Fighting Faiths

Jacob Abrams et al. v. United States is the landmark Supreme Court case in the definition of free speech. Although the 1918 conviction of four Russian Jewish anarchists--for distributing leaflets protesting America's intervention in the Russian revolution--was upheld, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes's dissenting opinion (with Justice Louis Brandeis) concerning "clear and present danger" has proved the touchstone of almost all subsequent First Amendment theory and litigation.In Fighting Faiths, Richard Polenberg explores the causes and characters of this dramatic episode in American history. He traces the Jewish immigrant experience, the lives of the convicted anarchists before and after the trials, the careers of the major players in the court cases--men such as Holmes, defense attorney Harry Weinberger, Southern Judge Henry DeLamar Clayton, Jr., and the young J. Edgar Hoover--and the effects of this important case on present-day First Amendment rights.

The ethnic and religious violence that characterized the late twentieth century calls for new ways of thinking and writing about politics. Listening to the voices of people who experience political violence—either as victims or as perpetrators—gives new insights into both the sources of violent conflict and the potential for its resolution. Drawing on her extensive interviews and conversations with Sikh militants, Cynthia Keppley Mahmood presents their accounts of the human rights abuses inflicted on them by the state of India as well as their explanations of the philosophical tradition of martyrdom and meaningful death in the Sikh faith. While demonstrating how divergent the world views of participants in a conflict can be, Fighting for Faith and Nation gives reason to hope that our essential common humanity may provide grounds for a pragmatic resolution of conflicts such as the one in Punjab which has claimed tens of thousands of lives in the past fifteen years.

The Muslim community that is portrayed to the West is a misogynist's playground; within the Muslim community, feminism is often regarded with sneering hostility. Yet between those two views there is a group of Muslim women many do not believe exists: a diverse bunch who fight sexism from within, as committed to the fight as they are to their faith. Hemmed in by Islamophobia and sexism, they fight against sexism with their minds, words and bodies. Often, their biggest weapon is their religion. Here, Carland talks with Muslim women about how they are making a stand for their sex, while holding fast to their faith. At a time when the media trumpets scandalous revelations about life for women from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia, Muslim women are always spoken about and over, never with. In Fighting Hislam, that ends.

One of the critical issues in interreligious relations today is the connection, both actual and perceived, between sacred sources and the justification of violent acts as divinely mandated. Fighting Words makes solid text-based scholarship accessible to the general public, beginning with the premise that a balanced approach to religious pluralism in our world must build on a measured, well-informed response to the increasingly publicized and sensationalized association of terrorism and large-scale violence with religion. In his introduction, Renard provides background on the major scriptures of seven religious traditions—Jewish, Christian (including both the Old and New Testaments), Islamic, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Hindu, and Sikh. Eight chapters then explore the interpretation of select facets of these scriptures, focusing on those texts so often claimed, both historically and more recently, as inspiration and justification for every kind of violence, from individual assassination to mass murder. With its nuanced consideration of a complex topic, this book is not merely about the religious sanctioning of violence but also about diverse ways of reading sacred textual sources.

Truth is ever to be found in simplicity and not in multiplicity and confusion of things. I have just three things to teach or say: to the contemporary Humans that simplicity, Patience and compassion are the three building blocks of humanity. Simplicity and humanity are the ultimate sophistications of human civilization. They are the essence of happiness since great acts are made up of small deeds. All I have is a sense of duty toward all people and attachment to those with whom I have become intimate. Thus the next evolutionary step for me that mankind is to be more from man to kind. Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need not everyman’s greed. Hence I have taken up writing books to mould other beings to be humans not as savage since we Hominids were savage in early stage and now it is high time to turn out ourselves into humans. Simplicity, which is the essence of happiness, is great act of humans for doing small deeds. Right from retirement as an Audit Officer from the Office of the Principal Accountant General Audit Andhra Pradesh Hyderabad, on 01-07-2003, I studied LL.B, at the evening age of 60 to 69 years while writing certain controversial books like (i)“ Human Life-A Philosophical Audit, (ii) We Think Therefore We Are”, (iii)“My Mind is My Mosque” (iv)“ Tears of Terrorism” (v) “After all Whose Life is It any Way?”( a book on Euthanasia) (vi)“Know your India-Open a new Page for writing Nationalism” (for India’s Nationalism) (vii) Paradise Lost ( a real life story of a Jihadists killing his own mother in Syria for the sake of Blessing of Paradise by the Allah) (viii) “Spicy Trade” (How India was subjected to Invasion by Arabs, Europeans and finally tampered One India into Three viz. Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, (ix) “Father Turns Monster” ( real story relating to a father to save his child by killing innocent peoples and plucked their organs like Lungs and Heart and used for Transplantation and replacement of his sons Lungs and Heart”) (x) “Tridevi Trident” (story relating to three sisters killing their father who became Psycho in raping the children including themselves and this is also a real story). I normally portray in a books only facts not fiction, poetry and no fairy tails. My aim is let the decide what is fact and what fiction and develop his personality accordingly since what ever that feels, perceives, desires expressions and emotions are all the offshoots of the Brain. The meaning of life is to take birth, to grow, to feed, to develop energy, procreate children and finally to die and merge into the womb of Earth as a piece of nuclei. That is it! Hence I did not show craze for the monetary returns but only to show the people how the realm of our Society is inflamed with monetary gains. This my story in short.

Fighting, Faith & Forgiveness is about the power of faith. It is a living testament of what hard work and a heart that doesn't give up can produce. It motivates and inspires all who read it that change is possible and that you can overcome anything.

As a respected Bible teacher, Kasey Van Norman had dedicated her life to sharing God’s Word and encouraging women to trust in God during times of crisis. Then, just as her ministry was poised to explode, Kasey was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer that shattered her spirit and rocked her faith to its core. Sick, frightened, and in pain, Kasey suddenly found herself facing the greatest challenge of her life—believing her own message. In Raw Faith, Kasey chronicles her courageous battle with cancer, taking readers on a candid and poignant journey of faith and discovery, from the depths of despair through triumphant victory. Drawing on a variety of Bible stories and characters, Kasey discovers and distills the singular truth that has existed since time began: while change and uncertainty are inevitable, God is always unchanging, and He is always faithful—even when our circumstances might tempt us to think otherwise.

Four Australian thinkers come together to ask and answer the big questions, such as: What is the nature of the universe? Doesn't religion cause most of the conflict in the world? and Where do we find hope? We are introduced to the detail of different belief systems - Judaism, Christianity, Islam - and to the argument that atheism, like organised religion, has its own compelling logic. And we gain insight into the life events that led each author to their current position. Jane Caro flirted briefly with spiritual belief, inspired by 19th century literary heroines such as Elizabeth Gaskell and the Brontë sisters. Antony Lowenstein is proudly culturally, yet unconventionally, Jewish. Simon Smart is firmly and resolutely a Christian, but one who has had some of his most profound spiritual moments while surfing. Rachel Woodlock grew up in the alternative embrace of Baha'i belief but became entranced by its older parent religion, Islam. Provocative, informative and passionately argued, For God's Sake encourages us to accept religious differences but to also challenge more vigorously the beliefs that create discord.