God in the Obama Era: Presidents’ Religion and Ethics from George Washington to Barack Obama

Review

Though Americans do live in a “secular age” (9), Rice University Professor of Philosophy and Religious Thought Niels C. Nielsen points out very quickly that religion still shaped our political leaders – for better or for worse. We as a nation should be striving towards a more all-encompassing perspective, accepting the philosophies of the religious and non-religious alike. But, at the same time, there is no denying that the various faiths to which past presidents adhered (or did not adhere) did come to impact their policies. Not everyone may be terribly enthused about this, but that won’t change the fact that it does, did and still happens. Nielsen sites a plethora of reliable primary and secondary sources to back up this main thesis, which revolves mainly around how presidents past compare with Barack Obama from religious, historical and – of course! – political angles.

In spite of the title, God in the Obama Era actually stretches all the way back to George Washington, stopping at 18 different presidents along the way. Each one receives an in-depth analysis of his connection (or disconnection) with a given spirituality and major political and personal successes and failures. All of their stories tie back into the title as Nielsen discusses how they relate back to Obama’s current challenges today, a nice melding to illustrate how the triumphs and mistakes of the past have come to mold the present. Some very interesting questions start popping up along the way as well. I started wondering what the evangelical, highly conservative Christians affiliated with the George W. Bush campaign would have made of Thomas Jefferson’s “denial of the Trinity” (67) and adherence to deism and Unitarianism. And the question of whether or not the only Catholic president – John F. Kennedy – will ever be joined by a second also comes to mind as well. Will the general public still believe him or her subservient to the Pope’s bidding? What facets of morality are generally universal, and is there or should there be a place for specific religious beliefs to pass policies that cater to their own interests? What are the pros and cons of secularism? Pluralism? Which approach would the American peoples prefer? Given how all presidents up to this point had a religious foundation – almost exclusively Protestant Christians – would Americans ever open their arms to an openly atheistic president? That’s what I really enjoyed about this book. All sorts of questions regarding politics, religion, history and their plentiful intersections started materializing the more I read. Fans of analyzing and discussing these topics have plenty of fodder to fuel civil debates here, and I’d encourage them to give God in the Obama Era a chance.

I doubt, however, that Obama’s detractors will have much interest in this book. Nielsen clearly holds high hopes for his presidency, which I didn’t mind so much. More conservative readers might, though. The content does admittedly dry out from time to time, but the author keeps his chapters on the shorter side and writes in a clear, concise manner that makes the book extremely accessible to an audience without an extensive background in the topics at hand.

It’s worth mentioning that Morgan James Publishing donates 1% of all book sales to Habitat for Humanity, so buying a new copy of God in the Obama Era puts a bit of money in the pocket of a worthwhile charity. They have a 4-star rating on Charity Navigator, for the record!

Bibliographic Information

Nielsen, Niels C. God in the Obama Era: Presidents’ Religion and Ethics from George Washington to Barack Obama. New York: Morgan James, 2009.

Further Reading

Because God in the Obama Era does ultimately tie into the eponymous presidency, anyone curious about how he personally resigns his religious and political beliefs with one another should read Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. Niels C. Nielsen does, of course, plumb the depths of Barack Obama’s personal and spiritual background in his own book. But the best way to firmly grasp where he’s coming from is by reading everything in his own words.

~Riot

How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships

Review

Regardless of your personal religious convictions, How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships by His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers simple, helpful meditations on altruism and compassion accessible to anyone willing to consider his teachings. As he points out early on, “all the great teachers, including Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and Moses, were motivated by a desire to help their fellow beings” (4), dismissing physical, cultural, and philosophical barriers in favor of a pluralistic message promoting love and respect. Though the graduated, seven-step meditation process outlined in the book obviously stems from Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama encourages readers to interpret his teachings in a manner that folds in complementary to their own perceptions and ideas.

“Real religion” (5), as he defines it, does not necessarily involve “wear[ing] robes and speak[ing] about God” (5). Even an individual involved in a heavily stigmatized professions such as “a politician or a lawyer” (5) can “truely [practice] religion” (5), provided he or she “takes actions that benefits others” (5). The first step towards understanding and practicing compassion involves acknowledging one’s own humanity and place in the universe. Life may be a temporary gift, but with it one can do wonders to promote peace and comfort. All members of the human race desire happiness – the pursuit of which is inextricably ingrained in the psyche. There is absolutely no shame or negativity in this, but in order to practice love and compassion, an individual must consider how his or her desires may impede the happiness of others. As joy, security, health, and love can be counted among the most basic of human needs and rights, the Dalai Lama believes that the purest form of pleasure comes not from attaining such things without disrupting the lives of others, but rather from helping them in their own paths towards finding it. Though one must be aware of sacrificing too much of their own time and talent as well, lest they find themselves unable to enjoy life. A balance must be maintained during meditation – it’s impossible to feel empathic towards others if one cannot feel empathy towards oneself, after all.

I won’t get into the specifics of all seven steps. But the most intriguing element of the meditation process the Dalai Lama outlines comes at the very beginning. In order to fully learn to appreciate other sentients, an individual needs to break free from the “natural tendency to put others into categories (such as friend or enemy)” (9), recognizing others as equals regardless of these subjective labels. While meditating on the well-being of beloved family members and friends comes with relative ease, doing so for antagonists poses a far greater challenge. Fortunately, the Dalai Lama presents his lessons in a gradient, where readers start off focusing on loved ones before moving on to neutral parties and further onto those who sow the seeds of hurt and cruelty. The delinations should begin to blur together in the mind of the practitioner, who eventually learns to embrace all beings equally without prejudice. While the Dalai Lama never pretends that he originated these ideas, his presentation of the core message of compassion, altruism, empathy, and love are nevertheless as timely as they are timeless.

Bibliographic Information

His Holiness the Dalai Lama. How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships. Trans. Jeffrey Hopkins. New York: Atria, 2005.

Further Reading

The universal concept of finding personal peace and joy using altruism as a conduit is not unique or exclusive to any religion. I won’t post links to various religious texts out of respect for all the different translations available, but they’re an excellent place to start when researching various perceptions on how to practice love and compassion. All of them have something beautiful to offer the world.

~Riot

[Diversity Rocks! Challenge Progress: 12/24]

The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet’s Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India

Review

Anyone seeking literature which proves that religions of entirely different structures and origins can find common ground and coexist peacefully with one another would do well to read Rodger Kamenetz’s masterful The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet’s Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India. His dreamlike account of dialogues and presentations between Jewish leaders and the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India explores the history of “JUBU[s]” (7) – an acronym for “Jewish Buddhists” (7) – and chronicles his newfound appreciation for “a renewed Judasim” (286) that resulted from attending these lectures. It is essential reading for those interested in understanding and/or (respectfully) promoting pluralist philosophy because it recounts the ways in which an individual can pull inspiration from multiple faiths in order to enhance personal religious leanings and practices.

Kamenetz’s main theme is that Judaism – and other religions – do not have to lead followers down an “excessively self-righteous and self-isolating” (22) path that entirely closes out the potentially productive input of other faiths. He supports this assertation more as an observer than an impassioned participant in the discussions, but nevertheless walks away from the experience with a clearer understanding of both Judaism and Buddhism and the ways in which they can complement one another. The first similarity that representatives established involves their collective experiences as exiles, with the Tibetans cut off from China and the Jews from the Promised Land. From there, the conference explores the similarities between devas and angels, the role of women, the significance of meditation, and the “preservation” (118 ) of essential elements while in exile; prayers and blessings from both religions are shared over shabbat meals. Kamenetz establishes these scenes with language that conveys a sense of peace and tranquility – certainly an atmosphere intended to woo readers into seeking out their own possible routes towards personal enlightenment.

However, that is not to say that the meetings were comprised entirely of metaphorical unicorns and rainbows. The most intense point of contention between participants involves the exiled Buddhists’ interpretation of The Holocaust. Kamenetz states outright that he is “a little outraged” (185) by their implications that the karma system factored into its formation, and views their opinions as a challenge to forging a truely inpenetrable bond between Jews and Buddhists. The following passage elaborates on his perspective:

“I could not accept that the suffering of the Jews was somehow a result of their previous actions. Wasn’t the knowledge of shared victimization the source of Jewish identification with the Tibetans? Weren’t we fellow victims, fellow innocent victims?” (185)

He does not walk away from the experience with a new outlook on the matter, which shows that pluralism is not intended to force people to change their minds and accept all points of view from all religions. It’s about discovering where harmony can be nurtured and where differences can be debated in a manner that promotes mutual understanding rather than conversion.

Bibliographical Information

Kamenetz, Rodger. The Jew in the Lotus : A Poet’s Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India. New York: Harper San Francisco, 2007.

Further Reading

Though it emphasizes philosophical pluralism over its religious counterpart, Rabbi Neils Elliot Goldstein’s Gonzo Judaism also concerns itself with restructuring and refreshing one’s own faith by incorporating and embracing external elements, in his case the Gonzo movement is emphasized. Both Gonzo Judaism and The Jew in the Lotus obviously start off with Judaism as their bases, but the theses espoused can also be applied to almost any religion.

~Riot