East London Mosque

[emmie]

opens it's doors to non believers, will they get many takers, and will women be segregated and have to wear a head covering as well i wonder.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21964331

[jake-the-peg]

I'd have thought they'll get some interest all right

I'd imagine people will be asked to remove their shoes and possibly a head covering - I think that's par for the course is synagogues too

Aren't women meant to wear hats in church? - or is that old fashioned?

[emmie]

unless it's a wedding where they all wear nice togs, i think it's rare, i don't attend church, however if songs of praise is on you don't see anyone wearing a hat.

[emmie]

i wonder if this opening of doors, is a rather belated damage limitation exercise.

[sara3]

I think it's positive. all religions should do the same, take the mystery out of it.

[FredPuli43]

St Paul, 1 Corinthians 11 says that a woman should not worship or "prophesy" (not much of that going on now) bare-headed but men must be bare-headed.
This rule or advice is followed by a lot of Roman Catholic women but is hardly followed at all in the C of E, except at weddings.

[emmie]

as i mentioned. I have no intention of going by the way, and am curious as to why they have rather suddenly decided to do this. Seeing as how, and this is only from what i have heard, outsiders are not generally welcomed, admitted. Only the faithful?

[sara3]

as you're interested, why not go?

[emmie]

i did say i wasn't interested? i don't believe in any religion, not even the local church, the priest has tried to get me through it's doors, i reckon they need some new blood, but have absolutely no interest.

[RATTER15]

I would like to have a look at this temple:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://c1038.r38.cf3.rackcdn.com/group3/building28798/media/02f07ty.jpg&imgrefurl=http://openbuildings.com/buildings/neasden-temple-profile-28798&h=178&w=283&sz=1&tbnid=-yOCNN7n8yJV0M:&tbnh=160&;tbnw=254&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dneasden%2Btemple%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=neasden+temple&usg=__MCvyLt10HFWziZqxXt8IrvRpCuw=&;docid=a8Y-1qM6OhjNMM&itg=1&;hl=en&sa=X&ei=eylXUY_bD-Sp0QW9moHIAQ&;sqi=2&ved=0CHkQ_B0wCg

Just an amazing building, I dont care what they do in there as long as they keep their unkind practices away from me!

[RATTER15]

Im an atheist but I do love to look around churches etc, just amazing buildings!

[emmie]

strange it's on the news right now... the reporter says it's something of a PR exercise, a way to combat the negative press they have had in recent days.

[emmie]

agree about religious buildings, i like the architecture, and have visited many of our cathedrals, the history alone is worth a look.

[RATTER15]

Whilst Neasden Temple is quite amazing I really dont think we need to be building temples to accommodate other faiths, we rarely build churches for Christians now and we certainly don't need to be encouraging the growth of Islam!!

[emmie]

we don't need any more churches, there are still plenty to go around, as to Mosques, too many perhaps, who knows...

[RATTER15]

em10 Definitely too many!!!!

[shaneystar2]

I would love to go and look inside a mosque .I like looking round churches and cathedrals and don't see why this is any different .
You see people of all faiths looking round religious buildings in all parts of the world wether they believe or not .I would have no objection to covering my head or removing my shoes or whatever .
I'm not religious ,I just find it all very interesting,some of these places are amazing architecturally and if it promotes greater understanding between believers as well then it can only be a good thing .

[ethandron]

I'm not religious at all but I would love to go and visit one of these, and probably will. If they want me to take my shoes off and cover my head then I have no problem with that. Many places of worship have some sort of dress code, it's not confined to mosques.

[jake-the-peg]

I'd expect they'd think of it as an exercise to promote understanding rather than a 'damage limitation exercise'

You actually think all muslims are 'the enemy' don't you!

Personally I do want to go to Istanbul one day and a visit to the Blue Mosque is high on my agenda

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Blue_Mosque_Courtyard_Dusk_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg

[237SJ]

I passed out in the Blue Mosque. What I remember of it was fascinating though.

[naomi24]

Jake, wind your neck in. Considering Tower Hamlets, home to the East London Mosque, has so many problems (see original link), Em's musing - and she was musing rather than accusing - is perfectly reasonable. Why wouldn't moderate Muslims want to attempt to limit the damage done by extremists and bigots in their midst? If they want to live in peace with their non-Muslim neighbours, it seems a sensible thing to do.

Incidentally, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul is worth seeing, but I wouldn't make a special journey for it.