Imam teaches Islam with a distinct U.S. style

[xchrom]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-american-imam-20110527,0,5640663.story

At the pulpit of an inner-city Chicago mosque, the tall blond imam begins preaching in his customary fashion, touching on the Los Angeles Lakers victory the night before, his own gang involvement as a teenager, a TV soap opera and then the Day of Judgment.

"Yesterday we watched the best of seven.... Unfortunately we forget the big final; it's like that show 'One Life to Live,' " Imam Suhaib Webb says as sleepy boys and young men come to attention in the back rows. "There's no overtime, bro."

he sermon is typical of Webb, a charismatic Oklahoma-born convert to Islam with a growing following among American Muslims, especially the young. He sprinkles his public addresses with as many pop culture references as Koranic verses and sayings from the prophet. He says it helps him connect with his mainly U.S.-born flock.

"Are we going to reach them with an Arab message or with a Pakistani message? Or are we going to reach them with an American message?" asks Webb, 38, of Santa Clara. He is a resident scholar and educator with the Bay Area chapter of the nonprofit Muslim American Society, but reaches others in lectures and through his popular website, which he calls a "virtual mosque."

[ZombieHorde]

1. I was expecting the Imam to be passing out doughnuts. nt

[Nihil]

3. He shouts stuff at you broken up into 15s sound-bites ...

... interspersed with commercials and demands that you send donations
in "for the good of your soul" ... though doughnuts sound good too ...

Next up: A drive-through mosque that gets you parking towards the East
and putting a prayer mat on your knees while you tune your car radio
to MECCA-AM ...

[Ninjaneer]

2. Same misogyny, bigotry, and hateful messages, but try it in our new flavor! :D

Awesome.

[iris27]

4. The survival of any faith is at least partly dependent on its ability to grow and change while

claiming those changes are a "better" interpretation/application of their doctrines (see Christianity wrt slavery and segregation).

IMO, anything that lessens fundamentalism in the world is a good thing.

[Silent3]

5. They need Mohammed tattoos

And logo-emblazoned Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch head scarves.

[iris27]

6. LOL, and a rock festival named

Allahfest.

[Silent3]

7. Not Allahpalooza? :)

Which I Googled after I thought of it, not terribly surprised to find it was already in use, for, among other things, the Hajj.

[iris27]

8. Messiahfest from the cartoon King of the Hil made me think of it, but Allahpalooza

is much catchier!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

10. The Simpsons had a church fair booth with "Cruci-Fixins"!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Nihil]

9. Whoops ...

> And logo-emblazoned Hollister and ...

I read that as "logo-emblazoned Holster" ...

:rofl: