News items relating to religious
tolerance and information

2009-September

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Events:

2009-SEP-02: TX: Jewish and Hindu leader ask for even treatment: The Texas State Board of Education is currently revising its social studies curriculum. Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, a Jewish leader in Nevada and Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism asked the Board to treat all the major world religions, Native American spirituality, and non-believers? viewpoints evenly. They argued that: "Texas was a very diverse society and it also made a good business sense to know the beliefs of 'others' in a global community. Moreover, students should have knowledge of the entire society to become full participants in the society and it also helped advance Board?s goal 'to provide the best possible education to public school students'." 1

2009-SEP-03: MA: Sojourners comments on the funeral of Ted Kennedy: Prominent evangelical pastor Jim Wallis wrote an article in Sojourners' weekly mailing titled: "Faith is about Redemption: The Life of Ted Kennedy." He wrote:

"At the funeral of the nation's most liberal political leader of the last half-century, a watching nation was treated to a full Catholic Mass. And even more, the readings are what most struck me. When was the last time the whole country got to hear the 25th chapter of Matthew, with Jesus imploring us, 'I was hungry ... I was thirsty ... I was a stranger ... I was naked ... I was sick ... I was in prison ... and you came to me.' And then the song of Mary: 'He will put down the mighty from their thrones, exalt those of low degree, fill the hungry with good things, and send the rich empty away'."

"Ted and Vicki Kennedy carefully chose those readings for this solemn and special occasion, and the whole nation listened to them."

"And from this weekend, I received a final insight: that the roles of being a prophetic advocate who stands passionately for social justice, and the vocation of being a bridge-builder and convener who brings diverse people together are not, perhaps, so mutually exclusive after all. Most people tell me they are, but feeling called to both, I have often struggled to reconcile them. But here was Ted Kennedy, the fiercest fighter for the poor and vulnerable in the U.S. Senate over the last half-century and yet when fellow senators on both sides of the aisle were asked whom they most wanted to work with, it was always him. ₂

References used:

1. Jonathan Freirich & Rajan Zed, "Jews & Hindus want religions treated evenly in curriculum revision for Texas schools," press release, 2009-SEP-02.

2. Jim Wallis, "Faith is about Redemption: The Life of Ted Kennedy," Sojourners, 2009-SEP-03, at: http://www.sojo.net/ This is a temporary listing; the essay will later be moved to the Sojomail archives.

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Copyright © 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2009-SEP-03
Latest update: 2009-SEP-06
Compiler: B.A. Robinson

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