By Hussein Rashid Published 8:51 pm, Friday, June 1, 2018 When I was an undergraduate, I stumbled on a volume in a college bookstore called "The Assassins," an early work by the Princeton University historian Bernard Lewis. Lewis, who died May 19 at the age of 101, is best known as an informal adviser to the Bush White House after 9/11 and as an advocate for the United States going to war in the Middle East. Originally published in 1967, "The Assassins" sought to correct the record on the Nizari Isma'ilis, a Shiite Muslim community long been maligned as consumers of hashish, known in Arabic as "hashashin," which transformed into the word "assassin." It was a scholarly book at a time when scholarship was rarely applied to such topics. Yet Lewis still chose the pejorative name for the Nizari Isma'ilis for the book's title, suggesting he did not see the humanity of the people he studied. In his later academic work, he conflated Muslims with Arabs, and religion with … [Read more...] about Politics, religion mixed up
Religion
Crosses Go Up in Public Offices. It’s Culture, Bavaria Says, Not Religion.
Sections SEARCH Skip to content Skip to site index Europe Subscribe Log In Subscribe Log In Advertisement Supported by ByKatrin Bennhold May 30, 2018 When the order came to hang a cross in the entrance of every state building in Bavaria, the mayor of Deggendorf was not particularly bothered by the religious symbolism. Crosses are already ubiquitous in Deggendorf, a picture-perfect town on the Danube. There is one in his office and another in the room where town officials perform civil marriages. The fire station has a cross on the wall, as does nearly every classroom in every public school. “This is about culture, not religion,” said the mayor, Christian Moser, adding that the separation of church and state was “a given.” Actually, it is, and it isn’t. Religion is in decline in Germany, but religious symbols are making a powerful comeback as part of the simmering culture wars playing out from Berlin to … [Read more...] about Crosses Go Up in Public Offices. It’s Culture, Bavaria Says, Not Religion.
Kentucky valedictorian’s speech too much for religion that favors silence
opinion Jeffrey Lee Puckett Louisville Courier Journal Published 11:13 p.m. UTC May 30, 2018 Christian Bales, 2018 valedictorian of Holy Cross High School in Covington, Kentucky, was not allowed to deliver his commencement speech last Friday after school officials had issues with its message. In a New York Times interview, Bales, 18, said that he was told Friday that the Diocese of Covington had decided that the speech was angry, confrontational, political and personal. In the speech, which was later posted to DocumentCloud.org, Bales encouraged students to embrace advocacy and work toward a better world where victory is gauged by "the amount of hearts we can cleanse." “I did not think the speech was polarizing at all,” he told the New York Times, adding that he was given no time for revisions. Instead, Bales and class president Katherine Frantz, whose speech was also rejected, delivered their addresses via bullhorn after the … [Read more...] about Kentucky valedictorian’s speech too much for religion that favors silence
Subway riders caught in screaming match over race, religion
close Video Woman says 'Judaism is not a race' in NYC subway outburst Raw video: Intense confrontation caught on camera on New York City subway after an argument over someone not giving up a seat for a woman with three children. Two New York City subway riders were caught screaming at each other about race and religion during the rush-hour commute last week. A black woman and a Jewish man got into a shouting match Thursday morning over subway etiquette on a train headed for the Bronx, according to the New York Daily News. “You said I'm being racist, so you tell me who I'm being racist towards,” one woman shouted. “Because you're Jewish, and I said if a Jewish family got on here, somebody would have gotten up. That's not a racist statement! That is a factual statement!” A man chimed in, “Yes, it is racist.” The woman then said the man needed to learn the difference between race and religion. The man attempted to calm the woman … [Read more...] about Subway riders caught in screaming match over race, religion
Ethics and Religion Talk: Is it selfish to enjoy ourselves?
Doug Van Doren, the pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ, responds: “Care for the marginalized was clearly Jesus’ example and is absolutely central to the Gospel. Thus it must be the orientation of a follower. Here are but a few clear examples. Matthew 25:45: ‘Whatever you did unto the least of these (in need) you did unto me.’ 1 John 3:17: ‘How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help?’ James 2:15: ‘If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?’ “How people can say they are Christian, yet deny a basic safety net, healthcare, and food security for those who need it, is simply beyond me! The question for a follower is not, ‘What must I do to fulfill an obligation or to … [Read more...] about Ethics and Religion Talk: Is it selfish to enjoy ourselves?