The unholy alliance of the Political Right and Religious Right threatens to destroy the America we love. It also threatens to generate a popular aversion to God and religion by identifying religious values with a pro–war, pro–business, pro–rich, anti–science, and anti–environmental stance. In the past few decades, the Republicans have achieved political dominance by forging a union with a Religious Right that provided a sanctimonious veneer to policies that help the rich get richer while ignoring the needs of the middle class and the poor, dismantling environmental and civil liberties protections, and seeking global domination. The Right champions the materialism, and ruthless selfishness promoted by the global competitive marketplace, and then laments the moral crisis when the values that people have learned all day in the world of work gets carried home into personal life and contributes to family instability and a culture of loneliness. Enter the Religious Right with nurturing communities for the faithful and a culture that blames liberals, activist judges, and all secular people for the moral and spiritual emptiness so many Americans experience. The Left, on the other hand, remains largely tone–deaf to the spiritual needs of the American people. It is the yearning for meaning in life, not just the desire for money or power that is at the core of American politics.
From social theorist and psychotherapist Rabbi Michael Lerner comes a strategy for a new socialism built on love, kindness, and compassion for one another. Revolutionary Love proposes a method to replace what Lerner terms the "capitalist globalization of selfishness" with a globalization of generosity, prophetic empathy, and environmental sanity. Lerner challenges liberal and progressive forces to move beyond often weak-kneed and visionless politics to build instead a movement that can reverse the environmental destructiveness and social injustice caused by the relentless pursuit of economic growth and profits. Revisiting the hidden injuries of class, Lerner shows that much of the suffering in our society—including most of its addictions and the growing embrace of right-wing nationalism and reactionary versions of fundamentalism—is driven by frustrated needs for community, love, respect, and connection to a higher purpose in life. Yet these needs are too often missing from liberal discourse. No matter that progressive programs are smartly constructed—they cannot be achieved unless they speak to the heart and address the pain so many people experience. Liberals and progressives need coherent alternatives to capitalism, but previous visions of socialism do not address the yearning for anything beyond material benefits. Inspired by Herbert Marcuse, Erich Fromm, and Carol Gilligan, Revolutionary Love offers a strategy to create the "Caring Society." Lerner details how a civilization infused with love could put an end to global poverty, homelessness, and hunger, while democratizing the economy, shifting to a twenty-eight-hour work week, and saving the life-support system of Earth. He asks that we develop the courage to stop listening to those who tell us that fundamental social transformation is "unrealistic.
The unholy alliance of the Political Right and the Religious Right threatens to destroy the America we love. It also threatens to generate a popular aversion to God and religion by identifying religious values with a pro-war, pro-business, pro-rich, anti-science, and anti-environmental stance. Over the past few decades, the Republicans have achieved political dominance by forging a union with the Religious Right. This marriage has provided a sanctimonious veneer for policies that have helped the rich get richer while ignoring the needs of the middle class and the poor, dismantling environmental and civil liberties protections, and seeking global domination. The Right champions the materialism and ruthless selfishness promoted by unrestrained capitalism and then laments the moral crises of family instability and loneliness experienced by people who bring these commercial values into their homes and personal lives. In response, the Religious Right offers insular communities for the faithful and a culture that blames liberals, activist judges, homosexuals, independent women, and all secular people for the moral and spiritual emptiness so many Americans experience. Yet, however distorted both the Right's analysis and its solutions to America's spiritual crisis may be, it wins allegiance by addressing the human hunger for a life with some higher purpose. The Left, by contrast, remains largely tone-deaf to the spiritual needs of the American people. It is the yearning for meaning in life, not just the desire for money or power, that lies at the core of American politics. Addressing the central mystery of contemporary politics -- why so many Americans vote against their own economic interests -- The Left Hand of God provides an invaluable, timely, and blunt critique of the current state of faith in government. Lerner challenges the Left to give up its deeply held fear of religion and to distinguish between a domination-oriented, Right-Hand-of-God tradition and a more compassionate and hope-oriented Left-Hand-of-God worldview. Further, Lerner describes the ways that Democrats have misunderstood and alienated significant parts of their potential constituency. To succeed again, Lerner argues, the Democratic Party must rethink its relationship to God, champion a progressive spiritual vision, reject the old bottom line that promotes the globalization of selfishness, and deal head-on with the very real spiritual crisis that many Americans experience every day. Lerner presents a vision that incorporates and then goes far beyond contemporary liberal and progressive politics. He argues for a new bottom line in our economy, schools, and government. This is a fundamentally fresh approach, one that takes spiritual needs seriously in our economic and political lives. Presenting an eight-point progressive spiritual covenant with America, Lerner provides a blueprint for how the Democratic Party can effectively challenge the Right and position itself to win the White House and Congress. By appealing to religious, secular, and spiritual but not necessarily religious people, The Left Hand of God blazes a trail that could change our world and reclaim America from the Religious Right.
A major modern conundrum is how the Arab/Israel conflict remains unresolved and, seemingly, unresolvable. In this inspirational book, Rabbi Michael Lerner suggests that a change in consciousness is crucial. With clarity and honesty, he examines how the mutual demonization and discounting of each sides’ legitimate needs drive the debate, and he points to new ways of thinking that can lead to a solution. Lerner emphasizes that this new approach to the issue requires giving primacy to love, kindness, and generosity. It calls for challenging the master narratives in both Israel and Palestine as well as the false idea that “homeland security” can be achieved through military, political, economic, or media domination. Lerner makes the case that a lasting peace must prioritize helping people on all sides (including Europe and the U.S.) and that real security is best achieved through an ethos of caring and generosity toward “the other.” As many spiritual leaders have taught, problems like these cannot be solved at the same level at which they originated—one must seek higher ground, and that becomes a central task for anyone who wants a sustainable peace. Embracing Israel/Palestine is written for those looking for positive, practical solutions to this ongoing dilemma.
The Geneva Accord Establishes the Basis for a Fair, Legal, ethical, and militarily secure agreement between two semicontiguous states, Israel and Palestine, each acknowledging the other's history and cultural narratives and respecting the rights of minority populations. It defines Palestine as consisting of most of the West Bank and Gaza joined by a corridor, with its security guaranteed not by its own army but (chiefly) a multinational force. The Accord also provides a final status for both Jewish settlers and Palestinian refugees, compensating each individual or state for losses of territory. Part of the compensation from Israel will take into account the value of Israeli settlements transferred to the State of Palestine. This document, developed by representatives of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples and incorporating the key elements and points of agreement from the Oslo Accords and Camp David Summit, is the only present legitimate instrument seeking a resolution to the dispute between Israel and Palestine. Better than a road map without a destination, it is inevitable outcome, more or less, of all reasonable negotiation. Book jacket.
In 1919, the United States made its boldest attempt at social reform: Prohibition. This "noble experiment" was aggressively promoted, and spectacularly unsuccessful, in New York City. In the first major work on Prohibition in a quarter century, and the only full history of Prohibition in the era's most vibrant city, Lerner describes a battle between competing visions of the United States that encompassed much more than the freedom to drink.
Years ago when most Jews lived in fairly close communities and were more observant of religious rituals, couples having a baby found it easy to get information about having a bris if the baby was a boy. Now with many young Jewish couples living far from their parents and home communities and having less knowledge about and observance of Jewish customs, such information is not as readily available. That is why this book has been written. Its goal is to provide clear, accurate information about all aspects of the modern bris ceremony. The information in this book will help couples 1) make decisions about having a bris, 2) choose a mohel, and 3) understand the medical and religious aspects of this significant family event.
Written by one of the country's leading authorities on alternative and complementary cancer treatments, Choices in Healing is designed for the cancer patient or health professional who seeks a comprehensive overview of the available choices, both in treatments and in living with cancer. Choices in Healing offers valuable information and guidance for the whole life cycle of cancer—from the initial shock of diagnosis to decisions about choosing a physician and conventional therapies, selecting complementary therapies, coping with treatment, and the art of living fully with the possibility of recurrence. There are detailed explanations and evaluations of a wide range of complementary therapy programs, including spiritual and psychological approaches, nutritional therapies, physical therapies, pharmacological therapies, and traditional medicines from around the world. There are sections on prayer and other forms of spiritual healing; psychotherapy, support groups, visual imagery and hypnosis; massage, therapeutic touch, yoga, and Qi Gong; macrobiotic diet and other cancer diets; acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines; and numerous other unconventional therapies used by American cancer patients. With an unusual combination of compassion and objectivity, Michael Lerner describes his conclusions following more than a decade of study of unconventional cancer treatments in North America, Europe, India, and Japan. He also draws extensively on his work with hundreds of cancer patients who have participated in the Commonweal Cancer Help Programs, the residential support program depicted by Bill Moyers in his 1993 PBS documentary Healing and the Mind.
A Gift Observed" has been privately published for a decade. It is a collection of essays on the nature of philanthropy that has circulated widely in the American foundation community. It asks critical questions about the nature of organized philanthropy. "A profound and provocative reflection on philanthropy as seen through many disciplinary lenses, from one of today's most remarkable nonprofit leaders. We follow along as a brilliant man teaches himself about philanthropy, creating a guide that will prompt reflection by serious beginners and experienced hands alike." --Katherine Fulton, The Monitor Institute and Global Business Network "This is one of the very best books I have read on philanthropy and foundations. It is at once highly personal and intellectually engaging in its reflections, and useful in a professional sense. It offers a rare combination of scholarly and experiential reflection, all from a voice that is rarely available to the public -- the honest and heartfelt thinking of a whip-smart foundation president. We offer this text gladly to the young foundations professionals in our network because it provides historical, cultural and political context for the challenges and paradoxes they face day-to-day at work." --Rusty Stahl, Executive Director, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy
The author of The Politics of Meaning offers his unique solution to the crisis in the Middle East, covering the history of the region while discussing the philosophical and political issues that surround any search for peace and justice in the region. Original.
Since its founding in 1943, Medievalia et Humanistica has won worldwide recognition as the first scholarly publication in America to devote itself entirely to medieval and Renaissance studies. Since 1970, a new series, sponsored by the Modern Language Association of America and edited by an international board of distinguished scholars and critics, has published interdisciplinary articles. In yearly hardcover volumes, the new series publishes significant scholarship, criticism, and reviews treating all facets of medieval and Renaissance culture: history, art, literature, music, science, law, economics, and philosophy. Volume 36—Reviews—emphasizes new research in the field, with a particular focus on work from emerging scholars. Thus, this volume includes twenty-four reviews and three review articles of recent scholarly publications, along with five original articles. The first article “The Ultimate Transgression of the Courtly World” by Albrecht Classen analyzes German texts and melodies to reveal the social strife between the lower and upper classes. John Garrison’s essay “One Mind, One Heart, One Purse,” referencing the text Troilus and Criseyde, suggests that a medieval treatise on friendship is appropriate and engaging. Offering a solution to one of history’s most vexing problems is John Bugbee’s essay “Solving Dorigen Trilemma” by examining the tension between oath and law in the Franklin’s and Physician’s Tales. Karen Green’s essay “What Were the Ladies in the City Reading? The Libraries of Christine de Pizaan’s Contemporaries” provides a clearer insight into the intellect of Christine and her colleagues. Along with these articles, twenty-four reviews, from the United States and all over the world, are included, truly making Medievalia et Humanistica an international publication. To reflect the submissions and audience for Medievalia et Humanistica, the editorial and review boards have been expended to include ten members from the United States and ten international
This book details the protocol of staged external fixation developed by the authors: primary temporary unilateral tubular stabilization followed by definitive circular Ilizarov (hybrid) fixation. Coverage explains and fully illustrates the rationale and advantages of a logical progression of surgical steps. The book draws from an archive of clinical photographs and X-ray documentation that cover all steps in a large variety of complex cases.
Would you believe bee's venom could help you feel better? How about a candle in your ear, or a string running through your nostrils? People have used all sorts of kooky remedies to fight pain and illness. Some work. Others, not so much. Find out more about odd medical cures of past and present!
For the past twenty years, Tikkun magazine has advanced liberal ideals, featuring articles on such important issues as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jewish culture, and the intersection of religion and politics in the United States. Tikkun Reader is a collection of the best of Tikkun magazine since its inception, providing the most cohesive collection of writings articulating the progressive, left-leaning religious perspective on the some of the most important issues facing both Jews and non-Jews today. This collection includes contributions by such people as: Daniel Matt, Judith Plaskow, Arthur Green, Arthur Waskow, Estelle Frankel, Naomi Wolf, Zygmunt Bauman, Cornel West, Daniel Berrigan, David Korten, Deepak Chopra, Jim Wallis, Jonathan Schell, Vandana Shiva, Roger Gottlieb, Fritjof Capra and many more. Thematically arranged essays focus on a variety of topics, including Approaching God, Jewish Identity, Judaism, Israel, the Holocaust, and Spiritual Politics. An introduction by founder and editor-in-chief Michael Lerner sets the stage and places the readings in context.
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