An appeal to Muslims about Holocaust and Genocides event

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http://nabsites.net/demo/appeal-to-muslims-about-holocaust-and/

Holocaust and Genocides is a Muslim initiative to build bridges among Americans, particularly among Muslims and Jews, small efforts go a long way in building goodwill and goodwill paves the way to building relations locally and perhaps globally.

I appeal to a few (1/100th of 1%) among us to do what Muslims are supposed to do; to verify before judging and instead have a vision.  We need to be participating and contributing members of the society; goodwill has its own benefits.

You can be assured that for every Muslim bigot, there is a Christian, Jewish and a Hindu bigot and they are too eager to draw conclusions. A handful of Muslim bigots jumped all over me for doing the holocaust event and as Muslims they even spread falsities about the event, where as a few Jewish bigots harassed me for including the Gaza Massacre and spread the falsities.  I will not be alarmed as long as their numbers remain under 1/100th of 1% of their respective populations.  

You are welcome to write your comments at Dallas Morning News. I urge you to take a few minutes to write in the comments section of Dallas Morning News to let the world know that Muslims are committed to building cohesive societies for the good of all.

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/01/reflections-on-holocaust-and-g-2.html

—
Mike Ghouse is a speaker on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/ –   You can find details at www.holocaustandgenocides.com

Ques and lines

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Cofee Line at McDonald
I have started coffee, and every day I am 6th or 7th car at the McDonald’s drive drive-thru, even though I have changed the timings, am still 6th or 7th. What bugs me is when I don’t see any one behind me in the line. Does that happen to you?

I do not drink coffe or tea regularly, but as I have been travelling a lot, I found myself catching up with McDonald’s coffee on the road, at least it is consistent no matter where you go, you can count on it to be warm and fresh

TEXAS FAITH: What can religious groups do to help along the Mexican border?

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What is the U.S. responsibility, if any, in helping to curtail drug-related violence in Mexico? And how can religious groups make a positive difference along the border if it’s too dangerous to send volunteers there?
My weekly response to Dallas Morning News ‘s call on issues though the Texas Faith Panel. The other 7 opinions are at http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/01/texas-faith-what-can-religious.html 
Bob Epstein, commander of North Texas drug enforcement agency scared the devil out of Rotarians in a meeting in December last year when he shared about the terror of drug cartels, he thinks it is the biggest threat America faces in this decade.  Most people walked out shaking their heads in disbelief about meth seizures in Plano, Mesquite and else where in North Texas.
Nearly 35,000 people have fallen victim to the drug related killings in Mexico and the US in the last four years and the violence continues in border towns and has reached here in the heartland. Part of the delays on I-35 corridor is caused by monitoring for drug and gun smugglers.
What is our responsibility?  
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was precise when she spoke about American responsibility for the drug problem. “Stubbornly high U.S. demand drives the trade, and firearms smuggled from the United States are involved in much of the violence.”
“The U.S. has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in support and will deliver another half-billion in equipment and training this year. It has helped train thousands of policemen and sent helicopters and other crime-fighting technology.” Clinton adds.
Indeed, the Mexican elite force was trained by the United States, ranked next only to the seals, and now they work for the drug cartels for higher wages. 
Our responsibility falls in curtailing drug consumption and accounting for Gun sales. As long we are a haven for drug sales, the cartels will fight to retain their sales and the violence will continue.
It is our duty to keep law and order and faithfully guard the safety of every citizen, and our safety invariably hinges on safety of the neighbors who surround us; Mexico
We should never give up spiritual solutions to mitigate the conflicts and nurture goodwill.
Mother Teresa gave sane advice, “if you want peace, go talk with your enemies, you don’t talk peace amongst your friends.” In the early seventies smaller towns in India were terrorized by the dacoits and J.P. Narayan, a spiritual statesman offered amnesty to those who laid their guns down and India witnessed amazing piles of surrendered guns. Are the drug lords in Mexico tired of fighting? Can we lure some with amnesty? Can we embrace one lord at a time?  Would that be less expensive than going on an all out war?
Mike Ghouse is a speaker on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

Religious conversions are outdated

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http://nabsites.net/demo/religious-conversions-are-outdated/

Your religion is dear to you as mine is to me. Neither should I denigrate your religion nor should you consider mine less than yours.

Every religion works for the “believer”, it brings a balance within and builds an orderly society. Neither Muslims nor Christians are obligated to convert any one to their faith,
Once upon a time, conversions were sought to uniformize people, to have support for their personal (ill) intentions to dominate and control and fight their manufactured enemies. Today that will not work and should be out of our system. No two Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews…. agree on the issues, and then what is the need to convert?
People should have the free will to choose what they wear, eat, look, and believe. Let it be their personal choice a choice that gives them spiritual atonement.
Jesus said to go to every corner of the world and spread the good word and that word was for people to treat others as they wanted to be treated and some Christians took it in literal sense, just as some Muslim do.  God sent a revelation to the Prophet, your role is to convey the messages of goodness and it is up to people to follow it, perhaps to concretize the free will, God chose to have Prophet’s own uncle die without accepting the message of the prophet. There is a great wisdom in it.
Both Christians and Muslims agree that their religion makes a better human out of them, and precisely that is the goal of a religion, any religion, whether it they follow the book or the oral tradition.  It is the insecurity in people that generates ‘trickery” in them to protect their interests to have people tune into the same music, it was once, not any more. God has made us diverse with a unique thumb print, DNA, eye print and what not… Let’s learn to respect and accept the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.
There is no one version of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism. Even the smaller numbered religions like Judaism, Jainism, Sikhism or others do not agree on certain basics. In America, the Christians fight over Abortion rights.
Religion will not serve politics in the long haul, although the right wing in America and elsewhere have demonstrated that it can, but it will be temporary and will not last. People will return to the roots of goodness as Religion is about bringing humility and creating orderly societies and not ganging up on others. By the way no one can cast the first stone. 
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer. He runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.  Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, and Peace & Justice at your place of worship, school, work place, seminars or conferences.  He is a media commentator offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. 

Mike’s work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

What Islam do you subscribe to?

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Evil exists in a given society because good people do nothing about it.

Obviously everyone is scared of speaking up and as long as you are scared, those few will establish that Islam is their religion and a religion of punishment, oppression and coercion.  Sadly, that is their understanding, one of the many ways to change that perception is to speak up, they need to know that there is a different view and most Muslims do not subscribe to their view.

The least you can do, particularly the Pakistani Americans is to speak up and show the support to those gutsy men and women like Sherry Rahman and Prof. Hoodbhoy who are not scared. As he alludes, Zardari has a choice to leave a legacy of goodness for his country and live in peace or run for his life.

Please visit the site www.BlasphemyLaws.com a variety of articles are being posted to increase our own understanding of it. 

To Save Pakistan, what Miracles need to happen?
http://blasphemylaws.blogspot.com/2011/01/to-save-pakistan-what-miracles-shall-we.html

Pakistan’s defiant leader
http://blasphemylaws.blogspot.com/2011/01/pakistans-defiant-prisoner-of.html

Arab News
Qadri and Muslim Majority. 
http://arabnews.com/world/article232984.ece
Your Signature for Asia Bibi http://www.petitiononline.com/Asiabibi/petition.html

What is right with Muslims?

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http://nabsites.net/demo/what-is-right-with-muslims/

What is right with Muslims is that a majority of them breathe and feel freedom, democracy and respect for life runs in their veins. Nearly 2/3rds of Muslims live in democracies, while the other 3rd is still to taste that God given freedom. They live in “Islamic labeled nations” where oppression and enslaving others is in practice by abusing and misusing religion to frighten the day lights out of ordinary people.

The most subtle example of democracy can be witnessed in most places. The Muslims who are raised in democracies have a structure for their organizations. The founders set the goals to take the organization to a certain level and then pass it on to the next duly elected office bearers. Where as in the organizations of Muslims from non-democracies, it is a mighty struggle, and the words like taking over, dethroning others are used in their language. In the former group there is continuity of policies and in the later, they start all over again.
I am saddened by the happenings in Tunisia, there was optimism then comes the shattering of freedom.  A girl was electrocuted in Pakistan for falling in love with a boy; killing is simply not acceptable in Islam. You kill only in self defense and not for any other reason. Have they followed their Quraan? Killing one individual is like killing the whole humanity.
What is wrong with Muslims is that they fear the Fatwa and what their friends say, and not speak up.  When is it going to stop?
Mike Ghouse is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress. His work is reflected in three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/24/world/africa/24tunis.html
January 23, 2011

Government of Tunisia Shuts Down TV Channel

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

TUNIS — Tunisia’s interim government abruptly shut down the country’s oldest and most popular private television network on Sunday evening, in an apparent violation of its pledges to respect freedom of expression after the ouster of the authoritarian president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.
The state news agency said the government had arrested the network’s owner and stopped its broadcast for “grand treason,” charging that the network was trying “to abort the youth’s revolution, spread confusion, incite strife and broadcast false information likely to create a constitutional vacuum and destabilize the country in order to take it into a spiral of violence that aims to restore the dictatorship of the former president,” according to a government statement.
But Lotfi Sallemi, a spokesman for the network, Hannibal TV, said the government shut down its signal without warning or explanation.
“The owner was with the revolution, giving voice to all the people,” he said, speaking to a small gaggle of reporters in a dimly lighted doorway outside the darkened studio. Mr. Sallemi called the shutdown a flagrant violation of freedom of the press, arguing that any charges against the owner could be adjudicated without suddenly taking a major network off the air.
Reacting to the news on Sunday night, several Tunisians said the move seriously damaged the credibility of the interim government, which is facing mounting protests against its continued dominance by former members of the old ruling party, including a prime minister who was Mr. Ben Ali’s right-hand man. The fate of the network is widely seen here as a crucial test of the new government’s commitment to civil liberties.
A week after the protests began, convoys of Tunisians from the impoverished south arrived in Tunis, the capital, on Sunday to join hundreds of others in the square of the old city, where the crowd jeered and chanted for a breakup of the government for more than eight hours. “Today, today, the government should go,” they chanted.
The state news agency said that the owner of Hannibal TV was a relative of the former president’s second wife, Leila Trabelsi, a widely reviled figure here whose family grew conspicuously rich after her marriage.
But the Hannibal network, founded about five years ago, was better known for conflict than coziness with the former government, losing certain soccer broadcast rights to state television or the right to broadcast a talk show too similar to one on state television. And since Mr. Ben Ali’s ouster, its news and political program has hardly celebrated the former president, but rather echoed the widespread calls to eradicate the old ruling party from the interim government.
Defenders of the new government have argued that decades of one-party rule have left few outsiders qualified, on a moment’s notice, to steer the state to free elections six months from now.
The shutdown of the network occurred as it was preparing to show an interview with Hamma Hammami, a leader of the banned Communist Party here. Among the boldest critics of Mr. Ben Ali before he fled, Mr. Hammami has since been a vocal critic of the old ruling party’s role in the interim government, including in a statement broadcast Saturday night on Hannibal TV. He also has close ties to the Tunisian trade union, which is backing the protests against the new government.
The interim government, meanwhile, took other steps to repudiate the ousted president.
The state news agency reported that two officials close to Mr. Ben Ali were put under house arrest: Abdelaziz bin Dhia, Mr. Ben Ali’s spokesman and chief adviser, and Abdallah Qallal, the speaker of Parliament’s upper house.
Brahmi Fakhredine contributed reporting.

Mother Teresa my Mentor

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Mother Teresa represents “service to God through serving his humanity” she is one of my mentors and I think about her frequently. I was intrigued by her statement, “By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus.”
I have wanted to say, “I am an Indian by birth, an American by citizenship, Muslim in spirit (meaning not a separate entity in relation to other faiths, but a miniscule part of the universal energy that dissolves in creation). As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the whole humanity ” Kaifi Azmi the Urdu/Hindi poet wrote about Pundit Jawaharlal Lal Nehru that has lingered in me forever… “My koi jism nahin jo jalado ge mujhe… (From the song Meri Awaaz suno, pyaar ka raaz suno) I am not a physical being, a body that can be cremated and be done with it; my soul is amidst you wishing the very best for you.
I am still struggling to say the same thing that can be as clear as crystal as Mother Teresa… one of these days….
I posted the above in face book, within an hour, 20 likes and over 15 comments poured in… As usual, my Muslim friends bring their point of view and I share the larger point as well.
Mike Ghouse
http://www.mikeghouse.net/
# # #
John Dayal she changed so many lives
the world view of so many
made me pro life
 
Khalid Ahmed I wonder on the Day of Judgment if God will look at “”service to God through serving his humanity” or at associating partners with him, i.e. saying he was the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? According to Islamic belief, the first question asked of us in the grave is not what you did on earth, it will be who is your Lord and do you attribute partners to him.
Muhammad Ismail Arif she served the cause of humanity irrespective of caste, color & creed…deserved to be respected by all of us 🙂
Pushkar Sinha As a young TV reporter, I had covered her last journey in Calcutta. It seemed entire Calcutta had lost someone close. Even the phoolwalas, thliwalas were crying.
Mike Ghouse  we have a choice to be between literal to essence… all of us fall somewhere in between, and it works for whateverver you believe. God does not change with our beliefs be it Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish or a Buddhist beliief. …
For a Christian who believes in the trinity, that belief aligns his soul to the submission of that idea and it works perfectly for him or her, as Islam works for Muslims or Hinduism works for Hindus. My belief in Islam is not based on negating other people’s beliefs or not valuing other people’s faith. All faiths are designed to bring peace and balance to an individual and what surrounds one; life and matter.
Your opinion is dear to you as mine is dear to me, together we can learn to respect the otherness of other and accept the God given uniqueness of each other – for creating peaceful existence; some thing the creator wants.
Khalid Ahmed – Mike, do you ever speak as a Muslim or do you always try to wear a multi-religious hat? Damn !!
Mike Ghouse, I am a Muslim, to be a Muslim is to be a part of God’s creation and NOT stand out and away from other beliefs, but be a part of the whole. Yes, I do speak as a Muslim, as a part of the universe and part of creation.
Khalid Ahmed I don’t doubt that you are a Muslim , nor do I have a right to question it. You views are always on the border, perhaps you are just not well studied in Islam and that’s cool.
Mike Ghouse ?- Khalid, I don’t claim that I am well versed in Islam, however, I am pleased to be a consistent and dedicated student of Islam. I do believe that I have understood the essences of Islam to the point of full comfort and Islam is about subscribing to and creating cohesive societies for the well being all humanity. Islam is subscribing to an orderly, just and peaceful society. That is my belief.
Khalid Ahmed May we all be blessed with better understanding.
Mike Ghouse Mother Teresa’s work is what God wants us to do, that is what Jesus, Moses, Mohammad, Krishna, Buddha, Zarathustra, Abraham, Mahavira, Guru Nanak, Bahaullah, Confucius and 124,000 0ther peace makers wanted us to do.

Deoband Chief's love for Modi fails to get Muslim approval

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We must be proud of our community to have diverse views on the subject of Narendra Modi; it is democracy flowing in our veins. Indeed,   it is the healthiest thing do in working towards building cohesive and sustainable societies.

We may want to see facts on the ground, massacre and the merciless treatment of fellow Indians who were Muslims, what they are reduced to and what is the hope for them?

Any concession to Modi amounts strengthening his tyranny and legitimizing his crimes. Those of us living outside Gujarat have to remember that they have to live and work amidst hostility, what are their choices? As Muslims should we dig in our heels and cause the Modies to dig in too?
Do we want the status quo to continue or change? How do we improve? Those who have lost their loved ones have a very difficult position than those of us who are remotely affected.
This is one of the most difficult of all issues and we have to work on mitigating the conflicts and nurturing goodwill.  We need to value the statement of Dr. Zafrul Islam instead of jumping on him.
We cannot afford to remain confrontational; we need to continue to debate the statements without negating any opinion. Insha Allah, we will find a consensus through debates.

* Mike Ghouse is a speaker on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/
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Wednesday January 19, 2011 05:15:48 PM, ummid.com Staff Reporters
http://www.ummid.com/news/2011/January/19.01.2011/vastanvis_comment_on_modi.htm
Malegaon: Rubbish, uncalled for, misleading and far from reality is what Muslim scholars and elites have termed Maulana Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi’s statement praising Narendra Modi and the present situation in Gujarat.
Maulana Vastanvi’s reported statement about Narendra Modi and the present situation for minorities in Gujarat appeared in the media today few days after he won the elections and became the Vice Chancellor of renowned Islamic Seminary Darul Deoband.
“Narendra Modi’s hands are stained with the blood of hundreds of Muslims. Moreover, he never showed any remorse for his failure as Chief Minister during the Gujarat riots. Maulana Vastanvi’s comments that appeared in today’s newspaper are far from reality and lack credibility”, Maulana Syed Mohammad Wali Rehmani said while speaking to ummid.com on phone from Patna.
Maulana Syed Mohammad Wali Rehmani, head of Khankahe Rehmania, Munger and Vice President of All India Majlise Mushawerat was reacting to the Maulana Vastanvi’s statement praising Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi that appeared in a leading Indian English daily today morning.
In the statement that the daily termed as ‘the most significant endorsement of Modi’, Maulana Vastanvi has said all communities are prospering in Narendra Modi’s Gujarat, and there is no discrimination against the minorities in the state as far as development is concerned.
Advising Maulana Vastanvi to clarify his stand, Maulana Rehmani said, “At the time when evidences after evidences are coming out to prove the involvement of Hindu right wing organizations in terrorism, one should think twice before opening the mouth”.
Deoband alumnus and Director of Markazul Maarif, Mumbai Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi while denouncing Maulana Vastanvi’s statement said, “What Maulana Vastanvi has reportedly said about Narendra Modi and the present situation in Gujarat is absolutely rubbish and far from reality.”
Stating that Maulana Vastanvi should have avoided giving such statement as the VC of Darul Uloom Deoband, he said, “He is from Gujarat and might be needing ‘support from the government’ to run his institutions in the state. He is free to do that in his personal capacity. But as the VC of Darul Uloom, his responsibilities are much more. He should refrain from issuing such absurd statements.”
Gen Secretary of All India Milli Council, Mumbai Maulana Mehmood Daryabadi while expressing shock over the statement said, “Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic and religious seminary and it has never involved itself in politics. Maulana Vastanvi’s statements are uncalled for and by issuing such statement, he has degraded his post.”
Questioning the motive behind Maulana Vastanvi’s statement National Integration Council NC) member Naved Hamid said, “Of late, every businessman and those who have ‘resources’ and ‘money’ are coming out in support of Narendra Modi. They are doing so perhaps to safeguard their interests.”
“If Narendra Modi is providing equal opportunities to every one”, he asked, “Why he is not interested in minority development schemes for minorities in Gujarat? Why instead of pushing the justice to those who suffered during the riots and killed in dubious encounters, his government is taking all efforts to bail out the culprits?”
Meanwhile, ummid.com’s repeated attempts to contact Maulana Ghulam Vastanvi failed. However, he found a supporter in Editor of New Delhi based The Milli Gazette Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan.
“One may disagree with what Maulana Vastanvi said about Narendra Modi and Gujarat. But I think the situation has improved for the minorities in Gujarat and Maulana Vastanvi’s observation is appropriate and good for the community in the present scenario”, he said while speaking to ummid.com on phone from New Delhi.

TEXAS FAITH: Why do some religious affiliations produce more political leaders?

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The world’s history records endless stories of chasing minorities or the powerless out of their own dwellings and it continues today. They were driven out, annihilated, enslaved, forcibly converted or made to run, whether you are a native American, African American, Jewish, Catholic, Mormon, Palestinian, Hindu, Muslim, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Sikh, Buddhist, Dalit, Pagan, Wicca, Gay, Falun Dafa, Tutsi, Bosnians, or other minority or the powerless. You know your painful story.
This is a weekly column in Dallas Morning News that I contribute to, this weeks questions was why do some religious affiliations produce more political leaders? This week 9 members of the panel responded to the question, here is mine:

This week 9 members of the panel responded to the question, here is mine:

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The world’s history records endless stories of chasing minorities or the powerless out of their own dwellings and it continues today. They were driven out, annihilated, enslaved, forcibly converted or made to run, whether you are a native American, African American, Jewish, Catholic, Mormon, Palestinian, Hindu, Muslim, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Sikh, Buddhist, Dalit, Pagan, Wicca, Gay, Falun Dafa, Tutsi, Bosnians, or other minority or the powerless. You know your painful story.

Oddly, chasing-out took several avatars in the guise of civility; creating reservations and the idea of ‘paying to move’ was born. In 1649 the Puritans paid a stipend to Solomon Franco, the first Jewish man to step on American soil to go back to Holland. Indeed, the Jewish people have the longest recorded history of enduring oppression; the birth of Israel gave hopes of security and peace to them. Thus, protection of Israel became their prime motivator followed by instinctive involvement in affairs of the nation, and the disproportionate representation will continue until they feel secure.

Gays, lesbians and Muslims are next in line to seek representation in governance and at the beginning it will be a disproportionate representation. I am writing a book to nurture a balanced approach for Muslims with this theme: “What is good for Muslims has got to be good for others and vice-versa to sustain a balance in a cohesive society.”

It will take some time and momentum for members of Congress to be truthful about their affiliation and it is getting closer. When I came to America some thirty years ago, I was taken back by the bizarre looks when I said I was an atheist. It was not acceptable. Indeed it was demonic to be an atheist then.

America has come a long way in accepting and absorbing the non-majoritarian norms and practices into her mainstream and the strand of political representation of minorities was born out of necessity. The need for security will continue to drive groups to seek representation, and until such time we become a cohesive society and accept the otherness of other as legitimately as our own, the pendulum will swing from over-representation to under-representation.

Thank God for the vision of the founding fathers to inculcate and nurture the values of separation of state and church, the biggest contributor towards the political stability of our nation and our way of life, a value we need to worship.

 To Read 8 other response – http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/01/texas-faith-why-do-some-religi.html
Mike Ghouse is a speaker on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions to the media and public on issues of the day. His blogs and sites are listed at www.MikeGhouse.net 

Christian Brother | Muslim Brother

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I hear people saying “I am a Christian” and I just read a letter where a Muslim wrote to the other, “One of the Muslim Brothers is in it”…. As if truth and honesty comes with a religious label. I expect every one to be truthful regardless of his/her faith, indeed that is a requirement to live without fear of the other in a civil society.
Years ago, my old man said, Son, if someone says trust me I am a good ______, watch him out if he is using religion to have you believe in him. A small percentage of people lie whether they are religious or not, and the man or woman of the pulpit is as susceptible to be dishonest as any one else.
Are they assuming that just because one is Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jew or other, they should be automatically trusted?  What is the need to invoke Religion?  
Mike Ghouse
http://www.mikeghouse.net/