American Muslims are Moderate and Peaceful - Who Knew?

By Saadia Faruqi

Source: Tikkun Daily

 

The Pew Research Center this week revealed another extensive and newsworthy piece of research: The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society. The results of the survey, which consisted of more than 38,000 interviews of Muslims in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia in approximately 80 languages, reveals many things on many topics. Some revelations are interesting, others curious, and a few even downright alarming. As an American Muslim, though, I was mostly interested in the appendices, which discuss the attitudes of U.S. Muslims and compared them to similar themes among Muslims of other countries. Here’s my take:

My Boston Takeaway

Rev. Nell Green

Source: ABP News Blog

 

These posts are truly difficult to write; partly because if you want to be real then you have to confess some things and partly because events such as occurred last week are not easy to process. I am not sure you ever finish processing them. I try to imagine what it must have been like to be in that crowd enjoying a national event with family and friends only to have it literally ripped apart by explosives. 

Dispelling Mormon Myths Part 1

By Ramona Siddoway

 

A couple of months ago an Women’s Interfaith Discussion Group met to discuss common misconceptions people have about other religions. Besides walking away with much more respect for other religions and the amazing women in that group, I think we all agreed that for the most part we don’t know squat about anybody else’s religion. Not really. We tend to lump everyone into large stereotypical groups with not much more than media, hearsay, and Hollywood to back any of our claims.

Athiests Find a Sunday Morning Connection with Other Non-Believers

By Kimberly Winston

Source: Religion News Service

 

HOUSTON (RNS): Sunday mornings at Houston Oasis  may have the look and feel of a church, but there’s no cross, Bible, hymnal or stained glass depictions of Jesus. There’s also nary a trace of doctrine, dogma or theology. But the 80 or so attendees at this new weekly gathering for nonbelievers come for many of the same reasons that others pack churches in this heavily Christian corner of the Bible Belt — a sense of community and an uplifting message that will help them tackle the challenges of the coming week, and, maybe, the rest of their lives.

Boston Attack a Test Case for Interfaith Relationship Building

By Saadia Faruqi

Source: Tikkun Daily

 

The nation is still reeling from shock after Monday’s attack on the Boston Marathon. Gun violence notwithstanding, this is perhaps the first real terrorist attack on US soil after 9/11. Understandably emotions have been running high; no surprise then, that as the events unfolded many people, including the media, jumped on the “Blame the Muslims” bandwagon. The New York Post famously inflated casualty numbers and reported that a Saudi man was apprehended as a suspect by the police. Social media was inundated by predictions of guilt and accusations of violent jihad, at the same time as the Muslim community mobilized to condemn the attacks.

 

Muslim Women Don't Need To Be Rescued

By Saadia Faruqi
Source: Tikkun Daily

It seems that controversy over the hijab – the Islamic tradition of covering a woman’s hair and body – will not die down anytime soon. Governments such as France and Germany seem to be dead set against it, while theocracies such as Saudi Arabia go the other extreme by forcing women to cover. But ask the average Muslim woman, and she will probably wonder what the fuss is all about. Since when is dress a political statement, even a weapon? FEMEN – a feminist Ukrainian protest group – seems to think it is, and is up in arms over the hijab, declaring April 4 as International Topless Jihad Day. What FEMEN activists perhaps did not expect was that Muslim women who wear the hijab are a tad possessive about their right to wear it, and don’t take lightly to a declaration of jihad (Arabic for struggle) against it. 
 

What Pope Francis Might Mean for Muslim-Christian Relations

By Saadia Faruqi
Source: Tikkun Daily

The news out of the Vatican seems to be getting more and more fascinating every day. An avid researcher of all religions - and especially interested in all things Catholic because of my educational ties with convents - I have been following the abdication of Pope Benedict and the election of Pope Francis, and all that's happened in between these two major events, with great interest. When Benedict resigned, I felt a moment or two of incredulity, because it's practically unheard of. Then I followed the whole voting process, including the betting, with bated breath. And I haven't been disappointed, for Pope Francis is proving to be an absolute gem in so many ways. As I said, fascinating news... even though I'm a Muslim.

Being Easter People in the Interfaith Environment

By Rev. Nell Green
Source: ABP News Blog

I sometimes preach a sermon entitled “The Four Little Candles.” The author of the original story is unknown. In it I tell the story of four little candles that were burning softly and quietly.  Listening closely you can hear them speak. The first little candle is peace. Lamenting that the world no longer wants to try and keep the peace the candle becomes tired and slowly goes out. The second little candle, faith, cries for a world that finds faith superfluous and unnecessary. A gentle breeze comes along and blows out the little flame of faith. Love, the third little candle angrily huffs that people don’t even know how to love the ones that love them, much less someone else. Suddenly, the candle ceases to burn.

Music - The Composition of Faith

By Ramona Siddoway

“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life,” said German novelist Berthold Auerbach (1812-1882). In the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Emma Smith, the wife of Joseph Smith, was asked to compile a book of hymns for the new church. What I love about this story is that while some new hymns were written more than half were selected from hymns already being used by other churches. I love the fact that, for at least some other Christian churches, we are still singing many of the very same hymns. While some of our doctrine may differ we share a deep connection with the music of faith and I feel a deeper sense of connection with other religions.

Temple Beth Torah To Receive Community of Respect Award

 

For the fifth consecutive year, Temple Beth Torah (TBT) is receiving an award on March 22 designating the Humble synagogue as a “Community of Respect.” This is an award given annually by the Anti-Defamation League to organizations that strive to share learning in respectful ways. Several activities qualified TBT for this honor. Among the highlights of interfaith activities was the participation by several of temple members in the Kingwood community’s interfaith March of Remembrance, in which second generation Holocaust survivors and temple members Hy Penn and Simon Wellner were keynote speakers.

“Mom, Who Killed Jesus?”

by Rabbi Laura Sheinkopf

 

Among the top ten things you do not want to hear coming out of your Jewish child’s mouth is, "Mom, who killed Jesus?"  I will always remember the moment I heard those words.  They came from my then five-year old son as he was sitting at the kitchen table in our home in Austin, TX.  It was the week of Passover, which coincides with Easter, and because we do not eat pasta or bread or anything with a grain that has risen, he was eating the staple of the Passover diet: a hard-boiled egg. It was actually the millionth hard-boiled egg of the day, and as I stood there at the sink, my back to him, peeling potatoes I was worrying about his cholesterol level and asking myself if that was something you should be concerned about in a five year.  And then, out of the blue I heard from behind me, "Mom, who killed Jesus?"

Spiritual Wellness on Campus Undervalued, In Need of Respect

By Trent Navran, Dandan Liu, Lara Wik
Source: The Rice Thresher

 

Two weeks ago, we traveled to the University of Chicago for Coming Together 6, an interfaith student leadership conference. The weekend featured lectures, dialogues and interfaith activities presented to a group of passionate students and community leaders from different faith traditions. Interacting with these individuals gave us a new perspective on the gamut of spiritual programming present on American campuses, such as chaplains, offices of religious life, interfaith chapels and interfaith councils.

God Speaks in Many Tongues

By Nancy Agafitei

Lent is a season of preparation in the Christian church year that begins on Ash Wednesday and fills the 40 days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter, the day celebrated as the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after his crucifixion. In the ancient Church, the weeks leading up to Easter were a time of intensive preparation for the candidates who were to be baptized at the Easter vigil on Holy Saturday. This focus suggests that the season of Lent serves not only as a time to meditate on the suffering that Christ endured on our behalf but also as an opportunity to reflect upon our own Baptism and what it means to live as a child of God.
 

Would you Wear Hijab for a Day?

By Rev. Nell Green
Source: ABP News Blog

February 1^st was World Hijab Day. For those of you who might not know, hijab is the head covering worn by some Muslim women. The idea was to invite women who do not hijab, both Muslim and women of other faiths, to wear the covering for one day to increase awareness and understanding. Many, perhaps most, were completely unaware of the day. 

Hijabi for a Day

By Saadia Faruqi
Source: Altmuslimah
 

February 1, 2013 marked the first World Hijab Day, a day organized by New Yorker Nazma Khan to allow women to experience the hijab firsthand. Citing discrimination from Muslims and non-Muslims alike, she conceived of the idea so that those who have never worn hijab themselves could walk in the shoes of women who have.

It's Not What You Say, It's Where You Stand

By Rabbi Laura Sheinkopf

As a rabbi I have done my fair share of invocations and benedictions for community events, interfaith gatherings and organizational meetings. I think of it as the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to interfaith relations.  Coming from the liberal east coast circles where I was raised, being a female rabbi is not all that interesting but it’s a different story down here.  There are a surprising number of people I meet who know very little about Judaism and even fewer who are aware that there are female rabbis.

Landmark Court Decision About Hijab May Pave the Way to Tolerance

By Saadia Faruqi

Source: Tikkun Daily

 

Until today, American Muslim women have been fighting an uphill battle for their right to cover their heads in the traditional hijab. Whether at school, work, even government offices, we have stood unflinching as the debate about Islamophobia, creeping Shariah and all the other ugly words associated with being Muslim in America have swirled about us. Hearing negative comments, facing discrimination in hiring, being marginalized in social groups or treated with sympathy for assumed oppression, we have faced it all while defending our right to express our faith through our dress. Until today.

The Highest Kind of Love

By Ramona Siddoway

I’ll freely admit it. I really like people who like me. Maybe it’s because they seem to get my jokes, my dry sense of humor, or instinctively understand what makes me tick. I like it when people get me and make me feel that it is possible I just may be a loveable creature after all. It’s a nice feeling. But I realized something – thankfully – a long time ago. If I stick only with people I’m completely comfortable with I lose out on a lot of great experiences, interactions, and friendships along the way. This would mean losing out on a lot of life. And boy life can be pretty exciting and cool.

Religious Clergy Represent All of Us

By Saadia Faruqi

Source: Tikkun Daily

What’s the difference between a Catholic priest and an Imam? Although it may sound like the opening line of a joke, both these individuals actually do have a lot in common. For both Catholics and Muslims, priests and imams are prayer leaders, spiritual guides, mentors, teachers and so much more. Even outside of their congregations, they command respect from all who meet them because they wear the badge of religious leadership.

Reading Opens Minds and Hearts

By Nancy Agafitei

 

 

Reading is an important part of my life, and since I have been involved with Interfaith efforts I have been able to find messages of connection in much that I read. Here is an example. I am currently reading "Woman Hollering Creek" by Sandra Cisneros for the Pen and Paintbrush book club that partners the Barbara Bush Library with the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts. The discussion pairs significant works of literature with works of art currently on exhibit at the museum.