God, Government and Gays in the Military
- play show:
Date: 10 June 2010
Debating 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is likely coming to an end—and so is religious liberty, according to some conservative chaplains. In late April, 41 retired military chaplains signed a document warning against a repeal of the ban, which they fear would muzzle their preaching on homosexuality, and create “career-ending accusations of insubordination.” Religious gay rights advocates say it’s time for the military to become more honest. Two sides weigh in on the real consequences for chaplains of all faiths in the military.
Pictured: A U.S. Army chaplain conducts a service for soldiers in Ramadi, Iraq.
Daniel Blomberg, Litigation Counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund
Welton Gaddy, President of the Interfaith Alliance
Web Extra: Click here for the full interview
Walking the (Interfaith) Talk
Begins at 22 min 30 sec
Interfaith leaders often come together to create change and solve problems. But can religious dialogue lead to concrete action? Karen Hamilton hopes so. She’s organizing the 2010 World Religions Summit, an effort to push the UN to follow through on its commitment to fight poverty, AIDs and other global ills. She answers tough questions on how to move beyond religious finger-wagging.
Karen Hamilton, General Secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches
World Religions 101: Islam
Begins at 28 min 40 sec
This week we begin our new series, World Religions 101. It’s a response to many of you, our listeners, who tell us you want to know the basics of the great religions of the world, but you don’t have time to study them in depth. Think of it as a free enrollment in Stephen Prothero’s popular religion class….minus the test at the end. We begin with Islam, which Prothero calls the most influential religion of the 21st century.
Pictured: The Koran, the holy book Muslims consider the final revelation of God.
Stephen Prothero, author of God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions that Rule the World and Why Their Differences Matter
