Blog Profile / On Faith
| URL : | http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/modern-muslim | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | Religion / Islam | |
| Posts on Regator: | 731 | |
| Posts / Week: | 6.7 | |
| Archived Since: | April 20, 2011 | |
Blog Post Archive
When Spock and Kirk brought us OUT of darkness
I’m not a Trekkie. I barely know my phaser from my tricorder. Merely by using Spock’s and Kirk’s names in vain, I’m sure that I’m treading on sacred ground. Try to overlook my sacrilege when I admit that the Trek … Continue reading ...
When is it no longer a woman’s right to choose?
The Dr. Kermit Gosnell saga has come to a close, but the debate surrounding the case is far from over. The disturbing murder trial has reignited a culture war, putting pro-choice forces on the defensive. Beyond the sociopolitical impact, the … Continue reading ?
Meditation guru Tara Brach is calm eye of Washington’s stress-filled storm
A tornado warning was in effect over Washington and the rain was coming down in sheets, but the little residential roads around Bethesda’s River Road Unitarian Church were gridlocked with traffic, as they are every Wednesday night. Washington’s strivers were … Continue reading ?
To life, not martyrdom
Recently, I read two articles about dying for a cause. The first, on these pages, by Sally Quinn, addressed the Dalai Lama’s lack of compassion for not criticizing the self-immolation of more than 100 Tibetans since 2009 to protest China’s … Continue reading ?
Franklin Graham vs. the IRS
It sometimes seems that everyone ever audited by the IRS – or even asked questions about a return – is claiming ideological harassment. Franklin Graham has decided that he too is a victim of IRS overreach. I think he’s a … Continue reading ?
Arguing about God is an age-old American tradition
In the first half of philosopher A.C. Grayling’s latest book “The God Argument,” he debunks the teleological, ontological and cosmological arguments employed throughout Christendom for the literal existence of God. Those looking for a succinct analysis of these centuries old … Continue reading ?
Hell is expected to be hot with Dan Brown’s new ‘Inferno’
Bestselling author Dan Brown’s new work of fiction, “Inferno,” was released Tuesday and the publishing world is lit up with excitement –and expectation. (Read Monica Hesse’s review here.) Booksellers are expecting big things. Both Barnes & Nobles and Amazon’s book section … Continue reading ?
Four pairs of sandals as an act of faith
Three years ago I got married to my wife Bidisha in a traditional Bengali ceremony in Kolkata and spent three weeks touring the country. I bought a pair of sandals there which I wore throughout my trip and back home … Continue readi...
Honor U.S. values and interests: Back religious freedom abroad
Fifteen years ago, on May 14, 1998, U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a landmark effort to promote a pivotal human right abroad. In October of that year, the Senate also acted and President Clinton signed the International … Continue reading ?
Why the pro-life movement must reject the death penalty for Kermit Gosnell
Is it any surprise that Dr. Kermit Gosnell was found guilty of murder? His trial, when people finally started paying attention, disgusted the nation for weeks. He killed babies, inside the womb and out, he discriminated on the basis of … Continue reading ?
Asking after Bangladesh: Time to choose ethics over fashion?
Before you go out and get that ‘must have’ summer outfit that’s on sale, consider how much blood there might be on it. How much suffering and death is required so that we consumers can get a good deal on … Continue reading ?
With sainthood for martyrs, Pope Francis and Catholics confront engagement with Islam
In the first few weeks of his reign, Pope Francis wasted no time embedding himself in the middle of some of the biggest challenges to the church today — from calling for “decisive action” on priestly sexual abuse to addressing the Vatican’s relationship … Continue reading ?
Boston cardinal withdraws from Boston College graduation after abortion controversy
QUOTE OF THE DAY | Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley: Because the Gospel of Life is the centerpiece of the Church’s social doctrine and because we consider abortion a crime against humanity, the Catholic Bishops of the United States have asked that … Continue reading ?
PBS documentary examines Holocaust survivor’s religion of persistence
Sometimes mundane, seemingly innocuous details can best impress the enormity of a tragedy on those who didn’t experience it. It’s the things that one carries, or “humps”—chewing gum, photographs, an illustrated Old Testament—that define one’s wartime experience, Tim O’Brien has … Continue reading ?
Cardinal Dolan and America’s troubled Catholic Church
Cardinal Dolan, president of the USCCB, says he needs an “attractive, articulate, intelligent” woman as his personal spokesperson, claiming that “the days of fat, balding Irish bishops are over.” He has chosen Kim Daniels, a long-time effective advocate of conservative causes, … Continue reading ?
What my Mormon mother taught me about God
I remember when my mother told me to hit someone. A junior high school classmate had adopted the habit of punching me in the shoulder whenever he found me within arm’s reach. I tried very hard to adopt an ethos … Continue reading ?
Does it take a woman to mother?
FIGURING FAITH | On Mother’s Day it seems appropriate to ask—are mothers more natural parents? This week’s graphic from the Public Religion Research Institute shows that a majority (54 percent) of Americans agree that women are naturally better suited to … Continue reading ?
Judge: Constitutional to use Bible verses in public school cheerleader banners
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The Kountze cheerleaders banners that included religious messages and were displayed during the 2012 football season were constitutionally permissable. Neither the Establishment Clause nor any other law prohibits cheerleaders from using religious-themed banners at school sporting … Continue reading ?
How young evangelicals are changing the anti-abortion movement
What if “pro-life” were more than a political slogan and entrenched position in the abortion culture war? What if an emerging generation of evangelical Christians were just naïve enough, just idealistic enough, to behave as though the coiners of that … Continue reading ?
Ahmadis in Pakistan face unfair election
On May 11th, the world’s second most populous Muslim country, Pakistan, will mark a historic election. The country’s 66-year history is marred by the presence of martial laws and never before has one elected government replaced another. As Pakistanis rush to the polling … Continue reading ?