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Archive: Pamela K. Taylor
King's hearings: barking up the wrong tree
I hope that the impassioned discussions the nation has had over the hearings will help convince many people there is little to fear from the American Muslim community.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 10, 2011; 09:48 AM ET | Comments (5)
A defining moment for US, Egypt and the Middle East
How the US responds to the surge of democratic aspiration in the Arab world will not only help shape the future of the region, but will also dictate the state of American relationships with the Arab world and the Muslim world for the next century.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 3, 2011; 06:39 PM ET | Comments (14)
Economics, human welfare inexctricably tied
In President Obama's meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao this week, should discussion of human rights and religious freedom be on par with economic and environmental issues, or should human rights and religious freedom be secondary matters? When President Obama...
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 18, 2011; 05:25 PM ET | Comments (5)
Taxes should be progressive
At a time when the government deficit is spiraling, the vast majority of individuals and families are still reeling from an economic recession that has ceased to hit the wealthy but continues to blast the working and middle classes, and income disparity is at the highest level since the Great Depression, then, yes, a tax cut for the wealthy is immoral.
By Pamela K. Taylor | December 17, 2010; 08:44 AM ET | Comments (7)
Marriage changing, but still valuable
Marriage is much more than simply a legal status.
By Pamela K. Taylor | December 10, 2010; 01:52 PM ET | Comments (69)
Obama's speech in Indonesia: reality overwhelms rhetoric
"No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust." This is perhaps the truest thing President Obama said in his speech last night at Indonesia University. A speech, after all, is just a speech. What counts are the actions that precede and follow that speech.
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 10, 2010; 12:40 PM ET | Comments (11)
Obama and the culture of fear
Facts have nothing to do with their perceptions of the President. The president has squandered, again and again, the opportunity to challenge the current culture of fear and fear-mongering that has gripped these American states.
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 9, 2010; 11:23 AM ET | Comments (34)
Atheism also a matter of faith
Faith is, obviously, a matter of faith. It's a belief that there is such a thing as God (or Gods). Atheism, also, is a matter of faith.
By Pamela K. Taylor | October 28, 2010; 12:43 PM ET | Comments (16)
Struggle between secularism and theocracy
The bastions of our secular democracy are under siege by forces that would like to see America become a Christian nation, making policy on what certain, usually conservative, Christian groups believe to be God's Law and His will. Only through secularism can civil society ensure the equality of all.
By Pamela K. Taylor | October 21, 2010; 02:04 PM ET | Comments (16)
We need frank conversations about 9-11 with Muslims
We need to have some very frank conversations about 9-11 itself and how we are coping with it. Much of the Muslim world, including sizable portions of the American Muslim population remain mired in the denial stage of grief. Thus the popularity of 9-11 conspiracy theories.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 7, 2010; 12:33 PM ET | Comments (48)
Wisdom lacking on all sides in Ground Zero mosque affair
It should have been obvious to the planners of the mosque/cultural center that it would be seen as inappropriate by large groups of Americans.
By Pamela K. Taylor | August 17, 2010; 01:10 PM ET | Comments (23)
Pray, give, don't eat, and travel
Each of the Islamic rituals represents a traveling away from worldly life, whether it be through a minor setting aside of time and mental focus such as the daily prayers, or by relinquishing our desires for material goods, or an actual journey to a different part of the earth.
By Pamela K. Taylor | August 11, 2010; 06:08 PM ET | Comments (1)
Compatibility more important than religion in marriage
I have been fortunate enough over the past year to find someone who shares my values, and who matches me in being open-minded, accepting and accommodating. He isn't Muslim and while he may not pray the way I do, or fast for Ramadan (both of which could be said of many Muslims), he supports me expressing my spirituality in my own way. What could be a better basis for a long-term relationship than that, regardless of what faiths we might pertain to?
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 26, 2010; 04:10 PM ET | Comments (41)
How far away would be far enough?
At the same time, a mega cultural center and mosque just blocks away from a place where Muslims (no matter that I think they are wrong in their interpretation) killed thousands of my fellow countrymen seemed at best callous, and at worst an in-your-face ostentation.
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 20, 2010; 11:07 AM ET | Comments (38)
The morass that is Afghanistan
If we want to make the situation right, a situation that in all honesty we helped bring about, starting decades ago with our support of warlords and religious fanatics in their fight against the Russians, we have to be prepared not only to be in Afghanistan as a stabilizing military/police force for a long, long time, but also as a force for reconstruction.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 30, 2010; 09:10 PM ET | Comments (17)
Gaza, Israel, and a new way forward
Jews and Muslims (and others) living in Israel and Palestine must ask themselves which vision of their religion and its values will get them to the peace everyone so thoroughly desires.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 9, 2010; 10:18 AM ET | Comments (21)
Immigration and the brotherhood of man
Illegal immigrants do not flock to America because they want to be American, but because it is impossible to earn enough money in their home countries to take care of their families.
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 27, 2010; 08:32 AM ET | Comments (5)
Abortion and Islamic thought
Individuals involved in the situation about abortion must be allowed to make their own moral choices. That position is, ultimately, a feminist position -- one that respects women's agency and their ability to make moral decisions. It is also, ultimately, a position that is comfortable within my faith tradition.
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 19, 2010; 10:13 AM ET | Comments (47)
Religion should play no role in Supreme Court nomination
With the confirmation of Elena Kagan as the newest Supreme Court Justice, the court will have no Protestants. It will also have no Muslims, Buddhists, or Atheists (at least no avowed ones). Fine. Justices are sworn to uphold the Constitution, not their personal religious beliefs.
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 11, 2010; 01:39 PM ET | Comments (17)
The Pentagon's duty to all faiths
Our forces are engaged with and cooperating with Muslim forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. We train Muslim policemen and Muslim soldiers. How will our servicemen relate to the men and women they are supposed to trust their lives to, if the highest echelons of their military chain of command endorse a man who tells them those very people follow Satan, and are evil?
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 27, 2010; 07:09 AM ET | Comments (13)
Islam, sex and moderation
Sex is seen as a blessing of God upon humankind, an act not only for procreation, but also for physical enjoyment and for bringing spouses closer to one another. But like most blessings, too much of a good thing can become harmful, so Islam places limits on, and offers suggestions for, healthy sexual relationships.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 22, 2010; 12:21 PM ET | Comments (23)
Faith without social justice is hollow
Social Justice is an integral part of the religious life of the Muslim. It is clear that the faithful are not supposed to spend their days purely in worship and contemplation of the Divine, but rather to get out and make the world a better place.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 13, 2010; 07:23 AM ET | Comments (5)
Heavenly delights
Heaven seems far too generous a reward for a few years of belief and being a good person. Even more so, Hell seems a disproportionate punishment for even a lifetime of barbarism. And yet the Qur'an is quite adamant about the truth of Heaven and Hell.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 23, 2010; 07:16 AM ET | Comments (8)
Religious groups shouldn't be getting tax money
The real question here should be why the heck is our government giving money to churches (or synagogues or mosques or any other religious organization) in the first place? In my opinion, it should not be.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 11, 2010; 04:06 PM ET | Comments (8)
Repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" long overdue
It is unconscionable that gay service members can be fired simply for being honest about who they are. Competence, excellence in job performance, and dedication to the service should be what determines a soldier's career path, not sexual orientation which has no impact at all upon how well they perform the tasks set for them.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 9, 2010; 08:40 AM ET | Comments (42)
If you've got the money, you can buy the ad
Are we going to move away from the historical stance that abortion is a private moral choice rather than a public one? That decision, that change, deserves a long and serious public conversation. If a pro-life ad during the Super Bowl kicks off that discussion, well, good for the pro-lifers, whether you agree with position or not.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 3, 2010; 11:27 AM ET | Comments (12)
Obama, Christ and Muhammad
In Obama, Americans like me were looking for a savior -- not a religious savior to save our souls, but a political one to save our country. The American president has no business worrying about the souls of the American people, that is not his job.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 27, 2010; 06:07 AM ET | Comments (15)
Blasphemy should be protected speech
Ireland's law against blasphemy is as wrong-headed as calls from the Muslim world for a UN treaty to protect religions from mockery. Ridicule, insult, biting sarcasm, invective, and heretical, blasphemous words -- everything that these groups object to -- are important parts of freedom of expression and freedom of conscience.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 6, 2010; 09:42 AM ET | Comments (29)
War to spread faith unjust and unholy
Obama has said that no holy war can be just, but I would turn that on its head: only just war can be holy. Clearly the Jihadis have abandoned just warfare, and all pretense at holiness. In either case, the more standard notion of holy war -- a war in order to spread one's faith -- is neither just nor holy by the standards set forth in the Qur'an, and the humanist ethics most of us adhere to.
By Pamela K. Taylor | December 24, 2009; 08:58 AM ET | Comments (3)
Obamas at Christmas: Balancing public and personal
If Obama wants to display a creche as part of his personal and family religious practice, that should be OK, and it can be done in the private sections of the White House. But for the Presidency to display the creche and to have a Christmas Tree is a different matter, one that is not nearly so clear cut.
By Pamela K. Taylor | December 8, 2009; 10:43 AM ET | Comments (12)
Hasan's calculated distortions of Islam
Hasan's 2007 distorted presentation on Islam clearly was a calculated attempt to get himself out of the Army.
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 11, 2009; 09:04 AM ET | Comments (63)
This about Islam or Islamophobia?
Until we know more about Maj. Nidal's motives we should not jump to conclusions, and certainly we should not declare that he had religious/political motivations simply because he was Muslim.
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 6, 2009; 08:51 AM ET | Comments (32)
End of life decisions are a personal choice
Would counseling have helped those of us who loved him cope with the horrible choices my grandfather had to make? Absolutely. We were reeling with shock and loss, devastated by the rapid deterioration of a beloved relative, and the sure knowledge that we had a very short time to be with him. While we honored and respected his choice, that did not make it easy to live with. (Again, much the same could be said if he had chosen to prolong his life).
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 5, 2009; 10:49 PM ET | Comments (0)
Morality: a central component of humanity
Divine guidance reminds us to listen to our heart, and to think about how we would want to be treated and to then treat others that way, to use our intellect for good, rather than for selfish ends. It also gives direction where reason and emotion may conflict, or where reason may provide competing answers to the question "Which is the best path?" or "Which is the good path?"
By Pamela K. Taylor | October 30, 2009; 01:11 AM ET | Comments (2)
Motivation matters in criminal cases
At the same time as it punishes particularly nasty crimes proportionately, the demarcation of hate crimes and added penalties for them sends a clear message that bigotry, racism, homophobia, etc are not acceptable in our society.
By Pamela K. Taylor | October 21, 2009; 10:35 AM ET | Comments (5)
An Example of How Islam Can Help Afghanistan
We will no doubt make far more strides toward democracy, personal dignity, and basic civil and human rights for Afghani citizens by helping people like Edhi than we will fighting the Taliban.
By Pamela K. Taylor | October 7, 2009; 08:51 AM ET | Comments (8)
Fear-Mongering Not the Answer to Fear
While religious authorities have to deal with threats to their congregation in a serious and conscientious manner, they also need to be careful that they do not engage in fear-mongering.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 9, 2009; 03:05 PM ET | Comments (6)
Teaching Religions (Plural) in Public Education
To teach history without reference to religion is simply to skip part of history. At the same time, we cannot let the advocates of certain religious doctrines rewrite history as a mirror of their own desires or understanding.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 1, 2009; 09:40 AM ET | Comments (4)
The Fellowship of Ramadan
Ramadan is an annual reminder of just how powerful the human will -- and human fellowship -- can be.
By Pamela K. Taylor | August 21, 2009; 05:38 PM ET | Comments (21)
Marriage: Both Civil and Religious
Because no one is forced to follow a particular faith, or to join a particular church, we should not require churches to sanction marriages which they believe go against their beliefs.
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 31, 2009; 06:15 PM ET | Comments (7)
WISE Muslim Women
Muslim women don't want equity, or parity, they want equality with men and nothing less. They are working for it daily.
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 28, 2009; 03:11 PM ET | Comments (19)
Male Truths, Female Consequences
In the Muslim world, religious patriarchy has intersected with social conservatism, political and theological totalitarianism, and reactionary resistance to political, economic and cultural colonialism to create devastating consequences for women's lives.
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 22, 2009; 08:29 AM ET | Comments (4)
Justice is Color-Blind
A Court comprised uniquely of white male Protestants is far more likely to come up with prejudicial rulings than one which has a variety of races, ethnicities, genders, classes, and religious backgrounds.
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 16, 2009; 11:13 AM ET | Comments (31)
Burqas, Bikinis and Debasing Women
Ah, the burqa. Amazing how a small piece of cloth can create such strong feelings and entangle so many issues!
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 25, 2009; 04:12 PM ET | Comments (103)
Shooting Should Make us Angry and Ashamed
The shootings echo both the attempted bombing of two New York synagogues by Muslim extremists a few weeks ago and the recent murder of Dr. Tiller.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 10, 2009; 06:02 PM ET | Comments (3)
Liberty for All: New Hampshire's Gay Marriage Law
If it sets people's minds at ease, if it makes marriage equality possible, then there is no harm in including clauses that reiterate the fact that the government cannot tell clergy how to run their churches.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 9, 2009; 12:12 PM ET | Comments (5)
Obama's Brilliant Beginning
President Obama's speech in Cairo was brilliant. It took a necessary leap forward in rhetoric, demonstrating that when Obama said he wants a relationship based on mutual respect, he meant what he was saying. Let's hope that in the upcoming months and years, his words are backed by concrete action.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 8, 2009; 10:40 AM ET | Comments (10)
Faith, Justifiable Homicide and Civil Disobedience
To be sure, there are some who will be lauding Roeder as a hero, while the rest of us recoil in horror, lament the death of Dr.Tiller, offer his family and friends our condolences, and struggle to clarify our moral lines, to tease out the general principles that will allow us to definitively place Roeder on the side of wrong, and our heroes on the side of right.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 1, 2009; 02:13 PM ET | Comments (51)
Celibate Clergy and the Reins of Power
Insisting that only celibate males are fit to lead a congregation not only sets up a patriarchal hierarchy of power where women are always in the bottom, but also degrades the basic human worth of half the human population.
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 13, 2009; 08:16 AM ET | Comments (10)
Obama's Chance and Challenge
Obama's handling of Afghanistan, Pakistan, the withdrawal from Iraqi, the US relationship with Iran and dictatorial governments across the Muslim world will all hold far more weight than any speeches he makes.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 14, 2009; 11:38 AM ET | Comments (30)
The Truth of Satan's Sin
Satan's sin, that of pride and arrogance, is the underlying evil that leads to pretty much every other sin.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 30, 2009; 09:41 AM ET | Comments (4)
Aasiya Zubair Hassan, Domestic Violence and Islam
To be sure, domestic violence is indeed against the teachings of Islam, and murder of family members is especially repugnant. It is fact, nonetheless, that the Qur'an and hadith have been used to foster a culture of patriarchy so absolute that many Muslim men perceive it as their right to expect abject obedience from their wives.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 27, 2009; 10:27 AM ET | Comments (118)
Freedom of Speech Includes Holocaust Deniers
Holocaust deniers have the right to their opinion, just like any one else does. They have the right to publicly declare their opinions, to publish them, and promote them. In response, the rest of us have the right, even the duty, to disagree with them, and to take them to task for shoddy history, or religious/racist prejudice.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 6, 2009; 08:08 AM ET | Comments (29)
Start by Listening to the Real Muslim World
Obama is off to a good start. He seems to realize that the vast majority of the Muslim world aspires to the same American values of freedom of speech and democracy. It is American foreign policy, and perceived double standards that angers them.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 28, 2009; 08:05 AM ET | Comments (103)
Multiple Prayers at the Inauguration
Government should avoid bringing religion into official business. If the President-to-be-sworn-in wants to acknowledge his personal feelings about the roll of God in the election and his upcoming presidency, then he can offer prayers before he goes to the event, or host a private religious service.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 16, 2009; 01:14 PM ET | Comments (9)
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Political, not Religious
It is not Hamas's understanding of Islam that make them hate Israel, it is the fact that they are a dispossessed people, a people who's land was given away by Europeans, stolen from them more often than not at gun point.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 13, 2009; 12:00 AM ET | Comments (17)
Strange Bedfellows: Rick Warren, Melissa Etheridge and MPAC
The unlikely pairing of Warren and Etheridge at the MPAC dinner gives me hope that maybe we are entering an era where even the most staunch opponents can find the common ground that unites them and work there, rather than cutting themselves off into smaller and smaller ghettos of like-minded activists.
By Pamela K. Taylor | December 24, 2008; 01:04 PM ET | Comments (1)
Quranic Values as an Inspiration for Gay Marriage
It may be a radical reading to use the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet to justify gay marriage, but to me it is the only one which upholds the fundamental Islamic ideals of fairness, equality of all human beings, compassion and mercy.
By Pamela K. Taylor | December 14, 2008; 11:38 AM ET | Comments (60)
One President Can't Change the World
Unfortunately, the most important part of the battle against extremism -- fostering a culture that frowns on bigotry, intolerance, and narrow-mindedness -- is something President-elect Obama has little control over, except in our own country.
By Pamela K. Taylor | December 8, 2008; 06:33 AM ET | Comments (10)
Government Should Leave God Out of Thanksgiving
There are many ways to be thankful -- and the government would be best to simply recognize a day of Thanksgiving without specifying to whom.
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 21, 2008; 07:03 AM ET | Comments (16)
Compassion is a Universal Value
God is not only Loving and Compassionate -- She is also Splendorous, Majestic, Just, the Giver of Life and the Taker of Life, The Judge and the Ruler of all that is in the Heavens and the Earth.
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 17, 2008; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (17)
The Diversity of America
Obama's message of hope and change also resonated loudly with young people, minorities and average Americans.
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 7, 2008; 11:20 AM ET | Comments (15)
Abortion Rights Pose a Multitude of Moral Dilemmas
My emotions and my conscience steadfastly reject abortion. It is quite clear that life begins at conception. There are cases, however, where abortion is called for, but where to draw the line quickly turns into a slippery slope, one where women's agency can become subsumed by well-meaning doctors or governmental regulation.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 25, 2008; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (20)
Women as Leaders Anywhere a Challenge to Partiarchy Everywhere
In one bold swoop, a woman delivering the Friday sermon and leading the prayers undermines each one of the assumptions that leads to gender discrimination.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 4, 2008; 07:47 AM ET | Comments (14)
Forgiving is Only the Beginning
If, as a society, we want to deal with the havoc extramarital affairs are wreaking upon our families, then we need to deal with that on a societal level -- not demand that individual women make the choices that would punish men who engage in infidelity.
By Pamela K. Taylor | August 26, 2008; 09:20 AM ET | Comments (10)
Living in a Multifaith Military
The ACLU's request to end prayers during mandatory meals at the U.S. Naval Academy represents an acknowledgment of the increasingly diverse spiritual and religious needs of our service men and women.
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 25, 2008; 02:37 AM ET | Comments (9)
Atheists, Pew, and Webster's
"Atheists" who believe in God, one suspects, prefer not to be identified with a particular religious group. So too, "agnostics" who are really non-churched Christians prefer not to be identified with a popular notion of Christianity.
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 7, 2008; 09:57 AM ET | Comments (33)
Islam and the Destiny of Man
This book was the lens through which I read the Qur'an and understood the Prophet's life, and was almost singlehandedly responsible for my conversion.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 26, 2008; 09:24 AM ET | Comments (116)
Sound Bites Replacing Thought, Truth
It is a sad fact of our society today that sound bites make up most of what we know about people, places and events. It is also a sad fact of politics in America that any tactic seems acceptable to discredit political candidates, whether it be rumor and innuendo, hyperbole or guilt by association.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 5, 2008; 11:31 AM ET | Comments (70)
Equal Rights for All Includes Marital Rights
Given the context of Islam's insistence on sex taking place only within a solemnized relationship, the need for marriage to be inclusive becomes clear. Otherwise the Qur'an would be condemning a significant portion of the world's populace to celibacy or sin.
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 22, 2008; 11:46 AM ET | Comments (19)
The Gary Hart Factor
Much of the apathy of the American voter can be laid at the feet of dishonest politicking. Many a non-voter has said to me "Why bother? They say what they think you want to hear during the campaign, and do what they like when they get in office."
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 12, 2008; 08:35 AM ET | Comments (14)
McCain, Parsley, Islamophobia and Politics
With increasing numbers of Muslims living in Western countries, Islam is no longer something that happens "over there" but a phenomenon that these preachers must cope with in their own backyards.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 8, 2008; 06:31 AM ET | Comments (22)
Spiritual Guidance
I am glad that Barak Obama took a bold stand in support of his pastor and has used the opportunity to raise issues about race relations in our country, issues that are far too often swept under the rug.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 18, 2008; 08:22 AM ET | Comments (12)
E-mail Morality
It seems that many people say things in E-mail they would never hand write or say to someone face to face, largely due to this anonymity.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 13, 2008; 08:02 AM ET | Comments (35)
The Glory of Individual Empowerment
When people ask me, how can you be American and Muslim, I can truthfully answer that my Muslim identity profoundly affirms the values that I grew up with as an American.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 29, 2008; 09:38 AM ET | Comments (56)
One Land, One Law
The communities that push for religious law, generally speaking, offer far fewer protections and rights to women than we enjoy under secular American law. Are we willing to accept second class status for some American women?
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 13, 2008; 09:36 AM ET | Comments (64)
Another Travesty in the Name of Islam
There is much wrong with what happened to this young man, not just in terms of basic human and civil rights, but also in terms of blatant violations of Islamic morality and legal codes. Even if Sayed had energetically propounded the opinions expressed in the article, that is no sin.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 1, 2008; 03:57 PM ET | Comments (144)
When Leaders Fail Us
A failure in Muslim leadership has resulted in horrific violence and atrocious living conditions for millions and millions of Muslims around the globe, and is also responsible for much of the rising tide of Islamophobia that plagues certain groups in the West.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 30, 2008; 07:58 AM ET | Comments (69)
Pride and Other All-Consuming Sins
Americans in particular consume excessively (both in terms of gluttony and lust, and in terms of electricity, gas, and other natural resources) while giving only a pittance to the poor of the world.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 16, 2008; 06:08 AM ET | Comments (69)
Life as a Minority Isn't What it Used to Be
We have Iftars at the White House, a congressman who is Muslim, and a presidential candidate who is not only black but also attended madrassa as a child.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 14, 2008; 11:50 AM ET | Comments (22)
Faith is One Door to Good Works
I wish people who get hysterical about teddy bears or cartoons would put their energy into good works that help people.
By Pamela K. Taylor | December 13, 2007; 11:41 AM ET | Comments (82)
Public Sins and Private Sins
The Prophet was quite clear that there is no sin so grave that it is unforgivable, with the sole exception of idolatry
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 30, 2007; 02:39 PM ET | Comments (99)
Forgive as You Would Like to be Forgiven
This simple request for forgiveness has always touched me as a great act of humility and a beautiful expression of a core Islamic value. That of humility.
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 19, 2007; 04:24 PM ET | Comments (124)
First Parents, Then Community
It is mind-boggling that Hollywood starlets can boost their busts and erase their wrinkles while thousands of children can see medical professionals only in emergency situations
By Pamela K. Taylor | November 1, 2007; 02:26 PM ET | Comments (16)
Science Educates, Religion Motivates
Science equips us with the knowledge of what is wrong, and how to fix it. Religion, hopefully, gives us even greater motivation to fix it.
By Pamela K. Taylor | October 25, 2007; 08:35 AM ET | Comments (281)
Only Part of the Story
Religion can indeed be, "violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism and tribalism and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children." It does not, however, have to be.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 28, 2007; 07:08 AM ET | Comments (67)
Smear Tactics
How we can work toward a world that doesn't need pejorative labels for people who hold slightly different beliefs.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 21, 2007; 09:30 AM ET | Comments (93)
Times of Renewal
Today is both the beginning of Ramadan and Rosh Hashanah....
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 13, 2007; 05:21 PM ET | Comments (7)
Re-Examine Your Faith
Muslim terrorists and modern day jihadists need realize they have become an evil festering in Islam and in the world at large.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 13, 2007; 06:44 AM ET | Comments (62)
Doubt Goes Hand in Hand with Faith
The apparent abandonment by God of the poor and the helpless would be enough to shake the faith of anyone.
By Pamela K. Taylor | September 10, 2007; 10:07 AM ET | Comments (93)
Ar-Rahman, the All Merciful
Scripture, it seems to me, ought to reflect the beauty of God's love and grace as much as nature.
By Pamela K. Taylor | August 20, 2007; 10:27 AM ET | Comments (208)
Balance of Rights
Patients should not be required to accept treatments that they consider immoral.
By Pamela K. Taylor | August 10, 2007; 11:56 AM ET | Comments (45)
Implementing the First Amendment
In the case of prayers at public, governmental gatherings, I believe religion really has no place.
By Pamela K. Taylor | August 6, 2007; 08:50 AM ET | Comments (125)
Daily Life is a Jihad
1. WHAT IS JIHAD? UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS DOES ISLAM SANCTION THE USE OF VIOLENCE? WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SUICIDE BOMBERS WHO INVOKE ISLAM TO JUSTIFY THEIR ACTIONS? The term jihad literally means "struggle" and is understood in the Qur'an to...
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 27, 2007; 09:20 AM ET | Comments (226)
The Sacred Cow of Liturgy
Suggesting we change a line in the liturgy would be considered heretical -- and not just mildly heretical but wildly so -- in the eyes of many Muslims
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 11, 2007; 08:37 AM ET | Comments (219)
Issues not Identity; Numbers not Validity
Religion, really, has nothing to do with it.
By Pamela K. Taylor | July 10, 2007; 07:35 AM ET | Comments (89)
Muslims for Progressive Values Conference and Khutbah Competition Winners
I have been a bit missing in action over the past few weeks as preparations for the Muslims for Progressive Values conference took up a great deal of time. At the conference, we held elections for the board of directors,...
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 23, 2007; 12:09 PM ET | Comments (275)
Moral and Political Morass
Really, we are between a rock and a hard place. Stay and people die, leave and people die. Truly, we have created a mess!
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 22, 2007; 07:44 AM ET | Comments (213)
Questioning is Part of Life
This call to free-thinking was another of the fundamental aspects of Islam that appealed to me greatly.
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 18, 2007; 09:33 AM ET | Comments (121)
Treading Dangerous Ground
This question raises some very thorny issues for me. I believe very much in freedom of conscience for all individuals (theist or atheist) and I believe very much that when religious authority and politics mix the results are almost always...
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 7, 2007; 07:42 AM ET | Comments (40)
Words for the Week - parables
24:35 Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant...
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 4, 2007; 05:03 PM ET | Comments (27)
Don't Ask Why, But What Can I Do?
The real question ought to be how can we keep faith in face of natural disasters and human brutality towards other humans?
By Pamela K. Taylor | June 1, 2007; 08:25 AM ET | Comments (90)
Religion is Negotiated by Each Individual
Religion (or lack thereof) is created anew by each individual as s/he navigates her or his own faith course.
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 29, 2007; 07:26 AM ET | Comments (461)
Blessed Personally, Professionally and Spiritually
There are many ways in which life can be good, and I have been blessed with quite a few of them
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 22, 2007; 07:12 AM ET | Comments (61)
Words for the Week -- on Life
I have always been touched by this affirmation that God does not burden us beyond what we can bear and the following supplication, found in the final verse of the second chapter of the Qur'an. 2:268 God does not burden...
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 21, 2007; 09:36 AM ET | Comments (692)
Falwell's legacy
It's not nice to speak ill of the dead, I have to say that Jerry Falwell was one of the pivotal figures in what I consider a terrible turn in American politics.
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 17, 2007; 07:55 PM ET | Comments (13)
Words for the Week -- Jesus in the Qur'an
In keeping with the theme of the week, here is the story of Jesus as found in the Qur'an. The story is told in several places, with a slightly different focus -- one place talks more about him speaking from...
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 14, 2007; 09:10 PM ET | Comments (39)
Words for the Week -- Serving Others is Serving God
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said that the Messenger of Allah said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He...
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 7, 2007; 05:43 PM ET | Comments (66)
Don't Second Guess God
It's only natural to ask questions like why would God, especially a merciful, loving God, allow this or that horrible thing to happen. The problem with the answers we usually arrive at is that we really cannot know; and, indeed,...
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 5, 2007; 09:49 PM ET | Comments (17)
Ignorance of the Faith, Tolerance for the Faithful
No faith but Christianity can be considered mainstream American. Fortunately, the current climate in our country favors inclusivity and tolerance.
By Pamela K. Taylor | May 4, 2007; 07:16 AM ET | Comments (358)
words for the week -- on adultery and forgiveness
Since the topic of adultery has come up on the thread with forgiveness, here are two examples of forgiveness in the case of adultery or pre-marital sexual relations, which is also considered a sin in the Qur'an. The first is...
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 30, 2007; 12:19 PM ET | Comments (52)
Making Amends More than Lip Service
God may be all forgiving, all merciful, but humans tend to demand the real deal when it comes to forgiveness.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 28, 2007; 07:28 AM ET | Comments (120)
Words for the Week -- On Jihad
Given the current popularity of equating Jihad with war, I thought it might be good to see what the Prophet had to say about jihad.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 24, 2007; 08:17 AM ET | Comments (46)
Words for the Week-- God's Forgiveness
With the forum discussing what it means to apologize and to ask for forgiveness, I thought it would be timely to look at what the Qur'an and the Prophet have to say about God's response to our repentance....
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 23, 2007; 01:00 AM ET | Comments (25)
In Times of Tragedy
When our loved ones are called back many of us find solace in the knowledge that they have returned to the One in whose hand their soul has always resided.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 18, 2007; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (640)
Asking the Wrong Question
This question is exceptionally offensive and reveals the astounding depth of prejudice and ignorance about Islam that is rampant in American society and media today.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 18, 2007; 05:52 AM ET | Comments (87)
Words for the Week -- Parents
As we've just returned from spring break with my parents, this selection from the 17th chapter of the Qur'an, Surah Isra, the Night Journey, seems appropriate: 17:23 ...be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age...
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 16, 2007; 10:15 AM ET | Comments (7)
Many Paths Lead to the Divine
We are not confined to the religion that is prevalent in our town or country, but can benefit from the teachings of many different faiths.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 16, 2007; 08:13 AM ET | Comments (207)
Words for the Week
I have decided that once a week, on Monday mornings, I'll be posting selections from the Qur'an and the hadith that inspire me. This is partly in response to one of the commentators who asked about that, and partly in...
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 9, 2007; 10:28 AM ET | Comments (39)
A Different View of Jesus
Muslims believe Jesus was a Prophet, rejecting notions of his divinity and the trinitarian concept of God.
By Pamela K. Taylor | April 9, 2007; 07:09 AM ET | Comments (115)
Mawlid un Nabi
Today is the birthday of Prophet Muhammad and also the anniversary of his death. Muslims all over the world celebrated the day with remembrance of the Prophet, readings of the Qur'an, recitation of poetry, devotions to God, feasting and parades,...
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 31, 2007; 10:18 PM ET | Comments (285)
Double Standards, Misinformation, and Vitriol
The last issue which our society needs to deal with is the verbal garbage heap that talk radio and talk TV has become.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 30, 2007; 10:07 AM ET | Comments (405)
The End is a-Comin'
It has always given me comfort that the Qur’an acknowledges that Judgment Day is hard for humanity to accept.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 26, 2007; 07:40 AM ET | Comments (107)
Catholics More Likely to Face Ethnic Bias Than Religious Discrimination
Catholics are often subject to double standards.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 16, 2007; 07:22 AM ET | Comments (175)
Don’t Teach Religion, Teach About Religion
An educational system that respects religion makes it easier for parent’s to pass their values and beliefs on to their children.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 7, 2007; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (225)
Gay People are People Like Anyone Else
One could argue that same-sex marriage is allowed since the Qur’an has not forbidden it.
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 5, 2007; 08:19 AM ET | Comments (106)
International Woman's Day Juma
I have been invited by the Canadian Muslim Union to officiate at a mixed-gender juma (the Muslim Friday congregational prayers) in celebration of International Woman's Day. This event is co-sponsored by the United Muslim Association of Toronto, who invited me...
By Pamela K. Taylor | March 2, 2007; 05:26 PM ET | Comments (513)
Murky Waters
Tactics that the Israeli government has used in their conflict with the Palestinians have nothing to do with being Jewish or with the fact that Israel is a Jewish nation.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 24, 2007; 07:25 AM ET | Comments (225)
God Made Me Do It
Prophet Muhammad's insistence that woman's pleasure is as important as man's echoes the Qur'anic view that men and women are equal partners.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 18, 2007; 10:23 AM ET | Comments (275)
