Purpose of Interfaith Dialogue

PURPOSE OF INTERFAITH DIALOGUE
URL - http://pluralismcenter.blogspot.com/2013/10/purpose-of-interfaith-dialogue.html

The purpose of interfaith dialogue is to learn about each other, and to separate the myths from the realities.  To learn about each other as we believe and practice, and not what others say about us or vice-versa.

The bottom line is how do we build a society that all of us can learn to respect the otherness of others, and no one has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other. Interfaith efforts are directed towards that goal. 

Prophet Muhammad is the first man to have conducted an interfaith dialogue.  Zarathustra, Moses, Krishna, and even Jesus did not have that opportunity. Prophet Muhammad was dealing with Judaism, Christianity, Pagans and other monotheistic traditions prevalent at that time. It was followed by the Muslims in Spain, and King Akbar in India.

Now we have many groups engaged in interfaith dialogue - there are about three or four of us who teach pluralism ; Aga Khan, Eboo Patel, myself and a few other Muslims. We have zero prejudice towards any faith, and we build Islam while building other faiths as well. Our Islam grows bigger as others faiths also shine.. our Islam does not hinge on diminishing or giving lesser value to other faiths.

Sadly, most of the fellow Americans have a singular perception of Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus…. and others, and those perceptions were built up by media.  Even those who have been a part of the interfaith dialogue still are set in what is dished out to them for years.

Interfaith dialogue, removes those myths – hear me out, this is what Judaism is and not what you imagine, this is Islam, and not what you see on Fox…. INTERFAITH dialogue helps put together the real image of the group as opposed to what is out on television.  The input is coming from the respective religious representatives and not defined by someone else. 

How do we do that? http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/09/special-report-on-quran-burning-that.html

Indeed, in Quran 49:13 God says, I have created you into many tribes, communities…. And the best one among you is the one who knows each other.  God knows there will be conflicts with diversity, and then he tells us the best ones among us are those who learn about each other. Knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance of each other.

That is the ultimate goal of interfaith – to respect the otherness of others as Pluralism is defined by us.  That is you are who you are, and I am who I am. I will accept you the way you believe, dress, smile and I expect the same from you. In true interfaith meetings, there are no compromises, what is the need? After all it is a belief, and as long as it does not mess with my food, water, space and my loved ones, you are welcome to be who you are, as I will be who I am.

Of course, we will always have a few Muslim spies, Jewish spies, Hindus spies… and a few Muslims, Baha’i and Christians come to convert others, it’s a sport to them to see how many they can hunt.  They are a danger to building cohesive societies where no one has to live in apprehension of the other.

I am part of many groups and including my own – the rule is no one will even hint about conversion, or claim superiority of their faith over others. They can extol their faith, but never put down the other.

I have written quite extensively on the topic… Let me share the negative side of it which are few and far between:  http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2013/04/interfaith-disappointements.html

Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916 text/talk
Foundation for Pluralism
Studies in Religious Pluralism and societal pluralism
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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.

Koran Giveaway in Germany Worries the Right

COMMENTARY - NOT AN ARTICLE.
Mike offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. 
Koran Giveaway in Germany Has Some Officials Worried
New York Times, article below 

1. One should have the freedom to distribute the copy of Quraan. Either you stop for all, or allow for all. Free speech ultimately wins, we don't need to regulate it. If the worry is that the readers may convert to Islam, so what?  Let people have the freedom to breathe, drink, eat, wear and believe what works for them. We cannot have double standards.  

2. On the other hand, as a Muslim it concerns me, if the translation radicalizes the youth, it messes up the society, it is our duty to protect the rights of all Citizens and ensure safety for all. Put the offenders behind the bars without slapping a religion onto them.

Indeed,  some of the Islamophobia has origins in mis-translations of Quraan.  Check this out -http://www.dallasnews.com/news/columnists/steve-blow/20100919-In-defense-of-Islam-pursuing-9397.ece

Solution

Germany Government can create  a commission to review books that meet public policy and stamp it so, unstamped ones should still be there,  but the public would know the difference and input will cause one to think the difference and may lead to intellectual understanding. If they had checked on the literature, most likely we would not have seen a massacre in Norway. 

Wrong translation of the Quraan is a problem, and only a few subscribe to it. Most Muslims prefer Muhammad Asad's translation.

Mike Ghouse

Koran Giveaway in Germany Has Some Officials Worried

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/17/world/europe/germany-koran-giveaway-worries-officials.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

By MELISSA EDDY and NICHOLAS KULISH

Published: April 16, 2012

BERLIN — A drive by a fundamentalist Muslim group to give a copy of the Koran to every German, Swiss and Austrian household has tapped into the widespread anti-Islamic feeling in Germany and created an uproar among politicians and security officials concerned that the group handing out the holy books is using the campaign as a cover to recruit radicals.

There is nothing illegal about distributing religious works in Germany — it is a frequent practice of Scientologists and Hare Krishnas, not to mention Christians — but officials are worried about who is doing the distributing.

The Koran campaign is the brainchild of Ibrahim Abou-Nagie, a Palestinian who preaches a fiery conservative brand of Islam known as Salafism.

Mr. Abou-Nagie, who has lived in Germany for 30 years, has been on the radar of German security officials since 2005, when he set up a Web site that has been suspected of spreading extremist propaganda. An attempt to prosecute Mr. Abou-Nagie on charges of incitement of religious hatred failed this year.

The campaign to hand out the Korans drew nationwide attention — and widespread condemnation — last week after journalists who had criticized the effort were threatened in an online video. And on Monday, the interior minister in Hesse, a state in central Germany, called Mr. Abou-Nagie and his followers “pied pipers” and said that the danger from radical Islam had reached “a new dimension.”

But Rauf Ceylan, a professor of religious sociology at the University of Osnabrück, said that violent extremists represented “a minority within a minority” and that the discussion of Muslims’ participation in German society should not be focused on Salafists. “Politicians have a great responsibility for communicating the fact that Germany is now an immigration society,” he said, “and thus far they have failed at that.”

The role of Islam in Europe has been fiercely contested in the decade since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Moderate Muslims say that officials’ emphasis on extremist groups and terrorism helps contribute to a climate of fear that can lead to violence, like the killings last summer by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway.

A German security official who did not want to be quoted by name because of the delicacy of the issue said officials were worried that disaffected, directionless young people would be drawn to what he called the Salafists’ simplistic interpretation of the Koran and find inspiration in it for violent acts.

He cited Arid Uka, who opened fire at a bus carrying American airmen at a Frankfurt airport in March 2011, killing two and wounding two others. Mr. Uka, who was born in Kosovo but had lived in Germany since he was a child, said he had become radicalized by reading Web sites, including some linked to Salafist groups in Germany.

On a Web site set up to promote the Koran distribution campaign, Mr. Abou-Nagie said the goal was “to bring Allah’s word to every household.” The campaign began in October 2011.

On Saturday, a stack of Korans sat on a table under a white-topped tent in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz, a crossroads for tourists and shoppers, as several men greeted passers-by and offered them copies.

A few yards away, a handful of protesters stood with signs denouncing Islamic extremism. Two squads of police officers kept watch.

Yannick Salziger-Ouatain said he had heard about the giveaway on the Internet and was simply interested in the book’s contents. “Islam plays such a major role in the general political discussion right now,” he said. “I figured that as a democratic human being, I need to find out more about it and make up my own mind.”

A version of this article appeared in print on April 17, 2012, on page A4 of the New York edition with the headline: Koran Giveaway in Germany Has Some Officials Worried.

Mike

www.MikeGhouse.net

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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 speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, commentator on national radio network, writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and bi monthly at Huffington post, The Smirking Chimp and other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com

Obama contraceptive goof up

I am really surprised by President Obama’s move that he would want to infringe on personal liberties.

As a Muslim, and in behalf of several Muslims, I stand with our Catholic Brothers and Sisters, they should have the choice, and freedom to practice whatever method of birth control they want to pursue.

We are not China to regulate, a man and a woman should choose what is good for him or her and not the government.

Where did he get the idea that contraceptives will be provided free of charge to consumer, is there anything free out there? God is not going to shower the contraceptives on the health insurance companies, if they were to provide, they have to pay for it, and it will be passed on to the employer.

I hope he withdraws this unequivocally. This was my conversation with Sean Hannity on his Radio show today.

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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on the topics of Pluralism, Coexistence, politics, interfaith, Islam and cohesive societies. He is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

Dallas school districts controversial use of religious buildings

Dallas Morning News writes a report on the topic and includes some of my comments in the article following my notes.

The School District’s  decision to hold the commencement ceremonies at churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious buildings without restrictions does not bode well in the long haul.

A few religious places will be generous in their offer; however, it implies an association with that place of worship and carries the baggage in the long haul. What if the new pastor is a bigot and has a problem with gay or lesbian kids or kids of other faiths. It is always the individual that drives the society towards ill-will or goodwill. Why do we need to subject ourselves to such whims?

We are a pluralistic society and deeply want our kids to grow up and interact with the real world out there that comprises people of different faiths, races, ethnicities and sexual orientation. A religious building does not offer such an environment, even with a few exceptions.

The Federal court just rejected a referendum in Oklahoma to ban families from seeking guidance from international or Sharia law to resolve disputes among family members even though 70% of the voters had approved it. In California proposition 5 met the same fate years ago and the Farmers Branch overwhelmingly approved the anti-immigration bill, which is in the courts now.

I would suggest the board members not to vote for this motion; the school will end up squandering money on legal suit rather than children’s education.

As a pluralist, I do welcome this, but since we are still not there we have to hold this off.
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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. A writer, thinker and a speaker and is available to speak on pluralism, politics, Islam, peace, cohesive societies and a variety of topics. Check out 4 websites and 27 Blogs indexed at www.MikeGhouse.net. Current articles at www.TheGhousediary.com
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ACLU warns Dallas ISD against plan to allow graduations at churches
By TAWNELL D. HOBBS Staff Writer thobbs@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20120113-aclu-warns-dallas-isd-against-plan-to-allow-graduations-at-churches.ece
Published: 13 January 2012 12:26 AM

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas is warning Dallas ISD to “tread cautiously” on loosening restrictions to allow graduations at churches and other religious facilities.

Dallas school trustees discussed the proposal at Thursday’s board briefing. Two of eight trustees voiced concern about the plan, which will be considered Jan. 26.
The change would eliminate a clause that prohibits commencement exercises from being held at churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious sites without permission of the superintendent, and only under extenuating circumstances when no other nonreligious facility is available.

District officials said the change is being proposed because some schools have for years been using churches for graduations. The schools, which were not aware they were violating board policy, raised the issue with district administration, they said.
But the ACLU of Texas said in a news release Thursday that it cannot understand why DISD would consider changing what the group calls a “neutral policy.” It also noted that such a change could result in legal proceedings.

“DISD should tread cautiously in this area,” Lisa Graybill, ACLU of Texas’ legal director, warned in the news release. “The current policy provides a safeguard to ensure commencement exercises are held in appropriate, nonsectarian locations where all students, their families, and school personnel feel equally comfortable. Changing the policy could ultimately result in a constitutional challenge and costly litigation.”

The ACLU of Texas also submitted a public information request to the school district, asking for information that includes costs for off-site events and the reason for the proposed change.

Board President Lew Blackburn said that neither he nor school attorneys have a problem with the proposal. Blackburn said that he has attended graduations at churches and that nothing religious occurred.

Several Dallas school trustees, including Bruce Parrott and Carla Ranger, said they were unaware of the ACLU’s misgivings when they discussed the matter at Thursday’s meeting. Parrott and Ranger voiced concerns about the proposal during the discussion.

 pointed to a similar situation that involved the separation of church and state in the Irving school district last year. The ACLU of Texas had contacted that district with questions about a plan to hold graduations at The Potter’s House church. In response, district officials decided against the move.

“We don’t need to be involved with any lawsuit,” Parrott said. “We’ve got a policy; let’s just adhere to the policy.”

Ranger voiced similar concerns.

“We all know there have been problems in other places because of this very issue,” she said. “Removing this would put us in a situation that we don’t want to be in.”
The vast majority of religious leaders contacted Thursday agreed that the school district should not make such a change.

“I would suggest the board members not to vote for this motion; the school will end up squandering money on [a] legal suit rather than children’s education,” Mike Ghouse, a Muslim and president of the Foundation for Pluralism in Dallas, said in an email.

The Rev. Daniel Kanter of First Unitarian Church of Dallas said in an email that “it could make people uncomfortable to have their graduations in a house of worship, and we shouldn’t be putting citizens in that situation.”

He added: “Unfortunately, some people of faith might also have prohibitions about attending events in a house of worship other than theirs.”.

But the Rev. Trey Graham, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Melissa, said in an email that he “applauds the school board” for considering the change. He said the district shouldn’t be deterred by possible legal action by the ACLU.

“The elimination of this restriction makes sense for the school district financially, logistically and relationally,” Graham said. “Financially, school districts can often save money by utilizing church facilities at lower cost than other large meeting places.”
Graham said that his church’s facilities are often used by school, civic and community groups that need meeting space. “We consider the use of our church’s space by outside groups as another way to positively impact our communities,” he said.
Staff writer Holly K. Hacker contributed to this report.

Faith leaders on DISD proposal

Several religious leaders from North Texas, including regular contributors to The Dallas Morning News’ Texas Faith blog, weighed in on a proposal to allow Dallas ISD schools to hold graduation ceremonies in religious facilities. Here are excerpts from their comments:

Ric Dexter, Northeast Texas area leader in SGI-USA, a Buddhist lay organization

“I can’t imagine any religious facility that would be willing to remove or cover over a symbol of their reason for being, simply not to offend some of the graduates. While most Christians would have no problem with a crucifix as a backdrop, I wonder if they would feel as comfortable with Shiva or Buddha overlooking this important moment in their children’s life.”

Trey Graham, senior pastor, First Baptist Church Melissa

“Our church’s facilities, on multiple campuses, are often used by school, civic and community groups who need meeting space at times that do not interfere with our regular church ministries. We consider the use of our church’s space by outside groups as another way to positively impact our communities. The threat of legal action by the ACLU should not deter school board personnel from making this sensible change.”

Katie Sherrod, Episcopal lay leader, Fort Worth

“I don’t know what freedom of religion and freedom from religion is worth, but way too many U.S. soldiers have died to defend those American values. However much money the district might save by using religious buildings doesn’t even come close to being worth sacrificing that. While Christian children and parents might be OK with sitting under an image of the crucified Christ, I doubt it would be comfortable for Jewish children and their parents, given how often the crucifixion has been used as an excuse to persecute Jews. And I’m trying to imagine how some Christians would feel about having their child’s graduation in a mosque.”

Mohamed Elibiary, spokesman, Islamic Asssociation of North Texas/Dallas Central Mosque

“We would advise DISD to slow down its consideration to change the current neutral graduation venue policy and instead launch a broad stakeholders’ feedback effort. It is a fact that some faith communities with larger percentages of new immigrant constituencies will view this policy change as biased towards certain denominations, such as megachurches, with the large facilities to lease to the school district in the first place. Public schools were partially established more than a century ago so that various segments of the American public can find that uniting neutral ground that reminds all that despite numerous differences, we are still all equal Americans, civically speaking.”

Mike Ghouse, a Muslim and president of the Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

“It implies an association with that place of worship and carries the baggage in the long haul. What if the new pastor is a bigot and has a problem with gay or lesbian kids or kids of other faiths? It is always the individual that drives the society towards ill will or goodwill. Why do we need to subject ourselves to such whims?

“We are a pluralistic society and deeply want our kids to grow up and interact with the real world out there that comprises people of different faiths, races, ethnicities and sexual orientation. A religious building does not offer such an environment, even with a few exceptions.”

Holly K. Hacker