Today I went with my family to a gathering at a mosque because the famous Sufi sheikh, Nuh Ha Mim Keller had come to Australia again, for a few days, as he does every 2 years. He represents the Shadhili school of Sufism. My mum and my sister are in that "school of thought".Me, not so much.
Sufis are very much into the whole spirituality thing. The most famous Sufi-ish thing people know is probably the Mevlevi (whirling dervishes; here's a video). I think that's another Sufi school.
Sheikh Nuh talks very softly. Almost like mumbling. But every now and then he speaks up. So unless you're intensely listening, and totally interested, you're not gonna hear much.
One little religious pondering he put forward, which I actually heard, was:
Why did God create the universe, with all its flaws, instead of simply remaining in his eternal limitless perfection? He did so that his love may be manifest.
Never heard that one before. The athiest-ic part of me laughs cynically, while the more spiritual side feels all happy on the inside. I know other muslims (cough, Wahabi's, cough) whose answer would go more along the lines of, "Shut up and don't ask questions." Damn Saudis...
Anyway, questions somehow diverged from religious questions to vaccination and homeschooling (How random. I totally thought of amazonmidwife at that point.) Sheikh Nuh started talking about how studies show vaccination and autism has some correlation, especially the mumps/measles/rubella triple-immunisation.
Major dejavu. How strange.
