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Evelyne Reisacher On How Fear Blurs Our Vision Of Islam

1/7/2016

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The holidays threw me out of the habit of writing, but I promise to have regular posts again soon. In the meantime, watch this video from Evelyne Reisacher. I studied under her during my M.A., and she became one of my favorite professors for her compassion and insight.

Dr. Reisacher is professor of Islamic studies and intercultural relations, and this video (from an evangelical conference) is a must-watch for Christians concerned about the future of Christian/Muslim relations, Islam and the West, or Muslims in America... especially this election season.

Evelyne Reisacher


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Terror in Paris: What Do We Do Now?

11/14/2015

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I hate to admit it, but the people linking Daesh with the end of the world are right. Not in the way they imagine, of course—yesterday's violence is not a sign of the apocalypse or the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy (unless you count Lamech ).
 
These attacks mark the end of the world only for those whose sense of peace and security is now forever altered, for those who will never feel safe in a concert hall again, for those whose loved ones will never return, and most of all, for those whose lives were tragically cut short.
 
For the victims of these attacks, the world has already ended. The safe, modern Paris they once inhabited is gone. Carefree nights strolling along the Seine, eating and drinking at the bistros and nightclubs will be replaced by anxious meals at home. Concerts that once provided entertainment and a sense of escape will now trigger only flashbacks. Happy dreams will be replaced by nightmares. Some will even move away from the city, returning to small town life with a haunted look in their eyes.
 
They now exist in a different world, a world where nothing is safe, a world already inhabited by every rape victim, every domestic abuse survivor, every combat veteran, every innocent child whose cries were stifled, every person traumatized and scarred by violence.
 
But while their world has ended,
 
                                          …ours has not

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Find Your Purpose

11/7/2015

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Human beings need purpose to survive. Sometimes survival is our purpose, but this is becoming rarer in the technology age. Once survival needs are met, we look for purpose in other places. This manifests itself in countless ways: the parent who finds purpose in raising a child, the student aiming at high grades and graduation day, the business man or woman seeking success, the politician working for re-election, the artist grappling with expression. ​

Purpose changes throughout our lives. You won't always be in school, your kids will move out, you'll retire or lose your job. These changes may cause you to lose your sense of purpose. Your world will be spinning. You'll feel anxious, you might even panic for a while until you find a new direction for your energy. This is normal.

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It's Time to Rethink "Judgement"

9/28/2015

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​​In Reflections on the Psalms, C.S. Lewis points out that westerners have been largely spared an age-old experience regarding our legal system. 
​"In most times and places it has been very difficult for the 'small man' to get his case heard. The judge (and doubtless, one or two of his underlings) has to be bribed. If you can't afford to 'oil his palm,' your case will never reach court. Our judges do not receive bribes. (We probably take this blessing too much for granted; it will not remain with us automatically). We need not therefore be surprised if the Psalms, and the Prophets are full of the longing for judgment, and regard the announcement that "judgement" is coming as good news. Hundreds and thousands of people who have been stripped of all they possess and who have the right entirely on their side will at last be heard. They know their case is unanswerable- if only it could be heard. When God comes to judge, at last it will."

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What You Need To Know About The Syrian Refugee Crisis

9/23/2015

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In the dark about the Syrian refugee crisis? Here's a short video explaining how it started and what it means:

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Islam and the West, Part 2 (and why you really don't need to be afraid)

8/22/2015

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Muslims linking arms to protect a Christian worship service in Pakistan, 2013.
Islam has been forging its way into our thinking since September 11, 2001, but as we reach another anniversary of that terrible day, I'm not convinced we understand this religion any better than we did fourteen years ago. Before the terrorist attacks, our national concept of Islam came from Hollywood films like Lawrence of Arabia and Indiana Jones. Islam seemed far away, mysterious and exotic when people thought about it at all, and most didn't think about it. Today, our perception of Islam is filtered by a media more likely to report the body count after a bloody explosion than a joint declaration from Muslim leaders condemning violence.

If headlines and book titles are to be believed, Islam is Daesh, Al Quaeda, radical terrorism, and the end of civilization. To be a Muslim is to be a suspect, a potential threat, a person set on destroying the West either by force or by a less violent (but no less sinister) immigration strategy. But is this the real Islam, the one that exists outside the parameters drawn by a nostalgic Hollywood, a partisan media, and popular understanding? With 1.5 billion adherents (according to PEW Research), the Muslim religion is the second largest religion in the world (Christianity is the largest). If it is a religion of violence, as many claim, why is violence and war on a steady global decline?

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Snowpiercer (2013)

7/26/2015

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Snowpiercer is out on Netflix, and I know what you're thinking: "The Day After Tomorrow meets Unstoppable, right?" Wrong. Snowpiercer looks like total camp, it might even start out that way. But if you can make it through the first five minutes you'll be rewarded with a surprisingly engaging sci-fi parable of global irresponsibility.

This film is set in a post-apocalyptic future, where a climate change experiment gone wrong has created a global ice age. The last remaining survivors live on a globe circling train that has developed a class system. Led by Curtis Everett (Chris Evans), the poor in the tail section slum start a rebellion to take the engine of the train. What follows is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. 

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