Over a four-day period, Mecca’s population is more than doubled, with legions of devout Muslims making their way shoulder to shoulder through the dozen rituals that comprise Hajj. If it weren’t for the solemn and religious underpinnings, it would be an unnerving assembly of human beings for such a concentrated space
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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…
I am a [insert liberal label here] because I am Muslim
Amy Sullivan over at The Gadflyer has a good post on why liberals shouldn’t bash religious people. Campaign Desk reports on a counter-point. I have to say, I really do agree with Amy. I am a liberal because I am religious. The Qur’an has a strong moral and social justice message; I couldn’t be a liberal, and occasional progressive, without my faith. Along those same lines, I am an environmentalist because of my faith. Clearly I am not the only one who considers this world a trust from God, to return to Him, or to give to the next generation,…