is he ESTABLISHING islam as a STATE religion? or is he just RECOGNIZING that Islam IS a religion?
On Aug 23, 11:37 am, bruce majors <[email protected]> wrote: > ?isn't this failing to separate church and state? > > On Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 10:25 AM, Hollywood > <[email protected]>wrote: > > > > > > > Bruce, > > > So? > > > On Aug 23, 5:34 am, Bruce Majors <[email protected]> wrote: > > >http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/08/obama-ramadan-gree... > > > > Ramadan, as everyone knows, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a > > > time to practice patience and modesty, pray extra and refrain from > > eating, > > > drinking, smoking and sex from dawn until sunset. > > > > Today, President Obama, the son of a Muslim, who's going on vacation, > > issued > > > a special Ramadan message to the Muslim world. Before leaving, the > > Democrat > > > also issued one of those public relations presidential proclamations > > marking > > > a special occasion of some sort, in this case the 50th anniversary of > > Hawaii > > > joining the United States ohana, which, the president who grew up there > > > says, means family. > > > > Not the best timing from a strategic Western PR standpoint, as the > > released > > > Lockerbie bomber arrives back in Libya to a hero's welcome. > > > > But here in full is Obama's Ramadan message, as provided by the White > > House: > > > > -- Andrew Malcolm > > > > On behalf of the American people �" including Muslim communities in all > > 50 > > > states �" I want to extend best wishes to Muslims in America and around > > > the world. Ramadan Kareem. > > > > Ramadan is the month in which Muslims believe the Koran was revealed to > > the > > > Prophet Muhammad, beginning with a simple word �" iqra. It is therefore > > a > > > time when Muslims reflect upon the wisdom and guidance that comes with > > > faith, and the responsibility that human beings have to one another, and > > to > > > God. > > > > Like many people of different faiths who have known Ramadan through our > > > communities and families, I know this to be a festive time �" a time > > when > > > families gather, friends host iftars, and meals are shared. But I.... > > > > ...also know that Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection > > �" > > > a time when Muslims fast during the day and perform tarawih prayers at > > > night, reciting and listening to the entire Koran over the course of the > > > month. > > > These rituals remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and > > > Islam’s role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity > > of > > > all human beings. > > > > For instance, fasting is a concept shared by many faiths �" including > > my > > > own Christian faith �" as a way to bring people closer to God, and to > > > those among us who cannot take their next meal for granted. And the > > support > > > that Muslims provide to others recalls our responsibility to advance > > > opportunity and prosperity for people everywhere. For all of us must > > > remember that the world we want to build �" and the changes that we > > want > > > to make �" must begin in our own hearts, and our own communities. > > > > This summer, people across America have served in their communities �" > > > educating children, caring for the sick, and extending a hand to those > > who > > > have fallen on hard times. Faith-based organizations, including many > > Islamic > > > organizations, have been at the forefront in participating in this summer > > of > > > service. And in these challenging times, this is a spirit of > > responsibility > > > that we must sustain in the months and years to come. > > > > Beyond America’s borders, we are also committed to keeping our > > > responsibility to build a world that is more peaceful and secure. That is > > > why we are responsibly ending the war in Iraq. That is why we are > > isolating > > > violent extremists while empowering the people in places like Afghanistan > > > and Pakistan. > > > > That is why we are unyielding in our support for a two-state solution > > that > > > recognizes the rights of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and > > > security. And that is why America will always stand for the universal > > rights > > > of all people to speak their mind, practice their religion, contribute > > fully > > > to society and have confidence in the rule of law. > > > All of these efforts are a part of America’s commitment to engage > > Muslims > > > and Muslim-majority nations on the basis of mutual interest and mutual > > > respect. And at this time of renewal, I want to reiterate my commitment > > to a > > > new beginning between America and Muslims around the world. > > > > As I said in Cairo, this new beginning must be borne out in a sustained > > > effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one > > > another, and to seek common ground. I believe an important part of this > > is > > > listening, and in the last two months, American embassies around the > > world > > > have reached out not just to governments, but directly to people in > > > Muslim-majority countries. From around the world, we have received an > > > outpouring of feedback about how America can be a partner on behalf of > > > peoples’ aspirations. > > > > We have listened. We have heard you. And like you, we are focused on > > > pursuing concrete actions that will make a difference over time �" both > > in > > > terms of the political and security issues that I have discussed, and in > > the > > > areas that you have told us will make the most difference in peoples’ > > > lives. > > > > These consultations are helping us implement the partnerships that I > > called > > > for in Cairo �" to expand education exchange programs; to foster > > > entrepreneurship and create jobs; and to increase collaboration on > > science > > > and technology, while supporting literacy and vocational learning. > > > > We are also moving forward in partnering with the OIC and OIC member > > states > > > to eradicate polio, while working closely with the international > > community > > > to confront common health challenges like H1N1 �" which I know is of > > > particular to concern to many Muslims preparing for the upcoming hajj. > > > > All of these efforts are aimed at advancing our common aspirations �" > > to > > > live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; > > to > > > love our families, our communities, and our God. It will take time and > > > patient effort. We cannot change things over night, but we can honestly > > > resolve to do what must be done, while setting off in a new direction > > �" > > > toward the destination that we seek for ourselves, and for our children. > > > That is the journey that we must travel together. > > > > I look forward to continuing this critically important dialogue and > > turning > > > it into action. And today, I want to join with the 1.5 billion Muslims > > > around the world �" and your families and friends �" in welcoming the > > > beginning of Ramadan, and wishing you a blessed month. 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