I subscribe to a number of Google Alerts which notifies me of religious news based on my predetermined parameters. I get alerts for news related to all the major religions, including articles related to Muslims and Islam. One thing that I've noticed ever since setting these alerts up is that the overwhelming majority of Muslim related news is negative. If I were to base my opinion solely upon what the media considers newsworthy regarding Islam, I would definitely have to say that it is not a peaceful religion.
Obviously, I do not agree with this opinion. There are allot of good Muslims, both in the US and abroad. Many of whom have gone to great lengths to challenge this erroneous popular notion. You can no more judge Muslims by the actions of Jihadist as you can Christianity by the actions of right-wing anti-establishment isolationist who stockpile guns and spout anti-government propaganda.
One has to wonder what role the media plays in this anti-Islamic campaign. History abounds with the countless atrocities of the Christian religion. Millions of innocent people killed, martyred because their ideas or lifestyle somehow differed from that which was sanctioned by the church of the time. While I am myself a Christian, I feel no need to gloss over this dark and troubling time in my faith's evolution. Fortunately for Christianity, there were no airwaves or Internet where news can literally travel all the way around the world in the blink of an eye.
As a person who respects much of the world's sacred literature, I appreciate and honor the Koran as a book of life and instruction. While it may have its less comely parts (as a figure of speech), so does the bible or any number of ancient text used by many of the world's religions. We acknowledge that many of the stories and teaching contained in these books were crafted in different times where things now unacceptable were common place, such as slavery and the subjugation of women, among other things. However, it certainly doesn't negate the timeless truths that many of these sacred writings convey, including both the Bible and the Koran.
So, the question remains, does the media stimulate this anti-Islamic fervor? I think so. Peaceful Muslims meeting in Mosque around the world, practicing their religion while being respectful of others is just not newsworthy. Educated and perceptive people, however, should not be swayed by this negative propaganda. We shouldn't be ignorant of the fact that there are people, regardless of their religion, who will espouse hate and subject the world to violence, using religion as their excuse. We should not use their ignorance, however, to reject a huge segment of the world's population whose faith and practice is not threatening at all.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Buddhism for the Non-Buddhist Layman
Download Free Ebooks � Buddhism for the Non-Buddhist Layman
In keeping with the spirit of this blog, I just come across this free ebook that purports to explain Buddhism to the non-Buddhist in language that is easily understood. Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to read this so I can not substantiate its claims; but, I do have it on my agenda to do in the near future and will either append my opinion to this post or I will add another post about the subject. If any of you get the chance to read this, please update us in the comment section with your ideas about it. If your a Buddhist and either agree with or find fault with the manual, I would appreciate you writing an objective critique and we will post it here as a blog post under your name.
For the record, we are looking for authors of various religious persuasions that can speak definitively on their faith. To reiterate, the purpose of this site is to take an eclectic approach to faith in an effort to improve interfaith relations as well as invoke interfaith dialog. (While this is a blogging community, the potential for discussion is greatly enhanced by our comment feature via Disqus. If you do not already have a Disqus account we encourage you to open one now. It is free and will help take our ability to discuss topics introduced here to the next level.) Faith, regardless of our varying religious persuasions, is the one thing we have in common. All of us who hold some form of religious belief have some structure to it, regardless of whether its rigorous or casual. If interested in participating in this group effort, please check out this page for more information. We really do want and need your help!
In keeping with the spirit of this blog, I just come across this free ebook that purports to explain Buddhism to the non-Buddhist in language that is easily understood. Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to read this so I can not substantiate its claims; but, I do have it on my agenda to do in the near future and will either append my opinion to this post or I will add another post about the subject. If any of you get the chance to read this, please update us in the comment section with your ideas about it. If your a Buddhist and either agree with or find fault with the manual, I would appreciate you writing an objective critique and we will post it here as a blog post under your name.
For the record, we are looking for authors of various religious persuasions that can speak definitively on their faith. To reiterate, the purpose of this site is to take an eclectic approach to faith in an effort to improve interfaith relations as well as invoke interfaith dialog. (While this is a blogging community, the potential for discussion is greatly enhanced by our comment feature via Disqus. If you do not already have a Disqus account we encourage you to open one now. It is free and will help take our ability to discuss topics introduced here to the next level.) Faith, regardless of our varying religious persuasions, is the one thing we have in common. All of us who hold some form of religious belief have some structure to it, regardless of whether its rigorous or casual. If interested in participating in this group effort, please check out this page for more information. We really do want and need your help!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Freedom for All
I recently stumbled across an excellent blog by the name of In My Lifetime. BK Hipsher, an Episcopal priest as well as a PhD candidate at Winchester University, UK, is the author. Back on November 17, she published a post entitled What if... I meant to get around to sharing this earlier but have been busy of late trying to get some things sorted out on my blog so my posting has been delayed a bit.
The post refers to the many demonstrations around the country against Proposition 8 in California and numerous other anti-GLBT initiatives that succeeded around the country this past election. Hipsher was amazed that so many people were moved to get out of their lazy chairs and demonstrate for justice, equality, and religious pluralism. Obviously, the issue at hand really hit the participants where they lived and thus blasted them out of their complacency and behooved them to become involved. According to the post, demonstrations took place in 300 major cities throughout the US .
.
It is so easy for us to become passionate about the things that directly affect us. Let someone assault our religious freedom, our freedom to of speech; watch the NRA pundits pour millions of dollars into lobbying against any thing they deemed a threat. We are so prone to act when it affects us. But, Hipsher asked the question, what if we would react with the same fervor against any incidence of injustice in our world? The examples are overwhelming; one such example she mentions is the fact that 43 million people in this country do not have health insurance and thus, limited to no access to quality health care.
The point here is that we should be consistent, willing to fight for those who consistently can not fight for themselves. The millions of children in this country who are considered to be food insecure. The marginalized, mentally ill, and those who have no voice. At the end of Hipsher's post she states that she hopes "that one day we grow up and realize that until all of us are free, none of us are free. Until all of us have access to civil rights, none of us do. Until all of us have health care, none of us do. Until there is justice for ALL, there is no justice." There is absolutely nothing I can add to that but a hearty AMEN!
The post refers to the many demonstrations around the country against Proposition 8 in California and numerous other anti-GLBT initiatives that succeeded around the country this past election. Hipsher was amazed that so many people were moved to get out of their lazy chairs and demonstrate for justice, equality, and religious pluralism. Obviously, the issue at hand really hit the participants where they lived and thus blasted them out of their complacency and behooved them to become involved. According to the post, demonstrations took place in 300 major cities throughout the US .
.
It is so easy for us to become passionate about the things that directly affect us. Let someone assault our religious freedom, our freedom to of speech; watch the NRA pundits pour millions of dollars into lobbying against any thing they deemed a threat. We are so prone to act when it affects us. But, Hipsher asked the question, what if we would react with the same fervor against any incidence of injustice in our world? The examples are overwhelming; one such example she mentions is the fact that 43 million people in this country do not have health insurance and thus, limited to no access to quality health care.
The point here is that we should be consistent, willing to fight for those who consistently can not fight for themselves. The millions of children in this country who are considered to be food insecure. The marginalized, mentally ill, and those who have no voice. At the end of Hipsher's post she states that she hopes "that one day we grow up and realize that until all of us are free, none of us are free. Until all of us have access to civil rights, none of us do. Until all of us have health care, none of us do. Until there is justice for ALL, there is no justice." There is absolutely nothing I can add to that but a hearty AMEN!
Choosing to see the world positively, if only for one day! Happy Thanksgiving!
No blog would be complete without a traditional Thanksgiving post. I know for me, I need to take more time to reflect upon the good things in my life that I have to be thankful for. It's so easy to get into a negative rut and spend more time complaining and contemplating the less than perfect side of life. Sure, things may not always be the way we want them to be but in the end we can find many examples of people who have it allot worse than us.
Over the last forty years, I am not so sure that I have always gotten it. But, I am learning that to be truly thankful means that we have to be equally as grateful for the difficult times as well as the good. It's the rough places in my life that has built the greatest character. It has been in the darkest hours that I have learned the most about what it means to trust. In betrayal, I have learned how to love; in loss, I have learned how to value the things that I have. Life is not always what we want it to be; however, it is fundamentally the one thing that we should be most thankful for.
I would be amiss today to fail to mention my wonderful family. My wife: a woman who does what she has to do and does it faithfully and with grace. She bears a burden she was never meant to bear. My disability has put allot on her over the years. There have been times when I have been so single minded, lamenting my woes, that I've forgotten just how important she is to me and to our entire family. She makes the world go round; our family would not survive without all that she does and all that she is. It is great to take this time to reflect on her and what she means to me; but, everyday should be Thanksgiving in that regard.
Nine beautiful children, all healthy, smart, and well adjusted, are mine to be grateful for. Twenty-one years ago when my first daughter was born, I never imagined that I would be sitting here, twenty-one years into the future, writing this with eight additional children. I was only nineteen at the time and just the thought of one little bundle of love depending on me for everything was almost more than I could handle. I could never of imagined having eight more children.
The Divine smiled on me though: happy is the man whose quiver is full of arrows! (Ps 127:5) My children have been the one thing that has always been constant in my life in adulthood. Jobs, relationships, geography, physical health, everything has come and gone, but my children have remained for me to love and to be loved by them. There have been times when I could not find within myself a good enough reason to get out of bed in the morning, but when I thought of them, I somehow gained the strength to get up and do what I needed to.
Today, I have four girls left in the house: ages ten to two. I have the next sixteen years, at least, to live in a home where I am the only male. Right now my oldest son is still with me, my last reprieve. But, he's soon to jump out of the nest and leave me behind, so to speak. I just shudder at the thought of being in chick flick hell, weeks where nothing I do is right or enough. Even in this, however, I am thankful. These four girls are so beautiful and it will be such an honor to watch them grow up and become women with character and integrity, intelligence and resourceful; all the things they see and emulate in their mother.
Over the years its become a tradition in our family to sit together after the meal has settled and go around the room giving each person the opportunity to mention one thing they are most thankful for. When we first started doing it every one was kind of self conscious and awkward about it. But, I think it is becoming one of our more treasured holiday activities. Consequently, I challenge everyone who reads this blog today to do the same. Sure, you don't have sit around and say it out loud like we do, but just take some today to reflect on the good things in your life, the good people that surround you. Say thank you to someone who has meant allot to you. Hug your spouse today and tell them how you truly love and appreciate them. Gather your children together and let them know just how thankful you are that God chose you to be their parent.
I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. Those in other countries where you do not celebrate the tradition, take some time today, regardless. to do what I've mentioned above. A thankful heart is not toxic. A grateful heart sees the world through the lenses of love, acceptance, and equality. Blessings to you all and may you all enjoy your time with friends and family!
Over the last forty years, I am not so sure that I have always gotten it. But, I am learning that to be truly thankful means that we have to be equally as grateful for the difficult times as well as the good. It's the rough places in my life that has built the greatest character. It has been in the darkest hours that I have learned the most about what it means to trust. In betrayal, I have learned how to love; in loss, I have learned how to value the things that I have. Life is not always what we want it to be; however, it is fundamentally the one thing that we should be most thankful for.
I would be amiss today to fail to mention my wonderful family. My wife: a woman who does what she has to do and does it faithfully and with grace. She bears a burden she was never meant to bear. My disability has put allot on her over the years. There have been times when I have been so single minded, lamenting my woes, that I've forgotten just how important she is to me and to our entire family. She makes the world go round; our family would not survive without all that she does and all that she is. It is great to take this time to reflect on her and what she means to me; but, everyday should be Thanksgiving in that regard.
Nine beautiful children, all healthy, smart, and well adjusted, are mine to be grateful for. Twenty-one years ago when my first daughter was born, I never imagined that I would be sitting here, twenty-one years into the future, writing this with eight additional children. I was only nineteen at the time and just the thought of one little bundle of love depending on me for everything was almost more than I could handle. I could never of imagined having eight more children.
The Divine smiled on me though: happy is the man whose quiver is full of arrows! (Ps 127:5) My children have been the one thing that has always been constant in my life in adulthood. Jobs, relationships, geography, physical health, everything has come and gone, but my children have remained for me to love and to be loved by them. There have been times when I could not find within myself a good enough reason to get out of bed in the morning, but when I thought of them, I somehow gained the strength to get up and do what I needed to.
Today, I have four girls left in the house: ages ten to two. I have the next sixteen years, at least, to live in a home where I am the only male. Right now my oldest son is still with me, my last reprieve. But, he's soon to jump out of the nest and leave me behind, so to speak. I just shudder at the thought of being in chick flick hell, weeks where nothing I do is right or enough. Even in this, however, I am thankful. These four girls are so beautiful and it will be such an honor to watch them grow up and become women with character and integrity, intelligence and resourceful; all the things they see and emulate in their mother.
Over the years its become a tradition in our family to sit together after the meal has settled and go around the room giving each person the opportunity to mention one thing they are most thankful for. When we first started doing it every one was kind of self conscious and awkward about it. But, I think it is becoming one of our more treasured holiday activities. Consequently, I challenge everyone who reads this blog today to do the same. Sure, you don't have sit around and say it out loud like we do, but just take some today to reflect on the good things in your life, the good people that surround you. Say thank you to someone who has meant allot to you. Hug your spouse today and tell them how you truly love and appreciate them. Gather your children together and let them know just how thankful you are that God chose you to be their parent.I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. Those in other countries where you do not celebrate the tradition, take some time today, regardless. to do what I've mentioned above. A thankful heart is not toxic. A grateful heart sees the world through the lenses of love, acceptance, and equality. Blessings to you all and may you all enjoy your time with friends and family!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Video and Petition: A Prayer and Pledge for President-elect Obama
Click on the link above and it will take you to the Sojourners website where you can personalize a letter to President Elect Barack Obama, pledging your support and prayers as he embarks upon sober and important mission. There is also a video pledge/appeal from Jim Walis to the Obama. Be sure to check that out as well. Here, however, is a sample of the letter:"I am one member of a growing movement of Christians and people of faith who support a broad moral agenda that includes a deepconcern for poverty, peacemaking, a consistent ethic of life, and care for creation. During the campaign, you said that, if elected, you would face powerful special interests trying to block change. You said you would need a citizen movement to support and push you." (click on link above for the entire letter.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)