What is it with billboards and New Jersey?

[rug]

Like many Muslims, Asim Khan is tired of the prejudice against his religion.

The president of the Islamic Circle of North America New Jersey chapter welcomes curiosity. But he wishes those with questions about Islam would ask him or other Muslims before jumping to conclusions.

"Rather than absorb knowledge from Fox News, we invite people to come hear it from the horse’s mouth. We invite them to ask us what our faith is about," Khan said. "There is a lot of curiosity about Islam, but also misinformation, uncertainty, and a sense of fear in approaching us."

As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, asking a Muslim about Islam is now as simple as making a phone call. Two 48-foot billboards recently put up on the New Jersey Turnpike tell drivers with questions about the religion to dial (877) 949-47526 — a 24/7 toll-free hotline sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/nj_turnpike_muslim_billboard.html

[glowing]

1. Bet people would be surprised that the religion is a bit similar to Judaism and christinity.

It's the same monolithic God.

[DesertFlower]

2. exactly. nt

[Meshuga]

3. I disagree

I would agree that Islam has similarities to Judaism (yet there are major differences) and that Judaism is much closer to Islam than it is to Christianity. But Christianity's concept of what you call a "monolithic god" is very foreign to both Judaism and Islam.

I know that Christianity uses Hebrew scripture as part of its own scripture but the two religions merely share terminology that have different context/meaning.

[struggle4progress]

4. I'd be interested to hear your take on the differences

[Meshuga]

10. I don't know a whole lot about Islam but...

Judaism and Islam are both law based religions (hallakhah and sharia) and the religious community for both live by that law.

The most glaring difference I see regarding belief that I see is theological with the concept of trinity in Christianity (which I don't see as strict monotheism) versus strict monotheism in Judaism and Islam.

My other perception about Islam is that (like in Judaism) the religion puts emphasis on heritage, behavior, and identity over faith.

The focus in Judaism is living Judaism and finding Jewish ethics, spirituality, and peoplehood living a Jewish life. Birthright, heritage, history are more important than faith. Faith is a consequence (or not when there are Jews who are atheist Jews).

In contrast, Christianity appears to give more focus to spirituality and belief and that seems to be the starting point for Christianity.

What is your take?

[struggle4progress]

11. Well, you and I have discussed the Trinity and monotheism before, here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=214&topic_id=111350&mesg_id=111350

My view was (and is) that the Trinity is "a way of theologically speaking" that really attempts something entirely different than a description of "three gods" -- rather more along the lines of "my small mind can't hold all these distinct aspects together, even though they all have only one source"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=214&topic_id=111350&mesg_id=111516

Christianity and rabbinical Judaism both arose from first century Judaism in the period of Roman occupation that culminated the sack of Jerusalem. Resemblances to Hillel's (and other Pharisaical) thought suggest very probable influences on early Christianity -- though the old Christian texts seem to show symptoms of accommodation to the Romans in the post-temple period, and within a few centuries Christianity was changed significantly, as it became the official state religion after the conversion of Constantine. Nevertheless, the earliest Christian doctrines very clearly to represent particular readings of the earlier Jewish texts, including the notion (already present in the story of the manifestation to Abraham at Mamre) that G-d appears to man in human form. Similarly, the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead seems to have been common in first-century Pharisaical circles; the demands for charity in early Christian churches clearly reflect explicit expectations of the Jewish prophets; and Christian claims that love trumps the Law have various Talmudic parallels, that must reflect oral traditions existing the Roman era or before, prior to the consolidation of the Talmud

There then follow many centuries of divergent development, during which (in the Christian history, at least) various historical power struggles were conducted using theological language and were ossified into various dogmatics doctrines that reflect long-forgotten fights

I will, like you, beg out of a discussion of Islam, which I am incompetent to discuss, except to remark that the Islamic tradition, like the Christian and Jewish traditions, is not lacking humanists and real scientific scholars

[Meshuga]

12. I totally agree with your last sentence

My initial response in this thread was to someone who replied to the OP. But in response to the Islam "helpline" discussed in the original post, I would definitely say that Islamic tradition, like the Christian and Jewish traditions, is not lacking humanists and real scientific scholars.

And regarding religion, I also agree that there are some similarities besides the fact that the religions take totally different approaches.

It is true that both Judaism and Christianity come from "pharisaism" and some of the similarities come from this root. Not to mention that Jews have lived in Christian and Muslim societies throughout history and this also influenced and helped shape Judaism today.

On the other hand, there are other influences that created even more distinctions too. For example, Zoroastrianism also had its influence on Jewish sages at the time that the Babylonian Talmud was written down. These sages lived under Sassanians rule so their Zoroastrian influence is present in the text. In contrast, the Jerusalem Talmud does not have the same influence and tone. There is a great book by Ellis Rivkin (a historian at HUC-JIR) that goes over this evolution and he also has a take on Christianity's own pharisaic roots.

Anyway, here is a chapter from a book that my congregational rabbi wrote about (and that is his own take on) the differences between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Judaism is a religion based on identity, peoplehood, history, heritage, birthright, and finding spirituality by living Judaism. Christianity (not all, of course, as I have seen different views from Christians here in these forums) seems to be based on faith and what the person believes.

[struggle4progress]

13. Thanks for the reading suggestions. I'll look over Brenner's book. Rivkin seems to have

an enormous opus, so a more detailed pointer there would help

[Meshuga]

14. Duh... I meant to add the title of the book...

The title is "The Unity Principle" by Ellis Rivkin. That is what happens when I write in a hurry. :-)

[jberryhill]

5. In some ways, Allah is more transcendent and less anthropomorphized

And everybody has trouble with ostensibly monotheistic Christians going on about the trinity.

[proudlib8134]

9. of course

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. What's wrong with that billboard?

[laconicsax]

7. Maybe it isn't Jesus-y enough.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. I'm refraining from speculation at the moment. I'd rather hear it from the horse's mouth.

Or, rather, read it from the horse's hoof.

[westerebus]

15. Billboards in Jersey.

Years ago, Ikea built a huge warehouse-store in Elizabeth, NJ. To help people find their way to the store they bought up a lot of billboard space. One would have a couch and a price. The next would say IKEA with an arrow. Next was a the couch, different color, and a price. Next IKEA with the exit number. Next the couch. Then the IKEA sign with a turn here with an arrow.

My brother-in-law is getting into his truck when a guy pulls up next to him and asks: Where's the couch place?

Brother-in law says: Ikea?

No, says the guy, the couch place.

Brother-in-law says: You missed it. Turn around and look for the I K E A sign two lights up. It's right next to it.

Guy says: F'king NJ no wonder they can't find Jimmy Hoffa.

spelling

[rug]

16. Lol, I think it's the fumes from the damned turnpike.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

17. I still don't understand how the billboard in the OP is an example of ''NJ weirdness.''

[westerebus]

18. Or the Exxon-Chevron-Hess refineries that all converge there.

Add in the chemical plants and I'm of the opinion Godzilla grew up in Jersey and swam to Japan to get away from it all.