Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and around the globe: fighting anti-Semitism, Muslims in Myanmar, and American voters and religion.
BERKLEY CENTER IN THE NEWS
Pope Francis is Helping Church Reach World's 'Seekers,' Speakers say
by Cindy Wooden
CNS
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1500986.htm
Jose Casanova said the experts at the Rome conference started the "Faith in the Secular Age" project "with a sense of concern, a sense that the disjunctions (including between seekers and dwellers) were growing larger and there were no real avenues to address them within the church or between the church and outside the church." (...) The election of Pope Francis has created new opportunities to discuss ways to overcome the splits and heal the rifts, he said.
New Space for Pressure on Likud
by Drew Christiansen and Ra’fat Aldajani
National Catholic Reporter op-ed
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/new-space-pressure-likud
Netanyahu's words and actions since the early 1990s have finally put into sharp focus the de facto reality in Israeli and the occupied Palestinian territories, namely that the Israeli right-wing has absolutely no intention of withdrawing from an inch of occupied Palestinian land, much less midwifing the birth of a Palestinian state. The opportunity this presents is in an overdue fundamental realigning of US Israel-Palestine policy with US national interests and the international community.
AROUND THE WORLD
US and Israeli Jews Have Never Seen Eye to Eye
Jerusalem Post editorial
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Different-Jewries-394896
But it seems that in recent weeks, particularly following statements made by Benjamin Netanyahu on the eve of his victory in last Tuesday’s elections, the rift between the two largest Jewish centers in the world has grown.
How to Fight Anti-Semitism
by David Brooks
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/opinion/david-brooks-how-to-fight-anti-semitism.html?ref=opinion&_r=0
There are three major strains of anti-Semitism circulating, different in kind and virulence, and requiring different responses. Anti-Semitism in the Middle East can only be confronted with deterrence and force, at the level of fear, while in Europe the best response is quarantine and confrontation and in the United States, consciousness-raising can help non-anti-Semites understand the different forms of cancer in our midst.
Secularism With a Slightly Militant Edge
by Celestine Bohlen
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/world/europe/secularism-with-a-slightly-militant-edge.html?ref=todayspaper
Neutrality or enforced uniformity? France’s interpretation of secularism has always had a slightly militant edge, going beyond the standard formulas of separation of church and state, and freedom of religion.
How Saudi Arabia Turned Sweden’s Human Rights Criticisms Into an Attack on Islam
by Adam Taylor
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/03/24/how-saudi-arabia-turned-swedens-human-rights-criticisms-into-an-attack-on-islam/
After a rare public criticism of its human rights record by Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, Saudi Arabia is at diplomatic war with Sweden. Sweden, for its part, has cancelled a major arms deal with the Saudis.
Buddhist Monks Incite Hatred Against Muslims in Myanmar
by Sarah Judith Hofmann
Deutsche Welle
http://www.dw.de/buddhist-monks-incite-hatred-against-muslims-in-myanmar/a-18330839
Myanmar's constitution guarantees religious freedom. But some radical Buddhists have been railing against Muslims—a tendency which has reached the lawmakers by now.
Why Does the PKK Hesitate on the Path to Peace?
by Markar Esayan
Daily Sabah
http://www.dailysabah.com/columns/markar_esayan/2015/03/24/why-does-the-pkk-hesitate
The long-awaited letter of the imprisoned PKK leader, Abdullah Öcalan, was read out during the traditional celebration of the equinox marking the first day of spring. It was predicted that the letter would announce the decision to remove PKK armed forces from Turkey and to name a date for the peace congress, signaling that a meaningful process has begun. But this did not happen.
Pope Francis’ Holy Year
by Chrisopher Howse
Telegraph op-ed
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/11488971/Pope-Francis-calls-a-Holy-Year-just-in-the-nick-of-time.html
This is only the 29th Holy Year (depending on which count) since anything comparable was inaugurated in 1300. But what is the point of having any at all?
DOMESTIC
The Pulpit and the Ballot Box
New York Times Room for Debate
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/03/24/the-pulpit-and-the-ballot-box/voters-care-about-elected-officials-religion-in-the-wrong-way
Why do voters care about a candidate's religion? Does it matter?
Pope Francis is Helping Church Reach World's 'Seekers,' Speakers say
by Cindy Wooden
CNS
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1500986.htm
Jose Casanova said the experts at the Rome conference started the "Faith in the Secular Age" project "with a sense of concern, a sense that the disjunctions (including between seekers and dwellers) were growing larger and there were no real avenues to address them within the church or between the church and outside the church." (...) The election of Pope Francis has created new opportunities to discuss ways to overcome the splits and heal the rifts, he said.
New Space for Pressure on Likud
by Drew Christiansen and Ra’fat Aldajani
National Catholic Reporter op-ed
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/new-space-pressure-likud
Netanyahu's words and actions since the early 1990s have finally put into sharp focus the de facto reality in Israeli and the occupied Palestinian territories, namely that the Israeli right-wing has absolutely no intention of withdrawing from an inch of occupied Palestinian land, much less midwifing the birth of a Palestinian state. The opportunity this presents is in an overdue fundamental realigning of US Israel-Palestine policy with US national interests and the international community.
AROUND THE WORLD
US and Israeli Jews Have Never Seen Eye to Eye
Jerusalem Post editorial
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Different-Jewries-394896
But it seems that in recent weeks, particularly following statements made by Benjamin Netanyahu on the eve of his victory in last Tuesday’s elections, the rift between the two largest Jewish centers in the world has grown.
How to Fight Anti-Semitism
by David Brooks
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/opinion/david-brooks-how-to-fight-anti-semitism.html?ref=opinion&_r=0
There are three major strains of anti-Semitism circulating, different in kind and virulence, and requiring different responses. Anti-Semitism in the Middle East can only be confronted with deterrence and force, at the level of fear, while in Europe the best response is quarantine and confrontation and in the United States, consciousness-raising can help non-anti-Semites understand the different forms of cancer in our midst.
Secularism With a Slightly Militant Edge
by Celestine Bohlen
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/world/europe/secularism-with-a-slightly-militant-edge.html?ref=todayspaper
Neutrality or enforced uniformity? France’s interpretation of secularism has always had a slightly militant edge, going beyond the standard formulas of separation of church and state, and freedom of religion.
How Saudi Arabia Turned Sweden’s Human Rights Criticisms Into an Attack on Islam
by Adam Taylor
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/03/24/how-saudi-arabia-turned-swedens-human-rights-criticisms-into-an-attack-on-islam/
After a rare public criticism of its human rights record by Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, Saudi Arabia is at diplomatic war with Sweden. Sweden, for its part, has cancelled a major arms deal with the Saudis.
Buddhist Monks Incite Hatred Against Muslims in Myanmar
by Sarah Judith Hofmann
Deutsche Welle
http://www.dw.de/buddhist-monks-incite-hatred-against-muslims-in-myanmar/a-18330839
Myanmar's constitution guarantees religious freedom. But some radical Buddhists have been railing against Muslims—a tendency which has reached the lawmakers by now.
Why Does the PKK Hesitate on the Path to Peace?
by Markar Esayan
Daily Sabah
http://www.dailysabah.com/columns/markar_esayan/2015/03/24/why-does-the-pkk-hesitate
The long-awaited letter of the imprisoned PKK leader, Abdullah Öcalan, was read out during the traditional celebration of the equinox marking the first day of spring. It was predicted that the letter would announce the decision to remove PKK armed forces from Turkey and to name a date for the peace congress, signaling that a meaningful process has begun. But this did not happen.
Pope Francis’ Holy Year
by Chrisopher Howse
Telegraph op-ed
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/11488971/Pope-Francis-calls-a-Holy-Year-just-in-the-nick-of-time.html
This is only the 29th Holy Year (depending on which count) since anything comparable was inaugurated in 1300. But what is the point of having any at all?
DOMESTIC
The Pulpit and the Ballot Box
New York Times Room for Debate
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/03/24/the-pulpit-and-the-ballot-box/voters-care-about-elected-officials-religion-in-the-wrong-way
Why do voters care about a candidate's religion? Does it matter?
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