Judaism

Responding to Hitchens and David Brooks on Chanukah

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In the typical fashion that have made Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins into heroes among those who hate the religions of the world (sometimes for good reasons, sometimes not–there are some destructive elements in many religions, but that’s not the whole story), we get in the article on Chanukah (which you can find below) Hitchens’ distortions endorsed by Dawkins. The approach is typical: a religious view or practice is misdescribed and distorted, then ridiculed. The critique is made to seem plausible by quoting out of context and taking the least sophisticated possible interpretations of whatever religious tradition is being critiqued. Unlike Hitchens and fellow traveler Dawkins, I first link to the entirety of Hitchens attack, so you can read it in context, then present the original text he is critiquing which I wrote in 2007 and which he misrepresents. All this is followed by my comments.

Rethinking Religion

Spiritual Wisdom of the Week

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This week’s spiritual wisdom comes from psychotherapist and online columnist, Allen Roland. Dr. Roland is best known for his work on the Unified Field. More information on Dr. Roland and the Unified Field can be found on his blog. THE UNIFIED FIELD
The basic underlying and uniting force of the universe is a psychic energy field of love and soul consciousness (the Unified Field), which lies not only beyond time and space but also beneath our deepest fears ~ and whose principle property is the universal urge to unite. Finding the Unified Field was an act of surrender.

Hinduism

Spiritual Wisdom of the Week

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This week’s spiritual wisdom is a selection from the Shvetashvatara Upanishad as translated by Eknath Easwaran, who is known and respected around the world for being the father of passage meditation. The learned say life is self-created;
Others say life evolved from time. In truth
The Lord brought the cosmos out of himself. He is pure consciousness, omnipresent,
Omnipotent, omniscient, creator
Of time and master of the three gunas. Evolution takes place at his command.

Health

Is the Proposed Health Bill Worse than Nothing?

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Dr. John Geyman thinks so. Whether or not you agree, it’s worth considering his argument. He writes:
The negatives far outweigh the positives, and adopting this bill would delay real reform for years to come. Despite a chorus of accolades about the bill by its supporters, even comparing it with the historic importance of Social Security and Medicare, this monster bill instead bears the heavy imprint of corporate stakeholders who themselves are largely responsible for out-of-control health care costs. After months of lobbying and campaign contributions to legislators crafting the legislation, their multiple conflicts of interest and political compromises, this bill ends up being a bailout for the insurance industry and a bonanza for stakeholders in the medical industrial complex.

Politics & Society

A Real Thanksgiving, 2009

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No matter how difficult it may be in a world filled with pain and cruelty, a world facing ecological devastation, wars, global malnutrition and starvation, torture, slavery, and political craziness, there are moments when it is important to stop looking at all the problems and just to focus on all the good. The psalmist said that this is what the focus of the weekly Sabbath or Shabbat celebration should be: “It is good to give thanks..” And that’s part of what Thanksgiving could be about. (Our friends in Canada, or those around the world who celebrate a Thanksgiving at other times or as part of their own spiritual or religious tradition, can still use these ideas). I don’t mean only a moment of sharing “something we all appreciate” as people are chomping down the traditional meal.

Christianity

Spiritual Wisdom of the Week

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This week’s spiritual wisdom comes from Archbishop Oscar Romero, who urged along the nonviolent struggle for justice in El Salvador until his assassination in 1980:
It helps now and then to step back and take the long view. We can’t do everything and there is a sense of liberation in that. We can do something, and we need to do it well. We plant the seed that one day will grow; we may never see the end result.
We provide the yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities. (Photo courtesy of FlickrCC/Franco Folini.)

Health

Kucinich Denounces Health Care Sell-Out by Pelosi and the House Dems

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Under the misleading title of “Health Care Reform” the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats have given the insurance companies the biggest boost in history, and screwed ordinary Americans. Congressman Dennis Kucinich has the courage to explain why. Here, in full, are Kucinich’s explanation from his official website and below it an article from The Raw Story that explains his position further. Kucinich: Why I Voted NO

Washington, Nov 7 –
After voting against H.R. 3962 – Affordable Health Care for America Act, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement:

“We have been led to believe that we must make our health care choices only within the current structure of a predatory, for-profit insurance system which makes money not providing health care. We cannot fault the insurance companies for being what they are.

Rethinking Religion

Spiritual Wisdom of the Week

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This week’s spiritual wisdom is a poem by Jonathan Granoff, the author, attorney, and peace activist whose writing we have featured several times this year:

Birth
we are part of the whole, but who are we
the road we see from the car of our body/mind/sense/intellect/witness continuum
is inside the one who sees
the road is in the car upon which the car travels
but to what destination
and why make it a journey when the road and its destination are
already present
is the road re
created
is this work or
recreation
is each step a reconfiguration of the whole — past, present, future
is the one who chooses part of the
configuration
ultimately
free
formless
infinite
continually generating infinite possibility
can we still live with joy in the question
does the question diminish certitude
does the question increase wonder and open vision
mystery is not shrouded in darkness but
love and light
mystery beckons not in ignorance but
with wonder and knowing
mystery is not full of fear
but love without diminution
that love does not close the inquiry but it places the questioning within
wonder, peace, tranquility and gratitude
no final answer
only continual
learning
is God a student
with each birth
the student and a fresh
universe
the whole in one
awakens
an awakening mystery
not shrouded in darkness but
love and light
how does one sign these glances

Politics & Society

Expanding Settlements. Backlash against Goldstone. A Tragic Mess in Israel/Palestine.

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Yesterday a Tikkun reader asked me for a response to an article in the Washington Post, “Palestinians say new U.S. approach imperils peace,” which started like this:
Palestinian officials on Sunday criticized the United States for what one called “backpedaling” on demands that Israel stop settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, saying the Obama administration’s change of approach on the issue damaged the likelihood of a peace agreement. Here are my thoughts on this matter:
Obama demanded a settlement freeze as a precondition for any progress on Middle East peace. The world rejoiced that for the first time since George Bush the elder threatened to freeze loan guarantees to Israel unless it stopped expanding settlements, a U.S. government was going to take a serious stand against the expansion of Israelis into Palestine. The Palestinians, while actually needing more than a freeze — they need a dismantling or making the settlers citizens of the new Palestinian state — climbed on board with Obama’s strategy, and then he abandoned them and said that he now is pushing the Palestinians to negotiations while the settlements continue to expand. That is totally useless for the Palestinians to do — they don’t need to sit at a table with a government that has no intention of ending the Occupation and makes that clear in every possible way.