Guest Voices: A Mufti, A Christian and a Rabbi - On Faith at washingtonpost.com

A Mufti, A Christian and a Rabbi

In the West, "A Mufti, a Christian and a Rabbi ..." is often how a good interfaith joke begins. But I live inside this reality. I am a rabbi and my Syrian colleague, Hind Kabawat, is a Christian Arab. We have worked for four years with the Grand Mufti of Syria, Sheikh Ahmed Hassoun, in both Damascus and Aleppo.

The three of us, along with many others of courage, have put on public events in Syria for four years that no one thought possible. No one believed Protestant, Catholic, Sunni, Shi'a, and Jewish clerics would sit together at a table, in front of cameras, working out the foundations of a tolerant civil society and making commitments to peace - in the heart of Syria.

We did this not only in the shadow of American neo-conservative efforts to attack Syria but also surrounded by militants in the region. Neither the militants nor the extremists in America have faith that the people of this region can come together in respect and equality. But we proved that even in tough political environments we can galvanize religious and secular people alike to envision the future of a civil society at peace in the Middle East. Our last conference was viewed by over a million households on Dunya TV and Al-Jazeera.

The secret to our success has been to embrace the positive elements of all cultures, all groups, and build friendship. This is difficult work, but we are strengthened by those who express gratitude for what we have stimulated.

We love the Mufti because he inspires us with hope, reminding us by his words and deeds that peace is possible. Sheikh Hassoun is beloved by thousands in Syria because he works tirelessly to provide for poor people. He also insists upon apologies and forgiveness between civilizations and among Muslims.

The Mufti champions those who are in a vulnerable position in the Middle East, from women to Ismailis, which angers the extremists. He told us on this trip that he increasingly embraces the secular state as the proper vehicle in which decent religion should operate, a point he also explicitly made before the European Parliament last month.

All three of us feel that religion has much to contribute to the moral fiber of a nation, but only if religion confines itself to teaching and helping others, never controlling. Does that mean that any one of us believes in bombing religious militants rather than talking to them and even loving them? Of course not. We are not pacifists but we have each seen the power of care over callousness and love over hate, even with the most hard-line political and religious ideologies.

Our job as people of spiritual conscience is to exhort, particularly where modern civilizations and states are failing the poor, failing the earth, and using religion to pursue and crush enemies. We look at endless cycles of revenge in the region in the name of God, and ask where are the positive outcomes? Why not work together to establish a treaty of Abraham based on respect, remorse over the past, and a mutual future in which all people - Israeli Jewish and Palestinian, Christian and Muslim, Wahabi and Sufi - are absolute equals?

This is a choice that many of us in the family of Abraham have already made, right in the heart of war and conflict. Religions must be de-weaponized, so that their life-exalting message can finally triumph. When the pulse of a Mufti, a Christian and a Rabbi beat as one we know where the essence of faith and hope lie, but we wish we could convey this experience to billions of others.

We cannot do it without the support of political leaders. President Bashar Assad of Syria gave us the chance to begin this process; why should the new president of the United States, the leader of a noble democracy of religious pluralism, do any less? Global political leaders must aid efforts by the people of the region to hammer out a cultural and spiritual vision of a new future. This is our hope, and I know it will come one day, as I look into the eyes of my brother, the Mufti.

Marc Gopin is the James Laue Professor of World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. He can be reached at mgopin@gmu.edu. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).

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Dear Nouha, Thanks for your kind words. No, the Administration doesn't care about the positive possibilities because their minds are already made up, and they only see the darkness. How can you ask them where the sun is? We must thank God for democracy and work for positive leadership. best, marc

Posted by: Marc gopin | March 18, 2008 6:31 PM
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Peace Be Upon you

Thanks for your testimony Rabi Gopin, we hope peace and stability for Syria and Islamic world.
How you said right when you wrote this truth:" Neither the militants nor the extremists in America have faith that the people of this region can come together in respect and equality."
But American administration don't care about this wonderful experience!

Nouha

Posted by: Nouha | March 16, 2008 2:27 PM
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this isn't exactly what you were asking for mr tharp- but it may be somewhat useful-

they're videos from a contest of muslims in america-

http://www.linktv.org/onenation/
i really recommend the one called healing in the community-
peace

Posted by: VICTORIA | March 15, 2008 10:52 AM
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Actually, Jesus is Who He said that He Is.

I have met God and God is a Trinity and God is a Being of Pure Love, He is not a loving God as in Love being an attribut of God but Love Is What God Is.

It is not about this religion or that religion, this spirituality or that spirituality but ultimately it is about how we treat each other since we are all brothers and sisters, the whole human race.

Some people that try to cram the bible down other people's throats seem to know nothing about God except for His Name.

Jesus taught Love, He did not teach religion, He did not teach spirituality, He did not teach politics, do you get my point?

It really does not matter what anyone believes, Truth is Truth whether someone believes it or not.

Some people that call themselves 'christian' very conveniently tear out page one, "Let Us make man in Our Image and Likeness", since God is Love then that "Image and Likeness" is Love and if Love shines thru that person, then God is shining thru and if not, then God is not shining thru, no matter what label that person puts upon themself.

God made everybody and everything and called it good, it doesn't matter if people believe this or not, it is true.

God also gave us free will, we are not robots or puppets on a string, even tho God knows what we are going to do, that does not interfere with our free will, it justs means that God is God and we are not.

Some people like to put God in a box, be it religious, spiritual or whatever, sometimes some need to drop their preconceived notions of God and from what I have read on different postings on the "On Faith" posting site, some of the people that know God's Name seem to know nothing else about God except for His Name.

It is important what you do and why you do it and what you know.

The True, Living, Triune, Triumphant God is a searcher of hearts and minds, not of religious affiliations or lack thereof.

God has a Plan and has had His Plan since before creation and His Plan is for ALL OF HUMANITY to be in His Kingsom [the new heavens and the new earth].

Some people seem to think that it is their job to run other people's lives rather then to live their own lives, we should try to help each other since we are all in this together, are we not?

We are responsible for our actions whether we take responsibility for them now or later.

I wish you well but remember: God wins, satan loses, a tie is unacceptable.

Take care, be ready, see you and the rest of humanity in the Kingdom.

Remember in Genesis, it said that on the seventh day, "God rested, blest and made Holy", well that day has not yet arrived but it will.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

Posted by: Thomas Baum | March 15, 2008 10:10 AM
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We are looking for audio visual material for use at church sponsored discussion groups addressing means of encouraging cooperative efforts toward interfaith understanding and preventing rise of unwarranted conflict sometimes based on religious differences. Ideally this would be a very objective discussion on a 20 minute CD. Any suggestions?

Nelson Tharp

Posted by: Nelson | March 13, 2008 11:37 AM
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dear marianne, i fully agree with you. I teach the Eastern wisdom in the context of my classes on reliigion and conflict resolution, i write about it in my books, and I have the Dalai Lama next to my bed all the time. It is more that the Abrahamic family has such a violent history that they need to reconcile for everyone's sake. my best, marc

Posted by: Marc gopin | March 13, 2008 8:01 AM
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Don't forget the Buddhists,Hindus and secularists out there, Rabbi; we're not all in the Abrahmic family. That being said, I can think of no higher calling than interfaith work that's really serious. May you be successful and stay safe.

Posted by: Marianne Evans | March 13, 2008 12:11 AM
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Welcome to the conservative world, Geraldine!!! Freedom of speech is only resevered for liberal facists!! Freedom of speech is only for our COMMUNIST school system and COMMUNIst MEDIA!!

Posted by: kathy | March 12, 2008 11:46 PM
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Thank you, Victoria. This is most kind.

Posted by: Marc | March 12, 2008 6:21 PM
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Thank you and Peace Rabbi-

You give me hope. And what a free and wonderful gift to give to a stranger.

Posted by: VICTORIA | March 12, 2008 3:56 PM
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A Mufti, A Christian and a Rabbi

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