G. Mick Smith, PhD: Week 11 REL 212 Fall 2016

Monday, December 12, 2016

Week 11 REL 212 Fall 2016

The presentation may contain content that is deemed objectionable to a particular viewer because of the view expressed or the conduct depicted. The views expressed are provided for learning purposes only, and do not necessarily express the views, or opinions, of Strayer University, your professor, or those participating in videos or other media.

We will have two: at 7:30 and, at 9:00 pm. I will take roll early before you are dismissed at 10:15 pm.

Ian Hunter-I'm The Teacher (Lyrics), 4:14
https://youtu.be/n6tcBjwFFx0
Week 11 To Do List
To Do List
No readings this week
Participate in the Discussion titled "After It’s All Said and Done…"
Complete the Final Exam covering Chapters 7-13

0:02 / 2:10 Septembers of Shiraz TRAILER 1 (2016) - Salma Hayek, Adrien Brody Movie HD

https://youtu.be/W3RiakSjAiE

Week 11 Discussion

"After It’s All Said and Done…" Please respond to the following:

Explain what religion is, and give your opinion as to whether religion is different from spirituality.
Identify three surprising concepts that you learned about religion in this course, and explain why they surprised you.

Septembers of Shiraz

Trailer, 2:10

Septembers of Shiraz is a 2015 American drama film directed by Wayne Blair and written by Hanna Weg. It is based on Dalia Sofer's 2007 novel The Septembers of Shiraz. The film stars Adrien Brody, Salma Hayek, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Anthony Azizi, Bashar Rahal and Alon Aboutboul. The film was released on June 24, 2016, by Momentum Pictures.

The film is based on the novel by Dalia Sofer.

Top 10, 6:47

Top Bizarre Religions, 5:25

Scientific Revolution By and For Christianity

What religious group promoted modern science?

Science, 1:27

Dr. Mark Kalthoff addresses the false assumption that the scientific revolution, at its core, was motivated by a reaction against medieval Christianity. In fact, most of the architects of the scientific revolution were churchmen themselves, who did the majority of their work as members of a tradition, not as dissidents.
This video is an excerpt from Hillsdale’s Online Course: “Western Heritage,” featuring Mark A. Kalthoff, Henry Salvatori Chair of History and Traditional Values, and chairman and professor of history.

https://youtu.be/PAhjlcevx2A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAhjlcevx2A&feature=youtu.be

Religion and the Founders

Founders, 1:12

How is America a Christian country based on the Judeo-Christian ethic?

https://youtu.be/UXmN_CLF_Ew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXmN_CLF_Ew&feature=youtu.be

UK Islamist School and Dawkins, 6:57

Are ancient religious books reliable sources for modern science and medicine?

https://youtu.be/xtqUgehbu5Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtqUgehbu5Q&feature=youtu.be

Even as the distaste for Jews intensifies around the Western world and more and more members of the international community step up the pressure on Israel to stop being the cause of so much trouble in the otherwise idyllic Middle East, Israeli and Jewish scientists continue to clean up at the Nobel Prizes. It's nothing less than fascinating, in fact, that notwithstanding the lack of affection for Jews and the Jewish state that is evidenced in the Scandinavian media, Jews (who, after all, represent less than 0.2% of the world population) have managed to accumulate a staggeringly disproportionate number of Nobel Prizes over the decades – making up about 21% of the laureates in chemistry, 26% in physics, 27% in physiology or medicine, and 37% in economics.

Accomplishments: Jews vs. Muslims, 1:27

https://youtu.be/7Qpp02XYnDA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qpp02XYnDA

Meanwhile, Muslims number somewhere around 1.5 billion, a good 25% of the planet's population – have racked up only two Nobel Prizes in the sciences. One of these winners, Egyptian chemist Ahmed Zewail, got his Ph.D. in the U.S., where he's also done most of his research. The other, the late physicist Abdus Salam, who studied in Britain and spent much of his career outside of his native Pakistan, wouldn't even count as a Muslim in the eyes of most adherents of that religion, since he belonged to the relatively peaceable, tolerant, and civilized Ahmadiyya sect, whose members are (in Pakistan and many other Islamic countries) officially considered infidels and are the subjects of brutal persecution.

Nonetheless, there have been attempts at updating and reforming Muslim majority culture which led to advances in education.

Iran in fact was quite advanced during the administration of Reza Shah Pahlavi until 1979 and the Islamic revolution. The most forward leader in a Muslim majority society was Ataturk of Turkey. Although he was an authoritarian ruler he did eliminate the caliphate and founded the Republic of Turkey on a Western model of governance.

Reforms of Ataturk

Reforms, of Ataturk, 2:08

https://youtu.be/IgfEvDEgFZA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgfEvDEgFZA&feature=youtu.be

JFK and Ataturk, 2:54

Ataturk was recognized by Western leaders, such as JFK, as a model of forward thinking governance.

https://youtu.be/s3kvtIX4dAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3kvtIX4dAg&feature=youtu.be

12-may-2011

Zionism vs. Islamism

Debate, 7:25

Debates within Islam for reform have touched off heated discussions.

https://youtu.be/Lw9OZiMbxoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw9OZiMbxoo&feature=youtu.be

Islam: Accomodation or Subjugation?

Hillary Khan, 3:04

Americans are far less aware of forces within the public sphere that are regressive. For example, in a celebrated exchange at the Democratic National Convention, a speaker was presented as an example of an outstanding American citizen.

Khizr Khan is Muslim Brotherhood jihadist, promoter of Sharia, seller of U S citizenship to Muslims

Khizr Khan is Muslim Brotherhood jihadist, promoter of Sharia Law, tax filer for Clinton Foundation,
installer for Hillary's classified email server, former employer of Attorney General Loretta Lynch, abuser of EB-5 Visa program, and seller of U S citizenship to Muslims.

https://youtu.be/7O9GOmDGsNw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O9GOmDGsNw&feature=youtu.be

Hillary Sharia, 3:42

https://youtu.be/oKosd0xJadE

Would you say that Americans are very aware of sharia law?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKosd0xJadE&feature=youtu.be

Sharia America, 5:11

https://youtu.be/QzdOT2nOqLQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzdOT2nOqLQ&feature=youtu.be

Is the establishment of one religion over others consistent with the First Amendment?

Harold Koh, State Department, 5:08

Nonie Darwish talks to Fox News about The Obama Administration nominee for State Department Legal Advisor, Harold Koh, and his alleged statement that Islamic Sharia Law should apply in US Courts.

https://youtu.be/ppTo-TTtJQo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppTo-TTtJQo&feature=youtu.be

Should sharia law apply in American courts?

Sharia Court in Texas, 4:25

A religious nonprofit in the Dallas area offers Muslims the option of Sharia law to settle family and business disputes.

In England, sharia courts have been introduced and at least in the discussion stage of similar courts in the U.S.

https://youtu.be/jqIzgv11Pl0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqIzgv11Pl0&feature=youtu.be

Halāl (Arabic: حلال‎‎ ḥalāl, "permissible"), also spelled hallal or halaal, is any object or action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. The term covers and designates not only food and drink but also all matters of daily life.[1] It is one of five Ahkam—fard (compulsory), mustahabb (recommended), halal (allowed), makruh (disliked), haram (forbidden)—that define the morality of human action in Islam.[2] Mubah is also used to mean "permissible" or "allowed" in Islam.

Halal Chicken, 2:27

https://youtu.be/JlFfz0Dxh8E

A chicken is slaughtered halal at a market in Jakarta, Indonesia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlFfz0Dxh8E&feature=youtu.be

Halal

Partial list:
KFC
Outback Steakhouse
Popeyes
Safeway
Costco
Whole Foods Market
ShopRite
Trader Joe's
Vons
Wal-Mart

Facebook

Islamic (Sharia) Law in America, J. Christian Adams, Minnesota

2012, 18:31 James Lafferty, 12:56

Minnesota, Sharia Law, 4:26

Muslims in the USA want Sharia law and say they will not follow US laws.

https://youtu.be/uB6gps7dkUA

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uB6gps7dkUA

Muslims in the USA want Sharia law and say they will not follow US laws, 4:26

https://youtu.be/uB6gps7dkUA

Former Muslim immigrants to the U.S., who I know personally for example, became citizens because they were attracted to the liberties and freedom of America. It seems reasonable that Qader knew how to spell his own name: this is his signature on a portrait of Mohammed that he drew for me.

Religiosity of 9/11 Islamists

911/hearings/hearing3/witness_emerson

Counter terrorism expert Steven Emerson testified:

"A special Hollywood broadcast after 9/11 noted that the attack of 9/11 was simply "pure evil" and had nothing to do with religion. In fact, the 9/11 attack had everything to do with religion."

last-night-document in Arabic Released by the FBI

9-11-handbook

The document was released by the F.B.I. and translated for The New York Times by one of the most prestigious translation companies in the U.S., Capital Communications Group, a Washington-based international consulting firm and by Imad Musa, a translator for the firm.

Obama’s Historic Cairo Speech

There is only one mention of the Constitution, in regards to Jefferson, and no reference to liberty, the American Republic, or the Bill of Rights. Rights, when mentioned, are coupled with human rights, as in the international or U.N. mandated variety, or, as in when governments determine which things are allowed for people.

In a previous Democratic administration it was stated:

"We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

John F. Kennedy

Obama Editorial Promotes Islam
Promote Islam
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-oe-obama-terrorism-conference-20150218-story.html

Obama on Islam

"Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance.”
Barack Hussein Obama

“It is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit”
Barack Hussein Obama

“We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better, including my own country.”
Barack Hussein Obama

“The contribution of Muslims to the United States are too long to catalog because Muslims are so interwoven into the fabric of our communities and our country”
Barack Hussein Obama

“I have lived in a Muslim-majority country… I know, because I am one of them.”
Barack Hussein Obama

“As a student of history, I also know civilization’s debt to Islam.”
Barack Hussein Obama

“Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.”
Barack Hussein Obama

“And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States.”
Barack Hussein Obama

“And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.”
Barack Hussein Obama

“Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one’s religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state of our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.”
Barack Hussein Obama

“We are not nor have we even been at war with Islam”
Barack Hussein Obama

“Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation”
Barack Hussein Obama

“We Do Not Consider Ourselves a Christian Nation”
Barack Hussein Obama

“I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”
Barack Hussein Obama.....H/T BlueSky

Pat Condell, Goodbye To The First Amendment, 5:47
https://youtu.be/ozfaLzjjZyE
Condell on Sharia, 6:22

Pat Condell - Saudi Arabia sharia Islam treats women like cattle

https://youtu.be/srmIyiY-XU0

Scrub

Islamism from 9/11

9-11-memorial-stirs-debate-over-islamic-terrorists

muslim-group-wants-islamic-terrorists-scrubbed-from-911-memorial

George Washington Hires Islamist

Revolution Muslim, 2:50

Younus Abdullah Muhammad, NY Muslim: This is Islam! To Hell With Obama, America and Democracy!

https://youtu.be/sAorhgNqQoc

Mohammed

01/george-washington-university-hires-former-islamist

History of the Middle East

Middle East, 3:15

https://youtu.be/ZQ3IF8X-4zI

Invented religions

Falun Gong

Li Hongzhi, Falun Gong founder

Falun Gong: Spiritual Practice or Evil Cult? 5:42

Followers claim Falun Gong is a spiritual practice. But China says it is an evil cult. Hear from three practitioners in the United States. Watch more videos made by the VJ Movement reporters from around the world on http://www.vjmovement.com or subscribe to our Youtube

https://youtu.be/HoAKCVDCkAk

Falun Gong or Falun Dafa (literally, "Dharma Wheel Practice" or "Law Wheel Practice") is a Chinese spiritual practice that combines meditation and qigong exercises with a moral philosophy centered on the tenets of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance (Chinese: 真、善、忍).

The practice emphasizes morality and the cultivation of virtue, and identifies as a qigong practice of the Buddhist school, though its teachings also incorporate elements drawn from Taoist traditions. Through moral rectitude and the practice of meditation, practitioners of Falun Gong aspire to better health and, ultimately, spiritual enlightenment.

Falun Gong was first taught publicly in Northeast China in 1992 by Li Hongzhi.

It emerged toward the end of China's "qigong boom"—a period which saw the proliferation of similar practices of meditation, slow-moving exercises and regulated breathing. It differs from other qigong schools in its absence of fees or formal membership, lack of daily rituals of worship, its greater emphasis on morality, and the theological nature of its teachings. Western academics have described Falun Gong as a qigong discipline, a "spiritual movement", a "cultivation system" in the tradition of Chinese antiquity, or as a form of Chinese religion.

Although the practice initially enjoyed considerable support from Chinese officialdom, by the mid- to late-1990s, the Communist Party and public security organizations increasingly viewed Falun Gong as a potential threat due to its size, independence from the state, and spiritual teachings. By 1999, government estimates placed the number of Falun Gong practitioners at 70 million.^[1] Tensions culminated in April 1999, when over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners gathered peacefully near the central government compound in Beijing to request legal recognition and freedom from state interference. This demonstration is widely seen as catalyzing the persecution that followed.

On 20 July 1999, the Communist Party leadership initiated a nationwide crackdown and multifaceted propaganda campaign intended to eradicate the practice. It blocked Internet access to websites that mention Falun Gong, and in October 1999 it declared Falun Gong a "heretical organization" that threatened social stability. Human rights groups report that Falun Gong practitioners in China are subject to a wide range of human rights abuses: hundreds of thousands are estimated to have been imprisoned extrajudicially, and practitioners in detention are subject to forced labor, psychiatric abuse, torture, and other coercive methods of thought reform at the hands of Chinese authorities.^[2] As of 2009 at least 2,000 Falun Gong practitioners had died as a result of abuse in custody.^[3] Some observers put the number much higher, and report that tens of thousands may have been killed to supply China's organ transplant industry.^[4]^[5] In the years since the persecution began, Falun Gong practitioners have become active in advocating for greater human rights in China.

Falun Gong founder Li Hongzhi has lived in the United States since 1996, and Falun Gong has a sizable global constituency. Inside China, some sources estimate that tens of millions continue to practice Falun Gong in spite of the persecution.^[6]^[7] Hundreds of thousands are estimated to practice Falun Gong outside China in over 70 countries worldwide.^[8]^[9]

"New Age" Spirituality, Western movements of the 1970s and 1980s

Sacred Sites Sedona Arizona, 2:54

http://indigenousnativeamericans.com/

Email us how to support Our International Center 2016.

Eagle Quetzal Condor Gathering: A Global Convergence of Wisdom Keepers and Planetary Advocates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sedona, AZ – Indigenous Elders from North, Central, and South America will unite with Wisdom Keepers and Planetary Advocates from around the world for a historic event at the Eagle Quetzal Condor gathering in Sedona, Arizona - April 17th -19th, 2015 –– with extended presentations being planned through April 23rd. Tickets are $323, which includes all presentations, films, music and workshops. Registration check in will be held at 7 Centers Yoga, from 3-5:30pm on Friday April 17th. Tickets are limited to the first 225 people.

Because we are facing a global ecological crisis, the Indigenous wisdom of the Natural World is needed now more than ever. Re-establishing a harmonious relationship to the Earth is the only way humanity can move into the future in a sustainable way. Indigenous cultures throughout the Americas –– and the world –– have maintained a reciprocal relationship with the Earth, have protected the sacred sites and ancestral trade routes, and are now sharing that wisdom with the modern world in preparation for a new planetary era; an era where modern technology and ancestral wisdom are synthesized to create a thriving world for the entire Earth Community.

While there are over 50 Indigenous Elders planning on attending the gathering, there are select Elders and global Wisdom Keepers who will be doing formal presentations. Presenters include: Grandmother Margarita Nuñez Garcia (Jalisco, Mexico), Cristobal Cojti Gacia (Mayan Elder, Guatemala), Juan Gabriel (Peruvian Elder), Uqualla (Havasupi Tribe), Ruben Saufkie (Hopi Tribe), Grandmother Laura Espinoza Cuadras (Mexicali, Baja Mx), Carl Johan Calleman, PhD (Scholar and Author), Sensei Rendo Sugimoto (Japanese Elder), Alokananda (Tribal Alliance), and more…

This conference will also focus on environmental awareness in alignment with Earth Day. There will be two environmental films that address solutions to climate change. The first is Cowspiracy and the second is The Future of Energy. The two films compliment each other and together cover the two largest areas of society that need to be transformed in order to solve the climate crisis; animal agriculture and energy consumption.

There will be lively musical performances on Saturday and Sunday night by Wilkasara (Cusco, Peru), Ryan Whitewolf (Australia) and Bhushan Stone (Alaskan folk music) to bring all the people together to celebrate life. There will also be the great healing benefit of Yoga classes by Mally Pasquette (Traditional and Classical Yoga), and Tim Teh (Shaman’s Heart Yoga). In addition, Generation Wake Up will host a powerful young led workshop that focuses on youth empowerment and sustainability.

This event is hosted by ICSAW (International Center of Spiritual and Ancestral Wisdom) and co-hosted by ICCS (International Center of Cultural Studies)

Sponsors of Event: World Healing, Planetary Advocates, Suns of the Earth, All Nations Native American Church, Okleuueha Native American Church, Reviveolution, Oneness Community of New Mexico, Sedona Red Rock Adventures, Tribal Alliance, and Star Bear.

https://youtu.be/iLcZ-xlToaY

Opposition to new religious movements 489

"Jonestown" was the informal name for the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project formed by the Peoples Temple, an American religious organization under the leadership of Jim Jones, in northwestern Guyana. It became internationally notorious when on November 18, 1978, over 900 people died in the remote commune, at the nearby airstrip in Port Kaituma, and in Georgetown, Guyana's capital city. The name of the settlement became synonymous with the incidents at those locations.

A total of 909 Americans^[1] died in Jonestown, all but two from apparent cyanide poisoning, in an event termed "revolutionary suicide" by Jones and some members on an audio tape of the event and in prior discussions. The poisonings in Jonestown followed the murder of five others by Temple members at Port Kaituma, including United States Congressman Leo Ryan. Four other Temple members died in Georgetown at Jones' command.

The actions in Jonestown have been commonly viewed as mass suicide, although some sources, including Jonestown survivors, regard them as mass murder instead.^[2]^[3] It was the largest such event in modern history and resulted in the largest single loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act until September 11, 2001.^[4] In recent years, the Jonestown massacre has been the subject of several conspiracy theories.

Jonestown Death Tape: mass suicide, 48:24

The Jonestown Death Tape (FBI No. Q 042) (November 18, 1978)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OkookcrAnSE

Branch Davidian siege

The Waco siege was a siege of a compound belonging to the religious group Branch Davidians by American federal and Texas state law enforcement and US military between February 28 and April 19, 1993.^[4] The Branch Davidians, a sect that separated in 1955 from the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was led by David Koresh and lived at Mount Carmel Center ranch in the community of Elk, Texas,^[5]^[6]^[7] nine miles (14 kilometers) east-northeast of Waco. The group was suspected of weapons violations, causing a search and arrest warrant to be obtained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The incident began when the ATF attempted to raid the ranch. An intense gun battle erupted, resulting in the deaths of four government agents and six Branch Davidians. Upon the ATF's failure to raid the compound, a siege was initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the standoff lasting 51 days. Eventually, the FBI launched an assault and initiated a tear gas attack in an attempt to force the Branch Davidians out of the ranch. During the attack, a fire engulfed Mount Carmel Center. 76 people died,^[8]^[9] including David Koresh.
Much dispute remains as to the actual events of the siege. A particular controversy ensued over the origin of the fire; a government investigation concluded in 2000 that sect members themselves had started the fire. The events near Waco, and the siege at Ruby Ridge less than 12 months earlier were both cited as the primary motivations behind the Oklahoma City bombing that took place exactly two years later.

Waco

Waco Faith, Fear and Fire CNN David Koresh Branch Davidian, 6:13

https://youtu.be/zzSBZdoJhik
Text

Combat Engineer Vehicle

Religilous

2:12

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gxc0XEoQpQ&list=PLA496B71E4A561D53

The documentary RELIGULOUS follows political humorist and author Bill Maher ("Real Time With Bill Maher," "Politically Incorrect") as he travels around the globe interviewing people about God and religion. Known for his astute analytical skills, irreverent wit and commitment to never pulling a punch, Maher brings his characteristic honesty to an unusual spiritual journey. Directed by Larry Charles (BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"), RELIGULOUS will mark Charles' first feature project since the critically acclaimed, wildly successful BORAT. Jonah Smith and Palmer West of Thousand Words (A SCANNER DARKLY, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM) are producing.

Dawkins of God's Existence

Dawkins

How do religions deal with modern science, religious pluralism, gender issues, or slavery?

Religiosity of 9/11 Islamists

911/hearings/hearing3/witness_emerson

Counter terrorism expert Steven Emerson testified:

"A special Hollywood broadcast after 9/11 noted that the attack of 9/11 was simply "pure evil" and had nothing to do with religion. In fact, the 9/11 attack had everything to do with religion."

last-night-document in Arabic Released by the FBI

9-11-handbook

The document was released by the F.B.I. and translated for The New York Times by Capital Communications Group, a Washington-based international consulting firm and by Imad Musa, a translator for the firm.

A former student of mine (as in a mujahideen (Arabic: المجاهدين‎‎ is the plural form, a mujahid (Arabic: مجاهد‎‎), the term for one engaged in Jihad drew a picture of Mohammed and gave it to me as a present.

In English usage, it mostly referred to the guerrilla type military outfits led by the Muslim Afghan warriors in the Soviet war in Afghanistan, but now it often refers to other jihadist outfits in various countries.

UK Islamist School and Dawkins, 6:57

https://youtu.be/xtqUgehbu5Q

Richard Dawkins: "Brief Candle in the Dark: My Life in Science" | Talks at Google, 46:00

Richard Dawkins visited Google’s office in Kirkland, WA to discuss his book “Brief Candle in the Dark: My Life in Science”.

From 1995 to 2008 Richard Dawkins was the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is an internationally best-selling author. Among his books are The Ancestor’s Tale, The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, A Devil’s Chaplain, The God Delusion, The Greatest Show on Earth and The Magic of Reality. His most recent books are his two-part autobiography. Part 1, An Appetite for Wonder, released in 2013 and A Brief Candle in the Dark released in 2015.

To learn more about the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, the mission of which is to promote scientific literacy and a secular worldview, please visit https://richarddawkins.net/

Yet a fourth meaning of secularism applies to countries such as the United States, India, and Turkey, where the modern constitutional separation of religion and state may be referred to as “secularism,” even though individuals may have strong belief structures. The United States has the largest percentage of church-going people in the industrialized countries of the world, yet its constitution insists on a wall of separation between the state and religion. In a secular democracy, the government is supposed to respect the rights of individuals to their own religious beliefs, thus protecting minority religions from oppression.

In all four senses, secularism is now under siege or waning. Many religions are undergoing a resurgence, either in their home regions or elsewhere, and political secularism is being threatened by politicized religious pressure groups.

Religious pluralism 499

Religion in politics 503

Obama’s Historic Cairo Speech

There is only one mention of the Constitution, in regards to Jefferson, and no reference to liberty, the American Republic, or the Bill of Rights. Rights, when mentioned, are coupled with human rights, as in the international or U.N. mandated variety, or, as in when governments determine which things are allowed for people.

In a previous Democratic administration it was stated: