Clipmarks | arifsali's clips

U.S. Muslims are Americans too

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:02:49 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Americans are Christians, Jews, Hindus, agnostics, atheists, and anything else in between -- but Americans are also Muslims, millions of them, and Islam has now become integral to what the distinguished American sociologist Robert Bellah termed our "civil religion."

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

The distinguished New York Times columnist David Brooks, one of the most consistently militant warriors in his take on American involvements in Afghanistan and Iraq, takes Islam -- and Islam alone -- to task for having a diabolic roughness on its fringes.

The same Hinduism that produced Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent theory of civil disobedience has also produced Hindu fundamentalists who sliced and skewered pregnant Muslim women alive in Gujarat.

The same Christianity that produced Saint Francis of Assisi and Mother Theresa also produced children's crusades and Spanish conquistadors who burned native Americans alive 13 at a time

The same Judaism that produced Martin Buber, Emanuel Levinas, or Primo Levi also produced the Stern Gang, Meir Kahane and Baruch Goldstein.

But the knee jerk reaction of blaming Islam and Muslims, in general, or looking for delusional links to "al Qaeda," for the horrific murders at Fort Hood points to something far more fundamental

Tags: islam, muslims, united states

The Secret Political Reach Of 'The Family'

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:41:10 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.wbur.org

You may recognize these names from recent headlines: Sen. John Ensign, Rep. Bart Stupak and Rep. Joe Pitts. Stupak and Pitts have become familiar names through the media's health care overhaul coverage; their abortion funding amendment introduced an 11th-hour twist as the House of Representatives approached a vote on a landmark health care bill.

Ensign was the focus of media attention over his affair with a campaign staffer. Just last night, a Nevada man disclosed that he found out about his wife's affair with the state's junior senator — his best friend — via a text message.

The common factor among these political players is their involvement with the Family, a secretive fellowship of powerful Christian politicians that centers on a Washington, D.C., townhouse. Investigative journalist Jeff Sharlet has written extensively about the influential group in his book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power.

Tags: politics, religion

Islam and Thanksgiving

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:13:51 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.connectionnewspapers.com

The national holiday of Thanksgiving is a special holiday which has a beautiful message and is celebrated by all faiths and denominations. In Islam the Quranic term of giving thanks is "Shukr", the recognition of a favor and its acknowledgement. It is mentioned several times in the Quran, and all Muslims are required to apply this attribute of giving thanks in their daily lives.

Tags: holiday, islam, thanksgiving

Huston Smith's painful spiritual odyssey

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:18:41 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: It's a good read.

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

"Religion," Smith once wrote, is "the call to confront reality; to master the self." Smith had strived to answer that call for much of his life.

He had trained with Zen masters in Japan, camped with aborigines in Australia and dropped peyote with Native American shamans. He didn't just study religions; he lived them.

In time, Smith became known as the sage of world religion. He introduced the Dalai Lama to the West; befriended mythologist Joseph Campbell and was the subject of a five-part PBS series hosted by Bill Moyers called "Wisdom of the Ages."

But as Smith sat at his daughter's bedside, the wisdom of the ages offered little consolation. "I would sob uncontrollably, crying in anguish," he said.

Tags: life, religion

What Earth Would Look Like With Rings Like Saturn

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:34:43 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

What the rings would look like from different cities and latitudes accross the world.

[Video]

Tags: astronomy, earth

The Ungrateful Sarah Palin

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:36:35 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

the most sustained and vehement barbs in this book are directed not at Democrats or liberals or the press, but at the McCain campaign. The very campaign that plucked her out of Alaska, anointed her the Republican vice-presidential nominee and made her one of the most talked about women on the planet — someone who could command a reported $5 million for writing this book.

Tags: politics, united states

Most Amazing Space Discoveries of 2007

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 22:09:24 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.space.com

Dark Finding

Clip Source: www.space.com

Magellanic Clouds

Clip Source: www.space.com

Today's High: 1,700 degrees!

Clip Source: www.space.com

Mars Fell Over

Clip Source: www.space.com

Catch a Star ... By the Tail

Clip Source: www.space.com

A Ray of Hope

Clip Source: www.space.com

Theory-Busting Black Hole

Clip Source: www.space.com

Cosmic Bullets

Clip Source: www.space.com

Planet-palooza

Clip Source: www.space.com

Death Ray

Tags: space

Best analysis on Fort Hood tragedy and our reaction

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:07:12 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: I recommend you read the whole article at the source, it makes sense.

Clip Source: lynch.foreignpolicy.com

Since the Ft Hood atrocity, I've seen a meme going around that it somehow exposed a contradiction between "political correctness" and "security." The avoidance of Nidal Hassan's religion out of fear of offending anyone, goes the argument, created the conditions which allowed him to go undetected and unsanctioned in the months and years leading up to his rampage. American security, therefore, demands dropping the "political correctness" of avoiding a confrontation with Islamist ideas and asking the "tough questions" about Islam as a religion and the loyalty of Muslim-Americans.

This framing of the issue is almost 100% wrong.

Tags: army, united states

Why not discard religion and just teach the Golden Rule?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:59:24 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: This may be duplicate, but I'm too excited by these questions and the answers Karen provides.

Clip Source: blog.ted.com

With the launch of the Charter for Compassion, it's the TED Blog's pleasure to unveil Karen Armstrong's responses to the top 10 questions asked and voted on by the TED and Reddit community. (See all the questions users asked.) She covers the nature of compassion, the history of the conflict in the Middle East, and tough questions such as these:

Religion seems to cause racism, extremism -- why not get rid of it?

What's the point of a God that doesn't intervene?

Why not discard religion and just teach the Golden Rule?

A Q&A that rewards deep reading. Enjoy!

Tags: religion

Reddit and TED, QA with Karen Armstrong

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:43:23 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: This is a must read, important questions of the day, answered by Karen Armstrong.

Clip Source: blog.ted.com

Why did the Buddha teach that the existence of God (that is, whether God exists or not) is irrelevant?

Before we get to the Buddha, I want to describe a spiritual exercise that developed in India in the 10th century BCE, four hundred years before his lifetime and which is a model of authentic religious discourse.

It was called the Brahmodya Competition and its aim was to find a verbal formula that defined the Brahman, the ultimate reality that lies beyond the gods and is indefinable because it is the inmost essence of all things, the force that pulls the disparate parts of the universe together.

Tags: religion

Lottery winner can finally afford to go to university!

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:17:02 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Isn't this sad.

Clip Source: www.theglobeandmail.com

the youngest winner, Alex Parry, 19, said she now hopes to go to university to study business after initially being put off by the high costs.

“I never wanted to go to uni because I didn't want all the debts afterwards, so now I think I might go,” she said.

Tags: education, lottery

Nidal Hasan Disobeyed Islamic Doctrine

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:19:45 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: I'm not a fan of quoting scriptures or polemical exegesis but here is one article explaining why the alleged murderer was wrong if religious teachings was the motive.

Clip Source: www.loonwatch.com

The Islamic religion commands believers to obey the laws of the land they live in, even if it be one ruled by nonbelievers. Muslim jurists consider citizenship (or visa) to be a covenant (aqd) held between the citizen (or visa holder) and the state, one which guarantees safe passage/security (amaan) in exchange for certain obligations (such as obeying the laws of the land); covenants are considered sacredly binding in Islam. The Quran commands:

And fulfill every covenant. Verily, you will be held accountable with regard to the covenants. (Quran, 17:34)

Tags: muslims, quran, religion

"Muslim world"

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:37:23 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Makes a lot of sense, I would read the whole article at the source.

Clip Source: newsweek.washingtonpost.com

If the American public very wrongly holds American Muslims responsible for the tragedy in Fort Hood, a major problem in my mind is the narrative that Muslims as a community and many well-meaning Americans, including President Obama, have promoted. That is, the concept of the "Muslim world." The idea reached its climax during the President's much vaunted speech to the Muslim world from Cairo earlier in the year. I argued then, that the appellation of a "Muslim world" is facile.

Muslims are as ethnically, socially, ideologically and politically as diverse as any religious group in the world. Of course they share a religious tradition, and will advocate for human rights abuses affecting co-religionists globally. And, of course, as a minority, Muslims in America must work to present a unified voice.

But when we give in to the conception of a monolithic Muslim world crossing national boundaries, then the equation changes quickly.

Tags: muslims, united states

Thousands of Muslim American soldiers

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:07:50 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ultimately, this use – or misuse – of fear and rumour over Hasan's Islamic faith should be moot in light of the record of the thousands of Muslim American soldiers who have served and made sacrifice – such as Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, awarded the prestigious Purple Heart and Bronze Star and praised by Colin Powell, who now rests in Arlington cemetery after giving his life to protect and serve his country in Iraq. There are currently 20,000 Muslims serving with honour in the US military, according to the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council. If Hasan's faith is ultimately proven to be the misguided inspiration for his violence, then the brave and patriotic service of thousands of Muslim American soldiers renders him an isolated and aberrant exception.

Tags: army, muslims, united states

Fear and hatred of Islam

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:02:50 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: twitter.com

Heed this very Christian pastor when he says: fear and hatred of Islam b/c of what happened at Ft. Hood is against the God of love.

Tags: muslims, united states, religion