Jan. 21, 2015–Through much of their history, Sunni and Shia Muslims have lived peacefully together in countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. But since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, sectarian conflict has escalated in the region. Here in the Bay Area, as in most of the US, around 75% of Muslims identify as Sunni, just four percent identify as Shia. Mosques here are generally identified by sect. You have, say, the Sunni Mosque, the Shia Mosque, the Sufi Mosque. But the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (or ICCNC) has made… [Read More…]
A special KALW show about spirituality: September 9, 2014
For this special episode of KALW’s Crosscurrents, we spent the hour talking about spirituality. Radio personality and Spirit Rock Buddhist teacher Wes “Scoop” Nisker was our guest. The show also featured stories about an urban Native American sweat lodge and Marin wood carver Tom Killion. We played newly discovered tape from standup comedian Robin Williams. We relived old times with a person-on-the-street interview by Nisker from the early 80s. And we got answers to the question, “What is the meaning of life?”
Listen: A young man’s search for God onstage
August 12, 2014–Dezi Gallegos is a playwright who is searching for God. He’s only 18 years old, but says he’s already lived through numerous tough life experiences that led to him asking the question: is there a loving God? And if so, why are these bad things - plagues, he calls them - happening to me and my family? His new play, “God Fights the Plague,” explores his search for answers. He talked to 16 people from nine different religions, and portrays each of them onstage- the Christian fundamentalist, the Jewish rabbi, the… [Read More…]
‘Unmosqued’ points to bigger trend
Across the American religious landscape, people are turning away from their religions of birth. For Islam, a new documentary points a finger at mosques, saying they are the reason why Muslim youth don’t want to stick around. But these days, there are other options. NPR’s Code Switch aired a story about the documentary and a new phenomenon called “third spaces,“ which are alternative gathering places favored by some youth. The backlash against mosques may come in part from the symbolism these buildings can hold. Sometimes, they represent institutions that refuse to bend… [Read More…]
