Various topics

I'm baaack! Okay, what was I going to write about? Hmmm. Oh, I have been reading a great deal of non-fiction this year. This is a change as typically I much prefer fiction books especially Christian and/or historical fiction. But things changed towards the end of last year, and I actually didn't read much at all the last 3 months of 2007. This year I have resumed my reading habits, but I am reading more informational types of books. I have kept track of them and written short summaries so I can remember what each of them discussed. I will post them eventually, hopefully.

I have been reading traveling information at Lonely Planet's online forum the last three days. I found some interesting threads which has proven somewhat helpful. Andrew and I are considering a trip overseas one day. I am back and forth on it really. We aren't usually overly-adventurous preferring to enjoy places within the United States and comforts of home. But maybe we should venture out of our comfort zones and our need to be around English speakers all the time. Hmmm. We'll see. We went ahead and applied for passports since that is necessary to travel out of the country. So we will, at least, be ready if the opportunity arises for us to travel.

A friend pointed out an interesting article yesterday (Democratic Primary Boosts U.S. Image Around the World) about how the world views the recent Democratic nomination of Barack Obama. It was really interesting and amazing to see how many places keep track of our Presidential elections. One of my favorite reactions to Obama's win over Hillary Clinton is from the Kenyans. I thought this was cute:

In Kenya, Obama's victory was greeted with unvarnished glee. In Kisumu, close to the home of Obama's late father, hundreds crowded around televisions to watch Obama's victory speech Wednesday morning, chanting "Obama tosha!" which translates as, "Obama is enough!"

"Our fortunes as the people of Kenya are certain to change. Obama knows our problems and I'm sure he has them at heart," said Salim Onyango, 32, a shoe shiner in Kisumu. "When he becomes president, he will definitely put in place support for us in Kenya."

Sam Onyango, a water vender in Kisumu, said: "Obama's victory means I might one day get to America and share the dreams I have always heard about. He will open doors for us there in the spirit of African brotherhood."

This part about skin color is fascinating! Do people in other nations really judge skin color like that? I know here we've tried to get people not to notice we are various shades.

His father's journey to America as a Kenyan immigrant resonates with millions of migrants. Many people interviewed said that the son's living in Indonesia for several years as a child doesn't qualify as foreign policy credentials, but it may give him a more instinctive feel for the plight of the developing world.

"He's African, he's an immigrant family; he has a different style. It's just the way he looks -- he seems kind," said Nagy Kayed, 30, a student at the American University in Cairo.

For many, Obama's skin color is deeply symbolic. As the son of an African and a white woman from Kansas, Obama has the brownish "everyman" skin color shared by hundreds of millions of people.

"He looks like Egyptians. You can walk in the streets and find people who really look like him," said Manar el-Shorbagi, a specialist in U.S. political affairs at the American University in Cairo.

In many nations, Obama's youth and skin color also represent a welcome generational and stylistic change for America. Obama personifies not the America of Bush and Vice President Cheney but the nation that produced Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods -- youthful, dark-skinned sports stars who are deeply admired household names around the world.

It's funny how excited much of the world is over Obama. He has become a political sensation quickly! I still remember first hearing his name just a few short years ago. I thought he was memorable basically because his name sounded different. Who knew he'd rise to stardom so fast and become the Democrats' choice for President?! Wow!! It'll be interesting to see if he chooses Hillary Clinton as his running mate. I heard a poll this morning that 60% of the Democrats said he SHOULD ask Hillary to be his VP. Also a poll indicated if the elections were held today, Obama would defeat McCain by 6 percentage points. I think the nation is swept with Obama Fever! :-)

In other news .... Here lately my thoughts have really been challenged by things I have become aware of by my reading and discussions with others. It's hard to change views that are so deeply ingrained in you that you didn't even realize you had them so strongly. Well, in my case I think they were just part of my Christian "culture" ... things I absorbed as my own without even realizing I'd done so. Amazing how that happens! Perhaps I'll share more about these changing views at another time.

In funny news ... My mom relayed this story after talking with her mom last night. There is a missionary staying at the church's prophet chamber this week. The missionary is Kenyan, and, I believe, he is a missionary to his own people. I'm not sure why he is visiting the States. Perhaps he is raising support for the ministry in his country. The funny part is he didn't know how American toilets worked. Apparently he did not understand how to flush toilets so he must have poured water down it which works to flush, but not to refill the bowl. He called my uncle and asked him how that worked. I never really thought of toilets being different in other parts of the world. Hmmm. I really do think American, don't I? :-)

Okay, this is enough for now.

Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank (book review)

Victory For Us Is To See You Suffer was written by Philip C. Winslow, a UN worker stationed in the West Bank for 30 months. In his book he describes life as he saw it lived out from day to day. He tells of events as he witnessed them and also ones told to him by others. He doesn't draw many conclusions, but presents the facts with a fairly objective eye.

The author tells of the hopelessness of many of the Palestinian youth and how this has lead to an almost unruly madness in the society. But he also shares of other Palestinian young people who have decided the best way to fight is by studying. He shares of the many ways the Israeli soldiers make life miserable for the Palestinians. Speaking of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians, he mentions the long lines at check points, the difficulty in getting to and from work (and the resulting high unemployment in certain West Bank areas because of it), hospitals, doctor's appointments and even the hardship faced when one wants to buy shoes. He explained in detail how the Israelis tore up roads with bulldozers, destroyed houses where supposed terrorists lived or took shelter and taunted children to throw rocks at their armored vehicles among other things. He shared how the Jewish settlers moved into occupied lands and made Palestinians feel as if they were thieves while they were just trying to work their own olive farms. Of course much of the soldiers' actions are justified under the guise of watching out for terrorists. Indeed the Palestinians' decision to use themselves as suicide bombers has lead to harder times for them plus the loss of sympathy from many people who find this practice inexcusable. After reading this book, I better understand why the Palestinians have resorted to this practice (part frustration, madness, desperation, honor and incentive from a religion that rewards martyrdom with instant gratification). The author describes some Israeli groups that are against the Jewish settlements, the checkpoints and other methods the IDF uses. One group is made of former soldiers who are "breaking the silence." I especially enjoyed reading their accounts.

The accounts of the author's interaction with the children interested me. He spoke with some of them in school and they asked why America unwaveringly supported Israel and if George W. Bush really hated Palestinians. As for what they want to do after leaving school: "I want to be a suicide bomber!" or "I want to kill Jews!" were common replies from children under ten. (pg. 95) One little 5 year old saw the author coming to his house and ran inside crying. His mom rushed out and explained, "Uday ran in and said the Jews were coming!" (pg. 87) The easy manner in which the children talked of death startled me. In one example the author had warned two small children to be careful because they were headed out with some older children to throw stones at armored Israeli vehicles.

"I want you guys to be careful, " I said through my translator. In shocked tones, she told me what they both said in reply. "We hope the Hummer comes back and runs over you both, and we hope you die!" they had said cheerfully. The translator, a woman with grown children of her own, leaned over and gently asked why they would say such a thing. "Because we all want to die! We want to be martyrs and go to heaven!" they said as they ran off to chase the Humvee. It was not an idle boast by children too young to know what violent death looked like. And it wasn't that they wanted anything bad to happen to us; they just figured that if we were crushed under the wheels of the Hummer, we got a special pass. Life on earth -- theirs or ours -- was nothing special, and paradise awaited. (pg. 87)

A few surprising facts I learned was that so much money was being spent "in the territories" dealing with Jewish settlements and keeping the Palestinians at bay that 1 in 3 Israeli children were living in poverty, roads were not maintained and as one leftist Israeli peace activist put it, "Do you know how many Israelis live in California? They don't want to live in this militarist atmosphere. The cost of the settlements ... all at the expense of Israeli children." (pg. 133)

Upon seeing evidence of how the Israelis treated the Palestinians the author admitted to a lingering question: "was Israel trying to crush the Palestinian economy, either to encourage people to leave or to keep them under complete control? As cynical as the question was, much of what I had seen, and was seeing again, had nothing to do with protecting Israelis from terrorists." (pg. 132)

One group of Israeli women who are against the mistreatment of the Palestinians had this to say regarding their work at checkpoints: "We are far outside the mainstream of Israeli society . . . Israelis think we are undermining the government. Security is the magic word in Israel." Her friend agreed, "The government has brainwashed people and exploits fear . . . They are frightening people over terrorism." (pg. 160)

"Soldiers saw their personalities change during violent patrols and particularly at checkpoints, where they exercised total control. One solider said:

You start playing with them, like a computer game. You come here, you go there, like this. You barely move, you make them obey the tip of your finger. It's a mighty feeling. It's something you don't experience elsewhere . . . It's addictive. When I realized this I checked in with myself to see what had happened to me. I thought I was immune ... a thinking, articulate, ethical, moral man. ... I thought of myself as such. Suddenly I notice that I'm getting addicted to controlling people. (pg. 179)

At one point a former Israeli soldier discussed the curfew that was imposed upon the Palestinians. If anyone were caught walking in the streets between a certain time, they had orders to shoot and kill them. One night a Palestinian was killed during these curfew hours as he walked to his bakery. His bag had pita bread in it. According to the solider, "Turns out he was a baker. He had pita bread in his bag! He was on his way to work! I know his name, his age, where he worked. You know what the IDF statement was, that same morning? That the IDF shot an armed terrorist suicide bomber that was on his way to explode on the IDF forces. Did anyone ask a question? No! Did anyone go and check who was killed and why? No. That is not about war. That is about a society that doesn't want to face the truth. That's about a society that sends their best sons and daughters to oppress, to kill, to violate, to humiliate, to abuse and doesn't want to know about it." So why is the occupation still going on? "I don't think that is the right question [Yehuda Shaul] replied. "It's very obvious why it's going on. Why not? Because on one side you have people who do it, who live this life. You have a lot of people who benefit from it. And the majority is silent." As another Israeli put it, "...There's a sort of pathology with the Jewish people, especially Israelis, a people who have been persecuted for along time. It's a paradox that we, as the powerful, don't see ourselves as the oppressor." (pgs. 180, 181)

Another interesting story is told by Ami Ayalon, a former head of Shin Bet and a retired career naval officer. He is now a peace campaigner and member of the Knesset for the Labor Party.

I had a very interesting meeting in London . .. during the intifada. A Palestinian friend approached me [and said], "Ami, we won. We Palestinians won." ... I asked him, "Are you crazy? What do you mean 'We won'? You are losing so many people ... and we are losing so many people. What is the whole essence of victory?" He said, "Ami, you don't understand us. Victory for us is to see you suffer. This is all we want. Finally, after so many years, we are not the only ones who suffer in the Middle East. (pg. 193)

A veteran aid worker told the author that "in thirty years of working in the world's war zones he has not seen such intense hatred between combatants." (pg. 193)

Avraham Burg from the Knesset had this to say in an article "The End of Zionism" published in the Guardian,

It is very comfortable to be a Zionist in the West Bank settlements such as Beit El and Ofra. The biblical landscape is charming. You can gaze through the geraniums and bougainvilleas and not see the occupation. Travelling on the fast highway that skirts barely a half-mile west of the Palestinian roadblocks, it's hard to comprehend the humiliating experience of the despised Arab who must creep for hours along the pocked, blockaded roads assigned to him. One road for the occupier, one road for the occupied.

This cannot work. Even if the Arabs lower their heads and swallow their shame and anger for ever, it won't work. A structure built on human callousness will inevitably collapse in on itself. Note this moment well: Zionism's superstructure is already collapsing like a cheap Jerusalem wedding hall. Only madmen continue dancing on the top floor while the pillars below are collapsing.

Israel, having ceased to care about the children of the Palestinians, should not be surprised when they come washed in hatred and blow themselves up in the centres of Israeli escapism. They consign themselves to Allah in our places of recreation, because their own lives are torture. They spill their own blood in our restaurants in order to ruin our appetites, because they have children and parents at home who are hungry and humiliated. We could kill a thousand ringleaders a day and nothing will be solved, because the leaders come up from below -- from the wells of hatred and anger, from the 'infrastructures' of injustice and moral corruption. (pg. 201-202)

As Dr. Yehudit Elkana put it, "It is a rotten society with no moral standards." (pg. 202)


I wrote more about this book and quoted much from it because I don't want to forget what I read. I grew up with a pro-Israel mindset because they are our allies plus I feel some kinship with the Jews because my Savior came from them, and they were chosen by God to bless all nations.

It has only been in recent months that my views on the current Israel have been challenged. After reading of the ideology behind the founders of Zionist Israel, I am not convinced I have to stand behind their cruel and deceptive ways. I believe I can still love the Jews without supporting secular Zionist ideology which goes against the Bible's teaching.

God's goodness to Israel wasn't because of Israel's goodness, but because He is good and faithful to the promises He made Abraham. God wants us to love Him with all of our hearts, souls and minds. And He wants us to love our neighbors as we do ourselves. Obviously, Israel of today is not there. I pray one day they will be. Then they will be a shining example to the world of how GOD changes hearts and lives. Right now they are an example of how depraved and sinful we are without God. The Palestinians aren't any better. Their excuse that "Israel made us do this" makes them out to be unable to control their responses. Their own words cheapen them and make them seem powerless. Does Israel now control their attitudes and reactions?

The Lord makes the difference in our hearts and lives! I look forward to Him doing a glorious work in the hearts of Israelis, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Palestinians and Arabs alike so that one day the world will see that area of the world and say, "They are now at peace! What happened?" Then we can rejoice and say, "Oh, that is God at work!"

All glory and praise to Him! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Tribute to Aunt Bob

My grandmother, born in April 1923, was the oldest of 8 - four boys and four girls. She died 12 years ago this month, and on July 1, 2026, her last living sister joined them in heaven.  One brother is still living in South Carolina. 

Anyway, one of my mom's cousins posted this picture and later the tribute below. I wanted to save both so I thought a blog post would be good. Kip's mom (top left) died in her mid-50s from pancreatic cancer. She - Aunt Bett - was one of the sweetest, most fun great-aunts though she died when I was in my teens. My mom speaks of her with such fondness.  The other sisters - my grandmother (top right), Aunt Bob (bottom left) and Aunt Edith (bottom right) lived to be over 90 years old. 

Posted on Facebook by Kip on July 5, 2026

TRIBUTE TO MY AUNT BOB

My family lived away from Greenville during our formative years and tweens since Daddy was in the Marine Corps. Coming home to see our sweet cuddly, Momzi greeting us with open arms from the porch of Gaymont Farms or Miz Pinson's little stone rental house up Paris Mountain was pure heaven. Momzi was a vision, waving with both hands, small in stature but a giant of affection, standing above her thoughtfully attended flower bed that had a curious collection of pepper plants. Before we could get to the front door, the fragrance of tea boiling, sometimes fried chicken, and the tobacco and burnt matches from Papa's smokes were all comforting as a real welcome package. Chatter, hugs, laughter winded up at the big round table with big legs. Pimento cheese sandwiches were a staple, that countrified hors d'oeuvre splayed against the red and white checked tablecloth. I always seized the metal "highchair" with no arms, a rite and right of the littlest one in house at the time.

Over the next few days, the kinfolk started showing up. Every so often, the sound of wheels against the long dirt driveway would get us moving to the door or the swing out windows with hand cranks that fascinated me. "YON COMES...!!", Momzi or Mama would exclaim with such exuberance that we kids felt like the heroes of all time were descending in our midst. And...they were. The younger uncles and aunts usually were close by, Ronnie and Mary Dan, Sam and Ann, and Dick and Jean. Later, we would see Jack the oldest boy, born between the four sisters, and Aunt Myrtle. Elegant Aunt Edith and easy going Uncle Arthur were always on time. I have memories of them bringing in Kentucky Fried Chicken from the Cedar Lane location with little balloons that one attached to a piece of cardboard shaped like a chicken foot. This was when KFC was the best and as a kid, I thought Aunt Edith was rich, KFC on demand, and especially since she shopped at the A&P. Daddy said that place was too expensive for our family groceries.

The Truaxes, Aunt Mary, Uncle Dan, and their four children were in Africa during the 50's and early to mid 60's. They moved back to Greenville SC a few years before we did. They were exotic. Except for Artie, they were all dark haired, dark eyed. Jolly Uncle Dan was a special character of mirth and goodness. His strong accent, I had decided, was a fusion of British, English, and Chinese from his years in Africa and his upbringing in China as the child of missionaries. The kids had a pronounced accent too. Sharon, the only daughter was, and still is, a beauty, inside and out. We would get to know them after we moved to SC permanently and make our connection and affection for each other also.

Then there were the Turners, Aunt Bob and Uncle Russell and their six kids. Mama and all of her sisters were alike in many ways. Bob and Bett were more like twins, three years apart and eventually 11 kids between them. Singing a duet of "Knothole" or just interacting was mesmerizing. The older cousins of both families were near in age so our bond was more like siblings than cousins. All of our cousins would find that to be true throughout the subsequent years of our upbringing. Uncle Jack's kids were in our age group, Donna being the eldest of the 27 cousins. and more like a big sister to all of us. She still is.

When Daddy had orders to go overseas in 1967, he moved us to SC to be near this huge family. The Truaxes were home for good and the Powells joined their church and went to school with them. Occasionally the whole family would visit together at the church of one of the branches. Tabernacle Baptist Greenville, Faith Baptist Simpsonville, Victory Chapel Baptist Conestee and soon Truth Missionary Baptist Woodside where Uncle Sammy had just started a pastorate. Coffee, Pepsi, and food followed each service at the home of various hostesses, all equally grand and accommodating. I just bought a percolator because of my memory of Aunt Ann's perfect coffee that filled the house with the best aroma. That was the first thing one noticed when walking into her kitchen,. Oh the noise and revelry. Sometimes the little ruffians would duke it out. The parents always blamed their own children instead of somebody else's as a mechanism for peace. I guess it worked but there would always be a lot of, "But Mama, I didn't do anything..." This was shut down quickly, little fires put out, detente at its best, wielded by the power and wisdom of a Kay woman.

In the summer of 1968 Aunt Bob and Uncle Russell were accepted as missionaries by the Baptist International Missions Board (BIMI). Daddy came home that fall, and it seemed that the whole family was finally in one place. The Turners announced that they would be leaving for the mission field soon after. In February 1969, they left Greenville for Cayman Brac Island and the West Indies. It might as well have been Timbuktu. In that past year and a half, the Turners and Powells were as one. Shayne and Rusty, Erik and Edie (now Edi), Kip and Kim. Chlo Ann was the conscience of the group and moved with stealth and humility among us. Phillip and Mary Rose were a good deal younger. They were novelties to us, very cute and whom we cajoled but they couldn't run with us big dogs. That family's exit from this idyllic and short lived time was the first of many goodbyes and separations in our family, other than those that my immediate family had already experienced as a military family. I savored letters from these cousins who were faithful to write. I felt abandoned by the prospect that I would never see them again. In truth, we never really saw each other for long periods again, but the bond surely has been unbreakable, undeniable, and uncanny. Still to this day, in our 60's and 70's we correspond and it seems as if we are still on Piggy Rd Mauldin at the Turner farm, at the Little Raskals Clubhouse, or pulling an all nighter with the whole extended family around the permanent BBQ pit. The last time we all were together was the Turner's final BBQ. The cousins were up in the house listening to Edi playing the guitar and accordion, self taught. The window was open and we heard the whole family singing down at the pit, with Daddy playing. We promptly joined this throng of strong people with somewhat heavy hearts. I don't remember the songs that were sung, but I know that we always had Sharon Truax sing the verses of "I Don't Know About Tomorrow", as we all joined on the chorus. Different "groups" would sing. It's sweet that I remember that reunion but not the sadness of the parting. I recall times when we would be away from the adults at a family dinner and the aunts and uncles would call for a command performance by the Turners, Truaxes, Powells, et al. Often we would throw each other under the bus..." Get them to sing. I have a sore throat". Oh to have that opportunity now.

This tribute and recollection is history of Aunt Bob's godly parenting, selfless, and consistent. None of our elders were perfect but raised us by example, with humility, long suffering, and without retreat. We cousins have had many discussions about mistakes made by our parents and by us children, the seemingly unfair rules/"standards" that were to satisfy man or institution sometimes impeding the expression of our gifts and exiling us to periods of spiritual and creative stagnation. No one and certainly no family, especially one of this size, escapes the fallout of family dynamics and religion. However, through these seven decades of cousin-ry, the talk has been overwhelmingly about the joy, the laughter, the closeness, our admiration and adoration of our aunts and uncles. We all have failed someone in the family, some more than others, some more often than not. In the end, to be able to find no hypocrisy in an aunt or mama like Aunt Bob, is more than enough. That kind of legacy covers a multitude of life happenings, things we call mistakes or imperfect, with absolution. "Blessed are the pure in heart" immediately comes to my heart and mind. Aunt Bob was that!

It was hard to look at Aunt Bob after Mama died. They were so much alike. It was painful. She acknowledged that one time with her characteristic sweetness, discernment, humility, and love. But I was always so glad of heart. I have recounted the thrill of seeing her extraordinarily angelic, beaming, glowing, dancing, eyes, and joyful smile. She never wavered. She and her sisters had a contemplative beauty that made one wonder, what are they thinking? No doubt, in these last few years, she was "Thinkin "bout home..." Knowing her life, it is a joy and comfort to believe without a doubt that as she laid her head down Tuesday night her thoughts were of Home, her family, her Jesus. To just go to sleep and wake in God's heaven without suffering is the greatest and ultimate blessing. What a way to cross the finish line!!I know first hand, that my Mama prayed constantly. I know this of Aunt Bob too. I spoke to her on the phone a few years ago, and the way she said, "KEEUPP" just brings tears to me now. She reminded me that she prayed for me everyday, as she did for all of us, many photos displayed for her to see and make her prayers personal. Oh who will pray for us now?

-----------------------------------------------------------

Edited to add these pictures of my mom in the hospital room in Paris, France, in March 1951. See my comment to Myrna below for context. 

Same picture ... just one is zoomed in order to see their faces a bit better. :)

Notes on Quran - Sura 48

Sura 48 - al-Fath

Two disturbing suras in a row and I read them both within a matter of an hour or so on this Monday morning, June 14. I have so many questions, concerns and comments so let's get started.

1. WE HAVE GIVEN you a splendent victory 2. That God may save you from earlier and subsequent blames, and complete His favours on you, and guide you on the straight path,

Often when I read the Quran I can just read, but occasionally I have to wonder who the "you" is. Is it me the reader? Muhammad? The believers? And if the Quran is a guide for all time is the victory mentioned in verse one a spiritual victory or something physical that believers can obtain in this life? And what are these "blames" that God promises to save "you" from? Sins? Accusations?

4. It is He who sent down the sense of security into the hearts of believers so that their faith may increase with belief, -- God's are the armies of the heavens and the earth; and God is all-knowing and all-wise; --

Is this "sense of security" like an assurance of salvation that God gives to Muslims so they know they have obtained salvation? I thought God's claim to own the armies of the earth was interesting. He says it again in verse 7. I take this to mean that God is the one who controls even the US Armed Forces so we shouldn't really fear what the US military does even in Muslim lands. After all it was God's will apparently that this happened with His army. Maybe He is bringing judgment upon Iraq and Afghanistan and Palestine for something we have no idea about. Is this how Muslims reconcile this verse and God's control of the earth's army with all that is happening in Muslim lands? I know in the Bible that God often used foreign armies to punish the children of Israel when they turned away from Him. So maybe God is using the infidel army in the same way - to punish His people and turn Muslim hearts back to Himself. That's how I would interpret it after seeing all that is happening in the world.

10. Those who swear allegiance to you indeed swear allegiance to God; and God's protection is over them. Then whosoever breaks the promise breaks it to his own loss; but whosoever fulfills the promise made to God will receive a great reward from Him.

It's so funny how God assures Muhammad our swearing allegiance to him is like swearing allegiance to God. Indeed the Quran is Muhammad's book! It actually is quite "shirkish" from my point of view. Especially when you see people asking Muhammad to intercede for their forgiveness (vs. 11) and most especially when you read verses like this one:

13. He who does not believe in God and His Apostle (should know) We have prepared for unbelievers a blazing fire."

God and His apostle? And this is not associating partners with God? Why not just say those who don't believe in God?

16. Say to the desert Arabs who had stayed behind: "You will be called against a formidable people. You will fight them till they surrender. If you obey, then He will give you a good reward; but if you turn back, as you had done before, He will punish you with a grievous affliction." 17. It is not binding on the blind, the lame or the sick (to follow this command); but those who obey God and His Apostle will be admitted by God to gardens with running streams; but those who turn back will suffer a painful doom.

Again, you must obey God and His apostle in order to be admitted into heaven. And aren't these verses about fighting people so much like Old Testament times?

18. God was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, for He knew well what was in their hearts, and sent down tranquility on them, and rewarded them with an expeditious victory

I suppose this reference to tranquility is what makes some say Islam is a religion of peace. Yet this is only for Muslims. For the rest of us, it's not a peaceful religion if you go by the Quran's teachings (with the exception of a few verses such as I noted here.)

23. This is the law of God, effective as before: You will not find any change in the law of God.

So why do Muslims not pray towards Jerusalem any more?

28. It is He who has sent His Apostle with the guidance and the true faith, so that He may exalt it over every other creed. God is sufficient as a witness.

After all that I've read from just this sura and the one before it, I'd be sure that this "sufficient witness" was truly God vouching for Muhammad. Jesus didn't teach such hatefulness so either God decided to return to harsher times or Jesus' message was a sham.

29. Muhammad is the Prophet of God; and those who are with him are severe with infidels but compassionate among themselves.

Not even close to loving your enemies and being a light among the dark world so the unbelievers will see your good works and glorify God in heaven! Not even close. For sure Muhammad reverted back to natural man's reaction instead of taking the high road of overcoming evil with good!


I told y'all sura 47 & 48 troubled me! :)

Eastern Orthodox Stuff: Constantine, Pagan Influence in the Church, Obliged to Believe, Christ

You may recall that I started off this year reading Timothy Ware's The Orthodox Church which had been recommended by two friends.  It was a great overview of this faith so when Amazon recommended The Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy by Alexander Schmemann, I put it on my Wishlist. And a dear friend sent it to me for my birthday!  *feels the love*  So I just finished reading it and must admit the first book was better, more complete in explaining (so, Amber, your recommendation was better than Amazon's), but this one had many interesting aspects not covered in the first.  So I feel a bit more well-rounded after having read both!

Here are a few things that took my attention enough to jot down the page numbers with intent to share. There was other stuff that I just decided not to post although I found it educational as well.



This bit about Constantine was good.  I'll let you guess which side I fall under in the East/West divide.  I was especially surprised when I read that the Eastern Church puts Constantine up there with the disciples of Jesus! 


"For Eastern Christianity, Constantine still remains the holy initiator of the Christian world, the instrument for the victory of light over darkness that crowned the heroic feats of the martyrs. The West, on the other hand, often regards the era of Constantine as the beginning of an enslavement of the Church by the state, or even as the first falling away on the part of the Church from the height of primitive Christian freedom."  (pg. 62)


For some reason I found this incredibly interesting although I'm not exactly sure why. Is "becoming a Christian" being baptized, saying a 'sinner's prayer,' following Jesus or what?  Reminds me of becoming Muslim being as simple as saying the shahada. For the record, Constantine really wanted to be baptized in the Jordan River so that may be why he waited so long to be baptized. 


Constantine did not receive baptism "the only symbol the Church accepts of becoming a Christian" until his deathbed.  Thus the "primary, initial paradox" is "that the first Christian emperor was a Christian outside of the Church, and the Church silently but with full sincerity and faith accepted and recognized him." In Constantine's mind his faith in Christ "had been bestowed personally and directly for his victory over the enemy - in other words, as he was fulfilling his imperial duty. Consequently the victory he had won with the help of the Christian God had placed the emperor - and thereby the empire as well - under the protection of the Cross and in direct dependence upon Christ."  (pg. 66)



Ever heard how Christianity has a lot of pagan aspects to it? Like Christmas, for instance, isn't talked about in the Bible as being December 25. Easter eggs? Not there.  Christmas trees?  Nope.  Animal sacrifice and circumcision starting with the Jews as something new God gave only to them?  No again.


The author talked a bit about paganism and how people back then felt about their religions and in a section speaking of reverence for saints and their relics and the "increasing complexity of worship" and interest in holy places and such, the author notes that many have directly attributed this to "pagan influence in the Church and regarded [it] as a compromise with the world for the sake of a mass victory."  Yet the author states that the Christian does not need to apologize for this or try to explain it. "On the contrary, he may boldly accept the charge....Christianity adopted and assimilated many forms of pagan religion, not only because they were the eternal forms of religion in general, but also because the intention of Christianity itself was not to replace all forms in this world by new ones, but to fill them with new and true meaning." Instead of thinking of Christianity borrowing from and being influenced by pagan things, think in reverse. All things were initially good, but due to the fall, it has been distorted.  "The Church in its own mind has returned to God what rightly belongs to Him, always and in every way restoring the fallen image."  (pg. 98)  So in a sense, the pagan rites have been redeemed by Christ!


Even if you come to church for the wrong reasons, it's OK!  You can hear about Christ and - who knows? - your life may be changed because of it!

Speaking of the "cult of saints" even when their deeds were distorted greatly, the author says when people came to the Church and learned of the saints, they could see how lives were transformed by Christ.  "However much men may have brought into the Church what they had seen and sought in pagan temples, when they entered it they now heard those eternal and immutable words about the Savior crucified for our sins - about the perfect love that God has shown us - and about His kingdom as the final goal of all living beings."  (pg. 101)


Notice that last phrase and tell me if that won't make a HUGE difference in your "Christianity." Christian-in-name-only, anyone?

About a "Christian theocracy" -- "State sanctions gave the Church unprecedented strength, and perhaps brought many to faith and new life, but after Theodosius the Great it was no longer a community of believers; it was also a community of those obliged to believe."  (pg. 111, emphasis mine)


Well, hey, if many in your community were "obliged to believe," why would you not have this problem? What is our excuse today? This is how John Chrysostom saw the Church


"His central concern was the Christian life of his flock and its variety and everyday reality.  Before him was a world that had accepted Christianity but was still so close to paganism, so deeply poisoned by sin and ignorance, that it did not take the faith itself too seriously. People crowded into the churches, but outside church walls - and indeed, sometimes within them - were moral irresponsibility, hatred, and injustice."  (pg. 112)


This was the last bit of the whole book, the last sentence is included below.  I love the last three words.

"In the record of Orthodoxy, as in the story of Christianity in general, there is no lack of defects and human sins. ... The true Orthodox way of thought has always been historical, has always included the past, but has never been enslaved by it. Christ is 'yesterday and today and forever the same,' and the strength of the Church is not in the past, present, or future, but in Christ."  (pg. 341)

Thoughts?

Tribal Religions v. Christianity on Views of Death

"If the Christian religion is a victory over death, why do Western peoples who have had the benefits of the Christian religion for two thousand years fear death?"

I'm currently reading God Is Red by Vine Deloria, Jr.  You might recall I read another of his books last year so I put this one on my Amazon Wishlist and received it for Christmas.  This "Native View of Religion" presents quite a few challenges for me especially since the author contrasts tribal religions mostly with Christianity, the predominant religion of the white man in the Americas.  On many issues he makes great points. I've read some of them to Andrew and we've agreed how sadly truthful those things are.

Yet I was reading this chapter on death and wanted to discuss a few things because I wasn't sure I agreed with his conclusions about Christian and/or Western beliefs on death. 


Deloria cites the work of Oscar Cullman who came to the conclusion that "death, in the Christian context, was a feared foe. ... an event to be avoided at all costs, because it meant the cessation of identity."

Cullman's book deals with the Greek and Christian ideas of immortality of the soul (Greek) and resurrection of the dead (Christian).  This he says explains why

"death was a welcome visitor for Socrates but a dreaded and tormenting experience for Jesus." Socrates was glad to be free from his body in which the Greeks  thought their souls were trapped.  So death was like getting out of prison apparently.  Yet for the Christian, death meant the body was no more. Thus death is much more traumatic, right? 


Deloria claims "a majority of tribal religions simply assume some form of personal survival beyond the grave. As Chief Seattle remarked, death is merely a changing of worlds."

"For the tribal people, death in a sense fulfills their destiny, for as their bodies become dust once again they contribute to the ongoing life cycle of creation.  For Christians, the estrangement from nature, their religion's central theme, makes this most natural of conclusions fraught with danger. Believing that they are saved and interpreting this salvation as accumulating material possessions, Western people cannot accept death except as a form of punishment by God. ... Death is feared and rarely understood. People somehow want to see the death of their loved one as part of God's plan (i.e., God needed Elvis to sing in heaven)."

Several things about this:

1. I believe similarly to Chief Seattle. How often have I heard "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" - a quote from Paul's letter to the Corinthians?  This is what I believe! This is what is quoted at Christian funerals all the time in order to give comfort to the families who are missing their loved ones' presence here. Yet thinking of them with the Lord is comforting. Or it is for me anyway.

2.  He mentions this "estrangement from nature" that we have several times in his book. I'm guessing he thinks we hate nature because we have chosen to cut down trees for houses and clear lands for shopping malls and dig and drill under the earth for oil and coal and natural gas. I suppose "progress" is actually a subjective term and for many living life simply - off the land - as our ancestors did is the better option.  Or maybe he has seen the truly bad things: the pollution from dumping chemicals in water sources, the depleted uranium from bombs contaminating soil, the slaughter of animals on the Plains.  Regardless, I don't know that this is Christianity's central theme!  What do you think?

3.  I've never been taught or felt salvation interpreted means that I'm supposed to accumulate possessions although I can see why Deloria observing us with all our stuff might feel this is true!  By contrast Jesus teaches us to give to the poor and often speaks of getting rid of things.  (Yes, I realize there is a disconnect between what Jesus taught and what Christians actually decide to do.)

4. I do tend to view the death of someone as part of God's plan although the Elvis example is taking it a bit too far. OK, I may have joked that way before, but .. maybe Deloria is too??  I don't believe God takes people to heaven because He needs a good laugh or great entertainment.

I could go on and say more, but I'm more curious what your thoughts are on this topic. Do you fear death? If so, why? If not, WHY?  Do you think Deloria has correctly assessed Christianity and/or the Western view of death?  We speak of someone "passing" rather than "dying" for instance.

By the way, why do you think death was a "tormenting experience" for Jesus (if you believe this)?

What does your religion or belief system teach about death?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of it.

King David and Enemies Revisited

Not long ago I did a post on King David vs. Jesus on the Topic of Enemies touching on why one wrote poems practically begging God to send forth His wrath and judge his enemies while the other told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  Why the two vastly different messages? 

Then I was reading An Historical Survey of the Old Testament by Eugene H. Merrill yesterday and came across some interesting discussion about Israel's second king.  If you know the biblical account of David, you recall how he refused to harm King Saul even though Saul was hunting down David with murderous intent.  David in no way wanted to hurt the one God had chosen as Israel's first king.  So he basically refused to kill his enemy even though he had the opportunity twice.   The author wrote:


"Joab, completely disgusted by this show of emotion, reproached David, reminding him that time after time he had mourned for his enemies when he should have rejoiced at their defeat and death.  First it was Saul, then Abner, then Ishbosheth, and now his own iniquitous son.  If David possessed one overriding fault, in Joab's sight that fault was an irresponsible love for all men including his enemies (II Sam. 19:6)."  (pg. 222)

And this last line is what made me take note and remember my own post from just last week where I thought David hated his enemies.  I looked up   II Samuel 19 to read about Joab's disgust.  Remember that Absalom is one of David's sons who tried to overthrow his father and take over the kingdom.  In fact Absalom did manage to convince a sizable number of people to his side against his father.  But Absalom was killed by the chief military guy, Joab, and David was told the news.  His throne was saved, but ...

¹ Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." ² And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, "The king is grieving for his son." ³ The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. ⁴ The king covered his face and cried aloud, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!"

 ⁵ Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. ⁶ You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. ⁷ Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now."

Pretty harsh words towards the king, eh?

Now about those imprecatory Psalms where David calls down God's wrath on his enemies, the author writes this:

"It is important to remember on those that the poet is not expressing a desire for God's punishment of the wicked to satisfy his own feelings, but because he recognizes that the wicked have offended the honor of God ... [David] is looking forward to the day of the Lord when all unrepentant sinners must be dealt with according to their impiety toward God.   Though many scholars would attempt to demonstrate that the Old Testament is morally inferior to the New by referring to these 'barbarous' imprecations, the true explanation of the ethical incongruity lies in the mistaken ideas some men have concerning the Biblical doctrine of sin and punishment.  When we properly understand the nature of a holy and sinless God, we, with the psalmists, must cry out against the iniquity which so terribly offends Him. We must not mean that we hate men though they sin, for indeed we must love them, but we must hate their sin and unrepentance."  (pg. 235)

So now I have a better view of how David thought of and dealt with his enemies. I'm sure he did not weep over all or even most of them, but perhaps this post sheds a bit more balanced view of the great Israelite king.

When you pray for God to punish someone is it for your own satisfaction or because you know those people have offended a holy God? Do you think it's perfectly all right to find satisfaction when the wicked are eternally punished?  What - if anything - does God teach about this?  Any thoughts on Joab's words to David or David's reaction to his enemies such as Saul or his own son? 

Books I Read in 2008

I checked just this morning. List started in January 1999. This means for ten years now I have kept a list of books I finished throughout the year! Most years I read 99.9% fiction -- usually of the historical, Christian or mystery varieties. But this year I only read 2 fiction books and 35 non-fiction ones! Quite the change! I wrote reviews for each book throughout the year. Some are just short things, others more extensive. Click on the titles below if you are interested. Hopefully I did the links correctly. :-)

List of Books Read in 2008

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese

The Destiny of Muslims in the End Times by Faisal Malick

To My Muslim Friends by Anise Behnam

The Crescent Through the Eyes of the Cross by Nabeel Jabbour

The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel

Does My Head Look Too Big in This by Randa Abdel Fattah

Meeting Islam: A Guide for Christians by George Dardess

The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun & Paul Hattaway

The New Answers Book by Ken Ham, general editor

The Shack by William P. Young

Being Arab by Samir Kassir

The Bible Exposition Commentary Vol. I by Warren Weirsbe

Scratch Beginnings: Search for the American Dream by Adam Shepherd

Victory for Us Is to See You Suffer by Philip Winslow

Too Christian Too Pagan by Dick Staub

The Faith by Charles Colson

The Attentive Life by Leighton Ford

Called to Die by Steve Estes

Mary Louise's Opus by Mary Louise Mason

Unshackled & Growing by Nabeel Jabbour

Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby

The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan

Daring Chloe by Laura Jensen Walker

Muslims, Christians, Jesus by Carl Medearis

Standing with Israel by David Brog

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson

Once an Arafat Man by Taysir Saada
& Dean Merrill

Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg

The Complete Guide to the Bible by Stephen Miller

Christianity Today study series on Islam

Children of Hope by Vernon Brewer & Noel Brewer Yeatts

Mission Al Jazeera by Josh Rushing

Rethinking Holy Land by Marlin Jeschke

Defining Moments by Vernon Brewer

April book -- Chuck Norris

Black Belt Patriotism -- by Chuck Norris (CN) ... Just some quotes and thoughts from this book.

"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." -- Patrick Henry

Home schooling was outlawed by the Soviet State in 1919, by Hitler and Nazi Germany in 1938, and by Communist China in 1949 -- pg. 21

Under "one nation under debt" and in regards to economic stimulus checks, CN asks, "who are they to offer us incentives with our own money? It makes it seem that we are the dependents, rather than the masters, of our own government." (pg. 33)

The chapter on America's "nightmare of debt" focused much on greed. The author ended the chapter encouraging us to give stating, "the only thing that can break a spirit of greed is a spirit of generosity." (pg. 48)

Chapter 4 - Secure and Protect Our Borders began reminding us that our country was first attacked by Muslim extremists right after the Revolutionary War when our ships were confronted by the Barbary pirates. Words to our Marine hymn "...to the shores of Tripoli" commemorate "America's victory back then over those Muslim sea radicals." (pg. 53) -- Back then we negotiated with terrorists and paid huge ransoms (estimated as much as 20% of America's federal budget in 1800). Later Marines and warships were sent to end this.

"Pre-emption is still our best solution. Our offense must be as strong as our defense." (pg. 55) Author doesn't think America should be the world's police and that we are too involved, however, at times, he feels it is justifiable when our borders are breached (e.g. 9/11) About the Iraq War he writes, "They [our military] are attracting our enemies into foreign territory and fighting them there, instead of within our own borders. Is that not a form of border patrol and protection?" (pg. 59)

He likes Mike Huckabee (obviously since he did commercials with him), but also favorably quotes Ron Paul quite a bit.

Chuck Norris shared briefly about his faith in God and how he got away from a heart knowledge while pursuing money. He said this cost him a marriage and now he has gone back to following God as of a few years ago.

"Good morals precede good laws, which is why government isn't much help. Unless the people and their legislators are grounded in morality, the best of laws will be broken and the worst of laws will be made, legalizing immorality" (pg. 76).

"The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men! And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it possible that an empire can rise without his aid?" -- Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention

Chapter to and about millennials --



I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. ~Edward Everett Hale


CN urges people to get involved and for young people to not be as they are expected to be, but to rise above that. He refers to twins Alex and Brett Harris and their book, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion against Low Expectations.

"If we teach our children they are nothing more than glorified apes, then we shouldn't be surprised if they behave like animals. If we place our values in things, we shouldn't expect our children to value people. If we disrespect one another, we can't expect our children to be respectful. If we terminate children in the womb, we shouldn't be surprised that our own children think they can terminate others. If we teach our children that there is no God and there are no moral absolutes, then we shouldn't be surprised if they turn down immoral alleys to find meaning, purpose, and identity in their lives. The point of freedom is to be liberated from unjust laws -- to have the opportunity to do what is right. But if we choose injustice, if we choose immorality, we endanger the very basis of our freedom. As James Madison once wrote, 'Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as the abuses of power.' This is why the Founders believed that our liberty was ordained by God -- and for that liberty we were responsible to God" (pg. 113, 114).

"Government needs less of a role in running our children's education and more of a role in supporting parents' educational decisions for their children. Children belong to their parents, not the government" (pg. 123).

"This is all the inheritance I can give my dear family. The religion of Christ can give them one which will make them rich indeed." -- Patrick Henry in his last will and testament (pg. 141)

In the chapter on being fit -- "We've confused liberty for licentiousness. We think doing what we feel like doing is power and freedom, when really it's just carrying out what our flesh craves. True freedom is being able to look straight in the eye of what you feel like doing and possessing the power to say NO. Eating what we want isn't liberty -- that's tyranny. Eating what is right is freedom -- that's victory over oppression." (pg. 149)

"While the CIA and FBI track terrorist intelligence and activity, our military seek to calm international unrest abroad, border patrol and minutemen try to guard our country's borders, America's biggest threat is largely homegrown and has already infiltrated most of our homes: unhealthy eating habits and no exercise" (pg. 151).

"Our Founders healthcare system was a very simple one: take care of your health." (pg. 155)

The last chapter started off with this question: "What is the American Dream?"

"Our Founders feared that we would forget what freedom was all about and stray toward selfishness and greed, that we would forget the necessity of morality, integrity and service to others. Has their fear not materialized in our day? For too many, the American dream has indeed turned into an enjoyment of plenty rather than the responsibilities of liberty." (pg. 179)

Some quotes I enjoyed:

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, cannot long retain it." -- Abraham Lincoln

"It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. -- Samuel Adams

September Books

The Bishop's Daughter by Wanda E. Brunstetter -- book three in the series I began last month; This book follows the stories of Leona, the Amish school teacher, and Jimmy Scott who was introduced to readers in book one.

Walking the Himalayas by Levison Wood -- in the new books section of the library; Interesting story of Lev's journey through several countries

With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden -- A great story about a couple of former classmate rivals, Trevor and Kate, who meet again years later to work on a cure for tuberculosis.  I found this book while visiting an area library (not the one I usually go to).  I enjoyed it, and want to look for others from this author.

The Imposter by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- I sure have found a lot of Amish-based books this year, huh?  I was in an area library, and found this one.  "The Bishop's Family" series apparently. It was in the new books section along with book 2.  This book follows the life of David, recently widowed, and his Amish community and family in Stoney Ridge, Pennsylvania. 

Vietnam, Now by David Lamb -- I received this book for Christmas, and enjoyed learning more about life in Vietnam when the author lived there for four years around 2000.  I wonder how this country has changed since then.

These were some things I shared on Facebook: 

I'm reading a book about a journalist who went to Vietnam during the American war, and went back again decades later. He said after "where are you from?" most people asked about his age (in order to figure out which form of "you" to use*), and how many children he has. Not having any children was attached with "sorrow - and sometimes bad luck." He got so tired of the expressions of sympathy and trying to explain why he had no children despite being happily married for many years, that he adopted a fictional family, and told inquiring Vietnamese that Sebastian** and Aileen** were back in the US and both had recently married. "'Ah' they'd say, 'A boy and a girl. Perfect. You are very lucky.'" (pg. 61)

* "the Vietnamese language has more than twenty words for 'I' and doesn't have a simple word for 'you'; age and status defines one's relationship and how people address each other."

**names that, "conveniently," the Vietnamese had difficulty pronouncing


"'We had to study French history in those days. We studied the French Revolution, and we'd say, "If the French can do it, why can't we?" That's the irony. The French inspired us how to make a revolution against France." -- a Vietnamese man, Pham Xuan An, talking to an American journalist living in Vietnam (pg. 83)

"On my desk was a Who's Who of Vietnam directory that covered 147 pages; fifty-nine pages were filled with people named Nguyen, Le, or Tran." Those being family names. (pg. 112)

One of the important lessons of the war with Vietnam -- "that airpower alone doesn't guarantee victory and that military might is often no match for nationalism.  As many as 2 million men walked to war over the Ho Chi Minh Trail between 1959 and 1975."  (pg. 244)  One man I read about earlier in the book said he left home in Hanoi kissing his wife and children goodbye.  He fought and returned to them after almost ten years.  He didn't see them at all during that time!

The Wheel of Life: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. -- my mom actually read this and recommended it to me. She said it was good, but "a little weird" and I totally agree with that assessment.  Except some parts I'd say were very weird (to me) since I'm not really into speaking with guides and spirits and stuff that, frankly, I was taught was something we shouldn't do. (Look at King Saul, for example).  I do believe in a spirit world, demons, and angels, the devil, and all that, but still struggle (?) with wanting anything to do with them outside of the Holy Spirit.  Anyway, what a fascinating woman!

The Next Better Place by Michael C. Keith -- I was amazed at the detail this guy remembered from when he was 11 and 12 years old and went on the road with his wandering, alcoholic father.  Usually in traveling memoirs, people mention notes or blogs or journals so I realize they can keep track of what they did and whom they met.  I find it hard to believe that a preteen boy would do such a thing.  So, I took some of these stories with a grain of salt, not doubting that he experienced many of these situations, but maybe they didn't happen exactly as told. And that's OK.  It was a pretty good story.

The Quieting by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- book 2 of the series mentioned above.  The library had both in the new book section.  This one continued the tale of David's family with the addition if his nieces and very meddlesome mother coming to stay awhile. 

Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan -- Many, many years ago, I read Janette Oke books, and when I saw some news books - actually a Return to the Canadian West series - I decided to check them out.  I guess I don't mind hearing about teachers from the East traveling to rougher areas in the West, and seeing how they cope with totally new lifestyles. 

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander -- McKenna and her rebellious younger brother Robert leave Missouri after losing nearly everything in order to begin a new life with their cousin and her family.   Only things aren't quite right in Copper Creek, Colorado, either.  In fact, things are terrible, and McKenna ends up having to parent another child. 

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman -- I saw this book highly recommended on Facebook by Nancy's mom (although I'm not FB friends with her; someone tagged me in a comment so...).  This isn't a book I probably would have picked up on my own, but apparently enough people liked it as it had a lot of holds on it when I put it on hold at the library.  I read it all in one day.  A good story.  Really grew on me because during the first several pages I was like, Huh? do I want to continue with this?  But I did, and I'm glad. 

Where Trust Lies by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan -- book two in the Return to the Canadian West series.  In this book Beth returns from the year she spent teaching in Coal Valley, and she reluctantly joins her mom and sisters on a six-week cruise through the Maritime Provinces and to the United States. 

Where Hope Prevails by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan -- book three follows Beth and her family again

The Ones Who Matter Most by Rachael Herron -- The story of Abby whose husband dies unexpectedly and then she discovers he had a family before they were married.  She wanted to meet her husband's former wife and the son she never knew existed ... so she goes to their house.

Taboos, Superstitions, The Evil Eye: "To Dismiss or Not to Dismiss?" - That is the Question!

"Step on a crack and break your momma's back."

How many of us chanted this little jingle growing up as we deliberately stepped so as to not touch any parts of our feet on the offending cracks in sidewalks?  

Admit it...you did this too, right?

My friends and I would do it for fun, for a few minutes, and then it was back to normal walking and who really cares if we stepped on or over cracks in the sidewalk because we did not believe the ways we stepped would affect our mothers' backs in any way.

Not that this book, African Notebook, is huge or anything, but the author, Albert Schweitzer, devoted a full chapter to Taboos and Magic.  As I was reading it last night, thoughts of American Bedu's recent post concerning "Does the Evil Eye Really Exist" came to mind. I know Saudi Arabia is very cultural and sometimes the culture gets mixed up with the national religion and people fault Islam for things that are not in Islam.  They are simply cultural traditions predating Muhammad's religion.  Evil eye talk exists in even predominantly Catholic Latin American countries from what I understand.

And we all know of superstitions such as the bad luck that follows breaking a mirror, spilling salt, seeing a black cat, walking under a ladder or the number 13.  By contrast a rabbit's foot and four leaf clovers are supposed to bring good luck.


You may recall from the Old Testament that the Israelites used the Ark of the Covenant as somewhat of a good luck charm believing if they took it into battle, they were assured of victory over their foes.

How much stock do you put into such things?  Are they nonsensical or do they have some supernatural value that people who only believe what they see should note? Is there some element of the supernatural out there that we should take seriously?

In this book, Schweitzer notes how strongly taboos influenced the people of (now) Gabon, Africa.  Some were more general: men whose wives were pregnant could not drive nails, eat meat that had begun to smell (despite most of the times their eating meat that was "already almost putrid"), touch a chameleon, step over a procession of driver ants, fill a hole with dirt and have anything to do with a corpse.  

Some taboos were very specific and "at the birth of a child the special taboos affecting it as an individual [were] usually disclosed by the father."  When the child was old enough to learn to count to five, he was taught his particular taboos.  For one woman it was that she never sweep with a broom. Thus she always used her hands for this task. For a young man, it was that he never be hit on his right shoulder.  Yet another was prohibited from eating plantains or even from the same pot where plantains were cooked immediately before. (When he accidentally ate fish that had plantain remains in the pot, he immediately got a cramp and died after a few hours!)

Can you imagine having to sweep with your hands due to a taboo?

When people died, the villagers often looked for reasons. Instead of attributing death to natural causes, they were quick to consult a witchdoctor who would inform them of the person who had practiced magic or called down a curse on the one who died.  In one sad recollection, a French-American observer, du Chaillu, watched with horror and helplessness as the village gathered round and executed quick "justice" over three women who supposedly had caused a young man's untimely death.  One of the victims' brothers was forced to participate in this beheading and hacking up of the bodies and throwing them into the river to avoid suspicion.  It was not allowed to show sympathy for those accused...even if you knew they were innocent and the one being killed was a close family member!   This distraught young man "compelled not only to join in witnessing the murder of his sister, but to shout with the mob in the chorus of rage, [was full of] frightful suffering.  [du Chaillu] endeavored to comfort him. He spoke to him of God, Who loathes all cruelty.  'Oh, Chally,' said the poor African, 'when you go back to your country, tell the people there to send people to teach us poor ignorant beings the words that come from the mouth of God.'"  (pg. 77)

Apparently some of the natives did believe God freed them from these taboos.  I especially enjoyed this recollection:

Nyingone's taboo was that she "must never see her reflection either in glass or metal or water."  This was especially hard when trying to cross streams by tree trunks because when she happened to see her reflection in the water, she fainted, fell in the water and nearly drowned.  (She'd been rescued from drowning several times.)

In despair over what she had already suffered from this taboo, she came to Monsieur Lavignotte.  "This taboo," she said, "is a dreadful force. I can't help being afraid of it.  But I know too that God, Whom you know and preach, is stronger than Satan, in whom we have hitherto believed.  So with your help I hope to get rid of my taboo.  When you have prayed with me, I shall fearlessly turn round the mirror I hold in my hand and look at myself in it." 

After the prayer, she had courage to do as she had said.  She looked in the glass for a long time glowing with happiness because nothing happened.  When at last she raised her eyes, she said to Monsieur Lavignotte, "And to think I never knew how beautiful I am ...'"  (pg.62)

The truth will set you free!

Maybe I'm wrong, but I tend to believe that Jesus would have appreciated the faith it took for this lady to overcome this strong cultural superstition.


Twins were often considered halves of the same whole.  If they were allowed to live, mothers had to treat them exactly the same, give them the exact same amount of food, dress them alike and even twins were forced to marry at the same time.  Often when one twin died, the other hid because tradition held that the other half (since s/he was not a whole person) needed to die as well.


What do you think concerning this post?   Do you take evil eyes, superstitions, taboos, magic seriously? Why or why not?  Do you believe your holy book supports your position or is it more cultural for you?  Did any of the stories above interest you?  Does the story about the young man dying after eating out of a pot with plantains prove to you that some spiritual force is behind these taboos?  What did you think of Nyingone's declaration that God is stronger than Satan when she wanted to be free of her taboo? Other thoughts or impressions?

Want to read more tidbits from this book?  Check out this post with more interesting cultural observations from African Notebook.

Talkin' Tradition

I tend to think of stuff like this Cherokee (NC) war dance as more cultural/traditional than anything in my life

Have you ever had people ask what your region is famous for or to tell them about your culture and drawn a blank? I have.  Well, I could maybe figure out a food* that is well-liked in this area, and perhaps tell you North Carolina grows a lot of tobacco, but I can't always find something that seems "traditional" and "cultural" that distinguishes my area from others.   Likely I'm just blind to those things or assume most people do that so how can that be cultural/traditional if it's normal?  Should I even be using those terms together like that?  Let me look them up ...

This was in South Horr, Kenya when Andrew went December 2011 - time for a wedding

OK, here is culture as defined by Dictionary.com

1.the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc.

2.that which is excellent in the arts, manners, etc.

3.a particular form or stage of civilization, as that of a certain nation or period: Greek culture.

4.development or improvement of the mind by education or training.

5.the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group: the youth culture; the drug culture.

and tradition

1.the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice: a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.

2.something that is handed down: the traditions of the Eskimos.

3. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting: The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.

4. a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.

5. a customary or characteristic method or manner: The winner took a victory lap in the usual track tradition.

So I guess tradition is more the things that influence or make up culture? I don't know.  

Anyway, I read this in From Plato to NATO by David Gress, and wanted to see what you thought about the West not losing, but rejecting tradition.

"What Eliot saw was that the West was becoming a world, an outlook, and a culture that no longer wanted or needed tradition***.  The West by 1920 was not a civilization that had lost its traditional moorings, which one could perhaps restore or at least rediscover or describe. It was a civilization that rejected moorings of any sort. The essence of the modern West was that it had no essence, no heritage, no tradition. Tradition had become not the missing center of culture, but something that the culture increasingly regarded as its enemy."  (pg. 163)

***For Eliot this apparently meant "Western civilization needed both the church and the literary tradition of antiquity" and "the West was dying because it had forgotten its own tradition, one of myth and the hidden traces of the sacred." 
 
 

 Do you agree with Eliot's thoughts on the West's view of tradition?  Do you consider tradition as an enemy?  How could it be?  And how would you answer someone wanting to know about the cultural and/or traditional aspects of your area of the world?  What is it famous for? What do y'all do that distinguishes you from others?

*  We were asked this while in Syria and Andrew told them our region was (locally anyway) famous for its barbeque.  Yes, that's BBQ as a noun and it means THIS although, thankfully, I mostly only see it on sandwiches or plates.   That's better. Well, maybe not for a Muslim. Alas, we are neither Muslim nor Jew nor vegetarian.  And although the one asking never treated us any differently in the slightest, I was a little embarrassed/shy that Andrew said this in a culture that considers pork unclean.  Makes me feel like a dirty Christian ...