Countering Oppression of
Shocking But Not Surprising
We are all filled with grief at the shooting that took place at the Q Club in Colorado Springs. What happened there is shocking. It is, grievously, not surprising. In high school we had three bullies in my class. They had a group of followers who actually did most of the damage. One week, they…
Read MoreRising to Meet Antisemitism
Last spring I was honored to interview Devin Burghart from IREHR, the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. We spoke about white nationalism and white Christian nationalism, how it threatens our democracy, and what we can do about it. This conversation has been much on my mind as we have seen Antisemitic statements,…
Read MoreBrave Conversations in first LGT Class
In the first week we focused on the unity in diversity of the world. In the monotheistic traditions this is grounded in one Creator, a set of common parents of all humanity, and thus our unity as a human family. All too often the idea of one Creator is reduced to one religion about that Creator. This distorts the core teaching of monotheism, turning our recognition of each other as human into “us versus them.”
Read MoreThere is Only One
But there is really only one humanity. There is only ONE. It is not just a concept but a vision that inspires us to act. It inspires us to risk for one another’s humanity in this moment
Read MoreIslam and Women’s Rights
In the 7th Century CE, Islam ushered in a package of women’s rights, including:
the right to own property,
the right to inheritance
the right to choose who to marry
the right to divorce
the right to child custody
the right to an education
Who Represents Islam?
The Taliban no more represent mainstream interpretations of Islam than Westboro Baptist, The KKK, or the Lord’s Liberation Army represent mainstream Christianity.
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