Faith-Based Diplomacy: Trumping Realpolitik

Book Description

For most of the twentieth century, the most critical concerns of national security have been balance of power politics and the global arms race. The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the motives behind them, however, demand a radical break with this tradition. If the United States is to prevail in its long-term contest with extremist Islam, it will need to re-examine old assumptions, expand the scope of its thinking to include religion and other "irrational" factors, and be willing to depart from past practice. A purely military response in reaction to such attacks will simply not suffice. What will be required is a long-term strategy of cultural engagement, backed by a deeper understanding of how others view the world and what is important to them. In non-Western cultures, religion is a primary motivation for political actions. Historically dismissed by Western policymakers as a divisive influence, religion in fact has significant potential for overcoming the obstacles that lead to paralysis and stalemate. The incorporation of religion as part of the solution to such problems is as simple as it is profound. It is long overdue. This book looks at five intractable conflicts and explores the possibility of drawing on religion as a force for peace. It builds upon the insights of Religion, the Missing Dimension of Statecraft (OUP,1994)--which examined the role that religious or spiritual factors can play in preventing or resolving conflict--while achieving social change based on justice and reconciliation. The world-class authors writing in this volume suggest how the peacemaking tenets of five major world religions can be strategically applied in ongoing conflicts in which those religions are involved. Finally, the commonalities and differences between these religions are examined with an eye toward further applications in peacemaking and conflict resolution.

Customer Reviews:

Award-Winner, Mind-Altering Information, Useful, Scholarly.......2004-04-30

Let's start with the award. I was so impressed with this book that it received one of the ten Golden Candle Awards for most constructive and innovative work in the Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) field. It represents the second book in a body of work that may eventually be worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. The citation reads:

To Dr. Douglas M. Johnston, president and founder of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, for his path-finding efforts with regard to Preventive Diplomacy as well as Religion and Conflict Resolution. Among his many works, two stand out for defining a critical missing element in modern diplomacy: Religion, the Missing Dimension of Statecraft (Oxford University Press, 1994), and Faith-based Diplomacy: Trumping Realpolitik (Oxford University Press, 2003). He has restored the proper meaning of faith qua earnestness instead of faith qua zealotry, and this is a contribution of great importance.

With a foreword by no less than The Honorable Lee H. Hamilton, today a leader of the 9-11 Commission, the book drives a stake in the heart of secular "objective" negotiation and focuses on how faith (not zealotry, but earnest faith) can alter the spiral of violence in such places as Sudan, Kashmir, and the Middle East.

The editor and contributing author has assembled a multi-national and multi-religion cast of experts whose work in the aggregate completely supports the premise of the book: that the 21st Century will be about religion instead of ideology, and that what hopes we might have for reconciling "irreconcilable differences" lie in the balanced integration of religious dialog and conflict prevention, rather than in pre-emptive military action and unilateralist bullying.

I found two core concepts especially relevant to national security: the first is that we need an Office of Religious and Cultural Intelligence within the Central Intelligence Agency, and we need, as the authors suggest, to put religious attaches into every Embassy. The second, and this is a truly core concept, is "The price of freedom is cultural engagement--taking the time to learn how others view the world, to understand what is important to them, and to determine what can realistically be done to help them realize their legitimate aspirations."

This is a brilliant, scholarly, practical, world-changing book. It joins Max Manwaring's various books, but especially "The Search for Security," Joe Nye's earlier books on understanding the world and engaging the world with soft power, and George Soros as well as the several other books on my standard national security reading list. The conclusion of the book lists a number of means by which religion can impact on diplomacy and state-craft, and I for one have become a believer--this book completely altered my perspective on the role of religion as a peacemaker of substance and day-to-day practicality.

Why don't you own this book?!!.......2003-03-12

Faith-based Diplomacy, Trumping Realpolitik offers a fresh perspective on how to deal with religious militancy. It goes beyond traditional notions of power politics to get at the heart and soul of how to deal with religious terrorism, thus superseding in effectiveness Washington-centric notions of guns and missiles. The creativity of the authors offers much grist for policymakers to "think outside the box" of how traditional power politics are conducted and offers new insights into the process of conflict transformation. A very interesting, insightful, and helpful book for the politician, religious leader and educated layperson.

Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society, 13)

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Religion and violence are not linked always
Survey of Religious terrorism
Juergensmeyer has done his research!
Religion and Violence in a postmodern context
Comprehending the nearly incomprehensible

Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society, 13)
Mark Juergensmeyer
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520240111

Book Description

Completely revised and updated, this new edition of Terror in the Mind of God incorporates the events of September 11, 2001 into Mark Juergensmeyer's landmark study of religious terrorism. Juergensmeyer explores the 1993 World Trade Center explosion, Hamas suicide bombings, the Tokyo subway nerve gas attack, and the killing of abortion clinic doctors in the United States. His personal interviews with 1993 World Trade Center bomber Mahmud Abouhalima, Christian Right activist Mike Bray, Hamas leaders Sheik Yassin and Abdul Azis Rantisi, and Sikh political leader Simranjit Singh Mann, among others, take us into the mindset of those who perpetrate and support violence in the name of religion.

Download Description

Since September 11, 2001, we all need tools to help us understand what motivates religious terrorism. In this wide-ranging and erudite book, Mark Juergensmeyer asks one of the most important and perplexing questions of our age: Why do religious people commit violent acts in the name of their god, taking the lives of innocent victims and terrorizing entire populations? This, the first comparative study of religious terrorism, explores incidents such as the World Trade Center explosion, Hamas suicide bombings, the Tokyo subway nerve gas attack, and the killing of abortion clinic doctors in the United States. Updated with a new preface addressing the events of September 11, the book incorporates personal interviews with World Trade Center bomber Mahmud Abouhalima, Christian Right activist Mike Bray, Hamas leaders Sheik Yassin and Abdul Azis Rantisi, and Sikh political leader Simranjit Singh Mann, among others, Juergensmeyer takes us into the mindset of those who perpetrate and support violent acts. In the process, he helps us understand why these acts are often associated with religious causes and why they occur with such frequency at this moment in history. Terror in the Mind of God places these acts of violence in the context of global political and social changes, and posits them as attempts to empower the cultures of violence that support them. Juergensmeyer analyzes the economic, ideological, and gender-related dimensions of cultures that embrace a central sacred concept--cosmic war--and that employ religion to demonize their enemies. Juergensmeyer's narrative is engaging, incisive, and sweeping in scope. He convincingly shows that while, in many cases, religion supplies not only the ideology but also the motivation and organizational structure for the perpetrators of violent acts, it also carries with it the possibilities for peace. Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of 2000

Customer Reviews:

Religion and violence are not linked always.......2006-12-21

The thesis of this book is that religion and violence are always linked and that all religions are the same in having a violent strain and that all religions have violence in them naturally because religion is violent.

This is blatently and historically untrue. In attempting, like so many works, to not single out Islam as violent this book wants the reader to beleive that Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and all religions are equally violent and a study of each reveals a strain of hate. Timothy Mcveigh is the Christian, the Sikh Kalistan fighters are the Sikhs, The Tamils are the Hindus, Osama is the Muslims, The strange terror cell in Japan is the Buddhist. This is easy. Rather tahn doing a comprehensive study this book found one murderer from each religion that led a sect and said "see this religion has a strain of violence". However Timothy Mcveigh was one man as were the Buddhist extremists in Japan. The Tamils are not religious, there ware is based on ethnicity. Where are the Jewish terrorists, well there must be Baruch Goldstien and recall those Jewish Zealots 2000 years ago.

This is sheer lunacy. Different religions did indeed engage is certain levels of violence throughout history. THat is true. THere are also different forms of religions and religions change. Religions that were once violent or state controlled like Christianity and Buddhism, have become peaceful. Religions like Sikhism are naturally warrior based religions, but not neccesarily violent. Hinduism has never manifested itself violently, and Judaism hasnt been violent since the time of the revolt and that was a national revolt. This is just a gigantic scam. Islam has violent passages in the Koran. But this doesnt mean Bin Laden is timothy Mcveigh.

It is also not true that religion is 'more' violent than secular societies. Hitler and Stalin killed more people in 5 years than any religion has ever done. If anything religion may work as a hand holding violence back but helping unify it when it takes place.

Seth J. Frantzman

Survey of Religious terrorism.......2006-02-28

Excellent book covering all the major religions and their terrorists. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a scholarly survey or someone looking to make more sense of the world.

Many of the cases explored are chilling in their cold bloodedness, but the author makes all of them eminently understandable.

Juergensmeyer has done his research!.......2005-10-12

This book is being used in a Terrorism seminar class that I am taking and for good reason. Juergensmeyer does not rely wholly on second hand information but has actually visited and spoken with those accused and some even convicted of terror and gives a perspective that only a first hand knowledge would provide. This is an excellent insight into the minds of true idealists with a bent on death and destruction.

Religion and Violence in a postmodern context.......2005-06-10

As a comparative cultural study of religious terrorism, Mark Juergensmeyer attempts to explain how and why religion and violence are linked. Juergensmeyer analyzes recent incidents of global religious terrorism in order to illumine overarching patterns that heighten the risk of religious violence. Splitting his book into two parts, Juergensmeyer, first, highlights examples of religious terrorism within the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Buddhist traditions. The author interviews religious leaders and activists within cultures of violence present in each of these traditions. In the second part of the book, Juergensmeyer identifies those characteristics that enhance the likelihood of religion becoming violent.

Juergensmeyer believes the first common denominator in religious extremism is the act of violence itself: terrorism is a theatrical display of violence. According to the author, these acts are performance events, inasmuch that they make symbolic, not strategic, statements. They are performative acts, insofar as they attempt to create change. The location and the time of the violent act, also, have symbolic purpose. Terrorism needs an audience, somebody to terrify, in order to be effective, and with the technological advancements of the twentieth century, the audience of this theatre is virtually global.

If religious terrorism is violent theatre, the image of a cosmic war provides the script. Violent activists view their terrorist acts as part of a larger spiritual confrontation, a battle between good and evil, between God and God's enemies. With the notion of warfare, compromise is not possible and violence, naturally, is morally justified. Religious symbols also undergird religious terrorism: all religions have symbols to overcome the images of death, disorder, and disarray. Religion asserts the primacy of meaning and order in the face of chaos, in this case, a world gone awry. Juergensmeyer identifies when these symbols can become deadly and when confrontation is likely to be characterized as a cosmic war.

The processes of satanization and empowerment are a result of viewing the world as engulfed in a cosmic war. Juergensmeyer believes that terrorists believe that they are victims, and this justifies their violent actions. If they die in their cause they are martyrs - again, religious symbolism overcoming disorder - sacrificed for their community and religion. With every war, enemies must be created, and as such the process of demonizing the enemy is important. Terrorists must deny the personhood of the enemy and create stereotypes so that the enemy can be seen as individuals. Juergensmeyer explains the process of satanization, the creation of a cosmic foe, and the process of empowerment, to create the hope that history can be changed, are integral parts of the mentalities caused by the image of cosmic warfare.

Religious violence provides a sense of empowerment to religious activists and their communities. According to the author, all terrorists fear social marginalization. In general terrorism is a male occupation, and women have minor ancillary roles, if at all. This gender specificity implies that sexuality is a factor in militant movements: sexual control needs to be established in a world gone awry, seen in active subjugation of women and homosexuality. Juergensmeyer finds commonality in terrorist groups: they are "anti-institutional, religio-nationalist, racist, sexist, male-bonding, bomb-throwing young guys," (210). Their marginality is experienced through sexual despair, which leads to violent acts of empowerment. Religious terrorists recognize they are in a struggle that cannot be won, but by dismantling the state's monopoly on power, the group demonstrates their power on behalf of the powerless.

In his concluding chapter, Juergensmeyer believes that terrorists would do anything if they believed it sanctioned by God. Because of the increasing secularism and liberalism prevalent in the world, religious terrorists seek to vault their religious views, perceived as both marginalized and traditional, into the mainstream. Secular governments are by nature enemies of these terrorist organizations, and violence is an attempt to reclaim this public sphere. Juergensmeyer, extrapolating from current trends, concludes with five ways in which religious terrorism can be resolved: terrorist organizations can be literally destroyed; terrorists can be frightened into submission by the threat of violent reprisals or imprisonment; the goals of the terrorists can be accommodated; the religious aspects are separated from politics; or religion and politics can be reconciled. Juergensmeyer believes the last solution to be the most successful.

Comprehending the nearly incomprehensible.......2004-09-15

Attempts a cohesive sociological analysis of the putative causal relationship of religious piety and extreme violence, on the premise that it is crucially important that we know if the two are related.

If they are not related, we have a largely incomprehensible phenomenon with the rise of terrorism among religous groups and the use of religious justification for violence. If they are related, it becomes more difficult to explain the use of non-religious rationales for violence and terror.

I think Juergensmeyer does a first class job of research here and a really excellent job of pulling together his findings and making sense of the way violence arises at the extremes of a wide variety of religions. Most importantly, he identifies the conditions under which piety "becomes" violence in some sense, based on the broad idea that we use religion to make sense of the world, and under extreme conditions, symbols of war and expressions of violence do indeed make sense of our experience.

I would like to see work building further on this general framework, I think it would be extremely productive in understanding patterns of violence and developing workable solutions.

The one weakness of this analysis for me was its implicit equation of religion with the search for meaning. We tend to think of religion in that role, but I believe it is important not to confuse the way we often use religion with its many varied expressions and uses. Juergensmeyer's analysis DOES apply to any cultural process that operates to make sense of our experience, including atheist quasi-religions and potentially even meaningful non-theist institutions and practices.

That is, I agree up to a point with the critics here who complained that this book's analysis of piety and violence seems to ignore the systematic use of violence by institutions we don't generally consider religious. However, I don't think it takes much to extend the author's analysis to these other institutions. Some of the conditions under which MJ theorizes that we view a war as having cosmic significance and thus relating piety and violence:

1. The struggle is perceived as a defense of basic identity and dignity.

2. Defeat is unthinkable.

3. The struggle is blocked in practical terms and no real world solution appears to be viable.

With these conditions in place, in theory, seeing a struggle as a cosmic war becomes a very real solution psychologically for making sense of the desperate conditions and finding hope in them. The process of making an enemy into some version of Satan begins often with:

1. very *real* problems that become interpreted in terms of the whole world going awry.

2. Ordinary options for resolving the real problems simply aren't available to us.

3. We then begin the process of symbollizing the enemy as forces of evil, so that being part of a divine solution becomes part of our hope.

4. Coming back from the brink of desperation becomes possible by symbolic acts of power showing that the unwinnable war can be winnable in its cosmic form.

I'm extracting the conclusions from a very detailed and thoughtful analysis.

I think this analysis makes a very important contribution to our understanding of violence and terrorism but this book is also of great value for its framework for understanding the relationship of culture and individual action, and what it implies about how our institutions, practices, and discourse shape our thinking and behavior. This is sociology doing what sociology is best used for, understanding how human social behavior relates to individual thoughts and actions.

Shakti Woman: Feeling Our Fire, Healing Our World

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A Valid walk with SHE
down to earth spiritual practice
Hoo boy....!
Interesting, well-written, but...
Interesting, well-written, but...

Shakti Woman: Feeling Our Fire, Healing Our World
Vicki Noble
Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0062506676

Book Description

Representing the work of thirty-one poets since the turn of the century, this is the definitive anthology of Native American poetry.

Customer Reviews:

A Valid walk with SHE.......2007-07-05

I found this book to be a refreshing look at a women's journey on her spiritual path with the Goddess. This book not only validates your 'untraditional' experience with SHE, but it also encourages you to complete the journey with suggestions on other areas to research and encounter with your journey towards the Goddess!

down to earth spiritual practice.......2005-09-12

This book effectively illustrates the basic principles of female shamanism. It is easy to read, engaging and packed full of interesting research on women's spirituality.

Hoo boy....!.......2004-12-12

Yet another white woman who says she's a "shaman," this one because she had some sort of psychotic break while sitting in the bathtub one day. She also says Filipino shamans "reach between molecules" to pull tumors out of people. Um, no, Honey, they use sleight-of-hand and chicken parts. Period.

This book contains a truckload of bad history about universal goddess worship, how all the shamans were once women, and other utter tripe.

I also don't have anything nice to say about anyone whose full-grown boa constrictor is under 3 feet long. She blames the former owner, but admits to feeding the animal only when it moves around a lot and "acts hungry," rather than keeping it on a regular feeding schedule. (She also can't distinguish between "acting hungry" and "predicting an earthquake" on the snake's part.) Boas are not "cool Goddessy Witchy woman accesories;" they grow to be ten plus feet long when cared for properly, and they need to be fed as soon as they have passed their last meal.

Interesting, well-written, but..........1999-11-29

this book, while absolutely articulate and compelling, is essentially Noble's memoir of goddess-conciousness. The commentary on the medical industry's stances on issues such as childbirth and gynecology were one of the highlights of the text. However, the constant referencing and hyping of the author's tarot system, The Motherpeace Tarot deck, while expectable, gets tedious, especially to those who, like I, aren't really "spoken to" by the system. Highly reccomended to those who are interested in politico-spiritual issues, especially those regarding women.

Interesting, well-written, but..........1999-11-29

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DO NOT get this book!
The very best book in the category
has a buddhist slant
A Good Answer to a Tough Question
A Superb Book

What Is God?
Etan Boritzer
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0920668887

Book Description

What is God? is an eloquent introduction to the ideas behind God and religion, and brings forward complex ideas in a way children will understand. It is written with a simple clarity and beautifully illustrated with just the right blend of seriousness and humor.

What is God? compares different religions -- Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism -- and their holy books, looks at misunderstandings and arguments among people of different religions, and talks about praying as well as feeling connected to everything in the world.

If you want to talk about spirituality with a child, or introduce them to philosophy or religion, or just help them to begin to center themselves and their feelings about the world, this book is a great beginning.

Customer Reviews:

DO NOT get this book!.......2007-10-05

So disappointing....
This book is far from the truth. God is not a rock, frog or tree. God is not you and me. He is not a figure of imagination or creativity. This is so far from the TRUTH! This book should be banned. It's poison for our children. It brings confusion to their hearts and minds. There ARE many gods, but only 1 true GOD! He is definitely nothing like this book is trying to portray.
Please stay away from this book of lies.

The very best book in the category.......2007-06-28

Our daughter is of the age to wonder why. And because the God Question is about the thorniest we expect to face, we have been looking for a Good Explanation.

I started by relying on personal knowledge. Since I was old enough to question, I've been reading about religion and spirituality. You name it, I've probably read the basic texts. And, by profession, I sort of know how to tell a story.

So on Easter Sunday, when the little one asked about the egg roll, I saw an opportunity to explain about a more significant roll --- the rolling of the rock from Jesus' tomb.

Two sentences in, she walked away.

And I got it. Talking about God is like teaching a kid to swim. It's not a job for every parent; it's surely not advised for those parents who are, like us, still searching. So we started looking for a book.

And now we have one.

When the time comes, "What is God?" will be our First Responder.

It is short (32 pages), with a lovely water-color on the left hand page of each spread and three or four short paragraphs on the right.

It could not be more straightforward. On Page 1:

Maybe we can't really talk about God
Because maybe we can't see God
Or maybe we can't hear God
Or even taste or smell or touch God

Maybe we can only feel God
Like we can feel love
Or like we feel happy or sad.

From there, Etan Boritzer takes us back, to a brief history of belief, focusing on the image of God as "an old man, with a long white beard." Next time you're on an airplane, he suggests, look at the clouds: "You won't see that God there/Because no one has ever seen that God!"

Maybe, he proposes next, God is an "eternal mystery." Then again, "some people think that there are teachers/Who have been able to solve the puzzle."

And now, for those who have a strong personal belief, we're on dangerous ground. Organized religion can be like organized sports; people tend to root for their home team. Which makes them hyper-sensitive about anything that looks like "criticism".

After Boritzer takes children through the great religions, he jumps right into the hot zone. He notes that sometimes, "people of one religion want everyone/To know `What is God?' in the same way/That they understand God."

What these people don't understand, he says, is that "Most religions are almost the same!" That is, they tell you to be good to others, not to lie and cheat and steal. And if more people thought about that, maybe we wouldn't have so many "fights" about God.

The book closes on a high note: the forms of prayer and the good fortune of living in a country where there's no official religion. And then, perhaps the highest note of all:

So when we pray to God,
When people of all religions pray to God,
We are really praying for that feeling,
The feeling that connects all of us.

When we pray to God,
We are praying for that feeling of love
To come to us and to everyone we know,
Maybe even to all those people we don't know,
So that we can be happy together, or apart.

Lovely stuff. Hard to disagree. But on the last page, Boritzer will drive some parents crazy --- and thrill all whose sympathies lie in the East:

So, if you really want to feel God,
You can close your eyes now,
And listen to your breath go slowly in and out,
And think how you are connected to everything,
Even if you are not touching anything.

That's pure Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhism.

Propaganda? In this house: practical wisdom. I mean, I've seen it work. Once, when our daughter was so unhappy she was blubbering, I put my hand on her chest and said, "I can't help you when you're crying this hard. You've got to calm down. Here's how --- take a big slow breath, then let it out. And again. And again."

Our eyes locked as we worked together. In a minute or so, she was herself again.

In the absence of another "proof" of God, I suspect reading a book that returns a child to herself --- to the magic breath of life --- would serve our daughter quite well.

has a buddhist slant.......2006-04-07

This book is okay, except the conclusion where you imagine yourself deeply interconnected to everyone else and how everyone is God may leave you feeling uncomfortable. Do you have to be deeply interconnected to someone you really can't bear to think about? Like the bully at school who's been terrorizing you? That idea would drive me nuts.

A Good Answer to a Tough Question.......2006-02-04

I wish this book had been available when my children were small; I definitely would have read it to them. The next best thing is to give a copy to my 6 month old grandson for the startup of his library. I can't think of a better answer to a child's question, "what is God?", than this book presents... nor can I think of a better answer for any adult wondering the same thing. The question is a universal one and so is Etan Boritzer answer.
For a more in depth review, read the review by Acharya S, which was enough to prompt me to purchase two copies.

A Superb Book.......2006-01-19

Over the years, people have asked me what books I recommend for children on the subject of God and religion, even requesting that I myself write children's books. Although I have read several good books on the subject over the years, other than "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" I have not been able to come up with any at the spur of the moment. That inspiring book, however, is not specifically about God and religion, and is also geared for an older audience.

For younger children, even as young as those who can understand full sentences, "What is God?" by Etan Boritzer is without a doubt the best children's book on the subject of God and religion that I have read to date. As is appropriate for young children, "What is God?" contains marvelously attractive illustrations by Robbie Marantz that may hold the attention of the wandering mind which is still too young to understand some of the heady but accessible concepts provided by Boritzer's fabulously inclusive text. The book is simply appealing from cover to cover, and the best surprise is that it is not at all preachy and would be useful for even the most ardent unbeliever to teach his or her children about what other people believe about God.

This book is so great, in fact, that I believe reading it to all the world's children would have an enormous impact on ending religious strife globally. "What is God?" does not teach children what to believe. It is not threatening to any parents, except for those who think that informing their children about other people's beliefs will somehow "poison" their minds. This book simply and matter-of-factly recites a wide variety of beliefs from around the world, including the simplistic and childish concept that God is an old man with a long white beard who lives in the sky. "Next time you fly in an airplane," says Boritzer, "look out the window at the clouds. But you won't see that God there, because no one has ever seen that God!"

"What is God?" continues in this vein, relating that religions are sets of beliefs shared by groups of people, generally revolving around a shared holy book and a teacher believed to be divinely inspired or to understand the question "What is God?" Boritzer explains that there have been many teachers and books, listing the most famous such as Jesus, Moses, Mohammed and Buddha, and the Bible, Koran, Torah, Vedas and Sutras. He also imparts the knowledge that these beliefs have caused people to fight among themselves over whose concept of God was right and whose was wrong. The author further delves into what is prayer, in a highly satisfying manner.

My favorite part is where God is described as everything:

"Yes! God is everything great and small!
God is everything far away and near!
God is everything bright and dark!
And God is everything in between!...

"If everything is God,
Then I am God,
You are God,
All of us are God!"

In a sense, this last part IS teaching us and our children what to think about God, but is it in fact harmful? Or, just maybe, do these concepts serve as an inoculation against strident and exclusionary beliefs that our children will surely encounter down the road, which truly ARE harmful?

The interpretation of these concepts that follows in "What is God?" is that believing we are all God allows us to connect spiritually with each other and with the universe as a whole. As a longtime observer and critic of religious strife, and someone who has striven to provide solutions to this dilemma, I can state that such a perspective can only be helpful for all to hear and understand.

Boritzer's style is enlightened, kind and gentle, such that no one should feel threatened but all are made to feel welcome. Although it was not within the purview of his work to discuss atheism, Boritzer may have wished to include one or two sentences which related that some people do not believe in a god of any sort and do not pray, but that's okay too!

The suggestion that I write children's books curiously led me to discover this wonderful tome, as I attended a seminar with the author on how to publish children's books. Little did I know what a life-changing event it would be, as I am now able with great clarity to pass along to my own progeny pertinent information concerning what I regard an extremely important subject. I am also able to explain what it is I do! For example, in the part of "What is God?" that illustrates how people fight over the concept, I was able to share that I like to stand in between the two men in the picture fighting over the word "God" and to tell them to stop! Any small child can appreciate these ideas.

"What is God?" should be present in libraries, churches, synagogues, temples and mosques the world over, translated into every major language, and read by every person interested not only in the subjects of God and religion but also in world peace.

Acharya S
Author, "The Christ Conspiracy" and "Suns of God"

Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice

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Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice
Michael Bonner
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691125740

Book Description

What is jihad? Does it mean violence, as many non-Muslims assume? Or does it mean peace, as some Muslims insist? Because jihad is closely associated with the early spread of Islam, today's debate about the origin and meaning of jihad is nothing less than a struggle over Islam itself. In Jihad in Islamic History, Michael Bonner provides the first study in English that focuses on the early history of jihad, shedding much-needed light on the most recent controversies over jihad.

To some, jihad is the essence of radical Islamist ideology, a synonym for terrorism, and even proof of Islam's innate violence. To others, jihad means a peaceful, individual, and internal spiritual striving. Bonner, however, shows that those who argue that jihad means only violence or only peace are both wrong. Jihad is a complex set of doctrines and practices that have changed over time and continue to evolve today. The Quran's messages about fighting and jihad are inseparable from its requirements of generosity and care for the poor. Jihad has often been a constructive and creative force, the key to building new Islamic societies and states. Jihad has regulated relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, in peace as well as in war. And while today's "jihadists" are in some ways following the "classical" jihad tradition, they have in other ways completely broken with it.

Written for general readers who want to understand jihad and its controversies, Jihad in Islamic History will also interest specialists because of its original arguments.

Eve & Adam: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Readings on Genesis and Gender

Average customer rating:

Valuable, but Skewed
Essential reference book for anything about Eve!

Eve & Adam: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Readings on Genesis and Gender

Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0253212715

Customer Reviews:

Valuable, but Skewed.......2005-11-25

I'm not going to say it's a bad book. There are very few books that draw together so many fine and seminal pieces of literature and play them against one another so well. It's a fine book.

There are, however, features of the book which are just maddening. Did ancient religious scholars stop to question the historicity of Genesis 1-3? No, out of enlightened self-interest (and a strong wish to avoid being executed as an apostate) they did not. As the modern inheritors of that legacy, we are not quite so bound up in the literal. I think the editors, all very capible, might have included more material from the mythological, metaphysical, and allegorical readings of creation and fall.

It is an exceptional book as it is--but it could be a real masterwork if some slightly more heretical material were included.

Essential reference book for anything about Eve!.......1999-11-03

Magnificant book! The authors have done a tremendous job collecting together a broad but representative array of readings about Eve from three religious traditions. Anyone doing research on the Adam and Eve story, or anyone wanting the background to the naming and valuation of women which has developed from the Adam and Eve story must get this book! Helpful summaries move the reader through the plethora of material, noting important changes and developments in thinking through the centuries. A great text for women's studies, feminist theologies and literary studies.

Between Heaven and Earth: The Religious Worlds People Make and the Scholars Who Study Them

Average customer rating:

Interesting, easy read

Between Heaven and Earth: The Religious Worlds People Make and the Scholars Who Study Them
Robert A. Orsi
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 069112776X

Book Description

Between Heaven and Earth explores the relationships men, women, and children have formed with the Virgin Mary and the saints in twentieth-century American Catholic history, and reflects, more broadly, on how people live in the company of sacred figures and how these relationships shape the ties between people on earth. In this boldly argued and beautifully written book, Robert Orsi also considers how scholars of religion occupy the ground in between belief and analysis, faith and scholarship.

Orsi infuses his analysis with an autobiographical voice steeped in his own Italian-American Catholic background--from the devotion of his uncle Sal, who had cerebral palsy, to a "crippled saint," Margaret of Castello; to the bond of his Tuscan grandmother with Saint Gemma Galgani.

Religion exists not as a medium of making meanings, Orsi maintains, but as a network of relationships between heaven and earth involving people of all ages as well as the many sacred figures they hold dear. Orsi argues that modern academic theorizing about religion has long sanctioned dubious distinctions between "good" or "real" religious expression on the one hand and "bad" or "bogus" religion on the other, which marginalize these everyday relationships with sacred figures.

This book is a brilliant critical inquiry into the lives that people make, for better or worse, between heaven and earth, and into the ways scholars of religion could better study of these worlds.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, easy read.......2007-05-14

Orsi's book is an interesting intro to some of the issues facing religious studies scholars. It presents the issues of how to study a religious community and what difficulties arise in doing so. For the reader less interested in the academic field of religious studies, there is still a wealth of information on religion in America, especially the history and development of American Catholicism.

The book is accessible to a wide audience and is the kind of work that makes for good dicussions with a variety of different types of groups. I will add, however, that for those who are already sufficiently aware of the problems of doing anthropological research on religious communities, it offers little that is new or insightful.

Mysteries Of Isis: Her Worship & Magick (Llewellyn's World Religion & Magic Series)

Average customer rating:

Exactly what I was looking for.
Truely magical in all respects!
Wonderful for Isis, Terrible for all others
Wow, what Great Source Book on all things Isis
Nice Mix

Mysteries Of Isis: Her Worship & Magick (Llewellyn's World Religion & Magic Series)
deTraci Regula
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Egypt | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1567185606

Customer Reviews:

Exactly what I was looking for........2006-01-02

I absolutely love this book! She gives you lots of facts about how the original priests worshiped Isis and then gives you advice on how to use that in a modern way. Oodles of stuff to keep you active like recipes, rituals, great chants, meditations and how to craft your own ritual tools. Truly a great and essential book if you are drawn to Isis and are looking for a way to bring more of Her into your life.

Truely magical in all respects!.......2005-08-23

I absolutely adore this book! It is basically a handbook for Egyptian devotees who have an affinity for Isis as the great Mother. It is well researched but not too scholarly or longwinded like most books on the subject.

Within are charming rituals, recipies for making natron(special bath),ritual tools, how to make a shrine to Isis, healing rites, dinner recipies, virtually everything under the sun about this multi purpose diety! It is all done with great love and devotion to Isis.

It is true there is not much else about the other gods of Egypt but it says right on the cover-Mysteries of Isis! This is all about the great mother, who faithfully answers most cries. I cannot think of any other goddess who was so revered in popular Western society since Roman times. Maybe the virgin Mary? who is really an emanation of Isis. I remember being in Paris at the old Roman site of her temple, now a Christian church. Her presence was still very strong!

It is easy to see how this goddess is so accesible to many, pagan or otherwise. She is truely the springtime of the human heart! Also within is the first incarnation of the scarab oracle. This is a very special connection to the mother for those who cannot hear her soft voice already...

Wonderful for Isis, Terrible for all others.......2003-09-23

In looking for books on Egypt, I had thought this would help. If I was an Isis worshiper, this would have been an invaluable resource in my libary. I recommend this book for all who wish to devote only to Isis.

However, to anyone else looking for information on any other God/dess or Egypt itself, this book is sorely lacking. Osiris, Horus, Re and other male gods were hardly mentioned except in cursory references to Isis. Hathor, Nebt-het, Sekmet/Bast and other Goddesses were demeaned only as aspects of Isis rather than the true Goddesses they are. In this and the History of Egypt, this book is lacking.

Wow, what Great Source Book on all things Isis.......2002-11-15

I am a Priestess Devoted to Isis and I have to say tht Ms Regula has outdone herself! If you like all things Isis and if you are interested in learning her Mysteries, Festivals, Magick, and New forms of Divination, this is the Book you need for your Library..She really gives some very true statements regarding initation and What it means to be a Priestess of Our Most Holy Queen Isis!

Isis Bless

Nefer Em Pet Sat Ast, Meryt Imhotep

Nice Mix.......2001-12-09

This is one of my favorate books about the worship of Isis. The Aurthor is very close to her subject. She mixes history, current thougths, and her own ideas very well. The book is set up as hours of the day, and include sections on divination, meditations, healing, etc. It also makes a great reference book.

Wiccan Warrior: Walking a Spiritual Path in a Sometimes Hostile World

Average customer rating:

A presentation/ affirmation of other ways to be a Witch.
Be a warrior think for yourself.
Good Intermediate Material
A book to make you think
One of the best books that is very useful...

Wiccan Warrior: Walking a Spiritual Path in a Sometimes Hostile World
Kerr Cuhulain
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Wicca | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1567182526

Book Description

We all have archetypes we model ourselves upon. In the Wiccan community these include Maiden, Healer, Mother, Bard, and others. In Wiccan Warrior by Kerr Cuhulain, you will learn of eight new yet traditional archetypes that Wiccans can model their lives and goals upon. You'll also find that they are completely appropriate for any person following a spiritual system. These eight are: The Balanced Warrior, for whom all comes from the Divine and must be treated as such.The Creative Warrior, who masters myths and can use them to share wisdom. The Rational Warrior, who avoids all types of fundamentalism.The Energized Warrior, who can raise and direct energy. You'll learn to do this with toning, mantras, dance and drumming.The Dreaming Warrior, who knows how to alter consciousness. Here you will learn meditation, concentration and breathwork.The Magickal Warrior, who knows and can do magick.The Ritual Warrior, who helps revitalize rituals with knowledge, understanding, energy and love. The Initiated Warrior, who knows and shares the value of true initiation. There are five cornerstones to the magick of being a Wiccan Warrior. These are the well-known To Dare, To Will, To Know and To Keep Silent. To these Cuhulain adds To Imagine. For "to imagine is to be able to clearly visualize your objective, to develop and use a creative imagination." The book is filled with ideas and insights that will guide you on your way to becoming a true Wiccan Warrior, a person freed from limitations.This book is a must for Wiccan and Witches of all stripes. If one of the Warrior archetypes doesn't fit your needs, another (or several others) will. People who are not Wiccans will find much to admire and make use of, too.Winner of the 2001 Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) Award for best Biographical/Personal Book

Customer Reviews:

A presentation/ affirmation of other ways to be a Witch. .......2006-08-12

This is a pleasant and easy to read guide to "Wicca"/Witchcraft from a "warrior" perspective. He wrttes well and makes nice use of quotes and references. Perhaps it was a little TOO easy to read, however, as I polished this off very quickly and was left wondering where the rest of it was!

Mr Cuhulain had a focus on creativity within Witchcraft that I found very comfortable. Similarly, I found myself nodding in agreement with many of his statements, such as the practices behind raising energy, of taking responsibility for one's actions, of direct connection with deity, and of self-examination and awareness of one's faults. None of this was completely new... but it was a timely and enjoyable affirmation, and it brought a new peperspective through the attempt to codify and understand these principles through the concept of "the warrior".

Cuhulain draws a lot from Eastern techniques of martial arts, and I found this somewhat less workable as anything but inspiration. How does one take the mindview from an unknown discipline that takes years to learn, and simply insert it into one's life? What these, and the stories from his own three decades as a US policeman, do is give context to Cuhulain's life-philosophy, a hint that such ideas are compatible and workable to those who take the time to learn them. It opens up/affirms possibilities. Although I was hardly moved to call myself a "warrior" by the end of the book, or make use of the (lovely sounding) warrior initiation given in the back pages, the book did introduce me to a new role-model and concievable way of being. It showed that 5'1" bookworms such as myself could at least gain inspiration, and the reminder to be responsible for one's actions, strong and vital, from the existence of this ideal-type.

Be a warrior think for yourself........2005-10-05

For those of you who feel like your magic and belief system doesn't have to follow some stuffy ritual this book could very well prove to be validating. Cuhulain is a a free thinking wiccan in charge of his own life. He allows himself to evolve spiritually by seeing what works for him and getting rid of the dogmatic aspects of wicca. This isn't fluffy bunny, beliefs for followers stuff. Warriors think for themselves and live life by their own rules. Even though i've come to these conclusions long ago it was still refreshing and validating to read the thoughts of someone else not caught up in the dogmatic tradition and heritage of the craft.

Good Intermediate Material.......2005-09-30

This is a great book for those who have read a couple beginner books and might need some direction, or long-time practitioners who might want to adjust their focus, without another recap of the basics.

Kerr Cuhulain uses his personal experiance and the teachings of many others from Bruce Lee, to Socrates to explain what the warrior path means to him. The book places a great deal of emphasis on personal responsibility, and taking action. There is a lot of discussion on wiccan tradition, how the author interprets certain key parts of being wiccan, and how his beliefs mesh (or don't mesh) with a lot of what people consider wiccan "dogma". He has strong opinions on certain aspects of the wiccan religion today, including the lenghths some covens are going to so that they can be considered a "legitimate" religious group.

The key to the path seems to be determination and enthusiasm in every aspect of your life. Fans of Scott Cunningham will find Wiccan Warrior complimentary to Cunningham's work, while refreshingly different. Devout Gardenarians may find the book far outside their path.

A book to make you think.......2004-01-04

I stared at this book for several minutes, several times at the book store. I kept coming back to it and I didn't know why. Finally, I had to buy it. I even put off reading it, but it wouldn't go away. I was pleasantly surprised with all the material in this book and recommend it highly to beginners and the experienced both. It makes you think about motivations and consequences in ways you may never have thought about before which is a good thing. It's not fluffy, it's not boring and its not a dust collector. I have even found the time to re-read it more than once. It's a great read and a great source. Thinking is not a bad thing at all.

One of the best books that is very useful..........2003-08-14

I found that Wiccan Warrior is one of the best useful books for the beginner and the advanced. This book high lights everything that wicca should be looked at (but, does not speak for all), however, there are some things that i dont agree on, but, im always open to newer ideas. If this is the book for you, let it be your first when getting into wicca. Well worth the money and the time.

The Curse of Ham: Race and Slavery in Early Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Jews, Christians, and Muslims from the Ancient to the Modern World)

Average customer rating:

Race Bible and slavery

The Curse of Ham: Race and Slavery in Early Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Jews, Christians, and Muslims from the Ancient to the Modern World)
David M. Goldenberg
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0691123705

Book Description

How old is prejudice against black people? Were the racist attitudes that fueled the Atlantic slave trade firmly in place 700 years before the European discovery of sub-Saharan Africa? In this groundbreaking book, David Goldenberg seeks to discover how dark-skinned peoples, especially black Africans, were portrayed in the Bible and by those who interpreted the Bible--Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Unprecedented in rigor and breadth, his investigation covers a 1,500-year period, from ancient Israel (around 800 B.C.E.) to the eighth century C.E., after the birth of Islam. By tracing the development of anti-Black sentiment during this time, Goldenberg uncovers views about race, color, and slavery that took shape over the centuries--most centrally, the belief that the biblical Ham and his descendants, the black Africans, had been cursed by God with eternal slavery.

Goldenberg begins by examining a host of references to black Africans in biblical and postbiblical Jewish literature. From there he moves the inquiry from Black as an ethnic group to black as color, and early Jewish attitudes toward dark skin color. He goes on to ask when the black African first became identified as slave in the Near East, and, in a powerful culmination, discusses the resounding influence of this identification on Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thinking, noting each tradition's exegetical treatment of pertinent biblical passages.

Authoritative, fluidly written, and situated at a richly illuminating nexus of images, attitudes, and history, The Curse of Ham is sure to have a profound and lasting impact on the perennial debate over the roots of racism and slavery, and on the study of early Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Customer Reviews:

Race Bible and slavery.......2004-12-13

Was Ham African? This book tries to divinate the truth and the origin of the 'curse of Ham' since over the generations many have perverted the bible to show that the descendants of Ham were African and were also meant to be slaves. The truth is a little different. Just as Atalantic slavers used the exuse that africans were not human to enslave them thus Muslims likewise used the excuse that africans could be enslaved as pagans. But the Bible was simply used as an easy way to not feel guilty about slavery. The reality was that slavery was practiced not just against Africans and that the race of Africans had little to do with slavery. Rather the slave trade seems to have been so long and prosperous in Africa due to the Africans being active participants, the lack of a unified empire in Africa to oppose slavery and the lack of other sources of humans to serve as slaves. After all we know that Rome enslaved the Gauls and other europeans. But when Europe developed a strong state the only europeans open to being enslaved where those colonized by the Ottomans. Likewise the depopulation that followed the Islamic conquest of the middle east meant that slaves could not come from thos eregions. Slaves certainyl couldnt be transported out of China. Thus Africa became the meat market for human cruelty, the sickness of slavery that eventually consumed and destroyed african soceity. But among the warrior tribes such as the Zulu we do not see enslavement, why? Because they dared to raise the sword against the Perverts who came to buy their daughters into slavery. The 'curse of Ham' had little to do with Africa rather it had more to do with Humans and the weakness of the state.

Seth J. Frantzman

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