http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2010/11/sean-hannity-show-wafa-sultan-and-mike.html

Hannity guests – As a moderate, I am delighted to be in the company of radical right wingers and still get a few points across. I am listed among 20 of Hannity guests including President George Bush (goodman in the wrong company), Carl Rove, New Gingrich (hate peddler), Ann Coulter, Bobby Jindal,  Pat Buchanan (reasonable), Dick Morris (not a radical) and others. http://www.hannity.com/guests
I will be on the air with Sean Hannity and Wafa Sultan on Friday, November 26 at 5:30 PM EST. A range of topics will be discussed including Ground Zero Mosque and the upcoming Quraan Conferences on December 5 in Dallas.

Wafa Sultan is a bellyacher, instead of blaming the societal wrong doers; Wafa Sultan has chosen to blame their religion.  My biggest surprise was “hate speeches were allowed to spew out from the religious places”.

THE RADIO SHOW ( FRIDAY EVE 5:30 PM)

Mark Simone conducted the interview – he sort of alluded to Dr. Sultan and I to go at each other and we did.

She claimed to be native linguist of Arabic and assumed that by the virtue of it, it will give her an upper hand.

She quoted a verse from Chapter 4 about killing the infidels and she made the same dishonest representation about not sharing a few sentences before and after the subject verse. I explained to her – that we if we view the scene where I shoot the intruder, I look bad and criminal – but if you rewind 2 frames, you can see that the intruder threatened me and was about to shoot and then if you see that I treat the person kindly after wards.

She jumped on Qur’aan 4:34 where it is alleged that a man is allowed to beat the wife after warning and admonishing and if she still does not get it, beat her with a feather like object. I reminded her that it was the “men’s interpretation” and men all over the world mistreat women even today but look at the usage of the word – 35 times in Qur’aan the word “Daraba” was meant for “separation” and five times ” to beat”. Some men chose to the 5 timer verse the thirty five times.

Prophet through Qur’aan for the first time in the history of mankind gave rights to women – to initiate marriage and divorce, to own her own business and property – and Qur’aan tells in every sentence that men and women have the same rights and that they are a catalyst to each other’s happiness, respect, dignity and life. Why would it tell to beat…? Some Men, no matter where on the earth they live, they are insecure and always find ways to power over women, we Americans are no exception either. Several among us do not want to see a woman president, how many men you personally know who would not want a woman to speak from the pulpit. Why pick on Muslim men? Indeed, there are several Muslim societies where men force women to obey – hell, that is not Islamic to begin with and what’s the point blaming the religion? Blame the men culture.

Qur’aan (Bible, Torah, Bhagvad Gita or any holy text) is like nuclear power – which is dangerous in the hands of a few, but beneficial in the hands of many in terms of electricity and everything that runs by electricity.

She was putting a childish question to determine where I stand, she asks, do you want Americans to read the Arabic version of Prophet’s biography? Of course, I would prefer people to find the truth on their own and not on hearsay. Is she assuming that Americans are dumb people and do not know Arabic? Hell, she is wrong about that, we Americans have the resources to translate every darn code on the earth; we have more people who can translate anything than any other part of the world.
I ended up with the same challenge – find me the faults in Qur’aan directly and not hearsay….  the full interview will be on audio available at Hannity show… the link is given in the write up.
Qur’aan conference is on 5th of December, it’s time to demystify those myths.

REFERENCES:

Mike Ghouse on Hannity – http://www.hannity.com/guests

Conference – www.QuraanConference.com

Wafa Sultan – http://hatesermons.blogspot.com/2010/03/hate-talks-coming-out-of-synagogues.html

Hannity Guests – http://www.hannity.com/guests

Joe Lieberman

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Brigitte Gabriel

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Pat Buchanan

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Mike Ghouse

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer, optimist and an activist of Pluralism, Justice, Islam, India and Civil Societies. He is a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer offering pluralistic…
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Mitch McConnell

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Jay Sekulow

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Bobby Jindal

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Pat Caddell

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Doug Schoen

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Ann Coulter

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Karl Rove

Karl Christian Rove (born December 25, 1950) was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former PresidentGeorge W. Bush until his resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of…
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Ed Rendell

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Andrew Breitbart

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Doug Hoffman

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Newt Gingrich

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George W. Bush

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Joe Miller

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Stuart Varney

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Dick Morris

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Jim DeMint

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PURPOSEFUL MEETING

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

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

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

I am blessed to have the national presence in America in the spheres of Pluralism, Interfaith and Islam, and have missed appointment to diplomatic missions representing America. I am pleased to have a representative voice for the moderates in America and thanks to the TV networks and Radios for giving me the opportunity to find pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. I hope to form the “Moderate Majority” for building a cohesive America.
Visited my brother Shan’s house under construction, it was amazing to see a spacious 4 bedroom house on a 30×15 lot with one car Garage and space for parking two two-wheelers. The ground floor has a living room and the 2nd floor has a kitchen and the master with the stairs dividing the rooms, one above had two bedrooms for the kids and on the fourth floor – he called it a ‘pent house for me’ with a balcony. This would be for us; Yasmeen, Jeff, Fern and Mina when we visit there.  I was really floored with that thoughtfulness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sam Hodges

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

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

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

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

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

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

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

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

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

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

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

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

William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist

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

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

How do you view God?

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

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

For other views, please go to:

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

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

William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist

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

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

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

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

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

Read on for some very interesting replies, including ideas about how the brain works.
MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, DallasFear has been ingrained into our psyche from the moment we had a chance to life. Darwin proclaimed the universal truth, “Survival of the fittest,” though his reference was to survival of the species; it is indeed applicable in political, social, religious, cultural and other contexts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

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

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

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

Sam Hodges/Reporter
Here’s what we posed this week to the Texas Faith panel:

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

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

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

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

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

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

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

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

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

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

William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist

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

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

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

Here are some high points from the survey:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TEXAS FAITH: Why do we pray for Christopher Hitchens?
Sep 28, 2010 | Dallas Morning News

Wayne Slater/Reporter

Christopher Hitchens is dying. Hitchens is a terrific writer, a bracing thinker and, in recent years, a famous and implacable atheist. He has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, which might have slowed his debates with religious figures in support of his book God Is Not Great, but it hasn’t tempered his tart observations on life.

Hitchens has, of course, an irreverent take on all the offers of prayer. Why, he asks, should God “be swayed by the entreaties of other sinners?”

“The offer of prayer can only have two implications: either a wish for my recovery or a wish for a reconsideration of my atheism (or both). In the first instance, a get-well card – accompanied by a good book or a fine bottle – would be just as bracing if not indeed more so. (Also easier to check.) In the second one, a clear suggestion is present: surely now, at last, Hitchens, your fears will begin to vanquish your reason. What a thing to hope for! … My provisional conclusion is that those who practice incantations are doing so as much for their sake as mine: no harm in that to be sure and likely to produce just as much of a result.”

So why do we pray for Christopher Hitchens? So he’ll get better? So he’ll see the light? Or for our own sake, not his? Why do religious people pray for others, even those who don’t want the prayers?

Our distinguished Texas Faith panel — some of whom have crossed paths directly with Hitchens, some of whom have watched him from afar — reponded in a big way, after the jump:

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas:
Our altruistic nature nudges us to wish well for others, and thus we pray for Christopher Hitchens for a speedy recovery. Prayers and wishes are the words to express one’s desire to include everyone to be a part of the universal energy that we long for regardless of our race, ethnicity, sex, belief or ability. We are simply wishing him well in our own way that we know of, and I am sure he has the capacity to receive the good on its face value.

A few generations ago most people were not aware of the Wicca tradition, met a Maya or shook hands with an Atheist. It was a taboo to talk with an Atheist, and no one dared call himself one. And now, we have accommodated the atheists as a part of the fabric of our nation. Indeed about 10% of the population identifies themselves as Atheist, Agnostics or Humanists. Even the Saint Mother Teresa doubted the existence of God.
Our belief in the creator arrogates us to believe that our prayers “will make him see the light” and “feel good about ourselves” that we have done our duty in praying without realizing that there is not an element of consideration in a prayer transaction.
Prayer is an effortless way to overcome our own biases and pat ourselves for being a Good Samaritan; it is also an expression of our unselfishness. To save other’s life, people have jumped into frozen lakes, on the rail road tracks and have risked beatings by protecting the unprotected.
It is rare for an individual to not pray for the other, particularly a public figure. However the exception was Rev. Pat Robertson when he justified Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s illness to deprivation of God’s grace. Despite my difference with his policies, I prayed for Sharon to get well and bring about a positive change for all. My maternal grandfather gave the examples of Prophet Muhammad, who stood up and paid respects to the Jewish and other funerals. There is indeed an inclusive prayer that we recite at least once a day; May God forgive our parents, our teachers, our community, the living and the dead. It is part of bringing the whole humanity into the universal fold. We have come a long way; our language reflects our inclusive attitudes and acceptance of the otherness of other, indeed Jesus, Muhammad, Gandhi, Martin Luther King and several others have paved the way for an inclusive tradition.

The pluralism prayers we wrote a decade ago has now become even more embracive; we rephrased it as pluralistic wishes to be inclusive of those who do not believe in the theist version of the creator. Indeed, we redefined pluralism from “respecting the God given uniqueness of each one of us” to “respecting the genetic uniqueness of each one of us.” We are one family and one world as the Hindu Scriptures call it “Vasudeva Kutumbakam”.
There is something very powerful about inclusiveness, as the Jewish scriptures say Ve’ahavta la’ger, you must love the stranger for that guaranteed happiness which comes from falling the barriers, it feels home. Wishing well restores the positive energy that gets drained with exclusiveness.

So, we cannot fathom excluding any one from leading a good life and good wishes that are due every soul. The word prayer implies invoking God where as wishes reflect one’s desire for the well being of other.

Other Opinions – http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/09/texas-faith-why-do-we-pray-for.html