Taqwa, piety and spirituality

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http://nabsites.net/demo/taqwa-piety-and-spirituality/

Taqwa; God consciousness
A tribute to Marylou Ghyst and Petra Weldes
Taqwa, piety, or spirituality can be expressed both
externally and internally. In the picture to the far right is Rev. Petra Weldes,
possibly representing you and I, the common people who achieve piety within us,
and without having to abandon the day to day life. The expressive form of piety
is chosen by a few religious men and women through the costumes and the
beards.  Pluralism is about the essence
of what you do; finding peace within and with others regardless of the format
you chose.  To claim that one is better
than the other takes away any degree of piety you may have. Spirituality and
arrogance are inversely proportional to each other.
I am dedicating this column to two of my favorite
spiritualists, who lead a common life like you and I. Rev. Petra Weldes, who
and I had extensive discussions about asking the religious leaders to the  parliament of world’s religions, had that
happened, to wear clothes and look like everyone else, and hence dedicated to
her.
The person who caused me to write this is Rev. Marylou
Ghyst,  I am pleased to acknowledge  Marylou, our Christian Member of the World
Muslim Congress, please note our membership is inclusive. We are a part of the
large family of faiths and we are all in this together to create and shape a
world that God willed; to attain the balance and Harmony between all elements of his creation.

Marylou’s major contribution to this forum is religious inquiry, which we
appreciate, encourage and admire; it is an expression of freewill that
God endowed to each one of the human beings. And because of her inquiries, we
have been able to independently think and find the resources to support it. It
is easy for Muslims to answer Muslims, or Christians to answer Christians, but
difficult for anyone to share or understand the nuances and the cultural
references. Marylou has succeeded in that endeavor. 

The first act of humanity began with free will, Adam was
offered that choice, which he blundered, but God was not unhappy about it, nor
did he scream at him or told him to go to hell for disobedience; instead God
offered him more choices and we are here today, living with it. Thanks to Adam.
Marylou
wrote, “Hi Mike, Just curious about something. The word “Taqwa”
meaning God consciousness — I was under the impression that Muslims believed
God is outside the universe and therefore God consciousness is unattainable.
Do I have the wrong information? Blessings, Marylou.” in reference to my note,
“A good Hindu is a good Muslim, is a good Christian, is a good Jew, is a good
Sikh…..when you reach Taqwa, the God consciousness, humans don’t
appear with religious labels..”
Taqwa means many things to many people. Islam is not a monolithic
religion; we do have diversity of opinion, that we have come to accept, but
don’t admit.  Indeed, Islam is about
freedom but the followers are not completely free, if they were, the
differences would have transformed into multiple denominations as in Christianity.

Every Prophet, Messenger and a peace maker had the special knowledge about
spirituality, but more importantly they understood human nature, they were
great psychologists.  Prophet Muhammad was
indeed a master psychologist, he understood human nature, and initiated religious
practices in the form of rituals that will help an individual achieve piety and
humility, thus peace within and peace with others.

He further wanted the people to understand that the
diversity is God given, and to keep the religious arrogance out, (its human to
be arrogant), he prophesized that his followers will group themselves into
72/73 tribes (a metaphoric number to denote many) and advised each one to race
in doing good deeds; the actions that benefit others without any return.
The concept of Taqwa
exists in every religion – the Hindus call it Krishna consciousness, or Brahma,
the idea of becoming a part of God, or lost in Godliness or God like, when you
do not have conflicts with any one, all is yours and you belong to all. There
is no barrier between you and the creation. Indeed, that is the un-expressed
goal of every religion.

Jesus said, follow me, and Allah in Quraan said to submit to his will and
Krishna says surrender to me – all are asking to become a part of the system to
keep it functioning cohesively and out of free will.

Since my focus of this article is Taqwa, it is important to note, rather
critical, that Islam is about behavior and not your costume or external
manifestation. 


Further on piety:

One of the Islamic dictionaries writes;

“Taqwa is a concept
in Islam that is interpreted by some Islamic Scholars as God consciousness. It
has many understandings and interpretations. Taqwa may mean piousness, fear of
Allah, love for Allah, and self restraint.

Taqwa allows a person to be constantly aware of both God’s presence and
attributes and a reminder of their relationship and responsibility to God as
His creation and servant. The scholars explain that the way to taqwa is through
obedience of God, avoiding disobedience, and striving to stay away from
doubtful matters. “
Wikipedia:
According to Tafsir ibn Kathir, the root meaning of taqwa is to avoid
what one dislikes. It was reported that Umar bin Khattab asked Ubay ibn Kaab about Taqwa. Ubay said, “Have you
ever walked on a path that has thorns on it?” Umar said, “Yes.”
Ubay asked, “What did you do then?” to which Umar replied, “I
rolled up my sleeves and struggled.” Ubay said, “That is taqwa, to
protect oneself from sin through life’s dangerous journey so that one can
successfully complete the journey unscathed by sin.”
Ibn Abbas said about verse 2:5 in the Quran,
“guidance for the Muttaqin”, that it means, “They are the
believers who avoid shirk with Allah (swt) and who work in His
obedience.” He also said that Al-Muttaqin means, “Those who fear
Allah’s (swt) Punishment, which would result if they abandoned the true
guidance that they recognize and know. They also hope in Allah’s (swt) Mercy by
believing in what He revealed
Islamic Knowledge websites adds:

“And We have sent down to you the Book as an
explanation of everything, a guidance, a mercy and glad-tidings for those who
submitted themselves to Islam.” [TMQ 16:89]

So let us understand the true meaning of Taqwa.
In contrast to the distorted picture that people have today, the Qur’an and
Sunnah defines the idea of taqwa as protecting oneself from the Hellfire by
following the orders of Allah (swt) by doing what He (swt) has commanded and
avoiding what He (swt) has forbidden. Many ayat in the Qur’an point to this:

“And unto Allah belongs all that is in the
heavens and all that is on earth. And, verily, We have recommended to the
people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear
Allah, and keep your duty to Him, But if you disbelieve, then unto Allah
belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is
Ever Rich, Worthy of all praise.” [TMQ An-Nisa’ 4: 131]

Taqwa comes from the word ‘waqiya’, which means
to protect. It is protection from the Anger of Allah (swt) and His (swt)
punishment. This is why Taqwa is used to describe the performing of actions,
which pleases Allah (swt) and abstaining from all actions that displeases Him
(swt).

Taqwa in essence means god consciousness, being
conscious of Allah (swt) in all our actions and affairs.

Dr.
Ibrahim Syed of Islamic Research Foundation international, Inc., in Louisville
writes, “It is hard to translate Taqwa
into the English language. To me Taqwa is achieving Nobility, humility,
generosity, forgiveness, service to mankind, animals and plants, compassion,
mercy, etc.etc.”
I wrote a note about
Taqwa during Ramadan. “True fasting is self-purification; and from this
comes a rich inner life that brings about values such as justice, generosity,
patience, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and empathy — values that are
indispensable for the success of the community.” And the values that brings
closer to the godliness or God consciousness: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/spirit-of-ramadan_b_939961.html
Mike Ghouse is committed to nurturing the pluralistic values embedded in
Islam and invites discussions with an open mind. Together, we can learn to be a
productive citizen to our family, community, nation and the world – thus
serving God’s purpose of peace; Islam the verb. Please visit www.MikeGhouse.net and if you have the time, connect with 5 other websites and 30 blogs on a variety
of topics from Pluralism, Islam, India, Israel, Peace, Justice, conflicts etc. 

Pluralism and Quraan verse 5:8

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Most Muslims are blessed with an inquisitive mind, and I am so glad we are doing the right thing by clarifying and questioning what is said and written. Indeed, Islam started with the premise that we read, write and learn. That’s how Quraan began; Iqra, the first word.     

Pluralism and Quran, verse 5:8
5:8 (Asad),  ” O you who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity; and never let hatred of any-one lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious. And remain conscious of God: verily, God is aware of all that you do.”
Pluralism in the broadest sense is respecting the otherness of others, and accepting God’s will in creating each one of us as a unique being.  It implies fair treatment and justice to fellow beings.
Justice is the foremost value of Islam as it is with all religions and traditions. When law and order is the way of life in a given society, people live in peace, and prosperity is the natural outcome.
When there is justice, fears dissipate knowing that no one can take advantage of you, and if they do, society will fix them, and if the society fails, God will.  Nothing in the world goes unaccounted; everything has to achieve its own balance at the end, and every re-action is a product of an action.
Historically prophets have made their presence felt when things were chaotic. Whether it was Moses or Krishna, Jesus or Muhammad, they fixed the problems and restored trust in the society.
The message in Verse 5:8 is to be just, no matter what happens, but be just.   Prophet Muhammad further urges mankind to tell the truth even if it incriminates you. He said it liberates you from endless anxiety and paves the way for a regret-free life.
Justice is respecting and accepting others rights and pluralism is respect the otherness of others and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of his creation.
God’s will as I understand is taking responsibility to maintain “BALANCE AND HARMONY BETWEEN ALL ELEMENTS OF HIS CREATION.” Because he created everything with balance, and has sent a peacemaker to every tribe, community and the nation, the message is same. A majority of people in each group get the message, some don’t.
وَالسَّمَاء رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَانَ (55:7) 

Waalssamaa rafaAAaha wawadaAAa almeezana

55:7 (Asad) And the skies has He raised high, and has devised [for all things] a

measure [The noun meezan, usually denoting a “balance”, has here the more general connotation of “measure” or “measuring” by any means whatsoever (Zamakhshari ), in both the concrete and abstract senses of the word. (Cf. also the parabolic use of the term meezan in 42:17 and 57:25.)]

وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانَ (55:9) 
Waaqeemoo alwazna bialqisti wala tukhsiroo almeezana
55:9 (Asad) weigh, therefore, [your deeds] with equity, and cut not the measure short! 
Quraan does not address Muslims exclusively; it is a book of guidance for humanity. As Muslims we tend to see the general meaning of “righteous path” as Islamic path (3:85), the path we have pounded with our culture and rituals, rather than the spirit of Islam.
Each society has strayed away from the meaning of justice. For example, until now, Muslims were misled by the men scholars of the past that the husband can beat the wife (4:34), how wrong the entire Ummah has been on the topic. You may not agree with it, but that is your choice.

It is a haunting question for women of conscience, and of course men of conscience. It is a shame that we took advantage of women, belittling them when they questioned the meaning of it, leaving an imbalance, thus injustice. It has bothered most Muslims, including me, that how can God say such a thing? But most did not dare asking the imams who misinterpreted it.

 Thank God for the hidaya Allah gave to Dr. Lelah Bakhtiar, who has finally corrected the gross error.  Now that she has fixed the problem, it gives more meaning to the phrase; Islam is the Deen of Fitra, of human nature.  

I am thankful to Allah for blessing America with freedom, this freedom will pave the way for understanding the egalitarian and pluralistic nature of Islam that Prophet Muhammad practiced, but we dusted it up.
This was just one example, Insha Allah, in my next article, “What Sunnah?”  we will explore Hadiths, that Prophet (pbuh) could not have said it all.  He was a mercy to mankind, and we simply cannot ascribe  those Hadiths to him, that are contrary to his personality.
The second most critical value of Islam is to be non-judgmental and non-prejudiced; a derivative of the first value.  A Muslim, who observes the ritual part of Islam, utters the verse, “Maliki yawmi alddeeni” from 17 to 51 times a day. Stephen Covey says, if you utter something 7 times, it becomes a part of you. God is generous, he gives us the opportunity to utter more number of times, so it becomes a part of our psyche, that we do not judge others in the matters of faith, only Allah knows and only Allah will judge.
 
مَـالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ (1:4) 
Maliki yawmi alddeeni
 1:4 (Asad) Lord of the Day of Judgment! 

Most Muslims get it, some don’t. It is easy to become a Mushrik by declaring others to be not a Muslim , or even declare that they will go to hell. Have you ever thought about that as a Shirk? That is the goddamned greatest form of Shirk, a major sin in Islam to judge others Imaan, the belief.

So my friends, verse 5:8 fulfills the values of God’s critical values to create pluralistic societies, and Islam is guidance to all humanity, even though we attempt to monopolize it as our property.  Islam is about acknowledging the otherness of other, and Islam is about keeping the Meezan within his creation. We are the Ashraful-Makhlooqat, the superior (independent and intelligent) species, endowed with the responsibility to maintain the balance. 
As we seek the truth, we will find that Islam is about Pluralism, about building cohesive societies where no human has to live in fear of the other. Look at all the examples of the Prophet; he created Models for us to follow. Insha Allah, we will catch up with it, at least within a generation or two.
Mike Ghouse is committed to nurturing the pluralistic values embedded in Islam and invites discussions with an open mind. Together, we can learn to be a productive citizen to our family, community, nation and the world – thus serving God’s purpose of peace; Islam the verb.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .Dear Mike Sahab
Please explain how you link Qur’an 5:8 with your pluralism. Below is the what this Ayaat says
8. O You who believe! stand out firmly for Allâh and be just witnesses and let not the enmity and Hatred of others make You avoid justice. be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Well-acquainted with what You do.
Mujtuba
. . . . . . . . . . . . .


This was in reference to article: TEXAS FAITH: How can the media better cover religion?

http://nabsites.net/demo/texas-faith-how-can-media-better-cover/


TEXAS FAITH: How can the media better cover religion?

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http://nabsites.net/demo/texas-faith-how-can-media-better-cover/

The media can earn respect and foster understanding by telling the
truth, and writing stories about how a conservative, liberal and a moderate
person views his own religion, rather than what a pastor, rabbi, pundit, imam,
shaman or a clergy tells about other’s religion.

Do you think these religious leaders will tell the truth about other religions? Of course, some do, but for others,  it is their paycheck and fame… that was  earned by bashing other religions or ill-talking about other faiths.  Should you believe a religious leader who talks ill about others? 


Is the
media’s coverage of religion too sensationalized? Most of the public
thinks so, according to a survey released this spring by the Knight
Program in Media and Religion at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication and the
University of Akron’s Roy C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics. The poll
found that two-thirds of respondents think that religion coverage is too
sensationalized. By contrast, only a third of reporters see it that way.
How do
you think the media could better explain the role of religion in society? The
answer is important for both consumers of news and those who report the news
and interpret it. Twelve Texas Faith panelists weigh in on the
subject.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The
model for religious reporting can come from political newscasting, where the
mainstream media has done an exemplary job in being fair, and many journalists
have earned the respect from opposing political parties for their neutrality.
Indeed, at times, their adherence to equity and fairness makes it difficult to
figure out their political leanings. There was not a Republican or a Democrat, who would not have wanted to be on Tim Russert’s show.

We have
made significant progress in explaining the role of religion since 9/11.
However, sensationalism swallows reason and rationality. Increasingly focused
on competitiveness and profits, the mainstream media is under pressure for its
own survival. Undeniably, it is at a critical juncture of having to choose
between fulfilling its societal responsibility and succumbing to the economic
compulsions of our times by sensationalizing religious
“bashing(news)” without countering it.

A
couplet in Urdu language suggests checking out if elections were on, when
religious skirmishes are on the rise. The aggrandized Ground Zero Mosque issue
can be attributed to the political expediency of the 2010 elections.

Religion
as a part of daily reporting is relatively new, and is taking root over the
last decade. Most major papers have a full time column devoted to it. A few
have a daily column, like the Washington
Post andHuffington
Post. Our own Dallas
Morning News has gone through the turbulence from running an
award-winning religion section to shutting it down and making a full comeback.
It will succeed as it reflects diversity of the public, and is in step
with them through the questions framed every week on this blog. Ultimately,
sensationalism will recede, and the religion reporting will find its own
equilibrium as it matures.

The
religious explaining has grown from the exclusive domain of clergy to include
non-clergy in an effort to offer a range of understanding to the news
consumers. When Osama Bin Laden was given the sea burial, Melissa Cutler of Fox
4 News approached the Imam and the non-Imam for their perspectives, Steve Blow
of the Dallas Morning
News reached out to the pastor and the non-pastor alike to
bring sense to the sensational attacks on the Quran. And, oddly, Sean Hannity
broke the stereotyping trend of presenting Muslims with beards, with Muslims
who looked like everyone else to represent Islam.

The
faithfulness to the truth should be the higher goal. Over the last two years, I
have come to admire the two moderators of this forum; William McKenzie and
Wayne Slater. They are thorough in reading what we write and frequently ask for
proof, to keep us on our toes.

Indeed,
the eternal wisdom is expressed in John 8:32, “Then you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free,” To which the Hindu mantra from
Upanishads adds power, “Satyamev Jayate,” the truth ultimately triumphs.
Truth-telling is a fundamental Jewish value as well as the value of every
theist and atheist tradition,  and it must reflect in the writings of journalists from different faiths.

Quran
(5:8) offers guidance to the religion reporters, “O you who have attained
to faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the
truth in all equity; and never let hatred of any-one lead you into the sin of
deviating from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious. And
remain conscious of God: verily, God is aware of all that you do.”

Prophet
Muhammad further urges mankind to tell the truth even if it incriminates you.
He said it liberates you from endless anxiety and paves the way for a regret
free life.

We need
stories to effectively neutralize the derogatory meaning assigned to the words
that were shoved into our vocabulary by the uncouth barbarians from the Dark
Ages. Words such as pagan, idolatrous, wicca, and earth-based American
traditions need to be consistently written as traditions as valid as Judaism,
Christianity, Islam or any other religion. God has not signed a deal with
anyone behind others back, and religion is not about arrogance, but humility.


Why do we need to do that?
When
Jesus talked about the kingdom of heaven, he meant creating societies where no
one has to live in fear of the other. He taught us to blame the sin and not the
sinner. To make a point, he set the example of embracing presumed sinners like
the prostitutes and lepers.

Every religion has a similar goal; to open people’s hearts and minds towards
the other.


The media can earn respect and foster understanding by telling the truth, and
writing stories about how a conservative, liberal and a moderate person views
his own religion, rather than what a pastor, rabbi, pundit, imam, shaman or
other clergy tells about other religions.
To see
all the twelve points of view, please visit Dallas Morning News at:
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/06/texas-faith-how-can-the-media.html
. . . . .

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

My friends; my diary and my pen.

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My friends, my pen and my diary – Mike Ghouse
My diary has been my best friend, I can share everything and anything with her
without being interrupted, corrected, grammared, spelled, criticized, upset or
praised. Every human must express his joy, sadness and the emotions; it
releases him or her and restores tranquility.

I went to the storage today, and saw my old fountain pen, pleasantly lying in a
box and smiling at me… damn it, I am so happy to see her. It is ridiculous that
a pen can make you so happy! She is my old friend; she wrote my happy moments
and my sad moments and brought calmness to me and restored my tranquility each
time I was off. She is my friend, my best friend.

I dedicate this note to my friends Vanja Krupa and Yoshua Budin, whose comments
on my facebook wall inspired me to put this note together.

Yoshua wrote, “that one day I rewrite it all and turn it into a real
book….Sometimes I look back in these diaries. But not for long. It feels like
lingering in the past. And I look forward.

Vanja shared, ” Used to write dairy as well, to keep all the impressions,
on paper to memorise and reread ‘one day’ …but I like to have all these Dairies
and letters saved in large dusty boxes, for the next generation to read,”

Indeed, I am blessed with 5000 friends on facebook plus 2000 subscribers and
additional 2000 in another group on facebook.. I write thank you notes,
birthday wishes to almost all… except when my computer has crashed… can you
do it? Yes, you can. Just have the will and commitment. I do that every
morning.

Yoshua and Vanja’s notes reminded me of my own habits. I used to write diaries
since I was in college. My friend Jameel gave me an appointment book, the size
of a book with 365 pages in it, I wrote so much that, I doubled it to nearly
700 pages by adding two to three pages and gluing it in the book, and I had so
much to write including life, family and interfaith. That was early in 1970’s…
I wrote every year after that. Finally, I burned all my diaries, the last one
in the mid-nineties.

I always had fountain pens, and I wrote letters to my mother in Urdu, and
prided in taking time to write to her, wrote as beautiful as I can – and when
she said, I have the beautiful handwriting, it made my day. With her passing
away, and phone calls becoming economical, I stopped writing in Urdu and there
goes the fountain pen with it.

I used to write letters in Urdu to my sister when she got married and left
home, I kept writing all the way through the nineties. Oddly I wrote a few
letters to my brother Kaleem in Hindi, he was better in Hindi than Urdu. I am
regaining my writing skills all over now including Kannada language.

Two years ago, Sada Cumber, the former Ambassador to OIC, gifted me a box of
fountain pens… then the old-me woke up and start writing again in the fountain
pen. I write everything, reminders to my daily lists, to my 3×5 cards to
poetry, then take a picture from my i-pad and keep it for follow up. Odd, but I
love it.

When I walked into public life in the early Nineties, I did not think I would
have anything private. I was wrong, everyone has things that they don’t want to
share – they may be silly things, or even idiotic or bad things. They stay
within you and get buried with you. Except a few emotions and reactions here
and there, much of my life is an open book. It is all encapsulated in my blogs,
my forums, facebook and writings.

Is it the same with you?

Thanks to aol – my 18 years of notes, writings etc were saved in the form of
files, and thank to some genius who hacked into my account – all of my work is
gone, aol restored some emails, but much of all is gone, 18 years of emails and
writings… was I angry? yes I was. Did I cry? No, I felt relief… thought of
suing AOL, they guarantee storage, but did not deliver. Any attorney wants to
take it up? If you win the big battle, the money will go towards pluralism
education; my life commitment. I also have a full manuscript for a book, “The
one minute accountant” on my old McIntosh, don’t know how to extract it either…
let go man!

What is humbling?

If I croak, meaning die, of course, I will die, that is, if I die within a
year… all my writings and books will be meaningless to my wife and my kids… why
should they have to go through the pain of deciding what to keep, and what to
give away (trashing)? I am glad it disappeared on the net – it frees me and
frees them. I have over 5,000 pictures of the Dallas community… if I have the
time, I will do an open house – come and get yours.

What about you, what will happen to your stuff should something happen to you?
Why do we need to collect it in the first place?

Writing is relaxing… If you wish to receive a post card from me, send me your
name and address to speakermikeghouse@gmail.com, and I will handwrite your
address and mail it to you, that’s a promise – Insha Allah. That is if God kept
me alive.

A few more pictures:

Thank you.

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

TEXAS FAITH: Is religious freedom under attack in America?

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Indeed, every group feels that their religious liberty is under attack. Is there a time in history when a group did not feel threatened by co-religionists, other religions and the governments? Here is a short history and possible solutions.
This a weekly column at Dallas Morning News, here is Mike’s contribution on the topic.

MIKE GHOUSE, President,
Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Indeed, every group feels that their religious liberty is under
attack. Is there a time in history when a group did not feel threatened by
co-religionists, other religions and the governments? Here is a short history
and possible solutions.

Jews have always been under attack. They felt at home in Spain, which was
destroyed by butcher Ferdinand. Then, they felt at home in Germany, but the
Holocaust tore them apart and their belief in humanity was shattered. Every
day, they have to be on guard. Someone or another is making anti-Semitic
comments.

Fred Phelps was in Dallas in July 2010 demonstrating hate against Jews. The
anti-circumcision bills in San Francisco and Santa Monica in 2011 were
irritants. Last month in Houston, the Jewish academy could not participate in a
basketball game. It was set on Saturday, most Jews refrain from activity that
day. Indeed, it is restricting their freedom to practice their religion by
exclusion and being insensitive to their faith.

Hindus are an open game to evangelists. A few years ago, a Baptist
convention made a declaration to harvest the “Poor Hindu souls”. This
year, Russians made a serious attempt to ban Bhagvad Gita, the Hindu Holy Book.
In November 2011, a Kentucky state senator attacked Hinduism as an idolatrous
belief. California textbooks portrayed Hinduism in negative light, so the
battle is still on. There is a debate among Indians: Had Bobby Jindal of Hindu
parents and Nikki Haley of Sikh parents practiced their faiths, and not
converted to Christianity, would they have become governors?

Sikhs had to fight with Arizona to keep the name of a Sikh 9/11
victim on a memorial wall. Wicca had to fight for the headstone in Arlington
Memorial Cemetery for those who died serving America. Of course, there are
enough stories about Native Americans, atheists and others.

Muslim Americans strongly feel the noose tightening on their
freedom. Most restrictions are coming out of sheer ignorance and a false
understanding of what their faith is about, as they practice in America rather
than Saudi Arabia or Iran. The senators and representatives who have initiated
anti-Sharia bills can’t even tell what they are opposing.

The irony is neither the organizations nor the Muslims are seeking
Sharia to be a part of the American law. All they are asking is to have options
to square personal matters between family members through a jury, mediation,
court hearing or the Sharia guidelines. Indeed, it is no different than the
option of Jews using Halaqa in their personal conflicts or going to a psychologist
for counseling.

Most Christian denominations have been under attack by fellow
Christians. Missionaries were unforgivably cruel to natives around the world,
including America. Most of the groups that infringe on the freedom of others
have also been a victim.

The Catholic diocese has rightly filed the law suit protesting the
Government’s intrusion in the practice of their faith that the employers
provide workers free contraceptives. This is the right thing to do – to stand
up for the freedom of religion. As a Muslim I have stood up for freedom of
every religious group, in this case with the Catholic Church. Indeed, it was
good to see evangelical leader Richard Land make the same pledge along with me
on Sean Hannity Radio.

In summary, the issues are about whether a majority – or the
government – can arrogantly push vulnerable ones into obeying.

We need to build an America where no one is apprehensive or afraid
of the other. Each one of us needs to feel home, a home where everyone can drop
his or her guards and lives freely.

It is our duty to safeguard the liberties endowed by our creator
to practice our beliefs. It behooves for us to stand up for each other, why
should anyone stand up for you, if you are not willing to do the same for them?

To
see all the contributors, please visit Dallas Morning news at:
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/05/texas-faith-is-religious-freed.html
. . . . .

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

Tonight on Hannity and Mike Ghouse

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Mike
Ghouse on Hannity with Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney about Vietnam War Heroes
Tonight
on Hannity, Mike Ghouse from the America Together Foundation said he believes
Hayes “made a big mistake by not calling them heroes” but that he does have
freedom of speech to say what he thinks.” Hayes issued a written apology
after the controversial comments and stated that he was “deeply sorry.” 
While
many Americans were honoring the veterans this Memorial Day weekend, MSNBC host
Chris Hayes was speaking out against calling the men and women who have fought
for this country heroes. He said, “I feel uncomfortable about the word hero
because it seems to me that it is so rhetorically proximate to justifications
for more war.”
Mike
continued, “I am willing to give up my life defending our freedom, and if
someone tells me that my life was not worth it, it would be offensive to me. On
the other hand, I need to honor that we Americans are not sheepish; we differ
based on what we believe.”
I
honor all our war veterans, if the war was immoral, it was not them, it is our
leadership, and ultimately us, for not protesting enough to stop the wars. But
we have to honor our heroes. I appreciate President Obama’s speech and here are
my talking points about what Chris Hayes said – about the conflict he has
calling them heroes.
Mike’s
Talking points: 
With
Veterans Affairs secretary – who spoke literally the same words. Mike Chose not
to use the word ” I will be pissed off if someone tells me giving up life
in defending our freedom is not worth it,” However, the general used the
word “jerk” to refer to Chris Hayes.  I wish I had used it, as
he and I would have been toe to toe on our take.

Vietnam Veterans are
our heroes

1. The struggle Chris Hayes had was real, very real
and that is very American to debate within us, in our conscious about the
rightness of an issue.

2. We
should not gang up on Chris Hayes, instead respectfully differ with him and let
the community of nations know that, we are free enough to question even the
sacred thing; the military.

3.
Soldiers do get affected by the immoral wars and may do things that they should
not, like the Abu Graib, blowing up a family celebrating wedding, urinating on
dead enemy soldiers. However, we cannot blame the soldiers; we can blame the
individuals who did not have the capacity to hold themselves accountable.

4. Probably Chris had difficulty in
calling these men Heroes, it is just not him, and I am sure the fellow soldiers
would feel the same. It’s an embarrassment and we should not stereo type our
soldiers. They are heroes to begin with, but the rascals are among us all in
every aspect of life, military is not an exception.

5. Let no one stereo
type us, we are a nation of individualism and we differ on issues. Imagine a
Martian telling us that we guys all think alike and don’t have the freedom to
differ.

6. We as Citizens need
to take the responsibility for gratuitous wars, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan
wars. There was no need for it. We need to hold the congress and the president
responsible and not the soldiers, they did what they pledge to do; defend the
nation.

7. God did not get
angry with Adam, when Adam did not follow him, did he? That is the kind of
attitude we need to develop that is what probably Jesus meant, when he said
follow me or Krishna said to surrender to him or Allah said to submit to his
will.

8. I do not agree with Chris, but I am proud of him for being an
American to speak up his mind.

9. We are successful because we debate, we
may not agree, but we value the God given freedom. 

………………………………………………………….

MSNBC Host Sparks Controversy For Saying He Feels “Uncomfortable” Calling U.S. Veterans Heroes

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/05/29/msnbc-host-sparks-controversy-for-saying-he-feels-uncomfortable-calling-u-s-veterans-heroes/
While many Americans were honoring the veterans this Memorial Day weekend, MSNBC host Chris Hayes was speaking out against calling the men and women who have fought for this country heroes. He said, “I feel uncomfortable about the word hero because it seems to me that it is so rhetorically proximate to justifications for more war.”

Hayes issued a written apology after the controversial comments and stated that he was “deeply sorry.” Tonight on Hannity, Mike Ghouse from the America Together Foundation said he believes Hayes “made a big mistake by not calling them heroes” but that he does have freedom of speech to say what he thinks.

Sean Hannity responded, “This is what bothers me, is that there is a mentality on the left that has seemingly contempt and a lack of understanding for the price that has been paid for them on NBC News to make one idiotic statement after another. He’s free to do it but the freedom comes from the very people that he’s reluctant to call heroes.”

Fox News military analyst Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney said, “I think John McCain said it very well yesterday when he called the guy who was yelling a jerk … Look the people that go in the military, the veterans, they go in to serve their nation. They do not make the decision that we’re going to go to war in Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan. Political leaders make that decision.”
Follow Fox News Insider on Twitter!
Afghanistan. Political leaders make that decision.”
Follow Fox News Insider on Twitter!


–
– – – –

(214) 325-1916 | MikeGhouse is committed to
building a Cohesive America and
offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker
and a writer on pluralism, politics,
civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice.
Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV,
and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas
Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and
regularly at Huffington post, and
several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily. 

Interfaith Hindu-Christian Wedding

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http://nabsites.net/demo/interfaith-hindu-christian-wedding/

Interfaith Hindu-Christian wedding

The bride and groom must be admired by one and all, in this divisive world, where people have difficulty in agreeing, and difficulty in getting along – they are setting a new standard, that of respecting the otherness of other and accepting the God given uniqueness of each other. They  both grew up in different religious traditions, but yet, they have fallen the barriers.

Officiated by Mike Ghouse on Saturday, May 12, 2012
Specificities have been taken out including the real
names for privacy. I am pleased to welcome y’all to the
beautiful wedding of Betson and Preeya on this blessed day.

“There is only one cast, the cast of humanity.
There is only one religion, the religion of love.
There is only one language, the language of the heart.
There is only one God, he is omnipresent.”
Jesus Christ set the example to
the world through his actions; he embraced the socially rejected like the
prostitutes, the lepers and others. Between him and humanity, there were no walls;
Jesus
wanted to redeem the lost souls.

When Moses came down from Sinai with the tablets, his
unstated goal was to restore trust in the society through orderly conduct. Krishna
emerged to reinstate dharma (righteousness).   
Muhammad revived the message of Abraham, of one common creator and
accountability for our Karma.
Buddha and Mahavira taught that one can achieve freedom through
self-regulating.  Guru Nanak saw the commonalities
between Hindus and Muslims on the basis of Seva (service), while Bahaullah
taught the oneness of humanity.  Of
course, the Native Americans also set a fine example, sharing knowledge among
various tribes for the common good.
Dear
creator, please accept our gratitude in every name call upon you; Manito,
Yahweh, Elahi, Ishwar, Allah, Mahavira, Buddha, Wahe Guru, Ahura Mazda, mother
earth and Jesus Christ.
Let me welcome you with interfaith greetings.

When you say “Hi” to the other person it has three components –
acknowledgement, welcome sign, and the desire to be friends. The same idea is
embedded in religious greetings. When you say “Namaste” in its most generic
meaning, we are saying, let the good in you connect with the good in me, and
when you say, Salaam, Shalom or peace, you are adding that may you be soaked in
peace – and when you repeat that back to me, you want me to be in peace too…
so, together when we connect, and the basis is peace and goodwill – whatever we
do from that point – think, talk or act – it is suppose to be peaceful.

Religious greetings of Baha’i, Buddhist,
Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Wicca, Native Americans and
Zoroastrians were recited.
It is my pleasure to officiate the wedding
ceremony of Betson & Preeya per the social traditions and God as the
witness.

The bride and groom must be admired by one and all, in
this divisive world, where people have difficulty in agreeing, and difficulty in
getting along – they are setting a new standard, that of respecting the otherness of other and
accepting the God given uniqueness of each other. They  both grew up in different religious traditions, but yet, they
have fallen the barriers.

The Groom is raised with the Christian traditions with his own understanding of
the causer of life while the Bride is raised with Hindu traditions with her own
understanding of the creator.  They are different
perspectives of the same truth, when you believe that, humility embraces you,
it becomes your attitude.  

Humility builds societies, arrogance
destroys it. 

Traditions teach accountability, when you live a balanced life, without the
burden of guilt, wrong doing and ill will – you receive the ultimate gift of
freedom. The Hindu tradition calls it Mukti that is freedom from all bondages,
while the Christian tradition calls it Salvation.  
We are here today, either through creation
or evolution, but we are here, the life is created in pairs, and the creation
has programmed the humanity with love and attraction for each other.

Now it is the responsibility of the couple to continue to accept each other as
they are, without seeking the other to be different.

Then Proceedings, affirmation, acceptance,
ring exchange and the announcement.

A SHORT SERMON


Love, tranquility, mercy,
equity, and kindness are the hallmarks of an ideal marriage. If any of these
elements decline in intensity, it becomes the duty of the husband and the wife,
equally, to reflect and listen to each other in order to fully enjoy the beauty
of marriage.
Once you enjoy the harmony and
connection between the two, when you feel each other’s joy, each other’s pain
and apprehension… neither of you feels alone, there is a sense of security and
a sense of relief in it for both, you feel worthy of living and giving the joy
to your spouse.  Indeed, that is what a
heaven is all about. It is the freedom to be yourselves and joy to care for
each other.
What is part of the nature? 
Both of you want peace and
tranquility in life, that is a natural state we move towards. If there is a
conflict, the bottom line for both of you is to be out of it, but the ego plays
it out and you start saying things, doing things that does the opposite of what
you want; that is peace.  When there is
conflict, just become a listener, not aan aan, yeah yeah yeah…but an active
listener showing that you really care to hear him or her out. That is what
guides you out of the conflict.
Shared a short story about
effective listening – my encounters with President Musharraf of Pakistan right
after 9/11 in DC.
The creator or causer of the
universe has created everything in pairs, in harmony and in balance.
Ssequence of the proceedings;  
·        
Welcome
·        
Interfaith
greetings  
·        
Essentials
of marriage
·        
Blessings
from the family and friends
·        
Acceptance
of each other.
·        
Signature
·        
Ring
exchange
·        
Public
Announcement
·        
A
short sermon
·        
A
short prayer (Generic and inclusive)
Mike Ghouse,
Officiant, Interfaith weddingsMikeGhouse is committed to building a
Cohesive America and
offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker,
thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and
justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on
Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to
the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning
News and regularly at Huffington post, and
several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is
updated daily. 

DFW International Festival, May 26, 2012

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DFW International Festival, Arts District Dallas 5/26/12

Sunday, May 26, 2012 | Picture quiz at the end
Other Pictures – http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157629921694462/show/

Ann Marie Weiss is the founder and president of the DFW International way back in mid-nineties; she has dedicated her last twenty years in  making DFW
international a cultural voice of the City. Just about every cultural
organization is a part of DFW international. If you are not part of the DFW
International, then you don’t exist (analogous to the famous saying my friend
Mr. DD Maini says, if you have not seen Lahore, you are not born at all).
Congratulations to Anne Marie Weiss and congratulation to our City – we are indeed an international city with ever increasing cultural and religious diversity. I took some pictures of the skyline around the festival spot… I took the pictures of the beautiful sky from where the festival was held.  I have not had a chance to stop and smell the roses – called Dallas. It was really nice to take time to see and experience Dallas.

It was nice to be a part of the big event today, though we had the booth, we did
not staff it, but I visited in the morning and again in the evening, and it‘s an
incredibly successful event. Booths were organized by nations, cultures and
cuisines… There were nearly ten booths representing America, we were one of
them, the America Together Foundation.

I remember the days when it began at her house, we used to meet at her
house in North Dallas and then in Lake Highlands. However, I have been busy developing
and bringing people together since 1993 on a variety of events – The Thanksgiving
Celebrations started in 1994, then Unity Day since 2005 and the Holocaust and
Genocides reflections in 2006.

There is one extraordinary picture in the 15 pictures… I think I am going to
enter the picture into a competition….. Can you recognize the picture? Years
ago, I had taken another picture like that randomly… no one could believe that Dallas could look like that on a foggy morning with no one on the street,
just me, my camera, sun and the buildings. The one, who points the special
about this picture, will have the old picture dedicated to him or her on
facebook.

Mike Ghouse 

www.AmericaTogetherFoundation.com

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A Saudi woman blasts religious police; a real hero.

Saudi woman blasts religious police
This is a shameful act caught on some one’s Mobil phone. A woman is being harassed in a Saudi Mall for not covering her hair and her hands and apparently wearing nail polish. This is Saudi law in action and not an Islamic thing, as it is not practiced in 53 of the 56 Muslim majority nations. It is the Saudi law, Iranian law and Taliban practice (in areas where those few dominate) and not a Muslim thing to force.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/video/?videoid=a94562e2-0942-4801-a741985a48b0e96c&src=v5:posterframe:titleBar%5Elink:&from=mpl_en-au_news_news%5Enews%5Earticle&uuid=a94562e2-0942-4801-a741-985a48b0e96c
Women have choices in most nations most of the times. However, we cannot say this is a universal truth.
Shamefully, we the men, across the globe need to ask ourselves, if we have the laws where the men can tell the woman to shut up, how many of the men would rejoice? Don’t look elsewhere, nearly a fourth of our own population in America; the men who are going through bitter divorce may love it.
If you are one of them, how different you are from the Saudi religious police, or from those who believe the place of a woman is kitchen and raise children.
Sadistic men are everywhere.
I hope the Saudi Government wakes up and stops this non-sense and abuses of human rights. I hope more women speak up!
I hope the gandoo (gutless) men, ungandoo themselves and speak up instead of walking away when a woman or any one is harassed and oppressed.
It is irritating that an ordinary woman had to defend herself. I would like to go sit in a mall and record all of this non-sense on a hidden camera…
Hold it, no one is free from this evil, the sadistic few among Jews have spat on women for not covering their hair in Israel this year 2012. The sadistic few among Hindus have vandalized the girls on Valentine’s Day in India… the sadistic few among Muslims in Afghanistan also beat women for not wearing the Hijab…and on the other hand the sadistic few among Americans chase women out of a social setting by staring at their bodies … Damn it, women get chased for wearing full clothes and for wearing least clothes, the girls who dare, do risk harassment whether they are in full clothes or the least clothes.
The Talibans dictate women to cover up, the French and others dictate women not to cover up. Who the hell are these men to tell others what to wear? 
I wish a fictional government emerges somewhere, where women rule. In that government, the liberal women will pass laws banning men from wearing suits and full clothing and encourage men to wear fig leaves. The conservative women have the men whipped for not covering other parts of the body.

I would also want to imagine, where the majority of men and women, take up the issue in the ballot and approve live and let live laws. Let men and women wear, eat, drink and believe what suits them as long as they are not hurting anyone measurably.

All of us need to speak up and seek a society where a woman can go anywhere, any time of the day without fear of the other.  Indeed, I have heard two men talk about it – The 2nd one was Shri C. Rajagopalachari, the last Governor-General of India and the first one was Prophet Muhammad, both of them had said similar things. While Jesus, Moses, Krishna and others worked on building safe societies. The prophet had said he envisions a civil society where a single woman laden with jewelry can travel to Damascus and return back to Madinah without ever fearing or being harassed by one.
We all need to aspire for such a society, where every individual member of a society feels safe.
 Please note, at the end I saw MEMRI.TV logo, and I thank them for highlighting this event, even though their intention is not good.  

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

Aamir Khan is God sent

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http://nabsites.net/demo/aamir-khan-is-god-sen/

As a person committed to building cohesive societies,  I cannot thank God enough for the gift of
Aamir Khan to India.
Aamir Khan with the show Satyamev Jayate
He is changing India, and impacting the social attitudes. He is bringing Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Buddhists, street people, palace people, men, women and children on common grounds. A deep sense of empathy and connection is binding people together. He will eventually strip biases and prejudices in people towards the other and bring mukti to them.
It is good teaching material for the organizations committed to the well being of women and children and prevent potential abuse. 

He has become my new hero in the line of my social heroes who have worked all their lives to build cohesive societies.  Aamir has turned his fame for common good, a pioneer from the fame industry and I hope; he will inspire the other giants like Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwariya Rai, Shahrukh Khan and others to take time out from making money and doing some good.

You don’t need to be a star to do good, you can do it too. Volunteer your time to serve people whom you don’t know, it would be better if you serve the one’s don’t like them. It will do a lot of good for you.

I have seen two people in Dallas die in car accidents – oddly one was an Indian and the other a Pakistani. Both were money making machines and had refused to donate to charity, to do good for others.  What did they take with them?
Aamir Khan has inspired me with ideas on the documentary I am making. He has put together topics that bind people, I am now reorienting myself to redo the documentary, Americans together, building a cohesive society, where no American has to live in apprehension or fear of the
other.  You are welcome to participate in the documentary with ideas, funds, labor and energy.
Please do watch these two videos.
. . . .
Satyamev Jayate :  Female infanticide in
India
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1vASMbEEQc
. . . .
Satyamev Jayate : Child Sexual Abuse – 13th May 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hY8CyTeegrM
. . . .
And read the following if you have the time.
Aamir Khan, the new Social Hero of
India
http://nabsites.net/demo/aamir-khan-new-social-hero-of-india/
. . . .
Satyameva Jayate: A Truly Cathartic Experience
http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=12225
. . . .

The Idiocy of
The Big, Fat Indian Weddings

http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2012/05/idiocy-of-big-fat-indian-weddings.html

Dr. Mike Ghouse is a community consultant, social scientist, thinker, writer, news maker, Interfaith Wedding officiant, and a speaker on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, politics, terrorism, human rights, India, Israel-Palestine, motivation, and foreign policy. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. Visit him (63 links) at www.TheGhousediary.com