Texas Faith : After Election, how do we become one?

The most beautiful thing that will happen tonight is an expression of our civility, which is the highlight of our democracy, a lesson other nations are looking to emulate. 

In this election as in every previous presidential election, we saw the candidates going after each other, proving to us, that he or she is a better candidate than the other, we take sides and we also get upset and do everything to convince the undecided, it all comes to an abrupt end tonight when the decision is made. It is almost like going to take a major exam, the last day is tense for some and for some, its blank and for some, it is exciting, it was tense for me.

Mitt Romney, the candidate will congratulate the winner Barack Obama, and Obama will gracefully display his humility with an acceptance speech and acknowledging the good journey the candidates have taken. Thanks for your patience; it would happen exactly the other way if Mitt Romney wins.

We need to do the same, and I will go a step further, I will hug my friends who voted for Romney, as I have voted for Obama. Both of us sincerely believed that our candidate was the right one and we need to respect that. We have to get behind the new president and build the America we wish to see.

URL _ http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2012/11/after-election-how-do-we-become-one_6.html

TEXAS FAITH: After the election, how do we become one?

Bill McKenzie, Dallas Morning News.

So, barring another Florida, America will wake up Wednesday with one side joyously happy and another bitterly disappointed. Or, that’s how core supporters of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will feel. The losing side will be tempted to demonize those who voted for the winner. And the winner’s
supporters will be tempted to gloat about the victory.

Neither response will help the country move forward as one. Neither response will help us move beyond the politics of division. And neither will help us realize that we really function best as a country when we balance individuality with community.

With that in mind, here’s the question for this week: “What is the message that different faith traditions can send about the importance of being one?”

Published in Dallas Morning News in the Texas Faith column, about ten panelists share their thoughts at: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/2012/11/texas-faith-after-the-election-how-do-we-become-one.html/here is mine.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Election results tonight may severely impact on relationships between individuals and communities. As a pluralist my concern of the day is to offer pluralistic solutions and contribute towards preserving the cohesiveness of our society.

To that end, here is my faith based message:

We see God as one, none and many; male, female and genderless; being and a non-being, nameless and with innumerable names. We are represented by every race, ethnicity, language, culture and religion. Indeed, we are one nation and have to remain indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

The essence of my faith (Islam) or your faith is about restoring balance and peace within, and with what surrounds us; life and matter.

Here are a few steps to save the anxiety and remain one by acknowledging that others have the same rights as we do, and that each one of us is motivated by goodness, selfishness, phobias or fears one time or the other.

No matter what, the built-in safeguards in our Constitution have given us stability for 236 years, and the power to set the course that we have exercised today.

We have to accept the otherness of others, and respect the God given uniqueness of thumb print, eye print, DNA, taste bud, religion bud, and now the political bud.

Let’s pray that God enlarges our hearts to congratulate those who have voted for Obama, Romney, Johnson, Stein, Goode or Anderson.

The most beautiful thing to unravel tonight is our civility. The losing candidate will congratulate the winner, and the winner will gracefully display his humility. We need to do the same, and I will go a step further. I will hug my friend who voted for Romney, as I have voted for Obama. Both of us sincerely believed that our candidate was the right one.

We now have a greater duty to give value to our belief in forgiveness, and come together in building a cohesive America, where no one has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other. God bless America, may God guides to do the right thing. Amen!

. . . . . .

The Texas Faith blog is a discussion among formal and informal religious leaders whose faith traditions express a belief in a transcendent power – or the possibility of one. While all readers are invited to participate in this blog, by responding in the comments section, discussion leaders are those whose religion involves belief in a divine higher power or those who may not believe in a transcendent power but leave room for the possibility of one. Within this framework, moderators William McKenzie and Wayne Slater seek to bring a diversity of thinkers onto the Texas Faith panels.

MikeGhouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace making, foreign policy, Islam, interfaith, and cohesion at work place or social settings. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. Mike has a strong presence on national local TV, Radio and Print Media, and is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News, fortnightly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes everything you want to know about him.

Sikhs Genocides observance in Dallas

Sikhs Genocides observance in Dallas

Last week, I  posted an upcoming event "Remembrance and Reflection: 1984 Sikh Genocide (posted below)" at Dallas Indians, a 1800 member group in the Dallas area for all Indians. I am glad a few friends called in and sought clarifications. It is always good to inquire and find out before building up emotions against it. The event is on Saturday, November 3rd at Noon.  

Then I read a beautiful personal story by Kirpal Singh from Melbourne, who shared the story of stereotyping Muslims in Nigeria and alluded to bringing a closure to the Sikh Massacre in India.  

The humorous part of the story was, one of the callers was cursing Muslims that they do not understand free speech, and yet, he asked me not post events like this, he believed it was divisive.  Indeed on the surface it does sound like it, but when you read the entire note, you will find otherwise.

You might get away refusing to oblige your spouse or a child's request... or even compel them to obey you...but it builds resentment if not dealt with squarely, it puts a damper on the enthusiasm of the relationship and no one lives in peace. If there is a murder, child abuse or sexual abuse in the community, we cannot sit quite, we have to find a resolution so the victims can leave in peace, and justice is meted out to the abuser.

Taking the example to India - The Kashmiri Pandits, Dalits, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs have been treated unfairly and unjustly on occasions, especially when it comes to killing a large number of people. The wounds remain unhealed for the communities and every one lives with un-ease, discomfort and apprehension. Silence or Money compensation is not the way to repair the damage, but an acknowledgement is the way to go. An apology will heal the wounds for the entire society. We need to seek Mukti from the gnawing conscience, and no ones Karma will go unbalanced.

When Queen Elizabeth visited India a few years back, she apologized for the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre, that was the right thing to do and we welcomed it. There have been many more good examples of healing like that.

About six years ago a film was made by Memnosyne Foundation, "One source many paths" where I represented the Muslim community and 47 other people represented other faith traditions. Uma Mysoreaker, president of the Hindu Temple in New York represented the Hindu Community. The Hindus and the Native Americans shared their pain about the forced conversions by Muslims and Christians alike, while Muslims also have been a target of prejudice after 9/11. I apologized for the wrong doings done by Muslims kings like Aurangzeb and Ghaznavi and individuals like Bin Laden. 

The healing was done when a Native American offered a Bandana to be received as a closure, a Christian minister gracefully accepted it, .. every one remained silent and absorbed the moments, some of us cried, including me, it was indeed a relief. It is also an acknowledgement that we the people (living now) have nothing to do with what was done, and yet, we owed an apology as the wrong doing was committed in the name of the religion or the land we shared.

The Chapters on Pandits, Dalits, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs can be brought to closure by acknowledgment of the wrong doing, its not going to go away by hiding from it. Humility builds bridges, that is what every religion teaches; to be humble. It is wrong, and dead wrong to believe that we are all against each other, we are not, some of us are, but we need to work cohesively to make India a greater nation by being on a higher moral ground of shedding the arrogance or pretending that, we do not have a problem.

The Sikh Massacre is obviously not brought to the closure,  mass graves have been discovered and the identified remains have been given back to their families, but there are hundreds of kids, women and men missing from that period. An accounting needs to be done to bring a relief to families as to what happened to their loved ones. We are all in this together without blaming the past and to find solutions.

The bad guys are not Muslims, Sikhs, Christians or Hindus, the bad guys are those who went on a rampage and hurt fellow Indians be it in Delhi, Gujarat, Bihar or Orissa. No one should go Scot free,  an apology from them individual wrong doers, forgiveness from the victims or lawful action is in order to restart 

 

STEREO TYPING

This is the most common form of ignorance that surfaces every minute of the day in our lives. Our freedom to think is lost when we stereotype people and fall in the ditch when we justify it. If we want others to treat as fairly, we have to do it too.

If I murder someone, it is my heine that needs to be hauled off to the jail and mete out the deserved punishment under the law and serve justice. Stereo typing in this instance would be to blame my race, parents, siblings, spouse, nationality or religion, it is not wise, is it?? Yet we do it and let others do it without even imploring them to think. What has India or Islam got to do with my criminal act?

Shame on you and I to allow the mind to believe that the murder by a black man allows us to gossip that blacks are criminals, and start justifying some creepy facts to suit our beliefs. Oh well, the educated ones are not… that is even wronger than the first statement…Are all white people ruthless and war mongers? Are Muslims terrorists? Jews will get you one way or the other?

Catch yourselves in your stereotyping, where you make judgments about a people

We reflect on Holocaust and genocides every year, and one of the element is stereotyping. Details about the VII Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides at www.HolocaustandGenocides.com

Kirpal Singh's story is at url-  http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2012/10/sikhs-genocides-observation-in-dallas.html

Event information from the Sikh Gurdwara is as follows:

Remembrance and Reflection: 1984 Sikh Genocide

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The DFW Sikh American Community extends its invitation to you for our event "Remembrance and Reflection: 1984 Sikh Genocide". We aspire to share the tragedy which unfolded and provide recognition to an event which has withered away in the annals of history. We seek to provide conversation and engage with our audience to ensure dark moments such as these never occur again and that justice prevails. As the great Martin Luther King stated, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

We urge and request everyone to attend

When: Saturday, November 3, 2012 from 12 PM – 1 PM
Where: Gurdwara Sikh Sangat 1400 West Euless Blvd. Euless, TX 76040

All our educators, our law enforcement officials, our elected officials, people of faith and in short all our fellow Americans are humbly requested to take advantage of this opportunity. We will highlight and recognize the fundamental principles of this great nation which was on prominent display during and in the aftermath of the Wisconsin massacre of how a nation is to respond and respect its citizens. This fundamental principle must be brought to the forefront for all to appreciate and fathom.

Sikh Americans have been an integral and constructive part of the DFW community for over 50 years and we invite you to share in our experiences and a history which permeates within all of us.

The institution of langar (community kitchen) will be in full effect in which everyone is requested to partake and have a delicious vegetarian meal. So please come by and ask your questions, eat and drink some food, or just engage with your neighbors.

For any questions or comments please contact: 

1. Gurvinder Singh   469.222.6288  gurvinder.singh@unitedsikhs.org 

2. Manmohan Singh 469.733.5190 m.singh.180@gmail.com 

3. Manpreet Singh   972-415-7897  kingmani15@yahoo.com 

4. Pritpal Singh   214-505-6375  pritpaltx@yahoo.com 

We will be honored and look forward to your presence. 

  

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Mike is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, interfaith, politics, foreign policy, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. He is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, commentator on national radio network, writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and bi monthly at Huffington post and several periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com

Texas Faith: The morality of drone warfare

Drone warfare is one of the greatest inventions of civilization. It has allowed us to take Anwar Awalaki out (One of the top Al-Qaeda operatives) with least collateral damage and minimal revenge multiplier. However, the abuse of drone warfare has gone too far….. We don’t like the terrorist killing innocent men and women. Why should they like us when their innocents are being killed? We need to find responsible people to man these machines and have them go through frequent psychiatric evaluations, if they are distressed - Mike Ghouse, continued at: http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2012/10/texas-faith-morality-of-drone-warfare.html

 

TEXAS FAITH: The morality of drone warfare

By Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist

Drone warfare. It’s become a major new way to fight battles. Except those doing the fighting may be in a cubicle in a town here in the United States. In fact, the chances are they will be working here, far from the battlefield.

Of course, the good news is the soldiers operating the drones are not in harm’s way. Nor are they spending months, if not years, away from their families in a distant country.

But they are using the advances in technology to track and kill people halfway around the world. This new form of warfare has raised a number of moral questions. This collection of posts from Andrew Sullivan on the subject provides an insight into some issues in play. And here is another link worth looking at from the Wall Street Journal.

Also, the Journal reported this week in a front-page article that there is not much international law on this subject. That vacuum matters in numerous ways, but especially when it comes to determining whether we are actually declaring war on nations that only tacitly give us approval to use drones in their countries.

I am not looking for applications of international law here, but I would like to hear how your faith informs your thinking about drone

strikes. So, here’s this week’s question:

What moral issues, if any, give you pause about drone warfare?

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The morality of drone warfare becomes justifiable when its purpose is to remove the specific cancerous cells, and prevent damage to the fabric of the society at large.

We have a responsibility to protect each other from the ones bent on hurting us. This responsibility comes with the obligation to guard ourselves from holding the line and not becoming evil ourselves. We instead need to prevent the evil.

Drone warfare is one of the greatest inventions of civilization. It has allowed us to take Anwar Awalaki out (One of the top Al-Qaeda operatives) with least collateral damage and minimal revenge multiplier. No significant group has shed tears for this man.

No matter where we go, the people want justice, which simply means removal of the individual criminal, without slapping the blame on his political or religious affiliations, and family members or friends. Let’s not forget, the Muslims did not protest or demonstrate against his killing. Osama Bin Laden was gone, but his wife was respectfully left alone. This is one of the greatest successes we need to build on in our foreign policy ideals: Blame and get the bad guys, but do not torch others.

However, the abuse of drone warfare has gone too far. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates the minimum civilian death toll to be 447 during the campaign. It must be condemned vigorously, and corrected instantly. We don’t like the terrorist killing innocent men and women. Why should they like us when their innocents are being killed.

The president said on CNN, “It has to be a target that is authorized by our laws, it has to be a threat that is serious and not speculative, and it has to be a situation in which we can’t capture the individual before they move forward on some sort of operational plot against the United States.” That is indeed a good policy worthy of implementation.

We need to find responsible people to man these machines and have them go through frequent psychiatric evaluations, if they are distressed. We need to take them out before they drown us in the abyss of immorality. Civilians are not game animals to be targeted.

As Americans we need to set high standards of morality and live by it. At the least, we need to prevent other nations from developing the drones and abusing them. What if we are the targets?

Texas faith is a weekly column, where panelists from different traditions respond to the issues of the day - for all the responses, please visit Dallas Morning News at http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/2012/10/texas-faith-the-morality-of-drone-warfare.html/

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily

Texas Faith: Is separation of church and state an idea to keep religious people out of the public arena?

The separation of church and state has been a catalyst in guaranteeing freedom to every religious group. This can be better understood through stark contrasts between pluralistic nations and the nations where one religion dominates the others. We enjoy religious freedom, precisely because of our diversity; an antidote to extremism. You practice your faith and I will do mine.- Mike Ghouse

Twelve Texas Faith Panelists share their thoughts on separation of church and state

TEXAS FAITH: Is separation of church and state an idea to keep religious people out of the public arena?

By Wayne Slater/Reporter

11:18 am on September 25, 2012 | Permalink

In a conference call with Christian conservatives, Gov. Rick Perry dismissed the separation of church and state as an idea advanced to drive “people of faith from the public arena.” The governor went on to say Satan is using it to keep Christians from actively engaging in public policy. “The idea that we should be sent to the sidelines I would suggest to you is very driven by those who are not truthful, Satan runs across the world with his doubt and with his untruths and what have you, and one of the untruths out there is driven – is that people of faith should not be involved in the public arena.”

The governor’s take on theology and American history got mixed reviews – at best – from our Texas Faith panel of pastors, teachers, theologians, lay leaders and religious experts. The recent conference call was an effort to motivate conservative Christians to vote their values in November. Perry used language familiar to social conservatives – “spiritual warfare” and “Christian soldiers” and a growing tide of “secularism and atheism” – in warning of those making “efforts to remove any trace of religion from American life.”

The premise of the governor’s comments is that separation of church and state is sometimes invoked simply to discourage people (read it: people whose ideas you don’t like) from getting involved in politics and public policy. Is that true? And, perhaps more to the point, how do we make sure that doesn’t happen? In our political debate this election season, what’s the proper balance between warning against theocracy and encouraging faith in the public square? The Texas Faith panel had some ideas.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The separation of church and state has been a catalyst in guaranteeing freedom to every religious group. Indeed, it is an incentive to participate in the political process to ensure that one’s rights are protected, and prevent domination by any group from dictating its terms to others.

If an attempt is made to infringe on the rights of others, we all need to stand up for them, just as we did with the Catholic Church about contraceptives. Most certainly, protection of our rights depend on protecting the rights of others; a hallmark of enduring civilizations.

This can be better understood through stark contrasts between pluralistic nations and the nations where one religion dominates the others.

In Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Pakistan and other countries, the majority through their deafening silence, continues to deny the basic religious rights to its minorities. The merciless upper hand of one religion over the other(s) has undeniably screwed up justice; the source of anguish, unrest and consequent instability and pain for all.

Compare that to the United States, where the religious rights of all are protected (relatively). On any given street in Dallas, you will find places of worship of multiple denominations functioning together, that was not the case in the United States generations ago, and we have come a long way, thanks to the separation.

We enjoy religious freedom, precisely because of our diversity; an antidote to extremism. You practice your faith and I will do mine.

Governor Perry is perhaps using phrases like “spiritual warfare” and “Christian soldiers” to whip up support for his declining political power, and probably may not succeed in his motives, as the Evangelicals know that the freedom to practice their faith is not trampled. Religion has been used, abused and misused by politicians throughout the history of mankind for political gains, Perry is no exception.

We are a land of the free and need to keep it that way. The separation of church and state is a catalyst that has assured safer and securer communities in the United States, and we don’t want to regress from that.

Texas faith is a weekly column, where panelists from different traditions respond to the issues of the day - for all the responses, please visit Dallas Morning News at  http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/2012/09/texas-faith-is-separation-of-church-and-state-an-effort-to-keep-religious-people-out-of-the-public-arena.html/

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest onSean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly atHuffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blogwww.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily

Interfaith peace chapel and pluralism prayers

" Dallas, Texas – On September 21, Peace Pilot will light up the Texas Night with a large scale video projection across the exterior and interior walls of the Interfaith Peace Chapel in Dallas, Texas, in an open, community-based celebration of International Peace Day."

This press release will continue after my note below;

More pictures will be added 

If you are in Dallas, make the time to visit this beautiful interfaith chapel at 5910 Cedar Springs Road in Dallas, its peaceful in there... years ago, I felt the same at the Baha'i lotus temple in New Delhi.

About the peace chapel on their website, http://interfaithpeacechapel.org/

"The Interfaith Peace Chapel is a modern masterpiece designed by award-winning and world-renowned architect Philip Johnson. It is a brilliant, inspirational design of "sculpture as architecture." Seating up to 175 people, the chapel provides ideal space for intimate worship services, commitment ceremonies and memorial services.

This sacred space makes a bold and highly visible statement to the world about our commitment to the vision God has placed upon our hearts. We believe wholeheartedly that God will transform millions of lives through this building!"

A year ago in Dallas Morning News, I wrote about the Peace Chapel
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2011/08/texas-faith-religion-and-art.html

My role was to greet and share the pluralism prayers.

1. Essence of greetings

A. Acknowledging the stranger
B. Inviting the other to connect with you
C. Possible friendship

When you say Namaste to someone, you are essentially saying, let the good in you connect with the good in me. When the Abrahamic faiths call Salaam, Shalom and peace to you, they are initiating a relationship with peace. May you be drenched in peace, soaked in peace and together we will talk, think and act peace. It is conditioning each other for creating good acts and talks. (elaborated in the speech)

2. Greetings - Request to remain silent, or repeat after me quietly or in Chorus

American - Aho piva (Cheyenne)
Baha'i - Allah-u-Abha
Buddhist - Buddha Namo
Christian - Peace to you
Hindu - Namaste
Jain - Jai Jinendra
Jewish - Shalom
Muslim - Salaam
Sikh - Satsri Akaal
Wicca - Blessed be
Zoroastrian - Hamazor Hama Asho bed

I hope within the next decade we all will grow up to be comfortable in greeting each other with any one of the greetings as synonyms.

3. Prayer

• Dear creator. Please accept our gratitude in every name we call upon you; Mahio, manito, Yahweh, Elohim, Ishwar, Buddha, Wahe Guru, Ahura Mazda, Mother Earth, Allah and Jesus Christ.
• Thank you lord for enriching our nation with your creation represented by different races, nationalities, ethnicities, orientations,  languages, cultures, ideals and religions.
• Dear God, together we see you as one, none and many and see you as male, female and genderless, we take you as a being as well as nonbeing, some us have a name for you and for some you are nameless, but together we believe we are one universe, one people and one humanity.
• Dear causer of the Universe, in your name we want to create a cohesive and peaceful America with care, kindness and dignity to every one of the 312 million of us as well as 7 billion of us in the world.
• Dear God, guide us to talk, act and believe that we are one humanity and one nation under you.
• Dear God, as we undertake the mission of building cohesive societies, where no one has to live in apprehension of the other, we are painfully aware of the ignorance, fear, mistrust and ill-will that divides us, help us open our hearts and minds towards receiving each other.
• Dear God, guide us to become conflict mitigaters and good will nurturers.
• Dear God, Protect our men and women in uniforms committed to our safety and well being.
• Dear God, help us think, speak and act peace every moment of the day.
• Dear God, guide us to value and practice the principles of liberty and justice for all of your creation, just as you treat us.
• Dear God, give us your infinite wisdom and give us the courage to do the right thing, every moment of the day.
• Help us learn to respect the otherness of other in each one of us, and accept the god given uniqueness in each one do us.
• In your precious name we bow

Press release continued:

For more information about Peace Pilot contact:

www.peacepilot.org

Trayc Claybrook @  trayc@peacepilot.org                     

Peace Pilot Presents International Peace Day 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dallas, Texas – On September 21, Peace Pilot will light up the Texas Night with a large scale video projection across the exterior and interior walls of the Interfaith Peace Chapel in Dallas, Texas, in an open, community-based celebration of International Peace Day. 

Peace Pilot is a monumental video art installation by Dallas artist Trayc Claybrook, comprised of four high definition videos, which depict a hero’s journey towards peace. The Interfaith Peace Chapel is an architectural gem by renowned architect Phillip Johnson, which for one night will serve as a massive movie screen for the Peace Pilot video projections.

Doors open at 6:00 PM, followed by an introduction to the guest speakers at 7:00 PM, and the official lighting of the video installation at 7:30 PM, as well as a screening of the videos inside the chapel. There will be a Q & A session at 8:00pm for the speakers and filmmaker.

Peace Pilot is currently raising funds to support the September 21 event, through the crowd-sourcing website Indiegogo (indiegogo.com/peace-pilot), and welcomes tax-deductible donations.

Peace Pilot began as Trayc Claybrook’s response to a call by Jeremy Gilley of the international organization Peace One Day, who urged people across the globe to create events in recognition of International Peace Day 2012. Claybrook visited the Interfaith Peace Chapel, and was struck by the beauty and grace of the structure.  She sparked the idea of projecting her recently finished videos about peace on the exterior and interior walls of the building.

We would be very honored for you to attend and participate in this meditation with us. We’re also asking for your help to promote the event through social media. Information about the film maker and project along with a clip of the film can be found at www.peacepilot.org. 

Peace Pilot” Premier

Friday, September 21 - International Day of Peace

Interfaith Peace Chapel

5910 Cedar Springs Dallas, Texas 75235

TIMELINE:
6:00 p.m. Gathering/Refreshments
7:00 p.m. Program
8:15 p.m. Reception
9:00 p.m. Event Conclusion

This is a free event, open to everyone

Registration Link: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/4210156692/efblike

Thank you for being light in the world and for your love and support of this exciting project. Do not hesitate to call on me if you have questions or if you need clarification on anything. We look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

  

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest onSean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly atHuffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blogwww.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily.

Muslims don't get it - free speech, so do we

The Legitimacy of Muslim protests about the film ‘Innocence of Muslims’ and the freedom of speech are major issues facing the world today. I am pleased to offer a summary of issues and pluralistic solutions. If you feel hatred towards them, you are clearly justifying their hatred towards you. We all have to rise above it and mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill. That was the message of Jesus, Muhammad (pbuh) and every spiritual master. We cannot have peace, unless we contribute to it, we cannot have peace, if we aggravate it.

Continued: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/freedom-of-speech-and-the-legitimacy-of-muslim-protests_b_1902427.html

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest onSean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly atHuffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blogwww.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily.

More Fatwas on the way on Anti-Islamic film maker

There is no shortage of opportunists in the world. No one has exclusive monopoly on being an idiot; members of every race, religions, nationality and ethnicity are in this game together, particularly the politicians. This essay is about a $100,000 bounty offered on the head of the anti-Islamic film maker from Pakistan. Iran would be the next one to issue.

Mirza Ghalib is an Indian poet who has written a couplet on every possible situation in the world. Here is a couplet on this situation in Urdu/ Hindi language;

"Bewkoofon ki koi kami nahin ghalib,
Ek dhoondho hazaar milte hain."
 

There is no dearth of idiots O Ghalib,
Look for one, thousands will emerge.

Humor first. Some 40 years ago, I read in Shama Magazine about a boat that was violently rocking in the middle of a storm in the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda, everyone was scared to death and were desperately panicking. One man stands up in the boat, his friend says, what the hell are you doing? He says, “Praying”, the friend laughs, you are the worst sinner in the world, and you believe in prayers? The man tells him to shut up and stands up anyway, and calls every one to join him in the prayer.

After a long spiel, he says Dear God, we seek your help, please calm the waters down and save our lives….

Fifteen minutes later, the storm subsides and the boat safely reaches the coast, after everyone got off the boat, they fell on this man’s feet and praised him to no end… you are a saint, you are a man of God... and on and on, and the man was basking in the lavishes.

His friend pulls him over and screams in his ear, you liar, what if the storm had sunk us all?

The smirking chimp responds with a smile - then no one would have been there to question me, right?

The moral of the story is - a cunning man, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, a minister in Pakistan is offering a bounty of $100,000 on the maker of the Anti-Islamic film. He has got nothing to lose but gain from it because that bounty is as good as asking God to help win the Mega Million lottery.

New York Times reports, “A Pakistani cabinet minister on Saturday offered a $100,000 reward for the death of the person behind the anti-Islam video made in the United States that has roiled Muslims around the world, even suggesting that Taliban and Al Qaeda militants could carry out the killing.

The next one in line would be President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, who is losing out in Iran with the sanctions, and the only way out for him is to show to his people that he fears no one but God, and he will get a fatwa issued on the film maker as if it is a heroic thing, and a few will fall for it.
 

A few idiots in American politics may be hatching schemes to turn Obama upside down, and may get a few fake threats issued by the numerous, dime a dozen repugnant radical Al-Qaeda type of gangs, upon which I hope Obama will not act in-judiciously to prove that he is macho man.

Romney may have nothing to lose like that man on the boat, and say, “If I am the president, I will bomb them to Oblivion” and make Obama look weak. Romney may win my support, if he were to say, “If I am the president, I will emulate President Obama, and chase those bad individuals and get them, just like the President got Bin Laden and Awalaki, instead of bombing the countries to smithereens and screwing up America, and American economy." Would he do that?
 

I urge men and women on the right, particularly Limbaugh, Coulter and my friend Sean Hannity, not to make a political capital out of this. It will encourage more chaos, and it is not good for America. Let Romney and Obama fight on their character and abilities. Let the best one for America win. I am a Republican and I want the best man (at this time, next time, I pray it would be a woman) to run this nation. Romney has a lot of explaining to do to come close to Obama at this point. We do need some one who can turn things around or at least not screw it up.

President Obama and Hilary Clinton did not apologize to any one over the violent incidents in the Middle East, they simply pointed out to the Pakistani public through their adverstiments videos that the movie was disgusting, that we respect the sentiments of people of faith. The movie was not supported by America, it was made by a looney and we have to freedom in our country.

We have to watch out for the fatwas and the political schemes and not reactunnecessarily, its a game to them and we don't need to get sucked into the fakies

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest onSean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly atHuffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blogwww.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily.