The Citizen, 2017-02-09, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017.
Christianity, Islam similarities shown by trip
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
An annual tradition conceived by
Blyth's Kathy Douglas had special
added meaning this year thanks to a
number of things going on in both
Canada and the U.S.
Every year, Douglas organizes a
trip to London for Confirmation -
aged students throughout Huron and
Perth Counties to visit a synagogue
and a mosque. This year, the trip
took on a new significance with the
Quebec City mosque attack just days
earlier and the ongoing discussion
regarding U.S. President Donald
Trump and his travel ban and
immigration policies focused on
those from Muslim countries.
With enough interest expressed in
the trip this year, Douglas chartered
a bus for the trip, which took place
on Feb. 2.
The group spent the majority of its
time at the London Muslim Mosque
on Oxford Street. There, the students
met the mosque's Imam (the leader
of the mosque) and observed several
of the group's prayer sessions.
The mosque's Imam took the
students around the building for a
tour and explained the finer points of
the mosque and Islam.
When asked why students
furthering their lives in Christianity
would benefit from experience in a
mosque and a synagogue, Douglas
says the religions are very similar
and the experience is all about
learning.
"The students are going on a faith
experience and they're learning
about a bunch of other faiths,"
Douglas said in an interview with
The Citizen.
Douglas added that Christianity,
Judaism and Islam are all
"Abrahamic" religions, which means
the faiths, and their followers,
believe in the Hebrew patriarch
Abraham and believe that his
descendants hold an important role
in human spiritual development.
All three religions believe in the
same one God, Douglas said, which
is crucial to focus on when so many
in today's world are focusing on the
differences between the religions.
"They really are not so different,"
A convincing win
Saturday at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community
Centre, the Blyth Brussels PeeWee Rep Crusaders earned
a solid 8-1 win against Minto. The squad had previously
bested the Mad Dogs on the road 5-2. Next, the team starts
a series against the BCH Ice Dogs with games on Feb. 10
in Clinton and Feb. 25 in Brussels. (vickyBromnerpnoto)
Taylor fears community
`losing' with rental fees
Continued from page 1
movie on an exterior wall of the
facility would cost $75.
"As they were explaining this, I
thought to myself, we're losing
something," she said.
Knott encouraged Taylor to gather
those who felt the same way, write
down their points and address
council with the concerns, again
stating that buildings need to be
maintained and if rentals aren't
charged, those costs would fall to
taxpayers.
Taylor said she understood
maintenance costs, but said a once -
in -a -decade event like the
Blyth 140th celebration should
be treated differently than
annual events.
she said. "They all come from the
same roots."
Douglas and the students also
visited Temple Israel on Windermere
Road, where they were greeted with
a tour by the Rabbi. They also dined
at Barakat Restaurant on Western
Road in London, which specializes
in Middle Eastern food.
On the way home, Douglas asked
students to share their take-aways
and "A -Ha" moments from the day
and overwhelmingly students were
keen to discuss the similarities
between Christians and Muslims and
the kindness shown to them at both
places of faith.
While at the synagogue there was
only the Rabbi to take the students
on a tour of the building, they were
able to witness afternoon prayers at
the mosque and were consistently
met with kindness and a welcoming
nature by those of the Muslim faith
at the mosque.
"They said that if everyone took
the time to visit a mosque or to eat at
Barakat there would be less of a
focus on our differences," Douglas
said, adding that the two religions
share the same fabric and the same
values.
For more information on Douglas
or the work she does as the Huron -
Perth Presbytery's Youth Minister,
visit www.h-ppresbytery.ca and
search under the "Youth Events" tab.
Looking at the similarities
An annual visit to a mosque by youth participating in
confirmation at local churches took on a whole new
meaning in the light of the attack on a Quebec City mosque
and U.S. President Donald Trump's attempted travel ban for
Islamic countries. Students from the area learned that
Islam and Christianity might not be so different. (Photo
submitted)
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