Image: Laura Ockel, Unsplash
In the media this week: statistics, something to pray about and is love in the air?
“Islam is the only religion growing faster than the world’s population and it will be the largest in the world by 2070, researchers have found.”
The article also includes information about European attitudes towards Muslims. Reading this could be seen as overwhelming. But let's make a choice not be overwhelmed by numbers and statics. Instead lets take the increasing opportunities that present themselves to share Jesus to those around us. Even though the report states that attitudes to Muslims are not so negative in the UK there is still much room for us to model good relations and to help to shape attitudes positively.
“Majorities in Hungary, Italy, Poland,and Greece say they view Muslims unfavourably, while negative attitudes towards Muslims are much less common in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Northern and Western Europe.”
Meanwhile a new project has been started by four newspapers in Europe documenting conditions experienced by refugees and asylum seekers. It states that Britain is one of the worst destinations for people seeking asylum in Western Europe. The following video clip shows the desperate reality of asylum seekers- many of whom are Muslim. The question that it left me thinking about is how can I respond as an individual/ as a family/as part of a church/ as a British citizen. Come on let's help make this place more welcoming!
The UN is warning that thousands of Rohingya children are suffering as "indirect victims" of the crackdown against suspected militants in Burma. Let's continue to pray for a change in this situation.
There is going to be a new TV programme on Channel 4 starting on Thursday. The first programme follows young men and women as they attempt to find spouses with the help of family, dating sited and the mosque marriage bureau. It is set in Birmingham where:
“...a baby boy is more likely to be called Mohammed than any other name...”
The second programme deals with growing up as a young Muslim in the shadow of the news. The third programme is about the rules of Islam and how they are interpreted.
In an insightful article, the creator of the show explained how the programme was made as a response to her daughter asking: "Mummy, what's a terrorist?" She states the challenge of growing up as a Muslim in a post 9/11 world. " We grew up with Rosie and Jim, they are growing up with Jihadi John."
“...we did want to put ourselves in a Muslim community and explore and record the day to day lives and experiences of ordinary Muslims in the UK. ”
I think I'll watch it. Pray. Then use the insight gained from the programme in my interactions with my Muslim friends. Why don't you do the same. Let me know how you get on!