Comments for Religion and Politics http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com The Largest Network of Global Affairs Blogs Online Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:04:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 Comment on Religious Extremists or Political Separatists? by Central Asia » Blog Archive » FPA Blogs and Russia’s Resurgence and Georgia’s Significance http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/08/06/religious-extremists-or-political-separatists/#comment-296 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:48:51 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/08/06/religious-extremists-or-political-separatists/#comment-296 [...] Karin Esposito of the Religion and Politics blog quickly analyzed the recent terror attacks in China’s Xinjiang Province during the Olympics, discussing whether the movement is religiously motivated rather than politically desperate. [...] […] Karin Esposito of the Religion and Politics blog quickly analyzed the recent terror attacks in China’s Xinjiang Province during the Olympics, discussing whether the movement is religiously motivated rather than politically desperate. […]

]]> Comment on Allegations that Saudi Arabia’s Schools Encourage Religious Discrimination by Bilal Qureshi http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/08/15/allegations-that-saudi-arabias-schools-encourage-religious-discrimination/#comment-281 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:25:18 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/08/15/allegations-that-saudi-arabias-schools-encourage-religious-discrimination/#comment-281 If true, this is really despicable. Imagine if the Western world, or the United States doing the same. Or imagine, if the Americans and the Western Europeans adopting similar policies towards Saudis. There would such outrage in the world, but, the world is silent when the hatred is direct toward countries that are actually inviting and accepting other cultures, religions and people. Bilal Qureshi Washington, DC If true, this is really despicable. Imagine if the Western world, or the United States doing the same. Or imagine, if the Americans and the Western Europeans adopting similar policies towards Saudis. There would such outrage in the world, but, the world is silent when the hatred is direct toward countries that are actually inviting and accepting other cultures, religions and people.

Bilal Qureshi

Washington, DC

]]> Comment on Real Unity or Mere Campaign Slogans: Obama and American Muslims by Religion and Politics » Blog Archive » Obama’s Continuing Efforts to Reach Out http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/06/26/real-unity-or-mere-campaign-slogans-obama-and-american-muslims/#comment-254 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:19:14 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/06/26/real-unity-or-mere-campaign-slogans-obama-and-american-muslims/#comment-254 [...] Last week, Mazen Asbahi, stepped down as Barack Obama’s Muslim outreach adviser. He held the position from July 26 until August 6, at which point he resigned from the volunteer position. The Wall Street Journal reported that there were questions about Mr. Absahi’s “involvement in an Islamic investment fund and various Islamic groups.” A CNN blog also repeated that Mr. Absahi’s decision was based on his desire “to avoid distracting from Barack Obama’s message of change,” particularly as his involvement with those groups tied him for a brief period to Jamal Said, who has been linked to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. On June 26, this blog looked at the criticism Obama was getting from the Muslim-American community on account of the perceived disparity between attention given to Christian and Jewish Americans on the one hand and Muslims on the other. For this reason, the position of Volunteer National Coordinator for Muslim Affairs was a promising step in ensuring that the Arab and Muslim vote would not be divided between the two candidates. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Absahi was too well-connected to fill the post without political controversy. A recent Al Jazeera piece reminds readers that “three-quarters of the US Arab-American electorate is Christian, but they nonetheless share Arab-Muslim concerns on racial profiling, the war in Iraq, Lebanon, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Obama cannot afford to ignore the politics of the Arab-American community or the Muslim-American community. At the same time, Obama also maintains his ongoing attempts to dispel rumors about his own religious faith – arguing that the “whole strategy of suggesting” he is a Muslim actually shows widespread anti-Muslim sentiment. The WSJ article cited above also includes a fascinating Pew Research Poll that shows only 57% of Americans identified Obama as Christian, while 12% said he was Muslim, and 25% did not know. Those figures help explain why the front cover of the New Yorker last month may have been particularly offensive and politically controversial.   [...] […] Last week, Mazen Asbahi, stepped down as Barack Obama’s Muslim outreach adviser. He held the position from July 26 until August 6, at which point he resigned from the volunteer position. The Wall Street Journal reported that there were questions about Mr. Absahi’s “involvement in an Islamic investment fund and various Islamic groups.” A CNN blog also repeated that Mr. Absahi’s decision was based on his desire “to avoid distracting from Barack Obama’s message of change,” particularly as his involvement with those groups tied him for a brief period to Jamal Said, who has been linked to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. On June 26, this blog looked at the criticism Obama was getting from the Muslim-American community on account of the perceived disparity between attention given to Christian and Jewish Americans on the one hand and Muslims on the other. For this reason, the position of Volunteer National Coordinator for Muslim Affairs was a promising step in ensuring that the Arab and Muslim vote would not be divided between the two candidates. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Absahi was too well-connected to fill the post without political controversy. A recent Al Jazeera piece reminds readers that “three-quarters of the US Arab-American electorate is Christian, but they nonetheless share Arab-Muslim concerns on racial profiling, the war in Iraq, Lebanon, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Obama cannot afford to ignore the politics of the Arab-American community or the Muslim-American community. At the same time, Obama also maintains his ongoing attempts to dispel rumors about his own religious faith – arguing that the “whole strategy of suggesting” he is a Muslim actually shows widespread anti-Muslim sentiment. The WSJ article cited above also includes a fascinating Pew Research Poll that shows only 57% of Americans identified Obama as Christian, while 12% said he was Muslim, and 25% did not know. Those figures help explain why the front cover of the New Yorker last month may have been particularly offensive and politically controversial.   […]

]]> Comment on Describing the Size of Islam in America by andar909 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/21/describing-the-size-of-islam-in-america/#comment-240 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:25:06 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/21/describing-the-size-of-islam-in-america/#comment-240 hi, andar here, i just read your post. i like very much. agree to you, sir. hi, andar here, i just read your post. i like very much. agree to you, sir.

]]> Comment on Violence in the Past Few Days by Religion and Politics » Blog Archive » Religious Extremists or Political Separatists? http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/29/violence-in-the-past-few-days/#comment-227 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:32:53 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/29/violence-in-the-past-few-days/#comment-227 [...] According to an interview with a Chinese security official in Xinhua news, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement is “one of the main security worries to the Olympics.” The fear of this organization was highlighted on Monday when two Uighur men in the city of Kashi (in Xinjiang) killed 16 policemen. The Uighur population in northwest China is predominantly Muslim, and the Chinese authorities have claimed that it poses a serious terrorist threat. In March, there was an attempt by the East Turkestan Movement to sabotage a Southern Airlines flight. In recent weeks, there have been “a spate of smaller bombings or attempted bombings elsewhere in China.” The New York Times article on the issue (Ambush in China Raises Concerns as Olympics Near) reminds readers that this attack could be “the worst eruption of ethnic violence on Chinese soil since the early 1990s, when China blamed Muslim separatists for a spate of violent attacks.” Apparently, 82 people (through a crackdown on Uighur separatists) have been arrested this year on allegations of terror plots connected to the Olympics. On July 29, this blog discussed briefly the Turkestan Islamic Party and their threats to the Olympics. The Turkestan Islamic Party is another Uighur Muslim separatist group that claimed responsibility for recent explosions. In contrast to the NYT, the Globe and Mail/Reuters featured the article, “China Suspects Bent on Jihad.” This article, in contrast to the NYT, looks at the image of the Uighurs as religious extremists and discusses the attack on the police officers from the more stereotypical perspective that the movement is religiously motivated rather than politically desperate. A top official is quoted in the news piece as saying that “religion is more important to them than their own life or peace for their mothers, and so they set out to perform Jihad.”The U.S. State Department has listed the East Turkistan Islamic Movement as a terrorist organization with links to al-Qaeda and “the international jihadist movement.” [...] […] According to an interview with a Chinese security official in Xinhua news, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement is “one of the main security worries to the Olympics.” The fear of this organization was highlighted on Monday when two Uighur men in the city of Kashi (in Xinjiang) killed 16 policemen. The Uighur population in northwest China is predominantly Muslim, and the Chinese authorities have claimed that it poses a serious terrorist threat. In March, there was an attempt by the East Turkestan Movement to sabotage a Southern Airlines flight. In recent weeks, there have been “a spate of smaller bombings or attempted bombings elsewhere in China.” The New York Times article on the issue (Ambush in China Raises Concerns as Olympics Near) reminds readers that this attack could be “the worst eruption of ethnic violence on Chinese soil since the early 1990s, when China blamed Muslim separatists for a spate of violent attacks.” Apparently, 82 people (through a crackdown on Uighur separatists) have been arrested this year on allegations of terror plots connected to the Olympics. On July 29, this blog discussed briefly the Turkestan Islamic Party and their threats to the Olympics. The Turkestan Islamic Party is another Uighur Muslim separatist group that claimed responsibility for recent explosions. In contrast to the NYT, the Globe and Mail/Reuters featured the article, “China Suspects Bent on Jihad.” This article, in contrast to the NYT, looks at the image of the Uighurs as religious extremists and discusses the attack on the police officers from the more stereotypical perspective that the movement is religiously motivated rather than politically desperate. A top official is quoted in the news piece as saying that “religion is more important to them than their own life or peace for their mothers, and so they set out to perform Jihad.”The U.S. State Department has listed the East Turkistan Islamic Movement as a terrorist organization with links to al-Qaeda and “the international jihadist movement.” […]

]]> Comment on China, The Olympics, and Religion by Don http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/12/china-the-olympics-and-religion/#comment-225 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:58:04 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/12/china-the-olympics-and-religion/#comment-225 Hello, May I suggest a link related to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games? Our site: URL: http://www.2008chinaolympics.com Title: Beijing Olympics Please let me know if you want a link back. Many thanks for your reply. Best Regards, Don chinaolympics8@gmail.com Hello,

May I suggest a link related to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games?

Our site:

URL: http://www.2008chinaolympics.com
Title: Beijing Olympics

Please let me know if you want a link back.
Many thanks for your reply.

Best Regards,
Don
chinaolympics8@gmail.com

]]> Comment on Tolerance or Preventing Extremism? by Central Asia » Blog Archive » Religious Rights Vs. Religious Extremism http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/24/tolerance-or-preventing-extremism/#comment-195 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:05:16 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/24/tolerance-or-preventing-extremism/#comment-195 [...] Karin Esposito, the FPA’s blogger on Religion and Politics and Project Manager for the Tajikistan Dialogue Project in Dushanbe, recently wrote about a new draft law ‘Freedom of Religious Practices and Religious Organizations’ being debated by the Kyrg government. Karin, with the help of an article by Erica Marat, discusses the reasons and possible ramifications of the proposed legislation, which Kyrg’s neighbor Tajikistan is also considering. The law ‘purports to prevent the emergence of totalitarian religious organizations’ by introducing more restrictive registration requirements. [...] […] Karin Esposito, the FPA’s blogger on Religion and Politics and Project Manager for the Tajikistan Dialogue Project in Dushanbe, recently wrote about a new draft law ‘Freedom of Religious Practices and Religious Organizations’ being debated by the Kyrg government. Karin, with the help of an article by Erica Marat, discusses the reasons and possible ramifications of the proposed legislation, which Kyrg’s neighbor Tajikistan is also considering. The law ‘purports to prevent the emergence of totalitarian religious organizations’ by introducing more restrictive registration requirements. […]

]]> Comment on About Karin Esposito by Central Asia » Blog Archive » Religious Rights Vs. Religiuos Extremism http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/about/#comment-194 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:04:27 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/about/#comment-194 [...] Karin Esposito, the FPA’s blogger on Religion and Politics and Project Manager for the Tajikistan Dialogue Project in Dushanbe, recently wrote about a new draft law ‘Freedom of Religious Practices and Religious Organizations’ being debated by the Kyrg government. Karin, with the help of an article by Erica Marat, discusses the reasons and possible ramifications of the proposed legislation, which Kyrg’s neighbor Tajikistan is also considering. The law ‘purports to prevent the emergence of totalitarian religious organizations’ by introducing more restrictive registration requirements. [...] […] Karin Esposito, the FPA’s blogger on Religion and Politics and Project Manager for the Tajikistan Dialogue Project in Dushanbe, recently wrote about a new draft law ‘Freedom of Religious Practices and Religious Organizations’ being debated by the Kyrg government. Karin, with the help of an article by Erica Marat, discusses the reasons and possible ramifications of the proposed legislation, which Kyrg’s neighbor Tajikistan is also considering. The law ‘purports to prevent the emergence of totalitarian religious organizations’ by introducing more restrictive registration requirements. […]

]]> Comment on The World’s Weakest States: The Impact of Religion by Religion and Politics » Blog Archive » The New Deliberate Terror Campaign in Somalia http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/06/28/the-world%e2%80%99s-weakest-states-the-impact-of-religion/#comment-193 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:31:19 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/06/28/the-world%e2%80%99s-weakest-states-the-impact-of-religion/#comment-193 [...] This blog discussed briefly the situation in Somalia on June 28 after it was listed as the world’s most unstable country by Foreign Policy magazine.   [...] […] This blog discussed briefly the situation in Somalia on June 28 after it was listed as the world’s most unstable country by Foreign Policy magazine.   […]

]]> Comment on Conservative Anglicans: The Divide over Homosexuality by Religion and Politics » Blog Archive » Women Bishops http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/06/23/conservative-anglicans-the-divide-over-homosexuality/#comment-156 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:50:27 +0000 http://religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/06/23/conservative-anglicans-the-divide-over-homosexuality/#comment-156 [...] On June 23, this blog discussed the Anglican divide over homosexuality. Now, this week has seen another contentious issue resurface in the Church of England. The General Synod met this year from July 4 to July 8 and voted on Monday, July 7 to approve the appointment of women bishops in Britain. The BBC News website has excellent coverage of the issue, and published on Wednesday, “Q&A: Anglican Church Divisions.” The first question is, “Could recent developments mean the end of the Anglican Church as we know it?” There is also a more topical Q&A on the “Vote over Women Bishops.” The New York Times article, “Church of England Endorses Women as Bishops,” points out that the background to this news is a “deep division between liberals and traditionalists…mainly over the issue of homosexuality.” Despite these two major points of contention, the answer to the BBC question above is rather grim - “About 1,300 clergy say they may leave the Church of England because they cannot accept women bishops.” How that would not “split the church” is beyond comprehension. The BBC website also directs readers to an organization of women, called Women and the Church (or Watch), which is capaigning for women to be bishops. On the other side is the question of the Church of England’s connection to the Vatican. According to the Catholic News Agency’s article, “Unity Impossible if Anglican Church Ordains Women Bishops,” the consecreation of women as bishops should only be done with the “support from the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.” If not, “the tone of ecumenical dialogue would change and future talks would no longer have unity as their goal.” This dialogue between the churches is in the context of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, which has in the past suffered over the issue of homosexuality and its growing acceptance in the Anglican Communion. [...] […] On June 23, this blog discussed the Anglican divide over homosexuality. Now, this week has seen another contentious issue resurface in the Church of England. The General Synod met this year from July 4 to July 8 and voted on Monday, July 7 to approve the appointment of women bishops in Britain. The BBC News website has excellent coverage of the issue, and published on Wednesday, “Q&A: Anglican Church Divisions.” The first question is, “Could recent developments mean the end of the Anglican Church as we know it?” There is also a more topical Q&A on the “Vote over Women Bishops.” The New York Times article, “Church of England Endorses Women as Bishops,” points out that the background to this news is a “deep division between liberals and traditionalists…mainly over the issue of homosexuality.” Despite these two major points of contention, the answer to the BBC question above is rather grim - “About 1,300 clergy say they may leave the Church of England because they cannot accept women bishops.” How that would not “split the church” is beyond comprehension. The BBC website also directs readers to an organization of women, called Women and the Church (or Watch), which is capaigning for women to be bishops. On the other side is the question of the Church of England’s connection to the Vatican. According to the Catholic News Agency’s article, “Unity Impossible if Anglican Church Ordains Women Bishops,” the consecreation of women as bishops should only be done with the “support from the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.” If not, “the tone of ecumenical dialogue would change and future talks would no longer have unity as their goal.” This dialogue between the churches is in the context of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, which has in the past suffered over the issue of homosexuality and its growing acceptance in the Anglican Communion. […]

]]>