A very thoughtful assessment of Coleman Barks translations of the poetry of Rumi put in the context of the climate in the USA of propaganda and militarism against Muslim countries. (Which will hopefully change with Obama)

Let us not confuse art with conduct.

Can you expand on that. It sounds like the beginning of an interesting conversation

"...scholars note that ambiguous traces of sectarian intolerance and even misogyny can be unearthed by studying Rumi in a historical context, and, in their estimation, Barks glosses over historical context, preferring instead to engage Rumi in the less problematic realm of eternity."

Ah yes, then I agree with you completely, quite apart from the fact that these 'scholars' comments are incorrect.
Rumi's poetic art emerged from a deep spirituality and his students included Christians and Jews and very many women. There was even an argument at his funeral about who he 'belonged' to!