That’s the call in an article at Aleteia, “Why We Need to Stop Giving Our Junk to the Poor,” the premise of which is that we shouldn’t be donating “junk” to the poor and consigning them to stained and ripped clothing, but should instead donate items that are lightly worn and in good condition, that would truly brighten the spirits of their recipients. Now, there are broader issues such as the fact that donations to second-hand stores are not the... Read more
So in the days leading up to Christmas I spent my time reading about Islam (yeah, I know – not very Christmassy, but I figure, there are so many authors with so many reflections on Christmas that you all will manage if I’m off-topic), and one of the things I realized was that the “Muslim Reform Movement” seems to be occurring online and in other sorts of forums but not necessarily in communities of like-minded belivers. And as we celebrated... Read more
Yes, that’s my attempt to coin a term, not the author’s usage, but here’s a Wonkblog piece that got picked up in the Tribune under syndication: “Why you should always buy the men’s version of almost anything.” The claim of the article: products made for or marketed to women — from pink vs. red Radio Flyer wagons to razors to clothing — are more expensive than those made for/marketed to men, or marketed generically. The author linked to a study... Read more
No, I don’t mean that they’ve set up a cookie-selling booth. I mean that they’ve gotten into the licensing game. Now, Boy Scouts do this already. Here’s my son’s First Aid kit, purchased at Meijer, which, by the way, we purchased because it seemed to fit the bill, not because of the logo. In case it’s not clear, here’s the logo in the corner: And here are the Girl Scout-branded products: Barbies and an Easy-Bake Oven-like cookie oven: ... Read more
So now I’ve read in multiple places (e.g., Ali-Karamali per my summary the other day, and the recent piece in the Washington Post) that hijab-wearing may connote to the wearer a commitment to observing her religion faithfully, but that there are many Muslims who believe that it is not required of women to cover their hair, much less in the complete, ear-covering way, as opposed to the more casual draping. But the media keep perpetuating the belief that it is a necessity.... Read more
The house is temporarily quiet, so before I go back into the kitchen, here’s a quick post to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas, whether you celebrate it spiritually or culturally. I don’t have particularly inspirational sentiments to offer, but please, take a look at what my fellow Patheos writers have to share with you and check back here tomorrow, for your regular dose of non-inspirational political/social commentary. In the meantime, go enjoy prayers and carols, feasting and family. (Hint:... Read more
and, no, I don’t mean Sunni vs. Shi’a. I mean an Islam of “core principles” and an Islam of legal traditions. This is emerging as the core difference in what I’ve been reading, both over the last week and in the past. (I would have checked out A Battle for the Soul of Islam, by Zuhdi Jasser, to re-read as well, but it was checked out at my local library. It fits in with Ali-Karamali and Manji, though.) You might... Read more
Last book. In the prior two books I’ve talked about, we saw that there exists a form of Islam that is very recognizable to Christians, and Westerners in general, in core beliefs of a merciful and just God, equality among all men and women, nonviolence, etc., but that this egalitarian Islam is not the norm, worldwide, and, according to our second author, is not at all mainstream but instead is only accepted by a minority of Muslims, in the world... Read more
Still reading by library books on Islam and drafting a more comprehensive response to them, but in the meantime, a question: Are Mormons Christians? No, I’m not actually interested in diatribes about wacky things that Mormons may or may not believe or whether they are, on net, good or bad (family-oriented, vs. the latest scandal in Slate about young adults on missions). The question is meant as a step towards the further question: how do you identify whether someone is... Read more
From the title of this book, you’d think it’s a replay of Ali-Karamali’s The Muslim Next Door from Sunday. And Manji and Ali-Karamali believe many of the same things, but Manji is an activist, and a reformer. Ali-Karamali has rather rose-colored glasses; she presents her beliefs as mainstream, and Muslims who say otherwise as in the small minority. Not so with Manji. This book is actually a follow-up volume to her first book, The Trouble With Islam Today, which was... Read more
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