Observing the blog space, there is a great deal more emphasis on religion than there was a couple years ago. The Saker promotes peace and Orthodox Christianity, and you promote peace and Islam, and there are a few Christian political analysts who talk about their faith and peace. In the "The Great Transformation" Dr. Armstrong offers the idea that the formation of religions in the past was due to a reaction to the suffering caused by war. I regard it not as much as a transformation but an ongoing dialectic stated Biblically by Hosea: "God wants compassion, not sacrifices (wars); God wants Enlightenment, not holocausts (genocides and conquests). If you don't work towards loving God and your neighbor as your Self (in Alexandria Egypt at the time they knew about the Hindu "Self"). It might be interesting to sponsor a series of theological discussions with different people on the difference between waring on your neighbor and love of God.
Wouldn't it be interesting to interview other similarly oriented bloggers on how their religious beliefs influenced their anti-imperial and anti-war values? What's do we all have in common in all these diverse theologies? I sent you an email. Did you get it?
Thank you Jim, I did get your email. I still maintain this group: https://mujca.heresycentral.is But I don't really have time to maintain a whole new blog. By the way, I am amazed at the insane level of misinformation about Islam in the post-9/11 world. You ask: "The You Tube clip producer also claims Islam considers the world made, complete as in 600AD, in six days. Do you hold these beliefs ?" Can you be seriously asking such a thing?! Islam has been totally pro-science from the get-go (unlike Christianity). There are plenty of misinformed Muslims (like misinformed people of all worldviews) but they aren't representative of the religion and its scholars.
The Night Journey (Isra/Miraj) is not a myth, it's an account of an actual spiritual/physical experience that has many points in common with shamanic journeys, out-of-body experiences, teleportation, and the like. The Prophet (saas) ascended into the presence of God, meeting earlier prophets on the way. "Ascended" of course should not be taken literally, it refers to a cosmology of Absolute vs. relative in which Absolute (God) is "up." Metaphysics aside, the Isra/Miraj is one of humanity's greatest spiritual landmarks. The all-time greatest Western Christian poet, Dante, plagiarized the Muslim literature on it to produce his Divine Comedy, as Asin Palacios explained. For more information start with the account of Isra/Miraj in the New Encyclopedia of Islam: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-new-encyclopedia-of-islam_cyril-glasse/3291238/item/11044906/ (By the way, I hear that the author Cyril Glasse, is red pilled...)
I'm sure. The stray cats around here, and other critters are alarmed: which reminds me that Muhammed's saying about the importance of a mosquito's wing shows just how important life and the simplest of creatures are.
okay, what I said was I went to the bank to check on why checks I had ordered never arrived. I was directed to sit down while the gal looked up the information. She politely asked if I had a mask, since I was the only person in this large place without one. "No, I can't wear one", I nicely answered. She said nothing and proceeded to look up my information and reordered the order which had never been processed. She didn't explain why.
Then, I relayed the experience (here in my comment, not to the lady at the bank) I had about a year ago, outside the library when a masked guy walking his dog looked at me with consternation and disapproval. I thought to myself but did not say out loud "Aren't you going to put a mask on your dog?"
Agree that he was likely the most influential leader.
His Islam being carried west north and east with the sword and horse. Then he died and I understand that Muslims believe he flew to the moon on a white horse.
Fantastic. Magic Thinking holding minds around the world in its nonsense.
'Richard Dawkins debates Flying Horses with a Muslim'
Clip is a few segments of a uni debate with an Islamic scholar at either Oxford or Cambridge.
A slightly longer answer.
Neither doubts the authencity of this story, it presumably being either in the Koran or Islamic literature. Mohammad we also learn also split the moon.
Unfortunately, my checking out the comments and their replies on You Tube did not lead to the location of these myths.
One reply, second to the second comment, was by a muslim who said, in his interpretation, the creature wasn't a horse but it was a creature bigger was than a Donkey but smaller than a Mule. It was a magic creature that made it from Mecca to Jerusalem in a night. And from there to the moon. (?).
The You Tube clip producer also claims Islam considers the world made, complete as in 600AD, in six days.
Do you hold these beliefs ?
I would say this story is obviously borrowed from some old guys in the desert working out a fabulous myth to both explain the miraculous around them and provide tongue power over the tribe.
For real truth jihad, Myth should be taught as Myth.
Observing the blog space, there is a great deal more emphasis on religion than there was a couple years ago. The Saker promotes peace and Orthodox Christianity, and you promote peace and Islam, and there are a few Christian political analysts who talk about their faith and peace. In the "The Great Transformation" Dr. Armstrong offers the idea that the formation of religions in the past was due to a reaction to the suffering caused by war. I regard it not as much as a transformation but an ongoing dialectic stated Biblically by Hosea: "God wants compassion, not sacrifices (wars); God wants Enlightenment, not holocausts (genocides and conquests). If you don't work towards loving God and your neighbor as your Self (in Alexandria Egypt at the time they knew about the Hindu "Self"). It might be interesting to sponsor a series of theological discussions with different people on the difference between waring on your neighbor and love of God.
Interesting observations! I'd love to discuss this with Karen Armstrong. I invited her on the show awhile back but never heard from her.
Wouldn't it be interesting to interview other similarly oriented bloggers on how their religious beliefs influenced their anti-imperial and anti-war values? What's do we all have in common in all these diverse theologies? I sent you an email. Did you get it?
Thank you Jim, I did get your email. I still maintain this group: https://mujca.heresycentral.is But I don't really have time to maintain a whole new blog. By the way, I am amazed at the insane level of misinformation about Islam in the post-9/11 world. You ask: "The You Tube clip producer also claims Islam considers the world made, complete as in 600AD, in six days. Do you hold these beliefs ?" Can you be seriously asking such a thing?! Islam has been totally pro-science from the get-go (unlike Christianity). There are plenty of misinformed Muslims (like misinformed people of all worldviews) but they aren't representative of the religion and its scholars.
The Night Journey (Isra/Miraj) is not a myth, it's an account of an actual spiritual/physical experience that has many points in common with shamanic journeys, out-of-body experiences, teleportation, and the like. The Prophet (saas) ascended into the presence of God, meeting earlier prophets on the way. "Ascended" of course should not be taken literally, it refers to a cosmology of Absolute vs. relative in which Absolute (God) is "up." Metaphysics aside, the Isra/Miraj is one of humanity's greatest spiritual landmarks. The all-time greatest Western Christian poet, Dante, plagiarized the Muslim literature on it to produce his Divine Comedy, as Asin Palacios explained. For more information start with the account of Isra/Miraj in the New Encyclopedia of Islam: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-new-encyclopedia-of-islam_cyril-glasse/3291238/item/11044906/ (By the way, I hear that the author Cyril Glasse, is red pilled...)
I'm sure. The stray cats around here, and other critters are alarmed: which reminds me that Muhammed's saying about the importance of a mosquito's wing shows just how important life and the simplest of creatures are.
okay, what I said was I went to the bank to check on why checks I had ordered never arrived. I was directed to sit down while the gal looked up the information. She politely asked if I had a mask, since I was the only person in this large place without one. "No, I can't wear one", I nicely answered. She said nothing and proceeded to look up my information and reordered the order which had never been processed. She didn't explain why.
Then, I relayed the experience (here in my comment, not to the lady at the bank) I had about a year ago, outside the library when a masked guy walking his dog looked at me with consternation and disapproval. I thought to myself but did not say out loud "Aren't you going to put a mask on your dog?"
The dogs are wondering why all the people are muzzled.
plus thanking you, more or less, for this good interview/discussion with Daud and then James.
the first part was about my experience at the bank 2 days ago, and at the library about a year ago.
I haven't ever felt the need to edit a comment here. And I'm pretty sure Substack doesn't assign anyone to edit comments.
...continuing my comment, I thought, but did not ask out loud.
So, now, why did the first part of my comment disappear? Was that AI, or an algorithm, or you?
...because I had considered it, and probably should have, written THAT part before writing my actual thought. Oh, well......
Or maybe, I inadvertently pressed the wrong key, but without the first part of my comment, none of this will make much sense. Sorry about that.
Agree that he was likely the most influential leader.
His Islam being carried west north and east with the sword and horse. Then he died and I understand that Muslims believe he flew to the moon on a white horse.
Fantastic. Magic Thinking holding minds around the world in its nonsense.
Myth should be taught as myth.
Michael Crighton
"Flew to the moon on a white horse"? Where did you get that?
Hi Kevin,
the short answer to a straight question is -
https://youtu.be/mWfHkLbMm6w
'Richard Dawkins debates Flying Horses with a Muslim'
Clip is a few segments of a uni debate with an Islamic scholar at either Oxford or Cambridge.
A slightly longer answer.
Neither doubts the authencity of this story, it presumably being either in the Koran or Islamic literature. Mohammad we also learn also split the moon.
Unfortunately, my checking out the comments and their replies on You Tube did not lead to the location of these myths.
One reply, second to the second comment, was by a muslim who said, in his interpretation, the creature wasn't a horse but it was a creature bigger was than a Donkey but smaller than a Mule. It was a magic creature that made it from Mecca to Jerusalem in a night. And from there to the moon. (?).
The You Tube clip producer also claims Islam considers the world made, complete as in 600AD, in six days.
Do you hold these beliefs ?
I would say this story is obviously borrowed from some old guys in the desert working out a fabulous myth to both explain the miraculous around them and provide tongue power over the tribe.
For real truth jihad, Myth should be taught as Myth.
Regards
Michael Crighton
Fly me to the moon, on a white horse with no name......
Yes, I should be posting it later today.