Blaming religion is like barking aimlessly, religion is intangible, you cannot jail, hang or electrocute it. It is gutlessness on our part to blame the religion and pass the buck… to NO one. It has become a bloody fashion to blame the religion and that is why we were not able to bring justice or resto…re faith in the system. Let’s blame where it belongs and punish the wrong doer.
The following comments thread on face book
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Greg Stone It is true that “religion” is an abstraction, not a responsible party. So when we speak of a religion we speak in generalities that may not be that helpful.
And yet we must be mindful of the teachings and practices of specific groups within a particular religion who may or may not be advancing the spiritual formation that is the true work of a … See Morefaith tradition.
But, as you note, in the end we must turn with our praise or our blame to the individual who manifests the faith in his or her actions. And we, as individuals, are strewn out along a very long path that makes up what St. Bonaventure calls The Soul’s Journey into God.
Blessings.
Mike Ghouse Blaming religion is useless, utterly useless, no decisions are made and the buck is passed to NO one. We have done this for over five centuries in vain. We need to blame the guy who is resonsible and nail him for his wrong doing and that gives hope to every one that, no criminal is going scot free.
Obafemi Origunwa Religion is not the problem for sure. It is an extension of the culture and what one culture deems valient another condemns as degenerate. So who is right and wrong? What is the criteria for judgement?
Delores Speiginer-Lundie The criteria should be based upon the perpetrator , which will always be a person or persons fixing blame to religion or cultural valients
Obafemi, what is right are the commonly accepted principles of civil society – do not lie, rob, steal or hurt. Each act creates an imbalance in the society and society ought to decide the punishments for it to prevent from happening it again. Saudi … See MoreArabia and Texas present death penalty in some cases and I think that is primitive we need to punish, not necessarily with death but with a chance for the person to recover.
Delores, good thoughts, punish the wrongdoer or discipline him/her.
Nargis, culture and religion are like chicken and egg, however cultural ties are stronger than religious ones. Burqa/Veil is cultural rather than religious; a Hindu and a Muslim from India are more likely to chat and socialize on an Island than a Hindu from Carribbean or a Muslim from China.
Ismail Bey A religion is what the followers make of it.
If a faith, as a group mentality, gets to the point where it’s practitioners follow only literalist clerics who issue edicts based on nonsense, and those edicts have meaning for the masses that result in violence or rampant ignorance, then religion can be blamed. If a religion proves itself unable to … See Morestop those edicts from having meaning among believers, if it is incapable of bringing compassion and tolerance to the fore of that community, then that religion must be examined and reformed, if need be. When a faith is unable to maintain the atmosphere of it’s ethics and moral teachings it becomes drab and meaningless, and begins to wither. It alters from it’s original course and ceases to provide succour to it’s followers, as well as to the communities it rubs elbows with, and soon develops a hostility to all things different. Soon, very soon after that, it dies amid the cheers of the oppressed.
Throughout history, religion has been a double edged sword for civilization. it provided light and knowledge and stimulated thought and science, and also strangled them. It inspired art and music and banned them. Religion put people’s fears at rest, and created fears that people never knew existed. But it never, never, allowed and maintained free thought and speech like the Enlightenment did, and still does, for better or worse. Religion, put on the social back-burner, does what it is supposed to do, without resorting to manipulated mentalities to make a difference in human society.
Mike Ghouse - Ismail, great points, particultarliy “it provided light and knowledge and stimulated thought and science, and also strangled them. It inspired art and music and banned them. Religion put people’s fears at rest”
Nuclear power in hands of good people provides light and the beneficence, and in the hand of bad guys is destructive. the problem is not with nuclear, it is the abusers that need to be chucked not the energy itself.
Ursula Koehler Blaming religion simply reveals ignorance. In the end all religions have the same goal – to teach the faithful high ethic and moral standards for a peaceful living together. So basically one will find the same commitments in all major religions, of course adapted to the different cultural roots. However religions have been misused for political and… See More criminal purposes throughout history. The keys to mutual respect, acceptance and tolerance between different cultures and religions are education and human living conditions for all people around our globe.
Amina Akram blaming religion would be when u do not have any thing to be blamed off..
Theodor Fruendt Secular French MPs have voted overwhelmingly to ban the wearing of face-covering veils in public spaces. The measure will now go before the Senate, which is expected to approve it in September. The fact of the matter is that the law exploits a non problem – only about 1,900 women among France’s five to six million Muslims wear a veil – in a bid to pander to anti-immigration voters and to distract attention from France’s economic woes.
Yasmeen Ali True Theo, non issues are always overplayed by governmenys around the world to take the focus away from the issues.
Khalid Ibrahim Good thread Mike and my fellow thinkers. What is really shameful is that many unsuspecting people do think that these psychopaths are so “noble”, when they use the cover of religion to commit their atrocities.
Mike Ghouse The unstated purpose of religion is to help find peace within and balance with what surrounds; life and matter. Most people get it and a few don’t. As a society, each one of us is responsible to to maintain that balance, and restore the balance when aggravated
Right in the middle of the devotional songs, the six year old stands up with her eyes wide open, and in an excited voice blurts out, “Gee Dad, that’s cool, God can be worshipped in so many different ways!” Indeed that sentence has become a part of my teaching in Pluralism. Pluralism is simply respecting the otherness of other and appreciating the god given uniqueness of each one of the seven billion of us.
Continued:http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/07/bottom-line-prayers-wishes.html
Linda at 5:20pm July 9
I wish I could be that way. It’s very difficult – nearly impossible for me to enjoy life while others are suffering. I have never been able to detach myself that way.
Linda thanks for sharing your thoughts. Let me share a few examples of thinking differently;
i) A customer is unhappy about the service and makes the call – the receptionist gets the brunt. Second call is same – it affects the mood of the receptionist – now when the third call is answered – should the receptionist yell at the caller? Does the caller who has no idea what the receptionist is going through deserve that? What if the caller is calling to say good things? The idea is each relationship and person is different, as adults, we should not pass on the negative things, we have to stop with each person.
ii) Bill Clinton was elected to be the President, he had a job to do and he did it very well despite the humiliation and interrogation he had to go through daily – he did not carry the personal turmoil to his job as a president. That is an adult like attitude he took.
iii) When some one is suffering, we need to be a source of strength and hope for them. We cannot drain ourselves, when we do that we cannot do any good to any one. We cannot deplete ourselves as it drowns every one, we need to uplift others and in turn it uplifts us and gives us strenght.Mohsin, my growing up included thinking about everything . My Grandfather, always wanted us to go to funerals – he said, it will bring out a better person in you. I am glad we did follow his advice
When I think of the role of religion in this – every faith teaches the same essence; to take care of your family, neighbors and community. Giving charity is taught in every religious system. Prophet Muhammad had said, even smiling genuinely is a form of charity. You shouldn’t even know who you are helping, lest they be embarrassed in your presence or even favor you in situations where you are wrong. Lord Krishna says in Bhagvad Gita, when you give, don’t expect a return, as it deflates the genuine spirit of giving.
Share your tradition about giving and receving
Pastor Fred Phelps is staging protest against Jews, Gays and Lesbians and the Mexicans right here in Dallas, Texas. Here is an opportunity for you to stand up for the rights of others and add purpose in life. Join us for goodwill prayers and hope the positive energy will open people’s hearts and minds towards each other, leading to appreciating the value of living in harmony. – Mike Ghouse
Action itemsContinued:http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/07/standing-up-for-jews-gays-and-mexicans.html
“Religion is the biggest influence in one’s life, it is time we give some weight to religion, and bring aboard Muslims, Native Americans, Hindus, Bahais, Jews, Christians, Buddhist and others to be a part of creating a better world, better world through science and research”
Continued: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/07/fox-tv-sean-hannity-and-mike-ghouse.html
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer, optimist, educator and an activist of Pluralism, Justice, Islam, India, Peace and Civil Societies. He is a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day and is a frequent guest on the media. Mike’s work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed athttp://www.mikeghouse.net/
May you feel blessed and free, happy July 4th!What does July 4th mean to you?July 4th means freedom to me and I continue to debate with myself which one of the two is most important to value to me, Freedom or Justice?Thank God for America, where we the people cherish and value the freedom endowed to us by the creator. I chose to be an American and I am blessed to be one in my heart and spirit. I have come to revere our constitution for the value it places on equality…
Now a few tid-bits about July 4th followed by the list of events that led to American independence, the declaration of independence, Bill of rights and the link to our national Anthem sourced form Library of Congress and Wikipedia.
continued: http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/07/july-4th-what-does-freedom-mean-to-you.html
‘Sulha’ Prayer at Abraham’s Tomb in Hebronwww.youtube.com
A group of Jews and Muslims came to pray together for ‘sulha’ (reconciliation) at the Tomb of Abraham in Hebron. It’s also called Ma’arat Hamakhpela or Haram il-Ibrahimiya. The soldiers couldn’t believe to see it–Jews and Muslim coming here to pray…together? This is… the final scene in the film…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf61OV2joDY&feature=player_embedded
There is more good on the earth than otherwise, let us share and propogate in the same proportion 99:1I have been sharing good stories of co-existence and please continue to add, we need more of this.Thank you.
Wedding pictures:
http://www.lynnmichelle.com/fernandjeff
Wedding Pictures by my Camera:http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157618797747822/show/
Wedding pictures featured in by Dallas Wedding Planner
http://dallasbrides.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/real-wedding-fern-and-jeff/
Some of the pictures prior to marriage
http://www.ewedding.com/sites/fernandjeff
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