Martin Luther King’s advice to American Muslims

Published at Huffington Post - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/martin-luther-kings-advice-to-american-muslims_us_5876c25ee4b0f8a7254484b9

Are American Muslims the only ones who are apprehensive at this time? The answer is an emphatic no! At this time every one of the 322 Million Americans is concerned about the immediate future of his or her space in America. How do we turn things around? However, the Americans who are most vulnerable at this time are Muslims and I wanted to find answers.

As a passionate practitioner of Pluralism, I was seeking guidance from an individual who is my mentor along with Prophet Muhammad, Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Pope Francis and my own father. MLK was within my reach; I could stand with him and reflect for answers.

So I walked up to the Tidal basin in Washington DC to meditate in presence of Martin Luther king Jr., the weather was cold, but the presence of MLK was heartwarming! I have been here many times, including October 16, 2011 when the memorial was unveiled by President Obama. Crowds of people were visiting, but I was in my own world seeking guidance.

America would not have been the great nation it has become, had it not been for the efforts of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., I was admiring them. Today, I can proudly say, America is God’s own country where you can find people of every race, nationality, ethnicity, language, culture and religion. We see God as one, none and many and in every form; male, female, genderless and non-existent, being and non-being, nameless and with innumerable names. America is a representation of all of God’s creation, there is nothing like this.

None of the immigrants would have come to the United States and made this nation great, if they had to sit in the back of the bus, drink water from a different fountain and live a dehumanized humiliated life. Thanks to the majority of the White Americans and MLK for being the catalyst for making America a great nation! I am here today, because of their vision and the civil rights act. Thank you Dr. King. I thank you every year for making America a great nation.

My cell phone Alarm got me out of my meditative trance, and I decided to walk and read the stone carving across me. It read, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

I screamed - Eureka!

DARKNESS CANNOT DRIVE OUT DARKNESS

Everyone turned around and looked at me as if I was nuts. Without batting an eyelid, I pointed towards the engraving, this was the advice MLK gave to deal with intense conflicts, a few simply nodded affirmatively and few walked away. I felt in my guts he was talking to me the American Muslim. I recall my dream from early 2000 when Mahatma Gandhi patted on my back and said, “Son you have work to do.” This was exciting to me and this is my calling. I knew no problem is insurmountable and I wanted to talk to my fellow Americans, particularly Muslims.

We have built this great nation in the last 240 years and if you have the desire to move from darkness into light you can do it. My inner voice said, “Mike, the time is now, go out and make the effort and have patience, as Lord Krishna had advised Arjuna in the Hindu Epic of Mahabharata to do his duty and leave the results to the creator.

Humanity survives on hope.

The voice said, you can contribute to the hopes of American Muslims, and secure their future, thus build a cohesive America where each one of the 322 Million Americans can live with hope and sense of security. The gloom and doom has got to be driven out. Darkness cannot drive darkness out, only the light can do it. The intellect in me argued –Would Muslims listen to you? Then I remembered the story my mother told me, “Once Prophet Muhammad expressed his frustration to God that people were not listening to him, what he should do? God shot back, “Muhammad do your duty and it is up to me to guide people to accept your message or not” Ha! What a relief it was.

So here is my Message to American Muslims

This is the year of great American Integration. Muslims have to be contributors to the goodness of America despite getting the short end of the stick.

Our approach ought to be conflict mitigation and goodwill nurturence and not confrontation; this was Prophet Muhammad’s approach in dealings with conflicts. Confrontation causes both sides to dig in their heels and keep them on pins and needles, where as discussions and dialogue, however frustrating they might be opens up new vistas of cooperation. That is what Pluralism is all about; respecting the otherness of others. There is a whole chapter in Quran on that.

Whether the issue is Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, LGBT, Race or the other, they are American issues that affect us all, and together as Americans, we will find pluralistic solutions to issues of the day that we all can live with. Injustice is the biggest destroyer of tranquil societies.

My safety hinges on the safety of people around me, so it is in my best interests to work for the safety and goodness of fellow Americans.

Many a Muslim ‘leaders’ are conformist chickens and run like hell if anyone makes even the slightest of noise. They are afraid and cannot cope with dissent and disagreement. They just don’t have the courage to take the stand for doing the right thing. Leadership is having the vision to foresee the problems and cobbling reluctant people and opposing views together through agonizing discussions and move towards maintaining the dynamic equilibrium of the societies. It takes guts and we hope to train enough Muslim leaders to take those steps.

Democracy has not seeped into many a Muslim organizations. The controlling men are afraid of discussions and willingly kill good ideas and rot in mediocrity. We need to remember that sustainable decisions are made after due discussions.

Thanks to our Imams, they are a blessing and play a key role in reshaping Muslim relationships with fellow Americans. In the past, we have asked the Imams, and they have come through it, we asked them to pray for the release of Yazidi women, persecuted Christians or harassed Shia, or call on them to urge Muslims to honor our Veterans on the Veterans Day, they have done it all. Fellow Americans need to know this, and we are going to do a lot more now.

Between the Imams, Muslim Scholars and us, we will test each other in stretching beyond our sketchy religious boundaries created in middle ages, but will unequivocally stick together and remain within the Pluralistic traditions of Islam.

We need to reach out and talk with those who are polarized and those who are not friendly. We have had great success with people who were written off by fellow Muslims as right wingers as if we are the bloody wrong wingers. We will continue to work with them and endure the humility if necessary for achieving greater good for them, for us, and for all of us.

It is time for Muslims to take the steps necessary to allay the fears of fellow Americans and undo the tensions, remove the suspicions and restore trust among Americans. This is what a Muslim ought to be; a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer.

What is good for Muslims has got to be good for others and vice-versa for the goodness to be sustainable. There is a shortage of visionaries among Muslim or they have simply given up, if you are the one, time is now to pick up the ball and run.

We are planning to hold two major conferences and a whole bunch of activities listed at the Center for Pluralism and World Muslim Congress for the purpose of rebuilding trust with fellow Americans.

Do American Muslims want Sharia?

We owe it to fellow Americans to clarify the myths about Sharia, and propose fixing this problem through a conference that is being planned with Islamic scholars and those who are opposed to Sharia to make the event credible. Let’s “clear the air” of misunderstandings for all Americans. We need to put this fear behind and move on with our lives.

Does Quran Promote Violence?

This is not only for concerned Americans, but for Muslims as well. It is a book of guidance for the whole of humanity to build orderly societies. The Quran is about building cohesive societies and not exclusive societies. The Quran is not about governing other people but living in harmony with all of God’s creation. In effect Quran tells you to mind your own business and let others mind theirs.

If you are a “doubting Muslim” about Quran, this seminar is for you. Many a Muslims seem to be faith deficient. Shamefully a few Muslim scholars have deliberately misinterpreted 60 verses to make Allah un-friendly towards Jews and Christians. This needs to be fixed. Here is an article at Dallas Morning News.

America is a great nation and we have to do everything to keep it that way by including and assuring fellow Americans who are disaffected that they need not worry; their culture and their way of life will not change due to immigrants or Muslims. We are all better off in making sure America remains America. You are who you are and I am who I am; let’s learn to live with each other by respecting the otherness of others and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of us. We love this country and we will fight to keep it that way.

Dr. Mike Ghouse – all about him in 65 links at www.MikeGhouse.net

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Martin Luther King Jr., birthday today

TODAY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR'S., BIRTHDAY.

We the naturalized and born Americans are deeply indebted to Martin Luther Kings Jr., for it is his struggle to free Americans from the burden of ill-treatment of fellow man, that brought the civil rights act, which is the driving reason for the immigration of all of us, yes, none of the Indians, Pakistanis, Vietnamese, Africans, Bangladeshis, Arabs, Chinese would have made it, had it not been for the Civil rights act. In behalf of all immigrants, I say, a big thank you to MLK.

Mike Ghouse,
www.MikeGhouse.net

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-Newly-Discovered-Audio-Recording-Speech-Park-Sheraton-Hotel-Manhattan-241148351.html

Thanks to JFK, his immortal words will become the crutch to great men and women of our future, a corollary of which will become a standard for them, “I am not the Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist or Wicca candidate for president. I am the Democratic or Republican Party’s candidate for president, who happens also to belong to the respective faith. I do not speak for my church on public matters, and the church does not speak for me.”
 - Mike Ghouse

TEXAS FAITH: Did JFK have a greater impact on religion than any modern president?

By Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist
wmckenzie@dallasnews.com
4:28 pm on October 15, 2013 | Permalink

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John F. Kennedy speaking as a candidate to Houston ministers in 1960

The nation and certainly the city of Dallas are coming upon the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. There are many parts of his presidency and death that our paper and others are starting to examine, from the legacy of his foreign policy to his imprint on civil rights to his use of television to communicate.

One area that hasn’t gotten much coverage is John F. Kennedy’s impact on religion in America. Often, we read about how Jimmy Carter and then Ronald Reagan awakened evangelicals and changed the face of religion in America, particularly in politics.

But did JFK have a greater effect than perhaps any modern president on religion in America?

Read on for some insightful answers.
MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas and speaker on interfaith matters

JFK had the most profound effect on religion in America than any other modern president. Indeed, he led the inclusionary trend in America.

A Catholic could have never dreamt of becoming president of the United States. Yet, there he was, the first one to break loose the unwritten Protestant monopoly on the White House with his sheer personal charisma and ability to communicate the right message. He paved the way for any American who aspired to lead the nation regardless of race or religion.

JFK had to be twice as good to win the hearts of Americans, just as African-Americans and other minorities have to be twice as good to be on par. He precisely communicated his adherence to his faith and the loyalty to the ideals of our Constitution without compromising. Perhaps, for the first time in our history, we became acutely aware of the separation of church and state, and understood what it meant.

On September 12, 1960, JKF delivered this powerful message:

“I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote;” and he continued, “I believe in a president whose religious views are his own private affair, neither imposed by him upon the nation, or imposed by the nation upon him as a condition to holding that office.”

America will continue to grow to reflect our deeply held values that all men are created equal. Thanks to JFK, his immortal words will become the crutch to great men and women of our future, a corollary of which will become a standard for them, “I am not the Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist or Wicca candidate for president. I am the Democratic or Republican Party’s candidate for president, who happens also to belong to the respective faith. I do not speak for my church on public matters, and the church does not speak for me.”

His impact on the civil rights movement is lasting. On June 11, 1963 Kennedy defined the crisis as a moral one, as well as a constitutional and legal one. He announced that major civil rights legislation would be submitted to the Congress to guarantee equal access to public facilities, to end segregation in education, and to provide federal protection of the right to vote.

Most importantly, in behalf of all immigrants, I want to express my gratitude to JFK and MLK. Thank you, we are here today contributing to the richness of America, because of the Civil Rights Act and you two.

To read the other panelists take, please go to Dallas Morning News at: http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2013/10/texas-faith-did-jfk-have-a-greater-impact-on-religion-than-any-modern-president.html/#more-30501
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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and has done that throughout his life as an activist. Mike has a presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links.
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With all that hype after Trayvon Martin about Florida being not a good place for blacks, here is a living proof of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream. We were gathered as the son of a slave (Gow B. Fields), the son of a former slave-owner (George Hatch, the mayor of Mulberry) and me, an immigrant who promotes pluralism. Together, we rededicated our pledge to one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Mike Ghouse
URL - http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2013/08/texas-faith-is-mlks-dream-for-america.html

TEXAS FAITH: Is MLK’s dream for America achievable?

By Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist
wmckenzie@dallasnews.com
4:01 pm on August 27, 2013 | Permalink

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. January 1964

Is Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream for America achievable?

At heart, King was a minister, not a politician. He relied upon the Scriptures to inform his views of equality, along with his own experiences. He studied theologians like Reinhold Niebuhr, as well as philosopher-leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. And he led interfaith groups on marches, not Republicans or Democrats in their caucuses.

In short, he was more prophetic like Amos or Isaiah than political like JFK or LBJ. The prophets of old presented a vision for their people, whether the people liked it or not.

Similarly, King presented a vision, a modern one where he imagined “the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”

But is that dream realistic? Are we too constrained by our own natures to realize that kind of harmony?

In Time this month, author Jon Meacham hints at this dilemma when he writes:

“The death of Jim Crow is an epic story, but it is no fairy tale, for the half-century since the 1963 March on Washington has surely taught us that while African Americans are largely living happier lives, no one can sensibly say that everyone is living happily ever after. The dream of which King spoke was less a dream to bring about on this side of paradise than a prophetic vision to be approximated, for King’s understanding of equality and brotherhood was much likelier to be realized in the kingdom of God than in any mortal realm.In Washington to demand legislative action, King spoke as a minister of the Lord, invoking the meaning of Sermon on the Mount in a city more often interested in the mechanics of the Senate.”

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, and speaker on interfaith matters, Dallas

Indeed Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream for America is realistic and achievable with this caveat: bigotry will always be a part of every society. Since his famous “I Have a Dream” speech 50 years ago, we have seen significant achievements for which we should be grateful.

Who could have imagined that within 50 years of sharing his dream, the biggest part of his vision would have been actually achieved? Barack Obama, who genealogists say has ties to a slave through his mother’s family, is the most powerful man in a country where blacks and whites once couldn’t drink water from the same water fountain.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an activist more than a philosopher and a religious leader. He understood justice is the bottom line for “natural” societies. All that has evolved in nature or created by the God were programmed to seek a built-in balance to sustain. Balance is the natural status of all creation; life and matter.

To be unjust was to be unnatural, and he said, “injustice to one is injustice to all.” King was committed to restore the dharma: righteousness. To paraphrase Quran, God said, he does not deprive any of his creation with his love and sends an equalizer (peace maker) to to every tribe and a nation to bring about a balance. And Lord Krishna in Bhagvad Gita says, whenever the societies lose that balance, someone from among them will emerge to restore it. Martin Luther King, Jr. was prophetic in that sense. Otherwise, why would any one chose an enterprise that did not benefit him personally like the Prophets?

I’m in Mulberry Florida today to counter Pastor Terry Jones’ burning of 2,998 copies of Quran. I am using a peace model to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill. Just two days ago, I knew no one, and today we have been able to bring together two mayors. We also were in the Mulberry Ledger, Tampa Bay Fox News, and a whole lot of diverse communities to set up our September 11th Unity Day USA event. Humans crave for justness, and its natural for them to gravitate towards it if beckoned.

One of the two mayors I met was Gow B. Fields. He is the mayor of Lakeland and an African-American. It was so good to hear his dream, and we connected instantly. Both of us want to see a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension or fear of a fellow American.

With all that hype after Trayvon Martin about Florida being not a good place for blacks, here is a living proof of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream. We were gathered as the son of a slave (Gow B. Fields), the son of a former slave-owner (George Hatch, the mayor of Mulberry) and me, an immigrant who promotes pluralism. Together, we rededicated our pledge to one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream lives on.

To read all the columns by fellow panelists, please visit Dallas Morning news at: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/texas-faith-is-mlks-dream-for-america-achievable.html/

Mayor George Hatch and Mike Ghouse

Mayor Gow Fields and Mike Ghouse

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and has done that throughout his life as an activist. Mike has a presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links.

Texas Faith - Mormon Moment

Courtesy: Newsweek

What issue would you most like to discuss with a Mormon about their religious faith?

Nine Texas Faith Panelists weigh in on it

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The Christian battles with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are seemingly internal. Most non-Christians treat Mormons as a Christian denomination. Years ago, in a public program we had organized for the Foundation for Pluralism, we listed Mormons as a Christian denomination. Interestingly, a response from a Mormon attendee was amazing. He asked, "Do you really mean this?"

Today, the most common public issues that religious leaders yearn to influence are abortion, same-sex marriage, contraceptives, charity work and immigration. Most religious leaders range from accepting to rejecting the "otherness" of others. Either they are roped in by the politicians to play their tunes or politicians seize the opportunity to advance themselves. Mormons, in this area, seem to be no different than anyone else.

One of the founding principles of all religions is to inculcate humility in its followers as the faith builds communities. However, a few greedy pastors, imams, rabbis, pundits, shamans and other vainglorious clergy, preach just the opposite: arrogance. They are bent on denying divinity to others and making villain out of God, as if God has signed an exclusive deal with them behind other's back.

In January, 10 national evangelical pastors met in Texas to undo Romney's gains and unleashed Santorum on him. Outside of this group, a few have called Romney's faith a cult and a few others said he was not Christian enough! Obviously, the Republican leadership and the tea party are not in tune with moderate Republicans, let alone the American public. Against, their scheme, the presumptive Republican nominee is Romney now.

Indeed, there are a few in each group who see other's religious practices as weird. They arrogantly assume their practices are perfect to others. One of my favorite authors from my youth, Dr. Khushwant Singh, who was editor of the famous Illustrated weekly of India and a Sikh who wears full Sikhism on him, had criticized Muslims for not being progressive. He urged them to give up the veil and start drinking alcohol! Do you see the kettle calling the pot black? No one is free from this hubris.

As a moderate Republican, I do not see Mormons as any different than other groups of people, including Baptists, Presbyterians, Evangelicals, Methodists, Catholics, Lutherans, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs and others who believe in a God and seek his guidance.

"The Mormon Moment" will come when they make their places of worship open to the public. Even though every chapel has a sign that welcomes visitors, and I have been to several including one in Saudi Arabia in 1979, the myths continue to persist. That includes about underwear, polygamy, obedience from women, and temple ordinances limiting entry to the inside sanctuary even to Ann Romney's non-Mormon parents during her wedding.

It's time to remove the myths, and the Mormon Church has an opportunity to do it through open houses, just as Muslims did after 9/11.

The myth that Romney would impose Mormon Sharia law onto Americans is no more valid than the idea that John Kennedy would impose a Catholic Sharia onto Americans when he was elected. President Carter did not impose a Baptist Sharia and President Bush did not impose Methodist Sharia.

It is time to ask them! I am convinced that it is better and more truthful to learn of others from them as they say "this is what we believe" rather than from those who would say, "This is what they believe".

Let us all thank God, by whatever name we know Him, that we live in America, the land of the free and the land where we can, each and every one of us, be ourselves! We have left an ugly past behind us, including persecuting Native Americans, African-Americans, Catholics, Jews, Baptists and others. We must now go further and spare Muslims, LGBT communities, Mexicans, Mormons and a few others. We need to grow up and learn to accept the "otherness" of others and tremember that this is the new American exceptionalism: Pluralism!

To see all the Nine contributions, please visit Dallas Morning Newshttp://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/04/texas-faith-the-mormon-moment.html

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MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily. 

Texas Faith - Catholic bishops and civil disobedience

As Americans we have to stand up for the rights of fellow citizens who are Catholic. Why should anyone stand up for us, if we are not willing to do the same for others? On February 27, on Hannity Radio, Richard Land of the Southern Baptist convention and I, a Muslim, joined in supporting the rights of Catholics.

TEXAS FAITH: Catholic bishops and civil disobedience

How far should people of faith go in resisting laws they consider immoral. Eleven Texas Faith panelists weigh in. Here is one:

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Indeed, the religious liberty of Catholics is under attack. If a compromise is not reached and the proposed law is not acceptable to the people, we have to challenge it and go all the way to the Supreme Court to check the constitutionality of it. If not that, we need to get Congress to work on rectifying it.

As Americans we have to stand up for the rights of fellow citizens who are Catholic. Why should anyone stand up for us, if we are not willing to do the same for others? On February 27, on Hannity Radio, Richard Land of the Southern Baptist convention and I, a Muslim, joined in supporting the rights of Catholics.

Unlike the monarchies, dictatorships and communist forms of government, where the rulers decide what is good for the subjects, we the people decide what is good for us.

We are a nation of laws, and our systems are well equipped to handle injustice and the unlawful laws, but are nonchalant towards valuing civil disobedience. The dissipation of the Occupy Movement is indicative of our attitudes.

Civil disobedience worked for Mahatma Gandhi and the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., because of immorality of the laws of the time. And it would work again if the Supreme Court were unwilling to consider the plea and Congress was not willing to fix it.

The Supreme Court has done well in checking the legality of the issues and has knocked out the popular sentimental California and Oklahoma propositions in the interest of justice.

The coerciveness of the government occurs when we the people are not collectively represented in the pursuit of our happiness. And it is our failure, rather than the failure of our government, to ignore the checks and balances built into our system.

Every American must feel a sense of security, safety and freedom. It is in our long-term interest to build a cohesive America, with liberty and justice for all.

Go to Dallas Morning News to read all the opinions: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/04/texas-faith-catholic-bishops-a.html

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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals.www.TheGhousediary.com is Mike's daily blog.