Topic: Progressive Muslims Launch Gay-Friendly, Women-Led Mosques

[Jetavan]

They're taking bold steps, reinterpreting Islamic norms and re-examining taboos. While far from accepted by mainstream clerics, these worshippers feel that the future of the religion lies not solely with tradition but with them. Women are leading congregations in prayer, gay imams are performing Islamic marriages, and men and women are praying side by side.

This is not the norm for most of the 2.6 million-strong American Islamic community, accustomed to centuries-old traditions of gender relations and houses of worship that tend to draw primarily from a single ethnic group.

"We can't move forward as a society, as a faith system, if we subscribe to these old draconian ways of practicing Islam," says Ani Zonneveld, who is the president of Muslims for Progressive Values. A 49-year-old singer-songwriter who lives in Los Angeles, she leads prayers for men and women together and tells gay Muslims, often shunned in other mosques, that their religion welcomes them.

Is Islam evolving in America?

[Justin Kissel]

They're taking bold steps, reinterpreting Islamic norms and re-examining taboos. While far from accepted by mainstream clerics, these worshippers feel that the future of the religion lies not solely with tradition but with them. Women are leading congregations in prayer, gay imams are performing Islamic marriages, and men and women are praying side by side.

This is not the norm for most of the 2.6 million-strong American Islamic community, accustomed to centuries-old traditions of gender relations and houses of worship that tend to draw primarily from a single ethnic group.

"We can't move forward as a society, as a faith system, if we subscribe to these old draconian ways of practicing Islam," says Ani Zonneveld, who is the president of Muslims for Progressive Values. A 49-year-old singer-songwriter who lives in Los Angeles, she leads prayers for men and women together and tells gay Muslims, often shunned in other mosques, that their religion welcomes them.

Is Islam evolving in America?

Perhaps... but only time will tell if the mutation gets passed on to the descendents and begins to spread among the population...

Until then, good job! And good luck (ie. stay safe)!

[Shanghaiski]

Methodists for Mohammed.

[Gorazd]

Well, good luck. But what they are doing can be quite dangerous.

[Jason.Wike]

As I was reading this I was thinking "These guys have to be converts..." and soon as I saw "Ani Zonneveld" I knew I was right.

[Jetavan]

As I was reading this I was thinking "These guys have to be converts..." and soon as I saw "Ani Zonneveld" I knew I was right.

Perhaps some Christians who in earlier decades (say, 1800s) would have become Unitarian, are now becoming Muslim.

[dzheremi]

Look out, world! Here come the Islamopalians!

I miss the days when people like these would become Buddhists, get bad kanji tattoos, and call it a day. Sadly, Islam is very much en vogue these days. Maybe they'll come to their senses after some more traditional Muslims start making noise about this. I'm with Gorazd. It seems like they mean well, but don't really know what they're potentially exposing themselves to.

[Alveus Lacuna]

As I was reading this I was thinking "These guys have to be converts..." and soon as I saw "Ani Zonneveld" I knew I was right.

Unlike our many Fr. Barsanuphius Andersons in America...

[Jason.Wike]

As I was reading this I was thinking "These guys have to be converts..." and soon as I saw "Ani Zonneveld" I knew I was right.

Unlike our many Fr. Barsanuphius Andersons in America...

Did those "Fr. Barsanuphius Andersons" become Orthodox and replace Orthodoxy with Unitarian Universalism?

[Jason.Wike]

As I was reading this I was thinking "These guys have to be converts..." and soon as I saw "Ani Zonneveld" I knew I was right.

Perhaps some Christians who in earlier decades (say, 1800s) would have become Unitarian, are now becoming Muslim.

Exactly...

[Gorazd]

As I was reading this I was thinking "These guys have to be converts..." and soon as I saw "Ani Zonneveld" I knew I was right.

Ani Zonneveld is not a convert, but a cradle Muslim from Malaysia.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44993807/ns/us_news-life/t/battling-gay-rights-allahs-name/

[Jason.Wike]

Well she has a pretty (=completely) Dutch name.

[Jetavan]

Well she has a pretty (=completely) Dutch name.

The Dutch did colonize parts of Malaysia, among other places.