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From: steve%revolver@gatech.edu
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: ET Joins with Minister Louis Farrakhan to defeat the "White Menace"
Message-ID: <6865@wpi.wpi.edu>
Date: 17 Jan 90 16:25:08 GMT
Sender: shari@wpi.wpi.edu
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In article <6811@wpi.wpi.edu> gwydion@Dyved.csc.ti.com (Basalat Ali Raja) writes:
*
*steve%revolver@gatech.edu writes:
*>    The local public access cable channel here in Atlanta, Georgia often
*>features broadcasts by Minister Farrakhan.  He is a Muslim and he reads
*>(translations from) the text of the Qu'ran to his audiences.  I don't know
*>how large his sect in this country is, but Malcolm X formerly belonged to
*>this same group before he was assassinated by other members of the group.
*>You are probably correct in your assertion that many members do join
*>the group as an alternative to Christianity, which they view as being a 
*>religion imposed on them by their former white masters.
*
*I have heard one sermon made by Minister Farrakhan.  That is exactly
*what it was - a sermon.  Not a Khutba, or a discussion given by a 
*Muslim scholar.  It was quite definitely an attempt to preach at his
*audience.

<me> - Yes, I would agree with that characterization.  He has a political
       as well as a religious agenda in the US.

*Also, I note that you refer to him as *Minister* Farrakhan.
*Sunni Islam does not have a clergy, and Farrakhan does not seem to be
*a Shia.  This, in all, seems to provide more evidence that the religion
*that Farrakhan preaches is an anti-thesis to Christianity rather than
*Islam in its own right; the name "Islam" was chosen because it was
*viewed as a religion other than Christianity.

<me> - I don't think I have ever heard him or anyone who represented him
       call Farrakhan either a sunni or shia.  I believe the Nation of
       Islam is a separate sect.  I also believe the title "Minister" is
       a familiar Americanization that members of his audience who, by and
       large do not read the Qu'ran in its own language, feel comfortable with.
***    The preceding statements represent the opinions of the author.   ***
       They must not be interpreted as representing the beliefs of any
       other person, institution, government agency, or business entity.