"Ishmael, Our Brother"

War is such a complicated thing! We hear about terrorism on the news and so often the media associates terrorism with Arabs or Muslims... and I think that is just SAD!

Wherever you go you will find good people, honest and true people, responsible citizens, people who love their family's, who love God and practice virtue. You can find them in just about any culture, country, religion, these people are just like us. And on the flip side, you can find the opposite in just about every race, religion and background. The trouble comes when we label and generalize and say all people of that race are this, or all people of this religion are that. How sad when we cluster people like that and cynically brand them like a herd of cattle. Just because someone is Arab or because someone is Muslim does not make them a terrorist!

Many Arabs are peaceful, charitable citizens and have not chosen this war, they are victims too. The Terrorists are the Extremists and have grossly twisted their religion to fit their own agenda and create terror.

I have been doing some studying on Islam. It must be known that the name Islam means "peace." I have a very good and wonderful friend who practices Islam. I believe her religion is very sorely misunderstood as are many Arabs. The Koran teaches charity and doing good to all men. I can see this with my friends who are Muslim, I have been amazed at how incredibly charitable they are.

Last night I went to lds.org and searched "Islam"...

To my surprise I found a very long article from a 1979 Ensign entitled, "Ishmael, Our Brother". I was fascinated with it and it brought me some greatly needed incite. I hope you might take the time to read it to better understand our Muslim and Arab brothers and sisters.
Love,
Alicia

Here is a link to the article printed 30 years ago about Islam http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=68ea615b01a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

"Our Fading Civility"

I have shared quotes from the 3 previous chapters of this book I've been reading called, "Standing for Something." You can click on the label with that title to view the other chapters. Today I am sharing from Chapter 4 - "Our Fading Civility." This chapter is intriguing to me because it doesn't take a genius to see how much we are losing simple common courtesy and gentle behavior in our society and throughout the world.
God Bless You!
Thank you for visiting my blog!
Alicia

These are the quotes I'd like to share today. All of the below are from President Gordon B. Hinckley:

"It is not enough just to be good. We must be good for something. We must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for our presence. And the good that is in us must be spread to others. This is the measure of our civility."

"Civility is the root of the word civilization. It carries with it the essence of courtesy, politeness, and consideration of others. How very much of it we have lost in our contemporary society! All of the education and accomplishments in the world will not count for much unless they are accompanied by marks of gentility, of respect for others, of serving as a good Samaritan, of being men and women who look beyond our own selfish interests to the good of others."

"This is the essence of civility - to extend, without price, a helping or lifting hand to those in need; to anxiously look for ways to strengthen those who may have less than we do."

"We are sons and daughters of God, each a member of the divine family. As surely as He is our Father, we are all brothers and sisters. We simply must work unitedly to remove from our hearts and to drive from our society all elements of hatred, bigotry, racism, and other divisive actions and words that limit a person's ability to progress, learn , and be fully accepted. Snide remarks or racial slurs, hateful epithets, malicious gossip, and mean and vicious rumormongering have no place among us."

"None of us needs someone who only points out our areas of weakness and the ways in which we have fallen short. We need someone who encourages us to go forward, to try again, to reach a little higher this time. Excellence is difficult to achieve in a vacuum."

"Imagine how our own families, let alone the world, would change if we vowed to keep faith with one another, strengthen one another, look for and accentuate the virtues in one another, and speak graciously concerning one another. Imagine the cumulative effect if we treated each other with respect and acceptance, if we willingly provided support. Such interactions practiced on a small scale would surely have a rippling effect throughout our homes and communities and, eventually, society at large."

"There are few things more delightful than participating in a conversation with bright and happy people who have something to say, whose dialogue is witty, scintillating, and punctuated not only by good humor but by thoughtful dialogue about serious and important topics.... There is plenty of humor in the world without resorting to dirty jokes or uncouth language."

"Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves. By and large, if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves. For many years, there was a sign on the wall of a shoe shop I patronized that read: 'I complained because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet.' The most effective medicine for the sickness of self-pity is to lose ourselves in the service of others."

"I don't suppose that many of us will be remembered a thousand years from now. But in this world so filled with problems, so constantly threatened by dark and evil challenges, we can and must rise above mediocrity, above indifference. We can become involved and speak with a strong voice for that which is right and good, and we can lend our efforts and our resources to helping those who have been saddled with handicaps and burdens."

"Caring for others, seeing and reaching beyond our own wants and comforts, cultivating kindness and gentility toward others from all of life's situations and circumstances - these are of the essence of civility, a virtue to be admired, a virtue to be acquired."

- All of the above are quoted from the book by President Gordon B. Hinckley, "Standing for Something."

Urge for Tolerance and Civility

We are taught to be tolerant and civil to all people - this of course does not mean to compromise our values as Christians. But it certainly means that we should focus on the good in others, treat them with respect and never treat someone like they are less than or below us if they don't believe in God or if they don't personally uphold our values. Jesus Christ said unto His disciples, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."- John 13:34

I have pondered on this scripture many times. The Savior of the world is commanding me to love others as He loves me... this is not a small thing. Because I have felt His love for me in so many ways in my life and it passes all my understanding, that's some BIG love. I love Him because He first loved me... And that's the kind of thing that changes the world for the better!!! (1 John 4:19 "We love Him, because He first loved us.")

The following is taken from a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley. I revere him as a Prophet of God. However I don't share this with an expectation for you to revere him as a Prophet too. I simply share this because I think all true Christians would appreciate and agree with the counsel given here... because it is right in line with what the Savior taught.

"We must not become disagreeable as we talk of doctrinal differences. There is no place for acrimony....We can respect other religions, and must do so. We must recognize the great good they accomplish. We must teach our children to be tolerant and friendly toward those not of our faith. We can and do work with those of other religions in the defense of those values which have made our civilization great and our society distinctive....We can and do work with those of other religions in various undertakings in the everlasting fight against social evils which threaten the treasured values which are so important to all of us. These people are not of our faith, but they are our friends, neighbors, and co-workers in a variety of causes. We are pleased to lend our strength to their efforts.

But in all of this there is no doctrinal compromise. There need not be and must not be on our part. But there is a degree of fellowship as we labor together.

As we carry forward our distinctive mission, we work under a mandate given us by the risen Lord, who has spoken in this last and final dispensation. This is His unique and wonderful cause. We bear testimony and witness of Him. But we need not do so with arrogance or self-righteousness.

As Peter expressed it, we are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” Why? That we might “shew forth the praises of him who hath called [us] out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

A holier-than-thou attitude is not becoming to us....Let us rise above all such conduct and teach our children to do likewise. Let us be true disciples of the Christ, observing the Golden Rule, doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let us strengthen our own faith and that of our children while being gracious to those who are not of our faith. Love and respect will overcome every element of animosity. Our kindness may be the most persuasive argument for that which we believe." - President Gordon B. Hinckley, Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Ensign, May 1998)