German State to Begin Training Imams Next Year

Hanover, Germany (dpa) -- A German state is to begin training its own Muslim clergy next year, offering a course at the University of Osnabrueck, an official said Monday.

The course will be the first ever for German-language imams and will be similar to theology-degree courses for Catholic priests, Lutheran ministers and Jewish rabbis at public universities.

Lower Saxony is funding the courses because local training for imams is vital to the integration of Muslim immigrants into German life, according to Schuenemann.

The courses are set to begin about October 2010. Schuenemann said various mosque associations has shown interest in employing the imams. Talks would begin next month with Islamic groups on the project.

Academics from three German universities, Osnabrueck, Braunschweig and Goettingen, are drawing up the syllabus.

Uwe Schuenemann, interior minister of Lower Saxony state, said the locally trained men would replace Turkish prayer leaders who usually only served three-year assignments at mosques in Germany and did not integrate. Lower Saxony is funding the courses because local training for imams is vital to the integration of Muslim immigrants into German life, according to Schuenemann.

In theory it works, a good idea. I don't know how it will sit with the Muslims who want imams they send to spread particular messages. Hopefully Germany has considered that, too.

That still makes no sense. Would you say the same thing about Satanism? Satanism is growing in Germany and they can't really stop it within the framework of their laws and political realities. If you can't stop it, at least control it or guide it. You see the absurdity of that? Islam is inherently evil (as is Satanism). You can't "control" or "guide" something that is evil. You can only encourage it, and watch it grow out of control.

That still makes no sense. Would you say the same thing about Satanism?

Actually, yes. At least Satanism isn't really dangerous to others. So far the only "religion" Germany has been able to hinder is Scientology, and they did that by rightfully classifying it as not a religion. Notice hinder, not stop. The only way Germany could legally stop Islam is to declare it contrary to the "good order." That will not happen under their current political reality. This is the best they can do.

Imagine a generation of Muslims growing up thinking the West is just fine, thinking women are equal, and thinking that it's not okay to kill for your religion.

Islam is not inherently evil. How people interpret it and what they do with it definitely is. 1,200 years ago Christians had no problem with the mass murder of unbelievers who wouldn't convert according to their interpretation of the Bible, and even less than a couple hundred years ago they had no problem persecuting other Christians whose interpretation differed (remember the 1731 Sazlburg "convert or be banished" decree?). Of course this doesn't happen today. Christianity has grown out of its earlier barbaric period.

It's about time the Muslims were brought into the modern world, too. The world shouldn't tolerate them the luxury of a few more hundred years to grow up. And, no, with over a billion followers and the control of several countries, Islam can't be wiped out. It's here to stay, at least for the next few hundred years.

Whatever we may want, this is simply the cold reality.

But Islam hasn't. And never will.

There are basically two ways it can. One, the power of oil is ended, and the whole world says "Enough!" We nuke Mecca and Medina, tear down the Al Aqsa, and the Muslims realize they could all get killed if they don't shape up. That is, of course, not going to happen.

The other is to change Islam itself, and the way to do that is to educate younger Muslims to reject the predominant radical interpretation.

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