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THE WRATH OF GRAPES
Those of you who shop for produce may have noticed over the years that grapes never come from Arab or Muslim countries. The reason for this is fairly simple. The petroleum reserves in those countries are so great that they tend to rise to the surface, which proves infertile to the grape-growing industry. And so…
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PUTTING A PRESIDENTIAL FOOT IN IT
Yesterday was August 22, 2010. In the op ed column of The New York Times, there were great editorials from Frank Rich, Tom Friedman, Maureen Dowd, and Nicholas Kristof. In addition to those columnists, there were essays in The Washington Post. The reason that these essays and editorial comments were written has to do with…
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PARADISE AND MARTYRS AND VIRGINS
I realize that talking about religion is often considered a third rail in the public discourse in this country. The following essay is a dispassionate view of the Muslim belief that martyrs, such as those blowing up dozens of their fellow citizens, both Muslims and Christians, will go directly to Paradise. I am not an…
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REFLECTIONS ON THE WAHHABI
At the outset, it might be well for the author of this essay to explain the title. In round numbers, the Prophet Mohammed lived about 1500 years ago. The Prophet took several wives and they produced several children. But if my understanding is nearly correct, two of his grandsons founded competing brands of the Muslim…