Islam: «Wir waren zu naiv»
WELTWOCHE: Der Genfer Theologe Shafique Keshavjee* denkt über die Grenzen des interreligiösen Dialogs nach. Von Stéphane Zindel

Kurz nach Annahme der Minarett-Initiative haben Sie ein Dokument publiziert, in dem Sie die Muslime in der Schweiz auffordern, klarer Position zu beziehen gegenüber problematischen Stellen im Koran und in anderen Referenztexten des Islam. In diesem Dokument geht es unter anderem um die Praxis der Steinigung, die Stellung der Frau und die Rechtfertigung der Gewalt. Was bewog Sie dazu?

Ich war zwar gegen die Minarett-Initiative. Aber ich bin der Auffassung, dass man die Botschaft des Volks ernst nehmen sollte. Insbesondere die muslimische Gemeinschaft sollte das. Das Abstimmungsergebnis ist keine Abwehrreaktion gegenüber den Muslimen im Allgemeinen. Im Islam gibt es aber eine kleine und einflussreiche Minderheit, deren Werte nicht mit unseren in Einklang zu bringen sind. Die Bevölkerung erwartet von den Verantwortlichen der islamischen Zentren, dass sie sich davon klarer abgrenzen.

War der Westen lange zu tolerant gegenüber dem Islam?

Der interreligiöse Dialog liegt mir am Herzen. Ich habe auch viel dafür getan in den letzten Jahren. Jetzt stösst er aber an gewisse Grenzen. Wir waren zu naiv. Der Dialog mit dem Islam darf sich nicht mehr darin erschöpfen, Floskeln in höflichem Ton auszutauschen, die sich auf harmlose Stellen des Korans beziehen. Gut gemeint genügt nicht mehr. Wir müssen über die konkreten Auswirkungen reden und die Realität im Auge haben.

Machen Sie ein Beispiel.

Mohammed ruft die Muslime auf, jene, die sich zu einer anderen Religion bekennen, zu töten. Das ist nicht bloss Theorie. Leute werden wirklich getötet in Ländern, wo dieses Prinzip gilt. Die Imame im Westen versichern, dass dieses Prinzip hier nicht angewendet wird. Aber das genügt nicht. Sie müssten sich auch zum Inhalt äussern und aufzeigen, wie man diese Aussage konstruktiv interpretieren könnte.

Haben Sie ein Beispiel, das in der Schweiz zu konkreten Problemen führt?

Nach muslimischem Recht müssen sich Nichtmuslime zum Islam bekennen, wenn sie eine Muslimin heiraten wollen. In solchen Ehen wird auch grosser Druck auf die Kinder ausgeübt, die ebenfalls zum Islam übertreten sollen. Das führt zu einer schleichenden Islamisierung und ist nicht akzeptabel. >>> Von Stéphane Zindel | Mittwoch, 06. Januar 2010

* Shafique Keshavjee ist Theologieprofessor an den Universitäten von Genf und Lausanne und protestantischer Pfarrer. Er stammt aus Indien, wurde aber in Kenia geboren. Ein Teil seiner Familie gehört der islamisch-schiitischen Glaubensgemeinschaft an. Zwei seiner Bücher sind auf Deutsch erschienen: «Der König, der Weise und der Narr: Der grosse Wettstreit der Religionen», Goldmann, und «Unterwegs zu einer Sinfonie der Kirchen», Lembeck.

UN Summit: Barack Obama Calls for 'New Era of Engagement'
THE TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama called for "a new era of engagement" with the world on Wednesday, pledging to work together with other countries while defending the interests of the United States, as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Obama calls for new era of engagement with the world
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Nile Gardiner: Barack at the UN: Was This Obama’s Most Naïve Speech Ever?
THE TELEGRAPH: It’s always a bad sign when a US president gets several rounds of heavy applause at the UN General Assembly, as Barack Obama did this morning in New York. Needless to say, the loudest cheers from the gathering of world leaders came when he condemned the actions of a close US ally, Israel, in continuing to build settlements in the West Bank. You can always rely on attacks on the Israelis to generate the biggest roars of approval at any meeting of the United Nations, and Obama dutifully obliged.

The Assembly also mightily cheered Obama’s boast that the United States no longer condones “torture” (as if it ever did), a blatantly political swipe at the interrogation techniques of the previous government, which most Americans happen to back. The president’s decision to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council, a basket case of an organization that includes some of the world’s worst tyrannies, was also greeted warmly.

Needless to say, when the president briefly brought up the need for greater international cooperation over Afghanistan, or spoke about the threat posed by al-Qaeda – or “violent extremists” as he calls them – there was stony silence.

Overall this was a staggeringly naïve speech by President Obama, with Woodstock-style utterances like “I will not waver in my pursuit of peace” or “the interests of peoples and nations are shared.” All that was missing was a conga of hippies dancing through the aisles with a rousing rendition of “Kumbaya”. >>> Nile Gardiner | Wednesday, September 23, 2009

WSJ: Obama’s full speech at the UN:
’New Era of Engagement’ >>> | Wednesday, September 23, 2009

President Obama Shows His Naïveté If He Thinks He Can Take On Rush Limbaugh!
Photo of Rush Limbaugh courtesy of The Telegraph
THE TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama is on a collision course with his critics after picking a fight with Rush Limbaugh, America's most influential conservative commentator.

Mr Obama has told Republicans in Washington to stop listening to the right-wing talk show host Rush Limbaugh, risking a new culture war with conservative voters.

His exhortation came as he enraged other Republicans by reversing George W Bush's ban on funding international aid to charities that perform or provide information about abortions.

After less than a week in office, Mr Obama's presidency is already encountering the very partisan bickering he had pledged to stamp out during his first 100 days.

He faces mounting criticism over his $825 billion economic stimulus plan, from Republican leaders who say the legislation has been drawn up without the input which Mr Obama had promised to allow them.

The president responded with a clear signal that he is prepared to ram the bill through without the bipartisan consensus he promised to construct, telling Republican leaders from the House of Representatives: "I won. I'm the president."

He then told them to break free of the confrontational mindset epitomised by Mr Limbaugh, the highest paid talk show host in America. "You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," Mr Obama said.

His comments followed a blunt attack on him by Mr Limbaugh, who declared on air that he hoped Mr Obama would fail as president because otherwise it will usher in socialism. Barack Obama Picks a Fight with Rush Limbaugh as Bipartisan Spirit Crumbles >>> By Tim Shipman in Washington | Saturday, January 24, 2009

NEW YORK TIMES: Obama’s Partisan, Profane Confidant Reins It In

Photo of Rahm Emmanuel courtesy of The New York Times
WASHINGTON — Early this month, Barack Obama was meeting with the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and other lawmakers when Rahm Emanuel, his chief of staff, began nervously cracking a knuckle.

Mr. Obama then turned to complain to Mr. Emanuel about his noisy habit.

At which point, Mr. Emanuel held the offending knuckle up to Mr. Obama’s left ear and, like an annoying little brother, snapped off a few special cracks.

The episode, confirmed by Mr. Emanuel’s office, underscores some essential truths about Mr. Emanuel: He is brash, has a deep comfort level with his new boss, and has been ever-present at Mr. Obama’s side of late, in meetings, on podiums and in photographs.

There he was, standing at President Obama’s desk in one of the first Oval Office pictures; and again, playfully thumbing his nose at his former House colleagues during the inauguration; there he was, accompanying the president to a meeting with Congressional leaders on Friday.

Mr. Emanuel is arguably the second most powerful man in the country and, just a few days into his tenure, already one of the highest-profile chiefs of staff in recent memory. He starred in his own Mad magazine cartoon, won the “Your New Obama Hottie” contest on Gawker.com and has become something of a paparazzi icon around Washington.

In recent months, he has played a crucial role in the selection and courtship of nearly every cabinet member and key White House staff member.

Renowned as a fierce partisan, he has been an ardent ambassador to Republicans, including Mr. Obama’s defeated rival, Senator John McCain of Arizona. He has exerted influence on countless decisions; in meetings, administration officials say, Mr. Obama often allows him to speak first and last.

“You can see how he listens and reacts to Rahm,” said Ron Klain, the chief of staff to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. “You can see that his opinion is being shaped.”

A reason Mr. Emanuel, 49, has drawn so much attention is that he seems to be in a kind of recalibration mode.

How will the feisty, bombastic and at times impulsive former congressman blend with the cool, collegial and deliberate culture of Obama World? And one that is trying to foster bipartisanship? This is someone who once wrote in Campaign and Elections magazine that “the untainted Republican has not yet been invented” and who two years ago — according to a book about Mr. Emanuel (“The Thumpin’ ” by Naftali Bendavid) — announced to his staff that Republicans are “bad people who deserve a two-by-four upside their heads.” >>> By Mark Leibovich | Saturday, January 24, 2009

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