guillaumeb
guillaumeb's JournalUsing terror as an excuse for more terror
From the article:
"THE HORRIFIC terrorist attack on tourists and Londoners on the night of June 3 led to a one-day pause in campaigning for Britain's general election on June 8. But Theresa May never paused in her attempts to take maximum advantage of a nightmare to boost her chances of victory...........
While criticizing Corbyn for being "soft on terrorism" and two years ago expressing doubts about shoot-to-kill tactics used by police during terrorist attacks, May also let loose with a tirade that fused the supposed superiority of Western civilization with calls for suspending civil liberties and other draconian measures:
[Extremism] will only be defeated when we turn people's minds away from this violence and make them understand that our values, pluralistic British values, are superior to anything offered by the preachers and supporters of hate. There is, to be frank, far too much tolerance of extremism in our country. So we need to become far more robust in identifying it and stamping it out across the public sector and across society."
To read more:
https://socialistworker.org/2017/06/07/using-terror-as-an-excuse-for-more-terror
Trump's policies have turned some Mormon women in Utah into political activists
From the article:
"Sharlee Mullins Glenn, a 56-year-old children’s book author, says she never imagined she would be standing outside a Homeland Security office in Utah with a bullhorn. But that’s exactly what she did in May..........
Mullins Glenn is the founder of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, which started as a private Facebook group just days after Donald Trump’s inauguration. It began with a small group of women in Utah, upset over the president’s travel ban. Since then, it’s branched out to other issues, including the administration’s ramped-up policy on deportation."
To read more:
https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-06-07/trumps-policies-have-turned-some-mormon-women-utah-political-activists
The United Methodist Church has appointed a transgender deacon
From the article:
"The bishop spoke the traditional words as she placed her hands on the new deacon named M with just a slight difference from the way those words have always been spoken before.
“Pour out your Holy Spirit upon M,” the bishop said. “Send them now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry.”
To read more:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/06/07/the-united-methodist-church-just-appointed-a-transgender-deacon/?utm_term=.543ac6def0bb
Small steps, but every journey is composed of many small steps.
Syrian-American musician and activist tackles the daily struggles of wearing a hijab
From the article:
"The recent attack in Portland, Oregon, has gotten many thinking about the kind of bravery it takes to jump in and help someone being harassed. And also the kind of bravery it takes to go out of your home wearing a visible sign that you're a Muslim."
To read more:
https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-06-06/syrian-american-musician-and-activist-tackles-daily-struggles-wearing-hijab
In spite of all the advertising that superficially celebrates diversity, this celebration and toleration is often seen only in advertising.
This Vatican adviser is moving Catholics toward LGBT inclusion
From the article:
"In 2013, when asked about gay priests, he (Pope Francis) famously replied, “Who am I to judge?” He has continued to call for the Catholic Church to treat LGBT people with dignity and respect, and to fight discrimination against sexual minorities......
But the church may be on the cusp of another baby step in this ongoing discussion with the publication of a new book by a popular Jesuit priest, James Martin: “Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter Into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity.”
Martin argues the church must move from a position of tolerance to inclusion when it comes to LGBT people. He criticizes the language of disorder from the catechism, calls on Catholics to stop firing LGBT people from church positions and frequently uses terms like “gay” and “lesbian” that many Catholic officials avoid."
To read more:
http://religionnews.com/2017/06/06/this-top-vatican-official-is-quietly-moving-catholics-toward-lgbt-inclusion/
How the Six-Day War Transformed Religion
from the article:
"Fifty years ago this week, the Six-Day War dramatically altered geographic borders and political fortunes in the Middle East. For Israelis, the stunning 1967 victory meant an expanded country that suddenly included East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula; for Palestinians, it meant occupation and more displacement; for surrounding Arab countries, it meant crushing military and reputational defeat.
But the Six-Day War didn’t only transform Middle East politics: It also transformed religion—in ways that would reverberate far beyond the region. The war’s outcome impacted the way Islam is expressed in the West Bank and Gaza, and it created new openings for political Islamism in the Arab world. It strengthened a messianic strain in Israeli Judaism, and it changed the focal point of American Judaism. It forced an internal reckoning among evangelical Christians, and even among Mormons, in the United States."
To read more of the very long article:
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/06/how-the-six-day-war-changed-religion/528981/
Revisiting a progressive person of faith:The Rev. William J. Barber II on Comedy Central
The Reverend Dr. William J Barber sits for an interview with Trevor Noah and talks about the social crusade of Jesus advocating for the poor, as well as his belief that Christians should recognize the image of God in their fellow human beings regardless of race, color, or sexuality.
To watch the interview:
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/xj7k4g/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-william-j--barber-ii---shifting-the-moral-conversation-about-the-poor---extended-interview
Strong religious reaction to Trump climate accord decision (Also posted in interfaith)
From the article:
"Catholics, Jews, Protestants, Muslims and others reacted vigorously and emotionally to President Trump’s announcement that he will withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris climate change agreement.
While leaders of the so-called religious left were overwhelmingly critical of the move, conservatives were somewhat divided."
To read more:
http://religionnews.com/2017/06/01/strong-religious-reaction-to-trump-climate-change-decision/
Come Together and Fight the Oligarchy, Declares Sanders in Stirring Commencement
From the article:
"Sen. Bernie Sanders delivered the commencement address at Brooklyn College on Tuesday and told graduating students that entering an "oligarchic" society, like one the United States is fast becoming, will demand vigilance and perseverance on their parts but that it was because of determined young people that he has "enormous confidence" in the country's ultimate future.
Sanders recounted learning about "oligarchic societies" when he was a high school student in Brooklyn. Described to him as "small developing countries" in which the "economic and political life of the nation were controlled by a handful of very wealthy people," Sanders admitted it "never occurred to me as a kid in Brooklyn that the United States of America, our great nation, could move in that direction." But, he added, "that is precisely... what is happening today."
And more:
"And in order to disrupt and combat such a system, Sanders said that throwing up your hands and giving up was simply not a viable option."
To read more:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/05/30/come-together-and-fight-oligarchy-declares-sanders-stirring-commencement
Liberal Synagogues See Trump Bump As Pews Fill Up
From the article:
"Liberal synagogues, especially those where rabbis are outspoken about the values espoused by President Trump, are finding that attendance and membership are up – way up – since last November.
Call it the “Trump bump.”
It’s happening against the backdrop of the long-term trend of shrinking membership in liberal synagogues. In many places it includes millennial Jews, which makes the change all the more noteworthy. And it’s happening all across the country."
To read more:
http://forward.com/news/373291/liberal-synagogues-see-trump-bump-as-pews-fill-up/?attribution=home-hero-item-text-3
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