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- I can say that I'm pro-life
in the sense that I affirm every living human on this earth,
and I am prayerfully pro-choice.
We respect the reproductive rights of women.
- In the Islamic tradition there are times
in which abortion is permissible,
but generally we try to affirm life,
but there's a separate issue which is
if you disagree from whatever our religion tradition is,
who do you go about expressing that disagreement?
- When you talk to anybody who has difference,
whether it's around abortion,
having guns, getting rid of guns,
all of these issues that what we lack
is an ability to listen to each other.
- And I think we would all agree that
in committing act of violence is a transgression,
not just of the law but of our religious values.
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- When you look at that text of Genesis,
you see the part where it says,
"They were created in God's image.
"Men and women."
- Yeah.
- Together.
Men and women have been created in equal footing.
- The Islamic tradition in many ways
is a feminist tradition.
From the teachings of Mohammad,
in which he conveyed through the message of the Quran
that women have the right to own property,
the right to inherit property.
They have the permission before they're married off
and they also have the right to divorce.
However, what has happened is that Islam spread to other
chauvinistic, patriarchal cultures
and culture trumps religion.
It just doesn't get highlighted.
- So how do we get the rest of Muslims to understand that,
or Jews or Christians who continue to see women
in this terribly subservient role,
and back it up with scripture of all kinds,
and keep woman out of positions of power.
And treat us in families in ways
that are just horrible.
- I think education is the key,
and that's why my focus right now is in education.
- There has been always strong women
who have argued with their fathers and grandfathers
and brothers to make room for themselves.
Thank God they have,
because they have opened a door
that now at this moment in history,
is very new moment in Jewish history,
to allow for women Rabis.
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- To be very transparent, Islam suggest that
sexual relations should only take place
between a man and a woman in the context of marriage.
That being said, to be homophobic or to be discriminatory
or to be exclusive is against the values of Islam.
- Yeah, I would say to the question of homosexuality.
yes.
- I see homosexuality as and ongoing revelation
and evolution of human relationships,
and an expression, a full expression of God's
love in the world.
- Yeah, that argument that a gay or lesbian wedding
makes someone else's marriage not whole
is quite stunning.
I mean it's about bringing more love into the world
and the core of our religious traditions are about love.
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- I think that there are many paths to the divine,
many revelations of God in the world.
I believe that it is about following Christ,
as opposed to making people believe.
- There's a verse in chapter two of the Quran,
those who believe, Jews, Christians, Sabians
whoever so believes in God on the day of judgment
and does good, will find the reward with their Lord.
- One of the things that happens
with folks who believe that their way
is the only way,
is that they, in this
terrible blasphemous jump of arrogance
make themselves God.
And out of that they kill other people.
Unfortunately all three of our traditions
have humans who do this.
Who act if they are God.
All three of our traditions have terrorist
who kill humans in the name of,
it must be hatred and violence,
because I won't call it God.
They are not of God.
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- Take a risk and find someone of a different tradition
and ask about it.
Ask with curiosity and openness.
Be moved toward empathy,
towards their experience.
- Action for justice,
actions of compassion
serving at soup kitchens together.
Doing the work of our faith tradition
on the streets.
- And we can use the organizing force of our communities
to not only address those as individual communities
but to get to know one another across religious traditions
to address some of the most important issues
facing our community in our world.
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