Playlist: Bill Moyers Journal: Religious Scholar Karen Armst
A self-proclaimed “freelance monotheist,” Karen Armstrong is on a mission to bring compassion, the heart of religion, as she sees it, back into modern life. In this edition of the Journal, Bill Moyers sits down with Armstrong for a nuanced discussion of her Charter for Compassion initiative, a global call for all people—religious and non-religious alike—to apply the Golden Rule in their dealings with others. Prominent books by the TED Prize-winning religious scholar include The Bible: A Biography, Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time, and The Battle for God. Broadcast date: March 13, 2009. (53 minutes)
Former nun Karen Armstrong is a self-proclaimed freelance monotheist. Her aim is to bring compassion back into the heart of daily life. At the core of all major religions is empathy and respect.
Karen Armstrong discusses the meaning of compassion. She ties in her philosophy with the British terrorist bombings, which she says were inevitable.
What if people interpreted the Bible as a commentary on the Golden Rule? Zealots read the Bible allegorically and literally as it pleases their doctrine.
Bill Moyers cites stories of murder and jealousy that run through sacred texts, creating an embedded metaphor in humankind's psyche. Karen Armstrong notes that the story of Genesis deconstructs the image of God.
Should biblical texts be taken literally? Readers are forced to seek deeper meaning through conundrum and mystery in the text. Finding practical application to one's life is appropriate.
Human beings create the idea of God. This idea "nudges" humans into the transcendent--a part of the human experience. Creationism and evolutionary theories of creation exist side by side.
The primal duty of compassion is to put oneself in the other's place. The Golden Rule tells us to do nothing to others we would not want done to ourselves.
Americans respond to the question, "What is the American Dream?"
Karen Armstrong's book "Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time," is hailed in the Muslim world for its sensitivity and intelligence.
Great philosophers assert that violent aggression is not the way to solve problems. Compassion is a discipline that requires one's full commitment and attention.
Understanding Historical events and figures requires one to place oneself in another context, and leave oneself behind.
Fundamentalist rhetoric is expressive of a fear and rage. Fundamentalist Muslims fear secularism as a lethal assault. American attitudes towards Islam are disrespectful and insulting.
In June 2006, Barack Obama speaks about the impossibility of reconciling religious absolutes. In contrast, Rev. Rick Warren delivers what he calls "the big five non-negotiable" issues of fundamental religion.