All posts tagged: unity

Christian Nationalism and Hate Violence: What Can We Do?

Christian Nationalism and Hate Violence: What Can We Do?

Published by skeptic

 This week, Zev Mishell, National Programs Associate at Interfaith Alliance, joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the intersection of systemic violence, hate crimes, and religious and political ideologies in America. Zev is the author of Interfaith Alliance’s new report, Together Against Hate, which closely analyzes how interfaith movements can address hate-based violence by uniting across differences while also examining how White Christian Nationalism is driving the alarming rise of hate in America. The report comprises case studies of successful strategies, practical recommendations, and a guide to organizations working to combat hate and extremism in the U.S. It is based on extensive research and interviews with nearly two dozen advocacy organizations dedicated to faith-based organizing, upholding civil rights and confronting hate. The full report will be released on Monday, January 13th, on the Interfaith Alliance website. “Religion is contextual, and it can manifest itself in extremely damaging and violent ways. It can divide us from one another. It can create supremacist outlooks. It can create and be influenced by ethno-nationalist outlooks. And maybe …

Fragile Unity in South Africa | Mark Gevisser

Fragile Unity in South Africa | Mark Gevisser

Published by skeptic

On July 18—Nelson Mandela’s birthday—the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, opened a parliament where, for the first time since the advent of democracy thirty years ago, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) was not in the majority. The ANC had led Black South Africans in the struggle against apartheid and brokered the historic settlement that brought the party to power in 1994. But it was dealt a devastating blow in this past May’s elections: it won only 40 percent of the vote, down from 66.5 percent in 1999. Now it is forced to share power with other parties, primarily its bitter rival, the white-led Democratic Alliance (DA), which won 22 percent. In his address to parliament, Ramaphosa reached for the upside. South Africans had, he said, instructed their leaders to “set aside their political differences and come together as one to overcome the severe challenges that confront our nation.” They had “sent a clear message that without unity, cooperation, and partnership, our efforts to end poverty, unemployment, and inequality will not succeed.” The ANC …

31 Days of Unity Campaign

31 Days of Unity Campaign

Published by skeptic

Announcing the 31 Days of Unity Campaign(October 1-31, 2024) 31 Christian leaders from across the United States join together in a campaign to encourage personal reflection, prayer, and embodied practice to encourage Christians to reject polarizing politics and replace it with the unifying presence of Christ, fostering a shared life that transcends election results. About the 31 Days of Unity Campaign For the 31 days of October, Ideos Institute and over 20 Christian partner organizations are uniting to promote the 31-Days of Unity Campaign. For the month of October, participants will receive daily texts — each with a prayer for unity, scripture reference, and link to a short video reflection. The campaign will also offer live, virtual events featuring the voices and perspectives of influential Christian leaders, pastors, and practitioners — all passionate about uniting the American Church in these challenging times. Our hope is that the campaign will be a time of reflection, discernment and inspiration for Christians called to help steward this movement and this moment. How to join the campaign Those interested …

Priti Patel enters Tory leadership race saying ‘time to put unity before personal vendetta’ | Politics News

Priti Patel enters Tory leadership race saying ‘time to put unity before personal vendetta’ | Politics News

Published by Sam

Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel has said it is “time to put unity before personal vendetta” as she threw her hat into the ring for the Tory party leadership. Entering the increasingly crowded field to replace Rishi Sunak, the senior Conservative MP laid the blame for their worst-ever defeat on 4 July not on the “heroic” party members, but the politicians who “fell out and left us short”. Dame Priti is the fifth candidate but the first woman to formally announce she is joining the race for the top job, with Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat, James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick already having declared. Announcing her decision on X, Dame Priti wrote: “I am standing to be the new leader of the Conservative Party. “I can lead us in opposition and unite our party and get us match fit for the next election, with unity, experience and strength.” After the turmoil and bitter in-fighting which dogged the Tories in government, she stressed she had the experience and resilience to unite the party. While arguing the …

Why South Africa’s ANC wants a national unity gov’t after election setback | Elections News

Why South Africa’s ANC wants a national unity gov’t after election setback | Elections News

Published by Sam

Johannesburg, South Africa — Reeling from its worst electoral performance in 30 years, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday said it would seek to stitch together a “Government of National Unity” to administer the nation. After days of internal debate within the party, President Cyril Ramaphosa told a meeting of the ANC’s top leadership structure, the national executive committee (NEC), late on Thursday, that South Africa was at a moment of “fundamental consequence” and that the country required extraordinary leadership. In last week’s elections, the ANC lost its majority in South Africa’s parliament for the first time since the end of apartheid. “We therefore agreed to invite political parties to form a Government of National Unity as the best option to move our country forward,” Ramaphosa said. In effect, that means that the ANC – instead of entering into a direct coalition agreement with its main rival parties, the market-friendly and right-leaning Democratic Alliance (DA) or the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – will seek a broad multiparty alliance. And while Ramaphosa …

South Africa’s President Announces Intent to Form National Unity Government

South Africa’s President Announces Intent to Form National Unity Government

Published by Sam

Days after his African National Congress party faced historic losses at the polls, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said on Thursday that he will seek to form a government that includes a wide range of parties, some with starkly opposing views. Led by the A.N.C. since the fall of apartheid, South Africa has been in limbo since the watershed election on May 29 when voters punished the ruling party for failing to address issues like skyrocketing unemployment, regular power outages and high rates of crime. Over the next few days, a weakened A.N.C. will meet with opposition parties to carve out a deal to avoid a hung Parliament — one in which no party or coalition has a majority — in what Mr. Ramaphosa cast as an effort to bring stability to South Africa’s government. “We invite political parties to form a government of national unity as the best option to move our country forward,” Mr. Ramaphosa said in a news conference late on Thursday night. “This moment calls for the broadest unity of …

‘We are divided’: unity in Israel fades as war in Gaza approaches ninth month | Israel-Gaza war

‘We are divided’: unity in Israel fades as war in Gaza approaches ninth month | Israel-Gaza war

Published by skeptic

In what appears to be a burnt-out building in Gaza, with Hebrew graffiti on the walls reading “Kach” and “Kahane”, references to an infamous Jewish supremacist and his outlawed political party, a masked soldier addresses Israel’s defence minister. “Yoav Gallant, you can’t win the war. Quit. You can’t command us,” the man says in a long clip posted to social media on Saturday, in which he pledges loyalty to the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Another 100,000 reservists would mutiny, he warned, if wavering elements of the government such as Gallant scuppered Netanyahu’s goal of “complete victory” over Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has opened a criminal investigation into the video, which was shared by the prime minister’s outspoken son Yair. The reservist’s behaviour was a “serious violation of IDF orders and IDF values”, the IDF said in a statement. In Israel’s deeply polarised society, split along ethnic, religious and political lines, the military is supposed to be “the people’s army”, an apolitical melting pot that brings the country together. But as the war against …

‘Unity’: Pro-Israel And Pro-Palestine Supporters Chant “F**k Joe Biden” In Solidarity As Democrats In ‘Panic Mode’ 

‘Unity’: Pro-Israel And Pro-Palestine Supporters Chant “F**k Joe Biden” In Solidarity As Democrats In ‘Panic Mode’ 

Published by skeptic

How it started: How it’s going:  Biden finally managed to unify the country https://t.co/Oppf7ssAXn — zerohedge (@zerohedge) May 2, 2024 In early March, President Biden and the Democrats called for the “Unity of all Americans.”  Fast forward to the Marxist revolution spreading like stage four cancer at the nation’s colleges and universities, anti-Israel and counter-protesters found common ground, or perhaps a glimpse of solidarity, when both sides were heard chanting “F**K Joe Biden” this week at the University of Alabama.  “It finally happened. Joe managed to get both sides of the protest to hate him for different reasons,” X user Alex The Ghost wrote.  It finally happened. Joe managed to get both sides of the protest to hate him for different reasons @ShamashAran @ClairNova4k @Carlkeck1 @DefiantlyFree @Piper010100 @Katie_likes_it @ImissPresTrump @CreativeVerveM — Alex The Ghost (@GhostOfAlex1) May 2, 2024 Others on X agreed…  See, he really did unify the country. — Jason Lambeth (@JLambo79) May 1, 2024 Finally!America agrees on one thing! — flyby (@Barbara88625178) May 1, 2024 He’s finally found a way to unite the country after 3.5 years. Bravo. pic.twitter.com/t3L9weU4c7 — Shooting News Weekly (@SN_Weekly_) …