…some atheists are taking seriously the idea that atheism needs to stand for things, like evolution and ethics, not just against things, like God. The most successful movements in history, after all—Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc.—all have creeds, cathedrals, schools, hierarchies, rituals, money, clerics, and some version of a heavenly afterlife. Churches fill needs, goes the argument—they inculcate ethics, give meaning, build communities. “Science and reason are important,” says Greg Epstein, the humanist chaplain of Harvard University. “But science and reason won’t visit you in the hospital.”
Many atheist sects are experimenting with building new, human-centered quasi-religious organizations, much like Ethical Culture. They aim to remove God from the church, while leaving the church, at least large parts of it, standing. […]
Founded by Felix Adler, the son of a rabbi, to drive social-justice initiatives and promote good without God, Ethical Culture walks like a church and talks like a church—congregants sit in pews, rise to sing hymns, and pass around a collection plate. But at one of their Sunday-morning meetings in January, their Senior Leader, in a very unchurchlike fashion, cited agnosticism as the only intellectually defensible religious position. More to the point, Epstein is eyeing the group’s building as a prototype for the church of New Humanism. Modeled on a Greco-Roman coliseum, Ethical Culture has semi-circular pews to promote conversation and a low stage designed to minimize the distance between leader and congregation. “I want to build big, beautiful buildings like Ethical Culture in every big city in America,” says Epstein. Unfortunately, his organization only brings in $200,000 a year. And while that’s up from $28,000 four years ago, it’s not enough to build a New Humanist church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, let alone Central Park West.
Zealous atheism renews some of the worst features of Christianity and Islam. Just as much as these religions, it is a project of universal conversion. Evangelical atheists never doubt that human life can be transformed if everyone accepts their view of things, and they are certain that one way of living - their own, suitably embellished - is right for everybody. To be sure, atheism need not be a missionary creed of this kind. It is entirely reasonable to have no religious beliefs, and yet be friendly to religion. It is a funny sort of humanism that condemns an impulse that is peculiarly human. Yet that is what evangelical atheists do when they demonise religion. […]
Nowadays most atheists are avowed liberals. What they want - so they will tell you - is not an atheist regime, but a secular state in which religion has no role. They clearly believe that, in a state of this kind, religion will tend to decline. But America’s secular constitution has not ensured a secular politics. Christian fundamentalism is more powerful in the US than in any other country, while it has very little influence in Britain, which has an established church. Contemporary critics of religion go much further than demanding disestablishment. It is clear that he wants to eliminate all traces of religion from public institutions. Awkwardly, many of the concepts he deploys - including the idea of religion itself - have been shaped by monotheism. Lying behind secular fundamentalism is a conception of history that derives from religion.
“Bush sees the world in terms of good and evil, and he considers that only a united front encompassing all 2.2 billion Judeo-Christians will be able to resist Islam. Recent decades have seen increasing religious tension and the spread of theocracies, which now encompass almost all Arab countries.” Read the rest of this entry »
Did the Pope visit the United States in part to influence the U.S. Presidential race in favor of John McCain?
That seems to be the conclusion of a large number of mainland Europeans.
This article from France’s Journal du Dimanche au Quotidien, quoting French journalist V. Jauvert, points out, “Since April 16 - his birthday - Pope Benedict XVI has been in the United States for a rather long trip (for an old person): a week. And he didn’t go there just to blow out the candles on the cake offered by Dubya … The Pope is (subliminally) campaigning for J. McCain … the official visit of a Pope during a very tight election campaign is contrary to tradition. … this trip, beyond the spiritual and political, is a pretext to support the pro life candidate.’
Jauvert goes on to say that in 2004 before his elevation to the papacy, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote to American Bishops saying, “it’s not possible to defend the right to abortion and receive communion, and that therefore, those who vote for Kerry, who take communion each Sunday, “would be guilty of formal cooperation with the devil!”
April 15th, 2008 by SWARAAJ CHAUHAN, International Columnist
With its perpetually (and historically) rocky relationship, the Arab and European worlds have seldom met in a peaceful manner (or without suspicion) during the past half a millenium ever since the downfall of the Moorish civilization in Spain. In this context the on-going London Book Fair, with the “Arab World” as guest of honour and Arab writers present in force, provides yet another opportunity to build a bridge between the two worlds.
The Independent writes: “Imperial bureaucrats, soldiers and scholars on one side; radical nationalists, pious militants and oil-rich oligarchs on the other – all have had their various axes to grind, and to wield. Now, perhaps, the writers of the Arab world can begin to find a voice in the West again. It’s always easier to love distant stars when they can shine, plainly and legibly, on the page in front of us.
“The (London) fair will be the culmination of a long-term plan, steered by the British Council, to forge firmer cultural bonds. And, although he comes from far beyond the Arab world (and writes in English), the Afghan author Khaled Hosseini’s double coup in topping the UK charts both with The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns has helped to put a spring in the step of everyone who wants to widen the readership for literature from the Middle East and North Africa.
(The Kite Runner novel was the third best-seller for 2005 in the United States, according to Nielsen BookScan. It’s been published in 38 countries, translated into 42 languages, turned into an Oscar-nominated movie – and sold more than 10 million copies — one of the publishing industry’s greatest success stories. Now the search is on for the next big thing to come from the East. The Kite Runner is a 2007 Academy Award-nominated film directed by Marc Forster based on the novel of the same name by Khaled Hosseini (click here for more…)
“In the Gulf, lavishly funded new competitions such as the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (the ‘Arab Booker’) and the Sheikh Zayed Awards have signalled the intention of the emirate of Abu Dhabi to build up its name as a global centre of culture. Not to be outdone, and fretting perhaps at its current reputation as the world capital of bling, neighbouring Dubai begins a new literary festival next year. Also in Abu Dhabi, the Kalima translation project has launched an ambitious, state-financed programme to bring, at the rate of 100 per year, classic and contemporary books from around the world into Arabic for the first time and to distribute them across the region. ” More here…
I lived in London during the mid-1970s. I extensively covered there a major “World of Islam Festival” for The Statesman newspaper in India. The festival was opened by Queen Elizabeth II. “As far as anyone can remember, such an attempt had never been made before—and probably could not have been. It is only recently that one civilization has been capable of looking at another civilization objectively, rather than as a potential rival or convert. Read the rest of this entry »
As the grim milestones in Iraq pile up, Americans aren’t the only ones wondering how long the war will go on. Jean-Claude Kiefer writes for France’s Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace, ‘the United States has been discredited; Islamist terrorism is expanding; there is extreme tension throughout the Middle East; the Israeli-Palestinian crisis with Hamas has radicalized Gaza; Iran has been declared a regional power and may soon go nuclear; the regimes of the pro-Western Arab states are shaky; and the major routes of oil - which is already very expensive - are threatened … And this is not an exhaustive list!’
By Jean-Claude Kiefer
Translated By Philippe Guittard
March 23, 2008
France - Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace - Home Page (French)
Tens of thousands of Iraqis killed, millions of refugees, nearly 4,000 American soldiers killed in daily attacks, a country devastated … And, according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, a bill of direct and indirect costs of $3 trillion which was paid for on credit, and which has greatly contributed to the decline in the dollar! And yet to draw up a complete accounting of five years of war in Iraq is impossible. Read the rest of this entry »
Do Iraqis want Americans out of Iraq? It’s a question that people around the world have been asking for years and by and large the answer has been yes. But now that the prospect of a U.S. pullout has become somewhat more tangible, it seems that some Iraqis are emphatically asking Americans to stay. In this ode to the Americans and Iraq’s Christians from Iraq’s Kitibat newspaper, Khadir Taahar writes, ‘Iraq’s political, economic, scientific and industrial future all depend on the strategic relationship with the United States of America, which liberated Iraq, and whose presence on its land is a divine and priceless gift which no intelligent man keen on securing Iraqi interests can afford to lose.’
By Khadir Taahar
Translated By James Jacobson
February 9, 2008
Iraq - Kitabat - Original Article (Arabic)
I write this article to thank my Iraqi Christian friends … who have provided so much humanitarian assistance to me, a son of their Muslim homeland. I send a message to the sons of the Iraqi people at home and abroad … reminding them that the souls and hearts of the Christians are with the sons of their country, whether they remained in or emigrated from the land of Iraq.
In complete isolation from Arabs and Muslims, I lived in the Diaspora because of my writings and opinions, which differed from those of almost everyone … When I felt the need for help I could without hesitation take recourse to my Iraqi Christian brethren. I have always found in them the utmost magnanimity and brotherhood.
I write to my friend Anan BeDaweed … who has kindly remained in touch with me and has incurred great difficulty defending my right to freedom of expression, despite his strong opposition to my writings which are critical of the Kurdish parties … Anan is a secular Kurd, which works to my advantage since he objects to those who wish to silence my views.
As for my friend Adil Baqal … in his generosity and morality he carries the spirit of a clan chief from deep in southern Iraq … Adil, despite his personal religious faith, has critical views about the true purpose of religion … he cannot accept the religious preoccupation with ideology … The dominance of the clergy and the way they manipulate the feelings and minds of the people … He believes that religion is a private issue between the Creator and his creatures, and that no intermediary is needed … Adil Baqal is only the most recent person to reproach me for my writings which are so critical of the Kurdish parties.
Does the assassination of Benazir Bhutto signal the collapse of American policy in the region? According to the editorial board of the NRC Handelsblad of The Netherlands, not quite …
“… the assassination of Bhutto is an unprecedented setback for the United States. If Pakistan with its fifty warheads crumbles, the entire region around the only Islamic nuclear power runs the risk of disintegrating.”
EDITORIAL
Translated By Meta Mertens
December 29, 2007
The Netherlands - NRC Handlesblad - Original Article (Dutch)
In the for the time being the only Islamic nuclear power in the world, it is situated in a chaotic region, and an assassination has been committed for which everyone in that country can be responsible. Because of the combination of nuclear bombs, geopolitics and paranoia, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto is much more dangerous than previous political assassinations in Pakistan. Bhutto was no lily-white politician. A cloud of corruption and tribalism hung over her. She was not averse to bargaining, not even with her key opponent, General Musharraf. And in her administrative career - she was prime minister twice - she left little of lasting value behind her.
Nevertheless, after her return from exile in October, she was the very embodiment of opposition against Musharraf, who had been written off for the presidential polls on January 8th. What the judges and lawyers were unable to do with their demonstrations this year, she could possibly accomplish. Bhutto was the personification of a potential civil and secular government, which could bring an end to the military regime and build a barrier against Islamic fundamentalism. Moreover, she was a political safety isle for President Bush, who desperately needs new initiatives now that his foreign policy in the region appears to be coming apart.
For all of these reasons, the assassination of Bhutto (the fourth killed in her family) goes beyond the interest of the victim herself. Pakistan as a state is balanced on the edge of an abyss. The presidential elections of January 8th will be boycotted by the remaining opposition candidates [they have since changed their minds]. Regional and tribal antagonisms, fueled by religious fundamentalism and/or economic interests, will be encouraged.
There is little chance that the perpetrators behind the perpetrator will ever be found. The instigators can hide themselves in Islamic circles that reside along the Afghan-Kashmir border. They can hide within the army, where the late General Zia ul Haq (who had Bhutto’s father Ali Bhutto tried and executed) is admired by soldiers who aspire to an Islamic state. And in any event, the state security services, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), is still a spider in this web.
Since the intervention of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in 1979, the ISI has been allowed to play a larger and increasingly notorious role. For ten years, Pakistan acted as a broker for the U.S. The service trained the Islamic resistance movement. The Taliban are the by-product of this. After 9/11, Pakistan again became a bridgehead for the United States, this time against the religious students [Taliban] in Afghanistan.
The secularism that has generally prevailed since World War II is precisely what has allowed a Catholic to be elected president and a Jew to be nominated as vice president, among other ways that religious tolerance has expanded.
Ever since they made their peace with the federal government and won statehood for Utah more than a century ago, Mormons have strained to overcome their status as outsiders. And Romney’s run for president could represent a major step forward in that quest, accomplishing for Mormons what John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign did for Catholics: signaling that they are finally legitimate players in American life. “There’s a feeling that this signifies, in some sense, that we’ve arrived,” says Mormon historian Richard Lyman Bushman.
I have collected a couple of links to articles about the situation in Turkey / the (likely) election of Gül as Turkey’s next president. As you all will know by now (thanks to Meltem for posting about this topic at my own blog The Gazette), Gül received the most votes in the first round, but not enough votes to become president already. He needs a second (and third) round. Mehmet Ali Birand explains, however, at Turkish Daily News that although Gül did not get elected, he still won. The reason: when he becomes Turkey’s president the end of August, there will be virtually no one who will question the legitimacy of the vote.
The outcome of the elections did not exactly make the Republican People’s Party (CHP) happy: its members are outraged. Not so much because of Gül getting the majority of the votes, but because other opposition parties participated in the election. According to the CHP, the other parties should not participate - especially not the DSP. The DSP, however, decided to meet with Gül and to attend the vote: obviously, its members did not vote for Gül but for their own candidate, but there can be no doubt about it any longer: Gül will become Turkey’s next president. For the first time in its history Turkey will have a (moderate) Islamist as its leader.
Secularists recognize the danger and know that - at least for now - they have lost. Reactions like this one are common and understandable - when independent member of parliament Kemer Genc met with Gül he reportedly told the future president of the Turkish Republic: “your wife, with her turban, makes Turkey resemble an Arab state.” He also warned Gül not to “fill Cankaya Presidential Palace with black-scarved people pretending to be secular.”
Gül response: “I also want a modern democratic country. In a democratic state, the path must be cleared for a structure in which every faction can live in equality and comfort. Also, most of my wife’s friends do not wear turbans.”
Of course, one of the things that secularists fear about Erdogan and Gül is that they use Democratic principles, not because they truly believe in them, but because those principles help them achieve what many consider to be their (secret) goal: establishing a theocracy / Islamic Turkey and, thus, to break with its secular system. Note how Gül did not say that he wants a “modern secular country,” or a “modern secular democratic country,” but “a modern democratic country.” I think it is safe to assume that he did this on purpose.
Deniz Baykal - the leader of the CHP - meanwhile, summarized the fear of Turkey’s secularists thusly: “Gul’s background is one which bears the signature of dangerous ideas and comments about the Turkish Republic. The project to turn Turkey into a ‘moderate Islamic’ nation is continuing. This project will only speed up after the presidential elections. A giant has been created in a laboratory, and this giant is now not even under the control of Prime Minister Erdogan.”
I think that it is safe to assume that the secularists are right: that it is indeed the goal of Erdogan and Gül to transform Turkey into a ‘moderate Islamic’ nation. The question is, will they succeed? In my opinion, it is highly unlikely. The reason: Turkey’s military will not accept it; nor will Turkey’s elite allow it to happen. In the end, Turkey’s secularists (who are not just the elite by the way, also common people) will fight back if necessary. Turkey has been a secular nation for over 80 years. Once Erdogan and Gül truly make a move to break with secularism, I expect the majority of Turks to turn against them ASAP. Especially if Turkey’s secularists keep doing what they do: they must continue to oppose Erdogan and Gül strongly and they must continue to pressure them into accepting Turkey’s system.
Having said that, Turkey’s secularist parties are certainly not perfect. If we look at how these parties dealt with the economy, it suddenly makes sense why so many people whose main concern was the economy, voted for the AK Parti this year. The CHP and other parties have to reform themselves, have to renew themselves in this regard and learn from the AKP. They can also learn how to appeal to the Turkish voters from the AKP. If Gül and Erdogan are anything, it is great salesmen. They know how to sell their product. Deniz Baykal does not.
Lastly, yesterday Meltem already quoted Bekir Coskun, but she did not link to his column. For those of you who want to read it, here it is(or at least part of it).
![[NZZ am Sonntag, Switzerland]](http://worldmeets.us/images/bushpope_nzzamsonntag.gif)
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