By Shanon Brooks This is part three of a three-part series. Read Part I Here Read Part II Here I asked my good Christian friend and Muslim expert, Mark Siljander, to weigh in on this subject. Here is his reply: “I would humbly suggest your students read A Deadly Misunderstanding. Many of their questions will be answered and much … [Read more...]
A Beginner’s Review of the Qur’an, Part 2: Biblical Terrorism?
January 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
by Shanon Brooks This is part two of a three-part series. Read Part I Here The Qu’ran has been translated into over 100 languages. There are more than 20 English translations of the Qu’ran. Admittedly, most of us know little of this religion as there are no more that 1 percent of Americans who claim adherence to this faith. I am … [Read more...]
A Beginner’s Review of the Qur’an, Part 1: Context Matters
January 18, 2011 by 1 Comment
By Shanon Brooks A friend gave me the book What Every American Needs to Know About the Qur’an: A History of Islam and the United States by William J. Federer. I think my friend is concerned that I just don’t understand the fullness of the evil of Islam. So I am using this book as the starting point for this topic. There are 1.5 billion … [Read more...]
The Power of Meditation
November 16, 2010 by 2 Comments
By Steve D'Annunzio Although it tends to be highly underrated and often misunderstood, meditation is one of the most powerful tools available to man to transcend the mind and to prevent and ease suffering in the world. When you are meditating you are being and doing so much more than is obvious to the uninitiated. Meditation accesses a state … [Read more...]
Seven Spheres of Influence
November 8, 2010 by 2 Comments
By Dave Wilson I read in a recent piece by David Brooks that, “Over the past seven months, the number of people who say government is doing too many things better left to business has jumped from 40 percent to 48 percent, according to a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.” My first reaction was, “Remember last year when ‘business’ ruined … [Read more...]
Monuments to the Faith
October 27, 2010 by 2 Comments
For a long time in the U.S. there has been a battle between people who want to be able to display religious symbols, particularly the Ten Commandments, on government property (such as city parks, government buildings, etc.) and those who think the First Amendment prohibits such things. Christians who want vehemently to display the Ten … [Read more...]
The True Mirror of Our Doctrine
October 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The conduct of our lives is the true mirror of our doctrine. – Michel Eyquem de Montaigne Glenn Beck, a nationally-syndicated political talk show host who also has a TV show, recently told his listeners that if their churches mentioned “social justice” or “economic justice” (what he called political “code words” for communism, etc.), his … [Read more...]
Islam on Trial
October 11, 2010 by 2 Comments
A recent (ahem) debate on a forum I'm involved with started out as a discussion on the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" -- a textbook example of Joseph Goebbel's "repeat a lie often enough" dictum -- but quickly deteriorated into what amounted to a trial of the Islamic faith. I claim no expertise on the subject of Islam, but I've encountered … [Read more...]
The Linguistic Relationship between the Aramaic of Jesus and the Arabic of the Qur’an
July 14, 2010 by 4 Comments
When an Arabic-speaking Muslim friend saw Mel Gibson’s movie Passion of the Christ with most of the dialogue in Aramaic, he was very surprised that he did not need most of the subtitles in English to understand the movie! This connection is a critical bridge builder: sister languages, the Arabic, and the Aramaic, the written language which was … [Read more...]
Changing Lanes, Part 5: Future Leaders
April 24, 2010 by 1 Comment
This is part 4 of a 5-part article. Read Part 1 Here Read Part 2 Here Read Part 3 Here Read Part 4 Here Thus far, I have proposed a specific solution to a specific problem. This trend towards federalism, and the opportunity it provides jurists and scholars to empower mediating entities gives me hope for a unified America. But I … [Read more...]
