Talk at Vedanta Center, Irving

http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2010/11/talk-at-vedanta-center-irving.html
It was a pleasure talking with members of the Vedanta Center, the knowledge society at the Vedanta Center in Irving, Texas organized by Pravrajika Brahmaprana. I have always admired Swami Vivekananda who is the fountain head of the Vedanta – Understanding the Wisdom of Bhagvad Gita and the Hindu Holy scriptures.

I spoke about my Journey into Islam and Pluralism, the concept of pluralism that is embedded in every religion. Every question raises the bar of knowledge for the presenter as well as the audience, and I am grateful for some of the most intellectual questions.

Brahmaprana presented me a book “Living at the source” Yoga teachings of Swami Vivekananda. Before I went to sleep, I opened the book and read the very first sentence, “Everything in the universe is struggling to complete a circle to return to its source, to return to its only source, the self.” Powerful!

The next line was from Mandukya Upanishad, “The is the lord of all, the knower of all, the inner controller. This is the source of all, the beginning and the end of all beings.” The Zoroastrian and Islamic traditions share this, “from the lord we come and to the lord we go” and the Wicca and earth based traditions substitute the word Lord with the word Earth.
While in India, that was one of the thoughts I was swimming in and out of, asking what makes us crave for the childhood food, the desire to see the home you grew up and I did drive by it, the joys of being with the family… the expression “coming home” is amazing. It is finding the comfort, a sense of connection and sense of being oneself. Physically it is like a magnet, the particles from the food, water and air that has made you initially are part of your system that has still the ability to connect with ‘your home magnet”
In the religious context it is subsuming oneself into the large cosmic energy. From God we come and to God we go. Indeed, the talk enhanced my own understanding of the craving for home and the universe around.
My talk centered on the self seeking balance, the crucial part of the creation – the matter is created with a built in balance where as humans are given the free will to seek that elusive balance.

Some six years ago, for two years on my radio show wisdom of religion, all the beautiful religions, Swami Nityananda Prabhu and I discussed Hinduism for over 100 hours, hour a week, as we did with ten other religions.

Mike Ghouse Presides the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other, he has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Questions a few Muslims resist

Do Muslims resist the following questions?

Many a Muslim clergy shy away from answering the following eight questions, in reality the guardians in all religions desist responding to tough questions.

A few Imams and Muslim scholars do not have the guts to speak up and stand up, as they are pandering to their funders. They are not leaders by any means, but caterers in all reality, they are afraid of those who own fatwa factories. By the way, I believe that is the case with people of pulpits in all religions, however the majority of Muslims, like any other majority believe and practice live and let live.

The questions were presented by Mr. Iftekhar Hai and I have responded to them as clearly as I can. My opinions are my own and you are welcome to refute, differ or add to it.

Define believers. Do you consider Jews and Christians as believers?
The answer is in a larger context; believer is an individual who seeks peace for himself and what surrounds him or her through the principles of justness, fairness, truthfulness and respect for the God given life to every member of the creation. The principles of oneness of creation and God imply one world and one God. God has sent a messenger and a peacemaker to every nation and tribe.

Whether it is the Jews, Christians, Hindus, Wiccans, Mayas or any one who subscribes to the idea of oneness of mankind is a believer as the end result is peace, which comes from submission to the idea of oneness of creation; meaning we are all in it together and we have to make it better for every one of us. We cannot be safe when others around us are not.

How do you define Islam? Did it start from Adam and Eve or did it start from our Prophet?

The need for peace was born with the very first humanoids, when competition for available resources was pitching them against each other causing them to live in fear of the other, thus co-existence was a natural outcome. The idea of accountability and responsibility for one’s action became necessary for peaceful co-existence followed by surrenderance of “my ego” and “your ego” to a higher ego that both can subscribe to and abide by.  Islam broadly means peaceful co-existence and submission to a judge and it did start from Adam and Eve.

If Islam means a privately owned club by Muslims and claiming God and his bounties to be exclusively on their side, then it started long after the Prophet. This idea of private club goes against the very essence of ‘rabbul Aalameen (Lord of the universe)’ in the very first sentence of the Quraan and ‘Rahmutul Aalameen (Blessing of the universe)’ describing Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  The prophet said, he is not bringing a new religion, but simply updating the existing ones.

Your way of life is dear to you as mine is to me was a new paradigm in the milestones of history expressly written in Sura Kafirun heralding a new era in accepting the otherness of others without denigrating the other.

It is human to make Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or other religions one’s personal property, it is human to own the prophets and chain the holy books to their private club. By claiming ownership rights to a religion, we are stripping the universality of that religion and creating boundaries around it and excluding others. The very boundaries religions formed to remove.

What are the criteria for going to Heaven? Can you quote authentic sources?

Private club membership sets narrower rules to have access to the property. Heaven is not a private club; it is God’s place, the universal God and not my God or privately owned God by you. Quraan could not be clearer than saying, “those who are Jews, Christians and others need not worry about my grace” those who do good need not worry, he knows what is best. Prophet defines what is best (good deed) as an act that benefits God’s creation like planting a sapling that would give shade or fruit to some one else upon its maturity. The prayers are for the individual to benefit where as serving the humanity is serving the creator.

Allah is the master of the Day of Judgment and he alone reserves the right to judge. There are numerous examples where Prophet had asked people not to be judgmental on the issues of faith (as faith is one of the motivators of morality and conduct) because he alone knows what is one’s heart. Our physical acts are not always the reflection of what is in our hearts.

[2:62] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

Define the word KAFIR. Do you consider people of other faiths who believe in God as Kafirs?

Kafir is some one who has his own private agenda; his motivation is himself or his clan. He does not subscribe to oneness of creation or peaceful co-existence, he or she denies  the universality of God or oneness of God, oneness of accountability in messing up the social balance. Hinduism has a beautiful phrase for it Vasudeva Kutumbakam, we are all part of one family, one creator or one causer of what we witness, imagine and see.

This may be a stretch to some, but ultimately, even the Atheist who does not subscribe to religious version of God –(containable in scope, definable, collapsible to a word or imaginable) cannot be called a Kafir – as he is not denying the need to have one world, a world of equilibrium and respect for the genetic individuality of humans.  

God wants his creation to live in harmony, he has intentionally created each one of us to be unique, and we have our own unique thumb prints and unique DNA. Just as a Chef wants his food to be enjoyed by every customer, as mother wants her children to get along, God wants us all to get along and to get to know each other. The words in Quraan 49:13 are powerful. If we make God truly a Rabbul Aalameen, then everyone who subscribes to the idea that we have to get along and we have to co-exist in harmony, we will not be calling one a Kafir whether he or she is a Christian, Hindu, Jew, Sikh or an Atheist.

Please ponder over this, the “me and my interest” in us wants to deny others the same values, but when we uplift ourselves to be a common citizen of God who is all pervasive, omniscient and omnipotent, we will embrace every individual thumbprint.

Does Quran supersede all other previous scriptures? What are the reasons?

Quraan as we Muslims believe is the capstone, the final touch to co-existence; it is a book of guidance with a belief in one abstract God as opposed to privately owned multiple Gods in conflicts with each other. It is an inclusive and a comprehensive document for all to be had.

If we own it exclusively, then we take away its universality, and if we denigrate other scriptures we take away its comprehensiveness and completeness. Quraan has everything one needs to know to lead a peaceful life and peaceful societies, just as other books have everything one can understand to live a peaceful life as well. The issue is ownership – do you own it? If you do, then others don’t as ownership is exclusive. Does God give you the authority to shove it down others throats? There isn’t any compulsion in what one believes (2:256).

Is there Pluralism in Quran?

Islam is indeed a pluralistic faith and imbues a sense of humility and ideals of equality of humankind. These values are embedded in its rituals practices.

Quraan states that all people harvest their own deeds, and no one shall bear the burden of other.

Indeed Quraan is a document for creating peaceful societies, it addresses the whole humanity and not a specific group, and it continuously regards the existence of other nations, other tribes and other communities and teaches to share your ideals, and if they do not subscribe to it, respectfully accept the otherness of other (Sura Kafirun - http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/07/sura-kafirun-un-believers.html  )

Qur'aan starts with the word "God of Universe" (not necessarily Muslims) and ends with "Humankind" (and again not Muslims). As such it is understood that God, the cause behind creation of life and matter belongs to all of us. No one owns him (her or it) nor does does one group have an exclusive favors over the other. The creator will offer equal opportunities to all and will not sign a deal behind one's back with the other.

Al-Fatiha (The Opening) 1:2 All praise is due to God alone, the Sustainer of all the worlds, [2]
الْعَالَمِي الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبّ

An-Nas (The Mankind) 114:1 SAY: "I seek refuge with the Sustainer of men,
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ (114:1

We have a monumental task to repair the World, and we will do our part in working towards a World of co-existence, one person at a time. We are committed, and now help us God. Amen.

Islam teaches one to be non-judgmental, and consistently encourages individuals to do good. It emphasizes about individual responsibility towards the peace and security of society at large.

He fashioned each one of you--and each one of you is beautiful. To God you will all return. He knows all that the heavens and the earth contain. He knows all that you hide and all that you reveal. He knows your deepest thoughts. http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/WorldMuslimCongress/Articles/Mission-Statement.asp  

[49:13] O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant.

[2:136] Say, "We believe in GOD, and in what was sent down to us, and in what was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs; and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and all the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them. To Him alone we are submitters."

[17:33] You shall not kill any person - for GOD has made life sacred - except in the course of justice. If one is killed unjustly, then we give his heir authority to enforce justice. Thus, he shall not exceed the limits in avenging the murder, he will be helped.

[4:29] O you who believe, do not consume each others' properties illicitly - only mutually acceptable transactions are permitted. You shall not kill yourselves. GOD is Merciful towards you.

[4:152] As for those who believe in GOD and His messengers, and make no distinction among them, He will grant them their recompense. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

[22:17] Those who believe, those who are Jewish, the converts, the Christians, the Zoroastrians, and the idol worshipers, GOD is the One who will judge among them on the Day of Resurrection. GOD witnesses all things.

Does Quran encourage Democracy?

The human desire to monopolize World resources is the root cause of all evil. The pockets of anarchy and problems of the world are born out of fear and insecurities of evil men. Religion is not the source of wars or conflict. In fact, Religion is the best Gift humans have received from God, without which the World would be chaotic.

“No wonder that democracy does not find any foothold in nations that discriminates between believers and non-believers, men and women, masters and slaves and even slaves white, brown and black.” Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said nearly the same words in his last sermon "No man is superior to the other; all are equal beings in the eyes of God. All religions including Islam came into being to make us better beings and create better societies. Most of the people get it, and some don’t.

The Madinah pact, prescribes the rights of its Citizens and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the signatory to it as the head of the City State. It was an all inclusive agreement between the Jews, Christians, Sabeans, Quraish, Muslims and other tribes for a peaceful co-existence. An example was set for a pluralistic society in documenting the rights of individuals. Perhaps it was the first historical document that included diverse people with freedom to practice what they believe. The Word Ummah was used in the document to mean all residents of the City.

There is an example where Prophet removed a part of his signature which read, “Muhammad the prophet of God” and substituted with “Muhammad, son of Abdullah” as the conflicting party did not believe that he was the Prophet. Think about it, if that document is secular or religious?

Research is warranted – where I believe prophet was a secular governor, rather a pluralistic governor than an Islamic governor. The two examples above lend to that idea. Jews and Christians had their own laws under his “Civic” governance. You and I know, most Muslims shy away from this topic – due to harassment from the few. May be the word Kafir applies to them for not wanting to seek the possible truth.

Dr. Abdul Aziz Sachedina has written a monumental book of roots of democracy in Islam, it is worth reading and sharing.

Most of the Constitutions of the world have adopted Secularism as a policy. What is the Quran's position?

What do you think the Madinah pact did? Jews had their own laws to be governed by, Christians their own and in India, Hindus had their own rules as the Parsees, Jains, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhists. Didn’t Quraan permit this?

Mike Presides the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other, he has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/  

GOOD TO BE HOME, An enriching experience in India

The greatest lesson my mother left for me and all of my family was a legacy of tying lose ends of the  life on a regular basis, no one knows when we croak, so let's learn to ask for forgiveness and forgive those who may have hurt intentionally or unintentionally. The idea is to attain peace of mind piece by piece continuosly and regularly.

When our turn comes to go, let's go in peace…nothing ought to bothers us anymore… we should not die in misery of wanting,  of wishing or of incompleteness. I have seen my mother go in peace as if she had completed every thing, done everything and there was nothing more to do... she and my late wife were ready to go on their next journey.

In their last few days, both of them were free from anxiety and it showed up on their faces through their smiles, the smiles became permanently set on their faces as they marched on to their permanent address. I have come to value and cherish that, both of them had one thing in common.... they forgave and sought forgiveness from every one they knew. Indeed forgiveness brings freedom to the forgiver…. It is one of the most powerful acts one can do. The Jain (of Jainism) tradition has a beautiful phrase known as “Michami Dukadam” simply meaning – reviving the relationships with a clean slate. I urge you to exercise your power of forgiveness with your family, friends, colleagues and associates.

Forgiveness is the central piece of Christianity and one of the critical aspects of Islam, as Quraan states God loves the forgiver the most. Indeed, every religion emphasizes on the aspect of forgiveness and I have written about it in one of my earlier writings on Pluralism.

It was home being with my sister, brothers and their families, nieces and nephews in Bangalore, and home again being around with my kids and the wife here in Dallas. Indeed, it was my first real Eid (Bakrid / Eid ul Adha) after nearly 32 years.  It was a delight to be with Shariff and his sisters with their families. It was a pleasure to be with my uncle Aman Mamu.  I had 11 days in all and wish I had made the time to spend one on one with every member of my family and friends; and had met my uncles and aunts and cousins.  God willing I will do that on my next visit. … Connecting with the family members and catching up with them is a good therapy.

My niece Tamanna cooked every possible favorite dish of mine she can… it was a food heaven to me. By the way with all that food, I did not gain a pound, rather lost three pounds in my 11 days stay there. My sister in law Mumtaz cooked one of my Mom's favorite dishes - lamb chops and it was delicious, and Seema, my other sister in law had Romali roti and I loved that too. I wish I had more time to enjoy all that good food every one wanted to cook...
I left Bangalore 7:50 AM on Friday, and arrived at 11:50 PM CST Friday in Dallas. (10:50 AM Saturday in Bangalore) - A total of 27 Hours of time with 2 hours and 5 hours of wait in Chicago and London respectively. Going to Bangalore was in 24 hours of time with nearly 36 hours on the calendar and four hours of wait time in London.

The one on one’s with my brother in law Noorda,  sister Dilshad, brother Shan, nephew Tanveer  and niece Tamanna was soulful, I wish I had done that with brothers Kalim and Farooq and their spouses and kids, Ehsan, Tayab, Ahmed, Shaista, Meraj and the younger ones Afsana, Farah and Aamir. I see some of me in Ehsan and I really wanted to spend time with him… and I intend to do that.  God willing we will have a family reunion in March 2012 where we all go to a retreat, leave the cell phones and businesses behind and spend time together.  Farooq and his family went to Hajj, and I am very happy for him to perform the pilgrimage.

Thanks to Jeff, my son who fulfilled much of my shortcomings by staying with the family for nearly three months. I felt he fulfilled my obligations. It was so good to be with him with the family, and we were able to catch up with a few things nearly every morning. He appraised me and reminded me to come home and I did and I am happy to have done that. The first time I went home after 14 years almost like the legendary Banvas by Shri Rama, and then I went every two years and again did not go in a long while. I hope to visit every two years for the rest of my life now.

On the last night of my stay, we were all able to pray together for the wellbeing of our family, friends and the world and I asked each one of them to forgive me, and forgave each one. Walking out with a clean slate is incredibly peaceful. My younger brother Shan was about to say that there was nothing to forgive or worry, but he accepted my counter when I said, he would get even with me with a sarcastic comment if I were in an vulnerable moment and that cleaned our slates. Justice and fairness guarantees peace of mind, and we all blow it at some point in our lives and the restoration comes from forgiveness.

PURPOSEFUL MEETING

Dr. Shariff initiated a purposeful meeting in Bangalore, organized by Aga Sultan and Zameer Pasha, and attended by nearly 120 key intellectuals of Bangalore Muslims and Hindus – the topic was building cohesive societies and the work needed to be done towards it. Plans are being reviewed to organize two events similar to the Unity day (www.Unitydayusa.com  ) and the Quraan Conference (www.Quraanconference.com  ). The effort is to contribute towards building a cohesive India. I admire the desire and efforts of Mr. Zameer Pasha and Mr. Aga Sultan and other Citizens … and I was thrilled to see the desire among Muslims to do so much good to their nation – them in India and many of us here in America.  I could not contain my joy to see that cohesiveness in-action while driving and being pointed out by Shariff and observing people of different traditions working together in harmony. Much of my joy outside of my family came from these observations… India is blessed with the ethos of pluralism and co-existence, it is an Indian tradition as well as a Muslim tradition that I am pleased to import and flourish in America with all my energy. I hope to go back to Bangalore to attend those conferences and be a part of the catalytic team in enhancing and enriching India’s traditions of co-existence and perhaps a few talks on the social cohesion in governance and public undertakings.

While in Bangalore, I interveiwed with My Bangalore web portal and went on  Sean Hannity's Radio show. Interestinly Sean was thrilled that I agreed with him about airport security and the need to put every one through it indiscriminately. He thought I chased Obama out of India.
My friend Shariff and I grew out from nothingness in 1968 to becoming activists of Pluralism today, a friendship of nearly 42 years.  He has a national stature and is well respected through out India for his expertise on demographics, food security, communal (social) harmony, poverty and fiscal policies of the nation. He was rated among the top 50 Economists in India.

My cousin Syed Shafiulla and I always carry on conversations on the society and I am very proud of him to have made it all on his own, and he has done it very well. He is a prime candidate for an MLA or an MP (congressman), he is the VP for the State’s Janata Dal Party and he is in the community (all communities) promoting social harmony and co-existence. We both are doing similar work in different places.

I am blessed to have the national presence in America in the spheres of Pluralism, Interfaith and Islam, and have missed appointment to diplomatic missions representing America. I am pleased to have a representative voice for the moderates in America and thanks to the TV networks and Radios for giving me the opportunity to find pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. I hope to form the “Moderate Majority” for building a cohesive America.
Visited my brother Shan’s house under construction, it was amazing to see a spacious 4 bedroom house on a 30x15 lot with one car Garage and space for parking two two-wheelers. The ground floor has a living room and the 2nd floor has a kitchen and the master with the stairs dividing the rooms, one above had two bedrooms for the kids and on the fourth floor – he called it a ‘pent house for me’ with a balcony. This would be for us; Yasmeen, Jeff, Fern and Mina when we visit there.  I was really floored with that thoughtfulness.

Later on we drove through several streets, literally every street has a home designed by him – I am pleased to see the symmetry and the fine lines, and the details he applies to each home, no home was alike. He has done something remarkable for Bangalore in the middle income range, no one, yes no one ever uses an architect, they just call the contractor and tell him to copy a house they have seen. He has created that niche for himself and people feel the need to use an Architect to design the house.

I hope someday, he can visit Rome to see the best in Architecture and symmetry and I want to be with him… we have a similar eye for what a beautiful house ought to look. I have taken pictures of one of the houses and will post it in a few days.  He has designed the offices with fire, electrical and other codes for IBM, Microsoft and all the big international names – all over India.

My sister and her family have done an amazing job in building their home, the house stands out on the street in Jakkur, clean lines and nice looking. Tanveer my nephew has done a remarkable job in furnishing the house and choosing the color scheme. I am grateful to them for building a room replete with western amenities for us. Jeff stayed there, then I did, and now when Yasmeen and I visit it is for us. I guess it is good to be an older brother to be showered by so much affection.

Ehsan, my nephew will be rebuilding my website – www.mikeghouse.net to be interactive. He showed me a few sites he has built and I hope it will be done by the end of this year.  He and I have things in common, I see myself in him when I was his age and I foresee a great future for him. He is doing very well with the Real Estate Services in my brothers firm Bangalore City Homes – doing full real estate services.

Ah, Shan and I were having a one on one time at Cafe Coffee day - sort of starbucks in India, the waitress dropped Chutney on his pants - I watched the episode in awe! He was calm, there was no anger on his face, instead he 'asked' her to bring napkins to clean it up. It was the same guy who would have thrashed her a decade ago. She was apologetic and he said something beautiful.. he said he looked at her as if she were his daughter and treated her as if it were her. Shan, I am proud of you my brother, that is the mature behavior and that is what maturity should bring in all of us - to mitigate conflicts.

My nephew Tanveer displayed remarkable confidence in his approach to life, he is only 27, but confident. Tamanna and my Sister are an incredible daughter and mother team, their relationship is so beautiful and nurtuting and caring... and they were so calm and collected in their discussions. Tamanna has unbelievable innnocence about her, good lord has programmed her to be a genuinely caring person. I wish I had more time to write about them all; beautiful people.  My gratitude goes to my Son for insisting me to come home.
There was so much more I wanted to do in Bangalore... oh well, that is a lot in 9 days, as two days went in getting my stomach set right.  I know Yasmeen would have enjoyed being the family and shopping for all the Sarees she wanted and eating all the Masala Dosas Tamanna would have cooked.

I was 191 pounds when I reached Bangalore and 188 when I left, I will be probably 187 tomorrow morning.. and hope to get down to 175 by March 2011. Thanks to Yasmeen for encouraging me to lose weight. The formula is simple - eat about 10% less, cut down on the potato, red meat, wheat and rice. I am about to write a poem about resisting food, dancing infront of the desserts, making faces at them and not eating them, while the dessert is crying out loud " eat me, eat me" and I will say, no thanks, I will take your picture.. and sing the song "Mera man tera pyaasa".. I will post it on face book... I have done that many a times and I have a few pictures from the trip, which I will post with the poem.

My favorite foods were all indigenous foods, some of them are my family dishes and Kofta/P...aratha, Biryani, Curries from Veggies, Masala Dosa... and I completely resisted eating desserts... although I tasted a tiny part of them.

Went to pray in Yelahanka Mosque for the Eid prayers, as it was raining outside... and got to meet people I have not seen  in over 40 years, I thank God for popping their names as we approached and cited each other. There was Verappa Moilly, the Federal Minister for Law addressing the congregation accompanied by Markandiah - I wanted to say hello to them but they were crowded in. Did not get to see some my old friends like Murthy, Chidanand and others.

God bless us with positive attitudes and peace making instincts. The Peace and security of individuals and nations hinges on how peaceful and safe others around us are, it is in our interest to create peace for others first, then security comes to all of us. I cannot be secure when others around me are not.

Mike Ghouse runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media offering pluralistic solutions to the issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a peace activist. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/  

TEXAS FAITH: Was Oklahoma out of line with Sharia amendment?

TEXAS FAITH: Was Oklahoma out of line with Sharia amendment? 
Nov 16, 2010  | Dallas Morning News

Sam Hodges

Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly passed an amendment to their state constitution prohibiting state courts from considering international or Islamic law, also known as Sharia, when deciding cases.

But on Monday, U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange issued a temporary restraining preventing the state's election board from certifying the results of the vote.

According to the Associated Press, the measure's sponsor, Rep. Rex Duncan, said the amendment was not an attack on Muslims but an effort to prevent activist judges from relying on international law or Islamic law in deciding cases.

 But Muneer Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Oklahoma and filer of the lawsuit before Miles-LaGrange, said the measure transforms the state constitution into "an enduring condemnation" of Islam.

About 20,000 to 30,000 Muslims live in the state, according to the AP.

Is Oklahoma out of line with such an amendment or is the federal judge erring by delaying, for now, its implementation? And, briefly, why?

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The Oklahoma referendum on Sharia is simply gratuitous and one of the best examples of politicians duping the public.

Getting the public to be riled up against something that ain't there is the ploy the politicians have been using. Many a times they succeed and the responsibility falls on our shoulders to wake the public up to such abuses.

The reason the Oklahoma law is gratuitous is because Muslims in America value the laws of our nation. They strongly feel that the American laws serve the very justice they seek, and they do not seek or ask for sharia law in America. Even if a few ask for it, statistically they are insignificant.

For Full report- http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/11/texas-faith-was-oklahoma-out-o.html

TEXAS FAITH: How do you view God?

TEXAS FAITH: How do you view God?
Nov 09, 2010 | Dallas Morning News

William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist     

In their new book, America's Four Gods, Baylor professors Paul Froese and Christopher Bader claim that America's cultural diversity goes back to our competing views of God. There is the engaged, judging Authoritative God; the loving, supportive Benevolent God; the observant but not punishing Critical God; and the stand-apart Distant God.

In essence, we are at war over who God is, which leads to this week's question:.

How do you view God?

Do you fit into one of those four categories? A blend of them? Something quite different than these categories? Or do you not see God at all?

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, DallasHas God created us in his image or have we created God in our own image? This new paradigm is gaining currency and it is worth looking into.
There are nearly seven billion of us and each one of has his or her own idea of God on a personal level. We have given gender to that elusive creator and we have come to believe he is one, many or none.
The new paradigm incorporates different perceptions of that creator, and we are limited by our references in terms of our senses and imagination. Having journeyed through atheism and agnosticism to Islamic pluralism, I have come to believe that God is not an entity, nor is it a being, and as such I have hard time collapsing God in to a word, an image or even to describe it conclusively.
I am closer to the idea of a stand-apart distant God and here is my reason. No matter which theory we subscribe to -- evolution, creation or the big bang theory -- the fact is that we exist and are real. When it all began two major things came out of it: Matter and Life.
Matter was programmed to find its own balance and every piece of matter in the universe has its own built-in balance. Whether it is Jupiter, Mars, Earth or the Moon, each one is hung precisely and runs its course on a pre-designed program.
When the question of life arises, we were not put on a trajectory nor were we placed on a pre-determined course. Instead we were given the free will to find our own balance. Our model is the Universe where each item respects other items' space and existence, and if we can replicate that model, we will be in peace and balance.
God is energy to me, a distant stand-apart God is my perception and we have the responsibility to attain that balance, and it comes from internalizing the social norms of an equilibrimic society. God is about finding balance for oneself and what surrounds one; life and environment.

For other views, please go to:

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/11/texas-faith-how-do-you-view-go.html

TEXAS FAITH: Why does fear sell on the campaign trail?

TEXAS FAITH: Why does fear sell on the campaign trail?
Nov 02, 2010 | | Dallas Morning News

William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist 

By the time this Texas Faith question is posted on Tuesday, voters will be at the polls and the election outcome will be only a few hours away. Americans will soon know who controls one or more houses of Congress. Plus, Texans will know who will serve as their governor for the next four years.

Of course, this was another election during which fear played a big role. Nationally, Democrats  tried to scare voters into thinking Republicans were going to mess with their Social Security and Republicans tried to demonize President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  . In Texas, Republicans tried to scare voters into thinking Bill White was weak on illegal immigrants, while Democrats tried to paint Rick Perry as a man who was in love with power.

Putting aside your own political views, which perhaps lead you to agree with some of these claims, help the rest of us understand why this point: Why does fear play such a big role in our elections?

For example, is there something deep within our psyches and/or souls that responds to fear, perhaps in a way that we are unaware? Or is it that fear sells and strategists know it? Or is it something else?

I'm sure we'd all like to think elections play to our better angels. But they often don't. Help us understand why.

Read on for some very interesting replies, including ideas about how the brain works.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, DallasFear has been ingrained into our psyche from the moment we had a chance to life. Darwin proclaimed the universal truth, "Survival of the fittest," though his reference was to survival of the species; it is indeed applicable in political, social, religious, cultural and other contexts.

Our journey began fighting for life with millions of fellow sperms who competed with us, every one of them withered. You and I have survived and made it to the end, to the egg and to the point of reading this note. Thus our DNA is stamped with fear. We must have been the fittest of all the millions of sperms to have survived to share our story.

The fear of elimination continues and we will be competing for just about everything in life; attention from loved ones to converting others to our point of view to gaining a majority in the Senate or House.

Fear is tapped by both the right and left among politicians to attain a sense of security and to preserve the values they espouse to work for the society. If moderates were to reign, co-existence rather than fear would play a key role in the elections.

The right wingers fear erosion of their values or at worst an end to their 'normal' life. They have become adept in cranking up imaginary fears and then assuring with 'fake' confidence that "we will fix it," thereby giving hope to the 'frightened ones". The net result is often no real change.

The left perceives the same threat to their freedom and liberties. They seek change and venture into the unknown territory of experimentation, often giving doubtful confidence. They frighten the right, netting in a zero result.

Religion uplifts one from sheer animal instincts to figure out co-existence. Most people get the religion right and a few don't. Those who get it right find deprogramming of their fears in achieving Nirvana, Moksha, Nijaat,Mukti, Salbation or freedom.

Those who don't get it right, live in eternal anxiety. Religion underwrites protection for the vulnerable moments and works as insurance that blankets us all in a safety net.

We need to understand that our security does not hinge on big corporations, Republicans or Democrats but sane individuals who can balance the budget, create jobs and prevent wars. We need to demand commitments from the politicians and hold them accountable for their focus on the well being of Americans for today, tomorrow and for the next seven generations. As Americans, our loyalty should be to our system of governance and not to the parties and we can truly make this government of people for the people by us. Let your vote count, vote today

For full report: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/11/texas-faith-why-does-fear-sell.html

TEXAS FAITH: Does firing Juan Williams improve our understanding of religious diversity?

TEXAS FAITH: Does firing Juan Williams improve our understanding of religious diversity?
Oct 26, 2010 | | Dallas Morning News

Wayne Slater/Reporter  
 

When NPR  fired veteran news analyst Juan Williams this week, it caused a firestorm. Muslim groups were outraged by Williams' comments on Fox News that he gets nervous when he sees people in Muslim attire on airplanes. But conservatives and some liberals said Williams was just voicing an honest - if irrational - emotion shared by lots of people in the wake of 9/11. Moreover, in the same interview Williams made it clear that it's wrong to blame an entire religious group because of the actions of a handful of extremists.

Still, NPR said Williams, a news analyst, had violated the network's standards, which are designed to keep employees from publicly expressing personal opinions in ways that might jeopardize the network's impartiality.

Let's assume that NPR had a right to fire Williams. Maybe it did. But the question is whether we're better off because it did. Bigoted diatribes are one thing. But what Williams said, in its full context, is more balanced than a single soundbite - and it reflects the thorny, often emotionally driven debate over religious diversity in a post-9/11 world. Shouldn't we be encouraging an open expression of ideas in this very public debate? Do we improve our understanding of each other by declaring that some things must not be spoken?

That's this week's question: Are we better off by forbidding some views, some beliefs - however ill-expressed - in an honest discussion of America's view of Islam?

Some provocative answers by the Texas Faith panel. Keep reading.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

No, we are not better off forbidding any view however ill-expressed in an honest discussion of America's view of Islam. Neither God nor religion should be free from any critical study including Islam and Quraan. Yes, I am a Muslim, and like most Muslims I will defend that freedom to the core.
Indeed, the freedom of speech must be guarded and defended at any cost, that is the only thing that sets us apart from animals to find solutions through a civil dialogue instead of locking in the horns. The truth ultimately triumphs over every thing else and most certainly it is sustainable; Mahatma Gandhi called it "Satyameva Jayate". However to have the moral courage to defend that freedom, its application must be universal and not selective.
The issue is not forbidding some views; it is rather giving all views an equal opportunity. Had we not had restrictions against racial slurs, anti-Semitism, Holocaust Denial and discrimination against women, we would not have come this far. As a civil society, we have ways to go and God willing we will.
The phobias and fears of the vociferous few must be addressed and a fair play in bringing every one up on a level playing field ensures long term stability. We owe it to ourselves to build cohesive societies by separating the myth from reality.
Fear of the strangers is not new, I am sure there are people who get frightened with the "Muslim garbs" and perhaps most of them ignore it as their own bias and move on with life doing their inner Jihad in similar situations. But when a public figure makes a statement it reinforces such bias, we need to guard that in the interests of public safety.
After fueling the bias, Mr. Williams chose not to allay the fears of the public whether one wears a Muslim garb or not, every one goes through the same security checks to ensure safety of every passenger. I rather trust the Airlines and the homeland security than Mr. Williams.
By the way, there is no such thing as a Muslim garb, just as there is no Christian garb unless one's ability to see is blinded and biased; we come in all shapes, ethnicities, races, colors and clothes. Let's see what Halloween brings this season.
Pastor Jeffress of Southern Baptist Church called Islam an evil religion and the holy book of Muslims a false book written by a false prophet, thank God for America, every one has the right to free speech and as a Muslim I will defend his right.
However, we have to challenge our own integrity to tell the truth. My offer to Pastor Jeffress remains simple, a copy of the Quraan will be presented to him and asked to find at least three evil things in it, and if he does, I will join his congregation, what else can one offer? Fox News interviewed both of us, but did not present my full interview, on top of it, not only his full interview was listed but was announced on their site, mine was not, I even produced a video, which they chose not to post. Is that level playing field?
To build cohesive societies, where no American has to live in fear of the other, we have scheduled a conference on Sunday December 5, 2010; it is about Quraan, separating the myths from reality. Details are at www.QuraanConference.com.
I was in another congregation where they were showing a documentary loaded with blatant falsities about Islam which I have written in a report. The congregation was anguished and had questions which I offered to answer, but the movie producer did not allow another point of view. Thank God the entire congregations yelled in unison, "give him the microphone" and at least people got to hear a sampling of another point of view.
As a citizen who has stood up for every American, I am pleased to acknowledge that Dallas Morning News has been justly fulfilling its Journalistic responsibilities to the public and to the nation by presenting different points of view.

Other opinions at: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/10/does-the-firing-of-juan-willia.html

TEXAS FAITH: Should Christians (and other non-Hindus) beware of yoga?

TEXAS FAITH: Should Christians (and other non-Hindus) beware of yoga? 
Oct 19, 2010 - Dallas Morning News 

Sam Hodges/Reporter   

Here's what we posed this week to the Texas Faith panel:

The president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Albert Mohler, caused a stir with a recent column decrying the practice of yoga by Christians. He did a follow-up, not backing down, but noting the fierce reaction to his original piece.

Mohler wrote the column after reading Stefanie Syman's book The Subtle Body: The Story of Yoga in America, which describes how yoga has been adapted and secularized here.

Mohler concluded the column this way: "Christians who practice yoga are embracing, or at minimum flirting with, a spiritual practice that threatens to transform their own spiritual lives into a `post-Christian, spiritually polyglot' reality. Should any Christian willingly risk that?"

If you agree with Mohler, why? If you don't, do you see anything objectionable about how a Hindu spiritual practice has morphed into something quite commercial and secular in this country - including "power yoga" and "hot yoga"? Are there cautions you would give to Westerners who want to borrow from non-Western religious traditions?

Or should everyone, including Al Mohler, just limber up and chill out?

After the jump, you'll find the panelists' responses:

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Mohler seems to be threatened by the popularity of yoga, a beautiful practice to bring composure to oneself. He is obsessed with the idea that yoga is a bait to lure his congregation away into "a spiritual practice that threatens to transform their own spiritual lives into a `post-Christian, spiritually polyglot' reality", and then he asks, "Should any Christian willingly risk that?" How mistaken can one be? Yoga is not a mutually exclusive practice, nor is it a religion; it is indeed a catalyst in achieving the union of mind and body that is central to all spirituality.
A similar call was made in Malaysia a year ago. The Muslim clerics said yoga was Hinduizing their faith and wanted to ban the practice. Likewise, the radicals among Hindus routinely vandalize stores that sell Valentine cards, claiming that is an invasion of their culture.
The insecurity of self-proclaimed guardians of faith is exhibited by their desire to keep a tighter leash on their followers without realizing that humans are born to be free.
When you are scattered with too many things in a given moment, you take a break, have a cup of coffee, go for a walk, meditate or make a list. This act of refreshing oneself is called yoga, getting your act together, bringing your body and mind together to function well.
Yoga is neither Christian nor Hindu; it is a beautiful gift that originated in India for the benefit of mankind.

Other opinions at - http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/10/texas-faith-should-non-hindus.html

TEXAS FAITH: Why do our faiths shape some political views, but not others?

TEXAS FAITH: Why do our faiths shape some political views, but not others?
Oct 12, 2010  Dallas Morning News

William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist      

  We have heard plenty in recent years about how people of faith are getting involved in politics. From the Rev. Jim Wallis on the left to the Rev. Richard Land on the right, faith leaders are now a regular part of our political equation. What's more, the voting patterns of people who take their faith seriously are followed closely by such analysts as John Green of the University of Akron.

But here's an interesting finding by the Pew Forum for Religion & Public Life, one organization that follows the political decisions of religiously-minded voters:

 In a poll last month, Pew found that while many say their religious beliefs greatly influence their views about social issues like same-sex marriage and abortion, religion matters much less when it comes to their opinions about issues like immigration and the environment.

Here are some high points from the survey:

!. "Despite the fact that many religious leaders have been outspoken advocates for immigration reform, just 7% of adults who take a position on immigration say that religion is the most important influence on their views on this issue. About one-in-four churchgoers (24%) say the clergy at their places of worship have spoken out about immigration, nearly the same as in 2006. About half of those who hear about immigration in church say their clergy are favorable to immigrants and immigration, but nearly one-quarter are hearing anti-immigration messages."

2. "In contrast with the issue of immigration, 35% say religion is the top influence on their thinking about same-sex marriage, including fully 60% among those who oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally. More than four-in-ten (44%) hear clergy speak out about homosexuality in church, with the overwhelming majority hearing negative messages about homosexuality. On the issue of abortion, 26% overall say religion is the most important influence on their opinion, including 45% among abortion opponents."

Of course, no one expects a religious faith to shape your views on, say, transportation issues. But this report gets into areas where it's very likely that one's faith would have an influence.

With that setup in mind, here's this week question:

Why would there be such a divide between where one's faith informs their views?

Read on to see what our panel has to say and to share your comments.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas
A causal relationship exists between what one hears from the pulpit and his/her disposition towards the issues reflected in the survey. Causal relationships exist when one variable causes a change in another variable.

In the segment of survey where religion matters most, conservative positions on same sex marriage and abortion are 60% and 45% respectively, whereas their numbers go south on issues like death penalty, government assistance to poor, immigration and environment.
The survey seems to confirm one's proclivities towards declarative statements jumping out of the pulpits towards same sex marriage and abortion, whereas the numbers fall when there are no specific positions taken on issues like immigration or environment in the scriptures. If other faith traditions were included in the survey, the attitudes would have been similar.

An element of hypocrisy is embedded in what is conveyed from the pulpit. An excessive emphasis is placed on homosexuality which the scriptures do not "appear" to favor, but that is not the only item that is disfavored. An equally strong punishment is prescribed for adultery and incest which are down played by the clergy as though they don't exist.

There are severe gaps in the immigration variable, even though the clergy is speaking favorably. Since only half of those who hear the clergy mention it, there is a loss in the communication of the message or its intensity.

The liberal opposition to death penalty sticks out with 32 points in contrast with 13 points with the conservatives. Here again, liberals value life above the conservatives whose opinions are influenced by an eye for an eye, over and above the forgiveness component of the equation.

There is something amazing that jumps out of this survey. That is the treatment of life and non-life issues.
There is a positive correlation between procreation of life and opposition to homosexuality, abortion and death penalty, whereas the response on non-life topics like environment, government assistance or immigration is negative.

To build cohesive societies we need to be truthful and resist the temptations to make devils out of other people, it is in our interests to take out the imaginary conflicts and deal with the real conflicts of space, sustenance and nurturance.

Other Opinions at - http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/10/texas-faith-why-do-our-faiths.html

TEXAS FAITH: Why is there such a lack of religious knowledge?

TEXAS FAITH: Why is there such a lack of religious knowledge? 
Oct 05, 2010 | Dallas Morning News

William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist  

A recent survey by the Pew Forum for Religion & Public Life offered up some counter-intuitive findings. Among them, agnostics and atheists scored the highest of all respondents to the survey of religious knowledge. Not far behind were Jews and Mormons, so it wasn't that no faith tradition scored well on the 32-question quiz. But the findings did show that Protestants and Catholics particularly lacked a good understanding of religion in general. Mainline Protestants, for example, averaged correct answers only about half the time. The same was true for white Catholics

No one who teaches theology, leads a house of worship, or takes their faith seriously can like the numbers in that poll, even if your own tradition did okay. In general, the report shows a lack of religious knowledge among quite a few people of faith.

So, here's this week's question:

Although there are some exceptions, a wide of range of people of faith apparently don't possess a deep knowledge about religion in general. Why is this?

Read on for the answers from a wide range of our panel.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas
The shallowness of religious knowledge can be attributed to the immediate gratification syndrome, which can lead one to be satisfied with quick fixes and shy away from seeking deeper knowledge about religion. Many people are content with simple answers to questions like "Mom where did we come from?" "What is the bottom line?" "Am I saved?" They are happy with the instant meals.
With the advent of religion, men and women considered it a sacred duty to guide the lost souls. Gradually, the duty settled into the dominion of "professional clergy". As more divisions and religions formed, it became a competitive business and it was in the self interest of the clergy to guard their congregation from dispersing into other "mumbo jumbo" religions.
Some of them have done everything to secure their congregations from inculcating values to shutting the doors of horizontal learning. It is not surprising to hear cocky statements from the pulpits, "no other religion offers salvation" or "no other religion defines the purpose of life than my religion" capping it with "others go to hell."
Knowledge of other faiths is implied in their statements but only a few dare to find it otherwise. Perhaps some of those who did not score well on the survey may have believed that learning about other faiths amounts to infidelity to their own.
The more you chase your own tail, less time you have to know what is around you. There may be a correlation between conservatism and knowledge about other religions, and an inverse relationship between the two may exist.
Unlike most people who are confined to a singular religion, the agnostic and atheists have actually crossed the threshold of their religion into another realm; the process is often reflective and requires a lot of knowledge in combating doubts and warding off salesmen of other religions.
Hence the atheists tend to be more knowledgeable about different religions than the religious ones. The same can be said about Jews, Mormons, Muslims, Hindus and other religious minorities whose faith is under the gun. Either out of necessity or as a way of reaffirming their own views, they seek to learn about other traditions.
That may be the story of a cultural, social or a political minority in any nation. They tend to know more right things about others than the majority knows about them.
Indeed religion is about humility and not arrogance. The arrogance of bigness blocks one from listening to other religions and cultures, let alone learning about them.

Other opinions at - http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/10/texas-faith-pew-forum-study-on.html