Common Threads: An Interfaith Dialogue

Carl Plantinga is a professor of film and media at Calvin University, where he has taught since 2000.

Carl's books include ‘Screen Stories: Emotion and the Ethics of Engagement;’ ‘Moving Viewers: American Film and the Spectator’s Experience; and Rhetoric and Representation in Nonfiction Film.’ He also co-edited ‘The Routledge Companion to Philosophy and Film’ and ‘Passionate Views: Film, Cognition, and Emotion.’ Plantinga is the past president of the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image and is also an editorial board member of Projections: The Journal for Movies and Mind. Theme music "Nigal."

Most of us have never heard of the ancient people known as the Yazidis. It has been only in recent times since the invasion of ISIS that resulted an unmerciful slaughter of so many.

Houman Oliaei is a scholar at Kalamazoo College who has lived in Yazidi communities both in the USA and the Middle East. He provides an excellent history, including the theology and culture, of this remarkably resilient people. Theme music "Nigal."

There are several forces at work to break up India into separate ethno-religious states. The odd thing here is that the vast majority of Sikhs in the Punjab really enjoy being Indian. Yet, there is a small minority that want to create Khalistan, a Sikh theocracy. However, the real problem is that a large number of Sikhs in North America are strong backers of the idea; including those who would honor terrorists who would further their cause.

Terry Milewski is an award winning journalist who has covered this story for over a decade. In these episodes we discuss his book Blood for Blood. Theme music "Nigal."

As I say in the beginning of Part 1, I met Lisa at the Council on Foreign Relations conference on Religion & Foreign Policy in 2016. We reconnected at the same event in 2022. Our conversations are expansive, covering everything from her forebears' experience with slavery and indentured servitude, the race issues of today and both the positive and negative effects religion on racial issues and democracy itself.

Lisa's latest book is "Fortune." Great read. Theme music "Nigal."

You don't have to 'be religious' to believe there may be a life after death.

The Medium and the Minister explores psychical and religious approaches to the possibility of an afterlife. The tensions and conflicts between these 2 approaches and the heated controversies they have generated are illustrated by a number of case studies. These focus on the challenges posed by psychical research and spiritualism to orthodox religion as the ultimate authority for information and teaching about the afterlife. Prominence is given initially to the campaigns of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sir Oliver Lodge which aimed to publicize the psychical evidence and to the Church’s reaction to them. Later developments and initiatives to try to reconcile the opposing positions are then examined in the light of further psychical research. The issues raised are shown to be still highly relevant to current beliefs and attitudes and to the question of what might constitute evidence for life after death.

Roger Straughan is a delight to speak with. Enjoy Theme music "Nigal."

Close to the top of Culture War issues is the concept of Wokeism. It's such a loaded word. And the thing is, it not only riles those on the right, but can be a pain for more progressive people as well. I admit to cringing when I hear people refer to "menstruating people" when referring to those liable to get pregnant. I find "women" is much more pleasant to the ear.

James Patterson is on the right side of the political/social spectrum. But his ideas are not off the cliff. He does ask a serious questions about identity politics and the larger culture.

Listen, learn, comment. Theme music "Nigal."

At 1st glance, it would seem that Jews and Hindus have very little in common. Judaism is known as one of "the great monotheistic religions of the world." How can there be much to talk about with a religion that purportedly has 330,000,000 gods & goddesses? Well, it seems that besides the fact that some of the most devout Hindus have been Jews, there really is much philosophically that binds these seemingly opposite traditions.

In her new book "From Jerusalem to Delhi Through Persia" author Susan Adelman provides a very detailed analysis of the attraction of Jews to Eastern Thought, as well as the solid relationship between Israel and India. You will enjoy this one. So listen. I won't take no for an answer! Theme music "Nigal."

When we think about the religious communities that offered assistance to the civil rights struggles of the past and present, we don't usually think of Hindus. There is a good reason for that. Nonetheless, there is a connection.

In these March 2022 episodes we examine the bridges between the 2 cultures with educator Murali Balaji. Most important is the influence Gandhi had on King and his nonviolent movement.

Good shows. Listen & learn! And Dr. Balaji's online article "Why Hindus Should Celebrate Black History Month" is a great read to accompany this. Theme music "Nigal."

As I mention in the introduction to Part 1, it is rare that you find someone from the theist crowd acknowledging that the other camp has something important to say. I was impressed with this book's author in that he does exactly that. Admittedly, many famous atheists pepper their arguments with a good deal of venom. Scott handles this tactic well.

Scott Shay is the co-founder and Chairman of Signature Bank, well known as one of the best banks in New York for private business owners. He earned a BA in Economics and a Masters in Management from Northwestern University

Scott is a distinguished leader in the Jewish community and an avid student of religion and its application to the world outside of the synagogue, church, or mosque. In addition to ‘In Good Faith’ Scott Shay is the author of Conspiracy U and Getting Our Groove Back: How to Energize American Jewry. Scott lives in New York City.

Theme music "Nigal."

Today our use of the word "stoic" is so far removed from how it is used classically. I'm so glad our old friend & colleague David Fideler decided to get in touch with us about his new book "Breakfast With Seneca." It's a great introduction to a noble philosophical tradition.

Do treat yourself to some high minded discourse in these 2 episodes from 2022. Theme music "Nigal."