tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21628133560173128252024-03-12T21:58:39.493-07:00The Eighth ScrollUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-23120388942095528562013-05-24T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-24T00:00:02.066-07:00Religious Mystery of The Crucifixion<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ms3Ns0wtoW4" width="550"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-57719250683991826462013-05-20T12:45:00.002-07:002013-05-20T12:47:37.074-07:00The evidence that Muhammad is a Prophet of God - Parts One and Two<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6GXA22KmvIY" width="550"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RdEJjxL-JPY" width="550"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-4713165574069745832013-05-15T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-15T00:00:06.480-07:00The Glorious Qur'an Part Two<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/15L2zeCGoxM" width="550"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-49480968530287431652013-05-13T00:00:00.001-07:002013-05-13T00:00:04.071-07:00The Glorious Qur'an Part One <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/15L2zeCGoxM" width="550"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-60790990104903859882013-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-10T00:00:05.069-07:00On Idoltry: Does idolatry manifest itself in other ways?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxXIDg2CNOXLCJIVHmh_XZib_E0JkblK3QRorZvum2pp7MFQevtxyHSpqRSjXjJ0v_lUeTAJ50BI-1A0oEpp40oevHh2q-wgEkelm4tzjMenAEFfcSbVmMN294eSw8e7Y0s5AoSmNVldZ/s1600/author.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxXIDg2CNOXLCJIVHmh_XZib_E0JkblK3QRorZvum2pp7MFQevtxyHSpqRSjXjJ0v_lUeTAJ50BI-1A0oEpp40oevHh2q-wgEkelm4tzjMenAEFfcSbVmMN294eSw8e7Y0s5AoSmNVldZ/s200/author.png" width="179" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sure. Ever wonder why people used to (and in some cases, still do) greet upper tier clergy, royalty, and members of the social elite as “Your worship?” By this phrase, commoners venerate men and women of high worth, position, and social status. So is that worship? According to the definition of the word, yes. “Your worship” meant “Your worthiness,” and conveyed the distinction of high value.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />So does this mean the commoners who used this phrase worshipped those they addressed in such a manner? Uh, yes. Yup, that’s about it. Not only did they worship them, they idolized them, and we see this dynamic applied as much to music, sports, and movie stars in the present day as we do to clergy, royalty, and the social elite.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />“Oh, come on,” you might say, “You’re being ridiculous.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />No, I’m being precise.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />I’m not saying God has forbidden us to honor such individuals; I’m just saying that, yes, addressing individuals in such terms as “Your worship” is a form of worship. However, where this crosses the line into the forbidden zone is when people revere others as gods, or grant them the honor and respect reserved for our Creator. Should they prefer these individuals’ guidance to the laws and guidance of revelation, they usurp God’s authority. Likewise, should they revere such an individual by, oh let’s say, claiming him to be infallible or by bowing down to him (even if just to kiss his ring), they grant him the rights and special honor reserved for Almighty God. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-9942984503796330222013-05-08T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-08T00:00:00.695-07:00How I came to Islam - Dr. Laurence Brown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5Gr54pYc3Ak" width="550"></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-41303810023386928492013-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-06T00:00:10.729-07:00The Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
In the spring of 1947 Bedouin goat-herds, searching the cliffs along the
Dead Sea for a lost goat (or for treasure, depending on who is telling
the story), came upon a cave containing jars filled with manuscripts.
That find caused a sensation when it was released to the world, and
continues to fascinate the scholarly community and the public to this
day.
</div>
<table align="RIGHT" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; width: 225px;">
<tbody>
<tr><td><img align="RIGHT" alt="The Qumran Site and the Dead Sea" border="0" height="188" src="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls/qumran_ds.jpg" width="300" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="CENTER">The Qumran site and the Dead Sea.
<br />
<hr />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
The first discoveries came to the attention of scholars in 1948, when
seven of the scrolls were sold by the Bedouin to a cobbler and
antiquities dealer called Kando. He in turn sold three of the scrolls
to Eleazar L. Sukenik of Hebrew University, and four to Metropolitan Mar
Athanasius Yeshue Samuel of the Syrian Orthodox monastery of St. Mark.
Mar Athanasius in turn brought his four to the American School of
Oriental Research, where they came to the attention of American and
European scholars. </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
It was not until 1949 that the site of the find was identified as the
cave now known as Qumran Cave 1. It was that identification that led to
further explorations and excavations of the area of Khirbet Qumran.
Further search of Cave 1 revealed archaeological finds of pottery, cloth
and wood, as well as a number of additional manuscript fragments. It
was these discoveries that proved decisively that the scrolls were
indeed ancient and authentic.
</div>
<table align="RIGHT" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; width: 225px;">
<tbody>
<tr><td><img align="RIGHT" alt="Qumran Cave 4" border="0" height="198" src="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls/cave_4.jpg" width="300" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="CENTER">Qumran Cave 4.
<br />
<hr />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Between 1949 and 1956, in what became a race between the Bedouin and the
archaeologists, ten additional caves were found in the hills around
Qumran, caves that yielded several more scrolls, as well as thousands of
fragments of scrolls: the remnants of approximately 800 manuscripts
dating from approximately 200 B.C.E. to 68 C.E. </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
The manuscripts of the Qumran caves include early copies of biblical
books in Hebrew and Aramaic, hymns, prayers, Jewish writings known as
pseudepigrapha (because they are attributed to ancient biblical
characters such as Enoch or the patriarchs), and texts that seem to
represent the beliefs of a particular Jewish group that may have lived
at the site of Qumran. Most scholars believe that the Qumran community
was very similar to the Essenes, one of four Jewish "philosophies"
described by Josephus, a first century C.E. Jewish historian. Some have
pointed to similarities with other Jewish groups mentioned by Josephus:
the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Zealots.
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
We do not know precisely who wrote those sectarian scrolls, but we can
say that the authors seemed to be connected to the priesthood, were led
by priests, disapproved of the Jerusalem priesthood, encouraged a strict
and pious way of life, and expected an imminent confrontation between
the forces of good and evil. </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<table align="RIGHT" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; width: 225px;">
<tbody>
<tr><td><img align="RIGHT" alt="The Qumran Site" border="0" height="343" src="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls/Qumran.jpg" width="225" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="CENTER">The Qumran archaeological site.
<br />
<hr />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
The Qumran library has proven to be enormously informative. From these
texts we have increased our understanding of the transmission of the
Bible, we have learned more about the development of early Judaism, and
we have gained insight into the culture out of which emerged both
Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. </div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photographs by Bruce and Kenneth Zuckerman, West Semitic Research. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Commentary by Marilyn J. Lundberg.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls">Read More</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-78671737999463155762013-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-03T09:57:12.327-07:00On Idolatry<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><i>It is a strange
irony that those who reverence stones live in glass ideologies.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><i>~ Dr. Laurence B. Brown</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdEI-xh_b24AodeoBY0iN-SbleZR5bWG5VkuThukcjAb7lQ0VVPq_qEkxbBj8WCQjM1WtFlRoBlXqTCmmOSDeJB8nC1Da586skzSlSM_i_MMOkhaLGmp5AWrNgvvpcByVG5gUqNT2sac_/s1600/author.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdEI-xh_b24AodeoBY0iN-SbleZR5bWG5VkuThukcjAb7lQ0VVPq_qEkxbBj8WCQjM1WtFlRoBlXqTCmmOSDeJB8nC1Da586skzSlSM_i_MMOkhaLGmp5AWrNgvvpcByVG5gUqNT2sac_/s1600/author.png" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Idolatry—every monotheist abhors the thought, and yet many commit the crime themselves. Few today fully grasp the complexities of this issue, for the definition of idolatry has been buried beneath nearly 1,700 years of church tradition.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br />The second commandment states, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4–5). Alternate translations employ slightly different, though significant, wording, as for example: “You shall not bow down to them or worship them” (NRSV, NIV).<br /><br />The commandment not to make carved images speaks for itself, as does the subsequent decree not to make any likeness whatsoever.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">These directives could not be clearer. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
</div>
<a href="http://www.leveltruth.com/articles.html">Read More</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-7825078817509900382013-05-01T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-01T00:00:07.388-07:00Inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMU_vNBz2vE1PqQr4fBrSF5vGcjeQE8TFNnWyeDgYVswaFxjYkG5djEVNVw7kKflulmHD9kv67d-Fve1Ox_mpHBjnOgF9HMMCTpk_9whFT4nePutSPglw8dJ4p2cZujqr0c4m4oUZJJo1N/s1600/c1595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMU_vNBz2vE1PqQr4fBrSF5vGcjeQE8TFNnWyeDgYVswaFxjYkG5djEVNVw7kKflulmHD9kv67d-Fve1Ox_mpHBjnOgF9HMMCTpk_9whFT4nePutSPglw8dJ4p2cZujqr0c4m4oUZJJo1N/s320/c1595.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse; as I have found in travelling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one's position and be bruised in a new place<span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-- Washington Irving from Tales of a Traveller</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-37452089770776335392013-04-29T00:00:00.001-07:002013-04-29T11:09:18.020-07:00Q and A With Dr. Laurence Brown<br />
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfJofxnPeO6evsh3FxJU4jM_Zn73oGGsFlcJHuZ2g2WtMxeDNt-2aKcu-gmY5f645xuiJLVfY0EUYi5OEtH_UaYbhMxBOmq3COo-Io7AlFx1AA3HNBCJj8GMSwEpdGRzqM7wtNzTyaihn/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfJofxnPeO6evsh3FxJU4jM_Zn73oGGsFlcJHuZ2g2WtMxeDNt-2aKcu-gmY5f645xuiJLVfY0EUYi5OEtH_UaYbhMxBOmq3COo-Io7AlFx1AA3HNBCJj8GMSwEpdGRzqM7wtNzTyaihn/s200/1.jpg" width="132" /></a>Dear Dr. Brown, Assalamualaikum,<br /><br />I accidentally found your email address. I don’t know whether you will receive this message, anyway I will continue.<br /><br />A non-Muslim friend of mine asked me some questions. The friend is a Buddhist. I want to answer these questions in an effective way that the friend could understand. Can you please help me ? <br /><br />I told my friend that this life is a test for the hereafter, so that is why some are poor, some are healthy and some are rich. Then the friend asked me, “if it is that, what is god's criteria to select who will become rich, who will become poor, and who will be healthy? Even if it is a test shouldn’t everybody be tested in the same way? Why does god test us in different ways? If he decides to test in different ways can't some question that this is unjust? <br /><br />When Muslim women wear the hijab, some people might be curious to see what is inside (because the whole body is covered) which will cause the Muslim women harm. So can we say that it will protect her?<br /><br />I don’t know whether these questions are illogical. I need to answer in a logical way so the friend may understand that is why I need your help. Can you please help me answer these questions. <br /><br />Jazakallah khaire. Hoping to hear from you soon. <br /><br /><br /><b>MY ANSWER:</b><br /><br />Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu,<br /><br />Every parent knows that different children prefer different rewards, benefit most from different punishments, and demonstrate love through different sacrifices. What works with one child will not work with another. So it is with people. The test of faith works differently with one person from another. One person worships money more than anything else, so this person's faith is best tested by loss of money. Another values his wife more than anything, or his car, mother, or whatever. So the test will differ according to the differences in human nature, and according to what that person is most attached to. Will you take a rich man and test him with wealth he does not need? Or take someone who hates his children, and test him with the loss of one of the children he couldn't care less about? People are tested according to their dispensation.<br /><br />As for covering women, this man's question betrays his sickness. What is he saying, that all women should be naked to remove all curiosity? That we should take our showers with the door open, in case he wants to see what we are doing? We cover ourselves (men and women) out of modesty. Only people with sickness in their hearts try to mentally undress others.<br /><br />Best, and salams,<br />LBrown</span><span style="font-size: normal;"></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-24555918251655373992013-04-29T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-29T00:00:06.733-07:00Reader's Review: Excellent Work! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPcNe3833oefzUxR9d3U00IUDvp4E4s9qETIUzYZY6QvbvEyUdCUP9k859E5zZz0rg3qC4LtkfG2_9jO3ZOFZ7x_fvlMzlfkpYwpulFoH-f4zcPSqPlMzaeg0-w1l1lAOh7pJUiKBy3Jz/s1600/Bearing+True+Witness.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPcNe3833oefzUxR9d3U00IUDvp4E4s9qETIUzYZY6QvbvEyUdCUP9k859E5zZz0rg3qC4LtkfG2_9jO3ZOFZ7x_fvlMzlfkpYwpulFoH-f4zcPSqPlMzaeg0-w1l1lAOh7pJUiKBy3Jz/s200/Bearing+True+Witness.JPG" width="131" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Dr. Brown has delivered another excellent work in the field of contemporary Islamic literature. Books of this nature are relevant, timely and necessary in view of the increasing numbers of people either interested in or reverting to Islam in the western world. 'Bearing True Witness' provides a succinct overview of the faith as well as a road map to new Muslims, as they go about learning the day-to-day practices of the faith. Additionally, there is much in this balanced work that will be of benefit to those born into the faith. All in all, an excellent work, and priced most generously, especially in the digital format" </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-55422444172245156682013-04-26T00:00:00.001-07:002013-04-26T17:00:06.720-07:00The Happy Hauthor By Dr. Laurence B. Brown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxUuCsQf2fGuFxSmDyrIU48yQFOWBuRm4DVZgWRZlmK8rMuYdcV3ODQXNfw5RAiUfw8DIaNRTn3UMyU9EbmtjTADt1RTol7eYXe_jQ8jvw3m2N9qeaCQLnuYE08fcHC4xHgMvaSpNPKGO/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxUuCsQf2fGuFxSmDyrIU48yQFOWBuRm4DVZgWRZlmK8rMuYdcV3ODQXNfw5RAiUfw8DIaNRTn3UMyU9EbmtjTADt1RTol7eYXe_jQ8jvw3m2N9qeaCQLnuYE08fcHC4xHgMvaSpNPKGO/s200/1.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I remember a beautiful line in a movie I once saw, in which a father described his happy-go-lucky son as “a failure in everything but life.” Some people know how to succeed on societal terms, others know how to live, on their terms. Me, I want both. Screech! With all four tires of the vehicle of dreams locked and skipping, laying down dashed rubber burns on the macadam of life. In other words, reality-check time.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you entered the literary world in hope of achieving fame and fortune, well, good luck. And good-bye. You’re not likely to last long. I know I didn’t. My ego was extinguished, my spirit shattered, my hopes and aspirations hacked and addered (not a real word, but nothing else would maintain the alliteration. Hey, if you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with big, steaming field patties of fecal smoothies from an adult male bovine who still has two eight-balls in his center pocket. Isn’t that how the saying goes, or did I miss something?). In any case, I quickly learned that I had to reset my expectations and come to grips with marketplace reality. To succeed in the literary world, you need vision, zeal, and commitment. More than anything else, you need to love what you do. Equally important, you need to redefine success. Notice I’m talking about you, not me. Me, I just need people to buy my books.<br /><br />Okay, new subdivision of written composition. A paragraph, that is. Here goes: Few successful authors slug through their work in the manner of a clerk, going through the motions of satisfying the predetermined template of duties that constitutes their job. But don’t listen to me; go ahead and try it. Attend all the writing and publishing seminars you want; read all the instructional blogs and books you wish; study the secrets of the masters and catalog their success formulas. I’m not saying these tools won’t help. All I’m saying is they are like sex without salt, or meat without emotion. Uh, hold up a sec. Kids, don’t try this at home. Remember, I’m a trained professional, but there’s a small chance I transposed a couple of words there. Anywho, the fact of the matter is, if you don’t love what you’re doing (again, you, not me. If I sell my movie rights, I guarantee I’ll love what I’m doing), if you’re not intoxicated by the process of word-smithing, character-crafting and plot design, your work will lack the luster today’s audience demands. Simply going through the motions, like a literary prostitute, will never generate the same customer satisfaction as works of love and devotion, no matter how well you fake your “O”. Unlike me, of course. I’m really enjoying this. How is it for you?<br /><br />All kidding aside, how is it, really? Does the flow catch you, does the energy carry you? No? Oh, well, in that case just leave your money on the pillow and be gone. The rest of you can probably tell that I’m having fun writing this. Matter of fact, I’m having a blast. Despite all the. Incomplete sentences. My grammar checker keeps highlighting. Ha! If only computers could scream from frustration!<br /><br />So why am I having a blast? And why do you sense it? One reason, and one reason only: because I could care less what anybody thinks. I’m writing as I am, and loving it. To me, that’s the secret. If you sell yourself out as a writer, even if you make millions, you’ll always go to bed feeling dirty. And compromised. A dirty, compromised, sell-out millionaire sleeping in a bigger house than mine, dining on gourmet food served on the naked belly of your worldly desires, and loving every minute of it.<br /><br />Stop. Remind me – what, exactly, was my point? Oh, yeah. Have fun. Be yourself. And get stinking rich. Then, when you’re bathing in warm Perrier, eating pre-chewed food and wiping your bootie (now isn’t that just the cutest little word you’ve ever heard?) with twenty-Euro notes left over from the latest of your many European tours, turn around and tell other people not to prostitute themselves to the craft.<br /><br />But not us. Oh, no. We’re clean and pristine. You and me, that is. I’m not sure about the rest.<br /><br />What? Return to the subject? Gosh, don’t you just love editors? Okay, back to the point: In addition to the reading audience, did I mention that literary agents and publishers also don’t like uninspired work? No? Well, there’s a reason I didn’t mention it: I try not to care (you probably couldn’t tell, huh?). Too many authors write to satisfy what they perceive to be a success formula demanded by literary agents and publishers. Big mistake, in my opinion (Sigh; another sentence fragment). From what I have seen, agents and publishers care about one thing, and one thing only, and that is whether a book will sell. If your work has an audience, they’ll be interested, whether they like your writing or not. Oh, sure, some of them are biased (painfully many) against handling politically or socially incorrect material, others have ethics (painfully few) that preclude material they judge to be offensive, and others confine their business domain to specific genres of their liking. In general, however, any book with an audience can be published by somebody, somewhere. I mean, have you checked out the children’s section of your local bookstore lately? If they can publish and sell kiddy books with titles like “Your Handkerchief is Better than the Wall,” what does this say about the marketplace?<br /><br />Okay, that’s the theory. Fact is, the market is tough. Everybody who has tried to break in as a first time author knows this. The one thing we don’t like to admit, however, is that most authors don’t make the grade of marketability. All joking aside, we have raging egos, we’ve attended too many positive-thinking “Will Your Way to Success” seminars, and our books are our babies. Despite the fact that our book-babies are often wrinkled, bald and ugly, and frequently marred by multiple, serious birth defects, we love them as our own and simply cannot believe others don’t love them as much as we do. What are they, nuts?<br /><br />Usually, no. Usually, they are trained professionals, and if they say our work doesn’t make the grade, we should listen. And learn. And try again. Even our nay-saying friends and family are usually trying to help, and we shouldn’t brush their criticisms aside. The cry of “The world just isn’t ready for me yet,” “This is my art, and I’m not going to change it for anybody,” and “You just don’t get what I’m trying to convey” are death rattles in the throat of the artist who seeks commercial success.<br /><br />My serious advice?<br /><br />1) Accept criticism but reject praise. Criticism makes you introspective and helps you to improve yourself; praise condemns you to conceited lassitude, even when your work is littered with deficiencies.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />2) Hire a fearless, no holds barred, tell it like it is, manuscript-shredding editor. Cheerleader editors who say you’re doing everything right are probably just trying to get your business, and aren’t likely to guide you to a higher plane of achievement.<br /><br />3) Write for yourself. You’ll never regret having written a book that was boiling inside you, bursting to get out. Even if the book falls short of your market expectations, you’ll have it for posterity, and your sense of accomplishment will be priceless.<br /><br />4) Focus on subjects about which you are passionate. That passion will come through, and people will ride your wave of enthusiasm.<br /><br />5) Have fun. Conform to the necessary market rules, but bend or break the rest. A unique, fun, and/or eccentric literary voice can be an important key to success. If you take your work too seriously, you will suppress that voice, like Uncle Scrooge trying to do stand-up comedy.<br /><br />6) Keep your day job. Dream big, but don’t let your dreams override market reality. Writing is an art, and few artists live off of the proceeds of their craft.<br /><br />7) Redefine success. Despite all the playful stuff I wrote above, true success is to be had in satisfied accomplishment. If your work lives up to your standards, that is the first rung on the ladder of literary success. The more critics and readers you seduce with your writing, the higher you will climb up that ladder. If and when you get to the top, just don’t forget to salt your “O”.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-70731859901763780212013-04-24T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-24T00:00:03.334-07:00Inspiration <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_4yoTzthNVLnqf0xxA5Oz0n1lrwZBX66dEA2sQU4eDQlganS7-Hd5UbKA4yMP3P0Oj3_BbwXkd6cbuVMAOLlVpTBeAbptTbEGpuXqheXDXOwHL11kvE9sAvuTaZGAXWgNW1sdVHciy97/s1600/Laurence_Sterne_by_Sir_Joshua_Reynolds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_4yoTzthNVLnqf0xxA5Oz0n1lrwZBX66dEA2sQU4eDQlganS7-Hd5UbKA4yMP3P0Oj3_BbwXkd6cbuVMAOLlVpTBeAbptTbEGpuXqheXDXOwHL11kvE9sAvuTaZGAXWgNW1sdVHciy97/s1600/Laurence_Sterne_by_Sir_Joshua_Reynolds.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">T'is known by the name of perseverance in a good cause, and of obstinacy in a bad one </span>-- Laurence Sterne</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-45520099343517738852013-04-22T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-22T14:56:47.225-07:00Dear Friends ... <span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Last
time, I told you that some of my books are under attack! Those who wish
to take time for the pleasure of Allah and support my work can do so by
giving positive ratings on Amazon.com and on Amazon.co.uk at the
following links. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Best, and salams,<br />LBrown</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiWgHAtrmqe43UEIGx7DSTKeSx4mAUGHhG-y2JBL9ERUCbonN5NYon17Gib4LOIUt6L-S1yMcTr9_WfcUV9Zpdbv_-jKNMns6UnCzRqIGy5-YYLOVXGKLqZ8leZVZPBqsd7vXrO0WRlhz/s1600/Bearing+True+Witness.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiWgHAtrmqe43UEIGx7DSTKeSx4mAUGHhG-y2JBL9ERUCbonN5NYon17Gib4LOIUt6L-S1yMcTr9_WfcUV9Zpdbv_-jKNMns6UnCzRqIGy5-YYLOVXGKLqZ8leZVZPBqsd7vXrO0WRlhz/s320/Bearing+True+Witness.JPG" width="210" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Bearing True Witness</b> provides practical guidance to those who embrace the Islamic religion, suggesting the manner in which the new Muslim should live the Islamic religion. Issues such as fiqh differences, deviant sects, the pillars, and God-consciousness are all discussed, not to mention the sunnah of the shaitan, and how to protect oneself from being led astra<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bearing-True-Witness-Found-Islam/dp/1451549172/ref=pd_sim_b_4">http://www.amazon.com/Bearing-True-Witness-Found-Islam/dp/1451549172/ref=pd_sim_b_4</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bearing-True-Witness-Found-Islam/dp/1451549172/ref=pd_sim_b_3">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bearing-True-Witness-Found-Islam/dp/1451549172/ref=pd_sim_b_3</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="color: #2862c5; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bearing-True-Witness-Found-Islam/dp/1451549172/ref=pd_sim_b_3" style="outline: 0px;" target="_blank"><span id="lw_1358654662_16" style="outline: 0px;"><span style="color: #2862c5;"></span></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span> </span></span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-83269713424492885822013-04-19T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-19T00:00:04.056-07:00Who follows Jesus Christ: Muslims or Christians? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="413" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a1S5SngLFU0" width="550"></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-74902316912306081412013-04-17T00:00:00.001-07:002013-04-17T00:00:15.963-07:00Virtually Anyone Can See The Dead Sea Scrolls Now<img alt="A fragment of the 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls is laid out at a laboratory in Jerusalem. More than 60 years after their discovery, 5,000 images of the ancient scrolls are now online." class="img" height="478" src="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2012/12/28/deadseascrolls-27b9512a837f27456fa59ebe8ddb783e2d75875c-s40.jpg" style="display: block;" title="A fragment of the 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls is laid out at a laboratory in Jerusalem. More than 60 years after their discovery, 5,000 images of the ancient scrolls are now online." width="600" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" base="http://www.npr.org" height="386" src="http://www.npr.org/v2/?i=168223286&m=168249032&t=audio" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" wmode="opaque"></embed><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-41096346358132548402013-04-15T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-15T00:00:08.583-07:00Inspiration <br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img alt="William Cowper by Lemuel Francis Abbott.jpg" height="277" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/William_Cowper_by_Lemuel_Francis_Abbott.jpg/220px-William_Cowper_by_Lemuel_Francis_Abbott.jpg" width="220" /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nature is but a name for an effect, whose name is God </span></span><br />
<br />
-- William Cowper<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-81629791999872907212013-04-12T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-13T13:24:14.126-07:00ON ATHEISM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPApJ-Sz9eZtPG3vgQEyDYGZm89OJ8zibZmsmhgt7q5Z5uk3GwxAvP13lQzpLXkuq9Nq-wc5jqNBqliZamFrS2Ko8l0JEnWWBiKd3Y0QRo3ETek3g2lCiLUdn-uElGkE5m8XXzOMy2jVnw/s1600/author.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Life’s greatest tragedy is to lose God and not to miss him.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">--F.W. Norwood</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3R23D6vEVGvR7-6BULM66HYpKLdMqUukLbU8KKpuU1-1vib0RPf3HQ5a-rV8_cpiYexq9N341OQXVsrIz1aQimJTCYwrACxCl4Qehq2qxAiiRk2onTJqtH82HmKMePjuEQkIt34v0n1N/s1600/author.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3R23D6vEVGvR7-6BULM66HYpKLdMqUukLbU8KKpuU1-1vib0RPf3HQ5a-rV8_cpiYexq9N341OQXVsrIz1aQimJTCYwrACxCl4Qehq2qxAiiRk2onTJqtH82HmKMePjuEQkIt34v0n1N/s1600/author.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3R23D6vEVGvR7-6BULM66HYpKLdMqUukLbU8KKpuU1-1vib0RPf3HQ5a-rV8_cpiYexq9N341OQXVsrIz1aQimJTCYwrACxCl4Qehq2qxAiiRk2onTJqtH82HmKMePjuEQkIt34v0n1N/s1600/author.png" /></a></span></span>Atheists might assert that they don’t acknowledge the existence of God, but the view of </span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">ome Christians and all Muslims is that at some level even the confirmed Atheist affirms God’s presence. The innate but neglected awareness of God typically surfaces in Atheist consciousness only in times of severe stress, as exemplified by the World War II quote “There are no Atheists in a fox-hole.” </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Undeniably there are times -- whether during the agonizing days of a lingering illness, the seemingly eternal moments of a violent and humiliating mugging, or the split second of anticipating the impact of an imminent car crash -- when all mankind recognize the reality of human fragility and the lack of human control over destiny. Who does a person beseech for help in such circumstances other than The Creator? Such moments of desperation should remind every person, from the religious scholar to the professed Atheist, of the dependence of mankind upon a reality far greater than our own meager human selves. A reality far greater in knowledge, power, will, majesty and glory. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In such moments of distress, when all human efforts have failed and no element of material existence can be foreseen to provide comfort or rescue, Whom else will a person instinctively call upon? In such moments of trial, how many stress-induced appeals are made to God, complete with promises of lifelong fidelity? Yet, how few are kept?</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-57626277858224738772013-04-10T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-10T00:00:14.161-07:00Reader's Review: Best book I've read in a while...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijudX71y6kLfE9ZXgUlVMmXai-zQLUfuQdcbOasrLB1_R4xIoB5aNoUZPT6P8wRjoTlTrXVQJUNjZu_iGR1ylVu_1XvevNEely2RwPlLp1AYc98i-3eSfk6whBRIDUGlHDxGooiveEOdXx/s1600/Zion+Deception.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijudX71y6kLfE9ZXgUlVMmXai-zQLUfuQdcbOasrLB1_R4xIoB5aNoUZPT6P8wRjoTlTrXVQJUNjZu_iGR1ylVu_1XvevNEely2RwPlLp1AYc98i-3eSfk6whBRIDUGlHDxGooiveEOdXx/s1600/Zion+Deception.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">I recommend this book for honest truth seekers and those who appreciate
really good story telling! Dr Brown once again combines truths and
fiction to really get the reader thinking, while taking them on a roller
coaster ride. The use of characters and their interactions are original
and their are some truly shocking facts that most today are unaware of.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-49396562687462822942013-04-08T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-08T00:00:17.251-07:00Why are we Muslims and not Christians? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GAuXTTyW5f4" width="550"></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-78312561620064471622013-04-05T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-05T00:00:14.288-07:00The Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
In the spring of 1947 Bedouin goat-herds, searching the cliffs along the
Dead Sea for a lost goat (or for treasure, depending on who is telling
the story), came upon a cave containing jars filled with manuscripts.
That find caused a sensation when it was released to the world, and
continues to fascinate the scholarly community and the public to this
day.
</div>
<table align="RIGHT" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; width: 225px;">
<tbody>
<tr><td><img align="RIGHT" alt="The Qumran Site and the Dead Sea" border="0" height="188" src="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls/qumran_ds.jpg" width="300" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="CENTER">The Qumran site and the Dead Sea.
<br />
<hr />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
The first discoveries came to the attention of scholars in 1948, when
seven of the scrolls were sold by the Bedouin to a cobbler and
antiquities dealer called Kando. He in turn sold three of the scrolls
to Eleazar L. Sukenik of Hebrew University, and four to Metropolitan Mar
Athanasius Yeshue Samuel of the Syrian Orthodox monastery of St. Mark.
Mar Athanasius in turn brought his four to the American School of
Oriental Research, where they came to the attention of American and
European scholars. </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
It was not until 1949 that the site of the find was identified as the
cave now known as Qumran Cave 1. It was that identification that led to
further explorations and excavations of the area of Khirbet Qumran.
Further search of Cave 1 revealed archaeological finds of pottery, cloth
and wood, as well as a number of additional manuscript fragments. It
was these discoveries that proved decisively that the scrolls were
indeed ancient and authentic.
</div>
<table align="RIGHT" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; width: 225px;">
<tbody>
<tr><td><img align="RIGHT" alt="Qumran Cave 4" border="0" height="198" src="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls/cave_4.jpg" width="300" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="CENTER">Qumran Cave 4.
<br />
<hr />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Between 1949 and 1956, in what became a race between the Bedouin and the
archaeologists, ten additional caves were found in the hills around
Qumran, caves that yielded several more scrolls, as well as thousands of
fragments of scrolls: the remnants of approximately 800 manuscripts
dating from approximately 200 B.C.E. to 68 C.E. </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
The manuscripts of the Qumran caves include early copies of biblical
books in Hebrew and Aramaic, hymns, prayers, Jewish writings known as
pseudepigrapha (because they are attributed to ancient biblical
characters such as Enoch or the patriarchs), and texts that seem to
represent the beliefs of a particular Jewish group that may have lived
at the site of Qumran. Most scholars believe that the Qumran community
was very similar to the Essenes, one of four Jewish "philosophies"
described by Josephus, a first century C.E. Jewish historian. Some have
pointed to similarities with other Jewish groups mentioned by Josephus:
the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Zealots.
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
We do not know precisely who wrote those sectarian scrolls, but we can
say that the authors seemed to be connected to the priesthood, were led
by priests, disapproved of the Jerusalem priesthood, encouraged a strict
and pious way of life, and expected an imminent confrontation between
the forces of good and evil. </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<table align="RIGHT" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; width: 225px;">
<tbody>
<tr><td><img align="RIGHT" alt="The Qumran Site" border="0" height="343" src="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls/Qumran.jpg" width="225" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="CENTER">The Qumran archaeological site.
<br />
<hr />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
The Qumran library has proven to be enormously informative. From these
texts we have increased our understanding of the transmission of the
Bible, we have learned more about the development of early Judaism, and
we have gained insight into the culture out of which emerged both
Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. </div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photographs by Bruce and Kenneth Zuckerman, West Semitic Research. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Commentary by Marilyn J. Lundberg.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/dead_sea_scrolls">Read More</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-64854872871879675222013-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-03T00:00:10.638-07:00Inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnavt419WSfTIwwSdy3IFbCs4uotIcmWhsrn9743kQ6He5WQj_YSrAl0vEhIPFOf5CuBjg3_f7ebfJuqHw13hJMrgB3NA9KdL6k4zBuDtkH9x5_rWITnJUWXhrUn0fkD2TR2KV1R4ldft/s1600/MM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnavt419WSfTIwwSdy3IFbCs4uotIcmWhsrn9743kQ6He5WQj_YSrAl0vEhIPFOf5CuBjg3_f7ebfJuqHw13hJMrgB3NA9KdL6k4zBuDtkH9x5_rWITnJUWXhrUn0fkD2TR2KV1R4ldft/s1600/MM.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even cowards can endure hardship; only the brave can endure suspense. </span></span><br />
<br />
-- Mignon McLaughlinUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-49038039550556626772013-04-01T12:17:00.001-07:002013-04-01T12:19:44.600-07:00Dear Friends ...<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Last time, I told you that some of my books are under attack! Those who wish to take time for the pleasure of Allah and support my work can do so by giving positive ratings on Amazon.com and on Amazon.co.uk at the following links. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Best, and salams,<br />LBrown</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KlHEoAbQ9QmtV6kzkd6UbGrIKAyKo6n9QKa-CATrWPsMm3fA8kR1mHvO-BduMpf0ChnnRhcCNoXkUJqoHfyM0IHB4JC1EX4QpxcZjL6RkYLNQiZHxsT41y3Sd_epL4vjsxdUKinh6hVS/s1600/Zion+Deception.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KlHEoAbQ9QmtV6kzkd6UbGrIKAyKo6n9QKa-CATrWPsMm3fA8kR1mHvO-BduMpf0ChnnRhcCNoXkUJqoHfyM0IHB4JC1EX4QpxcZjL6RkYLNQiZHxsT41y3Sd_epL4vjsxdUKinh6hVS/s320/Zion+Deception.JPG" width="210" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">David Cohen's wife didn't deserve to die. Sarah Weizmann shouldn't blame herself for Leah's murder. But the shocking crime served a militant Zionist group's strategic purpose. When David and Sarah team up to find Leah's killer, they are drawn into a maze of murder and intrigue designed to conceal the ugly history of Zionism. Following a path through Poland’s WWII death camps, they are forced to fight for their lives against both a psychopathic Nazi war criminal and Israel's Mossad. When they discover the dark secret that links their two antagonists, they realize something is bound to die – themselves, the horrifying truth, or all together. The Zion Deception is a fully-annotated and meticulously researched work that expresses pro-Jewish, anti-Zionist views popular among Jewish revisionist historians. Although controversial, it challenges what readers know about anti-Semitism, Zionism, and Israel. With a keen sense of closure and awareness of the interconnectedness behind history’s failings, author Dr. Laurence B. Brown exposes popularized fallacies, and reveals the threat Zionism poses not only to Jews, but to the world as a whole.<br /> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Zion Deception</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zion-Deception-Dr-Laurence-Brown/dp/1453762116/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358653673&sr=1-1&keywords=the+zion+deception" style="outline: 0px;" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1358654662_13">http://www.amazon.com/Zion-Deception-Dr-Laurence-Brown/dp/1453762116/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358653673&sr=1-1&keywords=the+zion+deception</span></span></a></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Zion-Deception-ebook/dp/B009QBC5S4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358654295&sr=1-1" style="outline: 0px;" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1358654662_14">http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Zion-Deception-ebook/dp/B009QBC5S4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358654295&sr=1-1</span></span></a></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-19332400524359606512013-03-29T00:00:00.000-07:002013-03-29T00:00:06.752-07:00Q & A With Dr. Laurence Brown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfJofxnPeO6evsh3FxJU4jM_Zn73oGGsFlcJHuZ2g2WtMxeDNt-2aKcu-gmY5f645xuiJLVfY0EUYi5OEtH_UaYbhMxBOmq3COo-Io7AlFx1AA3HNBCJj8GMSwEpdGRzqM7wtNzTyaihn/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfJofxnPeO6evsh3FxJU4jM_Zn73oGGsFlcJHuZ2g2WtMxeDNt-2aKcu-gmY5f645xuiJLVfY0EUYi5OEtH_UaYbhMxBOmq3COo-Io7AlFx1AA3HNBCJj8GMSwEpdGRzqM7wtNzTyaihn/s200/1.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">A brother living in North America emailed me that he has found himself challenged by the arguments of the Atheists to the point where he feels he is losing his faith. He is struggling, but he is tormented by his fear of losing faith. Family members have read Qur'an over him, but to no avail. What can he do?<br /><br /><b>My answer:</b> If reading Qur'an or having Qur'an read over you hasn't changed anything, your problem is probably not hassad (evil eye). Rather, you are suffering through the same philosophical issues that have tormented many sincere believers over time. So, the bad news is that these issues really do torment a true believer, but the good news is that they only torment a TRUE believer. See what I mean? If you weren't a true believer these arguments would not torment you. If you were weak in faith or deficient in emaan, you would have thrown your Islam away by now. The fact that you haven't done that indicates that you have true love of Allah and true emaan inside you, but you are struggling against the arguments of the disbelievers. Well, welcome to the club!!! All true believers struggle to explain Islam to the disbelievers. But here is the key thing that you need to understand -- most of Islam IS unseen. Islam CANNOT be proven in the way the atheists and rationalists "prove" things. Emaan (belief) is something Allah places in the hearts of those He loves, and true believers CANNOT guide those for whom Allah has written disbelief. The fact that most disbelievers do not come to Islam does not mean your arguments are wrong, it only means Allah has not written Islam for those people. Likewise, the fact that it is difficult to counter the disbelievers' so-called 'rational' arguments does not mean they are right, just that these are issues that cannot be resolved through rational argument. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Think of it like a headache. If I have a headache, how can I convince you? I might try to show my pain, but for all you know, I could be faking it. You might call me a liar and tell me you won't believe in my headache until I show it to you, or explain where it came from. But there is no way I can do those things, despite me knowing very well that my headache is real. No matter how hard I grimace and complain, I cannot show you my headache. Well, our religion is something like this example. So much of Islam is unseen -- Allah, the angels and jinn, the Hereafter, Heaven, Hell, Qadr, Emaan, etc. If you have belief, you cannot show or prove your faith to others. All you can do is invite them to true faith, lay out the arguments as best you can, and then see if Allah guides them. Understand that few will follow, and the majority will not. Also understand they will try to misguide you. However, if your emaan is strong enough, as is the case with a headache, they will not be able to convince you that it is not real. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">So, to summarize, you need to leave the arguments of the disbelievers and strengthen your emaan. The fact that you are agonizing over this issue basically proves that you are two things: </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">1) human, and troubled by our human weaknesses and </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">2) a good muslim at heart, but nonetheless one who needs to strengthen his belief as well as his Islamic understanding in order to safeguard his religion. But take care. If you persist upon listening and engaging in argument with the disbelievers, they can weaken or destroy your faith. Allah tells us to leave talks in which He is being disparaged or in which His religion is being disparaged. Learn to walk away from it. So start by leaving the websites and arguments that have brought you to this crisis, and turn to reading EVERYTHING on my website, <a href="http://www.realityofgod.com/">http://www.realityofgod.com/</a>. Then, watch my videos on the multimedia page of </span><span style="font-size: normal;"><xml></xml></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2162813356017312825" target="_blank">LevelTruth.com</a></span><span style="font-size: normal;">.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">And lastly, contact me as needed to both tell me how you're doing, and in case you have any questions. And remember, as the prophet taught us, Islam came as a stranger and will return as a stranger, so give good tidings to strangers. Yes, you are strange (as are all true believers) in the society you are living in. But please understand that this is a sign that you are among those to whom the good tidings of true belief are due.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162813356017312825.post-34055413077291786132013-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:002013-03-27T00:00:11.015-07:00Top 10 Reasons Why The Trinity Is Invalid <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="413" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/e9kfJnujU5Y" width="550"></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0