Pamela K. Taylor
Co-founder, Muslims for Progressive Values

Pamela K. Taylor

Taylor is co-founder of Muslims for Progressive Values, former director of the Islamic Writers Alliance and strong supporter of the woman imam movement. She blogs at A Modern Muslim

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Times of Renewal

Today is both the beginning of Ramadan and Rosh Hashanah.


Ramadan is a time of rededication to piety, a time to live in humility and simplicity, with sincerity in faith and compassion for others. It represents both the renewal of the soul's commitment to God and purity, and the promise from God to bless those who strive in the path of righteousness, maintaining high personal morality and reaching out to their neighbors, particularly those in need, with mercy and generosity. It is a time of joy and hope, of communal closeness and closeness to God.

The start of the Jewish New Year also represents a time of hope and renewal. It is a time of reflection upon the past year, of atonement and the casting away of sin.

The coincidence of these two holy times serves as an occasion to acknowledge the similarities between our faiths, and to celebrate the diversity of human outreach to God. Although the holy days are different -- one being a month of fasting and the other ten days of reflection and atonement ending in Yom Kippur -- the human desire to connect with God and to live good lives is the same no matter what one's faith, ethnicity, nationality, or race. The world would certainly be a better place if we took more time to consider our innate sameness, and focused less on cultural differences.

By Pamela K. Taylor  |  September 13, 2007; 5:21 PM ET Save & Share:  Send E-mail   Facebook   Twitter   Digg   Yahoo Buzz   Del.icio.us   StumbleUpon   Technorati  
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I think America needs to stand as firm as them.
True Born American's do not get any benefits that immigrants do and this is OUR country. Our ancestors learned English and came here for religous freedom. Now I am not free to worship.

We need to stand as proud and firm and have the backbone they do.

I salute you Prime Minister.

Posted by: SouthernbornAmerican | February 6, 2008 10:14 PM
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Posted by: amhost | October 4, 2007 11:20 PM
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Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on

Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals

in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to

Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John

Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face

a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to

Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the

country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and

its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if

you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then

Australia is not for you", he said on National Television. "I'd be

saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing

people in Australia: one the Australian law and another Islamic law

that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent

courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the

opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps,

then, that's a better option", Costello said.

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he

said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to

the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told

reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should

"clear off". Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and

who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well

then, they can basically clear off", he said.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by

saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.

Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave it.

I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some

individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we

have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of

Australians."

"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the

'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility

that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against

immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a

better life by coming to Australia." "However, there are a few things

that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some

born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a

multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and

our national identity. And, as Australians, we have our own culture,

our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle." "This

culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials

and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"

"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese,

Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to

become part of our society. Learn the language!" "Most Australians

believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political

push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian

principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is

certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If

God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world

as your new home, because God is part of our culture."

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is

that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with

us."

"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go",

then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this

planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change,

and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By

all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others. "This is

OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will

allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done

complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our

Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take

advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO

LEAVE'." "If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to

come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."

Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, Canadian and American

citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing

the same truths !


Posted by: Anonymous | September 18, 2007 12:38 AM
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It's nothing but human's making sacrifices for a deity who loves sacrificing humans !

Posted by: ross | September 14, 2007 11:22 AM
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