This is a decent article in the NYT about Arabs, specifically Muslims, and modernity. I’m saddened that they only focused on males, because there is another half of the population. Also, it seems like the issues they are investigating would benefit with a comparison as to what is happening in the US and how we are negotiating the same issues.
Related Posts
NYT on Turkey’s New Riches
Newfound Riches Come With Spiritual Costs for Turkey’s Religious Merchants – NYTimes.com. There are some choice examples in this article of the rich religious. My favorite is the sofa that lifts up off of the ground during prayer time. I wonder how far they had to dig to find people who saw a strong dichotomy between being wealthy and being religious. I think this quote "The businessmen describe themselves as Muslims with a Protestant work ethic, and say hard work deepens faith," is rather telling. How many Turks are thinking of the Protestant work ethic? The class differentials in Turkish society seem to be the real story. The conflict between the material and the spiritual world seems to be a reach that they shoe-horned into the article.
When Religion and Social Justice can go Wrong
The Revealer on how Hamas is a faith-based initiative. Do people really not see Bush’s plan as being flawed Constitutionally, and in terms of building an American ideal, where everyone is thankful to America, not to the group around the corner?
MLT – Pluralism in Islam
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…