Crossing Faiths John Pinna and Elliot Toman

In this conversation, Congressman Frank Wolf discusses the current state of international religious freedom advocacy with John Pinna. Wolf expresses concern that religious leaders and faith communities are not speaking out and advocating for religious freedom as they did in the past, citing examples like Chuck Colson and Rabbi Saperstein. He calls for a resurgence of religious leadership motivating their constituencies to take specific action, such as banning lobbying for countries designated as religious freedom violators. Wolf also suggests having members of Congress travel to witness religious persecution firsthand, adopting prisoners of conscience, and holding a summit to unify faith groups around issues like the persecution of religious minorities in China. The conversation explores innovative ways to reignite activism and advocacy on international religious freedom.


https://www.uscirf.gov/frank-wolf
Special Guest: Frank Wolf.
Support Crossing Faiths

This conversation between John Pinna and Dr. Daisy Khan explores the rise of Islamophobia in the United States, particularly in the wake of the October 9th attack. Khan explains how Islamophobia has manifested at both the individual and institutional levels, with Muslims facing discrimination, harassment, and even job loss for expressing their faith. She emphasizes the importance of building relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims through initiatives like sharing meals and attending community events. Khan also discusses her advocacy work, including efforts to provide Islamophobia training for corporations and input on the White House's strategy to combat anti-Muslim bigotry.


Dr. Daisy Khan is an award winning speaker, author and Founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE), a women-led organization committed to peacebuilding, equality, and justice for Muslims around the globe. Dr. Khan launched the most ambitious peacebuilding tool, WISE Up, a book and campaign aimed at fighting extremism and Islamophobia.


http://www.wisemuslimwomen.org/
Special Guest: Daisy Khan.
Support Crossing Faiths

A Christian and a Muslim talk religion & politics. In this episode, Elliot and John engage in a lively Easter-themed discussion when Elliot starts by posing the question: What to Muslims believe about the Resurrection? The conversation becomes tense at times as John wrestles with the validity of a God who would be willing to die, and Elliot struggles to understand the attraction of a faith that could consider the Crucifixion to be meaningless. But since John isn't a very good Muslim, and Elliot isn't a very good Christian, there's a lot of laughter too. Happy Easter and enjoy!
Support Crossing Faiths

In this interview, John Pinna and Lou Ann Sabatier discuss the importance of effective storytelling, particularly in the context of advocating for international religious freedom and persecuted communities. They explore the challenges facing journalists and content creators in an evolving media landscape, emphasizing the need for strategic, intentional storytelling that resonates with audiences and drives change. Sabatier shares her "F.R.A.M.E.S." framework for crafting compelling narratives, highlighting the importance of framing issues, reframing for common ground, understanding the audience, crafting a clear message, and evoking emotion respectfully. They also delve into the role of data, verification, and trust in storytelling, as well as the need for collaboration among advocates to amplify marginalized voices effectively.


https://sabatierconsulting.com
https://forbwomen.org/
Special Guest: Lou Ann Sabatier.
Support Crossing Faiths

Minhdao Le is a third-generation practitioner of Cao Dai, a religious belief system from Vietnam. In this interview, Minhdao provides some insight into the beliefs of Cao Dai, and brings attention to what he describes as a communist government-led usurping of the religion that took place when the government officially "recognized" Cao Dai in 1997.


"THE CAO DAI RELIGION VS. ITS IMPOSTOR"
https://vnforb.org/the-real-cao-dai-1/
Special Guest: Minhdao Le.
Support Crossing Faiths

In this episode, John Pinna interviews Dr. John Andrew Morrow, a Muslim academic and author. Dr. Morrow shares his spiritual journey starting from a young age, studying various religious scriptures and ultimately embracing Islam after being deeply moved by the Quran. He highlights the pivotal role of the Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the monks of Mount Sinai in shaping his understanding of Islam. The conversation delves into Dr. Morrow's research on the covenants of the Prophet, which involved tracking down manuscripts from various sources and collaborating with other scholars. These covenants, recognized by various Islamic dynasties throughout history, emphasize the protection and rights granted to Christian communities under Muslim rule. The discussion also touches upon the historical context of early Islamic conquests, the coexistence of Muslim and Christian communities, and the importance of archeological evidence in understanding the spread of Islam.


The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World:
https://a.co/d/7FOKyXI


John Andrew Morrow's Website:
https://johnandrewmorrow.com/
Special Guest: John Andrew Morrow.
Support Crossing Faiths