Last year I trekked into the Moroccan Sahara desert on a very trusty camel named Aszu. In the evening, my guide, Jusef, a sixth grade educated Berber nomad, surprisingly fluent in six languages, fixed me a tantalizing chicken tangine. All that it lacked was a glass of wine, unfortunately verboten for Muslims just days before Ramadan. At night we slept under the incredible desert night skies. Never before had I seen so many stars, stretching from one horizon to the other – the stars so bright and numerous, it was difficult to make out the constellations. That was Morocco, a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, smells, and experiences. From Morocco I traveled on through much of Europe, Russia, Mongolia, China, and finally concluding my trip in Japan. This year's trip will take me to Romania, Ukraine, Georgia, Central Asia, India, Nepal, Southwest China, and Indochina. At times I hope to report back on my experiences and observations, perhaps posting a few pictures and videos that may be of interest. I've posted below a few pictures and videos from some past trips. For my blog on my travels through East Europe check out my blog at http://tallinntovarna.blogspot.com.

I’ve been asking myself lately, is there a theme to all this? Maybe not, but one thing I can say that piques my interest, is the dangerous nexus between religion and politics that engulfs the world today. In Morocco, where the King is both the head of Mosque and State, a Muslim, during Ramadan, can end up in jail for doing nothing more than drinking a glass of water under the scorching daytime heat – his crime, the thirsty Muslim broke the fast. Imams in Morocco claim that such an abhorrent act defies the teachings of God, infringes on the religious liberties of practicing Muslims, and is deserving of serious sanction. Of course, such a violation of an individual’s personal freedom could never happen in America. Or could it? As I write this, the U.S. Catholic Bishops are ferociously attacking President Obama’s Affordable Care Act for requiring institutions to provide birth control under their insurance policies. Like the Imams, the Bishops consider it not just an affront, but an existential threat, to their religious liberties. A poor woman, without the means to support a family, let alone a brutally raped woman, should not expect any sympathy from these Catholic institutions, as they, like their Muslim brothers, are scripturally bound to impose their beliefs on others. Does it matter that no one is telling Muslims that they cannot fast or Catholics that they cannot abstain from sex?

Now that I think of it, I’d like to dedicate this blog to Americans United, a terrific nonpartisan educational organization dedicated to preserving the principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure religious freedom. Before I move on though, I’d like to share with you this political satire piece I wrote a few months ago when Senator Rick Santorum had a chance of being the Republican nominee. It pretty much sums up my take on what a large segment of the American population would like to see should their wildest dreams come true. Finally, I begin this blog with three postings from last year’s trip just to give you an idea of who I am and what you may or may not come to expect as I embark on this year's trip. If you have something nice to say, I'd love to hear from you.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Modern Courtship

Ramish
“I met my girl friend in college 3 ½ years ago,” Ramish (my guide) said, between points of interest at the Taj Mahal. “Her father is a doctor. He works for Catholic missionaries in Africa. She goes to church Saturdays and Sundays. I go to the temple twice a week. I pray the Gaytri mantra and to god. I’ve started studying Christianity because I want to better understand my girl friend’s religion. A friend gave me a Bible and told me if I read it, it will change my life. I read the Gospel of John and found it interesting — I liked it. But my girl friend and I don’t speak about these things — we need to — someday. Her mother knows I’m Hindu, but her father doesn’t. I’ve never met or talked to him. I know I must. I’m a little scared. I don’t want to come between her and her father. I love her too much to do that. I hope, if we sit around a table, we can work things out. They are interested in helping people. I’m interested in helping people. I want to start a school for the poor — maybe we have this in common. We want to have children, but we haven’t talked about how we would raise them — what religion or who will care for them — she's finishing med school and wants to work. I live at home with my parents and they're very important to me. They raised me to be a good person. They say I’m free to do as I please, but I'm afraid to displease them. They have certain expectations about marriage, weddings, and that sort of thing. Catholics have different traditions. But my girl friend and I are also of a different generation. When we’re alone we sleep together. We practice birth control. Today, it’s not possible to expect a woman to be a virgin when she marries. Young people are freer now with more opportunities and more choices. There were too many boundaries back then.”
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