Ottawa Citizen essays

For many years I contributed to a regular column in the Ottawa Citizen called “Ask the Religion Experts.” Most of these essays are posted on the Baha’i Community of Ottawa website, at bahai-ottawa.org/ottawa_citizen_archives. The links below point to bahai-ottawa.org.

January 16, 2014 Is it OK to say ‘love the sinner, hate the sin’? January 2, 2014 Are there really ‘good’ people and ‘bad’ people? December 27, 2013 What is essential to be truly happy? December 19, 2013 What role should charity play in our lives? December 6, 2013 Should Canada have a ‘national’ Christmas tree like in Washington, D.C.? November 28, 2013 Can we learn more from the lives of the righteous or the sinners? November 22, 2013 What is the greatest human quality? November 14, 2013 What are we to think when our prayers aren’t answered? October 31, 2013 What does “spiritual, not religious” mean? October 24, 2013 Is there harm in highly sexual music videos and performances? October 17, 2013 In the light of public reporting on noted people, has the notion of “innocent until proven guilty” become irrelevant? October 4, 2013 Can we ever truly know ourselves? September 27, 2013 Does “social” media bring us closer together or move us further apart? September 19, 2013 Does Quebec’s Charter of Values really pose a threat to religious freedom? September 12, 2013 Is there a place for religion in public schools? September 6, 2013 Should sects be treated differently from religions? August 29, 2013 What are the elements that make up a genuine apology? August 22, 2013 Is your religion really just an “accident of birth? August 15, 2013 How can Canada right the wrongs done to First Nation peoples? July 10, 2013 Why is that in so many faiths, music plays an important role? July 04, 2013 Why should we take the advice of so-called ‘religious experts’? June 28, 2013 What does Canada mean to you? June 13, 2013 What does your faith teach about the values and expectations of fatherhood? June 6, 2013 What role can faith or spirituality play in healing and healthcare? May 23, 2013 What takes more courage to believe or not to believe? May 9, 2013 What are society’s obligations to the mentally disabled? May 3, 2013 Is it true that “charity begins at home? April 22, 2013 How can someone forgive when the injury is insurmountable? Why should we forgive? April 13, 2013 How do you define religion? April 4, 2013 What the are the limits of personal or ethical responsibility when an individual is suffering from mental illness or addiction? March 21, 2013 Aside from the obvious, what lessons are to be learned from the Lance Armstrong saga? March 15, 2013 What do you think is the most pressing issue facing Canada’s ambassador to the Office of Religious Freedom? March 7, 2013 How are adultery and divorce viewed in your faith? February 22, 2013 Is it ever OK to satirize religious leaders or beliefs? February 14, 2013 Is playing the slot machines a sin? February 8, 2013 With Kindness Week coming soon, what is your sense about how kind we are? February 3, 2013 Is euthanasia right? Would God want us to suffer? January 27, 2013 Can guilt be good? January 20, 2013 Is there a difference between faith and religion? January 13, 2013 How can we explain a tragedy like the Newtown shootings? January 6, 2013 What is the greatest lesson your faith has taught you?

December 30, 2012 What are your personal resolutions for the new year? December 23, 2012 Should parents allow children to believe in Santa Claus? December 16, 2012 What are we to make of the end of the Mayan calendar, some marking it as the coming end of the world? December 9, 2012 Does freedom of expression trump freedom of religion? December 2, 2012 In your worldview,  “is there an “age of innocence, ” an age under which a child’s action cannot be considered sins? November 24, 2012 Should non-citizens who promote religious intolerance be allowed to enter Canada? November 11, 2012 Where is God during a time of natural disaster? October 28, 2012 Is there a spiritual purpose to a ghoulish celebration like Halloween? October 21, 2012 “How should we respond to aggression and terrorism?” October 14, 2012 What is the greatest obstacle to faith? October 7, 2012 What are you most thankful for? September 16, 2012 Will your faith be affected if NASA’s Curiosity rover finds there is or was life on Mars? September 9, 2012 Should students be allowed to proclaim their religion on a T-shirt at school? August 26, 2012 In the dog days of summer, can faith take a holiday? August 10, 2012 How can the Olympic motto — Faster, Higher, Stronger — apply to faith? August 3, 2012 What are we to think of the destruction of historic shrines in Mali in the name of religion? July 15, 2012 What would your faith say about ‘bullying’ in today’s society? July 8, 2012 Is there a heaven for animals? June 24, 2012 Is one ever really capable of knowing God? June 17, 2012 Does your faith support conscientious objectors to war? June 10, 2012 Does prayer change God’s mind? June 3, 2012 How does your faith regard inter-religious dialogue? May 27, 2012 How do you account for hypocrites in your faith? Do they discount your beliefs? May 19, 2012 How do you handle cases of domestic abuse that come to your attention? May 13, 2012 Does it bother you more when it is a ‘religious’ person who behaves improperly? May 6, 2012 What does your faith say about atheists? April 29, 2012 How important is the synagogue, church, mosque or other structure? April 15, 2012 How do you tell which parts of your religion should be taken literally and which parts are metaphorical? April 1, 2012 Some people say children should be left to make up their  own minds about religion. Do you agree? March 25, 2012 How does your faith deal with the issue of suicide? March 18, 2012 Can one be good with God? March 11, 2012 What role should government play in regards to religion? March 4, 2012 Which is more important in your religion — faith or works? February 26, 2012 Is tolerance a virtue? February 19, 2012 Are people inherently sinful? February 12, 2012 What is the relationship between spiritual and earthly love? February 5, 2012 What is your faith’s position on the environment? January 29, 2012 To what extend are events predestined? January 22, 2012 Does technology diminish or enhance your humanity? January 15, 2012 How should we deal with spiritual doubts? January 8, 2012 What is your faith’s view on euthanasia?

December 31, 2011 Are personal resolutions morally binding? December 25, 2011 How can we foster peace on Earth? December 18, 2011 Why do so many people get depressed around Christmas time? December 11, 2011 Can ordinary folks experience a state of grace? December 4, 2011 Do you believe we’re in the ‘last days’? November 27, 2011 How can we improve interfaith dialogue? November 20, 2011 Is religion alive and well or struggling to survive in Canada? November 13, 2011 How can you distinguish real holy men from charlatans? November 6, 2011 Is killing to defend your country justified? October 30, 2011 What role does music play in your faith? October 23, 2011 Is religious persecution declining or growing? October 16, 2011 Does the desire for prosperity conflict with religious values? October 9, 2011 How does your faith express thanks? October 2, 2011 Does your deity punish and reward in this life? September 25, 2011 How important is meditation as a spiritual path in your faith? September 18, 2011 Can one be a realist and religious? September 4, 2011 What is the nature of our soul? August 28, 2011 Are lascivious thoughts immoral if not acted upon? August 21, 2011 How should one prepare to die? August 14, 2011 Do we have a moral duty to bring others to faith? August 7, 2011 What role does humour play in life? August 1, 2011 Does religion divide or unite people? July 24, 2011 Does imagination play a role in faith? July 17, 2011 Is it wrong to be angry with God? July 10, 2011 What is Hell? July 3, 2011 What is Heaven? June 26, 2011 What is Canada’s ethical role in the world? June 19, 2011 Is lying sometimes justified? June 12, 2011 Is worshipping together better than praying by yourself? June 5, 2011 Does life have a meaning and if so, what purpose do humans serve? May 28, 2011 How can people of faith be good examples for peace? May 22, 2011 Are our family pets “spiritual beings”? May 15, 2011 How does your faith celebrate the changing seasons? May 8, 2011 What are parents’ roles in passing on values? May 1, 2011 Does your faith impact your voting preference? April 25, 2011 How important is it that people marry within their own faith? April 17, 2011 If it’s my life, why shouldn’t I end it when I want? April 10, 2011 Is there such thing as a collective conscience? April 6, 2011 How does a catastrophe like the Japanese earthquake affect one’s faith? March 27, 2011 How can one overcome the anxieties of this world?