Eboo,

I'm so glad you're a part of this council. I've read "Acts of Faith" and am currently in the second book. And soon we (in Kansas City) will be meeting with some IFYC folks to get the movement started in KC.

Now for a couple questions:

1. I've interacted with some fellow Christians who consider the push to 'pluralism' a very negative thing. Of course the word can mean different things to different people. But do you think this idea is well-accepted by broader (if there is one) Islamic perspective?

2. Do you have a specific role on Obama's council?

Thanks,
~montaguew

I think that you are a wonderful choice to serve on the interfaith council. I pray that through the council people of faith and non-believers can put aside their difference and create programs that end poverty, improve education and promote good will among Americans. God bless you and your work. I really enjoy your columns. I wish that some of the people responding to your column today would stick to the subject.

looks like JJ is off his meds again

correction: "includes all ABRAHAMIC faiths"

Dear Presedent Obama has ınvıted to Ankara Kocatepe Mosque Imam for consult and get information about İslam, but ı could not in all news and news paper about thıs news. Thats Turkıs Imam alredy ın there??

presedant Obama want to expansion about other religions and he atteched ımportand to İslam.Because Bush Crashed to usa impression..

"It made me think about the interview that Obama did with Al-Arabiya ..."

"Obama wasn't speaking primarily to Ahmadinejad -- he was reaching out to Iranians, especially young Iranians, ..."

While much has been made about Obama's outreach to the Muslim world through his interview with "al-arabiya", this should be more precisely viewed as outreach to the (muslim and non-muslim) Arabic speaking world. 80% of the world's Muslims don't speak Arabic, including young Iranians, who would feel just as much addressed by an interview on non-Persian language "al-arabiya" as an interview on non-Persian language CNN.

What I think you have is an opportunity to clarify to other members of this presidential inter-faith initiative the major misconceptions they have about your religion. In this, people in other faiths are willing to listen, but you face serious disparities between what you say about Islam and its practices and what others, mostly extremists, think and do. We have heard about the largely "silent" moderates who are not the same as the extremists, but unless you convince the extremists how anti-Islam they are or how they violate the principles the 'moderates' like yourself believe in, they (the extremists) will continue to gut your own position.

Most of the reasonable people are willing to see and understand the difference, but what you say is always negated by some of your own fellow-Muslims and their actions, you have very limited credibility. People see what believers in Islam have DONE (Terrorism, violence, supposedly following following reading the Scriptures you share with them), rather than what you say they are.

Your problem, I think, lies with your fellow Muslims about what your Scriptures say about killing innocent people and the unreconstructed hatred they have toward other religions.

To suggest that your religion is better than others is a NON-Starter.

"Saperstein set to join Obama’s faith-based council
February 5, 2009

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- A leading Reform rabbi reportedly will be named part of a new advisory council to the White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

The Associated Press reported that Rabbi David Saperstein, director and counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, would be part of the council, which will meet at least twice a year and include leaders from the religious and secular worlds who have experience in social services.

Others reportedly tapped for the council include evangelical Christian Rev. Joel Hunter; Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America president and CEO Judith Vredenburgh; and Bishop Vashti McKenzie, the first female bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church."

This news article did mention Eboo Patel's name. Reason??

Congratulations Mr Patel , as much as I disagree with your opinions when it comes to Judeo-Christian/Muslim problems, I wish you and the council much success. I disagree on many issues with our new President , as I did with our former President. Right now the nation needs people to work and pray towards overall success for our government in all aspects of its' responsibilities, we are the government.

vjg3 writes:
"Perhaps Mr. Patel can use his new power of authority to speak of inhumane treatment of non-Muslims in 57 Islamic nations.
Perhaps he can ask why these Muslim majority Islamic nations have to call themselves "Islamic republics" ; thus insulting non-Muslims?"

Islam is superior to all other religions. Most Muslims will say this openly and willingly. Sneaky Muslims like Eboo Patel will talk about the need of "interfaith dialogue" as a cover. Ultimately this supremacist attitude leads to conflict and violence. This is perfectly OK with Eboo Patel and other Muslims.

Let's see if Eboo Patel will ever write this simple statement: "all religions are equal. Islam is not superior to other religions"

Sounds easy, doesn't it? You will never hear it from a true Muslim.

In case you missed it:

Eboo asks: Why I joined the leader of the Immoral Majority's Faith Council??

The answer: "Tis" payback for supporting BO and also for the easy money!!!

So, I can not post a comment. My comments disappeared. Okay, it might be for the best.

The first commentor had it right. When will Eboo Patel and Obama's Council will use their influence to dissuade the Muslim nations to become truly "non-Islamic" Republics or Kingdoms and thus become "civilized". Also, leaving out Barry Lynn is a slap in the face of those of us who supported Obama hoping that he would not kow tow to the religious right. As a US Army veteran, and practicing Christian, I am sick and tired of our government and Obama continuing to pander to the religious right and also ignore other non-Abrahmic faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Bahais, Sikhism etc...Are they not entitled to a voice in Obama's interfaith council? The whole effort of Obama seems to be more geared towards keeping the evangelicals, Jewish folks and Islamicists on his side while merely giving lip-service to secularists and people of non-Abrahamic faiths. If he continues with his duplicitous behavior, he can count people like me in working for his reelection campaign.

Perhaps Mr. Patel can use his new power of authority to speak of inhumane treatment of non-Muslims in 57 Islamic nations.

Perhaps he can ask why these Muslim majority Islamic nations have to call themselves "Islamic republics" ; thus insulting non-Muslims?

Farnaz2,

I just read your post commenting on my post suggesting that the Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Barry Lynn, should be appointed to the new Advisory Council.

Whom should you write to promote this idea?

I'm at a bit of a loss here. I could really help you if Howard Dean were president. My wife was his chief of staff and secretary of administration for ten years and I was a commissioner in his administration for six.

Actually, if Howard were president today he might well think of Barry Lynn himself; he shares the AUSCS's views.

Since Howard isn't president you should write to someone who's close to Barack and who shares your and my views on this question.

Unfortunately I don't know who that might be. You named some good possibilities, though I imagine Hillary's busy with other issues now.

Barack's White House Counsel is Greg Craig, a very good guy and a native Vermonter. You probably saw the story in today's WaPo which says that Vermont is the least religious of all the states. If Greg (whom I don't know personally since he's been away from Vermont for decades)has the time and interest in the matter, I bet he'd be sympathetic to having Barry Lynn on board.

I wish I could be of more help to you here, and I'll keep thinking about it.

Obama's moved so far in pandering to conservative, intolerant Christians that he owes us secularists. We all voted for him and most of those folks didn't.

All the best to you.

Eboo asks: Why I joined the leader of the Immoral Majority's Faith Council??

The answer: "Tis" payback for supporting BO and also for the easy money!!!

I nominate Greg Epstein, Secular Chaplain of Harvard to serve on the council. It's only fitting to have a humanist representative.

Obama's own mother was a secular humanist and she raised him well.

norriehoyt:

"Why isn't Barry W. Lynn a member of the Advisory Council?"

That is an excellent question, Norrie, one that will end up in a letters to be written this weekend. Aside from the White House, to whom should I write? My Congressman is very responsive. Schumer is and Clinton was. Shall I write them? Anyone else?

Dear Dr Patel

A heartfelt Congratulations on being named as a member to President Obama's Faith Council! A truly well deserved appointment! I wish you much success for are among those who bring much hope and joy to the world through the work you do, ever so patiently and with much love, despite all the opposition.

Soja John Thaikattil
Sydney, Australia

The unfortunate problem with supremacists like Muslims and Christians is that they will unclench their fists when weak. When they get strong again, the open hand is again clenched into a fist.

How do you stop these cycles of violence associated with religion? One must fundamentally reorient these religions away from the ideas of supremacy and collective politics and direct them towards helping individuals evolve spiritually.

Can Islam and Christianity be fundamentally repaired? Christianity has made some progress on the surface, but mainly because of secularity and science in Europe. Sorry to say, Islam has no chance of disconnecting from violence.

Not only is the Koran and Islam inherently supremacist and political, but it is also philosophically, historically, and culturally violent.

Can anyone honestly imagine a day when a true beieving Muslim truly believes that people of other beliefs - Atheists, Hindus, Christians, Jews, Zorastrians, etc... - are truly equal?

MUTUAL respect. MUTUAL. Mutual. Otherwise, it's just a lot of empty rhetoric that keeps people with "councils" and "think tanks" employed.

Why isn't Barry W. Lynn a member of the Advisory Council?

The Council needs somebody on it who will keep these pious treasury robbers from riding hellbent over the Constitution, their saddlebags stuffed with taxpayers' cash, on their path of religious self-promotion.

Taxpayers would be better served by first correcting all the historical and theological flaws and errors in the various religions that make up faith-based councils.