November 6, 2011 | 7:09 pm

Muslim writer: Five things to know about Shariah

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

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I don’t know much about the Muslim Writers Guild of America, but one member, Qasim Rashid, writes at the Huffington Post that Sharia law is woefully misunderstood or mischaracterized. Rashid offers the five things that everyone should know about Shariah law.

I understand Shariah law to be Islam’s version of Halakhah. But I’m not trained in Quranic hermeneutics, and I don’t know the details of Shariah law well enough to agree or disagree with any of Rashid’s points.

However, No. 5, addressing whether countries like Iran that claim to follow Shariah law but oppress their own people, caught my eye. Rashid writes:

Such countries have ignored the fundamental tenet of justice inherent in Shariah Law, and have instead used Shariah as an excuse to gain power and sanction religious extremism. To be sure, not a single example of a “Shariah compliant” country exists. In fact, the most “Muslim country” in the world is likely America, because America guarantees freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of thought—all hallmarks of Shariah Law. Those nations that oppress in the name of Shariah are as justified in their claims, as the slave owners who claimed their right to slavery was based on the Bible.

As for the “violent” verses from the Qur’an that are cited by both extremists and critics—honest legal interpretation abhors quoting an excerpt as a means to understand the full law. Unfortunately, both extremists and critics refuse to adhere to this basic principle. In sum, Shariah law guides a Muslim’s personal relationship with God, just as the Old and New Testaments guide Jews and Christians in their personal relationships with God.

This past March, the Center for American Progress published a report (PDF) that provided support for Rashid and debunked myths about Shariah. For more on understanding Shariah, check out this audio from the Council on Foreign Relations.

November 5, 2011 | 1:28 pm

God and the jobs bill

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

In a press conference this week, Obama press secretary Jay Carney made a common mistake. In talking about the job creation, President Obama had urged passage of a provision of the jobs bill by saying: “I trust in God, but God wants to see us help ourselves by putting people back to work.”

Carney later clarified: “I believe that the phrase from the Bible is, ‘The Lord helps those who help themselves.’”

Actually, neither are correct. As John Blake explained earlier this year, that phrase is nowhere near the pages of the Bible. (It is actually attributed to Benjamin Franklin.) It’s also bad theology.

The world helps those who help themselves, and it should. But there is nothing biblical about that proverb. God wants us to empower ourselves, but only those who subscribe to the prosperity gospel believe that there is promised return on investment.

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November 4, 2011 | 10:07 pm

Pastor told flagpole prayers at schools are unconstitutional; vows to keep praying

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Baptist pastor Ron Baker has been leading flagpole prayers at four schools in Florida’s Clay County for 12 years. He has no intention of giving that up, despite a warning from the school district’s attorney that the prayers are unconstitutional.

Here’s the story from the Associated Baptist Press:

They went largely unnoticed until the principal at Clay Hill Elementary School recently sent a Sept. 30 memo to his 40-member staff saying the First Amendment applies only to Christians.

That prompted a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation viewing the flagpole rallies as an unconstitutional endorsement of religion by government.

Clay County School Board attorney J. Bruce Bickner issued a legal opinion saying, “A review of the law and pertinent cases clearly indicate these enumerated activities all work together to make this a clear violation of the establishment clause and a clear case of endorsement of religion generally and Christianity particularly.”

Baker originally agreed to stop hosting the prayers. But now he’s going to fight the district’s wishes.

I’m not really sure what the right legal answer is here. I remember when I was in high school, morning prayers were a pretty regular thing at schools in San Diego County. But I think those were led by students; still, I’m not sure how an outside participant would change the constitutional calculus.

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November 4, 2011 | 11:13 am

ADL: One in five Americans believe Jews control Wall Street

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Who is surprised to hear that about 19 percent of Americans think Jews have too much control over Wall Street? Bloggish reports:

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) released the results of its most recent “Survey of American Attitudes Toward Jews in America,” on Nov. 3. The survey (pdf) found that 19 percent of Americans thought it was “probably true” that “Jews have too much control/influence on Wall Street.”

That’s an increase from the last time the ADL asked the question, in 2009, when only 14 percent of Americans answered that way.

In an emailed statement announcing the findings, ADL National Director Abe Foxman attributed the increase in anti-Semitic beliefs among Americans to “the downturn in the economy” and “changing demographics in our society.”

Maybe. But this is an old trope, going back way before such Zionist conspiracy theories popped up at Occupy Wall Street protests. It flares up whenever there are economic difficulties; it’s nothing new.

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November 2, 2011 | 5:45 pm

Kardashian marriage proves little about marriage

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

There is a lot of junk out there about the biggest non-news story of the year: Kim Kardashian has filed for divorce. Shocker.

This story over at Good is more interesting than other Kardashian stories that you have read—less than great but still worth a read. The headline is “Marriage Isn’t Sacred.”

Judging from the the public’s guffawing, it seems like nobody is surprised by the breakup, especially not after reports claimed Kardashian made nearly $18 million auctioning off the media rights to her Big Day (a lump sum she protected with a rock-solid prenuptial agreement, of course). In retrospect, the Kim-Kris union appears to have been less a consecration of love and more an elaborate moneymaking scheme, a lucrative sideshow pawned off to suckers as true love. Now that it’s all officially over, let’s let Kardashian’s loss serve as a lesson gained: Marriage isn’t sacred.

For years now, conservatives (and some liberals) fighting against same-sex marriage have done so by defining it thusly: “Marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman.” The act’s sacrosanct nature was part and parcel with its heterosexual nature, meaning it couldn’t be broadened to include the LGBT community because eliminating the man-woman imperative unravels the holiness of the whole thing. But what that definition assumes is that marriage is holy in the first place. What if it isn’t?

Wait. $18 million? Who wouldn’t enter into a little fake marriage—except over course for parties that see marriage as a holy unity.

I do. And, frankly, I think Cord Jefferson makes a terribly weak argument here in claiming that “Based on all the evidence at hand, the only conclusion we can reach is that marriage isn’t holy.”

Holiness is not in the eye of the beholder, but recognition of a holy act to an extent is.

When I got married, my wife and I made a commitment to God. But that doesn’t mean that others are thinking or doing the same thing when they get married.

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November 1, 2011 | 6:35 pm

Making your own grilled cheesus

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

People occasionally see Jesus in French fries and pita bread, and the Virgin Mary in coffee stain. An image of President Obama has been seen on toast.

Grilled cheese has been part of the magic formula for seeing an apparition of Jesus, and now you can have a Grilled Cheesus any time you want. At least you can if Rob Corso and Meg Sheehan get the funding they need to manufacture their heavenly panini makers.

(H/t Laughing Squid)

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November 1, 2011 | 3:17 pm

Iran: Immoral for soccer players to butt-slap teammates

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Speaking of soccer and confusion about which country is more absurd in its oversight of athlete behavior and appearance, Iran has suspended soccer players for slapping each other on the butt. Via the LA Times:

Persepolis defender Mohammad Nosrati swatted the backside of his teammate, Sheys Rezaei, while celebrating a goal Saturday in a nationally televised match.

Both players insisted the fanny pat was meant as a fun gesture. But the Iranian football federation’s disciplinary committee didn’t see the humor. The panel suspended the pair on charges of immoral offense until further notice.

More players may face suspensions, the disciplinary committee said.

I wish that this was a just a nanny-state problem. But, when dealing with Iran, that really is the case.

Immoral ... really? If Iran thinks so, that means that must mean that think there is something gay about teammates congratulating each other with a butt slap—that it is, in effect, a PDA. That’s a pretty weighty charge in a country that executes homosexuals by stoning.

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