“Just as there is age limits for marriage, drinking, and smoking, we should give our children open access to social media, after they have reached the age of maturity and can differentiate between good and bad.”
Source/Credit: Meridian Booster
By Phil McLachlan | July 25, 2016
Grace United Church met with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community on Wednesday night in order to discuss the dangers of social media and how it can directly effect religious stereotypes, as well as hatred.
In addition, topics were discussed concerning the new age of modern technology and how it is effecting the youth in our community.
“The whole purpose of this is to bring the communities together,” said Tariq Azeem, Imam (missionary) for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Lloydminster. “Two different scholars of different faiths are speaking. People are able to benefit from both sides. The purpose with today’s topic, is to not only learn about religion, but improve their moral and social lives as well.”
Its been almost two years since the two faiths started meeting, and they started doing so shortly after ISIS became a topic of discussion for many. Both saw that it was starting to raise walls between the Muslim and Christian communities, as well as bring about suspicions and prejudices.
“I wanted to get my congregation talking about the fact that terrorism is a very small piece of what happens,” said Grace United Church Minister, Paul DuVal. “Muslims are relative newcomers to our community who are trying to get established; they deserve to be respected, understood and welcomed.”
In the modern world, technology is expanding at an unfathomable rate. Knowledge is at our fingertips like never before. However, accessibility to information can lead many to believe a certain thing, and even shift the ideologies of an entire population.
“Modern technology is connecting us day by day in new ways, which we could only dream of before,” said Azeem. “These advancements, while creating peace in our daily lives, also put new responsibilities on our shoulders. Our advancement is so rapid, that for the ordinary person it is a challenge to keep up with it, let along learn its etiquette.”
A large topic of discussion throughout the evening was the effects of social media on the growing youth in the community. Concerns were raised due to the obvious lack of privacy in children’s lives, with social media able to broadcast their daily activities for everyone to see. A girl of the Muslim faith no older than 16, stood up and questioned the two speakers on the appropriate age to start using social media.
To this inquiry, Azeem replied, “Just as there is age limits for marriage, drinking, and smoking, we should give our children open access to social media, after they have reached the age of maturity and can differentiate between good and bad.”
Azeem went on to explain that the Muslim religion suggests possible ways to adapt as the world continues to expand and grow. He broke down in detail how the holy Quran separates religion and culture, never aiming to eradicate culture, but rather guiding each of us on how to navigate it. Azeem cautioned the entire crowd to be careful, and use wisdom when navigating the endless ocean of information that is the internet.
As a finishing note to the two-hour discussion, Azeem said, “There is more in common between the faiths than there are differences. It is very easy to get mixed up in the differences and start arguing, but that is not healthy for the community, or for society. We can move much better if we accept the differences of one another, appreciate the differences of one another, and live with each other happily. That is better for our community and our society, whatever faith you belong to.”
Read original post here: Social Media meets Religion
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