Monday, February 06, 2012

Why Does Their Resurrection Depend on My Extermination?


I know it is fashionable not to blame religion for the political problems of the world, but sometimes you just have to drop the PC bull and call a spade a spade.

On January 7, 2012 Mufti Mohammad Hussein took the stage to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the creation of Fatah by encouraging the slaughter of Jews. Calling upon the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) the Mufti explained that the killing of Jews would bring about the Muslim “Hour of Resurrection.”

In his defense the Mufti and his supporters said he was simply repeating long held Islamic religious teachings, and did not intend that these teachings translate into present day action. Really? How stupid do these people think we are? Since the Hour of Resurrection has not yet occurred, and since its occurrence is longed for, and since it occurrence depends on the global murder of Jews, claiming he is talking about the past is absurd.

I shared the Mufti’s speech with an Imam friend of mine. He was troubled by it, refused to defend it, and simply said there are crazies on all sides. True enough. And I write about their insanity as well. But something more is needed.

Right now when a seeming madman like Mufti Mohammad Hussein says things like this the only people who sound the alarm are right-wing groups I find alarming.
What we need is another voice, a body of progressive Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious leaders who respond to the insanity of people like Mufti Mohammad Hussein wherever they are. This body, call it the Progressive Abrahamic Council (PAC) would have a team of interns looking for and calling attention to the madness done and called for in the name of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the PAC would issue letters and videos condemning it on behalf of thoughtful Jews, Christians, and Muslims everywhere. 

As readers of this blog know, I am pretty good at thinking up things for other people to do, and terrible at actually bringing my ideas to fruition. So if you have thoughts about this idea and how it might be established, or if you can share with me groups that are already doing this please let me know.  

3 comments:

Lisa said...

Rami -- I attended a meeting in TX a few years back, and you were our guest speaker. You told us of a belief in Judaism that if (blank) number of people around the globe "stood up" when needed, a crisis could be averted (I've probably mangled your msg, but I think that was the heart of it). You even had the popular elastic wrist bands printed with "Will I be #__?" for your students? Is this something we could do -- promote the praxis and print up wristbands? Thanks, Lisa

Rabbi Rami said...

What you're thinking of is the Jewish notion of the Lamed Vavnik: there are always 36 people standing up for justice. The wristbands said "do justly, love mercy walk humbly"

Maybe we need a new band and new mission.

Lee said...

You might seek the counsel of The Freedom From Religion Foundation in Madison Wisconsin that has been sounding the alarm against religious insanity in this country for years.

Lee Mockrin