Tags: Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah, Muhammad, sukkah, Islam, Muslim, religionI love books, especially books dealing with philosophy, science, culture and religion. There is an excellent little red book that graces my shelf entitled "Mankind's Search For God." It's put out by Jehova's Witnesses and covers the gamut from mythology, magic and spiritism right thru Judaism, Christianity, Islam --- it's all there. The end pages are basically JW religious propaganda. I think it is good for one to explore all of the 'secrets' that surround the world's religions. Indeed, in Catholicism there were some very scarey situations: like the time when it was decided priests could not marry and the ones who had wives and children saw their loved ones taken away and sold into slavery. Or the fact that less than a hundred years ago, adults were discouraged from reading the Bible. Or the recent rumours that certain Popes may have been Euthanized. In my personal quest for truth and peace and guidance and hope, I have found great comfort in a variety of teachings which have proven to me that the "thread of Allah" is sewn throughout various cultures and beliefs.
September through January there are many "high holy days" of different origins within the major religions here in the United States. I'll wrap this post with words from two local religious leaders.
The first is an excerpt from an article written by Rabbi Aryeh Wineman of Congregation beth El, Troy. Writing about Sukkot and the sukkah in "The Jewish World" - "A sukkah lacks a strong roof. It has spaces between the branches on top to allow us to be able to see the stars at night, to be open to the light even to tiny points of light shining from an unbelievable distance. It suggests to us that we must not be so totally encompassed in our strong walls with sturdy, solid roofs, that we are not open to the presence of mystery and marvel, and that we not shield ourselves from even a tiny glimpse of the ultimate that goes beyond everyday day thoughts or cliches."
The second comes from AnNur Islamic School Principal Tammy Din, who tells the Times Union "An Islamic or Catholic or Jewish school lays a religious foundation and instills a sense of pride in a child. In order to be productive members of a community, people should have a sense of pride in their religion and their community."
I always find it interesting to note that the major religions popular today all originated in the Middle East, and that basic religions in general all have associations with Egypt.
Counterpoint: Using Jesus as a Crutch
"You canNOT petition the lord with prayer!" - Jim Morrison
