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February 7, 2012
New programme teaches Turkish imams to lead prayer in German
Published: 12 Nov 09 17:08 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20091112-23231.html
A new programme is helping 17 Turkish imams learn German in a bid for improved integration, a North Rhine-Westphalian cultural organisation said on Thursday.
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Most of the religious leaders have recently come from Turkey and have no German skills.
Organisers said the measure was an important step on the path to better integration of Turkish Muslims and their mosques into German society.
The year-long intensive course will be held in the Merkez mosque in Dortmund, after which participants will receive a certificate signalling that they are capable of understanding simple German texts and can speak German in day-to-day situations.
They will also focus on learning to convey Islamic religious concepts in German so that someday worship in mosques can also be conducted in German. The programme organisers also hope that the imams will provide a German summary of their sermon texts to help give Germans a better understanding of the religion.
More than 2.8 million Turks make up the largest minority group in Germany.
DDP/Kristen Allen (kristen.allen@thelocal.de)
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Your comments about this article:
Yes germany is generally considered Christian country, but contrary to its Religion it does allow Gay marriage, Satanists, Neonacies and all sorts of ideological groups. When you find time and effort to write your islamophobic thougths, it means you really do have a problem with it. 50 years ago Hitler and Co. thought same about Jews... and we all now how it ended.
I am a Muslim, I came here after I was offered a good career opportunity. I was given a high level job that officially no German could fill. Now... I practice my religion fully, and I have a need to attend mosque prayers. What do you have against that?
When and if it should ever happen that your views are shared by the official Germany policy, I and other 3,5 mil Muslims will take our religion, knowledge and business elswhere, so you can fully enjoy your stay. Next will probably be Chinese, Thais, Indians, even Russians etc.... after which you will also have a lot of space, since all of these make more than 10% of population.
P.S.
Given the natality in Germany, immigration and increasing number of chuch abandonments.... I suggest you to give it a few more years.... then you will have to move out.
Those are states from the federal statistics office www.destatis.de.
Stop being racist and open yer eyes.
Germany is expected to open her arms to everyone else, but do we see this same treatment of Germans in regions such as the Middle East? Even in Turkey that is not the case.
They are fuming if they are called non-christians.
They are fuming if they are asked to go to Church on Sunday morning.
They dont embrace religion into their life and they hate to see others to do it.
Oh yeah, and Portnoy is technically correct by the way, based on registration status - NOT church attendance as someone foolishly suggested (...as if that could ever be accurately/reliably tabulated!).
Your statment unfortunately pretty much reflects the situation and the demographical development in Germany today, but nobody should be surprised or even puzzled if, when or why there is resentment in the "real" german population against anything in relation to a religion that isn't theirs and never will be !!!
The results of this resentment are to be observed in the daily news !
I believe the germans are not going to whine forever, but fight !
The potential is there and by god, I can't blame them !
I'm a little worried about that actually. In conjunction with a sh!tty economic situation, history shows that bad stuff is gonna happen if that continues...
- Love your 4 wives equally
-Be human, Dont stone the raped girl before she give birth
- Cover your self from hair to toes (not for men)
-Punish the wive only when necessary
In fact, this programm is intended by the governement "to help german people to understand the religion"..., as it was said in the article." ..So the imams received a mission to expalain islamic laws to those infortunate only german speaking people? That's nice to help muslim imams spreading islam among those who only received german education...
Even if the stoning will not be practiced in germany, (only a broad....) many other rules are and will more and more.
Those imams should also try to use german to understand Christianty and other peoples religions,
I think German Christian priests should make effort to explain christianty to Turkish and Arab children born in Germany to enrich their culture. It is very important that those children have knowledge of both religions and have passibility to made an option later in the futur after comparing and thinking by themself. And even be able to not have any religion at all if they wish so...but islamic learning they are receiving in germany desn't help for such option.