Muslims Desecrating Graves & Holy Cross

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PRESS RELEASE

Criminals desecrating Graves & Holy Cross

As a Muslim, and the Muslims I have called are outraged, appalled and disgusted with the desecration of Graves and the Cross in Australia by the radical men, who are shamelessly calling themselves Muslims.
They need to be punished to the maximum allowable by the Australian Laws, no one should be spared. If you ask, what makes Muslims happy? It is when these criminals will be punished, these men are dangerous to the society.
No matter what they call themselves, or what religious label they want wear, they are damned criminals and must be punished severely.
No civil society should allow any criminal to use the name of a religion for their bad acts. No religion permits desecration and disrespect of other people’s property and things they hold dear.
This video is apparently banned on YouTube. Muslims need to speak up, shout in unison in expressing their disgust.
  1. http://infidelsunited.com/videos/1/3023/muslims-attack-australian-war-gr
  2. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f03_1330829653&p=1
  3. http://islamthreat.com/youtube_Muslims_attack_Australian_war_graves.html

They are the enemies of the civilized society and the biggest threat to Muslims.

I will recompose the press release, but I need to express my disgust in behalf of Muslims and hope you join in expressing the outrage.

Link- http://nabsites.net/demo/muslims-desecrating-graves-holy-cross/

Mike Ghouse
www.World Muslim Congress.org
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206
Dallas, TX 75234

MikeGhouse@aol.com
(214) 325-1916/ Text or Cell

Texas Faith – Mormon Moment

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Courtesy: Newsweek

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

Nine Texas Faith Panelists weigh in on it
MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The Christian battles with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are seemingly internal. Most non-Christians treat Mormons as a Christian denomination. Years ago, in a public program we had organized for the Foundation for Pluralism, we listed Mormons as a Christian denomination. Interestingly, a response from a Mormon attendee was amazing. He asked, “Do you really mean this?”
Today, the most common public issues that religious leaders yearn to influence are abortion, same-sex marriage, contraceptives, charity work and immigration. Most religious leaders range from accepting to rejecting the “otherness” of others. Either they are roped in by the politicians to play their tunes or politicians seize the opportunity to advance themselves. Mormons, in this area, seem to be no different than anyone else.
One of the founding principles of all religions is to inculcate humility in its followers as the faith builds communities. However, a few greedy pastors, imams, rabbis, pundits, shamans and other vainglorious clergy, preach just the opposite: arrogance. They are bent on denying divinity to others and making villain out of God, as if God has signed an exclusive deal with them behind other’s back.
In January, 10 national evangelical pastors met in Texas to undo Romney’s gains and unleashed Santorum on him. Outside of this group, a few have called Romney’s faith a cult and a few others said he was not Christian enough! Obviously, the Republican leadership and the tea party are not in tune with moderate Republicans, let alone the American public. Against, their scheme, the presumptive Republican nominee is Romney now.
Indeed, there are a few in each group who see other’s religious practices as weird. They arrogantly assume their practices are perfect to others. One of my favorite authors from my youth, Dr. Khushwant Singh, who was editor of the famous Illustrated weekly of India and a Sikh who wears full Sikhism on him, had criticized Muslims for not being progressive. He urged them to give up the veil and start drinking alcohol! Do you see the kettle calling the pot black? No one is free from this hubris.
As a moderate Republican, I do not see Mormons as any different than other groups of people, including Baptists, Presbyterians, Evangelicals, Methodists, Catholics, Lutherans, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs and others who believe in a God and seek his guidance.
“The Mormon Moment” will come when they make their places of worship open to the public. Even though every chapel has a sign that welcomes visitors, and I have been to several including one in Saudi Arabia in 1979, the myths continue to persist. That includes about underwear, polygamy, obedience from women, and temple ordinances limiting entry to the inside sanctuary even to Ann Romney’s non-Mormon parents during her wedding.
It’s time to remove the myths, and the Mormon Church has an opportunity to do it through open houses, just as Muslims did after 9/11.
The myth that Romney would impose Mormon Sharia law onto Americans is no more valid than the idea that John Kennedy would impose a Catholic Sharia onto Americans when he was elected. President Carter did not impose a Baptist Sharia and President Bush did not impose Methodist Sharia.
It is time to ask them! I am convinced that it is better and more truthful to learn of others from them as they say “this is what we believe” rather than from those who would say, “This is what they believe”.
Let us all thank God, by whatever name we know Him, that we live in America, the land of the free and the land where we can, each and every one of us, be ourselves! We have left an ugly past behind us, including persecuting Native Americans, African-Americans, Catholics, Jews, Baptists and others. We must now go further and spare Muslims, LGBT communities, Mexicans, Mormons and a few others. We need to grow up and learn to accept the “otherness” of others and tremember that this is the new American exceptionalism: Pluralism!
To see all the Nine contributions, please visit Dallas Morning Newshttp://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/04/texas-faith-the-mormon-moment.html
# # #
MikeGhouse is committed to building a
Cohesive America and
offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker,
thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and
justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on
Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he writes weekly at Dallas Morning
News and regularly at Huffington post, and
several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is
updated daily. 

Earth Day – Don't Mess with Mother Earth

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We are sons and daughters of this planet,  like the mother who takes care of us, the
earth offers us, what it takes for us to live – Air, Water and food.  
We are merely a
strand in the scheme of things, as the Native American Chief Seattle puts it, “Chief Seattle, a Native American said this perfectly, “All things are
connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did
not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the
webs, he does it to himself.”
None of us can live by ourselves; we are all interconnected
and interdependent. Our balance and survival depends on how well we take the responsibility
to maintain it.   
On this Earth Day, I
am pleased to share a few thoughts in the most simplistic language and ask you
to become a contributor towards the well being of our mother.
Our caviler attitudes
towards our environment amounts to messing up that delicate balance, the balance that keeps the seasons intact, the weather predictable, the right amount of energy from the Sun, the plants to produce oxygen,  the nights to refresh, the variety of nutrients to keep us healthy, the pure drinking water… if we mess that intricate balance, we screw ourselves out of life in the long haul.  

We understood the air
pollution caused by carbon emissions from automobiles, factory stacks and other pollutants. Finally we came out of denial and are making serious efforts to reduce the pollution and restore the clean air.

To understand air pollution
visit any fast growing city anywhere in the World, and I visited Bangalore, my Mother town,  where  each successive hour on the road, we blew the black stuff out of our noses, it was not a pleasant experience. What if it shortens the life span? I guess we can live with that,
but what if it makes us eternally bedridden? Contrast that with New Delhi,
where no gasoline run automobile is allowed within the City limits.  

Los Angeles and Houston were like that; we are leaning the
importance of clean air and gaining some control, each one of us is a
contributor towards the slow destruction or preservation of our mother. The
smallest thing you can do is check your car emissions to see who you are.

We understood the
pollution of underground and potable water, and we are making efforts to keep
that water pristine, indeed most of the deaths in Asia and Africa are caused by
water borne diseases. Watch out what you throw on the street; be good to the hands
that feed you, the mother earth.

Imagine your home with heaps of garbage in it and the effect it will have on
your health. The food, water, and air that give us life is a gift delivered
through our mother. It is our responsibility and duty to take care of her.

With the climate change, global warming and improper disposal of trash we are
hurting ourselves. Right now the garbage is dumped onto ocean through streams
and drainage, the floating garbage is as big as Texas in the middle of the
Atlantic Ocean. There were 40 oil spills since the BP disaster and the Marine
institute of Virginia claims 400 dead zones in coastal waters across the world.

We have to get a hold
on this. Those who deny global warming and pollution must be given a tour of
these places to learn firsthand and quit denying these.
What can you do? Just
be conscious of what you throw and where you throw, throwing on the street
amounts to throwing it in our own living room.
May we be guided to
protect our own earth for our own good. Amen!
 

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

Muslims commemorate Yom HaShoah

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Muslims join Jews in commemorating Yom HaShoah. The best thing you can do to support Jews in their most solemn moment of history  is to visit the Holocaust Museum in your city and attend the Yom HaShoah commemorative prayers in your local synagogues this week.

The history, Wikipedia,  “Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG’vurah” known colloquially in Israel and abroad as Yom HaShoah and in English as Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day, is observed as Israel’s day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust as a result of the actions carried out by Nazi Germany and its accessories, and for the Jewish resistance in that period.”

“In Israel, it is a national memorial day. It was inaugurated in 1953, anchored by a law signed by the Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion and the President of Israel Yitzhak Ben-Zvi. It is held on the 27th of Nisan (April/May), unless the 27th would be adjacent to Shabbat, in which case the date is shifted by a day In other countries there are different commemorative days—see Holocaust Memorial Day.”

Holocaust survivor Rosa Lee Schiff and Mike Ghouse at Temple Emanu-El

Last year I was at Temple Emanu-El and was got to meet my favorite lady, the Holocaust Survivor, Rosa Lee Schiff who and her late husband William Schiff were the key note speakers at the first Holocaust commemoration after the United Nations proclamation in 2005. 

Lao Tsu’s prayer of peace explains the need to participate;
If there is to be peace in the world,
there must be peace in the nations.

If there is to be peace in the nations,
there must be peace in the cities.

If there is to be peace in the cities,
there must be peace between neighbors.

If there is to be peace between neighbors,
there must be peace in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home,
there must be peace in the heart.

Peace on earth let it begin with me,

While listening to the notes of the Holocaust Survivors read by their family members tonight, I was in literal coma, grasping the pain and the betrayal of the world during the most difficult of times for the Jewish community. I sincerely wish the world understands this pain.


Muslims took the initiative to pray and commemorate the Holocaust event annually since the United Nations proclaimed it in November of 2005. Education was the purpose; we have to learn, acknowledge and reflect upon the terrible things we have inflicted upon each other, and we have to understand that our safety and security hinges on the safety of all others around us.

Every year we bring people of different faith together to reflect upon the Holocaust and Genocides and make a personal commitment to speak up, whenever we see a sign of massacre and genocides that is the least we can do.

There is a shameless cruelty in us, either we shy away or refuse to acknowledge the sufferings of others, worrying that it will devalue our own or somehow it amounts to infidelity to our own cause. Shame on us that we justifying massacres by believing and propagating that the victims deserved it or asked for it.
Pictures from the first year:https://picasaweb.google.com/FoundationforPluralism/HolocaustCommemorationByMuslims#5278725516349736482
2009 –https://picasaweb.google.com/103008603429198136501/People?authkey=mki9LXwkPSA#5451204111018475202
Pictures for the last five years are at www.HolocaustandGenocides.com
We sincerely pray that the following understanding continues to develop in our hearts;
Other people’s suffering is as legitimate as mine; It is easy to see ourselves as Victims, but we must also see the perpetrator in us; when we strip the politics out of a conflict, we see hope; We can value others suffering without lessening our own; the overriding desire to highlight our own blinds us from other’s suffering. A sense of responsibility for creating a better world is awakened ultimately co-existence and every one’s safety and peace should be the driving thought.
To all those, who have endured holocaust, genocides, massacres, bombs, annihilation, land mines, hunger, rape, torture, occupation and inhuman brutality, we say you are not alone. The least we can do in the process of healing is to acknowledge every one’s pain in one voice. 

We have begun the process of coming together as one people, to stand with you, we are indeed one world and a single humanity, and caring for each other brings safety and peace to all of us. I cannot be safe if the people around me are not, and I will not have peace if people around me don’t. It is in my interest to seek a peaceful world for one and all.


We are working on initiating a course on tolerance education, so one day; we all can learn to have a heart that opens to the pain of every human, yes, we can do that.

Mike Ghouse is the founder of this event and is committed to building a cohesive America, where no Americans has to live in apprehension or fear of the other. He is a speaker, thinker and a writer and offers pluralistic solutions on current issues. His work is listed at www.MikeGhouse.net   

Religion Formulaa – Engaging Dr. Kumar

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(Please note, this is a conversation and not an article)
The following is a conversation between Dr. Kumar
and Myself, it is a sequel to my piece Religion Formula. http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2012/04/religion-formula.html  
Thanks for sharing your thoughts; a dialogue
facilitates exchange of information so all of us can update ourselves. The
bottom line for all of us is to have a cohesive society where all of us can
live without fear.

Dr. Kumar, I am with you when it comes to mistreatment of minorities in Muslim
majority nations, a majority of Muslims condemn them all,  just Google it, there is plenty of information
out there; as well including a small list that I have created at http://standingupforothers.blogspot.com/2012/04/standing-with-hindus.html

Unfortunately, we are comparing our democracies with the monarchies and
dictatorships, those men are to be blamed and dethroned. The Muslims are still
living in oppression under those “bad ass rulers” calling themselves Muslims.

We Indians had a taste of it during Indira Gandhi’s regime. The decisions she
made did not represent the decisions of Indians, it is the same thing with
Bush, – 72% of us were against the wars. Yet his policies destroyed our economy
and the common man on the street, besides destroying Iraqis and Afghans. We,
the average American are paying for it. I am a Republican, but will acknowledge
that Obama did the right thing; he got the bad guy with least or no collateral
damage.

Same goes with Egypt and other nations. It is not
the will of the people.

Some of them hate us Americans not that they want
to hate. But because we Americans funded Mubarak, protected the Bahraini
Khalifas, and supported Shah…… and what did they do? Oppress their people with
our monies. To the average Egyptian, Bahraini or Irani (pre-shah) America
funded the dictators to oppress them. Do you see the flaws in our foreign
policy? Thank God for Obama, he was rightly guided. If US had supported
Mubarak, they would have hated us even more.  

We cannot compare our nations to the dictatorships and monarchies, we don’t
need to copy them, they need to look up to us, India, USA and other democracies
to model after us. And we need to uplift ourselves and remain on a higher moral
plane.

Your quote, “99% of all suicide bombings in the
world have been conducted by muslims, and there are muslim victims also, such
as in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, etc. That leaves only 1%
from the global non-muslim population.”

Yes, those guys are a part of the 1/10th
of 1% in the formula given below. They are dangerous to the society, let’s apply
that formula to the the United States and India, the nations we belong to – 5
Million Muslim should have 5,000 Muslims who are extremists, and India should
have 160,000 Muslims who subscribe to that ideology. That formula is too
generous, even if it is 100th of 1% – it will be 500 Muslims in the
United States and 16,000 Muslims in India.
Please put some numbers together for Independent
India and the USA, how many non-Muslims have been killed by Muslims, strictly
in the Hindu-Muslim riots. How many in the United States. And also put the
opposite numbers how many Muslims have been killed in strictly in the
Hindu-Muslim riots. It is worth the research to help us free ourselves from
stereotyping and bias.

In case of India and the United States, even 1000th
of 1% is a higher number, if you put the right numbers together. However,
worldwide, a bigger number like 100th of 1% is warranted. You will
find the extremism executed in India by Muslims, Hindus, Christians and others
match the percentages proportionately. Check the CIA site; they put the
terrorist number around 40,000 around the world, including everyone from south
America, Europe, Asia and the Middle east inclusive of all faiths.

In the US, our laws prevent the Robertsons,
Falwells, Jeffress and their likes to drive Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists,
Mormons out of the country. America and India are the models for the world, the
land of the laws that keep bad guys from executing their badness. Our systems
are good, we need to sustain them.
Kumar, indeed, “Tumhare moo may ghee shakkar”
–meaning God has blessed your words, for you to suggest, “I support yours and
all efforts to increase tolerance and pluralistic behavior in all societies
around the world. Such efforts are needed in even greater measure in the Muslim
countries to level the playing field around the world and to demonstrate the
same understanding on pluralism as you do.”

Someone else wrote, go teach the Muslims. Indeed, my work is published in Arab
papers, its published in Tehran Times, Arab News, Jakarta Post, Indian Muslim
Observer, New age Islam and several Muslim and non-Muslim websites as well… and
just about everywhere. My world includes 7 billion people, I believe in what
Bhagvad Gita guides one towards Vasudaiva Kutumbukum, and Quraan, “God is God
of all universes” and we are all one world and we have to understand each other
and take care of each other.

We have to help the divisive minds to be un-divisive and become conflict
mitigaters and good will nurturers. We need to dialogue with all, including
those who are bent on maligning others instead of uplifting us all.

Kumar we are all in this together and it is your responsibility, and my
responsibility to make the world a better place. India and America are not
Islands, we are interconnected and interdependent.

Here is the wisdom from our cousin, “Chief Seattle, a Native American said this
perfectly, “All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the
sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in
it. Whatever he does to the webs, he does it to himself.”

Kumar – take a look at this small list of things,
that we all can do consistently.
Standing up with Jews,
Christians,
Hindus,
Atheists,
Muslims and others – link
Mike Ghouse is committed to a cohesive
America, would you like to be a partner in the work?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Mike,

Religion Formula- not so fast.

I greatly support your efforts to infuse
pluralistic behavior. However, I believe what you are saying in terms of
percentages is what you wish it were, but it is not factual. You can conduct a
gallup poll of 5 million muslims in USA or Pakistan or Saudi Arabia or Iran and
test your assumptions.

Please consider the following:


1. 99% of all suicide bombings in the world have
been conducted by muslims, and there are muslim victims also, such as in Iraq,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, etc. That leaves only 1% from the global
non-muslim population.

2, 95% of all terroristic acts have been caused
by Muslims in the last few years. That leaves only 5% from the global
non-muslim
population.

All muslims enjoy constitutional protections-
in- Law in non-muslim countries such as USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany,
India, and China. However, non-muslims don’t have the same constitutional
protections in muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Syria, etc. Even Egypt, Turkey and Malaysia are not free from this
situation. In fact, buddhists can not acquire citizenship by constitution in
Egypt.

Just count the number of new churches,
synagogues, bahai temples, buddhists temples built in Saudi arabia, Iran, etc
over the last 25 years vs number of new mosques built in the North America,
Europe and India. So long that is going on, how can you say Islam is
fundamentally pluralistic? Are you saying that the governments and the entire
populations of these countries don’t understand Quran, the same way as you do
in relation to pluralism?

Even if we assume that your statistics are
reasonable, then one would come to the conclusion that 3% of muslims have
caused 10 times more killing of innocent lives than 3% of non-muslims
(christians, jews, hindus, sikhs, bahai’s, buddhists, jains,) around the world
in the last 1400 years and it is also happening in the present time. There has
also been a lot of killing of innocent muslims by muslims during that time, but
it does not exonerate the behavior.

That said, I support yours and all efforts to
increase tolerance and pluralistc behavior in all socities around the world.
Such efforts are needed in even greater measure in the Muslim countries to
level the playing field around the world and to demonstrate the same
understanding on pluralism as you do.


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

Texas Faith – Catholic bishops and civil disobedience

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


TEXAS FAITH:
Catholic bishops and civil disobedience

How far should people
of faith go in resisting laws they consider immoral. Eleven Texas Faith
panelists weigh in. Here is one:
MIKE GHOUSE,
President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Indeed, the religious liberty of
Catholics is under attack. If a compromise is not reached and the proposed law
is not acceptable to the people, we have to challenge it and go all the way to
the Supreme Court to check the constitutionality of it. If not that, we need to
get Congress to work on rectifying it.
As Americans we have to stand up for
the rights of fellow citizens who are Catholic. Why should anyone stand up for
us, if we are not willing to do the same for others? On February 27, on Hannity
Radio, Richard Land of the Southern Baptist convention and I, a Muslim, joined
in supporting the rights of Catholics.
Unlike the monarchies, dictatorships
and communist forms of government, where the rulers decide what is good for the
subjects, we the people decide what is good for us.
We are a nation of laws, and our
systems are well equipped to handle injustice and the unlawful laws, but are
nonchalant towards valuing civil disobedience. The dissipation of the Occupy
Movement is indicative of our attitudes.
Civil disobedience worked for Mahatma
Gandhi and the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., because of immorality of the
laws of the time. And it would work again if the Supreme Court were unwilling
to consider the plea and Congress was not willing to fix it.
The Supreme Court has done well in
checking the legality of the issues and has knocked out the popular sentimental
California and Oklahoma propositions in the interest of justice.
The coerciveness of the government
occurs when we the people are not collectively represented in the pursuit of
our happiness. And it is our failure, rather than the failure of our
government, to ignore the checks and balances built into our system.
Every American must feel a sense of
security, safety and freedom. It is in our long-term interest to build a
cohesive America, with liberty and justice for all.
Go to Dallas Morning News to read all the opinions: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/04/texas-faith-catholic-bishops-a.html
_
_ _
– – – – –
Mike
Ghouse is
committed to building a Cohesive
America and offers
pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic
affairs, Islam, India, Israel,
peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean
Hannity show on Fox
TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington
post, and several other periodicals.www.TheGhousediary.com is Mike’s daily blog.

The rise of atheism in America

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COMMENTARY -Mike offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. This particular response to a comment from a Muslim to worry about Atheism.

Let’s be realistic, it’s not the west that causes one to be an Atheist, I
chose to be one in India (raised in a secular but religious family) when I was
in my teens and remained so thru the last century. It’s human to be an atheist
or have an atheist streak in one.
There is nothing evil being an Atheist, and one should not look down on
it, if we do that, it amounts to arrogance of being righteous, to God, the
righteous ones are the ones who care about fellow beings.

And I’m a muslim, perhaps a very strong one, without
negating other paths, but appreciating them all in creating societies that God
wanted- where people honored the otherness of others and accepted the God given
uniqueness of each one.
Deep down, a majority of Muslims are this way. Are you not?  
Mike Ghouse

The rise of atheism in America

By The Week’s Editorial
Staff | The Week – 14 hrs ago


The number of disbelievers is growing, but they remain America’s least
trusted minority. Why?
How many atheists are there?
It depends on your definition of the term.
Only between 1.5 and 4 percent of Americans admit to so-called “hard atheism,”
the conviction that no higher power exists. But a much larger share of the
American public (19 percent) spurns organized religion in favor of a nondefined
skepticism about faith. This group, sometimes collectively labeled the “Nones,”
is growing faster than any religious
faith in the U.S. About two thirds of Nones say they are former
believers; 24 percent are lapsed Catholics and 29 percent once identified with
other Christian denominations. David Silverman, president of
American Atheists, claims these Nones as
members of his tribe. “If you don’t have a belief in God, you’re an atheist,” he
said. “It doesn’t matter what you call yourself.”
Why are so many people leaving religion?

It’s
primarily a backlash against the religious Right, say political scientists
Robert Putnam and David Campbell. In their book,
American Grace, they argue that the religious Right’s
politicization of faith in the 1990s turned younger, socially liberal Christians
away from churches, even as conservatives became more zealous. The dropouts were
turned off by churches’ Old Testament condemnation of homosexuals, premarital
sex, contraception, and abortion. The Catholic Church’s sex scandals also
prompted millions to equate religion with moralistic hypocrisy. “While the
Republican base has become ever more committed to mixing religion and politics,”
Putnam and Campbell write, “the rest of the country has been moving in the
opposite direction.” As society becomes more secular, researchers say, doubters
are more confident about identifying themselves as nonbelievers.
“The collapse of institutional religion in the first 10 years of this century
[has] freed so many people to say they don’t really care,” said author Diana
Butler Bass.
How are nonbelievers perceived?

Most polls suggest
that atheists are among the most disliked groups in the U.S. One study last year
asked participants whether a fictional hit-and-run driver was more likely to be
an atheist or a rapist. A majority chose atheist. In 2006, another study found
that Americans rated atheists as less likely to agree with their vision of
America than Muslims, Hispanics, or homosexuals. “Wherever there are religious
majorities, atheists are among the least trusted people,” said University of
British Columbia sociologist Will M. Gervais. As a result, avowed atheists are
rare in nearly all areas of public life. Of the 535 legislators in Congress, for
example, only one — Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) — calls himself an atheist. Few
sports stars or Hollywood celebrities own up to having no religious
faith.
Why so much distrust?
Many Americans raised in the
Judeo-Christian tradition are convinced
that atheists can have no moral compass. Azim Shariff, a University of Oregon
psychologist who studies religious thinking, sums up how believers view
nonbelievers: “They don’t fear God, so we should distrust them. They do not have
the same moral obligations as others.” The antipathy may have actually grown
with the recent emergence of “New Atheist” writers such as Richard Dawkins and the late
Christopher Hitchens, who have launched impassioned
attacks on organized religion. Dawkins has
encouraged his followers to “ridicule” anyone who could believe in “an
unforgiving control freak” and “a capriciously malevolent bully” like the God
portrayed in the Old Testament. Dawkins’s harsh approach, said Barbara J.
King, an anthropologist at the College of William and Mary, has confirmed “some
of the negative stereotypes associated with the nonreligious — intolerance of
the faithful, first and foremost.”
How have atheists responded to this negative image?
A
coalition of nonbelievers is out to make atheism more acceptable, starting with
last month’s “Reason Rally” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where
thousands stood up for their right to not believe. Silverman of
American Atheists, who helped organize the rally, said it was intended to give
heart to young, “closet atheists” who fear the social stigma of being “outed,”
in much the same way closeted gays do. “We will never be closeted again,” he
said. Some within the movement advocate taking a more conciliatory approach to
believers, too. Alain de Botton, the Anglo-Swiss writer of the new
book Religion for Atheists, assails Dawkins as being
“very narrow-minded,” and praises religions as “the most successful educational
and intellectual movements the planet has ever witnessed.”
Will atheism ever be accepted?
If growth
continues at the current rate, one in four Americans will profess no religious
faith within 20 years. Silverman hopes that as nonbelief
spreads, atheists can become a “legitimate political segment of the American
population,” afforded the same protections as religious groups and ethnic
minorities. But he’s not advocating a complete secular takeover of the U.S. —
nor would he be likely to achieve one, given the abiding religious faith of most
Americans. “We don’t want the obliteration of religion; we don’t want religion
wiped off the face of the earth,” Silverman said. “All we demand is
equality.”
Atheists in foxholes
Atheists are barely visible in
politics and entertainment, but they are clamoring for recognition in another
area of public life — the military. The Military Association of Atheists and
Freethinkers estimates that 40,000 soldiers identify as nonbelievers, and counts
the most famous casualty of the war in Afghanistan, former NFL star Pat Tillman,
as one of its own. In attempting to secure the same rights and support enjoyed
by religious soldiers, the association lobbies against the idea that “there are
no atheists in foxholes,” and wants “atheist chaplains” made available for the
ranks of the armed nonbelievers. Jason Torpy, the association’s president, says
that nonbelievers outnumber every religious group in the military except
Christians, yet receive no ethical and family counseling geared to their own
nonbeliefs. “These are things that
chaplains do for everybody,” he said, “except us.”
—————————————————–
Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers
pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker and a
writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and
justice. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, commentator on
national radio network, writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and bi monthly at
Huffington post, The Smirking Chimp and other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com

Koran Giveaway in Germany Worries the Right

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

1. One should have the freedom to distribute the copy of Quraan. Either you stop for all, or allow for all. Free speech ultimately wins, we don’t need to regulate it. If the worry is that the readers may convert to Islam, so what?  Let people have the freedom to breathe, drink, eat, wear and believe what works for them. We cannot have double
standards.  
2. On the other hand, as a Muslim it concerns me, if the translation radicalizes the youth, it messes up the society, it is our duty to protect the rights of all Citizens and ensure safety for all. Put the offenders behind the bars without slapping a religion onto them.

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

Solution
Germany Government can create  a commission to review books that meet public
policy and stamp it so, unstamped ones should still be there,  but the public would
know the difference and input will cause one to think the difference and may
lead to intellectual understanding. If they had checked on the literature, most likely we would not have seen a massacre in Norway. 
Wrong translation of the Quraan is a problem, and only a few subscribe to it. Most Muslims prefer Muhammad Asad’s translation.

Mike Ghouse

By MELISSA EDDY and NICHOLAS KULISH

Published: April 16, 2012

BERLIN — A drive by a fundamentalist Muslim group to give a copy of the Koran to every German, Swiss and Austrian household has tapped into the widespread anti-Islamic feeling in Germany and created an uproar among politicians and security officials concerned that the group handing out the holy books is using the campaign as a cover to recruit radicals.
There is nothing illegal about distributing religious works in Germany — it is a frequent practice of Scientologists and Hare Krishnas, not to mention Christians — but officials are worried about who is doing the distributing.
The Koran campaign is the brainchild of Ibrahim Abou-Nagie, a Palestinian who preaches a fiery conservative brand of Islam known as Salafism.
Mr. Abou-Nagie, who has lived in Germany for 30 years, has been on the radar of German security officials since 2005, when he set up a Web site that has been suspected of spreading extremist propaganda. An attempt to prosecute Mr. Abou-Nagie on charges of incitement of religious hatred failed this year.

The campaign to hand out the Korans drew nationwide attention — and widespread condemnation — last week after journalists who had criticized the effort were threatened in an online video. And on Monday, the interior minister in Hesse, a state in central Germany, called Mr. Abou-Nagie and his followers “pied pipers” and said that the danger from radical Islam had reached “a new dimension.”
But Rauf Ceylan, a professor of religious sociology at the University of Osnabrück, said that violent extremists represented “a minority within a minority” and that the discussion of Muslims’ participation in German society should not be focused on Salafists. “Politicians have a great responsibility for communicating the fact that Germany is now an immigration society,” he said, “and thus far they have failed at that.”

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

A German security official who did not want to be quoted by name because of the delicacy of the issue said officials were worried that disaffected, directionless young people would be drawn to what he called the Salafists’ simplistic interpretation of the Koran and find inspiration in it for violent acts.
He cited Arid Uka, who opened fire at a bus carrying American airmen at a Frankfurt airport in March 2011, killing two and wounding two others. Mr. Uka, who was born in Kosovo but had lived in Germany since he was a child, said he had become radicalized by reading Web sites, including some linked to Salafist groups in Germany.
On a Web site set up to promote the Koran distribution campaign, Mr. Abou-Nagie said the goal was “to bring Allah’s word to every household.” The campaign began in October 2011.
On Saturday, a stack of Korans sat on a table under a white-topped tent in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz, a crossroads for tourists and shoppers, as several men greeted passers-by and offered them copies.

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

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

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

Mike
—————————————————–
Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, commentator on national radio network, writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and bi monthly at Huffington post, The Smirking Chimp and other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com

Anti-Islam emails and my response

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This is in response
to one of the fellow Indians who keeps attacking Islam and demands that I
answer his questions, and when I do that, he does not read a word, but continues to attack.

The role of a religious person is to mitigate conflicts and nurture good will,
and as a Pluralist and a Muslim, I will continue to do that. Here is my response
in the most simplistic terms:
FOOD
We don’t eat
cholesterol loaded stuff or the food that is harmful to our blood pressure,
intestines or the health. We don’t drink the stuff that is injurious to our health.

However, not
all people eat healthy food and drink healthy drinks.

SPRITUALITY
If we nurture hate,
malice, arrogance, anger and ill-will in our hearts and minds, we are
contaminating the purity of our spirit, which is meant to be kept
good, with that stuff in us, we don’t feel good about ourselves and some times act weird. Whether I am a Hindu, Muslim, Christian or whatever, I will bear the burden of
what I allow in my heart to grow, and as a consequence,  anxiety becomes the way of life for me, do I have a choice?
However, not all people follow their religion and do the right thing. 

ISLAM

You have a choice to
find the truth about Islam, or you can live with seething anger and hate and live in tension every moment of your day.  You will not find the truth in the Front page
Magazine and their likes, whose sole businesses is to sell hate and fear and make
money. This scheme has generated them $42 Million dollars, at least they make
the money, and what do you make with your hate for Muslims? A few claps from
your friends?  
If you want to learn Islam, do it yourselves, it is your responsibility for your spiritual health and living a tension free life, but don’t judge Islam by meeting a handful of bad guys. If you personally meet 100 Muslims, you are sure to find three or four  bad ones, that is the case with any group, isn’t it? Let your sample be statistically significant to prevent you from falling in to the trap of stereotyping.  Don’t do it for Islam, do it  for you own spiritual health.

You don’t have to
live in anxieties my friend, find the truth on your own. Islam is as good a religion
as any religion out there, if you have the will to see it.
MY LIST

I have a list of
36,000 people from Atheist to Zoroastrians and every one in between including
the Native Americans. My work (rather service, as I have not received a pay check thus far) is pluralism and part of the work is removing the myths and
falsities slapped on every religion including Islam and Hinduism. I am not
teaching to Hindus as you claim, I am sharing with the humanity, and Hindus are
part of that humanity and hope you are a part of the whole.
Venkat, you don’t have to read my material, as simple as that.
Delete it, I will be happy, you and I both will save our time.
Take a look at my work:

STANDING UP FOR HINDUS  

In the following compilation, I will highlight some of the work I
have done with and for Hindus and Hinduism. It is not just Hinduism, it is all
people. If we are not willing to stand up for others, why should others stand up for us?
http://standingupforothers.blogspot.com/2012/04/standing-with-hindus.html
Go to Dallas Morning
News – Texas Faith – I have written over 80 articles, 70 of them mention about
Hinduism among other religions, and you can read some comments how people
appreciate learning about Hinduism, go to my daily site www.TheGhousediary.com and just
plug in Hindu in the search box. Go to Huffington post, there are another 40
pieces there…you see the pattern of inclusiveness, and its been there since 1993 when I entered public life. 
I was in a party last
night, thanks to Satyan, who came up and shared the good things he is doing.
When people talk ill about Muslims, he said, he will tell his personal stories
and experiences and tell them that stereotyping is not good for anyone in the
long run. Can you do that? Not as a favor to Muslims, but as the right thing to
do. He always asks, until 9/11- everything was fine, wasn’t it?
Its shame that it
happened, and it is one of the reasons including praischit (repentance), that I
have dedicated my life to Unite people. Take a look at www.Unitydayusa.com . I was on the radio
that shameful day for 8 hours getting the entire DFW community on the air with
me and making an effort to make sense out of the senselessness,  and at the end of the day we did;
restored faith in our system and removed the fears. The Unity day continues.

I hope you can be a teacher of Hinduism, where people see you as a Model Hindu
who is about the goodness. Hinduism is all about goodness and not the hate, anger and ill will that you exhibit in your emails. Seriously think about it, you can be a good ally to me in our efforts in removing myths about others. 
If you care, take a
look at these two videos, I have credited Bhagvad Gita for my being a Muslim as
I have learned from it, that finding the truth is my own responsibility – it’s
in the video and in my writings.
Mike Ghouse
Challenges Quraan Translation with Pastor Robert Jeffress – 1 of 2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMN8Zy1kc64&feature=relmfu
Mike Ghouse
Challenges Quraan Translation with Pastor Robert Jeffress – 2 of 2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZOFLQSAOhA
It is your
responsibility to promote what is good, or believe in whatever is dished out to you. Choose mukti or bondage. 
Satyameva Jayate.
Mike Ghouse

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

Hindu Minorities in Pakistan

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The following video is about the religious minorities in Pakistan, it has highlighted the Hindus and shared glimpse of Sikh and Christian life. I watched it with sadness, and felt their anguish. When the lady said, she is with the Swami Narayan Temple in Pakistan, my first thought was my sister Vina Dave and her raksha. 
The civility of a
nation and her people is reflected by how the minorities are treated.  The Hindus, Christian, Ahmadiyya,  and the Shias need
to feel safe, if not, it is a reflection on every Pakistani. The least you can
do is to speak up. When more of you speak up, it builds a momentum.

When you justify a crime against a people and look the other way,  be it in Pakistan, India, Israel,
America, Arabia or Russia, you have become an accessory to that crime yourselves. It’s like not calling 911 when you see a crime.


Shame on the arrogant majoritarian attitudes; where the minorities have to feel
insecure and frightened. Have you considered yourselves as an evil person? I am
talking about all nations including ours.

It is a shame that a few among us (people of all religions) chop God into bits
and pieces and claim ownership of it. I honor the full God, not the Muslim God,
not the Hindu God, and not the Christian God, but the wholesome God that belongs to
all of us. Think about this, do we allow God to be God of every one? Do we not
control him? Do we not use his shoulders to shoot our hate from?

No matter how you
worship, what you call that thing, loves us all without discrimination. The
fact that every human finds air to breath, water to drink and food to eat,
shows the greatness of God. I hope, as Muslims, Hindus, Christians and others,
we don’t mess with God and make a villain out of him and do the wrong things in
his name.

Please watch and
share this to reflect and not to condemn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_LFQD0NTnU&feature=youtu.be

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