istanbul – Ashura procession

Richard, at Tikun Olam, has a piece up entitled Hanukah: Holiday of Spiritual Renewal or Jewish Nationalism? This summation is, I think, a good review of what Hanukah is becoming. Growing up I only knew the miracle story from my friends. The nationalist aspect is new to me, even now.  Muslim holidays have been politicized, albeit in a different way, for quite some time. The celebration of the Prophet’s birthday is a touchstone of Wahabbi ideology. To recognize the uniqueness of the Prophet in any way is to commit a sin in their worldview. The Hajj has always been a good time…

I am honored to be a respondent to the Spring 2014 McGinley Lecture on "Usury: A Moral Problem for Jews, Christians, and Muslims." The lecture and response will be offered on April 8 (Manhattan Campus) and April 9 (Bronx Campus). Both dates will start at 6PM. Details can be found here: http://www.fordham.edu/audience/mcginley_chair/fr_ryan.asp

So, Iraq exploded. The Shi’ah are now rising against us. How did this happen? As always, a misunderstanding of the “other.” In this case, the mistake was so basic it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.