Today’s Thursday Thought quote is an important, yet basic, message from three of the world’s great religious leaders.
Tag Archive for Islam
All the Gods Agree
Wars are fought over religion. The Supreme Being is called by different names. People distrust, belittle, hate, or kill others because of their religious beliefs. Yet, it all boils down to a simple rule that appears in the holy books of all major religions. Some call it the “Golden Rule.” (Put the cursor on the chart and use Ctrl X while scrolling to enlarge so you can see everything.)
Uncategorized
Buddhism, Christianity, God, Golden, hate, Islam, kill, Rule, Sacred Earth, war
Ramadan–Why Care?
We’re two days into the holy month of Ramadan (May 17 – June 15), when Muslims fast (even from water), study the Quran, and atone for wrong-doings. Many non-Muslims are mystified by the practices, which do vary somewhat throughout the world. This article, When Is Ramadan 2018? Everything You Need to Know (But Were Afraid to Ask), gives a good overview of this Muslim observance and answers some common questions.
Why bother reading about it? Why care? Well, there are 1.84 billion Muslims living on this Earth with us–that’s 24.38% of the world’s population. Understanding them and their peace-centered religion (not the radicals who bastardize Islam, of course) can only make our neighborhoods–locally and world-wide–more peaceful and just.
A blessed Ramadan to my Muslim friends, relatives, and neighbors!
April: Focusing on Faith
April is a busy month. Several religions celebrate important spiritual occasions during this month. I thought I’d list them and encourage all believers to honor their own religious tradition not only by respecting the sacred beliefs of others but also by remembering that we are all part of the same human family under that Supreme Being/Force/God–whatever name we affix to Him/Her/It.
April:
1–Lazarus Saturday – Orthodox Christian
2–Palm Sunday – Orthodox Christian
5–Ramanavami – Hindu
9–Palm Sunday- Christian
10–Mahavir Jayanti – Jain
11–Lord’s Evening Meal – Jehovah’s Witness Christian
. Hanuman Jayanti – Hindu
11-14–Theravadin New Year – Buddhist
11-18–Pesach (Passover) – Jewish
13–Maundy Thursday – Christian
14–Holy Friday – Orthodox Christian
. Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) – Sikh
. Good Friday – Christian
16–Easter – Christian
. Pascha (Easter) – Orthodox Christian
21–First Day of Ridvan – Baha’i
23–St. George’s Day – Christian
. Yom HaShoah – Jewish
24–Lailat al Miraj * – Islam
29–Ninth Day of Ridvan – Baha’i
30–St. James the Great Day – Orthodox Christian
Special blessings to all this month!
Listen Up, Trump!
I’m angry! Donald Trump continues to portray Muslims as evil people bent on killing Americans because Allah wants them to. This is SUCH a perversion of true Islam, which is a peace-loving religion. He refuses to acknowledge that ISIS and their kind are being disowned by most Muslims. In fact, they want them to go away so they can live out two of their religion’s teachings–peace and harmony.
Yesterday in an interview Trump said it again: “Islam hates America.”
Get it through your thick skull, Trump–you are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
Pope Identifies God’s Name
You don’t have to be Catholic or another branch of Christianity to understand and accept Pope Francis’ short message:
The Pope clearly identifies the name accepted in all non-violent religions.
Best News in a Long Time
This news gave me hope: Saudi Arabia and 33 others have formed an “Islamic military alliance” to fight terrorism. Finally, governments that are in the middle of the horror over there, have the power to do something about it, and have a stake–both physically and religiously–are showing strength and determination.
My hope is that they can be a force to wipe out ISIS and other terrorist groups and move the minds and hearts of the people against those who pervert Islam and who convert others to do the same.
Have These Girls Been Abandoned?
Yesterday marks a year when hundreds of children were ripped from their families. Their only crime was being females trying to get an education. Those Nigerian teens (aged 16-18) ended their school day by being kidnapped by Boko Haram militants, who believe that Western education, especially of girls, is an offense against God. Ultimately, the girls were forced to convert to Islam–the perverted kind practiced by Boko Haram and ISIS–and made to marry the soldiers who kidnapped them.
What kind of person would do that to children? What kind of God would approve?
Children are to be protected and nurtured, not used and abused.
But rescue attempts have fallen off to almost nothing, and parents continue to grieve. Where is the world’s indignation?!
Those Satanic Winter Games
“Satanic Winter Games” is what a militant Islamic leader called the upcoming Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He feels that, because the games are the work of Satan, bombs should be set off and people killed.
Let me understand this. The Olympics are games that bring people together from all over the world, forgetting their national grudges for a time. They require people to agree to abide by rules that foster cooperation and peace. Their participants actually root for others from different countries, encouraging them to do their best, taking joy in their victory and weeping with them in their defeat. They bring young people together in ways that offer hope for a war-weary world. In short, the Olympics celebrate the wonder of the human spirit.
Now, that’s not the Satan I’ve ever heard about. In fact, it’s a whole different Satan than any of my Bible-believing Christian or Koran-devoted Muslim friends would recognize.
To that leader quoted above I say, “May you enjoy an eternity with your friend, Satan!”