“This book will stretch anyone who reads it. There is so much “good” in this book and so much that the reader will realize about their own journey towards truth (if they are honestly trying to learn), that it is well worth the read. If you like where you are currently in your understanding of the world and are enjoying what is portrayed in American media, don’t read this book. But, if you want to see what is actually happening elsewhere, what Muslims actually believe, what the Bible actually says in certain points and desire to be stretched, you need to read this book.”

Seth is also involved with supporting an upcoming Muslim-Christian dialogue event at Harambee Church in Renton, WA on March 27.

Richard Dahlstrom is raincitypastor in Seattle, WA.  He wrote Digesting the “Deadly Misunderstanding” at his blog Fibonnaci Faith:

“The book is a blend of narrative (Mark’s own expanding web of relationships with Islamic leaders, teachers, and scholars), and theology (Mark’s ever expanding discoveries of common beliefs between Christians and Muslims). I won’t reveal those points of common interest because I think you should take the time to read the book. After all, nearly every nation in which our military is involved in conflict has a sizable Muslim presence. Conventional wisdom, even, would tell us that we should know our enemy. Jesus would tell us that we should love our enemy. Mark will tell us that when we begin to study our enemy, we realize that he might not even BE our enemy, that we perhaps share more in common, than we differ.”

Dan Martin of California recommended A Deadly Misunderstanding as a must-read on his blog Nailing it to the Door…:

“I want to be clear: this is no milquetoast universalist pablum. Siljander is NOT claiming some notion of all roads leading to God. What he’s doing is far more careful and well-thought than that. He is demonstrating the frequency with which fundamental–often violent–differences between the Abrahamic faiths are based on ignorance: not only ignorance of the “other’s” faith, but all too often ignorance of the actual text and context of our own faith and its creeds. In this, he’s coming to a conclusion a Muslim roommate and I (with far less scholarship) came to more than 20 years ago: if both of us and our brothers merely were careful to follow what OUR OWN SCRIPTURES actually said, we’d find a lot of common ground, and at the very least, we couldn’t fight each other.”

All of these reviews kicked off a flurry of comments at their respective blog pages.  We really appreciate the level of dialogue and critique that these bloggers are nurturing.  These issues run deep and as Seth mentioned, can be difficult to articulate without being misunderstood, “The written word can be misleading and very difficult to convey at times, especially on such touchy subjects as this.” Mark found that this was especially true when attempting to write a book appropriately encouraging and challenging for both a Muslim and Christian audience.  We’re happy to have bloggers who are seeing the “heart” of the issue and willing to discuss and dialogue on this new approach for bridge building.  This only helps all of us to grow.  Thank you.

And from the other side of the world, we are excited to see that Salim Al-Hasso has created a page on his website dedicated to sharing about the work Mark is doing.  Salim saw Mark on Al Jazeera at home in Iraq and was moved to make information on his work more widely available.  He has gathered an impressive resource page by linking to one Al Jazeera video and various reviews of A Deadly Misunderstanding.

Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think

Is there a new road to peace? Mark will be giving a lecture and Q&A session on A Deadly Misunderstanding at Matecumbe United Methodist Church at their invitation on Tues, Mar 23.  Friends from the wider community are welcome to attend.  7:00 PM

Matecumbe UMC is located at MM 81.8 oceanside, next to the Hurricane Monument in Islamorada.

The Muslim American Society and Aqsa School Parents Club are hosting this event at Aqsa School, 7361 West 92nd Street, Bridgeview, IL 60455-2133, (708) 598-2700

February 13th 6:00 PM -9:00 PM Admission: $50

Dinner, Mr. Siljander speech followed by interaction with book signing

February 14th 10:00 AM - 2:0 PM Admission: $95
Intensive Workshop - Classroom Style including Lunch. Topics are:

· Bridge Building strategies

· People to people diplomacy

· TRAC5: A New Road to Peace

I, along with others, have begun trying to resource this conversation, such as with the Good News Memo I sent out this fall to nearly 100,000 Christian leaders. The Good News Memo explores a strategy of engaging Muslims that releases hope rather than fear. Several other books, websites and events occurring around the country are helping us move beyond fear and consider what it really means to love our neighbor as Jesus taught. As I encouraged a Muslim audience in Chicago recently, there is a cost to seeking the path of peace, but what a reward to see people, cultures and countries built up, rather than torn down!

My friend Carl Medearis is hosting an online web event, Why Do You Fear Me? in conjunction with the release of his new book co-authored by Ted Dekker. I was able to read and endorse an advance copy of Tea with Hezbollah, and they are doing very dynamic work. Their Jan. 28 web event is a new way to become part of this ongoing conversation and come away changed by what you learn.

Join Carl, Ted, and Gov. David Beasley for a conversation on America, the Middle East and Jesus.

]]> http://www.adeadlymisunderstanding.com/2010/01/why-do-you-fear-me/feed/ http://www.adeadlymisunderstanding.com/2009/12/masicna-8th-annual-convention-chicago-il/ http://www.adeadlymisunderstanding.com/2009/12/masicna-8th-annual-convention-chicago-il/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:47:17 +0000 admin http://www.adeadlymisunderstanding.com/?p=427

MAS/ICNA 8th Annual Convention

Mark and several friends were able to take part in the Muslim American Society’s 8th Annual Convention in Chicago this past weekend.  Watch Mark’s talk on the panel at his YouTube channel!

A panel of friends and fellow peacemakers was the focus for Saturday’s afternoon session hosted by Dr. Abdel Azim Elsiddig, including words from Dean Koldenhoven, former Mayor of Palos Heights, IL; Pastor Bill Devlin of Manhattan Bible Church; Jeff Burns, Founder of Peace on Earth Initiatives; Dr. Rick Love, Consultant for Christian-Muslim Relations at Vineyard USA and Founder of Peace Catalyst Intl.; Carl Medearis, author of “Muslims, Christians and Jesus”; Hal Runkel, author of “ScreamFree Parenting,” Rick Jackson, Colorado Springs businessman, developer and peacemaker in Sudan; and Jay Moses, Presbyterian Church USA and Muslim-Christian Coordinator at Wheaton College.

The speakers each shared from their life and journey as peacemakers and encouraged listeners to rise to the challenge of building bridges across the faith divide. Featuring such diverse stories and experiences all at once allowed a picture of God working in each one by means of the various and unique paths that each individual has taken in their life.

Speakers were also invited to attend a dinner that evening where others shared from their work, including Islamic Relief, a worldwide leader in alleviating poverty.  Mark was invited as the keynote speaker and offered encouragement and examples of the common ground that can be found between Muslims and Christians, but also issued a challenge that we must move beyond niceties and cultivate an openness and willingness to discuss and wrestle with areas of difference.

Many thanks for the generous hospitality of the Muslim American Society’s staff and organizers for hosting this delegation, especially to Dr. Elsiddig who has personally befriended each panel speaker, and to Convention Chairman, Mr. Hussein Ata.

“I still vividly remember one of my very first Islam 101 presentations shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. It was in a school auditorium in one of the northern Twin Cities suburbs.

Immediately after the teacher introduced me and before I had finished my first sentence, I noticed a hand raised high from a young man who asked, “Why is your God better than my God?”

I was rather surprised by this question so early in the presentation, as I had planned to talk about the Islamic understanding of God around the middle of my presentation.  I tried to explain that Muslims believe in the One and the only God, the Creator of the universe–the same God that Jews and Christians believe in.  I further explained that Muslims believe in the same God that the Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him (p) believed in.  We worship the same God that spoke to Moses (p) and we pray and prostrate to the very same God that Jesus (p) prayed to and prostrated to; the same God that created Adam and Eve and the same God that saved Noah (p) from the flood.

So my God is your God and your Creator is my Creator, even though we might explain God in different terms.  Understanding this could have saved thousands of lives, and could have helped people of different faiths grow closer together.”

Tamim goes on to offer several examples from language, culture and religion that help to demystify the questions that cause many to ask if Allah and God are one and the same.  If you have lingering questions on this topic, you will find his perspective helpful.

Because of so much misunderstanding, I often find myself pointing out through various means that Muslims and Christians worship the same God. Can there be more than one Creator of the Universe? The misunderstanding of who we believe the other to worship often sets us up from the beginning with feelings of discomfort and mistrust which derail friendships before they begin! In all our striving to understand, we may miss the first thing God teaches us: to love our neighbor, to treat others as ourselves. Tamim finishes with a story reminding of the value of embracing humility when attempting to understand the infinite King of Kings:

“There is an ancient and very interesting Muslim understanding, perhaps another analogy or another parallel about understanding God. It is said that, when visiting a King, a peasant will have to ride his ass or horse (or, in our times, his Avalanche or his Honda) to the door of the castle, then leave his ass behind (or park his Avalanche), and meet the King on his own.  Even though our super-smart brains are designed to get us pretty far in understanding our Lord; at a certain point, it cannot get us any closer to understanding the King of kings. So we have to check our brains at the door of the castle. At that point, our heart and our intuition might get us a bit closer, if allowed by the King.

Thus God is beyond our imagination, and better than the best of the best that our super-smart brains can envision.”