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Pop Preacher Sings of a Tolerant Islam

[Globe and Mail-Canada] Mark MacKinnon - Egyptian pop star Moez Masoud, 29, is one of a new wave of Muslim "televangelists," converting many to an interpretation of Islam that encourages social contacts between men and women and a rejection of anti-Western fundamentalism. Critics call his message "Islam lite," but Masoud sees himself as helping reclaim a religion that for too long has been controlled by angry fundamentalists who preach in the name of Islam without following its basic precept of loving other human beings. "These people have presented views that are just blatantly wrong about women, about homosexuals, about Jews, about jihad," he said. "I'm just removing the extra baggage that extremists have put in," he said. "If Islam says kill your neighbors, I don't want to be a Muslim."
2008-02-22 01:00:00
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