Pluralism Questions

Does Quraan say to Kill Jews?

2011-11-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

Can you help me understand the Qur'an a bit. I just was in a heated discussion and was taken back by this guy who I was on a date with tonight who was raised Jewish and he told me the Qur'an says that to kill Jews. That it is hateful religion. I am very opened minded by all religions and I attend xxxx but still lack the understanding of the Qur'an. Has it changed translations and a lot of Muslims follow that one or what am I missing now. I really didn't know what to say but I knew it was very personal and upsetting to him. Any insight will help me understand more of of the Qur'an

Thanks

G

Dear G:

The best way to handle difference is with patience, which you have done. Obviously your friend has read something somewhere or must have heard it.

I would proceed by asking him to share that information and ask if he has seen it in Qur’aan, and you would like to see it your selves, so you can honestly share with your friends.

If you have the specifics, I will be happy to address them.

Here are some abstracts

Steve Blow writes in Dallas Morning News:
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/columnists/steve-blow/20100919-In-defense-of-Islam-pursuing-9397.ece

“Ghouse said he can understand fear and criticism of Islam because he went through a time of similar feelings. As a teen, he was troubled by passages of the Quran. He called himself an atheist for a while.

But he said deeper study led him to realize the Quran had been purposely mistranslated down through history. In the Middle Ages, European leaders commissioned a hostile Quran translation to foster warfare against Muslim invaders. Later, Muslim leaders produced another translation to inflame Muslims against Christians and Jews. "It was all for politics," he said.”

Indeed there are two falsified “Translations” of Quraan, the one by a Muslim Hilali Khan is put out of circulation now, but several million copies are still floating out there. There are a total of 25 translations, 2 are bad and hateful to Christians and Jews, 20 are ok, 2 are good and one is excellent which I don’t have a copy yet. The most recommended book the world over is the translation by Muhammad Asad, who was a Rabbi and a Jewish scholar. However, there are still a few verses he has not dealt with right. It is our responsibility to fix them.

Gina, Quraan is a book of guidance. God simply cannot hate any one and in Quraan God does not hate any one. He does prescribe severe punishment for wrong doers as a deterrent, but then offers a way out – repentance and asking for forgiveness. The most favorite person of God is the one who forgives. The most popular and most repeated vese in Quraan is – God is merciful, and kind – 114 times! That is the most dominant aspect of God.

There are bad dudes in Muslims, so are in Christians, Jews, Hindus and others. At this in history no one but Muslims are under the radar. A Rabbi announced and was endorsed by 70 Rabbis in Israel that it is authorized to kill even babies of the Palestinians. Does that make Judaism bad? No, it was that Rabbi not the religion.

(http://hatesermons.blogspot.com/2011/02/rabbi-urged-no-mercy-in-killing-of.html )

Islam has got some of those, and of course the fundamentalist want to kill the Palestinians so Jesus can come back over dead bodies, pat Robertson and other continue to say evil things.

There is no justification for any one of these guys. No one should have the right to take a life out.

Here are some samples of mis translations.

1. Apology to Jews and Christians.
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/01/unlike-jews-or-christians-17.html

2. Muslim response to Geert Wilder’s bad movie about Islam
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/01/muslim-response-to-wilders.html

3. Islamophobia and Quraan
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/03/islamophobia-and-quraan.html

4. Jews turned into Apes
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/01/jews-turned-into-apes.html

5. Difficult passages of Quraan
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2010/12/list-of-difficult-passages-in-quraan.html

You can visit the sites, if you have the time.

www.Quraantoday.com
www.Quraanconference.com
www.worldMuslimcongress.org

My site is www.MikeGhouse.net

Do Jews, Christians and Muslims better understand each other since 9/11?

2011-09-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

TEXAS FAITH: Do Jews, Christians and Muslims better understand each other since 9/11?

Abstract: Jews need sincerity and not duplicity. Native Americans need an apology and there is a good amount of phobia embedded in Hindus about conversions. We believe in Jesus as a Prophet and not as a son of God. Unless we deal with tough issues about our differences, we will continue to fake being nice to each other and brood with ill-will within. There is indeed improved understanding among faiths since 9/11. But there also is deepening suspicion among them. One is spiritually motivated and the other is political. Please note, most of my writings are inclusive of all theist and atheists traditions, we all inhabit the earth and we need to figure how best to co-exist cohesively.

# # #

Since September 11, 2001, many conversations have taken place among Muslims, Jews and Christians. There are official interfaith conversations occurring all over the globe, where participants dig into each other's texts. And numerous personal dialogues have been established over the last decade. Many of us have learned more about the three Abrahamic faiths since September 11, 2001 than perhaps we knew before that day.

But here's this week's question, which is simple in its wording but not necessarily simple to answer: Do followers of the three Abrahamic faiths really understand each other better since 9/11?

Eight Texas Faith Panelists including Mike Ghouse weighs in at: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/09/texas-faith-do-jews-christians.html

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

There is indeed improved understanding among faiths since 9/11. But there also is deepening suspicion among them. One is spiritually motivated and the other is political.

We were better off when we knew very little about each other. But as we faced the hostage crisis in 1979, the evangelical foray into politics, the Baptist convention on harvesting poor souls and finally 9/11, religion moved on to center stage. It will get better when we know more about each other.

On September 11, 2001, I was on the radio in Dallas attempting to make sense out of the chaos of the day and pave the way for relevant actions. Interfaith-faith prayers, blood donation and fundraising for the men and women in uniform were all in place by evening. The fog was clearing up. Osama bin Laden was the bad guy and Muslim-Americans had nothing to do with his actions, nor did they authorize him to terrorize any one. Indeed, he placed a wedge between Americans that still needs to be undone.

Atheists, Baha'i, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Jews, Native Americans, Pagans, Sikhs, Wicca and Zoroastrians along with area city mayors, FBI, police and fire chiefs and community leaders graced the first interfaith event in Frisco. Out of which a new tradition evolved called Unity Day. It continues year after year.

But while we are trying to know more about each other, more needs to be done. Here are a few examples;

* Mosques in Dallas/ Fort Worth area opened their doors right after the 9/11 incident. As Christians walked in, they were naively welcomed by yet-to-be trained volunteers who said, "We believe in Jesus as a Prophet and not as a son of God." However, the volunteers were trained to welcome without conflict the very next week.

Of course, back in the 8th Century, a Syrian bishop had declared that Islam was a false religion. That declaration has remained in the psyche of a few Christians forever.

Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas reiterated the statement and added, "Quran is a false book written by a false prophet." He was asked to prove it but failed.

There are several verses in Quraan that are mistranslated for political gains. Steve Blow in Dallas Morning News quoted me, "In the Middle Ages, European leaders commissioned a hostile Quran translation to foster warfare against Muslim invaders. Later, Muslim leaders produced another translation to inflame Muslims against Christians and Jews."

One such difficult passage is "Kill the infidels wherever you find them." Ten such propaganda verses were read to separate the myths from reality. They were not read by Muslim clergy, but by Baptist, Mormon, Protestant, Catholic, Unitarian, Methodist, New Age, Unificationists, Sikhs, Hindu and others at the Quraan Conference

*Shamelessly, anti-Semitism continues to operate under the radar. The anti-circumcision bills in San Francisco and Santa Monica were irksome to some, but frightening to others. Indeed, there are still a few Christians out there who cannot shake off what Fred Phelps was demonstrating with reckless posters such as "Christ Killers."

The Judeo-Christian phrase was thrown around in the 40's to build relationships between Jews and Christians. A whole industry of opportunists was born from it. The support for Jews by Billy Graham, Richard Nixon, Pat Robertson, John Hagee, Glenn Beck and other chest thumpers have ulterior motives. They want to cash in on the name of Israel and perhaps convert them. Jews need sincerity and not duplicity to feel genuinely secure.

*Native Americans need an apology for the destruction of their religion and there is a good amount of phobia embedded in Hindus about conversions. Some of them feel that Governors Nikki Haley and Bobby Jindal made it in politics because they converted to Christianity.

*The spiritual balance in the community needs to be restored through observing and following the Golden Rule, which is treat others as you would like others to treat you. Although we have failed in the past, such as when the city of Plano rejected a permit to build a Hindu temple in the early 80's and Richardson did not permit a Muslim school to open there in the mid-1990s, we still have come a long way. Thank God, those are now history and the public in the metroplex welcomes diversity.

* Interfaith meetings are still social gatherings. Leaders from smaller groups are invited as tokens rather than to genuinely get to know each other. Unless we deal with tough issues about differences, we will continue to fake being nice to each other and brood with ill-will within. There is plenty of room for honesty to grow and mature.

If we can learn to respect the otherness of other people and accept the God-given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. One of these days we will get there. Meanwhile, I am pleased to invite you to the 7th Annual 9/11 Memorial, the Unity Day USA on Sunday September 11 at 5:00 PM at the Unity Church of Dallas on Forest Lane. Details are at www.UnitydayUSA.com

----

References:
Steve Blow – Dallas Morning News: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/columnists/steve-blow/20100919-In-defense-of-Islam-pursuing-9397.ece

----

List of difficult passages: http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2010/12/difficult-passages-in-quraan.html

----
Quraan Conference program sequence: http://quraanconference.blogspot.com/2010/12/quraan-conference-program-sequence.html

-----

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day to the media and the public. He is a speaker thinker and a writer on the topics of pluralism, cohesive societies, Politics, Islam, interfaith, India and Peace. Over a thousand articles have been published on the topics and two of his books are poised to be released on Pluralism and Islam. Mike's work is reflected in 4 website's and 27 Blogs indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/ and you can find all of his current articles at www.TheGhousediary.com

Pluralism Speaker Mike Ghouse

2011-04-12T17:19:00.001-07:00

http://pluralismspeaker.blogspot.com/

Pluralistic solutions have the power to sustain and take us into the next century with relative security, peace and prosperity. We cannot have peace and security when we do injustice to others.

Full profile at: http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, writer, thinker, futurist and an activist of Pluralism, Islam, India and Civil Societies passionately offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

He is a commentator at Fox News on the Hannity show, nationally syndicated Radio shows along with Dallas TV, Print and Radio networks and occasional interviews on NPR. He has spoken at international forums including the Parliament of Worlds Religions in Melbourne, Middle East Peace initiative in Jerusalem, International Leadership conference in Hawaii, Washington and elsewhere.

Concerned by the divisiveness, he saw the need to bring Americans together and founded America Together Foundation committed to building a cohesive America, indeed it is in response to ACT America which is bent on pitching one American against the other. We will be holding series of educational programs, conferences and workshops to address the issues that divide us such as Civil Right, GLBT, Quraan, Abortion, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, Racial Profiling and Stereotyping.

The Annual Unity Day USA is in its 7^th year now, it is a purposeful event to bring Americans together, on this Unity Day, we the people of the

United States of America

of every faith, race, ethnicity, culture and background will gather to express our commitment to co-existence, unity, prosperity and wellbeing of our nation.

Thanksgiving Celebration is in its 15^th year showcasing cultural diversity.

The 5^th Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides is to learn and to acknowledge and reflect upon the terrible things we have inflicted upon each other and commit to avert such tragedies. Through this event non-Jewish people have consciously learned about Holocaust for the first time, it was also for the first time that people of 14 faiths came together to join in to commemorate the Holocaust that commemorated within the Jewish Community for years. They are not alone anymore in their anguish, we are all in it together with them, and it is a Muslim initiative to effect a positive change.

The programs, seminars and workshops conducted by the Foundation for Pluralism have become a part of the America Together Foundation. While the Foundation for Pluralism continues championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other, the commitment to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress continues.

Two books will be released this year; The American Muslim Agenda and My Journey to Pluralism.

Mike has written over 1000 Articles on Pluralism, Islam, India, Peace & Justice and civil societies published in a wide spectrum of Newspapers and Magazines around the world.

Locally, he is a panelist at Dallas Morning News's and writes weekly on a range of issues facing the nation. Washington Post, Huffington Post and other news papers and sites regularly publish his work.

Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, and Peace & Justice at your place of worship, school, work place, seminars, workshops or conferences. His work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

# # #

Mike is an organizer of events, conferences, workshops and lectures to impart the values of pluralism at work, places of worship and the society at large, He is a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer and believes that by learning to respect the otherness of others and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of the seven billion of us, conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

He has dedicated his time to work with the leadership in offering insights and solutions to effectively managing the multi-religious, multi-ethnic, and multicultural societies.

Mike Presides the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other

INITIATOR

The following events were initiated, organized and established with the theme of bringing diverse people together to learn and to know about each other.

Annual reflections on Holocaust and Genocides since 2007; <憼ˢ>
The mission is to create awareness of the inhumanity in us and find solutions for peaceful co-existence. Mike believes that, "we cannot be safe, unless others around us are not" ( ADD LINKS - TJP - DMN 2009 - DMN 2006 - Survivors-Jewish Post - Fox TV )

The annual Unity Day USA took root in 2005, on this Unity Day USA, we the people of the United States of America of every faith, race, ethnicity, culture and background will gather to express our commitment to co-existence, Unity, safety, prosperity and well being of our nation with liberty and justice for all.

The Annual Thanksgiving Celebrations began in 1993 to bring immigrant, indigenous and born Americans together. The purpose of celebrating this event is to give thanks to the creator for the blessings of precious life while enjoying the cultural heritage of each ethnic group.

EDUCATOR

"Wisdom of Religion" - all the beautiful religions of the world was an hourly Radio talk show broadcasted daily. Over 700 hours of educational programming was relayed learning about religious, humanistic and the pluralistic traditions.

"Festivals of the World" was a weekly Radio program on Saturdays, where the essence of every festival was shared, so we all can have an idea of how other people celebrate or commemorate their holidays. (more on right panel)

Workshops titled “Understanding Religion – every beautiful religion” were conducted for two years.

Mike's purposeful presence in the media is to foster critical thinking. He is blessed to have been given the time on national and local TV, Radio and Print medium to share pluralistic solutions on the issues of the day.

Pluralistic solutions have the power to sustain and take us into the next century with relative security, peace and prosperity. We cannot have peace and security when we do injustice to others.

Mike Presides the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other.

Quraan (Koran) Conference in Dallas, an American effort to build cohesive societies

2010-10-14T03:34:00.001-07:00

Quraan (Koran) Conference in Dallas, an American effort to build cohesive societies

The Conference puts a Quraan in the hands of panelists made up of Pastors, Rabbis, Pundits, Shamans, lay persons, elected officers and the public. It is to demystify the myths about Quraan and Islam. An American effort to build cohesive societies.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct 10, 2010 – DALLAS, TEXAS – The Foundation for Pluralism and the World Muslim Congress have announced a conference on Quraan in Dallas to be held between 3:00 PM and 6 PM on Sunday, December 5, 2010 at the Unity Church of Dallas.

Representing the organizations, Mike Ghouse adds, “As members of diverse family of faiths, we seek to demystify the myths and falsification of our respective faiths. It is time for all of us to gather and understand the Qur’aan, the holy book of Muslims, which has been the subject of attack by a few among us. Indeed, the conference is a positive response to negative sermons delivered from a few pulpits of America this year.”

The uniqueness of the event is highlighted by facing the “terrifying passages” of Quraan. For the first time in history, the actual verses from Quraan will be read directly and explained by non-Muslim panelists made up of Pastors, Rabbis, Pundits, Shamans, Clergy, lay persons and elected officials who have a deep interest in bringing Americans together on common grounds. The Muslim scholars either affirm their reading or refer to the Quraan for further understanding. It would be indeed a first hand educational experience.

It is time now to replace the ill-will with goodwill; no American has to live in anxieties, discomfort or fear of the other. The purpose of this conference is to remove such myths in an open forum in the public and restore the cohesiveness of our society and work towards building a safe and secure America.

Bring your children to experience the multi-cultural costumes in a designated room for them.

Refreshments will be served after the event.

THE EVENT IS FREE

Please R.S.V.P. to confirmattendance@gmail.com
Direct your inquiries to QuraanConference@gmail.com .

For details visit website http://www.quraanconference.com/

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer, optimist, educator and an activist of Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam and Civil Societies. He heads the Foundation for Pluralism and World Muslim Congress and offers Pluralistic solutions to the media and the public on issues of the day. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Why do our faiths shape some political views, but not others?

2010-10-14T03:29:00.000-07:00

Why do our faiths shape some political views, but not others?
10 Members of the Texas Faith Panel respond to the question.

"An element of hypocrisy is embedded in what is conveyed from the pulpit. An excessive emphasis is placed on homosexuality which the scriptures do not "appear" to favor, but that is not the only item that is disfavored. An equally strong punishment is prescribed for adultery and incest which are down played by the clergy as though they don't exist." Mike Ghouse, Foundation for Pluralism.

Full Story at: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/10/texas-faith-why-do-our-faiths.html

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer, optimist, educator and an activist of Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam and Civil Societies. He heads the Foundation for Pluralism and World Muslim Congress and offers Pluralistic solutions to the media and the public on issues of the day. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Qur’aan Conference, an American event

2010-09-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

Qur’aan Conference, an American event

From times immemorial Religion has been “abused” and “misused” to someone gain, usually for controlling others. Are we going to let that happen? As Americans, we can pull ourselves together and not fall for the temptations to divide ourselves. No American has to live in fear of the other, nor live in anxieties or discomfort.

All our faiths reinforce the creed of "One Nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.” Details at http://www.quraanconference.com/

Mike Ghouse is a speaker on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions to the media and public on issues of the day. His blogs and sites are listed at www.MikeGhouse.net

Mitigating communal conflicts

2010-02-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

dear soul,blessings
how cammunal war controle in our area &universe tell me easy method we are accepting all valuable opinion it is more help full for universal peace activity
yours truely
shree c k p swami
------------------------------------
Swamiji,

Thanks for taking this initiative,
it is a need of the day in our state; Karnataka.

First Analyze the conflict - whether it is Budangiri, or bashing the girls in bars in Managalore or elsewhere, determine the source and motivation of such conflict.

Was the conflict real or imaginary?
Real conflicts involves affecting any one or all of the three elements; 1) one's space 2) one's sustenance [food and water] and 3) nurturance (loved ones who give us reason to live).

Imaginary conflicts?
You go to the bathroom and I go to the bathroom, when we meet back in hallway, does it bring conflict? That was a private matter between you and commode, just as you pray in a corner and I pray in the other corner, how does it affect either one of us?

You have got to get the parties sit down face to face and have a heart to heart talk.... its amazing what you find out in a majority of the cases. It usually is based on imaginary fears and phobias.

Our role, the role of religous people is to bring peace to humanity, it is achieved through mitigating conflicts and nurturing goodwill. We have to have the guts, to speak the truth and lead the people in the right direction - and not succumb to people who fund us or scream at us.

Best wishes, I will be happy to talk with you about the process in a particular situation

Mike Ghouse
A conflict mitigator and a Goodwill nurturer.

From shree c k p swami… to ALPANA JAIN, ARUN KUMAR JAIN, Adriana Miraglio, Ajith K Benadi, Alisa Roadcupand 130 more
Sent 11 hours ago

How to live with corrupt people

2010-01-31T12:35:00.001-08:00

Pratibha: I am interested or to know how to live peacefully with the corrupt dominating people in a society. They influenced everything/. In this situation what to do , Please suggest me

Dear Pratibha,

The Physical or the metaphysical world is structured to have positive, negative and neutral charges in it ,and every structure is constantly seeking its own equilibrium through a variety of combinations and permutations.

Living with corrupt people is part of existence, not that we have to agree with the ills of corruption, but we can be a part of it and effect changes in our own way. Non-Violent way is sustainable, where as the violent way is destructive for the time, but it is a part of the system.

Lord Krishna was clear when he said, whenever and wherever there is adharma, I will appear and restore the righteousness back to the society. It is not necessarily him in reality, but the spirituality is built on balance and justice and it works on an auto-pilot. Qur’aan says, to every nation, every tribe, God sends a peacemaker, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Krishna, Rama, Nanak, Buddha, Mahavir, Confucius, Zarthustra.... and numerous others in native traditions have precisely done that; restore the society back to normalcy.

From a political point of view, the colonial masters in most every colony were un-just, when the adharma and injustice reached a point of no-return; there was Gandhi, to restore it. When the American society was forced upon by a few masters to mistreat the African Americans, there was Lincoln and MLK to restore justness and morality.

Medha Parker stood up in defense of the villagers that were going to be affected by urbanization, there was Shabana Azmi fighting for the slum dwellers...Seshan fought the corrupt election system.

Justice and fairness is the ultimate of a balanced society, and every one including you and I are part of the solutions while some others may be doing the opposite of it.

Prophet Muhammad said, when you see injustice, the least you can do is to speak up. Martin Neimoller in his poem wrote, first they came for Jews and I did nothing about it, as I was not a Jew, then they came after Communists..... and finally when they came for me, there was no one to speak for me.

Pratibha, the least we can do is to speak up and if we have the energy and passion, apply it and build a momentum in the society. Yes, you can make the difference and you will, as you have the concern that is the first step. Co-existence must be at the bottom of every thing.

God bless you.

Mike Ghouse
www.FoundationforPluralism.com

Press Release, Holocaust and Genocides in Dallas

2010-01-16T16:22:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Mike Ghouse (214) 325-1916,
email: MikeGhouse@aol.com
event email: HolocaustandGenocides@gmail.com
Website: http://www.holocaustandgenocides.com/

III ANNUAL REFELCTIONS ON THE HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDES

DALLAS – (January 14, 2010) –The Foundation for Pluralism announces the 7/7 speakers Panel to reflect upon the Holocaust and Genocides event at 5:00 PM on Sunday, January 24, 2010 at the Center for Spiritual Center, 4801 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, TX. 75244.

Each individual in the seven member panel would acknowledge the inhumanity in each one of us and reflect upon the solutions for co-existence. It is a purposeful event to learn, acknowledge and reflect upon the terrible things, that we humans have inflicted upon each other.

What can you do as individual?

Continue: http://holocaustandgenocides.blogspot.com/2010/01/press-release-on-holocaust-and.html
~ ~ ~

Pluralism and Islam

2010-01-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

This is particularly address to Muslims

We are still fighting a battle with the Neocons, and they are constantly mis-representing Islam. As Muslims, we need to rise above and make an effort to understand ideas and concepts without being judgmental.

Let me give you the example of the railway lines, two parallel rail lines run for the length they have designed to run and each line stands on its own. They do not converge, but they exist side by side.

Like wise, there are several faiths that exist side by side. Acknowledging their existence and accepting that it is God’s will to have made us different, and then his guidance for us to know each other is simply Pluralism. Pluralism is not a religion, it is an attitude to be respectful of others sentiments and faiths.

Pluralism is not Deen-e-Elahi and pluralism is not a religion. Pluralism is simply an attitude of who we deal with others. Pluralism is co-existence. The idea of integration is oppressive and expects the minority to merge with the majority.

Pluralism is NOT integration, it is purely co-existence. You are who you are and, I am who I am, and let’s figure out a way to live with least conflicts.

Pluralism is an attitude of respecting the otherness of other and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of his creation.

Of the several beautiful values, one of the most important values of Islam is to leave the judgment call to Allah and practice non-judgementality in our daily lives. We recite the verse Malik-i-yomiddin so many times a day and hope that becomes a part of it.

Here on this group, except personal attacks all views on a given topic have been posted. We need to resist the thought of gaining support from a few to be against some one. What is the need for it? We all can read between the lines.

As a moderator of this group, I express my views and welcome all other views. My Pluralistic attitude encourages me to present all views, even if they are contrary to my own. This is a critical value, as Muslims, we need to consider adopting. This leads to a development of healthy societies.

Conformity kills creativity; it is the push for conformity that we have gotten behind. The world would not have moved an inch forward if we were all conformist. From a religious point of view – we would not have had the two divisions or six schools of thought.

Muslims are not a monolithic lot, and most certainly each one of us is responsible on the day of reckoning – I am responsible for me and no else will come to rescue me except the good things I have done. Your take and my take on Islam would differ on a few issues and that is healthy. There is no compulsion in Islam.

Mike Ghouse
~~~~~~~

A tribute to Jesus

2009-12-23T23:37:00.001-08:00

A tribute to Jesus on this Christmas;

What does it mean to be religious?

Mike Ghouse

This column is dedicated to Rev. Petra Weldes of the Center for Spiritual Living in Dallas. Some of my conversation with her inspired me to write this tribute to Jesus and what it means to be religious.

Continued: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2009/12/tribute-to-jesus.html

~~~

Comfort with other forms of prayers

2009-10-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

I am compelled to respond to you for I share a similar experience.

Learning about other faiths need not mean infidelity to one’s own, it is rather an enriching experience to know that it is all belief, my belief, your belief and others’ belief in action and each one works for the believer.

I have an odd usage of the word “translator” that I turn on when I am in a place of worship other than what I am brainwashed with. The imaginary gadget filters the crude data into refined essence. Some 15 years ago, I took my five year old daughter and ten years old son to every place of worship, they invariably would ask me “Dad, what are they saying?” and knowing this I prepared my self to translate in a language that they would comprehend. Be it the Synagogue, Mosque, Church or a Temple, the bottom line was same “God is the creator, we have to be grateful to him/her/it, we have to be thankful for the life, that our actions and have consequences….” I had that down well.

One day, at the middle of the Bhajans (hymns chanting) at the Hindu Temple, my daughter popped the question and I had the answer to which she stood up (every one in the temple sits cross legged on the floor) and raise her hands and said it aloud “Gee Dad, it is cool, that God can be worshipped in so many ways”. That was it, which statement now has become a part of my Pluralism teaching.

I do not see God, as it does not exist in form, nor is it compressed in words, but I see her presence in everything, and he is indeed omnipotent. Whether it is a synagogue, Temple, Church, Mosque or any place of worship, I see the same essence of the creator in a variety of words. My translator device kicks in and reads the words Jesus, or Jesus the son of a God into the creator, Krishna gets translated into the same creator, Allah gets translated into the same creator.

There is just one singular cause that caused the existence and we can call it God for convenience. No matter what words you say, or how you bow, lean, kneel or prostrate, you are acknowledging something that is greater than you, and that brings humility and humility removes conflicts and gives birth to conflictlessness while retaining the diversity, which is oneness of nature and One God (not opposed to NO or many Gods, but oneness of our existence).

I was trained to thank the lord in the Islamic format, and I will continue to live with that schema without grading other ways of worshipping. The Christian, Hindu, Jewish or other formats of acknowledging the creator are working formats to the subscriber and the format that I am trained works for me, as other formats feel natural to the other. I see the same essence in all forms of worship. It is the religion bud that I am attuned to.

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.nt
__________________

Re: Mind During prayers

Thank you for this beautiful and eloquent insight, Jannah.
When I’m least distracted, I seek the understanding that Jannah describes, plus an intention to be fully in God’s compassionate Spirit and Will.

The first time I visited a Masjid, I just showed up cold. A friendly Muslim explained what would be happening, and assured me I was welcome to join the prayer, or to observe without joining in. I got into the prayer line. (That was what was I there for.)

When prayer started I struggled with lots of scary inner turmoil. Would praying with Muslims repudiate of my relationship with the Holy Spirit? Was I communing with some spirit other than God’s? Was I eschewing a personal relationship with God, and embracing an abstract and impersonal thought construct? Was I compromising or diminishing my devotion to Christ or even my salvation? Was this inner turmoil an affront to God? A warning from God? A sacrilege against the worship taking place around me?

This agitation continued. I kept holding all these questions up, asking for grace, direction and mercy. I felt a touch of Christ spirit (what we Quakers call a “leading”) – like directed insight calling up words and thoughts: “Don’t be troubled. Be at peace. These worries are unnecessary. These are good people. I (God) love(s) them. They love me (God). They are worshiping me (God). Honor their worship.”

David Humanitycheck

Questions on Pluralism

2009-10-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

If you have a question, please leave it in the comment section below

#

Muslim Denominations

2009-08-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

May you be drenched in peace and every word you utter, and every action you take reflect peace, indeed that is the essence of Islam.

It is tempting to give tit-for-tats, when you do that, you are getting away from the subject and moving on to attacking the person or his belief. Is that what religion teaches? No, it does not.

To be a Muslim is to be a peacemaker, one who seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for peaceful co-existence. God wants us to live in peace and harmony with his creation; that is indeed the purpose of religion, any religion. Mission statement

The basic requirements to be a Muslim are: i) belief in a creator, ii) belief in accountability for our deeds and secondary requirements are the pledge, and following the will of God, i.e., to work for a world of peace and justice as God wants his creation to be in peace.

God is fully aware of our nature; to be individualistic and has made an allowance for that. Look at the matter, no star is alike, no piece of rock is alike and look at life - no ones DNA is alike. God has intentionally created diversity so that we can use our intelligence to respect the otherness of other. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

God does not care if you follow Ismaili, Bohra, Ahmadiyya, Shia or Sunni traditions or of any faith, but he cares if you are good to each other and treated others as you wanted to be treated.

I hope you care about Humanity to drop this, no one will go any where with, so what is the point?

Akbar Ally you are doing a great job and one of your comments is included on the Islamic blogs. I admire what HH Aga Khan is doing on Pluralism, he is one of my mentors and a person I receive knowledge from by reading or listening to his lectures. It is in my profile at: http://www.mikeghouse.net/ProfileMikeGhouse.asp

May we all be enlightened and work for a balanced life.

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net

# #

Shouldn't there be one religion?

2009-06-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

Paula Johnson:

My 15 year old son Joshua wants to know. How can there be a God when there are so many religions? If there was really a God wouldn't there be just one, right religion???

Mike Ghouse:

Everything was intentionally created (came into being or evolved) to be different and unique and every piece of matter is designed to seek its own balance, that is what sustains and gives continuity.

Humans were not designed to auto-balance, we have the element of freedom to find that balance within ourselves and what surrounds us. Each group, community, nation or tribe finds (figures out) its own balance; social, spiritual, economic, physical, biological, cultural or other.

The creator is all about love and has gifted the humans with an ability to think and choose what is good for them, and has reached out each one of us and has delivered a beautiful formula called religion through the spiritual masters to live in peace with oneself and others.

However, to maintain diversity, a guaranteed element for survival, limitation was built into the ability of the masters to deliver that message. Jesus, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Mohammad or Shamans… and all of them could reach only so many, but together they have reached every one.

Whether one is a theist or an atheist, humans find their own balance. I would rather say “we have created God in our own image and every image works for the follower.”... Read More

Religion and God are supplements to bring peace (balance) to each individual and what surrounds it; life and matter.

As beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, God is in the heart of the believer. Co-existence (Pluralism) is about accepting every which way one appreciates (worship) his creator and lives a full life without fear. No matter what name you call God, the source of all that has happend is same. All faith systems are beautiful and do what they are intended to do, if followed

The Pluralism Balance, a New equilibrium

Exclusive Claims on God worked when societies were exclusive - the whole nation was Catholic, Protestant, Wiccan, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist.... each group found its own balance. (excesess were made against free will by men who donned religious lables) and some times those men shamelessly determined peace will come through violence.

As the societies evolve, exclusive conclaves of groups by faith, race, ethnicity or culture will fade. Greater acceptance.

15 ears ago, when I began the foundation for pluralism, many in the town did not even know how to pronounce the word, some thought it was a religion. The interfaith movement has brought a greater degree of acceptance of the otherness of other. The subscribers to Pluralism and interfaith are creating their own balance. They are comfortable in beleiving that God can be worshipped any way you want, my way works for me as your works for you, what is the problem? God is diversity

Mike Ghouse is a Dallas based Speaker, Writer, Thinker and a Moderator. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and television networks offering pluralistic perspectives on issues of the day including Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, Peace, India and Civic issues. His comments, news analysis and opinions are on the Blogs listed at his personal website www.MikeGhouse.net. Mike is a Dallasite for three decades and Carrollton is his home town. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com

#

Kudos to the Unitarian Universalist Church

2009-05-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

http://pluralismquestions.blogspot.com/2009/05/kudos-to-unitarian-universalist-church.html

Kudos to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Carrollton! Your leadership in creating a world of co-existence and respect for each one of God's formulas (religions) is appreciated. I hope and pray that other places of worship follow your steps.

This is so good to see!

Indeed Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had also advised his community that learning is the most important thing in life - he had said; if you have to go to China to learn something good, go for it. He even made a suggestion that "if Romans practice and it works for them, you can follow it as well...”

The question is what does one learn going to China? Certainly not about Islam at that time, but definitely one would learn the art of living; how other people live, pray and earn their livelihood.

We have to work for that day, when you hear the beauty and wisdom of every faith included in the sermons in every place of worship. We should be preaching respect, dignity and honoring the otherness of other.

Let individuals in each congregation speak up against any bigotry spewed out by the individual preachers towards others; there shall not be any demeaning of other faiths, peoples or cultures, there shall not be any relegation of others to a lower status, that amounts to loading one with negative sentiments or slowly poisoning the minds and hearts.

A place of worship should not be a place of uploading hate, but rather of forgiveness and embracement just as Jesus did. The place of worship should be uplifting, it should be the sanctuary of conflict mitigation, and it should be the place to nurture good will. That is what God wills; peace and co-existence amongst his creation. That is what brings peace in communities, and that is the purpose of religion, every religion.

If you want a better society, you have to speak out and take the responsibility for creating it, the least you can do is, do your share of the work. Speak up against any bigotry spewed out towards others in your congregation; there shall not be any demeaning of other faiths, peoples or cultures, there shall not be any relegation of others to a lower than us status, that amounts to loading one with negative sentiments or slowly poisoning the minds and hearts.

A place of worship should load one with peaceful thoughts, words and actions.

The place of worship should be uplifting, it should be the sanctuary of mitigation of conflicts, it should be the place to nurture good will. That is what God wills, and that is what brings peace in communities.

Mike Ghouse

ARROGANCE and SPIRITUALITY

2009-05-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

Arrogance and Spirituality are inversely proportional - i.e., greater the arrgoance, lower the spirituality (or religiosity) and higher the spirituality, lower the arrogance. Even claming your faith to be wiser, saner, better, deeper or philosophical is sheer arrogance, they you are not religious any more. To be religious is to care for life and what surrounds one. - Mike Ghouse

People are free and should always have the freedom to choose. The greater security and freedom comes when people around you are minding their own business. When you think your faith is superior, you don't look to others around you as equal partners of the planet earth, but some one who is less than you on the soft side and on the extreme side, destroying the balance including ecological, food and energy through wars, dominance, subjudgations... causing every one, the oppressor and the oppressed to live in tensions. It is all rooted in arrogance. ...

Religions are constantly guiding one to be humble, a few don't get it and create conflicts for their own end, but shamelessly using religion or claiming exclusivity that is not there in the scriptures.

Mike

.

Who Owns God?

2009-05-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

God is not owned by any,
God belongs to every creation,
God has not signed a deal with any,
God is all about love - the love that brings gratitude,
God is equilibrium in one's life,
God is free from all religions,
God is not a man or a woman,
God is not a being or a thing,
God is just a word infinite,
God is not limitable or definable ,
God is nothing but love,
God is the balance in one's life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WybvhRu9KU

Mike Ghouse

.

Is Qur'aan perfect?

2009-02-21T16:51:00.001-08:00

Is Qur'aan Perfect?

It is the true and final word of God for the Muslims who believe in it, it is not for the Christians, Hindus, Jews or others who are not familiar with it. However, if one sincerely understands the Qur'aan, he or she will find the essence of Justice, fairness; truth and peace resonate in Qur'aan as they may find it in their own scriptures.

Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker and a Writer on Pluralism, interfaith, terrorism, peace, Islam, Multiculturism and India. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television networks discussing these and the civic issues. His comments, news analysis and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website www.MikeGhouse.net. Mike is a Dallasite for nearly three decades and Carrollton is his home town. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com

Continued: http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/WorldMuslimCongress/Articles/Is-Quraan-Perfect.asp

What did you want to know?

2009-02-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

Please write your question, and we will do our best to find answers

thank you

Mike Ghouse
Pluralist

Things to ponder

2009-02-10T08:10:00.000-08:00

Things to Ponder

List of Questions & Answers

2008-12-24T15:27:00.000-08:00

December 2008

Your questions answered
True God and Pluralism
Jesus says no man comes to father except through m...
My Religion is superior
Ask your selves, are you a pluralist?
What is Pluralism
About Trinity, Mary, Jesus and Christmas

.

Your questions answered

2008-12-24T14:58:00.000-08:00

Please click the comment section below and leave your question, I will get around to answer it.

.

True God and Pluralism

2008-12-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

Campbell asks about True God and Pluralism

How does a pluralist view things? If you have specific questions, please send to info@foundationforpluralism.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
09/15/2008

Mike,

I hope you had a great weekend and I hope you and your family was safe from the Hurricane and devastation along the Texas coast. I want to say thank you for the kind wishes and comments on my face book. Not sure yet what I think of face book whether it is a useful tool to stay connected to people or a time waster. I guess time will tell.

I had a couple of questions I was pondering and thought I would ask your perspective. These questions are more from a pluralistic perspective vs. an Islamic perspective. As you know I am not a pluralist, but it certainly does help in understanding where others are coming from. So if you will further indulge me, I would appreciate it.

1) I am assuming that a Pluralist holds that there are many paths to God. Is that correct?

2) Can you be a pluralist and believe in one True God. Or better stated, that there is only one God? From my understanding a pluralist would believe that there would be many paths to that one God. Is that a correct understanding?

3) As a pluralist, is there any room for absolutes? For instance, is there any room to say that there is something always true regardless of time and other factors? Can something be universally true?

Just curious,

David Campbell

##
David,

Thanks for the email, here are the responses for your questions

1) I am assuming that a Pluralist holds that there are many paths to God. Is that correct?
Yes, each path is divine to the believer

2) Can you be a pluralist and believe in one True God. Or better stated, that there is only one God? From my understanding a pluralist would believe that there would be many paths to that one God. Is that a correct understanding?

David, Pluralism is an attitude of accepting other forms and other beliefs, as one accepts his or her own. The ultimate source of all cause and creation is one - the term "True God" bothers me, as though there is a false God. You are right, a pluralist Muslim, a pluralist Jews, a Pluralist Christian would honor other ways of worshipping the creator, and will not be arrogant to believe his is the only way.

3) As a pluralist, is there any room for absolutes? For instance, is there any room to say that there is something always true regardless of time and other factors? Can something be universally true?

Yes matter is universally true, there is a room for absolutes as much as there is a room for abstracts. However abstracts and beliefs are one's perspectives that work for the believer.

The natural tendency of anything life or matter is to seek balance. All religions consciously, divinely, mysteriously or deliberately are designed for that to bring a balance to the individual and balance with what surrounds him/her - life and matter. To believe one is superior or true is denying the other his or her right to believe and living with imbalance.

Hope this answers some of your questions

Mike Ghouse

##
Mike

Yes they do answer my questions, but perhaps raise others in their place. I, on the other hand am bothered if there is not a 'false god.' It would be of grave concern to me if I was worshipping 'a figment of my imagination.' If there was not a God who created all that exists and sustains that creation, I would kind of feel left adrift. If my goal is not offend another's beliefs then I have no problem with pluralism as a whole. But my goal is to worship and follow the God who does exist. If He does exist, then how does the creature have the right to tell the Creator what is and is not fair?

I guess I have a problem with being left to me being the one who chooses what is right for me or not. Where does one determine that it is ok to determine what works best for one's self? That sounds really good until you factor in the fact that there is a God who created the world. There is a universe that operates with a preciseness and exactness yet holds tremendous mystery. Just like in order for me to EXIST there has to be the possibility that I can NOT exist. Likewise with God if He exists then there is the possibility that He NOT exist. Therefore there can be a True God and by contrast a False God--or more plainly a non-god (a god that does not exist).

So if there is a True God and also a god's) that does not exist, would it not be possible to worship that which does not exist?

oh BTW, I think I have stated it but incase I did not. I am not really interested in telling another they are wrong or right or whatever, I believe that is left to God who makes that judgment. I am just curious how one operates in pluralism and how it affects the rest of life. As a Christian I cannot reason a person to God, it is God who makes that determination and it is God who woos a person to Himself. As a Christian I am to reflect His nature, His Character, and speak the truth in love, and proclaim his excellencies--the rest is up to Him. As I have said before, all men and women were created in the image of God and therefore by that fact alone are afforded the benefits of mutual dignity and respect. I believe that He gives purpose and He gives life and that apart from Him one cannot truly have life.

David Campbell

##

David,
Worshipping is a ritual embedded in religion. Feeling the presence of a higher power and understanding that every thing finds its own balance is spiritual. It is the freedom you feel when you feel you have a grasp of the nature and takes away your fears, even though you do not have complete answers to your fears and doubts.

The problem with most of us is giving a shape, a body, a physical presence to this “higher power”. Higher in this context is something that is beyond our understanding and has been around before we were aware of our existence and will continue to exist when we are gone.

If you see this power labeled as God in some comprehensible form, then you would be worshipping the figment of your imagination. Every religion emanates from the same fountain of wisdom, but I do know that Hindu, Jewish and Islamic scriptures do not give a form, shape, color, time or any sense of a being to that power. However, some people are pre-disposed to imagining “that power” in our own image, as the Bible points that God created us in his own image.

God does not have to be anything; God can be viewed as the energy that causes everything to be in place, sustain it and bring about a balance.

Prayers are an expression of gratitude to such a thing; they are legitimate sentiments and produce a balance in you, as much as repentance and forgiveness lifts you up.

The act of ‘balancing it out’ is your own, as there are 7 billion other acts performed simultaneously. Feel confident that you are in balance, free from hate, jealousy, anger, and ill-will and loaded with goodwill, charity and kindness towards other. This is what every religion does to us, each way is legitimate and none is wrong.

Let me take a step further, the animist, Wiccan, the pagans and others are as right as the Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Bahai’s, Sikhs or any one is. It is arrogant of us to believe that they worship false God; it is not to them, even if you consider that they worship an idol. The act of worship is a self balancing act. Each one of the system does the same to allay human confusion and give hope and sense of security that everything is going to be alright.
Please ponder over this. No one has to be wrong for you or me to be right. We are wrong only when we deflect that balance; rob from others what is legitimately theirs, forcibly taking others space, grabbing others food and hurting the loved ones. Again, God is about balance in life and it can hit your imagination the way you are conditioned.

I reiterate that my path, Islam is a familiar path to me to keep my balance and it works for me, as your path works for you. Neither is superior or inferior, it is just a different faith bud.
Mike Ghouse

Our Mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.

Workshops Seminars Education News Letters
Foundation for Pluralism, Studies in Religious Pluralism & Pluralistic Societies
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234 (214) 325-1916
.

Jesus says no man comes to father except through me

2008-12-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

Jesus says no man comes to father except through me

Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.
An exchange of thoughts between David Campbell and Mike Ghouse
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David,

I am glad you say this " I thank you very much as your questions have helped solidify in my mind that Jesus is who He says He is. He truly is God. My prayer and hope for you is that He would reveal Himself to you and that through Him you would find peace in His name. May God bless you with abundant life in Jesus."

David, Jesus is truly a God to "you" and those "who believe". Please follow the teachings of Jesus, as it brings peace to you as an individual, brings comfort in the moments of difficulty, joy in the moments of happiness.

I honor your belief and hope you would honor fifty other ways of believing or not believing in the creator.

Like wise, Hindus, Muslims, Jews and other have their own set of beliefs and each is legitimate to the believer. Jesus is part of my life in my own way, his teachings of forgiveness, love thy neighbor and turning the other cheek are part of me, as the teachings of Mohammad, Krishna, Buddha and others are. They all loved us and wanted us to lead a life of peace within and with others. Each belief is valid.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and I would add, faith is in the heart of the believer. No one needs to change their faith, it is not needed, unless it is a want.

God bless you.

Mike Ghouse

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DAVID CAMPBELL WRITES:

Thank you so much for being willing to discuss this matter with me. I see that you are a very educated and intelligent man. I cannot say that I am either. I have not finished college and really have been fairly limited in my exposure to the world around me. I hope you will bear with me in my questions and do not perceive me as too much the buffoon.

I would agree with you 100% that one should do good to others, regardless of race, creed, religion, nationality, etc. As a Christian I believe that all people were created in the image of God and therefore are entitled to the dignity that lies inherent in that state. I would also agree with you that clergy very much twist to sustain their position(s). There has been much harm done in the world because of this.

I can see your point as to why one would follow your heart. It would seem that because you can't trust fallen people there must be something that we can trust. However, if we make it one's heart or feelings that we follow are we not placing ourselves in the place of God? I cannot act on every feeling I have or else I could potentially infringe on someone else. Take a child for instance who feels that they want a toy that another is playing with and tries to take it and is denied and then takes a block and clubs the other kid in the head. In this instance following ones heart in the purest of form cannot be right. The child has not been taught by clergy or anyone. It is that our nature is ultimately fallen and is in need of a redeemer. Someone who will make us new from the inside.

If Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me." In pluralism, can that be true while another believes there is another way to heaven?

Again thank you so much for your willingness to discuss this with me.

David Campbell

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David

You asked "If Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me." In pluralism, can that be true while another believes there is another way to heaven? "

We cannot reduce Jesus to be a clansman, we cannot reduce him to be the shepherd of a specific tribe, he was indeed, the man and the teacher to the whole universe and that message "through me" was meant for all people on the earth. And it meant following his teachings and not the utterance of the words, a parrot can do that without knowing what it means.

1) turn the other cheek, meaning when some one eggs you to fight, you do not aggravate the situation further by falling prey and retaliate, instead you find means to mitigate the conflict.

2) Forgive - by forgiving one becomes free or else one is bonded in eternal slavery... if you don't forgive, each time the name of that person comes up, or every time you see that man, your blood boils, by forgiving, you have freed yourselves.

3) Love thy neighbor... means accept the other person with his own uniqueness, as long as that person is not robbing you, not hurting you, you can accept him for who he is. God created you both, and you have to appreciate and respect his will.

When Jesus says "through me", we have a choice to reduce his message to the words it is contained in and understand that "through his physical person or his word" alone, one gets access to God.

Those who want to monopolize the business of religion, will bottle up Jesus in words, those who are spiritualists, will understand the message rather than blindly follow the words.

Jesus is one of my spiritual Masters and there are several great masters, every one of them loved us, they loved us and wanted us to at peace within and with others. As a Muslim I love the teachings of Jesus, and as a human, I value this teachings and every masters teachings.

They did not intend to brand us into a different breed of cattle, they intended us to be good beings.

Mike Ghouse

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a message dated 9/8/2008 1:38:32 P.M. Central Daylight Time, David B Campbell writes:
Mike,
Thank you so much for being willing to discuss this matter with me. I see that you are a very educated and intelligent man. I cannot say that I am either. I have not finished college and really have been fairly limited in my exposure to the world around me. I hope you will bear with me in my questions and do not perceive me as too much the buffoon.

I would agree with you 100% that one should do good to others, regardless of race, creed, religion, nationality, etc. As a Christian I believe that all people were created in the image of God and therefore are entitled to the dignity that lies inherent in that state. I would also agree with you that clergy very much twist to sustain their position's). There has been much harm done in the world because of this.

I can see your point as to why one would follow your heart. It would seem that because you can't trust fallen people there must be something that we can trust. However, if we make it one's heart or feelings that we follow are we not placing ourselves in the place of God? I cannot act on every feeling I have or else I could potentially infringe on someone else. Take a child for instance who feels that they want a toy that another is playing with and tries to take it and is denied and then takes a block and clubs the other kid in the head. In this instance following ones heart in the purest of form cannot be right. The child has not been taught by clergy or anyone. It is that our nature is ultimately fallen and is in need of a redeemer. Someone who will make us new from the inside.

If Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me." In pluralism, can that be true while another believes there is another way to heaven?

Again thank you so much for your willingness to discuss this with me.

David Campbell

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Mon, Sep 8, 2008 at 12:54 PM, wrote:
Dear David,

If we can learn to accept and respect every which way one appreciates the causer and sustainer of our lives, calling that cause "God or whatever name one is taught", and respect those who do not give any special significance to that creator but accept that there is a cause for creation, then we can have a world of co-existence with least conflict.

The purpose of the religion is not to create God in our imaginations, but rather help each one of us understand the complexities of creation, destruction and sustenance and how to keep our balance, our equilibrium that we can survive for the amount of time written on our chip (sperm/egg) with least variations and how we can keep that balance with fellow beings and the environment.

I am setting up a few workshops in Pluralism, where every one is open to ask any question and also a few workshops on Islam... I will update you about it and will be happy to answer all your questions.

It is a requirement for a Muslim to acknowledge every master who existed to teach us learn the ropes of life and live a balanced life. An infinite number is given as 124,000 such teachers (prophets), and 25 of them have been mentioned by name - 24 are Biblical teachers. Mary is considered the woman of highest honor in Islam a model of purity to follow, Jesus is the star in Islam who brings the good news and foretells that message will be completed by Prophet Muhammad.

In the imaginary seven layers of heaven, one is managed by Jesus.

David, all religions are beautiful, it is the politics of gaining resources, influence and control that makes the guardians of religion (clergy) twist it to suit their unreligious desires. A good Christian is a good Muslims, is a good Jew, is a good Hindu and a good human being.

Don't go by what the clergy say, they have a vested interest in keeping religion as their business. It is the sources of their livelihood. Go by what your hearts say - the feeling a crying and hungry baby generates in you and the subsequent action is the essence of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and every religion. But if you think that baby is a Jew or a Muslim or a.... and you withdraw the action, then you are acting under the influence of religions run by the owners of that business side of their religion.

If you don't feel any emotions when a Palestinian is shot and stain God's name to justify your business of religion, then you are not a Christian as Jesus wanted you to be or when you rejoice when a Christian or an American is killed, you cannot be a Muslim, even though you wear the label on you.

Please visit the website www.worldmuslimcongress.com and read the mission statement, the very first item on the text area... that is Islam.

Mike Ghouse

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a message dated 9/8/2008 10:25:13 A.M. Central Daylight Time, David Campbell writes:
Mike,

I came across your email address by your Dallas Muslim Blog. I am assuming by your blog that you are Muslim. I cannot say I know very much about Islam except perhaps what I see and read in the news which I fear is either inaccurate or at least somewhat biased. I am assuming that if that happens in my faith as a follower of Jesus it probably happens to those who are Muslim.

I have many questions about Islam but really do not know where to begin. Many of my questions revolve around how Muslim's regard Jesus (Issa). I am not sure if you would be open to me asking you questions and perhaps engaging in a discussion. I am not interested in an argument or to ridicule anyone (or be ridiculed) but I would like to know more of what you believe, share what I believe, and that should I find that I am holding onto faulty notions I can let go of those and only follow what is True.

I understand that Muslim's believe in the unity or Oneness of God. I, too believe that God is One. Yet I believe that God is made of 3 yet one. For instance we all believe in the concept of Time. Time is made of Past, Present, and Future. Each element fully considered time and each element fulfills a certain role within Time. Space also is an example made up of height, width, and depth. Matter is yet another example made of solid, liquid, and gas. All elements of a trinity are complete and yet distinct. God is a Trinity being God the Father, God The Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

I understand that God is completely Holy and unknowable. I believe that as well, unless God has chosen, in His sovereignty to reveal Himself to His creation. I also believe that God is SO HOLY that people, who are sinners by nature cannot approach Him unless there is something to make atonement for the sin that has been committed. In old days there was a sacrificial lamb that was presented as a continuing offering for the sin of people. That lamb was a picture of what God was painting for His ultimate Lamb who would take away the sins of the world, namely Jesus. Because God took on flesh and lived as a man, He lives a perfect life and lived the life that we could not live and died the death that we should have died. God poured out His wrath on Jesus (on Himself) and thereby kept His word that sin requires death but paid a sufficient price to reconcile us to Him. The wrath of God was satisfied on the body of Jesus.

You see at the end of the day I would be happy to work to earn God's favor but also deep down when I am by myself and there is no one left to pretend to, I know how wicked I really am. I know that I do not worship God like He deserves to be worshipped. For instance if my goal is Heaven then that means I desire Heaven more than God and therefore I am worshipping something more than I am worshipping God. If I desire to escape punishment then my goal is really comfort and I am really worshipped comfort. I know that no matter how good I may try to be that at the end of the day I cannot be good enough to satisfy this Holy God. I want to. But thanks be to God through Christ Jesus that He has paid the price and I can rest on His sufficiency and His sacrifice know that God looks at me and sees the price that Jesus paid. Because the ultimate questions is 'how can a holy God let any corrupted people into His presence?' Ultimately I believe that my faith answers how a sinful fallen person can be reconciled to God and have God still remain Holy and Just.

I freely admit that there have been horrible atrocities committed by those who call themselves Christians and followers of Jesus. I also freely admit that much of what the West terms as Christianity is probably at best an aberration. I was just wondering if you would not mind sharing with me a little about your faith and correct me where you feel I have misunderstood.

In Much Respect,
David Campbell

YOUR COMMENTS ON PLURALISM

Our Mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.

Workshops Seminars Education News Letters
Foundation for Pluralism, Studies in Religious Pluralism & Pluralistic Societies
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234 (214) 325-1916

My Religion is superior

2008-12-24T10:13:00.000-08:00

My Creed is superior

How does a pluralist view things? If you have specific questions, please send to info@foundationforpluralism.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mathew Feldman writes;

I'm with you.

My personal failing is how sensitive I am to the chauvinism (this need to be certain, and sometimes assert, that one's creed is superior to others'). I always say that no one, or group, has a monopoly on Truth. So I most admire religious people who simply encourage others in their spirituality, as opposed to advocating any particular path.

I was raised in a fairly secular Jewish home, I have a set of fundamentalist Xian grandparents, and I am married to a Baha'i woman who comes from a pretty religious family. I'm covering all the bases ;-)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Ghouse responds;

Matthew Good for you, you are indeed covered.

Let me make a statement, that I have made before and had to do a lot of explaining to my Imams, fortunately, they have silently agreed to it.

" My faith Islam is dear to me, it works for me, when I am happy, I am trained to say thanks (prayer) the Islamic way, it gives me the comfort and when I am sad, I know I have to express that to the creator"

" However, I will not claim that this is the only way to find nirvana, salvation, release or Mukti, each faith brings that to the believer of that faith".

"To claim my faith is superior, is sheer arrogance, and arrogance and spirituality are mutually exclusive, and are inversely proportional to each other".

" the idea of claming superiority and exclusivity beats the very purpose of religion, to build harmony through justice, you cannot build harmony when you consider others faith to be incomplete, deficient or down right false, as it creates conflict and arrogance, does not acknowledge the otherness of the other, hence irreligious.

I invite people of all faiths to make that declaration, then we have an attitude of acceptance of the other and peace becomes imminent.

YOUR COMMENTS ON PLURALISM

Our Mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.

Workshops Seminars Education News Letters
Foundation for Pluralism, Studies in Religious Pluralism & Pluralistic Societies
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234 (214) 325-1916

Ask your selves, are you a pluralist?

2008-12-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

How does a pluralist view things? If you have specific questions, please send to info@foundationforpluralism.com

Questions to ask oneself

What do you believe about the origins of the earth and man?

God did it, in seven days

Yeah, but "seven days" is a metaphor

Angels helped God make man from different colors of earth

A powerful God, Brahma, created it from a lotus flower

What is important is my role on earth, not its creation

The Big Bang

Not sure

Someone smacks you in the face. What is your response?

Turn the other cheek

An eye for an eye, you hit him back to defend yourself

Seriously, his parents didn't raise him right

Bad karma will get him back

Non violence is the best path, even if I get beat up

I don't see what this has to do with religion

There's a spider in your shower, what do you do?

Kill it, it's just a spider

Just shower, it's only a spider

Let it get washed down the drain, then feel bad

Move it out of the shower

Pick it up in a tissue and gently take it outside

Spiders eat mosquitoes, leave it

How would you prefer to pray?

Kneeling before bed

Saying grace before meals

Once in the morning and once at night

Kneeling and standing, throughout the day

Incense and an offering of food

Repeat a mantra and use prayer beads

As Prescribed by my Religion

At a Starbucks

What day do you consider most sacred?

Saturday

Sunday

Every day

None of the days

Why do you pray?

I don't see a reason to pray

Forgiveness

Betterment

To praise and serve God

To recognize the power of the creator

I meditate to clear my mind and seek inner-peace

What do you not eat?

Pork

Cheeseburgers

Meat on Friday

Meat at all

Beef

Day old Sushi

What do you think about Charity?

I give to foundations

I give a little bit every week during services

I give a percentage of my income to the institution

I give to individuals on the street

It is one of the pillars of a good life

Which of these activities gives you inner peace?

Repenting and seeking forgiveness

Seeking and finding the deep inner truths in religious texts

Praying directly to God

Yoga

Meditating

A long nature hike

How do you identify with religious holidays?

A formal family dinner with services

A big meal with lots of food and lots of people

Fasting

Thanksgiving is my holiday of choice

Offerings to my God

What do you think happens when you die?

You will be reborn depending on how you lived your last life

You will be reborn and suffer again

You will go to heaven or hell

You hope to ascend to paradise

You turn into plant food

How would you like your body to be treated when you die?

Cremation is a must for me

Burial

Lay me to rest in a peaceful place

It doesn't matter at all

What do you think of divorce?

Divorce is not possible

Only if absolutely necessary

If it was not meant to be then it is okay

Who is the greatest spiritual leader on the planet today?

Dali Lama

The Pope

Billy Graham

Imam W. Deen Mohammed

There are several great Yogis

There are several great rabbis

How do you hope your good deeds on earth will be repaid in the afterlife?

You're reunited with your family and friends

You live for eternity in Heaven

You're showered with riches in Heaven

You're reincarnated to a better life

There is no afterlife

How do you expect your bad deeds on earth to be punished in the afterlife?

You go to Hell

You do your time in Purgatory

Nothing, if you confess your sins

You're reincarnated to a worse life

Doesn't matter, there is no afterlife

YOUR COMMENTS ON PLURALISM

Our Mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.

Workshops Seminars Education News Letters
Foundation for Pluralism, Studies in Religious Pluralism & Pluralistic Societies
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234 (214) 325-1916

What is Pluralism

2008-12-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

What Is Pluralism?
http://www.uptv.org/ch2.php?223

Pluralism is an attitude of accepting and respecting every beautiful way people have come to worship the divine, including but not limited to the Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Zoroastrian and other systems of belief. We ask you to consider the following thought “the moment you believe yours is the only way, the ego takes over and kills the spirituality and the piety in you” and add, “And riddance of ego for ones peace and tranquility is the summation of all religions.” Arrogance is the mother of all evil.

Who is a Pluralist?

A Pluralist will look to the essence of the words rather than the words themselves. Ex; a pluralist will have no problem accepting greetings in any form; he or she will look beyond the words. You can greet her/him with Shalom, Namaste, As-Salaamu Aliakum, God Bless, Sat Sri Akal or whatever you are accustomed to, they all mean the same to him/her; that you wish them well. He or She has no qualms returning the greeting in the same format.

A pluralist will never look down upon any form of worship, he looks to the devotion an individual has towards the divine and not the method.

A pluralist firmly believes in his faith, and believes in the path he follows and understands that it will give him the salvation and takes him closer to God. He or she understands and believes that all traditions offer the salvation to the believer.

The Foundation for Pluralism believes that God does not practice preferential treatment towards any faith or a group; and we don't either. All of us are HIS creation and HE belongs to us all. No one owns HIM, nor does anyone have any exclusive influence over him. Who would want a God that will not give equal access to all?

We honor, cherish and respect every way people have come to praise and worship the divine. We revere every one of the spiritual awakeners, to name a few: Krishna, Zarthusthra, Moses, Mahavir, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, Nanak, Bahaullah, and every Great Spirit that people have to come respect.

We believe that each one of us is created by the same divine system, and respecting each one of his creations is the best form of honoring that divinity. Knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of people with different points of view. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness to each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

Every religion frees us from the negative engagements. When we truly believe in the oneness of God and the oneness of mankind, we have accepted God’s greatness and parity of human beings.

The world is a better place today because of spirituality, without which there would be chaos. All the religions are on the same side; that of goodness for mankind.

The Foundation is committed to providing the media and world leaders with insights, and policy solutions to effectively managing the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural societies. We are committed to developing solutions for pluralistic governance of diverse people.

We believe that the purpose of all faiths is to bring peace and happiness to each individual and connect humans with the divine. We strongly defend the goodness of each religion. We believe that political motivations have deliberately blamed the wrongs of the world on religion. It is our commitment to identify and ascribe the wrongs to individuals responsible for it and uphold the honor of each faith.

Membership is open to all those who subscribe to the idea of a pluralistic society, a society where people are treated with full dignity without regard to race, color, gender, religion, social status or any other distinctiveness.

Points to Ponder

God is omniscient, omnipotent, eternal, boundless, and genderless and he is everything, and every atom is created by him. And yet a few of us insist that we can invoke God only with certain names. Isn’t that confining God?

The Revelation:

All religions are founded on the basis of Pluralism, meaning inclusiveness of all human beings. If you are a Good Jew, Muslim, Christian ……or a Hindu, you are indeed a pluralist. When Jesus says follow me, Krishna says surrender to me and Allah says, submit to my will; they are all saying the same thing. “Be like God who loves and belongs to all.” And, when you do become like God, all the distinctions fade; everything belongs to you and you belong to all. That is salvation and that is, eternal peace.

Our Mission

Our mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their fellow beings, and look to individual’s God given uniqueness and make efforts to remove prejudices based on religious, racial, nationalistic, linguistic, social, and cultural or any other affiliations.

Pluralism is accepting and respecting every way people have come to worship the divine, including but not limited to the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Zoroastrian and other systems of belief.

YOUR COMMENTS ON PLURALISM

Our Mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.

Workshops Seminars Education News Letters
Foundation for Pluralism, Studies in Religious Pluralism & Pluralistic Societies
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234 (214) 325-1916

About Trinity, Mary, Jesus and Christmas

2008-12-24T10:04:00.000-08:00

Conversations about Mary, Jesus and Christmas

Sabeeha,

I am pleased to read your notes about Mary, it is well put indeed. If you want to talk about Mary as the topic, a Model woman for Muslims to follow, Reem Alghonimi would be a good speaker on the subject, she and I have made a presentations about Maryam to the Theology Students at SMU. Indeed, there is always a Model in every community, among Hindus, the legend about Sati Savithri, the one who speaks nothing but truth is a good model woman to follow, so is Durga, who will bring justice where there is none.

You are right, the forces to create wedges between people are few but well funded, it is our duty, every one of the 6.5 billion individuals' duty to bring peace to the world.

I am going to add a radical thought here;

Neither Jesus was Christian nor Muhammad was a Muslim; indeed both of them were for the entire humanity with a good message to be better human lives. Neither Bible nor the Qur'aan is the property of Christians or Muslims; they belong to all, by claiming exclusivity, we are decimating the purpose of those books. In my writings, I have consciously avoided "our prophet" when referring to Prophet Muhammad, we don’t own him; he is every one's prophet. When we start looking at Buddha, Bahaullah, Mahavir, Jesus, Moses, Muhammad, Nanak and other great teachers, all I see is their effort to create a better world. If we can emulate them, we can create at least a better world around us and that is more than enough.

I think I am repeating the following, which is also at:

http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Articles/December-Festivals-Christmas-Kwanza-ZortoshtDiso-Muharram-Z.asp

Christmas signifies renewal to me, the birth of Jesus pushes the 'refresh' button and opens our hearts and minds towards fellow beings. Jesus is my mentor, I think about him every day as I see the wisdom of forgiveness and inclusiveness doing its miracles in giving solace, Peace, Nirvana, Mukti, Moksha, Nijaat, salvation and true freedom to each one of us. Jesus (pbuh) is one of my role models. He set the example to the world that God has created every soul on this earth and that we have to embrace every one for our own good. His symbolic outreach to the lepers and prostitutes is a model for us to live by, reaching out to every one that the society shies away from. I am truly blessed to see another Christmas and wish to extend my heart felt love to every one out there. By the way, Jesus is the star for Muslims, one's faith in Islam is not complete without believing in Jesus, Moses and the other prophets.

In the name of Jesus whose birthday we are celebrating, may this Christmas refresh us to seek peace through forgiveness and inclusiveness. Amen.

I am available to volunteer on Christmas day anywhere in North Texas, please feel free to call me.
Mike Ghouse
___________________________________________
In a message dated 12/24/2008 9:38:07 A.M. Central Standard Time, sabeeha writes:

Sue,

It gives me great pleasure, to observe more people understanding and acknowledging the truth about Islam. It may be that Muslims have failed to reveal this truth to all believers, please let me clear this one today as it is the Christmas Eve, it is very important to learn the truth.

This is the very simplest and very clear revelation from God...

It is Christmas Eve today, Our Lady Mary holds the highest Honor in the History of Islam. Above all Jesus Christ - Isa Alaisalam is Spirit of Allah -> Ruh-Allah....

Maryam( Mary) in ISLAM – An icon of sincerity, piety, purity and devotion to God

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Then came the time when the angels said: 'O Mary! Behold, Allah has chosen you, and made you pure, and exalted you above all the women in the world. (Quran Surah Al-Imran 3:42)

You may be surprised to learn that Muslims love and honour Mary, the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them both). In fact, when naming the best woman to ever live, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) named Mary, known as Maryam in Arabic, as the best woman to ever live!

In the Quran, there is without a doubt no woman that is given more attention than Maryam. She is mentioned 34 times in the Quran and there is an entire chapter dedicated to her and her history, Chapter 19 entitled Maryam. As a matter of fact, Maryam is mentioned more times in the Quran than in the entire New Testament, and there is more information about her life contained in the Quran than in the New Testament.

Muslims aim to completely submit themselves to the will of God, and Maryam is the prime example of this. She showed complete submission to God even when it meant that her own family would accuse her of being unchaste when they discovered she was pregnant (Quran 19:16-21). This demonstrates Maryam's complete devotion to God, and highlights to us her intense spirituality and piety. Maryam was able to completely submit herself to God, showing that she was a true "Muslim", as the word "Muslim" means one who submits.

The virtues, moral excellence and high status of Maryam are detailed in the Quran, and she is presented as an example to all humankind. Maryam is arguably the most outstanding character in Islamic history, and as a woman, she is an example for women in all aspects of their lives. Her sincerity, piety, purity and devotion to God the All Mighty are qualities that all Muslims aspire to.

So it must be understood that Maryam holds one of the most honoured positions in the hearts of Muslims of all times and places.

-:Please read:-Chapter Introduction to Surah # 19 Maryam

Peace
Merry Christmas

Sabeeha Kazmi
________________________.

On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 7:49 PM, Sue Melton wrote:
All,
I agree totally with Mike. In fact, we in Unity are closer to the Muslim faith than the more orthodox Christians. Many of them denounce Unity or any new age thinking as heresy. To get a really diverse group of believers and a chance to discuss the differences in any area such as the Trinity, we really need more than just these two groups represented, at least after a while. I believe, however, that all of us (or most) come from and are familiar with the more fundamental approach to Christianity. That can, of course, add perspective to our discussions as we are seeing the differences and similarities.

Blessings,
Sue

Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 3:54 PM
Subject: Faith Club Meeting - The Trinity

Mike, I very much liked your comments below - thanks for sharing them with the group. With your permission, I will borrow your last statement - Let all systems manifest into a better world.
Have a blessed holiday. Marylou

In a message dated 12/22/08 3:18:52 PM, MikeGhouse writes:

Marylou,

I have been swamped with upcoming program "II Annual reflections on Holocaust and Genocides" and I am attaching the draft for your action..." about participation item in the letter.

And am pleased to share a few notes on your comments;

Jesus is one of my mentors, meaning I think about him often when we are going through issues of forgiveness and inclusiveness. He is a role model for me.

All spiritual paths should be respected, even if we don't agree with them; Agree with this statement and like to add that our beliefs are merely tempered and conditioned as we learn and focus on the path. I feel fairly comfortable, if you and I had the exposure to any one of the paths, we would have had the opportunity of taking that path. Faith does not have rhyme or reason for one to consider, it is purely what appeals to the heart.

I am very certain that if we raise each other's grand children or friends children in our traditions, they would grow up to believe what we have taught them. So which one is the right belief then, yours or mine? Both are, because simply they are beliefs. I do not see anything wrong if one believes in Trinity or Unity...as long as that belief turns us into a good human being that will stand the test of 9 things you have identified.

I believe the heavy focus on singular God in Islam and Judaism to give clarity and resoluteness to one's belief, beyond confusion and beyond doubt. However, it does not mean that those who are Trinitarians they are any less resolute and clear.

Claiming exclusivity or superiority of one belief over the other amounts to arrogance, and arrogance is the root cause of all conflicts, chaos, mayhem and wars. I do believe (belief again) God has not personally signed any deal with any one behind other’s backs, if he (she or it) did that, then he would be wrong, but God cannot be wrong so he did not sign.

Let all systems manifest into a better world.

Mike Ghouse