Religion (all)
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Q019: Sura 19: Mary!
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The usual beginning: In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy… This sura is so named because it…
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74: Does God care what we wear?
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In a recent post (#71) I examined the food regulations in Judaism, Christianity and the Qur’an. Muhammad mostly agrees with the Jews about food,…
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72: The Bible Menagerie
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If you recently attended a Christmas pageant or saw a depiction of the Christmas story on TV or in a movie you probably saw…
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71: Does God care what you eat?
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For Christmas I received as a gift an assortment of meat jerky made from some exotic animals, including wild boar, ostrich, alligator and camel.…
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70: Does God Love the Whole World?
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♪ “He’s got the whole world – in His hands! He’s got the whole wide world – in His hands!” ♪ Perhaps you recognize…
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17: The Night Journey
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In this sura Muhammad gives some good teachings, and some questionable ones, but the title of the sura comes from one of his strangest…
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69: Christmas: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
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I enjoy the Christmas season. I like the Christmas story, even though if you read my posts about it (25-29, 67, 68) you know…
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68: Christmas quiz!
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How well do you know the Christmas story as told in the Bible? 1. How did Joseph and Mary make the journey to Bethlehem? a)…
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67: The Slaughter of the Innocents: What does it say about God and children?
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‘The Slaughter of the Innocents’ refers to the story in the Gospel of Matthew in which King Herod sends troops to Bethlehem to kill…
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16: The Bee!
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Muhammad once again appeals to ‘natural theology’ in this sura. The usual opening: In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver…
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66: When is the Son of Man coming?
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In the previous post I discussed whether Jesus was talking about himself or someone else when he spoke of the “Son of Man” coming…
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65: Jesus and The Jimmy
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For those of you who may not be fans of the television series Seinfeld, there is an episode which introduces a character named Jimmy.…
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64: They’re No Angels!
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Angels have become part of our culture. There are movies about angels, whether comedies like Angels In The Outfield (1951 and remade in 1994),…
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Q015. Sura 15: Al-Hijr, and the Satan
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The people of al-Hijr also rejected Our messengers:We gave them Our signs, but they turned their backs.(15:80,81) Of course, this sura starts with the…
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63: Where did Satan come from?
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The common belief about Satan is that he was an angel of God who rebelled and therefore was cast out of Heaven, and so…
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Q014. Sura 14: Abraham
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Remember when Abraham said, ‘Lord, make this town safe!Preserve me and my offspring from idolatry,Lord, the [idols] have led many people astray!Sura 14:35, 36 …
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62: Is there a loophole for salvation?
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In the previous two posts I considered the problems with using belief (in God or Jesus) as the basis for salvation, and suggested an…
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61: Is there a better basis for salvation?
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In the previous post I argued that belief – whether it be in Jesus, God, or anything else – is a lousy basis for…
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Q013. Sura 13: Thunder!
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It is He who shows you the lightning, inspiring fear and hope; He builds up the clouds heavy with rain; the thunder sounds His praises,…
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59: Was Joseph a Communist? Is God?
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You may know the story of Joseph and his brothers; it is one of the best known in the Bible, and I think one…
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58: Was Jesus Poor?
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Most people would answer this question quickly: Of course he was! It has become an integral part of the Jesus story: he was born…
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Q011. Sura 11: Hud
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No, Muhammad was not prophetically speaking of the 1963 movie starring Paul Newman. Rather, Hud was a pre-Islamic prophet that God (Allah) sent to…
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57: Jesus and Political Violence
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‘Political violence’ is in the news this week, for obvious reasons. Judging from the media’s reaction one ‘political’ shooting is of more significance than…
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56: Jonah: Parody of Prophets?
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Jonah might be the most satirical book in the Bible. Jonah is said to be a prophet in Israel around the time of King…
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55: Is God Omniscient?
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Is God omniscient? Does He know all things: past, present and future? Well, of course! He’s “God” after all! I suggest that the Biblical…
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Q009. Sura 9: Repentance
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Despite the title this sura (chapter) again deals with the broken treaty mentioned in Sura 8 and also with a military campaign to Tabuk,…
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54: We Need Better Miracles
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I knew a woman who told me that God had healed her of carcinoid cancer. Upon further discussion she had been diagnosed by doctors…
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Q008. Sura 8: Battle Gains
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This sura (chapter) relates to the Battle of Badr, fought in 624 CE, the second year of Muhammad’s Muslim state. It marked the first…
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52: Was Jesus A Superstar?
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I remember when the musical Jesus Christ Superstar first came out (yes, I’m that old!).[1] It was a bit controversial among conservative Christians. I…
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Q006. Sura 6: Livestock
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A chapter in a holy book devoted to livestock? Don’t act surprised. People know about the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 of the…
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51: The Council of Nicea: A Big Deal Or Not?
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In the year 325 CE (AD) the Roman emperor Constantine (the Great) called for an empire-wide council to clarify certain matters of Christian doctrine. …
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Q005. Sura 5: The Feast
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This sura (chapter) is given its title because it talks about food. Frankly, one of my pet peeves is religious food regulations. Why is…
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Posted On Religion (all)
Bonus! Downloadable: Twenty Commandments and Ten Commitments
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In post #12 I listed “The Next Ten Commandments.” The first Ten Commandments continue to be in the news, as state legislatures enact laws requiring…
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50: Was Balaam a Bad Boy?
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There is a curious story in the book of Numbers about a prophet named Balaam. It is curious for several reasons, including a talking…
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Q004. Sura 4: Women
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This sura (chapter) is given its title because of passages relating to women, but it also speaks of orphans and justice in general. There…
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Q002b. Sura 2: The Cow. Part 2.
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In part 1 we examined the beginning of this sura, including the part about God asking the Jews to sacrifice a cow, hence the…
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Q002a. Sura 2: The Cow. Part 1.
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It strikes me odd that this sura is entitled “The Cow,” but there is a reason for it, as we shall see. It is…
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48: Are the Teachings of Jesus Realistic?
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A doctor has made a thorough examination of an elderly man, and he sends him out to the waiting room so he can talk…
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Q001. The Qur’an: Intro and Sura 1
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The Quran, (also Qur’an or Koran) is the sacred text of Islam, much like the Bible is the sacred text of Christianity. The word…
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47: Jesus, the Buddha, Socrates, Confucius and Muhammad Shared Something In Common
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Jesus is well-known as the founder of Christianity, the largest religion in the world, and therefore some consider him one of the most influential…
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46: Did Paul Have A Brain Disorder? (And did it help him?!)
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(Note: regarding the previous post about discontinuing the blog: I am adding spam protection and will continue for now. I’m also thinking of adding posts…