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The easy, and obvious, answer to the question of can you be critical of Israel without being anti-Semitic is, “Of course.” But the waters are not easy to keep pure, and all too often legitimate criticism of Israel is mixed with anti-Semitic sentiments.
Public schools should not teach religion, but they should teach about it. They should not be in the business of inculcating children with religious creeds, tenets, beliefs, or values. But they should inform their students about religions and cultures that they are likely to encounter in their daily lives.
This question raises some very thorny issues for me. I believe very much in freedom of conscience for all individuals (theist or atheist) and I believe very much that when religious authority and politics mix the results are almost always disastrous. But at the same time, I recognize that no matter how they derive their moral system (via humanist means or as a revelation from on high or something inbetween), people will vote according to their morals, thus potentially imposing their own morality on others -- that is inescapable. I also question whether the imposition of a secular humanist moral system is any better than the imposition of a religiously based one.
The conditions we created in Iraq present one of the greatest moral challenges facing the U.S. today. For decades the U.S. supported and armed Saddam, turning a blind eye to atrocities he committed. Then for ten years we put draconian sanctions on the country, sanctions that did not hurt the dictator they were aimed at, but which did make life hard for the average Iraqi, and which is said to have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths due to lack of medicines, food, and other basic necessities.
Finally, for reasons that remain largely unexplained, we decided Saddam had to go, and invaded in order to take him out. Despite huge public sentiment against the invasion, in the face of those who revealed the fallacy of the supposed terrorist and weapons of mass destruction connections, ignoring those who warned of precisely the kind of civil war we see today, we invaded and toppled a brutal regime we had been propping up.
When it comes to choosing candidates, my approach is on the basis of issues, not identities. If a pagan candidate takes stances that I agree with, I would have no hesitation voting for him or her. The same goes for a candidate from any other religion or for an atheist candidate.
It seems to me that there are two visions of how to implement the First Amendment. The first involves ensuring that the government does not promote any religion. The second prefers to allow all religions equal opportunity. I find myself torn between these two positions as the first is stifling and over-controlling, while the second is impractical, as there are thousands of religions practiced throughout the world.
Muslim extremists need to rethink their approach to Islam. They need to go back to the Qur'an and see the exhortations for us to be the people of the middle way (2:143), the commands not to be excessive in one's religion. (4:171), and the exhortation not to transgress balance (55:8). Muslim terrorists and modern day jihadists need to examine the verses relating to warfare. If they did so, they would realize that they have indeed passed all bounds and have become an evil festering in Islam and in the world at large.
There are many paths to social activism. One of them is being inspired by one's faith. Particularly for those who believe that God expects us to work for good in the world, faith can be a powerful motivator.
Poverty, disease, homelessness are all issues which scriptures take up time and time again.
Take for instance, Surah Maun, the 107th chapter of the Qur'an:
1) Have you seen the one who belies his faith?
2) He is the one who will repulse the orphan
3) and will not encourage feeding the needy.
4) Woe to the supplicant
5) who is heedless of his prayer
6) who prays to be seen
7) but denies kind deeds!
In Islam, the link between faith and good works is reiterated time and time again. A causal scan of the Qur'an will reveal dozens and dozens of reference to "those who believe and do good works." In Islam, faith without good works is meaningless and hollow, even hypocritical.
Incorporating exceptional laws into the judicial system is a bad idea, whether it be Shari'ah, Halakha, or any other religious laws. The creation of a multi-tier legal system, with some laws for "average" citizens and other laws for Muslim, Jewish, Mormon, Hindu, Catholic, etc., citizens is a gross violation of the principles that the government should not intrude itself in religious matters, and that all citizens have the same rights and protections under the law.
The Question: John McCain's spiritual guide, televangelist Rod Parsley, calls Islam a "false religion" that should be "destroyed." Should McCain renounce Parsley? Will Islam be an issue in this year's U.S. presidential election?
Televangelist Rod Parsley represents a tradition of racial, political and religious bigotry that has plagued American -- and other -- societies for centuries. From anti-miscegenation laws, to McCarthyism, to the current wave of intolerance toward Muslims and Islam, xenophobia has always been a devil in our midst, even in times when the beauties of diversity were trumpeted and tolerance, mutual respect and acceptance were being touted as the ideals we should strive for.
What Islam Really Says About Violence, Rights and Other Religions
Gomaa, Fadlallah, Mubarak, Khan, Siddiqi, Ellison, others | On Faith
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