Year: 2006

The Progressive Faith Blog Con started last night, and what a good beginning it was. Thurman Hart of Xpatriated Texan gave us some powerful opening remarks. Go read. We began with a Jewish prayer service, led by the Velveteen Rabbi herself, Rachel Barenblat. It was pleasure to finally get to meet her. The service was full of taqwa – God consciousness. It was not just about the prayer, but about praying to remember God outside of the liturgical setting, to know that God is, and always should be, with us. Download and read her prayer book. We sat down for…

In anticipation of a panel I’m on on diversity, here are two quotes from Diana Eck on the topic. (Thanks to one of the other panelists, Emily Ronald, for finding and supplying them.) “What then, is pluralism? The word has been used so widely and freely as a virtual synonym for such terms as relativism, subjectivism, multiculturalism, and globalism that we need to stop for a moment and think clearly about what it does and does not mean. Pluralism is but one of several responses to diversity and to modernity. It is an interpretation of plurality, an evaluation of religious…

It is here! Yay! I should be live blogging, unless I get too caught up in the discussions :). I’ll be starting out with two posts prior to the event, one on pluralism – in preparation for one of the panels – and one on the conservative-liberal Muslim. Here comes PFBC. Technorati Tags: progfaithblogcon

Amazing panel. Lots of interesting people, including NPR and Newsweek representatives. Short, pointed comments. Nothing too new, but well done. Chris Dickey Newsweek http://www.chrisdickey.com in the US history is a put down (you’re history), whereas in the rest of the world it is very much alive occupation has no meaning for Americans, never been occupied, don’t see themselves as occupiers Deborah NPR don’t have to worry about images Q: what are the equivalents to the angry Muslim? A: the adhaan Iraq was first time to talk about Sunni and Shi’ah http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100182 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5477014 Mustafa Australia French riots related to Cronulla riots…

Introductory exercise Purpose of exercise work together to understand a given problem to derive an actionable conclusion that translates into a solution Method Access Process Solution Activity rubbish Panel Riem identity is problematic, because we all have identities Baber complex issue that is conditioned by where we live Leyla identity is simple, we are human. we make it complicated Ilhamallah Italian convert. No issues of identity. Soumicha Lots of criticism from the panelists and the participants about the framing of this question and its relevance Technorati Tags: MLT

Faiz Khan need to define terms or can’t have a conversation share points of view don’t walk on eggshells shari’a: etymology-path [to water]; often translated as law; more similar to dharma, why you conduct your life pluralism: acceptability/embrac e of more than one way or modality of expression or behavior pluralism as applied to doctrine: pluralism of world-view theocentric (taqwa) theoreductionist (only worried about God occasionally) theophobic (God not on the radar, but not atheism) inter-religious pluralism exclusivisim vs. pluralism (only we are saved) peaceful coexistence at the level of worldly operations convert them?/tolerate and pity them?/embrace and recognize their…

Sorry folks. I was on the extremism panel (not as an extremist) and I ditched the Imam’s Circle. For various reasons, I actually didn’t say much on the panel, but the main presenter, Aftab Malik, was quite good. I’ll develop some of the thoughts I had in a separate post. I didn’t attend the Imam’s Circle because I thought its composition reflected the tendency to construct, however inadvertently, a homogeneous face of Islam, particularly in its lack of Shi’ah representation. Technorati Tags: MLT

Daisy’s introduction very good introduction to the role of arts in the Islamic tradition. [couldn’t capture it all] Azhar talks about comedy, jazz, and unique American art forms artists are the only ones who can and do speak truth to power Ani musician women’s issues important full music accompaniment Muslim pop Performs song for her daughter Yasmine author not comfortable in in English, asks Rajae to translate works for freedom can be free without losing religion not just one way freedom to be able to make choices Daisy asks “who took away your freedom?” answer later Shahzia [I’ve loved her…