Paul Reid | Book Reviews

A Deadly Misunderstanding

paul — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:00:00 -0700

I’ll say this now, and I’ll say it again at the end, “This book is a must–read.” (Buy it online here.) A Deadly Misunderstanding is an aptly titled book that is both informative and inspiring. The book is informative by supplying the reader with scholarly research which demands a reconsideration of the typical stereotypes of Islam as portrayed in the media. The book is inspiring because it shows just how far–reaching our impact toward peace can take us, if we are willing to swallow our pride and learn the lesson of humility.

Perhaps you believe the following?

Islam is a religion of violence
The Qur’an preaches the destruction of all non–Muslims
The Qur’an and Islam are of the devil, as godless as the great evil of communism
Islam and Christianity are contradictory at their core
Eastern Islamic and Western Judeo–Christian cultures are irretrievably opposed to one another
The only solution is conversion of “them”

Mark D. Siljander was a congressman, a Christian, and necessarily a Muslim–hater…or so he thought. His book describes his transformation as he discovers the true teachings of Islam and Christianity. Initially, his understanding of Islam included the beliefs stated above. Through a series of paradigm “Crashes”, Siljander began to understand Islam in an entirely different light.

“I’ve heard this before,” you might be saying. “He’s just another self–hating Christian.” Hardly. He had his reasons to hate Muslims. His own experience caught in the crossfire between militants in Beirut, and Yasser Arafat putting a contract out on his life did not endear him to the Muslim people. During a National Prayer Breakfast a Muslim dignitary from Mideast addressed the guests with a reading from Qur’an, Siljander stormed out of the room…furious that an evil book of the devil should be read among a people of faith.

Paradigm Crash

Soon, Siljander received his first paradigm crash: The Bible nor Jesus teaches that people must convert to Christianity. He analyzes Matt 28:19, John 14:6, and Acts 3:19, among others, in his study. Soon, he would face a number of other challenges to his paradigm. He delves into Aramaic, the “Hidden language of the Bible” to demystify not only Islamic beliefs, but also his own understanding of the Bible.

Eventually walking out of a bookstore with a new Qur’an, Siljander felt unclean just touching the book! But to his shock, he found page after page of references to Jesus in the index!

Politically, Siljander soon began to discover how American foreign policy directly reflected the public attitude toward “other” people. One of his own colleagues in Washington, General Vernon Walters (US Representative), stated:

“We’re not here to make friends, we’re here to try to maintain a modicum of stability in the world. This isn’t summer camp; it’s global diplomacy. We don’t want to appear weak.”

Even President Richard Nixon told him:

“In the end, boys, it’s our interests that count. It’s never a matter of trust. Not reliability, morals, none of that—it’s whatever serves our interests, that’s what counts in the end.”

Disgusted, the author came to realize all governments use the same tactics:

diplomatic
political
economic (carrots and sticks)
military

But these methods never address the core issue…people. Human hearts.

Siljander would soon begin his own diplomacy…though not his own idea. He followed the example of Jesus in relating to infamous Muslim world leaders, telling them, “We’re here to build bridges of friendship around the ideas of Isa that are in your Qur’an and also in our holy book.” After a member of his team had prayer with Mubarak, President of Egypt, he was greeted by a hug! He visited the Sahrawi people in Western Sahara who had been battling for independence since 1966. Soon afterward they voluntarily stopped fighting. He met with al–Bashir of Sudan, and learned to love his enemies. Ten days after meeting secretly with Qaddafi’s foreign minister in Libya, the Lockerbie suspects were handed over for trial, and Libya would gradually take a more moderate stance.

Siljander learned that diplomacy must often work in an illogical way. Instead of broaching the subject of men who had been imprisoned under sharia law with General Musharraf in Pakistan, he only came to extend a hand of understanding. Musharraf himself had to bring up the subject. The men were later released.

Even Yasser Arafat, his own arch enemy would become a friend who sought Siljander’s advice on the Qur’an!

The book also includes his failures, such as a botched attempt to discuss Jesus with President Wahid of Indonesia. He makes clear that one cannot be divided in their intentions when discussing Jesus and the scriptures. It cannot be for any selfish purpose or political maneuvering. It must be discussed with no strings attached.

Not only does the book apply to Islam, but also to all religions of the world. After a member of Indian parliament explained his struggles with the challenge of such a diverse, disagreeable country, Siljander suggested he gather a forum around the ideas of Jesus. Jesus is universal. Jesus is the word of God. After this success, the Dalai Lama, considered by his followers to be so holy that to touch him or even look him in the eye is forbidden, gave him a bear hug!

Unfortunately our world does not abide by the principles laid out in this book, or those of Jesus. Christians often don’t even abide by the teachings of Jesus! Instead of seeking genuine dialogue and friendship with others, they focus on their own selfish preservation. Rather than humbly reaching out to militant Islam, the world defines Islam by the militant’s terms, and effectively gives voice to their claims!

Anyone who reads this book seeking true understanding will not be disappointed. Challenged, yes. But not disappointed.

Buy the book.

Also, the following two documents are taken from the Appendix of the book. One is a list of some linguistic similarities between Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic. The other is a listing of the references to Jesus in the Qur’an.

Jesus in the Qur'an [pdf]

Linguistic Similarities [pdf]

A Winter in Arabia

paul — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 11:00:00 -0700

I must confess my ignorance of Arabia is often apparent. One day in Sana’a, while visiting some friends from my institute, Kate and Jedrek, I was reminded of my lack when I told Kate I had never heard of Freya Stark. After her kind explosion of disapproval, I vowed to educate myself about this author. Fortunately, during my trip to USA a friend lent me her copy of “Winter in Arabia”, so I can now be officially educated. Well, at least with Freya Stark.

The book is just one account of a number of journeys Stark made to Yemen and the land of Arabia. For me, the priceless value of Stark is that she was so ahead of her time. Writing in the 1930’s, she determined not only to avoid trying to change the culture, but even to lament the idea of it’s “Westernization”, a sentiment that, while popular today, must have been quite daring in her day. (NOTE: After reading a little more about Stark, I discovered that she joined an organization designed to create propaganda for Arabs to accept the Western Allies in World War II. Whatever bearing this has to her time in Yemen, I don't know.)

Freya also put herself in dangerous, uncomfortable positions in order to learn about Yemen. Much of the book contains reports of sickness. Often she is alone, surrounded only by Yemenis. She even describes her discomfort, in true British fashion, while attempting to use the “sanitation” (toilet) on a small boat full of only Yemeni men…a prospect that would make anyone, even a foreign man quite uncomfortable.

Stark truly encountered Arabia as a learner and lived with the people as one of them. It is a valuable account of life in Yemen before unification during the imamate reign of Ibn Yahyah. Not only was Stark progressive for her day in this respect, but she would still be counted with those who find merit in living as one with the people.

A Winter in Arabia is also a perfect example of British literature. No one has more love for the nuances of English vocabulary than the British, and this becomes apparent in the book. Stark interweaves her tales with prose and poetry from other works of literature. And her breadth of vocabulary forces the reader to constantly refer to a dictionary for definitions, and some, such as flibbertigibbety (p 141), will only continue to remain a mystery.

In addition to the daily accounts of Stark’s journeys, she also throws in a bit of her own philosophy, often so profound that the reader can dwell on a passage for quite some time. One section, in particular, caught my attention, and I decided to present it to you for your own musings. Please download the file (Word document) below, then continue reading. Please read the document, don’t skip to my thoughts, ok?

DOWNLOAD THE BOOK EXCERPT HERE. [zipped DOC file]
(Thanks Mom, for typing this for me.)

Ok, so you’ve read the document, right? Good.

I was impressed with this passage because it relates to many of the issues which intrigue me most. Initially it deals with the value of art in a scientific world. She addresses the issue that often arises when people consider art. Often, when someone views art, they will say something such as, “I could have done that” or “That didn’t take any time at all.” While their opinion is valid, it misses the point of the art itself. The value of art is not determined by the art alone. It requires the viewer (or consumer) to take their whole life experience and apply it to their interpretation of the piece of art. Often in a society that places so much importance on science, art is relegated to fluff. But Stark attempts to validate art by giving it just as much merit as science, because, as she says, “The facts that the scientist simply states, the artist evokes.”

Then, Stark takes this idea a step further as it relates to Arab culture. Arabs (at least Yemenis) often don’t think scientifically, but artistically, which at times can frustrate those who attempt to relate to them. I have even found myself quite frustrated with the “ignorance” of Yemenis when I am discussing anything with them. I can state a fact, but it is as if they don’t care at all about facts and objective truth. This expansive gulf in reasoning is profound indeed. It is almost as if the whole society is somehow extra–human (from a western perspective). As Stark says, this problem of understanding is not one of language, but of understanding. Instead, Yemenis must grasp the concept from an artistic basis—from a picture they can see. This is a fact absolutely necessary to understanding and relating to Yemenis. We must remember not only our subject, but also our listeners.

So I’m grateful for the chance to be enriched by the timeless value of Stark’s writings. Truth be told, I’m sure I’ll meet someone again one day who will be baffled by my daftness in not knowing something else vital about Arabia. But you have to learn sometime, don’t you? And that is part of the adventure of life…choosing to throw yourself into situations with which you know absolutely nothing.

A Muslim View of Christianity

paul — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Think for a moment about the last time you heard someone make a statement out of ignorance. Perhaps it was a political statement, or maybe someone stating their opinion about someone famous, or how to raise children. Think about your reaction to them. Did you think about your response before you said anything? Did their statements make more sense after you had time to think about them? Or if the statement was truly out of ignorance and just plain wrong, do you remember your frustration over the misinformation?

These are questions that are often forgotten or rarely pondered. It is human nature to always consider oneself correct. But humanity would do well to stop and consider these things before jumping to conclusions.

Even before arriving in Yemen, I have been interested in learning about cultural and religious bridge–building. There’s no shortage of books and media dedicated to denouncing others, but finding books seeking to build bridges of understanding can be difficult at times. Often scholars simply rehash the same old polemics that bring us nowhere in our understanding.

A Muslim View of Christianity does what the title suggests. It is the reactions of a Muslim scholar, Mahmoud Ayoub, as he views Christianity from a Muslim perspective. Not only that, the book also awakens the reader to the need for dialogue itself. The book is a selection of Ayoub’s sermons originally in Arabic, and translated into English. While you might expect the same old one–sided rhetoric, Ayoub carefully acknowledges the mistakes made by both groups as they try to make sense of their faiths.

The problem both groups face is that they attempt to work backwards in their dialogue. Rather than letting each faith determine their foundational presuppositions as claimed, both groups try to fit the other into their belief systems.

Ayoub validates both faith traditions, including Christianity, in the following statements:

“I do not advocate that we accept the theology of one tradition and reject that of the other. Rather, I wish to understand the meaning for our life of faith of the Qur’an’s insistence that it confirms the scriptures that came before it, the Torah and the Gospel. This claim is based on the transcendent and timeless unity of the Word of God, as all scriptures come from one source: God.” [p.114]

“The miracle of Jesus, like the miracle of the Qur’an, is not a once–only event but an everlasting source of blessing, guidance, and salvation.” [p.115]

Ayoub is a spiritual thinker, and stresses the importance of right intentions over orthopraxy. A few excerpts follow:

“Thus, the Christianity that the Qur’an extols is not the official Christianity of Rome and Byzantium with its elaborate theology but the popular piety of desert monks who carried on the work of healing and purification that Jesus began during his earthly sojourn.” [p.64]

“Protestantism has often reduced Christian holiness to Biblicism or a shallow liberalism. The result has been not a living faith but rational and emotional systems.” [p.76]

“Our loyalty must be to God alone and not to any human–made institutions.” [p.111]

Ayoub makes several concessions regarding Islam itself. Just a few, for example:

The Qur’an does not claim that Shari’ah, the Islamic sacred law, has abrogated the law of Moses and of Christ. [p.18]

Ayoub recognizes Islam was influenced by pre–Islamic Arab culture much the way Christianity was influenced by Greek culture in the time of Christ.

He says, “It must be further noted that the confident assertion of absolute originality, primordiality, and supersessionism of Islam over Christianity and Judaism was only a later development in Muslim law and theology that was read back into the Qur’an and hadith tradition.” [p.18]

Mainstream = Truth?

The reader should also be aware that Ayoub is evaluating mainstream Christianity which can be vastly different than other religions claiming to be Christian. Issues such as transubstantiation, withholding the cup from the laity, mass, fetus baptism and Marianism are just some of the examples why true Christianity cannot be determined by the mainstream. However, non–Christian authors are often not aware of these critical factors when evaluating Christianity, and Ayoub, though progressive in his thinking, makes the same mistake. Of course he is probably addressing the majority of Christians who believe these things, but it still draws the reader into the idea that current Christianity is an accurate reflection of Biblical Christianity.

For example, he dedicates an entire chapter at the end of the book to Pope John Paul II, assuming him to be the authoritative leader of the Christian church. However, traditionally protestants rejected this belief and many consider him to the anti–Christ! The reader must take care to consider these factors while reading the book. In fact, I believe one will find even MORE commonality between Islam and certain religions labeled as Christian…notably the Seventh–day Adventist church.

Another aspect of the book I found difficult to understand was Ayoub’s use of sources. Several times he introduces a Muslim author, explains their stance, then shows why the source is unreliable. I found myself asking why he would waste the time to add this superfluous information. But I think my problem was forgetting Ayoub’s audience. His Muslim readers have had a lifetime of indoctrination from sources at times unreliable. In order to grow in their understanding, both groups need to unlearn some things.

Despite these issues, A Muslim View of Christianity is an invaluable must–read for anyone interested in interfaith dialogue, and would be an appropriate book for anyone to read.

If anyone has read another great book of this subject matter, please share it with us in your comment below.

Arabic for Designers

paul — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0700

NOTE: A few pages from this book have been photographed and are available in the gallery here.

Arabic for Designers is a decent entry–level book for any designer wanting to enter the Arabic market. It provides some fantastic design ideas and gives a surface–level perspective of both the history of the Arabic language, and also it’s current implementation in the digital age. However, the book left me with the impression that there must be something better available for the cutting edge designer.

While it can be argued that a basic introduction to Arabic and it’s history is relevant to the topic of Arabic design, I believe it should have been left out of the book. If someone is seriously considering the option of using Arabic in their design work, they will either:

Already understand Arabic (as in a native speaker) or
Invest heavily in learning the language (as I am doing now)

As some of the examples in the book demonstrate, there are some daft designers out there that are trying to work with Arabic with disastrous results. But we don’t necessarily need plenty of remedial reading to warn the few folks out there that need the warning. I would assume most folks wanting to design in Arabic will do their homework. Besides, a book this size simply cannot suddenly transform a clueless non–Arabic designer into a good one. There’s no way around it. You must understand both Arabic and the culture.

However, to be fair the book has some awesome design examples that definitely make the book worth buying. The “Spinneys” piece, in particular, was quite intriguing to me. It also covers some important developments in Arabic design such as the influence of Letraset and the attempts of designers to create a “Basic Arabic.”

As mentioned, there are very good examples of fantastic design in the book. Unfortunately it has a number of poorly selected designs as well. Not only that, the book itself is lacking in a solid layout. Body copy is placed dangerously close to containing strokes giving the reader claustrophobic visual fatigue as they read. All of the pages in the book have a tawdry, colored background that distracts from the designs on display. It just doesn’t FEEL like a design book. Yet, when one takes off the dust jacket, one finds a gorgeous hardcover with beautiful Arabic script in gold foil! It’s a shame that this sensitivity to elegance is not carried out in the rest of the book.

Now let me make this absolutely clear…Boutros knows his stuff, and his calligraphy ability is astounding. I would be honored to meet him one day! If anything, I’m suggesting that the designers responsible for designing the book could have used more care. Yet, regarding content, there are still some selected pieces of artwork in the book that don’t belong. Even I have found better examples just walking around snapping pictures.

What’s with the photo?

I have to explain the funky book in the photo above. Thanks to the Yemeni postal service, the book was shredded when it arrived straight from Amazon! Fortunately, my Mom, who was kind enough to send the book to me as a gift, contacted Amazon and they sent out a replacement. It just seems a shame to me that they should have to send a replacement when the problem certainly appeared to occur in Yemen. But now that I have the new book, I sorta want to keep the old one! That ridiculous ground–up tear just makes me laugh. So…

Does anybody want to buy the new one? I can either ship it to you from Yemen or I can send it the next time I visit America. Just let me know.

And finally, I want to say a big THANK YOU to my Mom for sending me something that will surely help me in the work that I love to do.

Motoring with Mohammed

paul — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 05:45:00 -0800

Before coming to Yemen, I visited several libraries looking for books on Yemen. My findings were a dismal few. But in just about every library I found a copy of Motoring with Mohammed. Judging by the card catalog information, the book appeared to be more about a far-fetched adventure tale than an accurate book based on real life. Boy was I wrong.

Motoring with Mohammed is a great book to introduce people to the nuances of life in Yemen. While the book begins off the topic of Yemen, the real beauty of the story is Hansen’s attention to documenting little details about his interactions with Yemenis and foreigners living in Yemen. It can be especially enjoyable to read after living in Yemen as one is compelled to say things like: “I’ve been to the exact same shop!” or “Hey, I think I know that guy!”

Brief summary

The story begins in 1978 with a shipwreck on an island off the coast of Yemen. Hansen and his shipmates are stranded on Uqban Island and eventually are taken to the mainland by Eritrean goat smugglers. When they finally reach a military post, they are put under house arrest until their story could be confirmed. Returning to the island by military escort, Hansen retrieved his buried belongings but forgot to take his treasured journals. Once they were granted permission to leave, Hansen finally made his way back to America. But the nagging desire to return to Uqban island and retrieve his journals eventually drove him to return to Yemen to find them. The bulk of the book is Hansen’s meandering around Yemen trying to get clearance to visit the island.

Along the way, Hansen fluctuates from enthusiastic love for the culture, and his constant frustrations of the same. He portrays perfectly what it is like to live in a land that is so enchanting, while at the same time…frustrating. But despite the frustrations, the reader is compelled to agree with Hansen that Yemen, despite it’s debilitating red tape and disorganization, absolutely MUST be seen.

Quotes from the book

To diverge from my normal book reviews, I’d like to let the book just speak for itself and give you a better idea of what it is like to live here in Yemen. So many quotes from the book deserve to be mentioned, but I’ll just list a few below. I hope I don’t break some sort of copyright law by putting this content here. [Eric, if you don’t like me quoting from your book, please email me before you call your attorney. I’ll be happy to take them down.]

I asked Carolyn where I could find a local restaurant that served typical Yemeni food. “Something authentic?” she inquired.

“Yes, a place that doesn’t cater to Western visitors,” I requested.

“I don’t know how traditional you are willing to get, but there is a place nearby […]”

I went in search of the place and fifteen minutes later arrived in front of a Yemeni restaurant. Colorfully veiled women were in the street, selling stacks of steaming, crusty flatbread from baskets balanced on their heads. Male customers, with the warm bread already folded under their arms like newspapers, were clustered outside a blue, wood-framed doorway set into a mud-brick wall. I bought my bread and waited with the others. A dozen disheveled men were suddenly disgorged from the doorway, the waiting crowd surged forward, and I was carried into darkness by the momentum of the surrounding bodies.

Blinded by the rising heat and smoke billowing up the stairway, I descended slick, foot-worn stone steps and entered an inferno. It was difficult to move freely in the crush of bodies, and I was immediately damp with sweat. Flames from ferociously hot earthen ovens shot into the main room and illuminated a writhing throng of lunch guests and kitchen staff. Following the example of those around me, I climbed over the tables and steaming ceramic dishes until finally I managed to wedge myself between two heavily armed strangers. With hand gestures these men instructed me in the technique of throwing wads of paper at the waiter to attract his attention. The floor was littered with little balls of paper. I struck the man between the shoulder blades on my second throw, and he nodded vaguely in my direction. He was soon at my table, yelling something in Arabic.

[Hansen goes on to describe ordering and eating Saltah, the only food available.]

There wasn’t room for everyone to be seated, and many men were squatting on the tables with their shoes on as they helped themselves from large, steaming communal pots. [More descriptions of Saltah.]

I was charged with energy by the time I finished. This was partly due to the high concentration of chilis in the saltah, but also the result of the excited conversations and pandemonium around me. Uneaten bread was left on the table or handed to fellow diners. After finishing my lunch, I staggered back over the table and washed my hands in a basin next to the stairs. A soiled terry-cloth hand towel hung on the wall, but I preferred to wipe my hands on the seat of my pants. I paid the equivalent of two American dollars before allowing myself to be carried by the rising tide of bodies up the stairs and back to daylight, air, and the relative calm of the traffic-jammed streets. If that was a typical Yemeni meal, I told myself, I could well understand why people chewed qat in the afternoon. It seemed reasonable to resort to euphoric substances in order to quiet the mind and body after such an experience.

My first impression was that during the night I had fallen back in time and awakened in the midst of a fairy-tale world from my childhood. I looked out at a gingerbread fantasy in which every surface was adorned with mad geometric designs, covered in squiggles of white cake icing. [More descriptions…]

The splendor of San’a could not be taken in at a glance. Each visual morsel deserved careful attention. [More descriptions…] I had been unprepared for this sensation of attachment. No one had warned me about the allure of San’a, and in my surprise, I was caught off balance—seduced without a struggle. The magical, otherworldly beauty of the city took hold of me, and I didn’t resist.

I had wanted to inspect a rare twelfth-century minbar (pulpit) in the Asha’ir Mosque that had been specially made for readings of the Hadith (Traditions of the Prophet). More than twelve hundred years of history lay waiting for me in Zabid, but I found myself helping Mohammed force the reluctant rear end of a sheep into the back seat of his car. I reminded him that we would not be returning to San’a for another two days.

“What is two days to a sheep?” he replied.

The doctor helped position the man face down on the ground, then with a felt-tipped pen, marked the area where the heart was located. The executioner stepped forward with an assault rifle, stood over the prostrate man for a long moment, then fired a short burst through the man’s back. It was over in an instant. The doctors had watched the execution as if it had been a normal medical procedure. A stretcher and an ambulance were about ten yards away, to take the dead man immediately to the hospital, and a group of women from his family waited with a white shroud and perfumes, with which they would prepare the body for burial.

Time was compressed; voices vibrated through my body, humming, pulsating, soothing and intrusive at the same time. The air pressure in the room seemed to increase as the bodies all about me rocked in time to the rhythm of the words. I relaxed and let the vibrations of the voices pass through me without resisting. Kevin had slumped into a corner, speechless, unblinking, stunned. I was alarmed by his chalky complexion but realized that I couldn’t look much better. The windows were fogged up with condensation, and rivulets of water ran down the insides of the small windowpanes. At one point during the chanting I lost control of my hearing: words and syllables expanded and contracted as if distorted by the Doppler effect. I cleared my ears repeatedly by holding my nose and blowing until my ears popped. As the sweat streamed down my chest, I tried to focus on the sayyid’s fingers. One by one he squeezed the beads between his thumb and index finger, counting the verses and controlling the tempo and energy level in the room. I concentrated on my breathing.

[a spontaneous poem written by a Yemeni villager when he met Hansen and his friends on a trail:]

I ask you, merciful Allah, creator of heaven and earth,

You who keep the moon and stars traveling by night, and the sun by day,

To protect Toyota Land Cruisers and foreign strangers who climb to the mountaintops.

And I conclude my prayer with a blessing on Mohammed, who is honored in all the lands.

This is not a children’s book

Unfortunately Hansen uses coarse language and graphic descriptions in a few places in the book. For that reason I don’t recommend the book to be read to children. But I would say it is still worth reading despite these interruptions.

The ending…

I’ll refrain from telling you the outcome of Hansen’s quest. It would spoil the surprise when you read it yourself!

For those of you who have never visited Yemen, I would encourage you to read the book. When you come to some parts that just seem too off-the-wall to be true, believe it. After that, book a ticket and come visit me!

Three Cups of Tea

paul — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:30:00 -0700

I can’t remember the last time I read a story book. In my desire to be pragmatic, I have focused on “practical” books that will help me with my career or religious books that help me to understand how to interpret the scriptures. But a story book? I rarely make time for that.

And now I’m deeply satisfied I just did.

Three Cups of Tea is not just a story book—it’s a true story book. Though at times one is led to question if the stories could really be true. Relin, the book’s co–author, weaves the reader through countless encounters that demand a thoughtful pause to take it all in. “Did he REALLY receive endorsement from the supreme Shia leadership in Iran? Unreal.”

The book offers a refreshing glimmer of hope. As world leaders flounder around, bankrupting their citizens in “the war on terror,” the hatred only continues to swell.

K2 south face (World's 2nd highest mountain), 8,611 meters. First ascent on 31 Juli, 1954 by Italian alpinists, Achille Campagnoni and Lino Lacedelli with Expeditions leader Prof. Arditio Desio. The first attempt on K2 in 1909 was by the Duke of Abruzzi (Luigi Amedeo), on the southeast ridge (right side).(Photo courtesy of Greg Mortenson.)

In short, the book is a biography of the life of Greg Mortenson. Raised in Tanzania by missionary parents, Greg was instilled with a curiosity for the world and other cultures. Trained as a nurse, Greg set out to climb K2, the second–tallest mountain in the world, though generally regarded by mountaineers as the most challenging. During the climb, Greg was forced to relinquish the summit to save the life of a man on his team. Upon returning down the mountain, Greg got lost and wound up in Korphe, a tiny village whose members nursed Greg back to health. In the process he learned about the village’s “school,” where children were forced to scribble in the dirt with sticks without shelter from the Himalayan elements. Appalled, Greg promised to build them a new school one day.

Greg kept his promise. Over 10 years later, with 50+ new schools enrolling over 17,000 students, Greg is adding to that number every year.

Against the Odds

Recently when I told someone about the book, he replied, “Sounds like he must have been a rich guy.” But that is the amazing thing about it. Greg was a simple man. At times, the impossibility of the task leaves the reader with the weight of every crushing defeat: A failed mountain summit, a failed relationship, financial crisis…after 580 letters sent to anyone he considered willing to contribute to his cause, Greg was desperate.

Yet when everything seemed bleakest, the story changes course just as dramatically. One man responds to one of Greg’s letters and makes the contribution that makes the school a reality. Soon afterward, the Central Asia Institute was formed and Greg was finally able to focus all his energy on building new schools.

A CAI girls school bombed by the Taliban.(Photo courtesy of Greg Mortenson.)

The book has plenty of extraordinary adventure as well. Corrupt leaders threaten to close down the schools and issue a fatwa against Greg. Greg is kidnapped near Peshawar (the same place where Osama bin Laden is presumed to be hiding) and almost gives up all hope after eight days. Hate mail arrives from Americans who misinterpret his motives. Greg is summoned before Congressional meetings in Washington, D.C. to suggest alternatives to the “war on terror.” While attempting to find locations for new schools, Greg is caught in the crossfire of a tribal war.

In the constant roller–coaster of emotions one feels while reading it, the book has lessons to teach. When everything in life seems the bleakest, there is still the hope of a turnaround. Yet it is during the high points in life that we must remember to keep our feet grounded, lest we stumble. Stamina is the key to holding fast to your dreams.

Money Money Money

The book inspires it’s readers to action. Yet the reality that many encounter is often money. It can be quite frustrating when a person has a vision, but no financial backing. As the book points out :

“[Sir Edmund] Hillary’s path was far easier than Mortenson’s quixotic quest. Having conquered the planet’s tallest peak, Hillary had become one of the world’s most famous men. When he approached corporate donors for help funding his effort to build schools, they fell over themselves competing to support his ‘Himalayan Schoolhouse Expedition.’” (p53)

Children study at one of the CAI schools.(Photo courtesy of Greg Mortenson.)

Yet I appreciate Greg’s unwillingness to swerve from his principles just for the sake of money. When the US Defense department offered to bankroll him with millions to build new schools, Greg struggled with the potential benefits. But in the end he refused to take the money, knowing the credibility of the CAI would forever be tarnished. Doing my own homework, I learned through the Better Business Bureau that Greg still earns less than $60k a year—a far cry from the salaries earned by most CEO’s of charitable, non–profit organizations.

Where’s God?

In many cases I was almost begging the authors for some acknowledgment of God’s intervention, but never found it once in the entire book. Even in the acknowledgments at the end of the book, neither Mortenson nor Relin even once mentioned God’s hand in the miracles. Perhaps this is out of fear that readers will consider it another Christian missionary endeavor. But the omission leaves me with the impression that all the references Greg made about “respecting Islam” were just patronizing and diplomacy. Greg, when you pray with them, do you really mean it?

One of the unsettling quotations found throughout the book:

“‘When I look back at everything we accomplished that year, despite the fatwa, I have no idea how I did it, how I had that kind of energy.’ Mortenson says.” (p197)

I’ve got an idea.

References to Wahhabism

A large portion of the last half of the book confronts the friction between Greg’s mission to combat extremism with the “extremist madrassas funded by the ruling Wahhabi’s of Saudi Arabia.” This theme confused to me after reading Storm from the East where the

Saudi state was portrayed in a more benign light. It seemed to be an over–generalization to point the finger at the Wahhabi’s (or Salafis, as they prefer to be called). After all, didn’t Al–Qaeda claim responsibility for bombings in Saudi Arabia? Additional articles seem to agree.

Yet after doing some reading and talking with people living around the Middle East, I’ve come to understand a little more about Wahhabism. For sure, there is good reason to be wary of them. Still, I think there needs to be some recognition that extremism is incredibly multi–faceted, and we should be careful to put all the blame in any one direction.

To clarify some things not mentioned in the book, in the Arabic language, ALL schools are referred to as “madrassas.” Just because a school is called a madrassa does not mean it is recruiting jihadi fighters. Now, having said that, I have observed that the madrases in Yemen often do not give a balanced education to the children. Even the youngest rattle off a tirade of foul–mouthed distaste for all things non–Muslim. (A large madrassa is directly beside SIAL, and I often walk back to my home with the children.)

This is in no way an endorsement of Wahhibism or Salafism.

Who should read this book

A small girl glimmers with potential.(Photo courtesy of Greg Mortenson.)

Three Cups of Tea would be a great book for anyone interested in education, mountaineering, world peace, humanitarian development, world cultures, languages, and Islam. It is sure to inspire anyone to action.

Thanks Mom, for giving me the book in Ethiopia. You’ve got great taste!

The Irresistible Revolution

Crissy — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 08:30:00 -0700

I have always had an activist nature. Ever since I wrote to George Bush, Sr., when I was eleven and asked him to uphold the constitution, I have had a sneaking suspicion that if I just shouted loud enough the world would listen. Do not ask me where this optimism came from; the subsequent tragedies and continued atrocities speak against this deep–seated knowledge.

But despite my high ideals and numerous frustrated journal entries, what have I done to dispel the gloom across our planet? Not much. I can never seem to paint my urge to march with my image of a meek and mild Jesus in the same picture. Getting activism to blend with love has not come easily for me. Nor has it come easily for abortion rights activists or suicide bombers. There must be a better way.

Enter Shane Claiborne. His book The Irresistible Revolution makes Christianity palatable for me who cannot stomach apathy or proud violence. Through personal narrative, Bible study and eloquent insight, he envisions church as a community that lives the gospel it preaches (a novel idea).

Claiborne’s opening contrast of safe Christianity and the “Jesus who wrecked his life” gives an abrupt intro into the tension that permeates this book. What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? If we are not going to the places he goes, can we expect to find Him? And if living out His principles ended in His death, how can we expect anything less?

For Claiborne, finding Jesus did not come about through youth group entertainment in his “safe” East Tennessee church. It was not until some questionable college buddies invited him to meet their homeless friends in inner city Philadelphia that his awakening began. “I learned more about God from the tears of homeless mothers than any systematic theology ever taught me,” Claiborne says.

Through more excursions on the streets and heroic combined efforts between classmates and a group of homeless moms, Claiborne begins to see what community in Christ can be like. It is beautiful. After more adventures (with Mother Teresa, Rich Mullins and Iraq), Claiborne settles down to put his ideals into practice by starting The Simple Way, a community located in inner city Philadelphia.

In between the stories, Claiborne sets up a biblical case for active service. He is always quick to acknowledge that there is more than one way to live out the teachings of Jesus: Zaccheus gave only half of what he owned to the poor while Jesus specifically told the Rich Young Ruler to give everything. I like this give and take. It makes me feel his brand of activism is rooted less in demagoguery and more on Jesus. That said, Claiborne does not let anyone off easy. He is willing to be radical in his suggestions and literal in his interpretations of what it means to be in Jesus’ steps.

An important difference between Claiborne’s vision of the straight and narrow and others I have seen is his unwillingness to waste time by criticizing the church. Instead of trying to start a counter–reformation, he is interested in encouraging and edifying the church so that we can partner together in a new kind of witnessing, one that means giving our lives. So many times the new is ready to crush the old, leaving the body disabled.

As with any book, the author’s conclusions are occasionally influenced by a priori assumptions. Some of Claiborne’s biblical interpretations, in my opinion, seem stretched too tightly to fit. I certainly wanted him to be right, but I was not sure his texts always created the best support.

One other area of disagreement is more ethereal but real to me nonetheless. Although I agree with Claiborne’s premise that God wants us to make our sphere of influence a little heaven on earth, that the kingdom of God is within us now, I am uncomfortable with his seeming hope that our planet can rejuvenate, really be heaven. Call me old–fashioned…I still believe that this world is about to self-destruct and will on the heels of Jesus coming. To me, given that reality, it is better to give our poor brothers more than just a penchant to demand their rights. We need to turn them into little Jesus’ too. The stuff of earth is only temporal even if we are all sharing it.

Although I am not sure I would make all of Claiborne’s causes my own, I cannot help but smile at the notion of someone actually making decisions based on his beliefs, not on his desire for future pleasure or accolades. The concept that being a follower of Jesus means suffering and “by jove, we better embrace it with gusto if we want to be a sheep” is comforting. I am tired of people who seem to think that God wants us all to be millionaires or find setting up retirement plans more biblical than clothing the naked. I truly am reaching the point where I want to go home more than I want to make one here. This reality is exciting to me. To know that there are others who share this hope is beautiful.

Storm from the East

paul — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:30:00 -0700

Milton Viorst has the eye of the historian but the brevity of the reporter…His concise book sweeps across the centuries.
—Jimmy Carter

This is the book I have been desperately needing. With my desire to see everything within the big picture, making sense of the whole conflict in the Middle East has eluded me. Politicians play with the facts, the media jockey for ratings, and religious groups insist on Divine justification. But where is the balanced view? Is there a source that truly knows the facts and can give relevant feedback, but not muddy the waters with more bigotry and rhetoric?

Certainly there is.

This is the very thing I appreciated most about Viorst’s book. He doesn’t choose sides. He rebukes the West for failing to learn from past mistakes and for refusing to consider the power of Arab nationalism. He chastises the Arab world for missed opportunities, disorganization and refusal to listen to reason. Everyone involved has made mistakes.

This book answers the question many Americans are asking: “We are sacrificing the lives of our troops to give the Iraqis democratic freedom! Why are they so angry with us?”

The book is a history book, yes. But it is very fast paced and will hold you in rapt attention. It is much like reading news articles for all relevant events shaping the Middle East since the time of the Prophet. One may argue that it’s broad scope will give no benefit to the Middle East scholar who has read tomes on the subject. That may be true. Yet I would still argue that the book’s greatest asset is that it brings the entire span of the conflict between East and West into a short book. Too often in trying to discover every nuance of information on a subject, one can lose sight of the overall big picture. The other advantage of this is that one can walk away from the book without an enormous investment of time. I don’t want big books. I want concise, ones. Reporting from the Middle East for over 30 years, Viorst concentrates his vast, first–hand experience into a short book that anyone can read.

Trite Conclusions

Maybe you have heard the following statements:

“Arabs have been killing each other for centuries. They are just inherently violent.”

“At least Americans are more humane and civilized in their treatment of people.”

“America just invaded Iraq because it wants to get rich off the oil.”

“Invading Iraq was in America’s and the world’s best security interests.”

“The only way to bring peace to the world is to take out tyrannical rulers by force.”

Viorst’s book, at the very least, sets out to dispel trite conclusions and involve the reader in a wider picture. He reminds us that humans forget the past. Before we jump to conclusions, we should be informed about them!

“Arabs have been killing each other for centuries. They are just inherently violent.”

For one, this statement is just plain ill–informed.

I would say it is true that many Arabs are certainly non–conformists. Yes. But they are not inherently violent. As one reads the book, one sees a growing violence in direct proportion to perceived antagonism. When you squeeze a people into subservience for centuries, of course they’ll become violent—especially when it is the only tool they perceive available.

It is interesting to note the Biblical reference to Ishmael and his descendants (Muslim Arabs) in this context. Genesis 16:11,12 points out that Ishmael would be “wild man” or even a “wild donkey” and his hand will be ”against“ (or some prefer to say “upon”) his brothers. While many may tout this as a demonstration of God’s disfavor, I think there’s reason to consider it a blessing! When you go beyond a surface–level reading of the verses, one could reason it predicts the non–conformity of the people. Certainly this is a Biblical mandate…to live in the world, but not be of the world. To be a peculiar people. To refuse to sell out to secular humanism.

And as for the Yemenis? Sure, they’ll kill you. They’ll kill you will kindness.

“At least Americans are more humane and civilized in their treatment of people.”

To quote the book:

“America’s self–exemption from the jurisdiction of international war crimes tribunals, and its insistence on special privileges in dealing with the environment, have left major scars. Its assertion, as a right of the “war on terror,” of authority to seize suspects secretly within foreign borders, hold them without charges or access to the courts, and even torture them has provoked outrage, even among NATO allies.”

And in another place:

“It [the U.S.] authorized a free press, then suppressed the newspapers and television that criticized the occupation. It called for a commitment to human rights but was revealed as a massive abuser of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib.”

Sorry, Americans aren’t inherently good, either. They’re inherently human.

“America just invaded Iraq because it wants to get rich off the oil.”

Although not stated directly, the book shows the American leadership’s greater interest than money…control. From the first World War to the Cold War to Iraq, America is first concerned about preemptively weakening potential world challengers. America didn’t invade Iraq to steal the oil. America wanted to control the oil and keep it out of the hands of the Chinese, Iranians, and anyone else. But to say America just wanted to get rich off oil is not completely true.

“Invading Iraq was in America’s and the world’s best security interests.”

After reading the book, anyone will see the ignorance of this statement. War can take lives, but it can’t keep people from taking lives. Not only has the American reputation in the Middle East plummeted from the occupation, but it has put a bad taste in the mouths of the entire world. One doesn’t even need to read the book to realize the security of the world has decreased since the war.

“The only way to bring peace to the world is to take out tyrannical rulers by force.”

Iraqis may have considered Saddam a despot and a tyrant, but he was their despot. They resented American insistence to occupy and control their affairs. In the minds of most Iraqis, the second gulf war was just another confirmation of the West’s crusader agenda.

Constructive Criticism

I must say the book is lacking in the most important detail. God. Viorst limits his perspective to the here and now with only passing references to the ills of “reverting to religiosity.” While I believe one can differentiate between religiosity and a genuine submission to God, I believe Viorst’s valuable insight is only near–sighted. What he deems as a failure by Muslims to cling to religion, I say is their greatest asset…if carried out as God intended.

Quoting the book:

“…during the centuries in which the two civilizations have been rivals, one drifted increasingly toward humanism, secularism, and materialism, while the other remained essentially faithful to community, worship, and the hereafter.”

I see this statement as not only true, but a grievous chastisement to the West for losing it’s soul. We have forgotten our Creator. We have placed all our fortune in building an Earthly kingdom forgetting it is only temporary.

After the quote, Viorst goes on to discuss the obvious advantage technology has brought to the West in the confrontation. However, he stops short of recognizing the potential of the “ummah” or community of believers. While the Arab world still remains fragmented, a revolution of true Godliness would be impossible to quell. Wherever you have a breakdown in community and the morals and values that shaped it, you begin an endless downward spiral toward futility. In some ways, one can see in this another parallel to the decline of the Roman empire.

Still, living in Yemen I have repeatedly observed first–hand the refusal to critically evaluate progressive information pertaining to God. If it is not expressly mentioned in the Qur’an or Hadith, most Muslims (in Yemen at least) will not even give you a hearing. This, I would say, is certainly a weakness. God has progressively given new insights to humanity forever. Why should we stop short in the 6th century and shun new ideas?

Summary

If you feel frustrated with your lack of information on Middle East events, this is an absolute must–read! It will not require much time to read, yet the enrichment gained for the time spent is invaluable.

In addition, the book gives valuable “big picture” insight by squeezing 14 centuries of conflict into a well organized little book.