Daily Blog - The Ghouse Diary

Can Modi Save India?

Mike Ghouse September 10, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on August 31, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/can-modi-save-india/

This article was published in several newspapers including News & Views and Counter-Currents Indian-American author Ghouse argues that only the majoritarian ruler can do it

by Mike Ghouse August 24, 2019

The early warning signals coming out of India are blaring, as a disaster has been in the making for years. The unfolding crisis – not just in Kashmir but in mainland India – threatens to tear the nation apart, severely impairing the economic prosperity gained in the last twenty years.

Terrorism, as seen in some conflict-hit countries like Afghanistan, has not been a part of India, but the conditions are ripe to give birth to the monster. The United States has much to lose – first the huge investments made by Americans, and most importantly losing the imaginary bulwark America has made India be against China’s rise or ‘expansion of communism.’

I think, the man in charge of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi , can still save India if he listens to the sane voices and restores the rule of law, and freedom to every Indian to pursue his/her life, liberty, and happiness.

The downfall can still be reversed, provided Modi sees the full picture.

Photo: Screenshot/VOA YouTube Video

Let’s picture an ideal society that functions cohesively, where each member of the community feels secure about his/her income, business, faith, culture, language, and ethnicity. When one is free from tensions and fears, he or she will be super productive and enriches his community. Indeed, the prosperity of a nation is directly proportional to its freedom, in the case of India, it is religious freedom. The economic success of the United States is directly attributable to freedom. One should be free to eat, drink, wear, think, speak, and believe whatever the individual wants in the pursuit of his/her happiness.

That’s the central lesson of the “2008 Index of Economic Freedom,” released by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. “A country-by-country survey of how free people are worldwide to direct their economic fortunes; the Index repeatedly demonstrates the vital link between freedom and prosperity. In simple words, the freer the people are, the more an economy grows — and the more everyone benefits.”

Gill and Owen in a paper “Religious Liberty and Economic prosperity,” write in a Cato Publication: “A casual glance suggests nations that have developed strong legal guarantees of religious freedom are also ones that have had long-term sustained economic growth (Grim and Finke 2011).”

The reality is grim – the Indian Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, moderate Hindus, and Dalits are not feeling secure. Every day is laden with tensions, and everyone is apprehensive about walking alone on the street lest he/she be beaten, harassed, raped, or even lynched. An act of lynching is not carried out just on the pretext of the other eating beef of a sacred animal – cow- but it clearly is a demands on the targeted people to renounce their religion.

Asifa Bano, an 8-year-old girl raped and murdered in Indian Jammu and Kashmir
Photo: Screenshot

Let this be clear; the innocent majorities believe that everyone around them is treated fairly and equitably as they are treated. Neither the moderate white majority understands the fear a black man feels when he sits behind the wheel to go to work, nor does the moderate Hindu majority understands the concern a Muslim, Christian or a Dalit man or a woman feels walking alone on a given street in Modi’s India.

The number of Muslims and Dalits who are sacrificed number over 115 now. Muslims are afraid to get out on the street, lest someone lynches them for the suspicion of carrying beef. Recently, a woman was hung to a tree and beaten non-stop while a crowd gathered around and watched the shameless act. An individual was hacked to death with bare stones and an ax publicly, and they videotaped the gory murder for the world to watch. A Dalit man was chased and set on fire this week.

Does Modi recognize the ruthless, mindless, and violent new generation of Indians he is fostering, is that the kind of Indians he wishes for India?

Last year, the men who gang-raped and brutally murdered a six-year-old girl in a Hindu temple was greeted with garlands by Modi’s men as if they were heroes. Two years ago, Chief Minister Yogi stood on the podium next to a man who announced to the extremists to dig out dead Muslim women from the graves and rape them.

Indian Muslim must be appreciated; they have shown extraordinary resilience and patience. Despite the lynching’s and injustices, they have not resorted to violence, unlike their counterparts in other nations. Presidents Bush, Obama, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have appreciated Indian Muslims.

It is time for Modi to do the same and stop the growing discord. If he thinks he can remain silent while his men harass and subjugate nearly 1/3rd of Indians comprising Muslims, Dalits, and Christians, he is wrong, it will destroy Indian and American Interests.

There is a limit to pushing, harassing, and lynching, and it needs to be stopped before it blows up.

Now consider the consequences of failure.

What if Indian Muslims, Christians, and Dalits cannot take it anymore and resort to violence? What will happen to the economy, investments from overseas, and the political stability of the nation? Every Indian will live in hell should that happen. No Indian will live in peace.

Modi has a choice. He can save India, or he can let it be destroyed from within.

Prime Minister Modi’s party, the BJP, lives in the past. The RSS wants to get even with Muslims of Independent India for the acts committed by a king or two some three hundred years ago. If the facts matter to Modi, almost all the kings of yesteryears, be it Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh or Christian expanded their territories by killing the resisting neighbors. None of them ruled for the sake of religion but for their own gain, they cleverly duped the people then, as they do now.

The Muslims of independent India should be held accountable for the acts they commit as any other Indian citizen would.

Should one be punished for the actions of his grandfather or even father?

I hope Modi restores the rule of law and prevents India from getting a certificate of Particular Concern by the Department of State? Would the conscientious mega-corporations and investors continue to partner with India or hold back for lack of stability? In that case, the ultimate losers are the Hindu businesses and individuals who have seen prosperity in the last two decades, all will be gone.

As things stand today, if Modi cannot change the mindset of the mobs, no one else can.

All he is required to do is frequently and boldly announce that anyone who harasses another Indian will meet severe punishment, and then follow his words with actions.

That is all it takes to save India from going into unprecedented chaos.
But, will Modi choose to do so?

Dr. Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. Mike’s mission is to open people’s hearts, minds, and souls towards each other. He believes that the ultimate purpose of humans is to live freely and be comfortable with their culture, race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, and individuality. Mike is a public speaker, author, interfaith wedding officiant, a newsmaker and the executive director of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. More about him in three formatsat https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/

Gender Pluralism excercise

Mike Ghouse September 10, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on July 7, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/gender-pluralism-excercise/

MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS

Three couples and I got together for lunch yesterday and chose to learn about each other’s backgrounds and motivations instead of aimless drifting topics that will not add any meaning to our lives.

We started the conversation with Gender Pluralism. Most men, not all, have a habit of brushing off a woman when she talks as if her words are not necessary. Two years ago, I was with my family, and my sister was annoyed when boys and men were cutting her off from speaking, we took care of that by setting up the rules, that everyone gets to talk and everyone gets to listen, no opinion is inferior or superior, it would be just different. Some people have gone to the extreme of telling the woman (wife, sister, mother, sister in law or daughter) to shut up and listen, and if that happens in my presence, you bet I would speak up and you should too.

I took my nieces to a politician’s home, and he was signaling his wife to come and take these girls inside, “What do they have to do with politics?” I stopped him short, everything! A woman’s vote counts, half of the votes in given elections should come from women. Why should they not have a voice? Later on, I asked my nieces to opine their take on the issue, and others listened without argument, the nieces had good points to share.

Each one of us in our group took our own time to share our story while others listened to it attentively as equals, maybe not be total attention, but respectful listening. Comments and deviations are a part of us, but we kept on the track. It was an essential exercise of listening and articulating who we were.

Do you know why God (in all traditions) wants us to ask him what we want? Don’t you think he knows what we want? He does, but he is playing a real psychologist, he wants us to learn to articulate, when we verbalize our wants, we put our thoughts together. It brings clarity to us, when there is clarity, we climb the first step towards finding a solution. I was talking with my friend Dr. Humaira about this, and she took the words out of my mouth – religion is about behavior modification for creating secure and cohesive societies.

Our unstated goal was to make our relationships more meaningful and learn about each other. I urge you to consider this approach, do the same next time, you’ll find the get together to be purposeful.

You hear people say, oh, he is my friend, when pressed for a name, they go blank. Let’s make an effort to know our friends if we call someone a friend, or if we work with someone, we should learn at least a little bit about him/her.

When you start a conversation, please focus on the central theme and make an effort to complete it. Avoid walking away frustrated. These frustrations add up and take your peace and tranquility away. Let life be meaningful, and tailor your conversation to complete it in 3, 5, 10, or 30 minutes or no need to have adhooray (incomplete) conversations.

In your exchanges, develop the habit of speaking NO more than two minutes in a stretch, let the conversation be a two way- listening and sharing. I am sure all of us have friends who start speaking at 500 MPH without breathing, afraid that someone will steal the moment. Assure them that you will listen to them and ask them to take time and not rush. What is the point in having incomplete talks?

Let the conversation not be a 7-minute monologue – it is boring, and no one will get it, they will wander off in their world. Please keep the conversation engaging by keeping it short. If you believe in equality, don’t hog the time, let everyone speak.

If we spend time with anyone, why not listen attentively and make it meaningful?

Mike Ghouse, Motivational Speaker
Center for Pluralism

Christian and Muslim Persecution

Mike Ghouse September 10, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on July 11, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/christian-and-muslim-persecution/

Christian and Muslim Persecution

Open to Public, RSVP Required
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 am
Friday, July 19, 2019

Speakers bio (listed below)

Dr. Peter McLewin
Matias Perttula
Harmeet Kamboj
Ajit Sahi
Mike Ghouse

VIDEOS
Persecution of Christians and Muslims 1 of 5

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=462202787669911&extid=kTNSZPqsBRzqxJdI

Persecution of Christians and Muslims 2 of 5
Persecution of Christians and Muslims 3 of 5
Persecution of Christians and Muslims 4 of 5
Persecution of Christians and Muslims 5 of 5

Location: 100 Maryland Ave, NE, conference Room 3, Washington DC 20002
RSVP – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christians-and-muslims-persecution-tickets-64250052637
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1186579764863302/
Website: https://centerforpluralism.com/christian-and-muslim-persecution/

Organization: Center for Pluralism

NOTE:

The Center for Pluralism stands for every community from Atheists to Zoroastrians and we have a solid record of that, this particular program is about Christian and Muslim Persecution. This is a side event in conjunction with the Department of State. Two months ago, when the state department announced the ministerial program, everyone was doing programs from Atheists to Zoroastrians, what was missing was Christians and Muslims, we chose to do what others were not doing.

Preview: Christian and Muslim minorities are persecuted everywhere in the world by fellow countrymen. How can we mitigate these phobias and let Christians and Muslims live freely and practice their faith fearlessly?

The presentation is about phobias in general, including Islamophobia and Christian Phobia in particular. Christian and Muslim minorities are persecuted everywhere in the world by fellow countrymen.

What is the solution? How can we mitigate these phobias and let Christians and Muslims live freely and practice their faith without fear?

PETER MCLEWIN

Dr. McLewin has visited over 65 countries training pastors in underground churches who face intense persecution. He is passionate about teaching leaders to walk in the power and authority that Jesus modeled. He has counseled with many who have served prison sentences for their faith. He has been arrested and deported twice.

Dr. McLewin was born to missionary parents working in South Africa. He grew up under the curse of apartheid thinking. As a young boy he travelled by steam engine many times through the train station in Pietermaritzburg where Mahatma Gandhi was rudely thrown off the train. It has been his pleasure to return to post-apartheid South Africa and stay in the homes of his childhood Indian friends.

Pastor McLewin’s doctoral work was in biblical geography and archaeology. He has lectured on dead sea scrolls at universities and institution including Hassan the II University in Morocco and at the seminary in Beirut Lebanon.

Dr. McLewin is married to Margaret, together they delight in their 5 children and 11 grandchildren.

MATIAS PERTTULA

Matias currently serves as the Advocacy Director for International Christian Concern where he leads the government relations efforts to mobilize the US government to address issues of persecution in countries where religious minorities are oppressed and the freedom of religion is in decline. During his tenure, he has traveled extensively including in Nigeria where he worked with government and civil society leaders to help develop sustainable conflict resolutions. He works closely with congressional offices in advising on legislation and policy related to the persecution of Christians and religious minorities as well as other aspects of international religious freedoms. He has held hundreds of meetings with government leaders, NGOs, and other pertinent stakeholders. He is passionate about working on behalf of the persecuted peoples around the world.

HARMEET KAMBOJ

Harmeet Kamboj is a Sikh, South Asian American and a fellow at America Indivisible. In her role, she works with communities across the country who are impacted by racialized anti-Muslim bigotry to bolster their civic participation in local government and build neighbor-to-neighbor connections. Harmeet is also a graduate student at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Her graduate study focuses on the intersections of interreligious engagement and political activism among bigotry-impacted communities in the United States, as well as the broader South Asian diaspora.

AJIT SAHI

Ajit

MIKE GHOUSE

Dr. Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His book, the “American Muslim Agenda” is about Muslim earning their respective space in the society. The book is available at Amazon, Xlibris, Google, Barnes and Noble, and Kindle. Mike’s mission is to open people’s hearts, minds, and souls towards each other. He believes that the ultimate purpose of humans is to live freely and be comfortable with their culture, race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, and individuality. Mike is a public speaker, author, interfaith wedding officiant, a newsmaker and the executive director of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. More about him in three formats at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/

Mike Ghouse
Center for Pluralism
(214) 325-1916

PARKING
Union Station metro and Capitol South Metro are about 10 minutes’ walk from the United Methodist building, the building is in the corner of Maryland Ave, NE, and First Street NE – ring the doorbell. You might find parking north of 2nd street on the constitution avenue/

Religious Freedom and Prosperity

Mike Ghouse September 10, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on July 11, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/religious-freedom-and-prosperity/

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Open to Public, RSVP
Time 11:30 to 1:00 PM
Friday, July 19k 2019
Location: 100 Maryland Ave, NE, conference Room 3, Washington DC 20002
RSVP – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/religious-freedom-is-proportional-to-economic-prosperity-of-a-nation-tickets-64248754755

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/540977843345006/
Website: https://centerforpluralism.com/religious-freedom-and-prosperity/

Organization(s): Center for Pluralism

Preview: The economic prosperity of a nation is directly proportional to religious freedom. It frees people from the daily tensions of what to eat, drink, wear and believe, or loss of income. They become a productive employee and devoted members of their family and contributing to the prosperity of the nation.

The prosperity hinges on the prosperity of people around us and the success of nations around us. None of us will succeed if some of us are left behind. Moreover, our very survival as a society may be at stake.

We are committed to restoring justice to my fellow Americans We will restore our glory days, and in the end, no human will be left out.

We will discuss the solutions … and what we can do about it.

Imagine a child raised with ill will towards Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Arabs, Chinese or Asians. I have closely monitored the results with Indian kids raised to hate Pakistani kids and vice-versa. The idiotic parents poison their kids.

When that child grows up to be an adult and has to work with the other who is not to be trusted, you can guess the anguish that person endures. There is an unwanted battle he/she encounters causing him non-stop distress. As an owner of the business, do you welcome these inner battles between employees, don’t they cut down the productiveness of your firm?

You want to get along with all and focuses on delivering quality products and services to your customers. You also want to go home with no baggage from work and give 100% of himself or herself to the family. A happy person is productive for his/her family, your community and the nation.

Should employers look for employees who have no problem with others?
Dr. Swamy’s example

Questions to the audience – how many of you feel tense working with….

If India goes through serious social upheaval and terrorism, How does it affect American Interests?

Geopolitical
Economic
Freedom

References:

Heritage – https://www.heritage.org/commentary/the-link-between-freedom-prosperity

Cato: https://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/cato-journal/2017/2/cj-v37n1-9.pdf

Why Integrated societies are good for America?

Do you feel apprehensive walking in a neighborhood, let’s all White, all Black or all Hispanic? Why?

Over the years, I have lived amongst many people, and now, I have chosen to live in an all-black community. It is a new experience, and I am cherishing it.

Knowing each other does not have to be a noble idea or a God-pleasing act, it is the right thing to do; to live freely without fears. When we learn to respect the otherness of the other and accept the God-given uniqueness of each other, conflicts fade and solutions emerge. It brings freedom back to us. Those of you who are Muslims will understand the concept well as articulated in the Quran 49:13.

We keep piling myths upon myths about the other deepening the chasm between each other. The only way to dissipate fears is to know each other first-hand. Knowledge leads to understanding, and understanding to acceptance of each other. How do we learn about each other and bust the myths if we don’t live as neighbors?

There was a time in the eighties in Dallas, Texas, my hometown when white folks were running away from their neighborhoods to escape from the African American ‘invasion’ of their communities. My question to them was, and is, how far and how long will you keep running?

Each one of us seeks freedom and wants to live without fear, but what do we do instead? We double down on our neuroses. White folks run away from neighborhoods when blacks make the entry, and the black people give up on living with all others and go back to their flock where they are comfortable. The apprehensions never end.

You would want an employee who gets along with all and focuses on delivering quality products and services to your customers. You also want him to go home with no baggage from work and give 100% of himself or herself to the family. A happy person is productive for his/her family, your community and the nation.

Besides the individuals, even the City Governments are struggling with the issue of discrimination. They need to see the goodness that comes to all with integrated societies.

Way back around 2005, I was on the government relations committee at the board of greater Dallas Home Builder’s Association. We were appalled with the attitude of the Planning and Zoning Committees members of the City of Plano; they were opposed to zoning-in apartments in the town as they wanted to keep the people with low income out of the city. Our question was where should the people who work at 7/11 live? Near their workplace or way out someplace in Garland and further draining their income on transportation? Finally, they listened, and affordable apartments were zoned into the cityscape.

Grand Homes flagship community at Bent Tree hills in North Dallas took over an abandoned neighborhood due to protests by the rich folks for building low-income (meaning Black) housing next door. I was assigned to turn things around and appealed to the humble beginnings of each one of us, and it worked, most of them realized that everyone needs to start at some point.

In 1985, I faced the wrath of homeowners, hitherto my friends but became foes overnight because we contracted to build a new Ryland home to Jim & Mike, a gay couple in Rowlett, Texas. Eventually, the acceptance came through education, and it always works, and they all came back again.

Now, I am enjoying my life with the Black community. There is not a single non-Black person on the busses I have been riding. I walk in into the Senior living centers; I am the only one. I shop at Giants, again, I am the only one. Each one of my neighbors has made me feel one of them, and I feel home with them.

Now, Muslims are treading on a dangerous path of building ’luxury ghettos’ around the mosques. It’s happening in Texas in the cities of Irving, Murphy, and Richardson; it needs to go. There is safety in integrated living.

Take a look at the Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and other community’s full-time day schools, what are we doing to our children? How are they going to learn about each other, how comfortable are they with different children? Public Schools offer the necessary interactions with different people. I hope private schools recruit children from different faiths, races, ethnicities, and cultures, so our children would be comfortable when they go to work with different people.

Integrated living produces secure societies, and you don’t have to run from place to place in search of security. Would you raise your children free from prejudices? Your children have at least 70 years to live, why do you want to poison them? Let them be free from your racial, ethnic, religious, economic and cultural prejudices, let them live without fear.

How do you raise your child to run for the President of the United States, Senate or Congress is a full chapter in the new book American Muslim Agenda by this author.

The Center for Pluralism conducts workshops to turn your employees to give 100% of their heart, mind, and soul not only to the place of work but to their family as well making them productive employees.

Dr. Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His new book, the “American Muslim Agenda” is about everything you wanted to know about Muslims. The book is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kindle. Mike is a public speaker, author, interfaith wedding officiant, a newsmaker and the executive director of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. More about him in three formats at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/
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Anti-Semitism Seminar

Mike Ghouse September 10, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on July 25, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/anti-semitism-seminar/

Antisemitism, the World’s Oldest Hatred.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019, Capitol Hill, Gold Room, Rayburn Building.

Today I attended the 2nd Seminar on Anti-Semitism organized by the USCIRF. A few notes in contrast to the all-day seminar held by the Department of Justice on Monday on July 15. Our Center is committed to religious freedom, Pluralism in religion, politics, society, ethnicity, culture, and workplace.

If you are messed up with Anti-Semitism, you are sure to be infected with misogyny, Islamophobia (Sikh Phobia), Hindu phobia, Xenophobia, and Homophobia. We consider it our responsibility to understand it and offer pluralistic solutions to the media, public, and policymakers. Hence, I attend all programs related to Religious freedom, write about them and take actions when I can. I condemn Anti-semitism and offer educational programs to change people’s hardened hearts and minds as they do not know the pain and anguish Jewish people have gone thru over the centuries. A few references are included at the bottom.

The talk on anti- Semitism at the Capitol Hill was organized by USCIRF and was addressed by

Hon. Lee Zeldin, Member, U.S. House of Representatives. He is committed to seeing Anti-Semitism lose ground. The congressman expressed concerns for the future of Jewish Children and the harassment they would face; he referenced the story of his daughters and wanted to work for a secure life for them.
The Honorable Nita Lowey, Chair, Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, and Member, U.S. House of Representatives – I missed her talk.

Rabbi David Saperstein, former Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom always offers a balanced pluralistic view. He spoke about the newness of Muslim anti-Semitism, and the insecurity Jews feel with non-stop anti-Semitic slurs in America by the white nationalists. He made a point about Muslims and Jews have had a relatively good history for about 1300 years while Christian Europe was steeped in antisemitism.

Tad Stahnke, Director of International Outreach, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum spoke about increasing Anti-Semitism in Europe. I showed him the chapter in the book about Anti-Semitism in the American Muslim Agenda. I hope to partner with him about teaching the Holocaust and Genocides to the general public and may be organized the 15th Annual event with the Holocaust Museum. http://holocaustandgenocides.blogspot.com/

Gary Bauer, Commissioner, USCIRF – He was the moderator and did a great job, spoke less and let the others speak. I appreciate his commitment to religious freedom.

Elan Carr, the Special Envoy of President Trump to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism listed three sources of Anti-Semitism; White Supremacist, Militant Islam, and the Militant left. He presented that every Jew should be a Zionist, meaning having a desire for the homeland. The world sees Zionism differently than him. He was highlighting the work of the President and the Vice President and their work in this direction. I am not sure if he is aware of the emboldened Antisemitism activity in America since the President took the oath of office or choosing his narrative despite what is going on – and at times, it may be the best strategy to stay on the course and not get distracted. I did that with Sean Hannity.

I wanted the audience to know that there are a few bad Muslims, but too many good American Muslims out there to stand out against Anti-Semitism and most certainly this Muslim. Our group must be the first non-Jewish group in the world to commemorate Holocaust and Genocides event, and we have been organizing the event for the last 14 years. It is an educational program to bring awareness from Atheists to Zoroastrians and everyone in between. The first event was organized in cooperation with the Late Elliott Dlin, Director of the Holocaust Museum in Dallas, Texas.

Thanks to Ambassador Saperstein for recommending the book while I was sharing my remarks. I have addressed this extensively in the book American Muslim Agenda, and chapter 2 starts with an apology to Jews, Christians, and Hindus.

I spoke about the newness of Muslim Anti-Semitism thru deliberate mistranslations of 3 verses in the Quran (while the Quran in Arabic is clean and pure goodness) to create ill-will towards Jews and Christians. It happened after the fall of the Ottoman Empire for lousy political reasons. The criminal translation was done by Mr. Hilali Khan, and there is another one born now who is doing the same stuff and I will stick it to him. A free copy of such a false translation of the Quran was distributed to millions of Christians and Jews, they are repulsive translations and one of the sources of Islamophobia. I urge all my non-Muslim friends to study at least five different interpretations to strike out three wrong ones. What is the right translation? Please check out Muhammad Asad’s translation and exegesis of the Quran, which is near perfect, and the imperfect translations of verses about women are corrected in Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar’s translations.

The other event I attended was at the Department of Justice, an all-day conference on Anti-Semitism on 7/15, and it was not reflective of the majority of moderate Jews in America whom I know.

The Memri group showed several videos where Muslim clerics were spewing hatred for Jews, it was indeed the truth, but only a fraction of the truth. A majority of Muslims condemn antisemitism and are loud about it. The whole truth is that a majority of Muslims are against antisemitism, at least American Muslims and I stand forcefully against anti-Semitism.

I spoke to AG Barr and the Memri people that the attendees must have walked out with ill-will towards Muslims, and it was disappointing to me. Organizations should state the whole fact and work on mitigating conflicts and nurturing goodwill. Several of us Muslims and Jews are working closely to build the relationships, and here comes Memri to sow the seeds of discord between Muslims and Jews.

I presented a copy of the book American Muslim Agenda to Attorney General Barr, it was also captured on C-Span. I talked to him about doing a program on all phobias, with a focus on Islamophobia. I will call on him and follow it up. May be Gary Bauer will sponsor the first one. I will put together the program.

References:

Holocaust and the Muslim guy – https://www.huffpost.com/entry/holocaust-and-the-muslim_b_4629509

Annual Event- Holocaust and Genocides http://holocaustandgenocides.blogspot.com/

One of the many videos – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uneRYgYfgWI&t=63s

Standing up for Jews – http://standingupforothers.blogspot.com/2012/02/standing-up-with-jews.html

Anti-Semitism and Netanyahu – https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anti-semitism-is-augmented-by-netanyahu-and-trump-jerusalem_b_5a2a6ea9e4b0d7c3f26221b6

Religious freedom and prosperity of a nation – https://centerforpluralism.com/religious-freedom-and-prosperity/

Persecution of Christians and Muslims – https://centerforpluralism.com/christian-and-muslim-persecution/

We are an active participant at the IRF Roundtable. All about us at the home page www.CenterforPluralism.com

Dr. Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, author, and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His book, the “American Muslim Agenda” is about Muslims earning their respective space in the society be it social, religious, cultural or political. The book is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kindle. Mike’s mission is to open people’s hearts, minds, and souls towards each other. He believes that the ultimate purpose of humans is to live freely and be comfortable with their culture, race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, politically and individuality. He is president of the Center for Pluralism committed to pragmatic education and practices to restore America to its pluralistic values. More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/ and the attachments.

Successful Muslim Caucus Conference

Mike Ghouse September 10, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on July 26, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/successful-muslim-caucus-conference/

Successful Muslim Caucus Conference on July 23rd and 24th in Washington DC.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE VISIONARY LEADERSHIP OF MUSLIM CAUCUS

Ghazala, Zarina, and the respected board members, thanks for inviting me, and I’m glad to have participated, and wholeheartedly admire the inclusive vision of your leadership. As Muslims learn about your work, they’ll join you en masse. There is a whole lot of good this group has generated.

Please send a few pictures, and I will send for publication. You are welcome to add an item or two in the piece below as your quote. A few pictures and video links are given below in this short report.
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The Muslim Caucus – a hope for American Muslims.

Every good thing starts with the dream of a single person when people see its viability they will join.

maiñ akelā hī chalā thā jānib-e-manzil magar
log saath aate ga.e aur kārvāñ bantā gayā

I chose to walk alone towards the destiny
people joined on the way and became a movement

Kudos to Ghazala Salam, Zarina Baber and the board members of the Muslim Caucus. The first annual Muslim collective was a successful conference. “Organizing to Win is a leadership, organizing and action training to mobilize Muslim Voters.” I believe it was the dream of Ghazala, and the vision of her board members, and you may see it as your own dream coming true. It was certainly my dream. https://www.muslimcaucuscollective.org/

Thanks to organizations like ISNA, CAIR, MPAC, Muslim Advocates, and several others who have met the foundational needs of the Muslim community as they were establishing themselves in America. Now it’s the Muslim Caucus turn to channel the political aspirations of fellow Muslims. The Center for Pluralism will continue to work on advancing Pluralism, religious freedom, and building a cohesive America.

The conference highlighted some of the Muslim contributions to America, one among them was the 63 free Muslim medical clinics that serve fellow Americans who do not have insurance. This is a powerful expression of Muslim service to fellow humans.

Indeed, it was communicated nationally in live interviews with Senator Warren, Mayor Blasio, and Governor Inslee. There are so many good stories of real people benefiting from the service that it is worth sharing. In a program with the Muslim Community Center of Dallas, one such powerful story was narrated of a white woman who silenced the attacks on Islam in a gathering I was speaking. She said that the Muslim doctors had saved her life through the free Muslim clinic in Dallas. Indeed, it was a compelling record to combat Islamophobia.

The elected representatives who attended the event were inspirational. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (despite her frustrated response), Delegate Sam Rasool, Councilman Johnson, Governor Candidate Dr. Abdul El Sayeed, and others gave reassuring talks. They are the role models for Muslims to emulate. I am merely writing what I observed, there was a lot more to the conference than I saw. All the panels, programs, and speakers were refreshing.

Our short term and continuing goal ought to be medical service and regular medical camps in rural America and poor neighborhoods. Serving fellow humans is one of the 12 strong Muslim Values enunciated in the new book American Muslim Agenda. If an aspiring candidate is identified with public service, he or she will have an edge in the race. I believe Sam Rasool made that point very well.

Muslim are talking about serving nutritional food for the homeless and hungry, particularly our veterans. Dr. Humair Ali is working on it for several years.

These services help fellow Americans see our commitment to the wellbeing of America, and thus become one with all. It is our home, and we have to contribute to her well being in every which way possible, including serving all Americans.

When my late wife Najma ran for the Carrollton city council in 2006, we knocked on hundreds of doors to seek their support. However, she lost by 81 votes. That effort prompted me to put a plan together to identify ten Hijab-wearing Muslim women in ten major cities and train them to run for the city council. It will be a positive expression of Muslim commitment to America.

The conference was uplifting to see so many youths running for the offices in different areas. It was good to see a shared dream of Muslims start emerging at the conference.

One of the many meaningful moments in the conference was when a question about LGBTQ was thrown at the panelists. Most Muslims take a hike as they find it painful to reconcile the reality of life and choose to stay in the silos or stick to the limited understanding of haram (sin). I was one of the first Muslims to speak in college campuses and churches about accepting the uniqueness of all humans, and invariably insults were hurled at me for taking that stand, but it sent them scrambling when Congressman Keith Ellison supported the rights of LGBTQ, what can they say? A few years later ISNA also acknowledged it. No one wants to educate in public about the acceptance, as a result, as recently as 2016 Elections, a few Muslim leaders from the Mosques were scheming how to dodge that question instead of learning and speaking the truth.

When the community is lost, a leader always emerges from among them to restore the balance of society. As our youth participate and run for public office, they need a clear direction. The good news is our Youth are not as racist as the men and women above 50, however, they need a clear direction. I was glad to see Khizr Khan’s response, “Rab has created the whole Aalameen, and I accept his wisdom, then he added that the Prophet was a Rahmat to the universe. Sam Rasool beefed it up by saying when I take the oath of the office to uphold and treat every American as equal, that is what I do. Muslims who are biased, need help in clearly seeing the wisdom of the Universal God. God’s word should not be reduced to the old meaning interpreted by Muslims of that time, but God’s wisdom works all times. Glad to see the clarity of the message at the Muslim Caucus. We must become Mukhlooqul Aalameen in the footsteps of Allah and Muhammad who are for the Aalameen.

Yet, another momentous sentence was uttered by Dr. Al Seyed. When he ran for the Governor of Michigan, at the initial stages, a typical uncle advised him not to, as white people will not vote for him. How wrong the uncle was, he did not understand America. Al Seyed believed in the American values and the American people and continued with his campaign. As he started getting the endorsements, the uncle meets him again and says, he was glad white people endorsed and now he is ready to support him. At that moment Al Seyed said something powerful, which is worth repeating. Why do we need validation from others? Indeed, why do we need validation? If a candidate stands for the common good of all Americans, he or she is qualified and deserves our support, regardless of other’s endorsements.

In the book, there is a section on the attitudes of Muslim leaders, who follow the idiom: Monkey sees monkey do. They will do things or go to the meetings only if someone else is going. Leaders don’t need approval, they see the issues and articulate to the un-willing and bring them on board and lead them.

MUSLIM WOMAN PRESIDENT IN 2036

The latest book on the market is the American Muslim Agenda. It’s a road map and a blueprint for Muslims to create a cohesive America, where each one of the 327 million of us feels secure about our ethnicity, culture, race, and religion. What else do we want? The book also presents for the first time in Islamic history, twelve values of Islam, fully backed by verses from the Quran. The concluding chapter articulates the goal of electing a Muslim woman president in the year 2036 and lists the things we have to do in the next 17 years to choose the first Muslim woman president of the United States of Ameria. Since I wrote that, Why Muslim woman? Please read the book.

Lastly, I commend Ghazala and Zarina for inviting the Republicans to the event, we need to continue to do that. Inclusion is a sincere act and not a whitewash talk. If you ask or demand others to be inclusive, you’ve to demonstrate that you have taken that first sincere step towards it.

Not all, but several Muslims are opposed to reaching out to the “right-wing” TV and radio hosts and media personalities. We call those folks (right-wingers) names for refusing to talk with the affected ones, but we do the same as they do; don’t want to talk to people who differ with us, If we don’t, then who will? If we don’t speak with them, we crookedly wish them to remain who they are. I have many successful examples to share, most of them are shared in the book. Study the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad by Karen Armstrong, and not by Ibn-Hisham which is flawed and the fiction of a right-wing Muslim (the book lists why the Seerah is faulty in the chapter source of extremism in Islam).

The Prophet is our example, Islams’ vision of Aalameen, that is universalism and it may take another generation to grasp and act on it. We should learn to be confident Muslims to allow the diversity of thoughts among us and with others. Freewill is first right given by God to all humans, right from Adam down to us and forever till the Day of Judgment. We have a long way to go and go, we will.

I appreciate the work of Muslim caucus, and may God help us be more open and more inclusive before we ask others to be.

The video links and pictures will be updated here at this link when available.

Elizabeth Warren – https://www.facebook.com/muslimcaucus/videos/518338828905378/

Inclusive Politics 2 of 2 – https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational/videos/530534547483281/?t=1

A few pictures – links will be provided to all pictures later

Dr. Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, author, and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His book, the “American Muslim Agenda” is about Muslim earning their own space in the community be it social, religious, cultural or political. Mike’s mission is to open people’s hearts, minds, and souls towards each other. He believes that the ultimate purpose of humans is to live freely and be comfortable with their culture, race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, politicality, and individuality. He is president of the Center for Pluralism committed to pragmatic education and practices to restore America to its pluralistic values. More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/

India’s Future

Mike Ghouse September 10, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on July 31, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/indias-future/

We will examine India from four perspectives;

Religious freedom and the future of India’s prosperity
Future of business and foreign direct investments
What if India gets the label of the country of particular concern
Preventing Terrorism from taking over.

Date: Wednesday, August 28, 2019, at 10:00 AM -1:00 PM
Address: United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave, NE, Conference room,Washington, DC 20002

Website: https://centerforpluralism.com/indias-future/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/418539968759837
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/indias-future-tickets-67917835073
Light lunch – Veg/non-Veg Sandwich, coffee
Entry fee $10.00 to pay for the cost
Access: 10 minutes’ walk from Union Station, or 8 minutes’ walk from South Capitol. Metro. Parking is difficult, but you can find some on 3^rd, 4^thand 4^th street along Constitution. You can also get through the bus. Check www.Wamta.com

Who is not concerned about the social structure and business climate of India? Every Indian and every Indian American wants the best for India. If we don’t reverse the downward spiral now, we may have to face difficult times. Of course, India has a strong history of resiliency, and it will recover, in the meantime, every Indian will bear the brunt of it.

Mike Ghouse
Center for Pluralism
(214) 325-1916 – Washington, DC
# # #

Presented by the Center for Pluralism, sponsorship is invited to defray the cost of the program in which case, we will waive the entry fee.

Mike Ghouse

Ramadan for Non-Muslims – Eid Mubarak

Mike Ghouse September 9, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on June 2, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/ramadan-for-non-muslims-eid-mubarak/

Whether you are an Atheist, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Native American, Pagan, Shinto, Sikh, Wicca, and Zoroastrian or from any other tradition, you may feel a sense of connection with the spirit of Ramadan.

Mouthwatering food pictures and a few celebratory pictures included.

The best way to build cohesive societies is for its members to understand each other’s sorrows and joys, and festivities and commemorations. Wouldn’t it be nice if you know a little bit about your neighbor’s festival and perhaps invite them to your celebrations? When we live in a community, we might as well learn about each other.

Almost all people celebrate something or the other in their way, each one is different, but the essence is the same, that is celebrations and commemorations. Festivities bring people together. Here we explore Ramadan, one of the major festivals of Muslims.

You can wish your Muslim friends “Eid Mubarak” Happy Eid, Ramadan Mubarak, Eid-al-Fitr Mubarak… or just Happy Ramadan will do.

Rituals signify the milestones in our daily lives. Every significant moment of the day is a ritual. Every faith is composed of a set of unique rituals to bring discipline and peace to human life. Fasting is one of the five essential rituals that Muslims around the world observe.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is generally observed with a ritual precision; it is an annual training or a refresher. It requires one to abstain from food, drink, intimacy, ill-will, ill-talk, ill-actions and other temptations from dawn to dusk, every day for the whole month. One has to rise above his or her baser desires. Islam gifts this month to its followers to teach discipline to bring moderation to their daily lives.

Although Ramadan is popularly known in the west for its culinary delicacies and fancy iftars, the spirit and intent of Ramadan lie in a human transformation in a month-long inner spiritual journey of finding oneself in tune with spirituality.

Hindus can see that transformation in nine days of fasting during Navaratri, the Jains in 8-10 days of fasting during Paryushana, Christians during 40 days of lent, Jews for seven days around Yom Kippur, and likewise you find fasting is a way of life in most traditions.

God has no need for the hunger or thirst of someone who hurts others, violates their dignity, or usurps their rights. The consciousness of behavior and vigilance over action are the most profound dimensions of fasting: the fasting of the heart focuses on the attachment to the divine. That is when Ramadan becomes a source of peace and solace, just as Christmas or Dussehra goes beyond the rituals to bring forth kindness, charity, and caring.

True fasting is self-purification, and from this comes an abundant inner life that brings about values such as justice, generosity, patience, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, and empathy — values that are indispensable for the success of the community.

For fasting to be truly universal, its benefits must extend beyond the fraternal ties of Muslims and must continue to forging a common humanity with others. Fasting is meant to impart a sense of what it means to be truly human, and its observance reflects its universality in Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Zoroastrian and other faiths.

THE DAY OF EID

The number of days one fast corresponds with the Moon cycle, which varies from 29 to 30 days in a given month. At the end of the fasting period, it is time to celebrate! It is thanking the creator, observing a disciplined life, and rewarding yourselves.

To make your celebration wholesome and guilt-free, you thank the Lord for your blessings and share a portion of your income with the underprivileged, so they can also celebrate along with you. When you uplift others, your spirit is lifted as well. The idea is to fill the environment with positive energy. Paying zakat is one of the most important duties of a Muslim. Zakat is like income tax, and it is roughly 2.5% of your earnings. However, it’s voluntary and an honor system.

Chand Raat – When you see the pencil-thin moon on the horizon, it signals the end of fasting and the start of celebrations. The evening is shopping spree and gifts are bought for the loved ones.

Eid – festivity. The whole community gathers up in the morning around 9.00 AM, wearing new clothes, new perfume and thanking Allah for completing the blessed month of Ramadan.

Practices differ in each town. In Dallas, Texas, they rent the Auto Exhibit hall in Fair Park or the Convention hall that seats about 25,000 people, together they pray and celebrate the festivity. They do the same in Louisville, Ky. In Yelahanka, my hometown, a suburb of Bangalore where I was born and raised. The entire town gathered at the Masjid and walked about a Mile to the Eidgah – a place for large congregations.

Back in the late 70’s Bollywood film actor Mehmood lived near my town, and he invited his friends for Eid celebrations at his home. Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, and other actors joined in the Eid prayers with Mehmood.

Eid is also a day to pray for the deceased; almost all Muslims visit the cemeteries and pray for their loved ones. It is one of the most beautiful prayers that seek forgiveness for all humanity, for the living, and the deceased. The Navkar Mantra of Jains is very close to this Muslim prayer.

Most Muslims visit the Cemetary on the day of the Eid. You can visit any cemetery to pray for the loved one buried anywhere. And pray for the entire humanity by using the words for the deceased and the alive.

Typically, it is a day to clean your slate, seek forgiveness from the ones you have hurt or forgive those who have hurt you. When you see Muslims hugging each other, it is washing off ill-will from their hearts for each other.

THE FOODS

A request to our friends from across the world – the cuisine I have included is from South Asia. InshaAllah, next year, if you send me the pictures of your cuisine from any part of the world, including our Native American brothers and sisters to MIkeGhouse@gmail.com, I will put together a comprehensive article with foods from around the world.

The most popular dessert of Ramadan in South Asia is “Dum ke Saviyan” (Sauteed vermecellis), and “Sheer Qurma” – that is vermicelli’s cooked with milk, cashew, raisins, and other dry fruits. My favorite! I drink it as a beverage!

Biryani is the most popular food in South Asia, and it is the dish prepared to honor your guest. There are varieties of Biryanis like Kashmiri, Lahori, Multani, Bengali, Punjabi, Kabul, Rangoon, Colombo (Sri Lanka), Bombay, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kerala, Goa, and Hyderabad. The best of all the biryanis is the Dum ki Biryani from Hyderabad, it is the way it is cooked, the spices are evenly distributed, the moisture remains consistent and the rice is usually fluffy and the meat melts in your mouth. If you have not eaten Hyderabadi Biryani, you have not eaten good food. Goat Biryani is the most common item in South Asia, and am sure each one of the countries in the world has their own. My native American Muslim friends make things out of corn.

Bhuna Gosht – Grilled Mutton- My favorite. My late wife Najma used to mix rice with the nearly burnt sauce at the bottom and hand feed me… I can never forget those romantic moments.

Cooked Keema – delicious with the Paratha

This is paratha – layers of puffed pastry. What a joy it is to eat with the Keema

Dum ke Saviyan – Sauteed Vermicellis with fruits

Sheer Qurma – I make it more liquidy and drink it as a beverage in a cup.

Most people have an open house on the day of the Eid, check with your Muslim friends and visit them and enjoy the fellowship and food.

I have kept the article brief to keep with within 1000 words if you would like to see Eid pictures from around the world – send me an email to MikeGhouse@gmail.com – I will send you the links.

# # #
The book: American Muslim Agenda
What does it take to create cohesive societies? A step by step manual and a road map for Muslims.

Mike Ghouse is the author of the book, American Muslim Agenda. He is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/

Inclusive language at NCAIA India Event in Washington

Mike Ghouse September 9, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on June 8, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/inclusive-language-at-ncaia-india-event-in-washington/

NCAIA Event – Inclusive language. Inspiring stories of amazing people and their successful journey in entrepreneurship. Each one of us can relate with at least one aspect of their journey.

June 6, 2019, Silver Spring, MD — The national council of Asian Indian Associations (NCAIA) organized a talk on leadership & entrepreneurship in America.

Mr. Pavan Bezwada, President, and Dr. Suresh Gupta, the Chairman delivered a brief thoughtful message. They have a great team who put this event together and invited the right people to share the journey of their success in entrepreneurship. As a social scientist, I will concentrate on their inclusive language, one of the essential elements of entrepreneurship.

*L-R: Dolly Oberoi, Sid Chowdhary, Sam Malhotra, and Subbu Manianasamy*

Even though the program went over time, the enthusiasm to listen to the speakers did not wane a bit. Almost everyone in the audience could relate the journey of the speakers. Indeed, I connected with each speaker and pleased to share a few notes and hope that you find that connection as well.

They were all very humble people, maybe they have imbibed the American values. In most other parts of the world, individuals with power and wealth allow arrogance to take over them. All of them personally financed their ventures.

Please mark your calendar

DC: Saturday, Aug 10, 2019

Dallas: Saturday, Aug 17, 2019

Location and contacts will be announced shortly.

Ms. Dolly Oberoi, CEO of c2 Technologies, was inspiring, particularly to those who have a dream and want to pursue it without any knowledge and resources. It’s her passion, coupled with the commitment to make a difference that brought her undeterred success. Her story should motivate many people, and one of my friends has dropped everything and is precisely doing that, innovating technology to put knowledge in the hands of people who would otherwise not have it. I hope to have him meet her. She gave a perfect message to women to not let anyone discount their dreams and aspirations. She also urged to bring in the youth, so they know that their crazy ideas are realizable. Her mom encouraged her to be who she is and suggested that parents lift their children. It’s the passion and commitment that brings success.

Mr. Siddhartha Chowdhary, CEO of Credence Management, shared his success story. He also dreamt, and many hurdles came his way, but his dream to be someone, and determination to decide his future made him pass through them all. I was gloating when he said; Steve Jobs motivated him. Indeed, Steve Jobs did that to me as well. I abandoned every money-making activity and pursued establishing the center for pluralism.

A key point of his style of management is not to blame others if a mistake is made. He asks himself how he could have avoided the error the next time around. With that attitude, no one’s devotion to the work gets dampened, and his or her energy remains intact. He called himself the bottom of the funnel through which all the failures and success pass through. That is like Siri on your cell phone, if you take a wrong exit, she will not call you names, but factually tells you to make a U-turn at the next turn.

Mr. Subbu Maniaswamy, CTO, Maryland Dept of human services broadened the definition of entrepreneurship, the difference between him and the business people was, he was not getting the profits but creating jobs and service. One of the key points he brought was the entrepreneurial spirit the immigrants are not passing it one to the next generation. This needs to be worked.

He shared a beautiful story of the legendary Birbal and King Akbar. When Akbar’s son was thrown into the sea on his ship, Akbar jumped and rescued him. Sid equated an entrepreneur with Akbar, he had all his military men on the boat to save, but it was Akbar who jumped. You take the responsibility to make things happen.

Mr. Sam Malhotra, CEO, Subsystems technology is the highest ranking Indian in the Maryland State Government as a cabinet secretary of Governor Hogan.

I instantly connected with him for his tone of voice, a rare soft voice like Manmohan Singh’s, and I have a similar sound. Once in Dallas, I played an audio clip of a Zoroastrian scholar on my Radio show, I was taken back, I thought that he was me.

Sam would be a role model to teach his inclusive language. A few Indians forget that when you are a genuine public servant, you belong to all. At one time, he rephrased Indians as South Asians to be more inclusive. As a pluralist, that was powerful to me.

Devang Shah was the moderator of the discussion. I must say he is one of the best moderators I’ve seen. He was well prepared, listened to the talks, and framed his questions appropriately.

Let me share a motivational statement that has turned my life around.

If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

Goethe, “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy… Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: the moment one commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.… Whatever you can do or dream that you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

Also, this, “If we listened to our intellect, we’d never have a love affair. We’d never have a friendship. We’d never go into business because we’d be cynical. Well, that’s nonsense. You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.”

Dr. Abusulayman “There is a clear distinction between doubts and problems. Doubts provoke obstruction, frustration, and discouragement, whereas problems inspire motivation, action, and diligence

Mike Ghouse, “Whatever you do in life, do it wholeheartedly.

# # #

Iraqi Cultural History Show

Mike Ghouse September 9, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on June 9, 2019 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/iraqi-cultural-history-show/

Saturday, June 8, 2019, Washington, DC – The National Arab American Women’s Association presented the history-culture of Iraq. It is one of the greatest shows I have seen, it was billed as “The One thousand one night.” With a few exceptions, almost all the audience was Arab in general, and Iraqis in particular.

It was mesmerizing, and I was going crazy trying to videotape, go live on Facebook, and then look at the battery life of the camera and take pictures and videos. I took about 25 pictures and shot 20 short 1-minute videos and all of them are appended below.

It was such a delight to see the Iraqi Culture – a well-preserved culture since 4000 BC and ending in 2019 – what a range!

The producer Feryal Al-Kilidar took pictures of the colorful carvings and paintings from the monuments in Iraq, Mesopotamia, and museums around the world and projected them on the screen. While that was on, she presented live persons in those very same motifs on the costumes of the beautiful models with soothing Arabic music.

They also depicted the musical instruments from ancient times on screen accompanied by actual Musical instrument that looked like them.

If they play it right, the Hollywood women on Oscar night can wear some of these beautiful dresses. You can see them in the videos below.

I am always proud of the Indian culture, which is at least 5000 years old, a lot of it is preserved in carvings and oral transmissions. It was good to see another great culture. Thanks to the National Arab American Women for preserving their culture. It pains me greatly that Bush’s invasion destroyed much of that heritage and a lot of it was looted.

This incredible show was produced by Feryal Al-Kilidar and the Chairman of Iraqi group Mr. Ustad Yasser was a supporter of it. She is in the last video.

A few thoughts – when I was in high school, I thought my Mom’s food was the best in the world, I was a frog in the tiny pond – then when we the kids started sharing the lunch among us – my pond grew to become a lake, there were more good foods besides my mothers. Then finally I graduated into the ocean, thousands of other delicious foods were out there on this earth that God has spread for each one of us.

I love my life – as I have learned to enjoy everything in life. I am comfortable with different cultures, races, faiths, ethnicities, and nationalities; indeed, I am home with all people. The word that I have coined for what a Muslim ought to be is – Makhllookhul Aalameen or Khadimul Aalameen; someone who considers himself /herself to belong to the entire universe. As a believer in God who is the creator and sustainer of the universe, and a follower of a Prophet whose mission was to be a mercy to the universe, I feel I should emulate some of those characteristics and be the Mukhlooqul Aalameen or Khadimul Aalameen, and I am pleased to have that attitude. It is a joy when you don’t have barriers between you and everything that the universe is made of – life and matter.

6000 YEARS OF IRAQI CULTURAL HISTORY – EACH PICTURE WAS REPRESENTED BY A PERSON WEARING THAT TIME REGALIA – STARTING WITH 4000 BC – I.E., 6019 YEARS AGO. VIDEO LINKS FOLLOW THE PICTURES.

The costumes of the models were carefully sewn to match the real clothes men and women wore from the year 4000 BC – to – Today. Each screen gives a contrast. A full journey of Iraq’s 6000-year culture.

25 pictures – https://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse/photos/pcb.2491777390842116/2491776137508908/?type=3&theater

Closing – https://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse/videos/1002895739916677/?t=8