Pluralism News, week ending, Friday, May 4, 2018
Weekly Pluralism News, Friday, May 4, 2018
All of this can be also be accessed through www.PluralismNews.com
IN THIS ISSUE
- Articles to Reflect
- Festivals of May
- What is Pluralism?
- What do we do at the Center for Pluralism
- Officiating Interfaith Weddings
- Previous week’s News Letter
ARTICLES TO REFLECT
The following articles represent pluralism in religion, politics, society, culture, Gender and business.
Poisoning your children
The following piece presents the gross mistakes our parents have made in raising us, and we make in raising our children. The next piece would offer suggestions on how to raise socially fit kids. I hope you start envisioning the kind of society you would want to live in and start working towards achieving that vision. I have included sample pictures, and you can certainly find pictures of all groups on the net.
https://centerforpluralism.com/poisoning-your-children/
How do we tame Trumpism’s virulent nostalgia for an old status quo?
Indeed, it is a thoughtful article and many writers have alluded to the same facts, “racism of the kind suggesting that whites view minorities as morally or intellectually inferior, but rather, one that regards minorities as sufficiently powerful to be a threat to the status quo.” We responded with a full-fledged answer that in this article and also in our brochure. “https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillarys-last-ditch-effort-the-final-speech_us_581f90f8e4b0102262411963
Free and Fair Elections in India
The center for Pluralism was a co-sponsor of talk about Elections in India along with Federation of Indian American Christians of North America and organized by US India Policy Institute, all from Washington, D.C.
For the first time in human history, men and women decided who they want to be governed by, and what aspects of life the elected can rule, and what agenda they have to follow. Thanks to the United States for taking that bold step in 1776 and today more and more nations are developing that model, and tyrants, dictators, and monarch will be a thing of the past in a few decades. Let people decide what works for them.
It gave a lot of hope about Indian Elections knowing that they have proper checks and balances built into it. Dr. Quraish was the Chief Elections Commissioner of India and had instituted systems to safeguard free and fair elections. It was an excellent program! He allayed many apprehensions that people had about the free elections. The examples and anecdotes he shared make you admire the Democracy in India. Indeed, there were accusations by both the political parties in India that EVM’s, i.e., Electronic Voting Machines were manipulated by the other when they lost. There is no way it could happen, there is nothing more solid proof that after the Modi wave in 2014, AAP party won 67 out of the 70 assembly seats in New Delhi Assembly. As long as men like Dr. Qureshi and others honest guys like him run the government agencies, we can count on free and fair elections.
You can purchase a copy of his book, “An Undocumented Wonder – The making of Great Indian Election.” It is the largest managed event in the world with 900 million voters. As a pluralist what appealed to me was the extra steps the commission had taken under Dr. Qureshi’s leadership to be inclusive. He shares an anecdote of including the transgender community. I am proud of India but very concerned with the trends of dictatorship emerging in the Indian democracy without sufficient opposition. I hope the Indians, in their long-term interests, will add a strong opposition in both the houses of the parliament to ensure responsible government.
The Next Day Mrs. Ila Sharma, current Elections commissioner of Nepal appraised of the situation in Nepal. Indeed, Nepal may be the first country in the world where women have equal rights and are enforced. Every major office holders like President and VP, Mayor and Dy Mayor, are required to be a man and a woman team in varying combinations to fill in the positions, and 41% of their parliament members are women. She is a great spokesperson for Nepal. I think the United States will see a large number of gender representation this mid-term election.
Other nations matter to me, and I am concerned about the world in general, but my first obligation is to America, my homeland, and India, my motherland.
Psychology of reincarnation
Everything in creation is about balance and justice – all things find their balance. We are conditioned to see the truth, and most of us believe that no one goes scot free. The movies do a great job in bringing closure and usually satisfying the viewer as he or she walks out of the film. The villain invariably gets beat and or handcuffed while we regain our balance that justice was done.
https://centerforpluralism.com/psychology-of-reincarnation-and-life-here-after/
FESTIVALS OF MAY
When we live as neighbors, we might as well learn about each other. The best way to build cohesive societies is for its members to understand each other’s sorrows and joys, and festivities and commemorations. Wouldn’t it be nice if you know a little bit about your neighbor’s festival and perhaps invite them to your celebrations to start safe neighborhoods by understanding each other? Every human and every religious group celebrates something or the other in their way, each one is different, but the essence is same; celebrations and commemorations. A simple language is used for most people to get a gist of it. – https://centerforpluralism.com/festivals-of-may-2018/
WHAT IS PLURALISM?
Pluralism is an attitude of “Respecting the otherness of others” and “accepting the God-given the uniqueness of each one of us.” You are who you are, and I am who I am, neither one of us has to compromise the uniqueness of our faith, race, culture, nationality, and language. Our purpose is to acknowledge the differences and live with least conflicts.
What do we do at the Center for Pluralism
https://centerforpluralism.com/what-do-we-do-at-center-for-pluralism/
Pluralism is an attitude of “Respecting the otherness of others” and “accepting the God-given the uniqueness of each one of us.” You are who you are, and I am who I am, neither one of us has to compromise the uniqueness of our faith, race, culture, nationality, and language. Our purpose is to acknowledge the differences and live with least conflicts. Pluralism News is the weekly publication of the Center for Pluralism. You can access this anytime through www.PluralismNews.com. We will be happy to speak to your congregation, students, friends. We can conduct a workshop in building a cohesive community, workplace or society. Pluralism does not mean compromise or appeasement; it is simply a development of an attitude for living with others with least conflicts. Please email to [email protected]
INTERFAITH MARRIAGES
Marriage is indeed an expression of a commitment to s relationship between two individuals. The men and women who take the bold step to become one regardless of their origins, faiths, races, and ethnicities must be applauded. They are setting an example of how to live in harmony despite their differences. Interfaith marriages are becoming the new norm of the society. In a few years, one out of two unions would be of interfaith. Yes, this is across the board, whether you are a Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Baha’i, Atheist or the other. According to the Pew survey, 40% of people of faiths will be marrying a person of another religion; it is higher among Jews, it is 50%. Details at – www.InterfaithMarriages.org
DONATE
All this work takes time and effort. We are a non-profit organization and your donations are appreciated. Please donate https://centerforpluralism.com/donate/
Thank you
Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916
[email protected]
Mike’s mission is to open people’s hearts, minds, and souls towards each other. Knowledge leads to understanding, and understanding to the respect and acceptance of the uniqueness of others in building inclusive societies.
