A while ago I met this guy in internet, 60 years old syrian man living in canada. He found my yahoo messanger id by accident, and we have some interfaith dialogue about Islam and religion. Since it’s a good opportunity, I decide to questions him about my viewpoints of religion and Islam in general. He is interesting, moderate Islam, said to me that freedom of speech these days, tend to hurt others. We have no rights to attack other religion, because we must find the supreme truth or God by ourselves.
Find God, he said. He came from Sunni Islam, and I was really glad when he said that he didn’t approve the cruel and harsh treatment of people in Arab Saudi (who has religious police, which acts like Nazi, I still remember colson’s post)
Anyway, here’s the transcript of conversation, I changed his yahoo id for his privacy. Typos are left as it is. I dont think I will discuss things with him again for quite time, because he doesn’t have any knowledge I’m looking for. I always looked that God and Supreme Truth is diamond with infinite perspectives. Nobody could possibly see the same things because they saw the diamond from different angle, but do we see different things? I am sure everyone should be given fair chance to find what is the meaning of God and religion by themselves.
And for myself… I’m currently immensed by research of my next novel, that’s why I study ancient history extensively, reading the evaluation of religion of each great civilizations and how they actualy come into what we see in our age. It is natural evolution. There is nothing bad about paganism like portrayed by church, it was purest form of religion compassion and toleration. Polytheism, unlike some jealous monotheist religions, always give space for other religion in the community.
Ignorance is bliss. Everyone has freedom to determine how much they need to see the world.
There are three conversations occurred, I have posted all of them in my facebook notes. If you are my friends in facebook, you could just read it at my facebook notes (and other private posts I won’t post here.)
Interfaith Dialogue #1
(12:01:02 AM) the old man: salam
(12:01:06 AM) Calvin: ini siapa ya?
(12:01:17 AM) the old man: the old man@yahoo.ca
(12:01:34 AM) the old man: u speak English?
(12:01:37 AM) Calvin: sure
(12:01:43 AM) Calvin: who are you?
(12:02:04 AM) the old man: shami in Toronto Canada
(12:02:12 AM) Calvin: how do you know me?
(12:02:27 AM) the old man: from u r question on y/a
(12:02:36 AM) Calvin: ahh
(12:02:38 AM) Calvin: yahoo answer
(12:02:43 AM) Calvin: well nice to meet you
(12:02:49 AM) Calvin: anything I can help?
(12:02:56 AM) the old man: about inside Kaaba
(12:03:05 AM) Calvin: oh, did you answer my question?
(12:03:09 AM) the old man: tell me about u?
(12:03:16 AM) Calvin: I’m agnostic myself
(12:03:42 AM) Calvin: and since I’m living in indonesia, with majority people is muslim
(12:03:50 AM) the old man: ok
(12:04:02 AM) Calvin: and I have a muslim friends… well it’s kinda distrubing thought
(12:04:23 AM) the old man: do u know how Islam got into Indonisia?
(12:04:43 AM) Calvin: it’s around 1000 CE if I’m not mistaken
(12:04:46 AM) the old man: by honest merchants
(12:05:18 AM) the old man: now= Kaaba place of first worship site on earth
(12:05:58 AM) the old man: some say where Adam and wife met on earth and prayed to Allah / God
(12:06:09 AM) the old man: it is empty inside
(12:06:42 AM) Calvin: oh
(12:06:47 AM) Calvin: are you christian/muslem?
(12:06:59 AM) the old man: Muslim
(12:07:56 AM) Calvin: oh I see
(12:08:07 AM) Calvin: well that’s why I asked at y/.a
(12:08:11 AM) Calvin: because it’s the safest way
(12:08:18 AM) Calvin: no way I would ask it to my moslem friend
(12:08:44 AM) the old man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuT-0Zh8oKg
(12:09:01 AM) the old man: open
(12:10:00 AM) Calvin: wait…
(12:10:04 AM) Calvin: well just as I thought
(12:10:20 AM) Calvin: probably that person was telling nonsense
(12:10:36 AM) Calvin: there is no way such thing would occur in the holy site
(12:10:40 AM) the old man: many anti islam lies
(12:10:46 AM) Calvin: yeah
(12:11:04 AM) the old man: save my email or add me
(12:11:12 AM) Calvin: wait
(12:12:27 AM) the old man: r u kaur?
(12:12:35 AM) Calvin: kaur?
(12:12:40 AM) Calvin: what is kaur?
(12:12:53 AM) the old man: someone just added me
(12:13:01 AM) Calvin: uh I added you
(12:13:12 AM) Calvin: is that your son?
(12:13:18 AM) the old man: u r added by me
(12:13:30 AM) the old man: grandson
(12:13:34 AM) Calvin: oh wow
(12:13:40 AM) Calvin: he looks adorable
(12:13:53 AM) the old man: thank u
(12:14:17 AM) the old man: I expect 1 million questions from u
(12:14:27 AM) Calvin: hmmmm
(12:14:41 AM) Calvin: I would ask about yourself first
(12:14:44 AM) the old man: my job is to answer u
(12:14:50 AM) Calvin: how old are you? are you man or woman?
(12:14:59 AM) the old man: 60 grandpa
(12:15:06 AM) Calvin: oh I see
(12:15:45 AM) Calvin: hmm I dont have particular question about kabah
(12:15:50 AM) Calvin: maybe islam in general
(12:15:59 AM) the old man: ok ask
(12:16:29 AM) Calvin: do you know pagan gods that were worshipped before Allah was introduced to Arab
(12:16:30 AM) Calvin: ?
(12:17:05 AM) Calvin: It’s important because I want to know whether Islam still has remnants of their pagan practices in modern times
(12:17:13 AM) the old man: Allah = God of all 3 religions
(12:17:45 AM) Calvin: Is Allah is also Yahweh?
(12:17:53 AM) the old man: yes
(12:18:30 AM) the old man: ya Hoowa = He who is
(12:18:45 AM) Calvin: Ya hoowa… you mean Yahweh?
(12:19:05 AM) the old man: yes
(12:19:11 AM) Calvin: hmm interesting…
(12:19:31 AM) the old man: Jews were FORBEDEN to say His name
(12:19:39 AM) Calvin: in Indonesian language, God is called Allah
(12:20:24 AM) Calvin: thus it make the Indonesian christians and moslem have fairly good relationship becuse they believe they worship in same God
(12:20:25 AM) the old man: Mankind were one community, and Allah sent (unto them) prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by His Will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah guideth whom He will unto a straight path. (213)
(12:20:35 AM) Calvin: hmmm
(12:21:06 AM) Calvin: Bible was first surfaced by 3th century CE
(12:21:13 AM) Calvin: when was Quran first surfaced?
(12:21:52 AM) Calvin: was it before Jesus/Isa born or afterward?
(12:22:25 AM) the old man: Mankind were one community, and Allah sent (unto them) prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by His Will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah guideth whom He will unto a straight path. (213)
(12:22:48 AM) the old man: 7 century
(12:22:52 AM) Calvin: hmm I see..
(12:23:05 AM) Calvin: so it appeared later
(12:23:17 AM) Calvin: I guess that explains similarity between bible and quran
(12:23:41 AM) the old man: Holy Books from same Allah
(12:24:13 AM) the old man: my job also to answer u in regard of science / faith
(12:24:23 AM) Calvin: sure
(12:24:42 AM) Calvin: please wait a minute, I’ll be right back
(12:25:03 AM) the old man: if I amm off= leave me message
(12:31:01 AM) Calvin: ok I’m back
(12:31:07 AM) the old man: ok
(12:31:34 AM) Calvin: so did mohammad copied the bible?
(12:31:36 AM) the old man: the truth can not be covered
(12:31:40 AM) the old man: nooo
(12:32:09 AM) the old man: Holy Quran full of science was not in Holy Bible
(12:32:29 AM) Calvin: umm such as…?
(12:32:43 AM) Calvin: (I havent read quran, so please consider me outsider)
(12:32:50 AM) the old man: 1m
(12:33:33 AM) Calvin: 1m?
(12:33:52 AM) the old man: 1m= 1 minute
(12:33:55 AM) Calvin: ah ok
(12:33:55 AM) the old man: http://www.scienceinquran.com/
(12:33:59 AM) the old man: open
(12:34:08 AM) the old man: read / then ask me
(12:34:32 AM) Calvin: oh interesting
(12:34:39 AM) Calvin: it’s even similar to Babylon cosmology
(12:34:42 AM) the old man: brb= be right back = 20 m[inutes]
(12:35:02 AM) the old man: time 4 me to pray
(12:35:09 AM) Calvin: ahh ok=======
(1:29:22 AM) the old man: back
(1:29:39 AM) Calvin: hmm I told you earlier
(1:29:46 AM) Calvin: from the site
(1:30:06 AM) Calvin: the cosmology much similar to babylon’s creation narration
(1:30:34 AM) the old man: there r NO cosmology in Islam
(1:30:50 AM) Calvin: every creation myth is fall under term “cosmology”
(1:31:18 AM) the old man: no myth either= clear cut facts
(1:31:36 AM) the old man: let me giv u an example
(1:31:56 AM) the old man: have u heard of Hubble telescope?
(1:32:13 AM) Calvin: I think I have heard once
(1:32:16 AM) Calvin: but I forgot
(1:32:25 AM) Calvin: nasa telescope?
(1:32:32 AM) the old man: it was launched 10 years ago
(1:33:22 AM) the old man: The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by the Space Shuttle Discovery in April 1990.
(1:33:28 AM) the old man: ok?
(1:33:35 AM) Calvin: and…?
(1:33:37 AM) Calvin: please continue
(1:33:45 AM) Calvin: or maybe we could skip this for later
(1:33:46 AM) the old man: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sts109-708-038a.jpg
(1:33:50 AM) Calvin: because it’s 1:33 am here
(1:33:53 AM) Calvin: and I must sleep soon
(1:34:13 AM) the old man: it gave us hints about history of universe
=====(1:35:18 AM) the old man: the big bang?
(1:35:27 AM) Calvin: yes I know
(1:35:56 AM) Calvin: much similar to greek myth, babylon creation myth about the primal substance
(1:35:58 AM) the old man: Big Bang – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia According to the Big Bang model, the universe expanded from an extremely dense and hot state and continues to expand today. A common analogy explains that …
(1:36:10 AM) Calvin: in the beginning there was chaos?
(1:36:23 AM) the old man: no explosion
(1:36:35 AM) Calvin: mr shami, I must sleep soon
(1:36:38 AM) Calvin: let’s talk later ok
(1:36:41 AM) the old man: ok
(1:36:49 AM) Calvin: see you later
(1:36:51 AM) the old man: u r well educated
(1:37:00 AM) the old man: that shall help u
(1:37:04 AM) Calvin: of course
(1:37:21 AM) Calvin: I’m studying comparative mythology during my free time
(1:37:32 AM) Calvin: it helps me to understand religion and other people better
(1:37:48 AM) the old man: u need to separate myth from truth
(1:38:08 AM) the old man: I hope I can be help
(1:38:11 AM) Calvin: of course you can
(1:38:22 AM) Calvin: you could give me balanced view of islam side
(1:38:36 AM) the old man: I hope
(1:39:11 AM) the old man: good night
(1:39:17 AM) Calvin: good night
Wow! u had a great conversation with him. the calvinsidjajaism…ahahaha
seru tuh kykny critany..gw boleh ikut nimbrung di fb ga??
pliz confirm gw y..
thx
Wow, I did some interfaith dialogues before, but only with friends I’d known for years. They’ll have more tolerance should I eventually offense them.
You’re lucky, after reading through all your conversations with him, I think he’s good man who’s ready to share knowledge about his own religion.
but honestly I dont know what should I ask further, his void knowledge of pre-islamic arabia doesn’t interest me, he gives good impression of moslem though.
hi, this will be my first comment to you ever, since i found that your topic is quite interesting in the way that i was also questioning the islamic way too back in my high school, since my parent’s different religion (christian father and moeslim mother), so as a christian i want to know about my mom’s religion, learned by asked some of my friends (for me it’s a sensitive topic to discuss in our home, so i never had a nerve to start), well in my opinion religion is overrated, every now and then..
Anyway check out (download it i suppose) “GOD EXPLAIN IN TAXI RIDE” by Paul Arden..it’s kinda cool actually.. quite simple and very fun to read..
ow, it was nice to read your blog..
hi maria, thanks for the comment, I agree with your opinion, religion is so overrated. in fact, many bloodshed in last century was done because of religion. many people ignore the essence of their faith, let’s just hope we wont fall in the same way.
Vin, sorry I have a different opinion. Yes,that’s right that there are many bloodshed but it’s not because of religion. It’s because of the attitudes and the characteristics from the peoples that do in the name of religion..
Two statements above are different exactly, right??
Btw Vin2,aku suka jukstaposisimu.. Jadi ga sabar mo baca novel inggrismu!