Ignorance isn't Bliss -- It's dangerous

Yesterday I wrote about the recent Pew Forum survey of religious knowledge, a survey that revealed that Americans are rather ignorant when it comes to religion -- even our own religious tenets.  But while ignorance might be bliss it can also be dangerous, for it leads to persecution, repression, and even violence.  It has political consequences, as we're seeing in the ongoing attempt to smear the President, who though he is by confession of faith a Christian, is being painted as a Muslim.  Now there's nothing wrong with being a Muslim -- in my mind -- but in the minds of many Islam equals terrorism, and thus, if the President is a Muslim then he must be in secret league with terrorists. 

One of the points that comes out of the Pew Survey is the need to teach comparative religion, treating every religion fairly.  Unfortunately this effort at overcoming ignorance is hampered on two fronts -- those who want a doctrinal Christian view taught in the schools, and those who want to exclude all forms of religion from the schools.  And, of course, the schools, with enough other problems on their plate want to stay clear of any controversy, so they simply don't address religion.  They know that offering comparative religion or bible as literature classes will be a lose-lose situation.

It is in this context that John Esposito, one of the preeminent scholars of Islam (and a Roman Catholic), and Sheila Lalwani, a fellow at the Center for Christian-Muslim Understanding at Georgetown University, which Esposito directs, respond to news that the Texas Board of Education, a Board that has offered up bizarre decisions on science textbooks and American history textbooks, have voted by a 7-6 margin to oppose textbooks that in their view portray Christianity unfavorably and "gloss over" unfavorable aspects of Islam.  The authors suggest that this decision can have a disastrous effect on Muslim-Christian relations and feed Islamophobia, in large part because the impact that the Texas school system has on text-book publishing across the nation.  What the Texas Board decides influences the textbooks used in districts across the country.  

Ignorance of religion is not bliss, it is dangerous.  Indeed, as the Esposito and Lalwani make clear -- Islam isn't the enemy, ignorance is!  It is this ignorance that is being used for political purposes to divide and conquer the nation.  The question is, then, what shall we do to dispel the clouds of ignorance that are hanging over the nation?  

Time to Stop Villifying Muslims and Islam

The other day the head of the Anti-Defamation League, Abe Foxman, joined Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich in condemning the Islamic center and mosque planned for New York City -- even though the city's mayor, Michael Bloomberg welcomes it.  What saddens me about the ADL response, which includes casting aspersions on the project because of its unknown funders, is that I once worked for the ADL office in Santa Barbara, coordinating its "No Place for Hate" campaign -- an effort that was designed to overcome misrepresentations and bring people together.  But the New York situation isn't the only one at hand.  There is an attempt to block the building of a mosque in Murfreesboro, TN, an effort that has been aided and abetted by politicians who are running for office on an anti-Islam platform.  Remember that the current Lt. Governor, who is running for governor, has suggested that maybe Islam isn't covered by constitutional protections, because its a cult and not a religion.

Then, beyond politics, there is a whole host of Christian groups and churches that have chosen to attack Islam.  Yes, Islam has its share of terrorists and it was an extremist Islamic group that perpetrated 9-11.  But, one shouldn't tar and feather an entire religion, one that is adhered to by more than 1 billion people, for the acts of a minority of its adherents.

So, consider the preacher who has proclaimed that he is going to hold a special service where he'll burn the Koran.  Now, how is that an example of Christian love?  Then there are the so called Christian "specialists" on Islam, who have been shown not to understand this religion, and to have even falsified the nature of their understanding.

Robert Parham has written a very helpful essay for Ethic's Daily that speaks to this problem, sharing two Baptist voices that are trying to counter this problem.  It is time, these leaders say, for Christians to refrain from slander, and engage the issues with honesty. With this, I'm in total agreement. 

It is time for those Christians (and others), whether they are politicians, preachers, or whatnot, who have cast inappropriate aspersions on Islam and Muslims, to put aside vilification, take a humble stance toward the other, and begin conversations that will lead to understanding and hopefully bring peace. 

A Response to Franklin Graham

I must say this, Franklin Graham has never developed the political acumen of his father.  He has continually made statements that are narrow and inflammatory -- something his father shied away from (at least in public).  There are those comments on the Nixon tapes that are problematic!

Recently the younger Graham was disinvited from speaking at a Pentagon National Day of Prayer observance.  This occurred because Graham has continually made disparaging remarks about Muslims.  Yes, I know he loves Muslims, he just thinks their religion stinks and that they need Jesus.  But, his comments are incendiary, and his presence at a Pentagon sponsored prayer service, while the United States is at war in two Muslim countries (as it continually declares that it is not at war with Islam), is not helpful.

Graham, of course, won't let this thing die, and suggests that this disinvitation is a slap in the face of evangelical Christians.  Not only that, it is the sign that forces within the Obama administration are opposed to the Christian faith.  (What is interesting is that Graham cites Islam's treatment of women, but when he speaks of Obama's advisers, he speaks of "the men around" him -- I thought that there were some women among Obama's advisers, but I must have been misinformed).

In response to Mr. Graham -- it is not that evangelicals are being disinvited, it's people like you who are being disinvited.  Obama is on good relations with a number of evangelical leaders.  He seeks prayer support from evangelical pastor Joel Hunter and from evangelical United Methodist pastor KirbyJohn Caldwell -- who by the way served in a similar position with President Bush.  It is not, therefore, a repudiation of evangelicalism.  Instead it is a repudiation of the narrowness of figures such as Franklin Graham, Pat Robertson, and James Dobson.   It may also be a response to the self-proclaimed National Day of Prayer task force, a group of ultra-right conservative Christians who have seen fit to take over this day as their own.