This is your place to publicly comment on the topics and issues addressed in Speaking of Faith programs. React in a personal way, and put into words what this program meant to you.

Submit Your Reflection about "Religion and Our World in Crisis."

A Prescription for Moving Beyond (June 17, 2005)
I've long been a fan of the program, but I have to say that I SO enjoyed last week's offering with Khaled Abou El Fadl and Harold Schulweis! As a lesbian Lutheran, my whole LIFE takes place at the intersection of "loving my own faith" and "celebrating that of the other," even in the presence of profound interpretive disagreement. I found this discussion to be a delightful and helpful examination of many the tensions of living in that place, while serving also as perhaps a prescription for moving BEYOND those tensions. I'd be eager for a return of either or both of those speakers, as the conversation will be a continuing one for me and my loved ones! Thank you Krista and all involved! Keep up the good work!

Jodi Gustafson
Fridley, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)

Exemplars of Hope and Decency (June 15, 2005)
Would that your discussion with these exemplars of faith could be disseminated widely to all parts of the world where strife is so rampant because of misguided beliefs. The two made so many cogent statements, shared such wise and timely views, I was so heartened to hear the program. I hope their messages planted seeds that will germinate in the worldwide community. The views expressed, so spontaneously, spoke of highly evolved consciousness, what would be wished to be embraced by all hate-mongers pretending to be speaking of religion. Thank you for your most gratifying program and to the two speakers.

Frank Luke
Honolulu, HI (KIPO, 89.3 FM)

Understanding and Hope (June 14, 2005)
I certainly understand Krista's statement that the session with Rabbi Schulweis and Khaled Abou El Fadl reminds her of why she continues to do this work. Of all the programs on public radio, for me Speaking of Faith most touches the heart of living in our world today in a way that yields understanding and hope. I am profoundly grateful.

Peggy Myers
Hamden, CT (WPKT, 90.5 FM)

Beginning to Talk to Each Other Again (June 12, 2005)
I just heard Speaking of Faith for the first time this morning. When I heard the title, I almost turned it off thinking it was one of the "required" Sunday morning "religious" shows. Then I said, "Well, this is NPR, so I'll see what happens before I turn it off." Wow. This is the kind of discussion I've been looking for. They [Khaled Abou El Fadl and Harold Schulweis] were each saying exactly what I have been thinking. They totally echoed my own feelings and I find it so wonderful that two men who know so much of their own religions can reveal the beauty of religion yet articulate the incredible fallacy of "being religious."

When I went to find Speaking of Faith on the internet so I could write and say thank you, I found so many other shows I now want to listen to. Too bad more people don't know about the program. Perhaps we need to make it mandatory (sounds like something our current administration might say!) for everyone to listen to at least five of your shows. Maybe then we might begin talking with each other again — instead of to each other. Thank you.

Jeanne Tuerk
Annapolis, MD (WYPR, 88.1 FM)

Much to Ponder (June 12, 2005)
Thank you so much for today's show with the Muslim scholar and the Rabbi. It gives me much hope that there are such wise and questioning men out there. Their ideas of beauty and God and love and knowing will give me much to ponder over the next week. Thanks again. Keep up the good work.

Suzan Christensen
Montrose, AL (WMAH, 90.3 FM)

Krista Is a Wonderful Listener (June 12, 2005)
I was tired and ready to retire and the radio announced your program — I try not to miss it. Then I became mesmerized as these two men spoke from the heart in such a loving, respectful manner about God and us and the creation. I have to listen to it another time. I have already e-mailed it to three people. You [Krista] are a magnificent listener and, therefore, a great interviewer. Thank you.

Anne Seltz
Minneapolis, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)

Chosen vs. Choosing (June 12, 2005)
I really enjoyed this program, and thought the insights of both men were profound and inspiring. However, I am troubled by one, large thing. When asked about the Jews being identified as God's chosen people, Rabbi Schulweis said something like "I prefer to think of it as God's choosing people." He then went on to discuss what that distinction meant.

While I applaud the Rabbi's sentiment, none of us can escape the fact that the Torah repeatedly says "chosen" not "choosing." I agree with Schulweis that God does not select one group over another, yet the religious texts I am familiar with plainly state otherwise — again and again. There is a preference. It seems to me that to "prefer to think of it" in another way is to not be intellectually honest. This, and this alone, is what keeps me from embracing organized religion.

Erika Taylor
Los Angeles, CA (KPCC, 89.3 FM)

Left With a Feeling of Elation (June 12, 2005)
I really appreciated your program bringing together the rabbi and the Islamic scholar. Both men were so much on the same page theologically that it seems obvious to me that all our traditional religions that we grow up with are only introductions to the lonely, private, courageous study that is our life. Despite the dogmas of each tradition, it all comes down to taking the best of each one, leaving out the weaknesses and learning from the others, as well as the most powerful book of all, life itself. Your guests were so eloquent, calmly underlining each other's position, that the listener is left with a feeling of elation, the problems of the world notwithstanding. Thank you.

Stephen Bates
Washington, DC (WETA, 90.9 FM)

The Focolare Movement (June 12, 2005)
Each of the speakers you interviewed on the interreligious dialogue show that aired in Chicago this morning spoke eloquently about the common goal of achieving unity and peace while respecting the integrity of one's own faith and sacred literature. I wonder if your audience would be interested in hearing about a Christian movement that began in the early 1940's that tries to achieve the unity that Professor Khaled Abou El Fadl and Rabbi Schulweis were discussing?

The movement is called Focolare and its Italian root means "family hearth." Its founder, Chiara Lubich, searched the Gospels to understand the meaning of love of God. She concluded that it is through love of God and the sharing of our experiences, our hopes and fears, not our theology, that we will be able to practice love of neighbor to bring us together as a common humanity. The movement also believes, as your speakers said today, that each religion's sacred texts have to be read not in a "lazy" way or in a way that is self-justifying of domination, but in a way that preserves the identity of the speakers yet "empties oneself" — a letting go of anything except service to God.

The movement was officially approved by Pope John XXIII in 1962. In 1977 the founder of the movement received the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion and in 1988 the Augsburg Peace Prize, which is awarded to honor accomplishments in interdenominational dialogue. Because they have very quietly and with great perseverance facilitated the gathering of Muslims, Christians, and Jews in interreligious dialogue to bring about the goals that you and your speakers talked about, I bring them to your attention. There is a Midwest regional director here in Chicago; the movement has centers throughout the world. As a Jewish professional and educator in the greater Aurora area, I have been a friend of the movement for the past 20 years.

Ron Ramer
Aurora, IL (WBEZ, 91.5 FM)

Required Listening (June 12, 2005)
I just finished listening to the dialogue between Rabbi Harold Schulweis and Muslim scholar Khaled Abou El Fadl, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. I was moved to tears through most of this wonderful program. I do not have the words to begin to adequately express my thoughts and feelings after hearing them speak with each other. And that, for me, is one key — there was true "dialogue" in the truest sense of the word — they were speaking with each other, not to each other. Such a beautiful dialogue should be required listening. I can not thank you enough for bringing these two wonderful men to the rest of us!

Lani Heilman
Columbus, OH (WOSU, 820 AM)

New Possibilities (June 12, 2005)
Wow, the spirit and substance of this discussion energizes engagement and discovery in new possibilities in several areas beyond what the two speakers addressed. Thank you all!

Chris Lowenberg
Lansdale, PA (WHYY, 91.1 FM)

Satan and Sin (June 12, 2005)
I heard most of your program at work this morning and I had thoughts that I was surprised that weren't brought up: Satan and sin. I am a Christian and I'm aware that these three words instantly conjure up the stereotype of radical fundamentalists, but please hear this out. Satan and sin are not just Christian ideas, they pop up in both Islam and Judaism (book of Job). By the term "sin," I mean a pre-born bias in humans to inevitably do things that are evil and wrong in God's eyes and injure Him, choosing what we want as a priority over trusting God. By Satan, I mean the fallen angel who fell from heaven. In my faith, sin is believed to be the cause of all the problems you mentioned in that it involves our own choices. This is constantly at work against the love of God because by choosing sin, we reject God. How can God love us when we won't let Him, or demand on our own understanding alone?

Within the three belief systems, each one attaches sin and Satan to the other. Though this by no means justifies wars or massacres actually started by religious interpretations, it is at the root of the differences. However, only in the West do we have a problem with this. We should be able to live side-by-side with each other without killing each other and just disagreeing if it comes to that, but in meditating on these matters, they cannot be swept under the rug because we don't like them or can't see some 100 feet tall demon with a red suit and a pitchfork running around saying "I did this!" As much as we may want to have perfect harmony with each other, we have to accept that by our own free will, we all make choices that at some point will conflict with someone else's, for whatever reasons, though that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

My second and final point is regarding the common belief that religion is the cause behind so much of the world's conflicts. This is too general of a statement. Many of the wars in history that are said to be caused over beliefs, are upon closer inspection found to have politics, cultural preferences, and just flat out greed (sin) at its base. Religion is just the mask for it or is blended with a cultural lifestyle or area. The differences are that a culture can have many practices that can or cannot have anything to do with the local religion.

Jamal Smith
Brockport, NY (WNYC, 820 AM)

Loving Others While Serving God (June 10, 2005)
I thank Rabbi Schulweis for his comments relative to "chosenness" in relationship to God. I would like to add something from my faith tradition. We ought not to view chosenness as some kind of special privilege that gives me something that you are denied. Rather God chooses a person or a race for a purpose. We should then ask ourselves, "What does this call from God require us to DO?" The answer, I believe, is that what God requires of us is to take his love to the rest of the world.

I think there are two implications to this question and answer. The first is that I cannot assume that my being chosen denies the possibility that you have been chosen, too. The second is that taking God's love to you means not lording it over you, but showing love to you in service. A very strong tradition in my faith is the servanthood of the chosen. Would that we would all — Jew, Muslim, and Christian — serve one another in love.

Elisabeth Kellogg
Minneapolis, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)