They can't even run countries outside Gaza without totalitarian regimes Egypt probably the one exception. I visited the Middle East very recently and was blown away by the tolerance of the Egyptians of the Christian Minorities. I was able to engage in a good debate with my driver for the day on the right of Israel to exist, and he was not aware of the Jews history dating back 3000 years to that land. He had of course been told that it should not have been given to Israel in 1947 but was not aware of their historical claims. It was an interesting and respectful discussion. (And we found the Valley of the Whales out in the Sahara Desert) Turkey is little short of a dictatorship with active suppression of free speech by Erdoğan. Why should any country provide aid into these countries only to have the money put to the purchase of weapons and explosives to use against Israel and the West. One must ask where did all of the concrete come from to build all the tunnels under the hospitals and residential areas. Was it only Iran or was it UNRWA as the UN has become a cesspool of Left Wing Ideology and hatred of Israel, as shown by some of their recent motions.
I admired Rushdie, am glad he wrote this book and plan to read it. That said, I am always annoyed at speculation that some higher power singles out any individual life for saving. The unspoken and egotistic implication is that the saved live is somehow more worthy or meaningful to God (or whatever one calls it) than the countless lives not likewise saved. What saved Rushie was medical care and his own capacity for recovery from being stabbed by a knife-wielding zealot whose enthusiasm was greater than his skill.
Or maybe the individual is singled out because they have unfinished business to accomplish. I don’t know the answers but I do know that each of us is here for a specific mission. We don’t understand why some are hear for a short time or a long time but each of us has a job to do
Maybe Rushdie should listen to Nicole Avant on Honestly with Bar, talking about how she forgave the man who murdered her mother? Nah, actually, he’s not ready for that kind of radical selflessness.
I admire Rushdie, and his late great friend Christopher Hitchens, who sheltered Rushdie after the fatwa. Both are/were atheists. But I'm hopeful that in his final days Hitchens realized what many of us do, and that Rushdie will come to that realization as well: that faith and science are not incompatible. To have one you don't have to reject the other. ;-)
But thank God or somebody we in the West have the right to choose, if we believe or who we follow, which is not available in many Arab Nations but not all. Egypt being one very commendable exception. Turkey or should I say Erdoğan in particular is working towards totalitarianism and at best ignoring Christianity if not erasing it.
Thank you Salman Rushdie to remind me that I don't have to hold my detractors in contempt. Unpopular opinion, as sure as there is a judgement for me, there is also a judgement for his misguided attacker.
What is the difference between science and religion? Nothing. In the end, much of science is based on faith. And although the scientific search goes on, so does many religions. And in the end, science has no answer to the foundational questions of life. Why we are here, how was the universe formed. How did we get a conscience. etc. Science has no answer for such questions but the atheists keep the faith, that one day science will. Just like the earth is flat, the universe rotates around earth, alchemy, harmless drugs like coke, etc. But I expect that some will rebut this post. none will be able to do it with facts and truths. Just name calling and maybes.
And the fact is, there is a testable model of creation just as science requires. And science and the Bible are not opposed to each pother but in harmony.
I came of age in the Carter years. And one thing I have in common with today's young adults is that those were hard economic times. I was also in the when you're young stage of if you are not a liberal when you are young thing and the 1960s anti-war crowd was successful so we thought the liberal war was won. So I did not pay much attention to politics. I knew gas went from gas wars where a gallon was 15 cents (I had to write that out because I do not have the cents symbol) to oil embargoes and OPEC to the Iranian embassy debaucle. My dad worked on the helicopters sent to rescue the hostages that failed. He was devastated. So I was unaware of Carter's Op Ed. Not surprised by it though. He was the first President in my adulthood, maybe my life, to epitomize weakness. He was defeated by the Islamists. Then hosted them at Camp David. In hindsight we should have paid better attention to them.
As for the existence of miracles and the Higher Power, the way Rushdie contemplates it is one way. His circumstances brought him to a situation he could not rationalize. Another is to ponder where the evil, and it does exist, comes from. I submit if you believe there is good versus evil, light versus dark, fulfillment versus a void you do indeed believe in a higher power.
Thanks for the reminder of the grossness of Jimmy Carter. His malevolence has long been forgotten and he will likely be remembered for building houses not his ever growing hostility to Israel and his own country in favor of Islamic terrorists.
ICBW but I really do not see him as malevolent. The opposite actually - a devout man who really believed in kindness and enlightenment. To the point thst he had no self-interest. For himself or those on behalf of whom he was supposed to act. But it is really just taking the easy way - refusing to see much less face hard truths.
Are you kidding. Habitat was mostly paid for by Arab money. I am not a conspiracy person but maybe he had connections to Iran before the hostage debacle.
I am sure in his own mind he feels that wah. But his behavior and actions have been incredibly malevolent. Unless you don't consider meeting with murderous terrorists malevolent.
I see your point. In my personal life I do not meet with those I deem unworthy. But I actually prefer leadership that is strong enough to face anyone. The problem.with Carter was that he did not have that strength. Sort of Ike the current one. Just say "Don't" is not an effective strategy.
At the risk of sounding cliche (and of repeating myself...) there's that 'Still Small Voice' again in the darkness....Rushdie is a treasure. And now he might even see that he is. God bless him.
They can't even run countries outside Gaza without totalitarian regimes Egypt probably the one exception. I visited the Middle East very recently and was blown away by the tolerance of the Egyptians of the Christian Minorities. I was able to engage in a good debate with my driver for the day on the right of Israel to exist, and he was not aware of the Jews history dating back 3000 years to that land. He had of course been told that it should not have been given to Israel in 1947 but was not aware of their historical claims. It was an interesting and respectful discussion. (And we found the Valley of the Whales out in the Sahara Desert) Turkey is little short of a dictatorship with active suppression of free speech by Erdoğan. Why should any country provide aid into these countries only to have the money put to the purchase of weapons and explosives to use against Israel and the West. One must ask where did all of the concrete come from to build all the tunnels under the hospitals and residential areas. Was it only Iran or was it UNRWA as the UN has become a cesspool of Left Wing Ideology and hatred of Israel, as shown by some of their recent motions.
Isn’t forgiveness a 2-way street? Doesn’t it require regret?
If not, then it’s just a victim deciding to be a survivor.
I admired Rushdie, am glad he wrote this book and plan to read it. That said, I am always annoyed at speculation that some higher power singles out any individual life for saving. The unspoken and egotistic implication is that the saved live is somehow more worthy or meaningful to God (or whatever one calls it) than the countless lives not likewise saved. What saved Rushie was medical care and his own capacity for recovery from being stabbed by a knife-wielding zealot whose enthusiasm was greater than his skill.
Or maybe the individual is singled out because they have unfinished business to accomplish. I don’t know the answers but I do know that each of us is here for a specific mission. We don’t understand why some are hear for a short time or a long time but each of us has a job to do
Maybe Rushdie should listen to Nicole Avant on Honestly with Bar, talking about how she forgave the man who murdered her mother? Nah, actually, he’s not ready for that kind of radical selflessness.
After reading this article I can't but flashback to season 9 of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and Rushdie's advice to Larry David on coping with a fatwa.
I admire Rushdie, and his late great friend Christopher Hitchens, who sheltered Rushdie after the fatwa. Both are/were atheists. But I'm hopeful that in his final days Hitchens realized what many of us do, and that Rushdie will come to that realization as well: that faith and science are not incompatible. To have one you don't have to reject the other. ;-)
But thank God or somebody we in the West have the right to choose, if we believe or who we follow, which is not available in many Arab Nations but not all. Egypt being one very commendable exception. Turkey or should I say Erdoğan in particular is working towards totalitarianism and at best ignoring Christianity if not erasing it.
So thankful you are still here
Thank you Salman Rushdie to remind me that I don't have to hold my detractors in contempt. Unpopular opinion, as sure as there is a judgement for me, there is also a judgement for his misguided attacker.
What is the difference between science and religion? Nothing. In the end, much of science is based on faith. And although the scientific search goes on, so does many religions. And in the end, science has no answer to the foundational questions of life. Why we are here, how was the universe formed. How did we get a conscience. etc. Science has no answer for such questions but the atheists keep the faith, that one day science will. Just like the earth is flat, the universe rotates around earth, alchemy, harmless drugs like coke, etc. But I expect that some will rebut this post. none will be able to do it with facts and truths. Just name calling and maybes.
And the fact is, there is a testable model of creation just as science requires. And science and the Bible are not opposed to each pother but in harmony.
I came of age in the Carter years. And one thing I have in common with today's young adults is that those were hard economic times. I was also in the when you're young stage of if you are not a liberal when you are young thing and the 1960s anti-war crowd was successful so we thought the liberal war was won. So I did not pay much attention to politics. I knew gas went from gas wars where a gallon was 15 cents (I had to write that out because I do not have the cents symbol) to oil embargoes and OPEC to the Iranian embassy debaucle. My dad worked on the helicopters sent to rescue the hostages that failed. He was devastated. So I was unaware of Carter's Op Ed. Not surprised by it though. He was the first President in my adulthood, maybe my life, to epitomize weakness. He was defeated by the Islamists. Then hosted them at Camp David. In hindsight we should have paid better attention to them.
As for the existence of miracles and the Higher Power, the way Rushdie contemplates it is one way. His circumstances brought him to a situation he could not rationalize. Another is to ponder where the evil, and it does exist, comes from. I submit if you believe there is good versus evil, light versus dark, fulfillment versus a void you do indeed believe in a higher power.
" A 24-year old New Jersey man" of what ethnicity and want religion? Two guesses. Are you afraid tl.write it? Emshi fahdlak!
It’s interesting…to live in a world where you don’t believe in miracles. For me, that’s like saying you don’t believe in the sky or trees or the sun.
Cultural enrichment from "Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old New Jersey man."
Thanks for the reminder of the grossness of Jimmy Carter. His malevolence has long been forgotten and he will likely be remembered for building houses not his ever growing hostility to Israel and his own country in favor of Islamic terrorists.
ICBW but I really do not see him as malevolent. The opposite actually - a devout man who really believed in kindness and enlightenment. To the point thst he had no self-interest. For himself or those on behalf of whom he was supposed to act. But it is really just taking the easy way - refusing to see much less face hard truths.
Are you kidding. Habitat was mostly paid for by Arab money. I am not a conspiracy person but maybe he had connections to Iran before the hostage debacle.
I did not know that.
I am sure in his own mind he feels that wah. But his behavior and actions have been incredibly malevolent. Unless you don't consider meeting with murderous terrorists malevolent.
I see your point. In my personal life I do not meet with those I deem unworthy. But I actually prefer leadership that is strong enough to face anyone. The problem.with Carter was that he did not have that strength. Sort of Ike the current one. Just say "Don't" is not an effective strategy.
So happy that you have a recovery. I believe in miracles- the noun and the adjective.
At the risk of sounding cliche (and of repeating myself...) there's that 'Still Small Voice' again in the darkness....Rushdie is a treasure. And now he might even see that he is. God bless him.