Religious freedom vs. wisdom

President Obama, after saying that building a mosque at Ground Zero fit our “commitment to religious freedom,” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/13/AR2010081304357.html) backtracked, saying he wasn’t commenting on the ‘wisdom’ (http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/cgi-bin/mte-admin/mt.cgi) of building it so close to ‘hallowed ground.’

A Fox News poll showed that while 61 percent of Americans believe that Cordoba House has a constitutional right to build near Ground Zero, 64 percent believe it is not appropriate to do so. (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/13/fox-news-poll-percent-think-wrong-build-mosque-near-ground-zero/)

Does Obama’s hedging show a lack of ethical convictions? Does Hamas’ endorsement change the debate? (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/08/breaking_hamas_sides_with_obam.html) What is behind public opposition to the site? Can you believe in religious freedom but not believe the mosque is appropriate?

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Last December a poll revealed something encouraging about spirituality in America. When asked if they had ever had a religious or mystical experience, more responders said yes than no. This was a first in the 47 years that the Pew Research pollsters have been asking the question. (A religious or mystical experience was defined as “moment of sudden religious insight or awakening.” (more…)

As we all grow older, the span of mortality left to us becomes smaller and smaller. This shrinkage naturally makes us think about immortality. The possibility of surviving death lies at the heart of almost every religion, yet it would be comforting if factual evidence existed, not simply the reassurance of spiritual guides. I was so deeply affected by my father’s death a few years ago that I wrote an entire book to consider if life after death can be proved. I emerged from that project with a good deal of comfort and reassurance. And all of it was rationally based. (more…)

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
– Einstein

“It would be very difficult to explain why the Universe would have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us.”
– Steven Hawking

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