What a Rabbi Learns from Muhammad: IslamiCity

By: Rabbi Allen S. Maller
IslamiCity

Extract:
I first studied Islam when I was a student at UCLA almost 50 years ago, Then again while I was in Rabbinical school. Over the years I continued to read the Qur'an and other Islamic books. I read these books as the Prophet taught his followers in a Hadith "not as a believer, and not as a disbeliever". What does that mean? ...

...I would like to begin by sharing my understanding of several Ahadith that have taught me about my own religion. My understanding is reflected in my application (gloss) of each insight from my perspective as a Liberal/Reform Rabbi.

...Most Americans that I have spoken are amazed to hear such liberal and flexible statements coming from a religion that they think is ridged and fanatical.

...Nevertheless as a Reform Rabbi, I realize that in many ways Muhammad showed seventh century Jews in Arabia how to reform Orthodox Judaism to bring it back to the simpler rules of the Torah.. continue reading: What a Rabbi Learns from Muhammad @ IslamiCity* -

On the same shelf:

A Reform Rabbi Learns from Muhammad, By Rabbi Allen S. Maller, in The Fountain Magazine, March - April 2008: Issue 62.

Understanding Islam: The First Ten Steps [Written by a Fellow in Christian-Muslim Relations]

Do I Kneel or Do I Bow?

Did the Jews pray as Muslims do ?!

Interfaith Alliance head protests Bible verses on military gun sights

By Bob Allen, Thursday, January 21, 2010, Associated Baptist Press
WASHINGTON (ABP) -- A Baptist leader is calling on President Obama to conduct a formal investigation into revelations that a United States military contractor stamped references to Bible verses on combat rifle sights used, unknowingly, by troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Welton Gaddy, president of the Washington-based Interfaith Alliance, said the episode "is only the latest in a long line of violations of the boundaries between religion and government within the military." He urged Obama to develop guidelines that "ensure that religion no longer plays an inappropriate role in our armed forces."continue reading

See on the same shelf:

Justin Trottier: Weapons bearing scripture & google's Islam censorship: catch me tonight on the Michael Coren show CTS TV @ Facebook

Google struggles with religious sensitivity: "Google results offend Christians, but if you search for “Islam is” Google will give you no search suggestions.

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up—Bible Verses on Gun Sights Ronald A. Lindsay, January 21, 2010

More News via Google's images

Free to criticize religions but not with hate: Bombay high court

Swati Deshpande, The Times of India TNN 7 January 2010, 01:11am IST
MUMBAI: In a significant ruling, a three-judge bench of the Bombay high court on Wednesday held that in India, criticism of any religion -- be it Islam, Hinduism, Christianity or any other -- is permissible under the fundamental right to freedom of speech and that a book cannot be banned on those grounds alone.

However, the criticism must be bona fide or academic, said the court, as it upheld a ban issued in 2007 by the Maharashtra government on a book titled `Islam - A Concept of Political World Invasion by Muslims.' The book contained was an "aggravated form of criticism made with a malicious and deliberate intention" to outrage the feelings of Muslims, the court said.

Delivering the landmark verdict on Wednesday, the court has in a rare instance upheld the state's ban on a book but at the same time brought joy to civil rights activists when it held that, "in our country, everything is open to criticism and religion is no exception. Freedom of expression covers criticism of religion and no person can be sensitive about it."

The bench, comprising Justices Ranjana Desai, D Y Chandrachud and R S Mohite, said, "Healthy criticism provokes thought, encourages debate and helps us evolve. But criticism cannot be malicious and must not lead to creating ill-will between different communities... (it) must lead to sensible dialogue." The courts must strike a balance between the guaranteed freedom and permissible restrictions, "a difficult task", as the 150-page HC verdict penned by Justice Desai observed...

A person may have a right to say a particular religion is "not secular", said the HC, but it cautioned against rabid contents "reeking of hatred for a particular community" and "malafide exercise to stir communal passions".

The HC also found "totally unacceptable" the author's argument that banning the book in the age of the internet is passe and pointless.

The book contains "highly objectionable and disturbing" statements about the author's wishful thinking of an impending war between Muslims and others and how Indian Muslims want to convert all Hindus, attack temples and Hindu women. Statements like these are "likely to incite people to violence and may promote violence, enmity or hatred". Full article

See also:

Hate Sermons: Free to criticize religions but not with hate: High Court Decision on Hate; a new international precedent

Multi-faith Forum Focuses On Human Rights

By Cindy Chan, Epoch Times Staff, Sep 20, 2009

"OTTAWA—A multi-faith expert forum is traveling across the country to call attention to human rights concerns facing various faith-based communities in Canada and abroad.

Co-organized by One Free World International (OFWI) and B’nai Brith Canada, the forum was held in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto last week and will take place in Vancouver on Sept. 24." continue reading

On the same shelf:

Auckland Interfaith Council Multifaith Service

Multifaith Calendar - Human Rights Day (UN)

Multifaith Human Rights Symposia | Facebook

Solar eclipse scares Indian mothers-to-be

By Harmeet Shah Singh, CNN
NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- While many now recognize the scientific explanation for a solar eclipse, the phenomenon is still marked with tradition and sometimes suspicion in Hindu-majority India. continue reading

Once we're dead, let's talk

Vinay Menon Toronto Star
We're supposed to look our best ... even when we're dead?
I just finished reading a rather morbid story on msnbc.com titled, "Final Touch: A Cosmetic Lift for Your Funeral." And now I'm tempted to bleach my teeth, get laser eye surgery and do 1,000 abdominal crunches.
You know, just in case I expire tomorrow. continue reading

see also on the same shelf:

• 1st computerised Muslim graveyard in the making
• Death and Dying - Multifaith Resource Series no.1
  

Stitched together ~~ India's Composite Culture Revsited

Pradeep Magazine
December 16, 2008, Hindustan Times

"Among the many responses to the gruesome killings in Mumbai has been that of Muslims wearing black bands on Eid-ul-Adha. The act symbolised protest, pain and complete rejection of the killers.
But do Muslims need to go out of their way to proclaim to the world that the community does not endorse terrorism and are as angry and disgusted with what is happening as other communities in India? To have worn black bands on Eid was a touching gesture, akin to, say, Hindus doing the same on Diwali. But somehow, as a Hindu, I am disturbed to find my close friends having to wear bands to show their solidarity with the rest of India.

... But as an Indian I feel embarrassed to find one community having to wear ‘India’ on their sleeves, when we have all expressed our solidarity to fight this war together. I would feel humiliated if a day comes when, as a Hindu, I will have to wear black bands to proclaim to the world that I have nothing to do with Hindu surnames involved in acts of terror.
To my Muslim friends, all I can say is thanks for doing what you have done. But please don’t do it again. We are together in this fight against terror and for justice. " read full article

NB. Info courtesy: Ammar Ahtisham Ashraf

Indian festivals: Ethos and health impact

Extract:
"Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated to commemorate the victory of good over evil, of knowledge over ignorance, of light over darkness and of hope over depression and despair...

Decoration with lights and bursting of crackers are salient features of the festival. However, excessive use of crackers has been a matter of concern. Firecrackers increase the concentrations of cobalt, nickel, chromium and cadmium in air. [2] Studies have also shown that there has been an increase in the particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and NO in air well beyond the safety ranges prescribed in the National Ambient Air Quality Standard [2],[3] The pollution induces susceptible individuals to develop irritation and inflammation of the respiratory tract and episodes of cough and wheezing. These episodes need to be prevented by minimizing exposure, introducing prophylactic therapy or enhancing doses of prophylactic medications. Besides, burns and a variety of ocular injuries have been reported and are a matter of concern. [4],[5],[6] Hospitals remain on guard to attend patients with burns and other injuries. Restrictions have been put on bursting crackers. Initiatives like 'noiseless' Diwali are also gaining ground..."

More

Yeolekar ME, Bavdekar SB. Indian festivals: Ethos and health impact. J Postgrad Med 2007;53:219-20 ...

See also:

• Businesses Accommodating Religious Festivals
• Celebrating Diwali the Telugu way Round-the-world

Hindus ask Beliefnet to stop promoting Hollywood movie 'The Love Guru'

Hindus have asked Beliefnet, the largest spiritual website, to stop promoting the upcoming Hollywood movie 'The Love Guru', which they say "hurts the Hindu and spiritual community".

Advancing the movement launched by acclaimed Hindu leader Rajan Zed; Bhavna Shinde, representing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti and Sanatan Society for Scientific Spirituality, in a communiqué to Beliefnet, said, "…we are appalled that a well-respected spiritual website like Beliefnet is openly promoting this movie that hurts the Hindu and spiritual community, contradicting Beliefnet's published mission statement…" Hindu Today

• Love Guru woos Hindu priests in sneak peek
• Hindu leaders protest against 'The Love Guru'
• Hindus in US want screening of 'The Love Guru' blocked
• 'The Love Guru' stirs controversy: Is racial humour a relic of the ...

Solomon had left the building by Jim Coyle

... All of which suggests the board should probably purchase The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Bible, which says that "most people admit that when it comes to knowing what's between those covers, their comprehension is, well, holey."

So, as a public service, we offer the following handy test.

A notorious tree in the Garden of Eden bore: a) pomegranates b) kiwis c) papaya d) forbidden fruit.

Christ cast the money-changers out of the: a) Wal-Mart b) casino c) payday loan outlet d) temple.

The Tower of Babel was: a) the original Question Period b) the ancient world's tallest free-standing structure c) the birthplace of Don Cherry d) a multilingual construction project gone bad.

Christ fed multitudes with: a) lox and bagels b) super-sized fries c) curry takeout d) loaves and fishes.

Which of the following do not belong: a) The Good Samaritan b) The Sermon on the Mount c) The Raising of Lazarus d) George Bush.

Who called the Bible the source of "practically every good title you ever heard"? a) ABBA b) Madonna c) Liberace d) Hemingway.

extract from: Solomon had left the building - Toronto Star Jan 24, 2008 Jim Coyle

Stressed Greeks turn to e-curses

IOL Technology 14 January, 2008
Greeks fed up with their pesky neighbours, old flames, the government, or society in general can find release in a new Internet site that posts e-curses for free.

"Have you been dumped, harassed or angered? Why not unload with a curse?", offers www.e-katares.com (e-curse.com), which currently has more than 150 entries.

Most postings on the site are from jilted lovers but there are also contributions aimed at Greek taxi drivers — a favourite target — banks, the public sector and even Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

"May his next pasta meal give him salmonella poisoning," one user rants against the premier, whose love of food is a popular barb among opposition media.

In Athens, locals usually relieve stress through a variety of offensive hand gestures, most frequently whilst caught in one of the capital’s trademark traffic jams.

"Studies by (EU statistics service) Eurostat show that Greeks have gone from being positive and relaxed to having the worst stress in Europe — over job uncertainty and the collapse of traditional social structures," sociology professor George Piperopoulos told the daily Ethnos.

NB. same news from other news sources:

• Stressed? Go for e-curse-It's a Mad, Mad World-World-The Times of India


• Greeks find e-curses to be relaxing - Deccan Chronicle / Asian Age

The calendar of commercialism does not reflect our spiritual rhythms

Geoffrey Rowell , Times Online

Extract: "...Christians have not always kept new year on January 1 -that was the Roman new year, and the Church was often very suspicious of it. Only in 1582 did Pope Gregory XIII's reform of the calendar mean that January 1 was generally adopted.

Jews kept the new year at the Feast of the New Moon at the end of September.

England began the new year with the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25, and adopted January 1 only in 1752. Germany began with Christmas, and France and the Low Countries with Easter. The Orthodox East keeps New Year's Day on September 1. " continue reading

Faith in '08: Meet God-o-Meter

News & Blogs -- Beliefnet.com

Hillary's buoyed by Bill's Baptist banter. A hedge on abortion sends Romney tumbling. Our new and highly scientific God-o-Meter rates the candidates based on their God-talk. See Their Current Ratings"

See also on the same shelf:
Cyber Worship in Multifaith Perspectives, by Mohamed Taher, Scarecrow Press, 2006. Check Amazon.com sample from Chapter Three:

3.23 Developing World Wide Worship Mindmaps – Survey, Tools, Responses…

• Religion Selector: An Exploration of World Belief System:

www.speakout.com/activismtools/selectors/religion
• Belief System Selector: An Exploration of World Religions
www.selectsmart.com/RELIGION
• Ten Questions for Evaluating Corporate Worship:

• “Bagley Baptist Form Mail Survey System.” (Questionnaire) www.bagleybaptist.freeuk.com/Survey.htm
• Worship Survey
http://www.cumc-wf.org/worship_survey.htm
• Jatinder Singh. “Sikh Internet Users Survey.” FormMail.to/cybersikhi or www.cybersikhi.com (2 Jan. 2004)
• “Christian Online Resource Center Survey.” (Questionnaire)
www.influencer4christ.com/survey/survey.php?opt=new (dead link 2 Jan. 2004)
• Divining America: Sharing your questions - Multifaith Issues
www.nhc.rtp.nc.us/tserve/getback/getback.htm
• WCC Worship Questionnaire
http://www.woodstockchristian.org/wccwq.html
• Daily spiritual diary Questions
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/practicekarma.htm
• How Well WORSHIP Questionnaire

Even Athiests pray … figures don't lie!

CORRECTED: Even Atheists pray … figures don't lie!

November 4th, 2007 by Nancy Reyes
Surveys show that 52% of Americans pray every day, 57% of Catholics pray every day, 41% of those who aren’t sure of life after death pray every day, and 15% of people who aren’t sure there is a God pray every day.***

He said, with a grin, that people pray “to whom it may concern” or […] Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Nancy Reyes in All News, Society and Culture, US News, Religious News No Comments » 73 Views

See also on the same shelf:

The scandal of particular prayers, Posted by dpulliam

Comparing Muslim Beliefs and Practices

PEW Surveys

Catch Hell: Newsweek/Beliefnet poll results -- Beliefnet.com
A new poll points to growing importance of 'spirituality'; most believe people of other faiths can go to heaven

Finding Our Own Path, By Jerry Adler, Newsweek
Americans favor individual spirituality and personal empowerment--which has influenced even traditional, institutional religion. To read the entire article, click here. (C) 2005 Newsweek, Inc.

Spirituality in Action: The Road Ahead

If you don’t like the word God, substitute Nature, All Being, or Reality. If you don’t like the word “Word,” substitute something like “impulse.”

Google it

Spirituality: The Age of Aquarium:

Schools of Fish and Thought
The theists prayed and said “Amen,” while atheists said “Ahem . . .”
“There’s no such thing, you silly goofs; you haven’t any proof.”
Panentheists sought elbow room, they tried to wriggle in.
That en’s a tricky syllable; it splices God’s hair thin. continue reading @ Faithcommons

***Survey sources are listed below, courtesy Nancy Reyes:

The talk was given at a local university and reviewed in the local Catholic paper in western Massachusetts, where I am visiting my brother. They don't have a website, but the announcement is here.

But this NYTimes article refers to the same data:

This article on his website examines the belief in life after death and notes that not all atheists are "hard core" atheists. http://www.agreeley.com/articles/hardcore.html

The NORC website is here.

Presumably the research is published in journals...several of his surveys can be found at JSTOR, but since I don't have access, I can't read the hard sociological data.

Dear Diary: The Dalai Lama

As imagined by Joseph Brean, National Post Saturday, November 03, 2007

As imagined by Joseph Brean, National Post

• MONDAY: Big surprise...
  

• TUESDAY: In Canada now...
  

• WEDNESDAY: Meet Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday...

• THURSDAY: Yesterday, meet Canada opposition leader...

• FRIDAY: Flying back to my government-in-exile in India.... Continue reading the full diary
  

A worldwide convention of demons

NB. note from a Blogger: I have done search upon search to find out who wrote this (below) and came up with 'Anonymous'.

• Chrisitian side of the story
• Muslim version: Iblîs (Satan)]
• Hindustani version: SHYTAN'S MEETING
• Business-like: Satan Instructs His Workers
• "THE PLAN" by Doubting Thomas
• And the last word, skeptically: "One of those delightful emails that makes me realize the truth of the old saying: “You put garbage in, you get garbage out.”

[Info courtesy: Abdul Rawoof Sait ]

Funeral law fails ethnic groups

Rigid regulations undermine immigrants' freedom to practise final rites, study finds

Oct 27, 2007 Prithi Yelaja, Staff Reporter, Toronto Star

Death may be the final frontier when it comes to testing the limits of multicultural accommodation in Ontario.

Rigid provincial and municipal regulations regarding funerals and burials, created primarily to accommodate western Judeo-Christian customs, are forcing faith communities to adjust to the law rather than have the freedom to practise their final rites, according to a new study from Ryerson University.

"Along with the mainstream population, the immigrant population is aging and dying, too, in large numbers, so now these issues are coming to the forefront," says study author Sandeep Agrawal, a professor of urban and regional planning. continue reading

See also in the same aisle and shelf:

Ashes to ashes, By Suelan Toye, September 28, 2007

Urban planning Prof. Sandeep Agrawal has studied the barriers faced by ethnic groups who wish to follow their funeral customs.

Ethnic families often face cultural barriers in Ontario when they wish to honour their loved ones' passing with culturally appropriate burial rites, say Ryerson University researchers.

"Since Canada prides itself as a multicultural society and its citizens are committed to sustaining their cultural heritage, we need to find ways to encompass these same ideals when members of our ethnic communities pass away," says Associate Prof. Sandeep Agrawal, the lead author of Funeral and Burial Sites, Rites and Rights in Multicultural Ontario. The paper will be published this month in Citizenship and Immigration Canada's publication, Our Diverse Cities. continue reading

The Resume of Jesus Christ

Posted by Lana Shi Jie's

NB. For similar resources Google it

Flying While Sikh?

Dear Friends:
Guru Fateh.
Please distribute widely and encourage people to support Sikh Coalition and other Sikh organizations that are doing such good work.

What You Need to Know as a Sikh Air Traveler click here

Download the Sikh Air Travelers Guide and Bill of Rights [English version] [Punjabi version]

We Need to Know Whether the New Policy is Working!
Click Here To Document Your Air Travel Experience Good or Bad

Best, Amritjit Singh (on Fulbright assignment in Graz , Austria)

See also:

• Should The Government Profile Muslims At Airports? By Kamran Memon Civil Rights Attorney


• Canada needs registered air travellers program, Air India inquiry told
  Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun, Tuesday, October 23, 2007


• Traveling in Troubled Times, by Duane Wells


• Sikhs Laud New Airport Rule on Turban Screenings
  By ASHFAQUE SWAPAN, Special to India-West

A Christian pastor's Ramadan in Turkey

Middle East Online
(photo: Galeri Istanbul/Y.Karaduman)

Recently, I was invited by the Turkish Cultural Centre to travel from Singapore to Turkey to participate in a documentary series on Ramadan observance in Istanbul. Samanyolu TV, a national Turkish television station, developed a documentary series last year on Ramadan in different countries and they were now looking to reverse the scenario by inviting foreigners to Istanbul to join in the Ramadan activities of Turkish families. The material they produced is the major component of a three-hour programme that appeared each day just before the... Read full article

In the shelf and aisle: Christian Muslims Photos Ramadan Turkey