  This does not mean they are NOT to pray and to seek God.  Indeed, they are to be encouraged to seek their God and to come to Him for comfort and guidance.

But I believe that God/Allah gave us colleges and universities to train professionals....who in turn have the skills necessary to help those advance in their own lives.  They, the professionals, are able to help those without the necessary skills for a successful life, train and through education lead them to their God-given talents which had been unknown, or lying dormant previously.  With a good education in any number of trades or professions, formerly uneducated people are able to provide adequately for themselves and their families.

It is a fact of life, that many millions of poor souls out there are in desperate need of counselling.  Many DO require medications to help them function normally throughout the day.  Take a schizophrenic off Haldol or Thorazine and see what happens.  Or take a bi-polar off Lithium and they often commit suicide.  Clinically depressed persons suffer from a chemical imbalance in their brains, they do not produce the necessary levels of Seratonin and are therefore very depressed....a terribly disabling illness.  Of course they benefit from counseling.  As do those with tendencies towards violence.

It is a very sad, but well known fact, that many mothers (and fathers) do not automatically possess good parenting skills.  They benefit greatly from this service, as of course, do their children and babies.

I believe all of our clergy, no matter what the religion, must be available to ALL those who are seeking help with their faith, who have questions concerning their religion. 

I am in total agreement with your ideas, and thank you for a wonderful post, Anne.

Salam Alaikoam

I do not believe that the education, counseling and consultation I spoke of is by any means a barrier to Faith.  In fact I believe it is a bridge to Faith, especially Faith in ourselves, others and the world.

Faith is something that transcends religion and though religion plays a role it is not always something everyone wants to belong to especially seeing as there is so much division amongst them all.

I believe that we are all Muslims first or ie people who submit in degrees to the will of Allah, God, the Creator.  To me the foundations of Faith are being guided to be the best people we can be so we can provide for ourselves and our families with grace and dignity for all.  I believe a Faith filled Community is a Community that has excellent infra structures and networks so people can get their needs met as well as meet the needs of the Family, Community, Nation and World.

I believe part of this Faith building is being environmentally friendly and caring for the environment locally and abroad.  So recycling is a matter of Faith, Faith building for all being seen and unseen.

I believe that rather than point the finger at those who don't belong to a religion instead seek to empower them and education them about all religions so they can decide what they believe or do not believe and at the very least appreciate the diversity amongst all religions and their similarities.

It takes more than religion to build Faith it takes living prayers and a living a life as a pray answered.  ie being a good person and doing such things as volunteering with some agencies that helps people with issues such as poverty, hunger, senior care, the disabled as well as guiding people to services they need or at least encouraging them to go let's say to a counselor if they are experience spousal violence or abuse.

There is hope we are that hope.

Annie, you are speaking with Angela, not Angel.

Angela, why didn't you notice

You are right about me wanting more education...however, children should not be confused, a parent has a right to raise their children without interference from others.  I honestly believe that faith is something that should be taught only in the home.  I personally felt the confusion of growing in a multifaith home. 

But, I agree with pretty much most of this...

Anne Marie wrote: Education:  Training in professions that up lift the individual and Mankind ie trades such as cooking, plumbing, carpentry, Careers such as Teaching, Counseling, Engineers, Nursing, Doctors, Lawyers, Office worker ie traing so we all have a means to provide for ourselves and our families that give grace and dignity to all. Education also in things I have mentioned before relationship skills, good communication skills, effective conflict resolution skills, parenting skills, cross cultural education as well as education and training in how to cope with stress and frustrations.

These things are the goal of LDS services.  An organization within my Church.  Empowering people with the tools to get good jobs, healthcare and everything they need to succeed and be self sufficient.  We have couseling services, welfare programs, education programs, employment resources.  These are available to members of all faiths without obligation.  Fees paid for couseling services and adoption services are only to cover cost of operation that the church cannot. 

That is why I wanted you to spell it out...as it were.  There are programs out there like you're talking about....