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Showing posts with the label interfaith

Sacred Cities: Why Jerusalem, Mecca, and Medina Hold Different Places in Faith

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  1. The Question Why do Christians and Jews share one sacred city — Jerusalem — while Muslims hold two, Mecca and Medina , and also revere Jerusalem? The answer lies not in rivalry, but in revelation and memory — how each faith locates its encounter with the Divine. 2. Judaism: Jerusalem as Covenant Center For Jews, Jerusalem is the heart of the covenant — the city chosen by God, the site of the Temple , and the place where heaven and earth meet. King David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel. Solomon built the First Temple there, the dwelling place of God’s presence ( Shekhinah ). Even after the Temple’s destruction, Jews pray facing Jerusalem. The city symbolizes return, restoration, and divine nearness — “Next year in Jerusalem” remains the closing line of Passover. Jerusalem is not just geography; it is the axis of sacred history . 3. Christianity: Jerusalem as Fulfillment For Christians, Jerusalem is sacred because it is the stage of Christ’s passion, death, and resurre...

“Religion Is a Language for Talking to God”—But What Happens When We Weaponize the Grammar?

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  In An Afternoon's Dictation , Steven Greenebaum (PhD/Rev) wrote he was told by God that “religion is a language for talking to God.” It’s a beautiful insight—simple, disarming, and profoundly true. But like any language, religion can be used to bless or to wound, to build bridges or to burn them. And today, we are watching what happens when the language meant for communion becomes a tool for control. When the Language of Faith Becomes a Weapon Across the world—and across dinner tables—religious identity has become a fault line. Not because people suddenly believe more deeply, but because religion is increasingly treated as a badge of tribal belonging rather than a path to the divine. Christian Nationalism reframes Christianity not as a way of loving God and neighbor, but as a cultural boundary marker—who belongs and who does not. In this worldview, faith becomes fused with national identity, political loyalty, and social hierarchy. The result is not devotion but division. Fam...

Publisher's pride: Books on bestseller lists - One Family Indivisible (Greenebaum)

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  Today's Publisher's Pride is  One Family Indivisible  by Steven Greenebaum, which reached #185 in Unitarian universalism and #323 among Amazon top sellers in Christian ecumenism. Book Description: Throughout history we have divided ourselves into groupings of "us" and "them".  One Family: Indivisible  engagingly  invites the reader into the deeply spiritual and lifelong journey of the author to find a way to acknowledge our differences without dividing and subdividing ourselves into competing tribes. It is a journey of mountain tops and deep valleys, but it leads to the inclusivity and mutual respect possible with Interfaith. This is a book for seekers of all races, ethnicities, and spiritual paths who search for that elusive goal of a community of love and inclusion that also respects our diversity. AWARDS Eric Hoffer Award Category Finalist, American Book Fest Best Books Award Finalist (religion) Keywords: interfaith, spiritual journey, common humanity,...