This is the second of probably about a dozen posts it will take to work through the second Surah. If you want to read them in succession then you can go to the commentary on 2:1-22 here. This Surah (chapter) is by most lists considered the first of the Medina Surahs. The Quran as we... Continue Reading →
Surah 2:1-22 Who does God hate?
The second Surah (chapter) is the longest surah in the Quran. It has 286 ayat (verses) and there's no way I am going to try and run a commentary on the entire thing in one post. Even if I were willing to do so, I highly doubt even the most interested reader would have the... Continue Reading →
Surah Al Fatiha (the Christian comentary)
I am not a big fan of the Quran. Nearly all of my friends, neighbors, and co-workers respond to this simple statement with some level of shock and horror. Of course, the next question is always, "Have you actually read the Quran?" More shock and dismay when I respond, "I have. Three times, in three... Continue Reading →
Debating with The Myth of the Muslim Tide
Some of you mıght know that I am a rabıd reader. I target to read 100 books a year and even though I rarely hit that goal, I usually do come close. Somewhere along the line, I came to realize that I don't read the way most people do. I don't read books, I engage... Continue Reading →
How old is Mecca? (and other follow up questions)
How old is Mecca? When was the city first built? Is there any historical or archaeological evidence that can give us a definitive answer? Did Abraham and Ishmael first purify the Ka'ba, build Mecca, and institute the Hajj as it seems to say in 2:125-127? Did Abraham really instruct his sons to follow the command... Continue Reading →
A Family Business
Earlier today a mother and her two daughters aged nine and twelve went to one church, a father went to a second, and their two teenage sons went to a third church. Then they all blew themselves up.
Drop The Bomb
France, the UK, and the US have all bombed various targets in Syria in retaliation for recent chemical attacks against civilians. According to Trump we can declare "Mission Accomplished" but was it really? Has anything at all been accomplished?
What Crime Has She Committed?
Ayla Albayrak, a journalist with the Wall Street Journal has recently been convicted in absentia by the Erdoğan controlled Turkish court system. The trial leading to this conviction came about after she wrote a very fair and truthful article: Urban Warfare Escalates in Turkey’s Kurdish-Majority Southeast. I myself had been there around the same time (As The... Continue Reading →
Cross Examination (3) – Are Muslims Better Followers of Jesus than Christians?
The accusation is made that Christians, when they do things like drink alcohol and eat pork, are proving that they do not follow the teachings of Jesus like Muslims do. Is there any truth to this?
Cross Examination (2) – What Did Jesus Say About His Death?
The accusation has been made that the Atonement is a doctrine from Paul and contradicts what Jesus Himself taught. Does it?
Cross Examination (1) – Did Jesus claim to be God?
The claim has been made that Jesus never called himself God. Now it is time to examine the truth...
Love Trumps Fear
Where do I begin? I am running late. Normally, I have this letter all written and sent at least a few days before the month ends. Yet here I am at 8PM still looking at my keyboard wondering where I begin. I have a lot I want to say, but how to say it? From... Continue Reading →
Is She The Greatest?
Is Simone Biles the greatest gymnast in the world?
The Gospel of Peace
I know I haven't been writing on here much of late. A good portion of that is because between being a full time teacher, a full time student, and trying to maintain at least some semblance of real world ministry, I simply don't have the time to devote to keeping this up faithfully as well.... Continue Reading →
Kingdoms Collide 