Speaking Event: Confronting Fear and Hate in NYC Forum, March 21, 2017

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 the hypocrites have spoken. The mullahs of Iran have said the people have spoken, with only 33% of the electorate voting. Explain to me how discouraging people from voting, eliminating people from the ballot as being poor Muslims after they have declared the shahada, declaring yourselves the true spokesmen of Islam is in keeping with Khomeini’s vision, let alone the vision of Islam as embodied by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

As an American who sometimes ruminates on the role of God in our society, I find the debate over the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools interesting. I can’t separate whether I’m okay with the pledge because it does not violate constitutional separation of church and state or because I believe that it is in fact God’s authority that really provides inalienable rights. If it’s the former, then I don’t really have a problem. However, if it’s the lattter and “one nation under God” is fine with me personally, then I shouldn’t be okay with it as…