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What Egypt can teach America
Mike Huckabee, the conservative former Arkansas governor, this weekend said that he is concerned about Islam's role in Egypt's future. As On Faith panelist Reza Aslan this week noted, Huckabee has also called for Americans to "take this nation back for Christ" and, while running for president in 2008, declared that "what we need to do is to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards."
In America and in Egypt, should a majority religion inspire political life? How will Islam play a role in the struggles for democracy happening now in Egypt and other parts of the Muslim world?
When we look at the popular revolt that's exploding across Egypt, it's easy to ask only the simplest of questions. What do the Egyptian people want? And, would their overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak usher in an Islamic theocracy?
I believe we must be more nuanced in our thinking. After all, there is no "average" citizen of Cairo, anymore than there is an average citizen of Chicago. People protesting in the streets all across Egypt are young and old, men and women, rich and poor, liberal and conservative, Muslim and non-Muslim. There are as many different compulsions, beliefs and commitments in these crowds as there are in any community anywhere in the world.
All we know for sure is that they want change. The human predilection for greater freedom, after all, is irrepressible. Alas, how that wish plays out politically is always indeterminate.
What role will Islam play in the struggle for democracy? Is it only a choice between fundamentalist theocracy or a radical secularism? No. Again, we must look at things from a longer view. In the Middle East, there is a vast array of sensibilities. We shouldn't reduce what's happening in Cairo to a Muslim event, nor should we go to the opposite extreme, and think that Islam has nothing to do with it.
In fact, we must ask ourselves, what do we even mean when we say "Islam"? We must be exceedingly careful not to impose stereotypes. Within Islam there are a wide variety of beliefs, as there is a spectrum of faith within Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism or Christianity. If we fail to accord such broadmindedness to our consideration of Egypt, it will flatten the political landscape and hold up a cracked mirror to ourselves here in the United States.
For, I am often surprised and saddened when people equate Christianity in the United States with the theocratic impulses of the religious right. I am a progressive Christian, and my whole life is committed to bringing an inclusive stance on religious and political issues into the public square. (Call me a proud member of the religious left.) When people focus on America's religious right as the only Christians they know of, I disappear, as do the hundreds of earnest and committed students at Union Theological Seminary.
Faith plays a complicated role in the United States. We have debates, we allow freedom of speech -- even including such inflammatory talk about religion from politicians. Yet, we have a deep trust that we can best preserve our unity not by repressing dissent, but by allowing everyone's opinion to have an equal claim to our attention.
It is my prayer that this same, at times difficult, relationship between fervent faith and democratic openness can be preserved in Egypt.
By
Serene Jones
|
February 1, 2011; 6:02 PM ET
| Category:
Interfaith Relations
,
Islam
,
Religious pluralism
,
politics
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Posted by: jobandon | February 2, 2011 7:58 PM
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I'm an elitist and minority. We drink the bottle right from the sky. If you are not one of us, you can't become one of us. You can be happy, so keep kicking the can.
Posted by: jobandon | February 2, 2011 7:36 PM
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Posted by: jobandon | February 2, 2011 7:21 PM
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Swap recipes
http://www.drinkswap.com/liqueur/fruit/la-grande-passion-liqueur/browse/ingredients.htm
Posted by: jobandon | February 2, 2011 7:14 PM
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I'm not sure whether I buy the argument that "people are complicated" should be reassuring. We can identify the 'average' citizen, both of Cairo and of Chicago. While acknowledging that the situation is always more complicated then the average, we can make generalities - otherwise, social studies could never show us anything.
I am heartened by the reminder that there is no monolithic 'muslim', but I'm not convinced that fervent faith and democratic openness are necessarily a good path. Democracy may conjure up happy images, but it is all to easy for a fervent, religious and democratic nation to become repressive of non-conforming beliefs. Hopefully, Ms.Jones has a better handle on how diverse groups will tolerate one another then I do, but I fear for the minority, especially when you combine certainty with majority rule.
Posted by: Pellinore | February 2, 2011 7:08 PM
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Grandma Moses, I'm learning passion fruit and French Brandy make one fine libation. Mystery is why they left a bottle and a half behind.
Posted by: jobandon | February 2, 2011 7:02 PM
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With Christ there is no east or west. Tit is north and tat is south. It's always 5 o'clock someplace or as we say Happy Hour. I'm on the Swiss Watch list, wanted on several charges pending.
Posted by: jobandon | February 2, 2011 6:39 PM
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I studied it along with fall of Rome. Civil war or fall at the feet of patrician and ask to save our unhappy country. Egypt can teach that mistakes are repeated instead of learned from. Civil war isn't worth the price. Find a patrician and fall.
Posted by: jobandon | February 2, 2011 6:29 PM
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Egypt never got the Pharaoh Moses message. The framers knew it well, and incorporated it into our governmental policies and procedures Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill Rights. During the Pharaoh and G-d of Moses discussion where, Pharaoh was going tit for tat with Moses on who had all the power over the people. Moses finally was inspired to say "my G_d causes the sun to rise from the east, can you make it rise from the west"? The people of the Book: Christians, Muslims and Jews have the message, G_d is One. Like all of us whether we get it or not is another matter. We in America are uniquely blessed to have the opportunity to live the message through example.
Posted by: dmscontractor | February 2, 2011 2:26 PM
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This is a very fluid situation. When it comes to women, only the best will do. Lots will sat I do. I really do.