Daily Archives: June 25, 2017

Seyran Ate (right) introduces Friday prayers during the opening of the Ibn-Rushd-Goethe mosque Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The founder of a new liberal mosque in Berlin that allows men and women to pray side by side has vowed to press on with her project even though the institution has been issued with a fatwa from Egypt and attacked by religious authorities in Turkey within a week of its opening.

The pushback I am getting makes me feel that I am doing the right thing, said Seyran Ate, a Turkish-born lawyer and womens rights campaigner, who does not wear a hijab. God is loving and merciful otherwise he wouldnt have turned me into the person I am.

The Ibn Rushd-Goethe mosque, named after a Muslim philosopher who defended Greek philosophy and a German writer fascinated by the poetry of the Middle East, opened its doors in Berlins Moabit district a week ago on Friday.

Housed in the side-building of a Protestant church, the mosque is open to Sunni, Shia, Alevi, Sufi and other interpretations of Islam but rejects visitors wearing the burqa or the niqab, which founder Ate has describes as a political statement. On its opening day, a male and a female imam jointly led Friday prayers to a crowded room.

A week later, the white-walled prayer room was noticeably emptier, with the seven-strong congregation almost matched by the number of security staff who guarded the exits and entrances with blue plastic covers over their boots.

Ate, 54, said many of the previous weeks worshippers had decided to stay away because they feared incrimination against themselves or their families. Her own relatives in Turkey had asked her to drop the project because they worried about arrests.

The lawyer, who is currently training to become an imam, said she had received 300 emails per day encouraging me to carry on, including from as far away as Australia and Algeria, but also 3,000 emails a day full of hate, some of them including death threats.

Egypts Dar al-Ifta al-Masriyyah, a state-run Islamic institution assigned to issue religious edicts, issued a statement on Monday declaring that the Ibn Rushd-Goethe mosques practice of men and women praying side by side was incompatible with Islam, while the legal department of Egypts al-Azhar university reacted to news from Berlin with a fatwa on the foundation of liberal mosques per se.

Turkeys main Muslim authority, Diyanet, said the new mosques practices do not align with Islams fundamental resources, principles of worship, methodology or experience of more than 14 centuries, and are experiments aimed at nothing more than depraving and ruining religion.

A social media post circulated among Germanys Turkish diaspora community showed a photograph of a foot hovering over three copies of the Quran scattered across the floor at the mosque, claiming that they had been placed there by Ate and her accomplices. One visitor at the inaugural event told the Guardian that she saw the books being placed on the floor by a man purporting to be a journalist.

Some Turkish media have even accused the project of ties to the movement of Fethullah Glen, subject to a crackdown in the country after the attempted coup of 16 July 2016.

In my darkest dreams I wouldnt have expected that Turkey would try to portray us as Glenists, claiming that I had praised Glen in my speech, said Ate. I have nothing to do with their movement. On the contrary: they represent an interpretation of Islam that is too conservative for us.

She started Fridays prayer session with an appeal for those critical of the mosques mission statement to say so in the open, saying: I hope that this time people are brave enough to show their true face. Allah knows their true face anyway. And it is Allah to whom they are accountable, not us.

Ate, who moved to Germany as a child and came of age during Berlins counterculture scene of the 1980s, narrowly survived a shooting at an advice centre for Turkish women in the citys Kreuzberg district when she was 21.

Describing the founding principles of Ibn Rushd-Goethe, she said: Our idea of liberal Islam is that unlike orthodox and conservative practitioners, we do not believe that the written records of the Quran should be transferred word-for-word to the 21st century. We ask ourselves what the intentions were at the time and which parts can translated and explained in the 21st century.

We want to work together with conservatives to do something against Islamist terror, to show that Islam is also a very peaceful, mystical and spiritual religion. Many people adhere to the Muslim faith not because of Isis or the Taliban or whatever, but also because it is a beautiful religion.

One of the worshippers at Fridays prayer was a British Sufi called Umar, who is usually based in south-west England but was visiting Berlin for the weekend and decided to visit the mosque after reading an interview with Ate.

The 30-year-old said he did not have a problem with men and women praying side by side: Its dangerous to say there are definitive rulings, he said. We do not have the prophet anymore. These are confusing times for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Anything we can do to improve accessibility is a good thing.

Originally posted here:

Liberal Berlin mosque to stay open despite fatwa from Egypt - The Guardian

WASHINGTON Young Republicans hold significantly more liberal views of immigrants and immigration than their older counterparts, reflecting a difference consistent with white Americans regardless of which political party they identify with, according to the latest American Values Atlas, a survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute survey.

While 41 percent of Republicans of all ages believe immigrants face a lot of discrimination in the United States, the percentage increases to 60 percent among Republicans between 18 and 29 years old, the survey found. That's a stark contrast to GOP voters 65 and older only a third of that group says immigrants experience discrimination.

Researchers also found that 74 percent of young whites believe that immigrants are targeted for discrimination a lot, compared to 57 percent of white Americans of all ages. However, among Republicans, only for the youngest group, between 18 and 29, is that view in the majority. Even 30-to-39-year-old Republicans are evenly split, 48 percent to 48 percent, on whether immigrants undergo a lot of discrimination.

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Poll: Younger Republicans more liberal on immigration - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Was it something I said? Sensitivities abound, and opportunities to put ones foot in it are correspondingly boundless. Photograph: Alamy

A rare carouse in a louche Glasgow wine bar one night last week was enchanted briefly by a nervous proposition. The stranger had approached me gingerly from the side and asked if I was gay, straight or bi. He was young, beautiful, immaculately groomed and thin as a packet of condoms. Im straight, as a matter of fact, I answered in what I felt was my deepest Glaswegian timbre.

I hope you dont mind me asking, he added politely. Absolutely not; youve made my night, I replied. May I ask you a question in return? I asked. Go right ahead, he replied.

What was it that sparked your interest? Well, he said. Its just that youre wearing a pink shirt; youre sipping a French martini and your legs are crossed.

This is not the first time an encounter like this has occurred in recent years. After each one, I have fretted over what ought to have been the most appropriate response in such situations. Some people are blessed with an instinctive liberalism that allows them to glide through the ever-changing landscape of modern manners without giving offence. Others, perhaps a little older and usually white and male, can experience difficulty in adjusting their footing to keep up with these intricate manoeuvres.

Its not that they are ignorant or lazy on the contrary; they aspire desperately to say and do the right things its just that they can, on occasion, be a little clumsy and maladroit at finding the appropriate words in unfamiliar situations. I fall into the latter category.

For most of our adult lives we lived a monochrome existence in which morals and social mores were well signposted and came colour-coded in either black or white.

Raised awareness of issues around feminism, sexual identity, the environment, ethnicity and multiculturalism have given a voice to many who had previously been denied one. The response by many on the right is to group these under the collective heading Political Correctness Gone Mad.

A more human approach might simply be Live and Let Live.

We possess good intentions, yet find we are let down in unorthodox situations by a form of social dyslexia

There is no users manual available for those of us who aspire to be liberal and possess good intentions yet find we are let down in unorthodox situations by a form of social dyslexia.

Nevertheless, in a spirit of shared humanity rooted in sympathy for my fellow aspiring but clumsy liberals, I offer the following short extract from my Good Liberals Guide to Modern Etiquette.

It is based on my own experience and the shared testimony of others who have reached uncertainly for the right words and yet found themselves shunned and resented.

You may have found that an increasing number of people are embarking on a transgender journey. This is a good thing as the misery of feeling trapped in the wrong body must be almost unbearable. Please avoid asking So hows your journey been so far? or Are you near the end? as if it were a day-trip to Girvan.

Instead, show interest and dont interrupt. Do not say: One of my friends is on a similar journey because youll probably be lying.

The young folks increasing knowledge of where we source our food has led to many of them embracing veganism in disgust at the vile practices and unhygienic methods that are often involved in getting farm animals on to our plates. When your daughter announces that she is a vegan, please, under no circumstances, make Spocks famous split-fingers sign from Star Trek. Instead, listen politely; make a mental note to Google vegan restaurants, and say youve heard that a lot of tasty curry recipes are vegan.

Look, lets be mature about this: everybody likes a good swear now and then, and as Moses is reputed to have said to Aaron in one of the as-yet-undiscovered Dead Sea Scrolls, an elegantly deployed profanity is a blessing to us all. Now some enterprising feminists have reclaimed the c-word. And, indeed, in some west of Scotland taverns the term is often used to express admiration. Tams a good...

There is, though, a risk of becoming desensitised to all this bold new use of the word. I would advise caution and stick to old standards such as bastard, bawbag, dickhead and tosser.

Admit it weve all encountered these wretched characters. There you are merrily WhatsApping away in the back of the cab when your driver insists on having a debate about Brexit. I dont know about you but I voted Leave, he says. Were letting too many immigrants in, and theyve declared sharia law in Pollokshields.

As an aspiring liberal, you know what you want to do. You want to tell the racist bawbag where to go. Instead, you try to give him a meaningful stare and pretend to have a conversation on your mobile. Id suggest waiting until you are within walking distance of your destination and tell him to stop, then disembark while studiously refusing to give him a tip. Hell get the message.

One of the most challenging dilemmas for the aspiring-but-not-quite-there-yet-liberal male is reconciling a love of AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Ted Nugent with a desire to be empathetic and sensitive to feminism. Songs such as Whole Lotta Rosie and Cat Scratch Fever can cause embarrassment when they crop up on your cars iTunes as youre giving your daughter and her pals a lift into town.

I tried telling them once that Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter was a thoughtful warning about what can happen if a father fails to play a significant role in his daughters life. They werent buying it. Have a playlist handy for these occasions with fey acts like Sohn or the Chemical Brothers or that George Ezra.

I know these are just baby steps, but its a minefield out there.

More here:

A clumsy liberal's guide to saying the right thing - The Guardian

On Friday morning, President Trump partook in one of his favorite rituals this side of hitting the links or avoiding Tiffany: a bill signing. The commander-in-chief, surrounded by ornamental backers, inked the Veterans Affairs Reform Acta measure that will make it easier to terminate VA employeesbefore soaking up camera flashes and cabinet applause. Among the admiring spectators was Al Baldasaro, a military veteran and New Hampshire state representative. The presence of Baldasaro, who introduced candidate Trump at a number of campaign stops and served as his adviser on veterans issues, would be unremarkable were it not for the fact that he once called for Hillary Clinton to be killed.

This whole thing disgusts me. Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason, said Baldasaro. He was discussing Benghazi, a tragedy wherein the Republican House found no evidence of wrongdoing on Clintons behalf, during a July 2016 radio interview. The incendiary remarks triggered a secret service probe, but Baldasaro never received any significant repercussions. And Baldasaros cameo at Trumps recent bill signing received precious little coverage on cable news. You see, they were too busy upbraiding Johnny Depp.

Depp attracted the ire of the news media for disgusting comments he made about the President at Englands Glastonbury Festival Thursday evening. Can we bring Trump here? Depp asked the crowd. When was the last time an actor assassinated a president? The Pirates of the Caribbean star was, of course, referencing John Wilkes Booths assassination of President Lincoln. He added, I want to clarify: Im not an actor. I lie for a living. However, its been a while. And maybe its time.

The actors incredibly poorreprehensible, reallyattempt at humor received swift condemnation from the White House, which responded with the following statement: President Trump has condemned violence in all forms and its sad that others like Johnny Depp have not followed his lead. I hope that some of Mr. Depps colleagues will speak out against this type of rhetoric as strongly as they would if his comments were directed to a Democrat elected official. The Depp imbroglio also, as expected, sent right-wing media into a tizzy, with everyone from Fox News and Breitbart to Rush Limbaugh tying Depp to a Shakespeare in the Park production of Julius Caesar featuring a Trump-like protagonist; a photo of Kathy Griffin posing with a severed mannequin head of Trump; Madonnas idiotic womens march crack about how shes thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House; and lastly, the shooting of Republican Congressman Steve Scalise by an unhinged Bernie Sanders supporter.

There is causality, some on the right are arguing, between the antics of Depp, the Caesar play, Griffin, and Madonna and acts of violence perpetrated against those on the right, such as the recent shooting of Rep. Scalisea baseless claim, given that there is no evidence the shooter was influenced by any of these factors. There is also the idea that these celebrity outliers represent not only the views of Hollywood as a whole, but the base of the Democratic Party.

Now, lets give credit where its due: the right are very good at this. Every time a lefty celeb like, say, Lena Dunham opens their mouth and says something stupid, they will throw TV tantrums and sling fiery op-eds for an entire week, milking the outrage teat to the very last drop. Of course, those on the right, especially in the right-wing media, dont really care what Lena Dunham thinks. Their rationale behind this is simple: Hollywood celebrities are out of touch, therefore all of Hollywood is out of touch; and, since most of Hollywood is comprised of coastal liberal elites, then this one rogue celebritys views represent the whole. Its part of the ongoing culture war fomented by the right, pitting these coastal liberal elites against Middle Americas working classan opera that Trump, with his faux-disdain for Hollywood and faux-championing of blue-collar folks, is all too willing to conduct.

Forget the fact that Trump, who has spent his entire career exploiting the working class and cozying up to celebrities, is an outrageous hypocrite. His supporters dont care. Heck, they cheered when he trotted out a former Goldman Sachs executive at a rally this past week in Cedar Rapids. So, given the elements at play here, Hollywood celebrities like Depp, Griffin, and Madonna must stop feeding chum to the right-wing ragemonster. Theyve proven themselves to be far better than the left at exploiting this so-called cultural divide. For evidence, look no further than the race for Georgias sixth congressional district, where the opposition issued attack ads that tied Democrat Jon Ossoff to the Kathy Griffin stunt (because she had endorsed him two months earlier on Twitter). You wont see nearly the same kind of vitriol from the left over the Baldasaro appearance, or that time Trump invited rocker Ted Nugent, whos called for the deaths of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, over for an Oval Office visit. That unfortunate episode was treated as nothing more than a late-night punchline.

Lets talk Hollywood for a second. The notion that Johnny Depp, Kathy Griffin or Madonnaor really any celebrity with significant name recognitionsomehow speaks for the entire industry is absurd. According to the 2016 Otis Report on the Creative Economy of California, the entertainment industry there employs some 166,300 people. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistic reported that, as of May 2016, there are 48,620 actors employed nationwideincluding 14,840 in California. The vast majority of these actors are struggling, working multiple jobs to pay the bills. And a great many of them were not born in California to wealth, but migrated there from different parts of the country. Johnny Depp, for example, grew up poor in Owensboro, Kentucky. The average crew size for a Hollywood film production, meanwhile, comes out to around 600 people (Marvels The Avengers had 2,718), and most of these crew members have jobs like key grip, security, catering, low-level assistant, etc. Not exactly the elite.

All of this does not excuse what Depp, Griffin, and Madonna said or did. Those actions deserve widespread condemnation (Depp deserves far greater scorn for other reasons, although thats a different story). If these Hollywood liberals want to truly make a differencethat is, make any sort of dent in 2018then they need to realize theyre easy targets, knock off the outrageous antics, and stick to the issues. And if liberals in general want to start winning elections again, then they must start holding things like Trumps Baldasaro and Nugent visits to account. Otherwise the Democrats have about as much chance of succeeding as Johnny Depps next movie.

Read more:

How Hollywood Celebs Like Johnny Depp Are Hurting the Liberal Cause - Daily Beast

Support has beencoming in from high places: With uncharacterisically clear language, the federal government has defended the new, liberal Ibn Rushd-Goethe Mosque against criticism from the Islamic world . In Berlin, Germany's Foreign Ministry, as well as the Interior Ministry, has rejected criticism leveled by the Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate, Diyanet, pointing to protection of religious freedom.

German Interior Ministry spokesman, Tobias Plate, said the issues of religious freedom and the Berlin mosque will be raised with counterparts from Ankara at their next bilateral meeting. Diyanet, a religious authority in Turkey, operates under the aegis of the country's prime minister.

The German government's promise to address the issue brings the debate over the new mosque to the highest political level. One week ago, Berlin attorney and women's rights activist, Seyran Ates, opened the liberal mosque. Situated in Berlin's Moabit neighborhood, itis housed within a local Protestant church and is open to men and women of every sexual orientation.

Ates herself is an imam and chooses not to wear a headscarf while carrying out her duties. That has caused anger in the Islamic world. She said she has been overwhelmed by a flood of hate mail and has also received death threats. Authorities said it remains to be seen if the house of worship will require police protection.

Diyanet has claimedthe new mosque is connected to the Gulen Movement operated by exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government claimed was behind last July's failed coup attempt.

Imam Seyran Ates prepares prayer rugs at the mosque

'A threat to social harmony'

Interior Ministry spokesman Plate called the Turkish criticism bewildering and "unacceptable."

"It cannot be ruled out that such statements have the potential to threaten social harmony within German society," he added.

According to media reports, Ankara has been aggressively pursuing and threatening alleged members of the Gulen movement, as well as institutions connected to it, such as schools- even in Germany.

The German Foreign and Interior ministeries emphasized that their own criticism was not only directed at Diyanet, but also at the supreme authority on fatwas in Egypt. That authority sharply criticized the Berlin mosque for violating Islamic religious responsibilities.

Peace activist, womens' rights activist and attorney, Seyran Ates, stands for Islamic reform

'The state has to protect religious freedom'

Martin Schfer, spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, said such statements were, "clearly intended to deny people in Germany the right to exercise their religion and limit their right to freely express their opinion."

He went on to say that the German government summarily rejected any such attempts. "When, where and how people choose to express and live out their religious beliefs is not the government's business. Rather, the opposite is the case: It is our understanding that the state has no authority tointerpretreligious issues, but instead, has the responsibility toprotectfreedom of religion, just as it does freedom of speech and freedom of the press."

He went on to remind those present that Turkey is also a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees religious liberty.

The liberal mosque's opening caused a great stir in Germany and has also received international attention. It is named after one of the most important figures of enlightened Islam, the Arab scholar, physician and philosopher Ibn Rushd (1126-1198), known as Averroes outside the Islamic world, as well asthe German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), whose "West-Eastern Divan" is one of the most important German-language books ever written on the exchange of ideas between the Occident and the Orient.

Men and women will pray side by side at the new mosque, and women allowed to preach. The Quran will be interpreted in a "historically critical manner," and organizers say they do not welcome fully veiled women. Seyran Ates started the mosque initiative because she is convinced that the interpretation of Islam must not be left to religious conservatives.

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Liberal mosque debate turns political in Germany - Deutsche Welle