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Archive: January 25, 2009 - January 31, 2009
Obama's Patchwork Heritage and Worldview
One of President Obama's key stories has always been about diversity as strength. And his life is the embodiment of that dimension of the American dream.
By Eboo Patel | January 30, 2009; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (4)
Obama's Outreach To Muslims Laudable But Passions Block Reasonable Solutions
Obama is obliged to try to continue to seek peace because that is what decent political leaders do. But I don't think anyone is going to get very far with people who believe that they're entitled to a certain piece of Jerusalem because Muhammad ascended into heaven there, or to some piece of desert because Jewish prophets are supposedly buried there.
By Susan Jacoby | January 30, 2009; 9:16 AM ET | Comments (346)
Obama Used the Word Muslims Want to Hear - Respect
Obama spoke the right words, in the right spirit. Muslims may seem too eager to seize on his middle name, but Hussein is more than a symbol. It's a crack in the wall that has kept Islam apart for so long.
By Deepak Chopra | January 30, 2009; 8:50 AM ET | Comments (20)
President Too Soft On Some and Too Hard On Many
There is no single Muslim world, and any intimation that there is, will either work against addressing the serious threats we face from some Muslims, or cause us to miss the genuine opportunities that will be found by working more constructively with many more. Where President Obama got it right was in using the word "mutual" to define the new way forward which he seeks.
By Brad Hirschfield | January 30, 2009; 8:21 AM ET | Comments (39)
President Obama's One World Includes Muslims
"A new way forward" for America and the Muslim world is possible to the extent that the focus abides on the President's priority, namely, "mutual interest."
By Willis E. Elliott | January 30, 2009; 7:54 AM ET | Comments (3)
Hum Honge Kamyab/We Shall Overcome
Today's guest blogger is Jenan Mohajir, a program associate for the Outreach Education & Training program at the Interfaith Youth Core. She is extensively involved with the Muslim community through several grassroots initiatives in Chicago, IL "Hum Honge Kamyab." Throughout...
By Eboo Patel | January 28, 2009; 10:20 AM ET | Comments (2)
Start by Listening to the Real Muslim World
Obama is off to a good start. He seems to realize that the vast majority of the Muslim world aspires to the same American values of freedom of speech and democracy. It is American foreign policy, and perceived double standards that angers them.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 28, 2009; 8:05 AM ET | Comments (103)
Start with Shared Notion of One Creator
The western world has had complex, sometimes cruel interactions with the Muslim world. The Muslim world -- or a worrying portion of it -- has expressed not merely contempt, but the desire to obliterate Israel, America, and derides significant parts of Western culture.
By David Wolpe | January 28, 2009; 7:53 AM ET | Comments (22)
Mutual Respect Possible, But Takes Two Sides
Mutual interest is peace. Yet the Islamic world continues to train and house terrorists. Mutual respect requires the renunciation of violence on both sides.
By Charles "Chuck" Colson | January 28, 2009; 2:05 AM ET | Comments (54)
Obama Must Transcend Israeli/Palestinian Divisions
The Obama administration will have to transcend America's policy of "Israeli Exceptionalism," privileging Israeli interests. A more even-handed policy would require that Israel as well as HAMAS and the Palestinians be held to the same standards to respect and comply with international law and U.N. resolutions.
By John Esposito | January 28, 2009; 12:39 AM ET | Comments (15)
Respect Between Religions
All religions must come to an understanding that it is impossible for the whole world to be converted to any one faith.
By Arun Gandhi | January 27, 2009; 2:49 AM ET | Comments (4)
Dubious Holocaust "Lessons" 2009
If there is one indubitable lesson of the Holocaust, however, it is that the horror happened -- and that anyone who says it did not happen should be excluded from the community of civilized religious and secular discourse.
By Susan Jacoby | January 26, 2009; 3:46 PM ET | Comments (275)
Pope Benedict: Panderer or Creative Community Builder?
Williamson's reinstatement doesn't bother me because I am Jewish, it bothers me because I would hope that it is beneath the Church to honor a man who believes and continues to teach such ugly and dangerous lies.
By Brad Hirschfield | January 26, 2009; 3:10 PM ET | Comments (49)
Freedom Seder for Earth, Against Pharaohs
The Shalom Center is creating a 40th Anniversary New Interfaith Freedom Seder for the Earth to help us free ourselves from the greatest dangers of our time: the dangers of global scorching, the climate crisis, enormous disruptions of human civilization,...
By Arthur Waskow | January 26, 2009; 10:55 AM ET | Comments (0)
Without a Better Vision This Administration Will Perish
Obama is a great speaker cursed with bad speeches that are the product of an inadequate view of God. The God of the Liberal Christian can produce a great episode of Barney, but the platitudes of the purple dinosaur are not enough to move nations to greatness.
By John Mark Reynolds | January 26, 2009; 6:51 AM ET | Comments (236)
God Enjoyed Inauguration Rhetoric
I thought God - the real God, the One Who cares passionately about justice, peace, and diversity - came out rather well in the Inaugural ceremonies.
By Arthur Waskow | January 26, 2009; 3:52 AM ET | Comments (11)
Obama Reaches Out to the Muslim World
Not only was Obama the first President to mention the word "Muslim" in an inauguration speech, he did it with his hand out instead of with his fist clenched.
By Eboo Patel | January 26, 2009; 12:52 AM ET | Comments (109)
Religious Allusions, not Illusions
Happily, to people of my outlook, the inaugural events were not used to fire up the "culture wars." Notably in the swearing-in ceremony, we did not hear words like "abortion" or "same-sex marriage" or the couple of other incendiary terms for issues and, sometimes, non-issues.
By Martin Marty | January 25, 2009; 9:03 AM ET | Comments (6)
A Renewed Faith in Public Life
I am used to White Houses that want to arrest me--22 times over 40 years. This White House wants our advice.
By Jim Wallis | January 25, 2009; 7:48 AM ET | Comments (2)
Rev. Lowery's Last-Minute Elbow
This inauguration for many was an event in which an extraordinary oneness was experienced; a oneness demanded by the extraordinary man we chose to lead us. That was what Rev. Lowery was asked to bless or empower for future attempts. In the end, he could not do it.
By Kathleen Flake | January 25, 2009; 7:00 AM ET | Comments (10)
A Vision of Change That Leaves Out No One
With appropriate devotion to religion, appreciation for inclusion, and insistence on compassion, our new president praises diversity, stresses equality for all people, expresses desire for friendship with all nations, and calls every individual to activist citizenship that is local, national, and global.
By Welton Gaddy | January 25, 2009; 12:43 AM ET | Comments (2)
