Day: July 13, 2007

Inter-faith Politics

You are American if…

islamoyankee

You are exactly like me. For those who haven’t heard yet, a Hindu was meant to give the opening prayer in the Senate yesterday, but before he could begin, he was interrupted by “patriots.” (video) (background pieces, 1, 2) I think Anna of Sepia Mutiny has it right that when she says that the pilgrims came for religious freedom. However, we have to understand that religious freedom still meant for those who had the power to exercise it, lest we forget what happened to the Native Americans and great civilizing “crusade” of bringing the Gospels. Her intent is right though.…

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Inter-faith Intra-faith

Muslims are Evangelical Christians

islamoyankee

No really. via Street Prophets I see that Pew Research has done a new survey on the “intensity of religious identity” (related report here). I think that Pastor Dan hits all the right notes in his analysis. I think that there is an expectation that Muslims, by virtue of being Muslim, are expected to be more vocal in expressing their faith. Part of it is the post-9/11 onus that has been put upon us to represent, and part of it is the never ending push from the tariqah of Abd al-Wahhab [my friend Reza Aslan took me to task for…

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Books Religion

Harry Potter in Afghanistan – Predictions

islamoyankee

According to Brian you can pre-order the last Harry Potter book in Afghanistan. My prediction for the last book is that that Harry we know must die. He will either die a physical death, or he will wake-up from a dream, à la “Wizard of Oz,” and discover he’s never had any magic. Why you ask? Because the magic must be kept alive. If Harry lives, and is totally victorious, the magic becomes a tool. It is no longer wondrous. Once the magical becomes ordinary, or is made ordinary, we forget our relationship to it. For Harry, the magic must…

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Books Reading Lists

Book Monger

islamoyankee

One of the joys of being an academic is that you know lots of people who publish books. Sometimes you even get comped a copy. (If getting excited about a free academic book is not a sure sign I’m in the right field, I don’t know what is.) I don’t normally plug them here because they tend to be quite specific, and so I don’t think right for a general audience. However, my friend Eboo Patel, whom I’ve mentioned before, has a new book out, and I’m going to promote it here for several reasons: It’s a good book on…

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