1) Khirbet Qumran, meaning ‘ruin of’ Qumran, sits on a plateau at the top of an irregular border of limestone cliffs beside the Dead Sea. Many of these cliffs contain caves which, given their location, are accessible only with difficulty. To the West lies the Judean Desert, and to the North is a mountain that … Read more
(part 1 of 2): Ten Gurus and a Book Sikhism originated from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root śiṣya meaningdisciple or learner. It is the world’s fifth largest religion, with approximately 27 million adherents. The majority of Sikhs live in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan; however Sikhs live … Read more
“[The Bible] has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies.” —Mark Twain, Letters from the Earth, Vol. II Let’s begin by putting “two of every sort (of animal) into the ark,” and then … Oh, wait. Was that “twoof … Read more
Both read the Bible day and night, But thou read’st black where I read white. —William Blake, The Everlasting Gospel Of course, Blake’s sentiment in the quote above is nothing new. The New Testament contains enough inconsistencies to have spawned a dizzying variety of interpretations, beliefs and religions, all allegedly Bible-based. And so, we … Read more
Prayer holds a very important place in the religion of Islam. It is the second pillar of faith and the act of ritual prayer is performed five times every day. There is great power entrenched in the postures of prayer not the least of which is that it establishes and reinforces our connection to God. … Read more
(part 1 of 2) “…No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another…” (Quran 6:164) “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death … Read more
In the midst of the growing 19thand 20th century awareness of the differences between Trinitarian doctrine and the period of origins, a person might be surprised to find one group who claim to be followers of Christ Jesus reading the following in the Holy Quran: “O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your … Read more
(part 1 of 2) What is the source of the Christian concept of the Trinity? The three monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – all purport to share one fundamental concept: belief in God as the Supreme Being, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Known as “tawhid” in Islam, this concept of the … Read more
(part 1 of 2): Paul of Tarsus and the Concept of Salvation in Christianity Salvation can be defined as the deliverance from sin and its penalties; the path to salvation, however, varies from one religion to another. In Christianity, salvation is found through the Doctrine of Vicarious Atonement. Since human nature is considered in Christianity … Read more
The concept of original sin is completely foreign to Judaism and Eastern Christianity, having achieved acceptance in only the Western Church. Furthermore, Christian and Islamic concepts of sin are virtual opposites with respect to certain nuances. For example, there is no concept of “sinning in the mind” in Islam; to a Muslim, an evil thought … Read more