Integration

This from an article entitled: "Urgent Need for Muslim Bridge"

"...Dr. Mulack warned that there were also limits on how far Germany would compromise - after all, integration is a two way process.

"'Some German Muslims separate themselves from society ... this cannot be accepted," he said.

"'We have to be clear that in our system we also have limits as to how far we would go to accomodate,' Dr. Mulack said."

I found these comments to be interesting. I agree with all three segments. The focus of the article was on increasing the amount of dialogue between Arab Muslims and the EU (Germany in particular), although I think the dialogue needs to be worldwide, and not just limited to the EU or even the West.

What's really important to me is the phrase "integration is a two way process." I think this is often ignored by the majority in a given society. Nor does this process involve just the Muslims. There are frequent attempts in the United States (e.g., English Only ballot propositions) to integrate subcultures (e.g., Hispanics from Mexico) that aren't necessarily interested in integrating with the predominant Anglo culture. Now integration isn't necessarily bad, in my view, but I certainly understand the desire for subcultures to retain their heritage (language, religion, food, arts, sports, etc.). American Anglo culture in particular seems to be very focused on the idea that subcultures MUST fully integrate with them. Don't be different, conform. ("The Logical Song" by Supertramp has just come to mind. :) ) Indian schools may have disappeared from the landscape, but their spirit lives on (if only submerged a little deeper in the Anglo psyche).

What makes this topic important to me is mentioned in the third segment: "we also have limits as to how far we would go to accomodate." Christianity has, IMO, become rather diluted over the past 2000 years in its desire to accomodate to local societies. But Islam doesn't have that option. To remain in Islam, Muslims need to maintain their obediance to Allah (swt) and the Prophet (pbuh). This can't be done if you start to cherry-pick the parts you like and dislike. Western society needs to learn this if they are to successfully integrate with us.