Belief
May 2013 – If we can have gay and interfaith marriages in the West, then why not polygamous ones?
Intimate strangers in a splintering world
April 2013 – Multiculturalism is enriching and as easy as child’s play. But as the winds of intolerance blow harder, it may become a liability for my son and his generation.
Gay pride (and prejudice) through the ages
February 2013 – Historic examples of homosexuality being tolerated by Judaism, Christianity and Islam can help overcome homophobia and reinvent these faiths.
October 2012 – Israeli settlements are one of the greatest obstacles to peace, but could settlers also help build a Palestinian state?
September 2012 – There is no conflict between Islam and the West – only clashes of interests between and within them. But there is a very real mash of civilisations.
Aanslag op Amerikaans consulaat in Benghazi valt niet uit de lucht
September 2012 – De aanslag op het consulaat in Benghazi was geen verrassing. De voortekens waren al lang zichtbaar.
Muhammad: separating the man from the myth
September 2012 – As a clash of idiocies erupts over the depiction of Muhammad in an obscure Islamophobic film, it’s time for a sober look at the man behind the prophet.
August 2012 – Many Muslims believe that fasting is good for their health, but is science on their side?
Holy month, holy city, unholy Egyptian
August 2012 – Even for a non-believing Egyptian, Ramadan in Jerusalem – where the three Abrahamic faiths coincide and oft collide – is a fascinating experience.
July 2012 – In Egypt, beards have gone from indicating piety to symbolising political affiliation. Police neutrality requires officers to remove their facial hair.
February 2011 – Which is more empowering or threatening for the gay community: the idea that sexuality is a lifestyle choice (unnatural) or an innate trait (natural)?
January 2012 – The banning of a Jewish festival this year in Egypt is wrong, both from a secular and religious perspective.
December 2011 – The Holy Land is where Christmas began. But with the relative decline of Christianity there, does the yuletide still retain its spirit?
Defining Egyptian democracy: “Not like America and not like Iran”
December 2011 – Provincial Egyptians believe that moderate Islamists can construct an Egyptian model of democracy that respects their traditions and identity.
Secular Egypt: dream or delusion?
December 2011 – Is Egypt on the road to theocracy or will it manage to build a secular, pluralist democracy?
October 2011 – Although alcohol is ‘haraam’, Muslim societies have rarely managed to stay on the wagon, and vital parts of their culture have developed under the influence.
August 2011 – Ramadan is when Muslims fast and feast, but the holy month has something to offer those of other faiths, or none.
Atheists: Egypt’s forgotten minority
July 2011 – Egyptian atheists and religious sceptics are a minority that exists in reality but not in official statistics.
Egypt’s regime of self-preservation
January 2011 – Muslim-Coptic tension is just one aspect of a wider turmoil that will worsen until real democracy takes hold.
November 2010 – Islamophobia is common in western society, so the classroom is a good place to start combating it.
October 2010 - ‘Catholic’ education thrives in Belgium, but the decision between principle and pragmatism is not easy when choosing a school.
A battle for the soul of every Egyptian
September 2010 – Converts have become pawns in Egypt’s increasingly bitter standoff between Muslims and Christians.
Why doesn’t God use Faithbook?
September 2010 – If God wants to reach out to humanity, why rely on prophets and scripture when he presumably has the power to connect with each of us directly?
Religious freedom at stake in Egypt
August 2010 – If you don’t fast during Ramadan in Egypt, lie about it; hide it. Otherwise, you might land in jail.
Make Ramadan torture-free in Egypt
August 2010 – It’s Ramadan, but the Egyptian police continue to practise brutality and torture. This year, they should set a better example.
I say you want a revolution, Egypt
July 2010 – Activists in Egypt should look to the hippy movement of the 1960s for a successful model in bringing about long-term social change.
July 2010 – Advocates of banning the face veil want to take away the only choice some women have – the choice to conform.
July 2010 – The fifth anniversary of the 7 July attacks has refocused attention on Islamist terrorism, but the neo-Nazi threat goes largely unnoticed.
May 2010 – Following the lead of Islamists, Egyptian Christians are trying to ban an award-winning novel because it ‘insults’ Christianity.
April 2010 – In philosophy and religion, the body is merely a hollow shell for our mind and soul. But what if our bodies not only confine but also define us?
March 2010 – In South Dakota, everyone knows that the climate is just right – and that global warming is just the hot air of science.
February 2010 – Christians across the Muslim world use ‘Allah’ to refer to ‘God’, so why has this led to violence and controversy in Malaysia?
Egyptian football’s pious turn
February 2010 – The national team is increasingly flaunting its Muslim religiosity. Where does that leave Christian, let alone secular Egyptians?
December 2009 – Prominent Muslim Brotherhood member Kamal Helbawy talks about his research and ending the misconceptions that tie terrorism to Islam.
November 2009 – Much as we’d like our children to hold the same things dear as we do, we should have enough faith in them to let them choose their own belief system.
November 2009 – As the singer prepares to visit Egypt, Christian and Muslim fundamentalists agree: Beyoncé is the root of all evil.
November 2009 – There is something of an inner circle to mourning whose circumference varies from culture to culture. Knowing where you fit in takes some research.
October 2009 – New attempts to address the divide between Egypt’s Muslims and Christians must be supported, not undermined, by the state.
September 2009 – A new search engine claims to filter out ‘haram’ (sinful) content for the faithful. Should non-believers now demand their own version – let’s call it Godpile – that blocks religious content?
Face to faith: Ramadan for the faith-challenged
August 2009 - Ramadan possesses a certain secular appeal but fasting requires the non-believer to square the philosophical circle.
July 2009 – Can we look forward to a boom in Arab science or will poverty, bureaucracy and religion be insurmountable obstacles?
The Middle East must look to the future
April 2009 – A secular society confines religion to the spiritual sphere where it belongs, and leaves worldly affairs to human resourcefulness.
April 2009 – An outward appearance of Islamism disguises the increasingly secular reality of some Arab and Muslim societies.
March 2009 – God now has a number. Sadly, it goes straight to voicemail, but I’ve got my messages ready. What about you?
December 2008 – It’s the Western world’s greatest childhood controversy: does Santa Claus exist? The answer is both comforting and disturbing to the children among us and within us.
September 2008 – With booze in short supply, the month of fasting can be a thirsty wait for some Muslims.
