Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and around the globe: religious accommodations, Shabab's attack on a Kenyan university, and changing demographics.
BERKLEY CENTER IN THE NEWS
Don’t Wreck Religious Liberty’s Brand
by EJ Dionne
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/bad-for-the-brand-of-religious-liberty/2015/04/01/904973da-d8a0-11e4-b3f2-607bd612aeac_story.html
Religious-liberty exceptions that have been carefully thought through make good sense. They involve balancing when it is appropriate to exempt religious people from laws of general application and when it isn’t. But turning religious liberty into a sweeping slogan that can be invoked to resist any social change that some group of Americans doesn’t like will create a backlash against all efforts at accommodating religion. Forgive me, but this is bad for the brand of religious liberty.
AROUND THE WORLD
Shabab Attack on a Kenya University Kills 147, Officials Say
by Ismail Kushkush and Rukmini Callimachi
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/world/africa/garissa-university-college-shooting-in-kenya.html?ref...
The Shabab, an extremist group based in Somalia and affiliated with Al Qaeda, issued a statement through a radio station it controls claiming responsibility for the attack. It said its fighters attacked the university early Thursday morning, began separating Muslims from non-Muslims and started an “operation against the infidels.” The group said in its statement that its fighters were still inside the university.
There Will be Almost as Many Muslims as Christians in the World by 2050
by Ishaan Tharoor
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/04/02/chart-there-will-be-almost-as-many-musl...
A new study released Thursday by the Pew Research Center projected the populations of the world's major religions over the next four decades. It reports, among many other findings, that Islam is the world's fastest growing religion and that the global population of Muslims will nearly match that of the world's Christians by 2050.
Can a Muslim President Defeat Boko Haram? Nigerians are Betting on It
by Fredrick Nzwili
Religion New Service
http://www.religionnews.com/2015/04/01/can-muslim-president-defeat-boko-haram-nigerians-betting/
Muhammadu Buhari, 72, a former military ruler and a Muslim, beat incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, 57, a Christian from the country’s south, in a race held under the shadow of Boko Haram violence. Not all Nigerians are happy with Buhari’s election, given his past human-rights record as president from January 1984 to August 1985. But Nigerians, both Christian and Muslim, hope he is better-suited to battle Boko Haram, despite being a Muslim himself.
Russia Shuts Down TV Station Serving Crimean Tatars
by Neil MacFarquhar
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/world/europe/russia-shuts-down-tv-station-serving-crimean-tatars.h...
There are about 300,000 Tatars, who are Muslims, among the two million people in Crimea, and local officials openly accuse Tatars of working against Russian interests.
Khamenei's Heir
by Akbar Ganji
Foreign Affairs
http://fam.ag/1Cz5Tah
Securing a Supreme Succession in Iran.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s ‘Heretic’
by Susan Dominus
New York Times book review
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/books/review/ayaan-hirsi-alis-heretic.html
Unquestionably, Hirsi Ali poses challenging questions about whether American liberals should be fighting harder for the rights of Muslim women in countries where they are oppressed, and she is fearless in using shock tactics to jump-start a conversation. Blasphemy is an essential part of any religious reform, she argues, and defends her right to speak bluntly. “I have taken an enormous risk by answering the call for self-reflection,” Hirsi Ali has said, in response to critics who find her tone abrasive. “I have been convinced more than ever that I must say it in my way only and have my criticism.” There is no denying that her words are brave. Whether they are persuasive is another matter.
Judaism and the Twice-Born
by Kelsey Osgood
New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/judaism-and-the-twice-born
Reflection on a new book, "All Who Go Do Not Return" by Shulem Deen.
The UN's War on Israel
by Ron Prosor
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/opinion/united-in-ignominy.html?ref=opinion
The problem with the United Nations is that the leaders of many of its member states do not rule with the consent of the governed. Instead, they use the body as a forum to deflect attention from their own ruthless rule. In so doing, they turn a stage for courageous statecraft into a tragic theater of the absurd.
DOMESTIC
Arkansas Governor to Discuss Religious Liberty Bill
by Mark Berman
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/04/01/arkansas-governor-to-discuss-religious-...
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said Wednesday morning he will not sign a controversial religious liberty bill, saying he wants lawmakers to recall the bill and change it so that it more closely resembles federal law.
Religious Liberty Protestions Promote Tolerance
by Edwin Meese and Ryan Anderson
Washington Post op-ed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/religious-liberty-protections-promote-tolerance/2015/04/01/4f...
Religious-liberty protections are one way of achieving civil peace even amid disagreement. The United States is a pluralistic society. To protect that pluralism and the rights of all Americans, of whatever faith they may practice, religious-liberty laws are good policy. Liberals committed to tolerance should embrace them.
Don’t Wreck Religious Liberty’s Brand
by EJ Dionne
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/bad-for-the-brand-of-religious-liberty/2015/04/01/904973da-d8a0-11e4-b3f2-607bd612aeac_story.html
Religious-liberty exceptions that have been carefully thought through make good sense. They involve balancing when it is appropriate to exempt religious people from laws of general application and when it isn’t. But turning religious liberty into a sweeping slogan that can be invoked to resist any social change that some group of Americans doesn’t like will create a backlash against all efforts at accommodating religion. Forgive me, but this is bad for the brand of religious liberty.
AROUND THE WORLD
Shabab Attack on a Kenya University Kills 147, Officials Say
by Ismail Kushkush and Rukmini Callimachi
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/world/africa/garissa-university-college-shooting-in-kenya.html?ref...
The Shabab, an extremist group based in Somalia and affiliated with Al Qaeda, issued a statement through a radio station it controls claiming responsibility for the attack. It said its fighters attacked the university early Thursday morning, began separating Muslims from non-Muslims and started an “operation against the infidels.” The group said in its statement that its fighters were still inside the university.
There Will be Almost as Many Muslims as Christians in the World by 2050
by Ishaan Tharoor
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/04/02/chart-there-will-be-almost-as-many-musl...
A new study released Thursday by the Pew Research Center projected the populations of the world's major religions over the next four decades. It reports, among many other findings, that Islam is the world's fastest growing religion and that the global population of Muslims will nearly match that of the world's Christians by 2050.
Can a Muslim President Defeat Boko Haram? Nigerians are Betting on It
by Fredrick Nzwili
Religion New Service
http://www.religionnews.com/2015/04/01/can-muslim-president-defeat-boko-haram-nigerians-betting/
Muhammadu Buhari, 72, a former military ruler and a Muslim, beat incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, 57, a Christian from the country’s south, in a race held under the shadow of Boko Haram violence. Not all Nigerians are happy with Buhari’s election, given his past human-rights record as president from January 1984 to August 1985. But Nigerians, both Christian and Muslim, hope he is better-suited to battle Boko Haram, despite being a Muslim himself.
Russia Shuts Down TV Station Serving Crimean Tatars
by Neil MacFarquhar
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/world/europe/russia-shuts-down-tv-station-serving-crimean-tatars.h...
There are about 300,000 Tatars, who are Muslims, among the two million people in Crimea, and local officials openly accuse Tatars of working against Russian interests.
Khamenei's Heir
by Akbar Ganji
Foreign Affairs
http://fam.ag/1Cz5Tah
Securing a Supreme Succession in Iran.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s ‘Heretic’
by Susan Dominus
New York Times book review
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/books/review/ayaan-hirsi-alis-heretic.html
Unquestionably, Hirsi Ali poses challenging questions about whether American liberals should be fighting harder for the rights of Muslim women in countries where they are oppressed, and she is fearless in using shock tactics to jump-start a conversation. Blasphemy is an essential part of any religious reform, she argues, and defends her right to speak bluntly. “I have taken an enormous risk by answering the call for self-reflection,” Hirsi Ali has said, in response to critics who find her tone abrasive. “I have been convinced more than ever that I must say it in my way only and have my criticism.” There is no denying that her words are brave. Whether they are persuasive is another matter.
Judaism and the Twice-Born
by Kelsey Osgood
New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/judaism-and-the-twice-born
Reflection on a new book, "All Who Go Do Not Return" by Shulem Deen.
The UN's War on Israel
by Ron Prosor
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/opinion/united-in-ignominy.html?ref=opinion
The problem with the United Nations is that the leaders of many of its member states do not rule with the consent of the governed. Instead, they use the body as a forum to deflect attention from their own ruthless rule. In so doing, they turn a stage for courageous statecraft into a tragic theater of the absurd.
DOMESTIC
Arkansas Governor to Discuss Religious Liberty Bill
by Mark Berman
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/04/01/arkansas-governor-to-discuss-religious-...
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said Wednesday morning he will not sign a controversial religious liberty bill, saying he wants lawmakers to recall the bill and change it so that it more closely resembles federal law.
Religious Liberty Protestions Promote Tolerance
by Edwin Meese and Ryan Anderson
Washington Post op-ed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/religious-liberty-protections-promote-tolerance/2015/04/01/4f...
Religious-liberty protections are one way of achieving civil peace even amid disagreement. The United States is a pluralistic society. To protect that pluralism and the rights of all Americans, of whatever faith they may practice, religious-liberty laws are good policy. Liberals committed to tolerance should embrace them.
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