semitism.net

Apparently this is a Faith Blog. I had no idea. I sort of thought it was a Spleen Blog - i.e. a place to rant about the ever-frustrating, often tragic and occasionally hopeful Israel-Palestine situation. But along the way, writing from a Jewish perspective about the conflict, I’ve found myself writing more and more about Judaism itself. Other things have happened too. My kids got old enough for me to consider the challenges of raising them Jewish in America. I found a synagogue I love. My wife began studying Buddhism, which gave us both a new outlook on prayer and ritual observance. And I had lunch with Rachel. That’s how I found out that this is a faith blog, and got involved in planning the first Progressive Faith Blog Conference. Here’s the story…

It began with Thurman Hart, who publishes a blog called XPatriated Texan - a wonderful find, he writes inspiringly about religion and public life from a liberal Christian perspective. Earlier this year, he was invited to a faith bloggers conference - only to discover that the participants were almost exclusively evangelical Christians and political conservatives.

Thurman’s point is that not all Christians are conservative; and, for that matter, not all faith bloggers are Christian. He writes that his own Christian convictions make him a political liberal. The right wing should not be allowed to monopolize public religious discourse. With this in mind, Thurman has proposed a conference for progressive religious bloggers:

The country in which I live has granted me great freedoms, but with great freedom comes great responsibility and it is my faith from which I learned responsibility. Everywhere I look, I see that these responsibilities have been violated, and worse, too often they are violated with the name of my faith upon the lips of the guilty.

It is not only Christians who are feeling this sense of outrage - though I am proud of the Christian brethren I have met (and hope I can be found worthy of standing in their shadows). It is also progressive Jews and Buddhists that are struggling to find the public voice they have lacked in recent years. Collectively, I believe we are trying to shoulder a burden that is too large for any of us alone. That burden, that burning need to somehow do more because so much more needs to be done, has led us to begin planning a Progressive Faith BlogCon. For far too long I felt like I was alone against the entire community of faith because my conservative brethren were so quick to shout down opposition. I have discovered that I am not alone in looking again and again to the Holy Scriptures for guidance and seeing social justice as the primary means of faith’s expression.

I am sure Thurman meant to include Muslims in the list above as well. There are some powerful progresive voices coming from the Islamic community. For example, check out Veiled4Allah and Alt.Muslim.

Anyhow, Thurman wrote to Rachel, and Rachel was kind enough to involve me (seeing as we’re neighbors, and all). The conference is in the early planning stages. We’re aiming for New York, in the spring. We’re still looking for a venue. We’re just beginning to plan panels and contact potential speakers. So, basically, this is only a bit more than an idea at this point.

It does, however, have a web site - appropriately titled Progressive Faith Blog-Con. Keep an eye there for new developments. Register if you’re a progressive religious blogger and want your site added to the blogroll. You can also notify us if you think you might attend the conference - it will help us to have a head count. I think there will be an opportunity to suggest ideas and participate in conference planning, if you wish. You don’t need to be a blogger to attend.

I went to a blogging conference in Boston earlier this year and it was really fun. I learned all kinds of things about blogging tools and using the web for community organizing.

If we really bring it off, though, this conference could be much more. It’s always energizing to connect with other people who are working toward the same goals. It’s a chance for interfaith dialogue. I’d love to sit down with someone who is, let’s say, blogging about Israel-Palestine from a Muslim viewpoint, and compare notes; or find other Jewish bloggers; or learn how Buddhists make use of the web. There should be many opportunities for interaction and collaboration, and you know that these are the things that enable and sustain social activism.

Maybe most important will be the statement that the conference makes, just by taking place.

In Israel and Palestine, in the U.S., and all over the world, religion is playing an enormous role in shaping politics and society. Sadly, in many cases, this role is a destructive one. The religious right gave George Bush his margin of victory here. It vociferously supports an agenda of inequity, discrimination and militarism. Religious prejudice (including our own, as Jews) is the driver for violent conflicts in many areas of the world.

This is not the religion that inspires and guides most people. It is the religion of demagogues and hate-mongers; but, fed by our silence, it is gaining strength every day.

We, whose religious values lead us to support equality, tolerance, social justice and pacifism - we are, to borrow a phrase from Barry Goldwater, a silent majority. This conference, and the collaboration that will stem from it, is one way to raise our voices together and be heard.