Klondike Sun ~ October 7, 2009
Love for All, Hatred for None... Little Mosque on the Klondike for One Night at DÓ“nojĂ Zho Centre
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Members of the Amadiyyah Muslim Community invited speakers from five Faiths to explain their views on how to reconcile the Existence of God and Human Suffering in the world. The moderator of the event was Eldo Enns, third from right. The opening prayer was offered by Percy Henry, seated to Eldo’s left.
Story and photos by Josée Bonhomme
Dawson City was chosen as a venue for a World Religions Conference on the evening of September 29, 2009 at the DÓ“nojĂ Zho Cultural Centre. The event was very well attended on a cool Tuesday night, reminding us all that winter is just around the corner.
Youth, young and old adults, even our Mayor, listened carefully as so many truths were said in a four-hour long string of important words. The event, organized by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Community of Canada, B.C. Branch, was a live example of what Islam preaches, and involved many entities who gladly pulled together for the event.
Eldo Enns was asked to moderate the conference, and had been contacted through his work at the City of Dawson as Chief Administrative Officer. Like everyone else, Enns could not resist helping in this effort. Glenda Bolt who manages the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in’s cultural centre looked like the canary who ate the cat, having hosted five Faiths, and about 100 people in the comfortable auditorium, not to mention the wonderful buffet at the intermission.
As the person who must report on the event, I am still wondering if the inclusive atmosphere, the attentive audience, the willingness to learn with open minds and hearts, were a result of our own community, or if it were made possible because of the Ahmadiyyah Muslims being catalysts of a great potential.
Perhaps that is one question best left to the future, and to our readers. (Write, people!)
Five speakers took turns graciously, each listening to the others’ messages in reflection and respect, representing the Aboriginal view, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikkhism, and Islam in the Ahmadiyyah Muslims’ view.
Our hosts and catalysts were from Pakistan. Very kind and polite, but highly motivated with a will to share, create dialogue and understanding, and driven naturally by their strong beliefs, their mission brought them to Dawson City.
From the literature they shared here, their social and moral values stipulate that “members of the Community are expected to illustrate in their daily lives high levels of social, moral and spiritual values. They are also committed to promote friendship, goodwill and righteousness among themselves, and among all communities and nations.”
Their role of service to humanity…
Continued on page 2
Download full online edition: (pdf – 5.86 MB)
In this Issue (24 pages):
1-2 – Love for All
3 – More Goodwill News from Eagle
4 – Uffish Thoughts: Elections
5 – Letters to the Sun (3!) / Town Events Calendar
6 – Secondary Sewage Treatment to meet Deadline
7 – Municipal Elections, Mayor Candidates’ Statements
8 – Police Blotter / Chum Report
9 – Chum Report / Humane Society
10 – Safer Roads to Resources / Dalai Lama visits with Larry Bagnell
11 – Inspired by the Sun, Part 3
12-16 – TV Guide Deleted. Pages past this point don’t match the contents list
17 – Best Ranger Patrol in the North / Y.O.O.P. Gold Poke Draw Winners
18 – New Tombstone Interpretation Centre
19 – Myriad of Mushrooms
20 – The Billingtons: Tale of a Northern Nursing Life / The Naylors: Filling in Family History / Whirlwind: A Poem!
21 – Pasha Malla Reading / Hospital Survey / HÓ“ n Language Lesson / Comics
22 – Max’s Artists’ Page / Top 10
23 – Classifieds, Business Directory / Outreach Job Board / Swallowtails
24 – One great BIG Ad!
