It looks like those estranged siblings, Ethiopia and Eritrea might be going to war again. God only knows why. It's comical in a morbid sort of way, as these two nations were long held up as examples for the rest of Africa because of their regimes' eager embrace of American neoliberal orthodoxy and supposed commitment to democracy. Now, they're increasingly tyrranical, poor, and fighting over dirt because their leaders--who once were close associates--are in a spat. Thousands of … [Read more...]
Must Sufis be Muslims?
January 5, 2006 By Leave a Comment
In the West, there are many who identify themselves as Sufi but not Muslim. Kabir Helminski questions whether Sufism can be disconnected from the Islamic faith and tradition in which it developed over the centuries in "What is Truly Universal Spirituality". … [Read more...]
The inspiring march of the penguins
January 3, 2006 By 1 Comment
If you haven't already seen it, you need to see "The March of the Penguins" documentary, which chronicles the incredible and moving life of the Emperor Penguin in Anartica. This story of love, sacrifice and survival in the coldest and most inhospitable place on the globe is stunningly beautiful and touching.They say there are no atheists in foxholes. I doubt there are too many in movies showing this wonder-filled film.Try to rent (or, better yet, buy--quality films like this need to … [Read more...]
Brass Crescent Award time
January 2, 2006 By Leave a Comment
It's that time of year to vote for your favorite Muslim blogs. … [Read more...]
The Quran, Jews & the Bible
January 1, 2006 By 1 Comment
Since I figure it might interest some people, I'm going to reproduce a comment I made on another blog (which I highly recommend) in reaction to an insightful posting by the Velveteen Rabbi on the Quran. My contribution wasn't particularly erudite or articutle. I was just trying to throw some light on how the Quran treats Jews and how there is an interesting interaction within Islam with the Tanakh (i.e., the Hebrew Bible) and Jewish tradition. Since the audience is presumably … [Read more...]
Today, God is “twice hidden” from most of us
December 31, 2005 By Leave a Comment
I'm grateful to the Velveteen Rabbi for passing on this truly inspiring pearl of wisdom from Rodger Kamenetz about the modern spiritual condition: At the dawn of the Enlightenment, as modern ideas challenged faith everywhere in Europe, one rabbi, Nachman of Bratzlav, diagnosed our contemporary spiritual condition. He called it "second degree hiding." He said: Not only is God's face hidden from us, but it is hidden from us that God's face is hidden from us. We too live in a time of the … [Read more...]
Chinese tourists: Asia’s new ‘ugly Americans’
December 28, 2005 By Leave a Comment
Chinese tourists: Asia's new 'ugly Americans' (Christian Science Monitor) … [Read more...]
The Brick Testament
December 27, 2005 By 1 Comment
Ever wonder how some of the most dramatic stories from the Bible story would look if recreated in Legos? Yes, Legos. Behold, the Brick Testament! I'm still not sure whether this is mockery or homage, but I must confess it's strangely entertaining (and it's definitely quite helpful for refreshing your memory on some key stories). And those looking just for entertainment can fast forward right to the lively parts (e.g., various massacres, rapes, and dismemberments ). The … [Read more...]
Why European women are turning to Islam
December 26, 2005 By Leave a Comment
I'm not one of these Muslims who measure Muslim "success" or Islam's validity by conversion rates, but I found this article enlightening: "Why European women are turning to Islam" by Peter Ford.The death of Muriel Degauque, a Belgian convert who blew herself up in a suicide attack on US troops in Iraq last month, has drawn fresh attention to the rising number of Islamic converts in Europe, most of them women.This subject is close to my heart, as my mother was a European … [Read more...]
The Terminator gets dissed by his home town
December 26, 2005 By Leave a Comment
According to this article (which is in Danish, I'm afraid), a tiff has broken out between Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Austrian city of Graz over his refusal to oppose the death penalty. When he refused to halt a high-profile execution recently, the city turned against their most famous native son and took his name off a stadium that had been christened in his honor. I suspect this is a reflection of the deepseated European discomfort with that great American pasttime, … [Read more...]
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