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Freedom is a human idea -- Alleluia!
In light of the continuing political uprising throughout the Middle East, American leaders are reported to be recalculating their approach to the Muslim world.
Politico's Ben Smith wrote this week that the Obama administration "clearly sees an opportunity," signaling "that they're hoping the changes in Tunisia and Egypt spread, and that they're going to align themselves far more clearly with the young, relatively secular masses" in countries like Iran, Algeria and Lebanon.
Is this a new moment for American relations with Muslim countries? Is freedom a religious or secular idea?
Freedom is both a religious and a secular idea -- it is a human idea!
For me, the idea of freedom comes from affirming that every human being reflects the actual image of God; that every person is made and called very good by a loving Creator and thus I desire freedom for every person to speak, to participate in society, and to pursue happiness.
My colleague on this panel, Eboo Patel, Executive Director of the Interfaith Youth Corps, recently described the human chain Egyptians formed around the Egypt Museum to protect it from potential harm during the tensions of the past three weeks. He called this effort "a beautiful symbol of a people's sense of their own historic dignity, a dignity that now seeks expression in democracy." That dignity is the soil from which the insistence upon freedom grows.
Starting from human dignity, there are many roads to the idea of freedom. I give thanks for all of them.
Recent weeks have shown us an unprecedented bubbling up of people power across the Middle East and there is no doubt that this holds immense promise for the establishment of democratic government where it has not been before.
So, how can this not be a new moment for American relations with Muslim countries?
As James Russell Lowell said in his 1845 hymn, "New occasions teach new duties." In the past, when America has forsaken our ideals on account of fear or desire for gain, we have disastrously let the world and ourselves down. This may be the moment the USA steps fully into the 21st century, shedding the polarities of the Cold War and its child, the War on Terror.
The youth in the Middle East, especially, offer us a new moment and one that is in blessed harmony with the natural inclinations of President Barack Obama in the realm of foreign policy. President Obama's potential in international affairs was honored by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee and now has been given an opportunity to be fulfilled.
So may President Obama have the courage to keep dreams and promises before us all, using whatever power he has to champion freedom where the people are rising up to claim these for themselves!
When religious and secular meet on the common human ground of dignity and freedom, as we are witnessing across the Middle East, I cry, "Alleluia!" And I rejoice when my government represents me well by joining in.
By
Janet Edwards
|
February 15, 2011; 3:10 PM ET
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Posted by: patmatthews | February 21, 2011 9:09 AM
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Posted by: IN_IT_WE_TRUST | February 17, 2011 8:00 PM
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I would hope also that the Egyptian people will choose a new government that will respect the human rights of all of its citizens; Muslim, Christian and Jew alike. But to do so will require that it reject the siren call of religious intolerance. Nothing prevents a devout Muslim from worshiping as he sees fit in the absence of Islamic law or sharia being imposed on all his fellow citizens, just as it is the case in America. The Muslim Brotherhood and those organizations like it must learn to respect the rights of all people of all faiths.
Unfortunately, religious intolerance can so often mask poor governance...as the religious extremists blame people from another faith rather than acknowledge their own corruption or failure to govern justly, efficiently and effectively. It is far too easy to cry "Death to Israel...Death to America" rather than to fire someone's stepbrother who stole ten million dollars from the national treasury and face the embarassment for one's family.
It's time for people to grow up and put aside jihad, sharia and terrorism.
Posted by: honorswar26 | February 17, 2011 1:49 PM
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"For me, the idea of freedom comes from affirming that every human being reflects the actual image of God"
Freedom exists in the minds of enslaved people everywhere. Religion enslaves people, with ideas that capture the human spirit instead of freeing the human spirit.
Moral and ethical values have failed the people with rules that enslave and control people instead of freeing people. Examples use of condoms by Catholics prohibited, planned parenthood illegal in Catholic Hospitals, and the list goes on of human degradation and human misery caused by Christian concepts meant to enslave people.
My mentor teaches, Religion is meant to free people, and not enslave them. priests and religious leaders place demands on their practitioners while they realize lives of great fortune, and the masses give monies to their great fortunate life styles.
This is not freedom, but a business to keep people poor and unhappy, while the minority get rich and comfortable; Catholic's, Christians, and Jewish. This is CAPITALISM at work.
take money from the poor and give it to the rich. I would not be proud of any church's outcomes creating misery in the people lives.