text:
Author: Martin Jakob
A proving of Saussurea obvallata
by Martin Jakob
The plant occurs throughout a wide range, extending from elevations of 3000-4500 m. It is found on alpine, grassy slopes with rocky bases and near streams, in the Himalayas. Saussurea obvallata grows up to a height of 30 cm. It is a perennial and striking herb with large, pale yellow, boat-shaped, papery bracts surrounding the dense cluster of flower heads. This surrounding gives the plant the opportunity to flower in this height, as a protection and as isolation against the cold. The flower heads are several, in a dense umbel-like cluster, each 1.5-2.5 cm long and with involucral bracts with black margins and nearly hairless tips. Several encircling, ovate, bristly-margined, translucent and conspicuously veined bracts overlap the flowers. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, blunt, toothed, lower stalked, upper half-clasping with the blade continuing in a stout stem 15-45 cm long. The taste of the plant is bitter.
See also: http://www.himalayanvoices.org/sites/default/files/Saussurea%20obvallata_0.pdf
Hinduism Kamal means 'lotus flower' in Sanskrit. Lotus is the symbol of the holy flower, a metaphor for beauty, shaped expression of holiness. Brahma is personified as an old man, as a giver of laws and ways of destiny, personified as a ruler of the world. His wife is Saravati (Ganga). He is seen as creator, as an embodiment of great variety in oneness. He always changes his form to create different living creatures and is therefore present in all. He is the God of a Thousand Faces.
Proving: trituration proving, 20.10.2011, C30 proving, 02.12.2011
Provers: 8
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Cardueae
Tribe: Cynareae
Other names: Brahma Kamal, Himalya Lotus, Tibetan: Sah-du Goh-ghoo
Use: Tibetan medicine, paralysis of limbs, cerebral ischemia, wounds, cuts, bruises, liver, bone-ache, intestinal and urinal problems, cough. Promotes heat. The entire plant is used.
Culture: Temples, offerings to Lord Brahma; the lotus (kamal) of the creator (Brahma)
Source: Dried plant, flower, petal and stem
Background: The dry plant was given as a gift by friends, a Brahmin and a Kshhatriya (Warrior) in Gangotri, near the source of the Ganga in Uttarkashi District, Uttaramchal, India. For further proving information to Aqua Ganga see also: www.c1000.de/info/
Music: Monster Magnet: "Dopes to Infinity"
Movies: "Dark desire" by David Cronenberg, "Inglourious Bastards" by Quentin Tarantino
DD: Lanthanides, Asterideae, Cardueae, Gadolinium, stage 10, Neodymiums, Uranium series (ancient feeling)
Pharmacy: Pharmacist Walter Schmid www.enzian-apotheke.de; Helios: www.helios.co.uk
The situation of this remedy is of somebody who thinks he is really free, he is on the top, and he does not have to do anything for it, only to be it. They can be teachers, like a guru, someone who has knowledge. They can have an ancient feeling, like a hermit with wisdom. But when you look deeper you realise there are still some unresolved issues. The person is not really free, and the solution is to realise this and accept to be unfree; this is the way to freedom. It is not a fight for freedom – acceptation is freedom. Life is not a problem, it is an experience.
Stage 10
This remedy is probably at stage 10. The obvious quality of "being free" points to it. The flower is used to worship Lord Brahma. All key-words of stage 10 are quite prominent in the proving.
Two-sided, or an inside and an outside which protects the inside.
My space, my freedom
They do not like it if people come too close in their communication; it is as if they feel flooded with words and they feel oppressed by it. If they are tired, it is like a cocoon (DD: Cerium) around them; impressions and communication do not reach them. They want to have the opposite of narrowness in their life. They can feel clear, sovereign and self-confident, and have a resolute and fighting quality for their freedom. In stage 10, you do not have to fight anymore because you are already at the top; that is probably the reason why fighting for freedom, for 'my space' is not so strongly expressed, but the quality is there nonetheless.
Protection, protective cover
When you are busy with protection, with fighting for or protecting (= maintaining, stage 10) your freedom, you are not able to realise what really goes on inside. The inner feelings can even be suppressed or unconscious; this is probably strongest in this remedy because it is in stage 10. They can also feel unprotected, put out in the cold and naked. They probably had to fight for their protection, for their space; freedom is a way of protection. They can be fighters.
Recognition, acknowledgement
They have a need for admiration, they want to be "somebody" (DD: Asteraceae, Carbon series). In this remedy, they already have admiration, but there is still a longing for it. This can sometimes come across as boasting and arrogance (stage 10). They like to show themselves in the best possible light.
Clarity, straight, overview
They can be quite straight forward and clear in what they want; they can be leaders and know where to go. They can be confrontational, perhaps because of competiveness and in order to gain recognition.
Two sided, outside and inside
They have a shiny outside, which is also a protection; it keeps one warm and cosy. But it has a darker inside, a part that needs to be looked at in order to go further in life. The outside can be rational and intellectual, whereas the inside has to do with instincts.
Narrowness, closed in, closed out, abandoned, left behind, oppressed, tightness, pressure, protected versus freedom, spaced, wide open, free, clarity, refreshed; tired, heaviness, lethargic, vulnerable; ancient feeling
Abandoned, left behind
An old lady, frail, light transparent. I feel so OLD, OLD, OLD... but not really in a negative way, just in a frail old way! Also a sense of wisdom.
Heart-broken, left, grief of some sort
Serenity and surrender
Dispute, conflict, quarrels
Faces passing by (Lord Brahma the god of 1000 faces)
Clear, sovereign, without doubts
Cocoon feeling, feeling talked to all the time ( DD: Cerium, cocoon)
Running in synchronicity with the world
Living in a regime
Fits of anger, with a feeling of strength, strength in the body
As though on Speed
"Fighting back" verbally
Blackouts in conversation versus clarity in speech
Many vivid dreams with a theme emerging around toxic waste and its safe disposal.
Heat, body feels hot, hands not cold even in snow-rain on my bike
Hot head, red cheeks, red, random spots in the face
Desired nothing but green chilly, mango and chili chutney, the hotter the better
Spicy, hot food ameliorates
Tingling, movements, pulsating in the upper chest, as if opening up, freeing
Stretching ameliorates
Yawning ameliorates
Hard pressure ameliorates
Radiating heat from skin
Strength of the ligaments and muscles
Head: apoplexie, stroke – clear and fresh in the head again, heavy tired feeling in both temples, headache, crossways over the forehead, 3 – 4 am, desire to lie on the floor, desire for hard pressure to lie on, but no >, desire stretching but no >. Clumsy and awkward, dropping things, walking into furniture, etc.
Face: feeling as if there is no face when washing it, 4.15 am, especially, I don´t feel the forehead on the left side, as if a stroke, in the morning the heat from yesterday is gone, more cold now (has taken an Aspirin), need a winter blanket (20 degrees in the room).
Mouth: taste bitter (taste of the plant is also bitter – liver connection)
Heart: strong and quick heartbeat
Stomach: bloated with gas, thirsty, hiccough in the morning; longing for spicy food, green, chili
Abdomen: flatulence, pressure in the liver region
Kidneys: dull pain right kidney, feels like an old, wet sack, like a heavy weight in the back, hard pressure, warmth amel. Better sitting with the right hand pressed in the back, stretching forward amel, lying on a hot water bottle with the pressure directly on the kidney amel.
Bladder: urination nighttime increased, in general more frequent urination
Limbs: pain left wrist, left ankle, left shoulder no strenth in it, injuries of muscles, ligaments, bruises, tearing pain in right knee, like a rupture of the meniscus
Skin: red hot face, hectic, red spots in the face, skin radiates heat, bruises, cuts, injuries
Sleep: disturbed by many vivid dreams
Time: 3 – 5 pm
Colour: white?
Jan Scholten has given us the information that the Cardueae, a subfamily of the Asteraceae, have the theme of "Liberator, liberation" or in other words "fight for freedom".
I think this proving is a good confirmation of this theme. As I have written above, we can have the impression that fighting is not a real topic in this proving, but I think this has probably to do with the stage 10. Stage 10 is the top, and when you are on top, you have no need to fight anymore.
Keywords: Brahma Kamal, worship of Lord Brahma, leader, guru, at the top, no need to fight, ancient feeling
Remedies: Saussurea obvallata.


text:
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Bronze- 2.0 x 1.1"
Weight cap: 8lbs (3.6kg) each

subset: commoncrawl


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A coup appears to be in the works after John Boehner's two-year track record of failed leadership: repudiating the conservative base that brought him the Speakership; punishing Tea Party Republicans; abandoning first principles; and failing to address America's catastrophic spending problem.
[House s]taffers have compiled a detailed action plan that, if executed, could make this a reality.
...[T]he first step is to re-establish the election of the Speaker of the House by secret ballot, rather than by a public roll call vote. That's because the members who would oppose Boehner, if there ended up not being enough votes to achieve their desired result or if Boehner scared via threat or coaxed via prize some of the opposition into voting for him, would be sitting ducks for retaliation in the near future.
...To establish a secret ballot election for Speaker of the House, one Republican member will need to step forward and introduce a resolution on the House floor on the morning of January 3, 2013, before any other business takes place. Those close to this plan are convinced that a member will step forward and introduce this resolution... the first order of business is for the House to elect a Speaker...
...[I]f a member introduces that resolution for a secret ballot, the whole House will vote on that first. That vote will need to have a public roll call, meaning the American people, the press, and Boehner will know who voted which way. Even so, those who are considering this path forward to unseat Boehner know that Boehner and other establishment Republicans can't legitimately oppose the concept of a secret ballot election for a leader of a political body [because of widespread GOP opposition to union "card check" tactics].
...If a secret ballot election for House Speaker is established, step one of this plan against Boehner is complete.
Republicans need not worry about handing the Speakership over to Nancy Pelosi or some other Democrat in this process, either. "Don't worry about Speaker Boehner losing GOP votes in a secret ballot..."
It is still not possible for Pelosi to become Speaker even with 100 % of Democrats united behind her and a split GOP vote. The reason is to become Speaker it is not enough to win a plurality. One must win an absolute majority of all votes cast for an individual.
...even if all 201 Democrats vote Pelosi, Boehner gets 1 vote, and the remaining 233 Republicans each vote for a different individual, Pelosi does not win. Pelosi would need 218 to reach a majority of the 435 votes cast for an individual. Since Republicans have a 33 vote advantage in the House, the only way Pelosi wins is if 17 Boehner opponents affirmatively vote Pelosi or abstain rather than simply vote for an alternative candidate. Both these scenarios are easily avoided...
Rumor has it that Paul Ryan's name is being circulated. I believe he is one man who gets it; and who could unite the conservative base as well as the establishment.


text:
The Secret Beyond Matter
Stories for Thinking Children 2
Zaki and the Spider
Zaki was lying in the garden reading a book. His eyes strayed from the book he was reading, and as he looked around he saw a spider's web on the branch of a tree. He got up and went up to the spider's web which he began examining with interest. The spider, which was near the web, then spoke to him.
"Hello, friend!" it said in a tiny voice.
"Hello," replied Zaki, who was always very polite. "This web you have made is very interesting. How do you make one like this?"
The spider took a deep breath and began to explain: "I start by finding the right place for it. It must be in a corner or between two nearby objects. Let me explain how I make a web between two tree branches. First I fix the thread tightly to one end of the branch. Then I go to the other end while continuing to produce thread. When I reach the right distance I stop producing that thread. Then I begin to pull the thread back towards myself until it is tight and I fix it where I am. Then I begin to weave the web inside the arc I have thus made."
Zaki thought for a moment: "I'd never be able to do such a thing as fixing a string tightly between two walls. Isn't it difficult to keep the thread tight?"
The spider smiled at him "Let me explain how I solve the problem. Sometimes I make a web between two branches that are a long way from each other. Because such webs are very big, they are also really good at trapping flies. But because the web is big it loses its tightness over time. That also reduces my success in catching flies. I go to the center of the web and I fix a thread that reaches down to the ground. I attach a small stone to the thread near the ground. Then I return to the web and try to pull the thread upwards from where the stone is. While the stone is in the air I fix the thread again tightly to the middle of the web. As a result, because the stone below the center is pulling it downwards, the web tightens up again. That's all there is to it!"
"What a great method!" said Zaki, who was really impressed. "How did you learn such a technique, and how do you use it so well ? Spiders must have been doing this for millions of years..."
"You're right, my friend," agreed the spider. "It would be stupid to think that we have enough intelligence of our own to manage this. It is Allah, Who owns and creates everything, Who gives me the skill to use this technique."
"Don't forget, Zaki," the spider went on to remind him: "For Allah everything is very easy. Allah has the power to create an infinite variety of living things and places."
"Thank you for what you've told me," said Zaki, who was a very polite little boy. "I will now understand rather better how powerful Allah is and what superior knowledge He has every time I see the living things He created, and their flawless features."


text:
Sponsored Edition: Near Bliss
You found the perfect DVF leather bag and you have the perfect spot for it: buried in the trunk of your car underneath your beach mats and spare slippers.
It'll probably be a few days until it's safe to sneak it into your closet and pass it off as "this old thing" next time he asks. Recently he's been especially good a sniffing out pricey shopping sprees. Your entire life has turned into a game of hide and freak.
What you need is a convincing and thrifty-sounding reason to run back to the mall.
Lucky for you, Ala Moana Center has 150 of them with the 4th Annual Shop a Le'a. The week-long premier shopping experience features 100+ exclusive special offers and discounts at stores around the center. And after you reseason your closet with sales on the newest fashions, you can sign up for a variety of workshops designed to add an extra spring to your style.
Learn how to strut your stuff with famed fashion show producer Lynn Hanzawa O'Neill. She'll share secrets to rocking the catwalk and reveal the world behind the scenes of some of the nation's top shows. Browse the latest locally-designed lines at the Hawaii Fashion Incubator's pop-up shop. Start a wish list at the world debut of Project Runway finalist Andy South's new line. Donate your old work clothes to the YWCA's Dress for Success program that helps get women in need back in the workforce.
Before you leave, enter to win a getaway for two to Los Angeles. The winner will receive roundtrip tickets, a four-night stay at the W in Los Angeles, tickets to a TV show taping and two spa treatments at Bliss Spa.
It's a strong point to bargain with next time you try to strike a steal.
Shop a Le'a runs today through Sunday. Click here for a full list of special offers, gifts with purchases, and Shop a Le'a events. Click here for the full schedule of workshops and events at HIFI's Pop-up Incubator.


text: Pacific Island Art - Hawaiian decor: We take pride in our high end selection of Hawaiian decor products. The most popular are the hand carved turtles of all sizes, our authentic tiki replicas from Hawaii's museum. Some of our Hawaiian carved storyboards depicts the old days in Hawaii. The Polynesians lived in a world created by their gods and heroes and felt a close involvement with them. Mythological references like "as deceitful as Maui" were a part of everyone's conversation. Each piece is unique and has been been hand carved with great details! The quality control is done here in Hawaii, Kailua ~ Oahu.


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Code Snippet
Demonstrates the
StackUser class:
// Global object
var ss = new StackScript('');
function GetInfo()
// The provided callback will be called
// when the data arrives
var user = ss.GetUser(document.getElementById('userid').value);
user.InitUser(function() {
$('#info_box').html("User: " + user.GetDisplayName());
User ID: <input type='text' id='userid' />
<button onclick='GetInfo();'>Get User Info</button>

StackScript is a JavaScript wrapper that provides access to the StackOverflow API. Currently it has somewhat limited functionality, but I wanted to get something started that everyone can contribute to. There is enough code to make a simple demo, as you can see below. This wrapper even features a built-in caching class that works transparently under the hood.
GPL v3
You can view a live demo here.
I can be contacted at [email protected]
Please head on over to http://launchpad.net/stackscript and join the project. You can find the code there.
If you want to help, I would love to add you to the project. Contact me and provide your LaunchPad ID and I will add you to the project.


text:
While many evangelical pastors and leaders have been active in promoting immigration reform through the Evangelical Immigration Table, recent polls suggest that white evangelicals fall behind the rest of the nation in their support of immigrants and immigration reform.
A recent poll conducted by Public Religion Research Institute and The Brookings Institution, and a recent poll conducted by Pew Research Center, both show that white evangelicals are the least supportive, among the combined religious and race/ethnic groups studied, of creating a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants.
In the PRRI survey, 56 percent of white evangelicals favored a path to citizenship, compared to 63 percent of all Americans. In the Pew survey, 62 percent of white evangelicals said unauthorized immigrants should be allowed to stay legally (compared to 71 percent for all Americans), with 20 percent saying they should be able to apply for permanent residency and 40 percent saying they should be able to apply for citizenship.
White evangelicals also had some of the most negative attitudes toward immigrants. In the Pew survey, white evangelicals were the only group in which a majority, 55 percent, said immigrants were a burden, rather than strengthened the country. They were also the only group in which a majority, 58 percent, said the growing number of newcomers threatens their values, rather than strengthens society.
Since race and ethnic attitudes are difficult to measure, PRRI used a survey experiment to uncover those attitudes. With that tool, the survey found that 50 percent of white evangelicals agreed with the statement, "The idea of America where most people are not white bothers me," compared to 31 percent of whites overall.
In a blog post for PRRI, Paul Djupe, associate professor of political science at Denison University and a PRRI affiliated scholar, wrote that in the immigration debate white evangelicals are more likely to believe that enforcing the law is extremely important, 41 percent, than believe that welcoming the stranger is extremely important, 25 percent. Plus, only 14 percent believe that welcoming the stranger is more important than enforcing the law.
Djupe also informed The Christian Post that there was little difference between white evangelicals who attended church services often and those who did not, but those who attended often were slightly less supportive of immigration reform.
"So here's the rub: this set of values probably leaves evangelicals resistant to opposing the current law and, thus opposed to immigration reform," Djupe concludes.
The Christian Post asked some pastors affiliated with the Evangelical Immigration Table about these results during a Tuesday press call announcing Christian radio ad buys promoting immigration reform.
All of those pastors said they have seen hearts and minds changed as they have talked more about immigration, studied what the Bible has to say on the topic and been in fellowship with immigrants in their communities and their church.
"When Christians in our church learn about God's heart for the immigrant and what the Bible has to say, their hearts are opened because we are a people of faith and our desire is to live out that faith in our world," said Dr. David Uth, senior pastor at First Baptist Orlando.
Uth also believes it is important for pastors to continue to lead on the issue in order to change those poll results.
"Regardless of what the polls show, the principle is simple – leaders lead, they don't follow," Uth said. "And the reason I got involved in this is not because I read the polls; the reason I got involved is because I read the Scripture and just saw what was happening. So my goal is to take what is, and maybe the polls reflect that accurately, and try to change what is. So hopefully, as more of us see this, more of us get involved, we'll see a change in those polls."
Dr. David Fleming, senior pastor at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, believes that white evangelicals have been listening to "extreme" voices on the immigration issue for too long, and that is reflected in the polls.
"For the last five years," Fleming said, "white evangelicals have been listening to the voices on the extreme, so a lot of this is just perpetuating the same information over and over. That's all we've heard, that's all we've understood. But as more and more of these pastors and Christian leaders begin to speak out on the issue, ... [white evangelicals] are changing their minds on this issue. We see it happening constantly. ... People are moving in that direction."
Dr. Richard Land, outgoing president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and executive editor for The Christian Post, noted that in 2011 the Southern Baptist Convention voted 80 to 20 percent in favor of a resolution calling for immigration reform that included a pathway to legal status, and the delegates to that convention were all elected by their local congregations.
Land also pointed out that Southern Baptist churches now include several hundred thousand Hispanics as a result of their evangelization efforts. A Hispanic pastor told Land that he estimates that as many as 40 percent of those Southern Baptist Hispanics could be without legal status to be in the country.
"Southern Baptists have gotten to know [immigrants] as ... brothers and sisters in Christ, it has put a human face on this," Land said.
Land also believes that favoring the rule of law should also favor reforming the immigration system.
"Southern Baptists are offended when government doesn't enforce the law," Land said as he referenced Romans chapter 13's admonition to obey governing authorities. "They're also offended when the government doesn't enforce the law for 20 years and then enforces it retroactively. There needs to be a balanced approach."


text:
Skype is set to launch a mobile application for the iPhone on Tuesday, a long-awaited entry to Apple's App Store, and one for BlackBerry devices in May, Skype officials have confirmed.
The iPhone application will be announced at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday during a press conference at the CTIA Wireless 2009 trade show in Las Vegas, said Peter Parkes, who writes Skype's corporate blog.
Skype, which is owned by eBay, has been a noticeable latecomer to the App Store, which features several other VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) applications.
One of those, Fring, uses Skype's API (application programming interface). People can make free Skype-user-to-Skype-user calls, or use SkypeOut, a paid service where people can call landlines and mobiles via Skype.
The iPhone Skype application can only be used over Wi-Fi and not over the cellular networks, a condition demanded by operators so as to not steal voice revenue. A spokeswoman would not reveal further details, saying the mobile application will have the "core capabilities" of the desktop application.
Skype does not yet have a native application for BlackBerry devices, although third-party developers again have utilized Skype's API. One of those services is IM+ for Skype, which enables chat, free calls to Skype users and SkypeOut. Skype did not provide the application's May launch date.
Skype's application for the Windows Mobile OS has been available for several years.


text:
How the Qur'an Justifies Itself
In a previous posting about Islam's rational monotheism (which can be read here), we saw how the Qur'an utilises a rationalist discourse to substantiate some of its main theological doctrines. As for how the Qur'an vindicates itself and rationalises its claim of truly being the Word of God, it deploys the following line of argument:
Firstly, it states that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was an unlettered Prophet [7:157]; that is, he was unable to read or write, and most certainly uneducated in the modern sense of the word: And you did not used to recite any book before this, and nor did you write it with your right hand. For then the seekers of falsehood would have had misgivings. [29:48] Say: 'Had God so willed I would not have recited it to you, neither would He have made you aware of it. I have lived among you a lifetime before this [came to me]. Will you not use your reason.' [10:16]
Secondly, it asserts its miraculous nature – described by Muslim scholars as its i'jaz or "inimitability." The Qur'an, as Muslims believe, has no equal: as hard as someone may try, they will not be able to match it in terms of its sheer eloquence, beauty, cadence, wisdom and internal consistency. Speaking about its literary style, Turner said about the Qur'an: 'Indeed, the Koran is written in a language wholly divergent in syntax and structure from any other, including the 'secular' Arabic literature of pre-Islamic times. Many experts in Arabic literature will attest it is distinguished by excellences of sound and eloquence, rhetoric and metaphor, assonance and alliteration, of onomatopoeia and rhyme, of ellipsis and parallelism. So sublime were they that certain Arab poets of the day would fall in prostration at the inimitable eloquence of the Muhammadan message, while the first recipients of the Divine message were moved to deem it miraculous.'1
It is not just in form that it is miraculous, but in content too: Will they not reflect upon the Qur'an. If it had been from other than God they would have surely found therein many contradictions. [4:82] Thus, to those who are prepared to consider it carefully (free of ideological or political agendas which blinker the heart's receptivity from the outset), the Qur'an reflects a perfect consistency, spiritual beauty and a complete absence of error and inaccuracy which suffice as proof for its Divine origin. In fact, its wisdoms, prophecies, lack of scientific errors, historical narratives, self-assertions and unique literary style – in that it does not fit any of the known rhythmic metres (bihar) of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry (shi'r), nor the rules of rhymed prose (saj'), nor straightforward speech (mursal) – make it impossible for the Qur'an to be an actual product of human authorship.
Thirdly, the Qur'an challenges its skeptics and deniers to produce something similar to it: Do they say: 'He has invented it?' No, they have no faith. Let them produce a speech like it, if what they say be true! [52:33-34] The above verse is one of the so-called tahaddi or "challenge" verses which sets out to prove the divine nature of the Qur'an. Another verse seems to have lightened the challenge: Do they say: 'He has forged it?' Say: 'Then bring ten forged chapters like it, and call [to you aid] whomsoever you can, other than God, if what you say be true.' [11:13] The final passages on the matter eases the challenge still more: If you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down upon Our servant [Muhammad], then produce a chapter the like thereof, and call your witnesses other than God, if you are truthful. But if you cannot, and you will not be able to, then guard yourself against a fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers. [2:23-24] Now the reasoning here is clinical. If it truly was written by a man, another man should be able to author something similar; even if it be just a chapter (the shortest chapter, or surah, of the Qur'an consisting of just three verses). Yet this challenge remains unmet until today – a sure proof of its miraculous origin. Rationally speaking, then, once doubt is dispelled, one ought to take steps to follow the Quranic message and accept its truths and teachings, and thus guard against the Hellfire.
Ibn Kathir makes the following point: 'Many scholars have said that God sent each prophet with a miracle that was appropriate for the people of their time. Thus, in the time of Moses, peace be upon him, sorcery was prized and sorcerers highly regarded. So God sent him with a miracle to bedazzle the eye and confound every sorcerer. When they became certain the miracle was from [God] the August, the Compeller, they surrendered to Islam and became righteous. As for Jesus, peace be upon him, he was sent in an age of physicians and those who studied the natural sciences. So he came to them with miracles that were beyond the doing of anyone, save one who is aided by He who revealed the Law. For how could a physician be able to give life to clay, or cure the blind and heal the lepper, or raise to life he who was in his grave awaiting Judgement Day? Similarly, God sent Muhammad, peace be upon him, in a time of eloquence of speech and accomplished poets. So he came to them with a Book from God which, if all men and jinn gathered together to produce the like of it, or the like of ten chapters of it, or the like of a single chapter of it, they wouldn't be able to do so; even if they were to help one another. For it is none other than the Word of God, which no human speech can replicate.'2
The examples in the earlier blog, and this blog piece, serve to show the rationality of the Qur'an, and that it is one which is grounded in self-evident matters and everyday experience; accessible to all who care to reflect or pay heed. Nowhere does the Qur'an require blind acceptance of its fundamental theological principles. Rather, it urges, it cajoles; demands even, that people use their God-given sense of reason and ponder over its assertions and truths. And while the final step is, ultimately, a leap of faith, the actual run up to it is a matter that engages not just heart and soul, but the faculty of mind and reason too. Says the Qur'an: And they will say: 'Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not now be among the people of the Blazing Fire.' [67:10]
1. Colin Turner, Islam: the Basics (Great Britain: Routledge, 2006) , 52.
2. Tafsir Qur'an al-'Azim (Beirut: Dar al-Ma'rifah, 1987), 1:373.


text:
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text:
All-around centerpiece arrangement with red carnations and hypericum; circus or bi-color orange roses; autumn-colored daisy poms; yellow Viking poms; accented with red painted solidago and assorted greenery
Includes a 12"L orange taper candle (overall dimensions do not include candle)
Large arrangement measures approximately 8"H x 16"D
Small arrangement measures approximately 7"H x 14"D
Our florists hand-design each arrangement, so colors, varieties and container may vary due to local availability
Order by 1:00 PM PST for same day pickup or delivery!
* Fee charged in addition to the Standard Delivery Fee
Enter full name. We'll ask for delivery information at checkout.
Add a cute plush from our plush selection. Selected plush will vary.
18" Happy Birthday Mylar Balloon. Styles may vary.
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Did the owners of Ortanique On The Mile make a baby mama out of Old World Caribbean cooking or did they marry it with New World flair and birth a style of cooking to influence future generations?
I know, I know—Ortanique sounds like the name of somebody's baby's mama, right? An offshoot of Martinique or Shanique? Yeah, I thought so to, but according to the restaurant's very orange advertisement in Network Miami, where I first read about the restaurant, "ortanique� is a "hybrid fruit produced by crossing orange and tangerine.�
I asked Ortanique On The Mile's Executive Chef /Co-Owner, Chef Cindy Hutson, about the meaning of the word and she said it was a Jamaican term, but after consulting The Jamaican Patois Nazis on "ortanique,� I came up empty-handed and decided that perhaps the word was from a parish my patois consultants were unfamiliar with.
Now, before I get into the details about this food sojourn, I'll admit that the most common topics among us, twenty-something, thirty-something females, are men, good sex, (or a lack thereof), career, and babies (no newsflash to you, of course). One can be engaging in a conversation about buying a car, rising gas prices, flatulence (not an issue of mine); trifling political leaders, planting avocados, or a sale at Targét and somehow, someway the conversation ALWAYS derails into one of the previously mentioned topics.
It's a pandemic, I tell you. That said, as you read through part I of "Baby's Mama Drama on The Mile,� I hope you see the significance of the dining experience beyond décor, the chef, and food presentation. Sometimes, you just want to get some things off your chest and a good friend, a decadent meal, and a few glasses of primo vino can be the perfect mise en scène for such cathartic moments.
Now, on to the food…I invited my girl, nicknamed "Valium,� on this pilgrimage to Coral Gables in south Miami, to experience Ortanique on the Mile (Doesn't seem very smart to bring a girl nicknamed Valium to a restaurant raved for it's wine list, but oh well, she's a big girl). Reviews on Ortanique's three locations—Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and in South Florida, were quite favorable and a fellow food writer/chef said it was "an amazing experience,� so I was pretty curious to see if the hype was legit.
So far my eating experiences in casual, kinda-fine, and fine dining restaurants in Miami had been pretty sub-par—Hallandale Beach Boulevard's Tutta Pasta's hard pasta with imitation crab meat; Las Olas' Caffe Blu's Publix-style imitation crab and shrimp salad bubbling with mayo were quite disappointing.
I was longing for a New York food experience. Where's a River Café or a Baluchi's, (the one on 6th Avenue between Washington Place and West 4th Street is the best), when you need one? I had not been to Coral Gables in years and really had no memory of it, so I had my presumptions.
My experience with fine dining Caribbean restaurants in these upscale neighborhoods have been just this: rich folks + money = dumb down the seasonings and flavors that define Caribbean cooking. Make it more "palatable� or "accessible.� Was this going to be that same formulaic experience? Was everything going to taste like boiled chicken with some fake jerk rub thrown together by some charlatan Caribbean food purveyor?
Still, despite my skepticism I was proud to be reviewing a highly respected restaurant, launched by a successful Black restaurateur such as Delius Shirley, (He's the cute dreadlocked dude in Ortanique's advertisements). I did a little digging on Mr. Shirley; (my father's nickname is also "Mr. Shirley.� Could this be foody fate?), and learned that he is the son of "critically acclaimed� Caribbean chef, Norma Shirley.
Mr. Shirley has enjoyed a commendable 21 successful years in the restaurant business. He began with innovating his mother's restaurant in Jamaica—"Norma at the Wharfhouse�—into a burgeoning bar, marina, and bed and breakfast. He then teamed up with Chef Cindy Hutson, a revered chef, to open a sister restaurant in south Florida.
The dynamic duo did very well with "Norma on the Beach,� earning the coveted 5-Star Diamond Award, which opened glamorous doors including consulting work for restaurant shows on BET network.
Shirley and Hutson led Ortanique on the Mile through many successes: "Best New Restaurant of the Year" for 1999 by Esquire Magazine; top rating from The Miami Herald; five stars from the El Nuevo Herald; "Best New Restaurant� by Bon Appetit Magazine; 4 Star Award (2001-2002) by Mobil Travel Guide; but what made me most proud was the restaurant's Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2002, 2003, and 2004, for it's amazing wine list of 350 bottles which is something Black restaurants are not known for.
Today Mr. Shirley and Chef Cindy have a few other restaurants under their belt: Copra, a 1-year-old American-style family comfort food venue in Baltimore, Maryland; and I-year-old Bogwalk, a Caribbean restaurant, in Destin, Florida.
Valium and I crept up Miracle Mile (As usual she was talking about someone's baby mama or baby daddy drama). We looked at the elaborate bridal and furniture boutiques that bejeweled this strip. A Jaguar pulled up next to us at the red light, blasting A Tribe Called Quest's "Electric Relaxation� from their infamous Midnight Marauders cd.
(Me and Valium were like, "I like 'em Brown, Yellow, Puerto Rican, or Haitian, My name's Phife Dog from The Zulu Nation…� Those are the only words we know). There was Ortanique to our left close to The Actor's Playhouse and Miracle Theater—It did feel oh so very Caribbean with all the voluminous plant-life dressing the entrance.
We walked in and I immediately got the feeling of being in a West Indian harem—even the hostess had a rather invitational, swishy walk as she guided us through the venue to our seats. Ortanique seats 110 guests, though it doesn't appear that way and there are sheaths of fabric everywhere in variations of the ortanique hue.
Guests are more like voyeurs sitting at the wall banquettes where we sat, peering through these sheaths at arriving guests, bar groupies, and the fluidity of the waitstaff sliding through tables. I strolled around Ortanique and felt time warped to a bungalow in Portland, Jamaica, near the Blue Lagoon back in December 2004.
An astute, Michael R. Shikany, 26, The General Manager and Wine Buyer, introduced himself as I read one of the restaurant's many reviews hanging on the walls. Mike's firm handshake said he meant business and, I felt comfortable enough to put my acute food sensibilities in his hands.
He offered a tasting menu of six courses paired with six wines of his choosing and I simply nodded. "This is going to be good,â€? my mind assured my tastebuds. I walked back to the table, anticipating what culinary ensemble Michael had arranged for us and Folks, when the wine and food arrived, the experience was… well, here endeth part one of "Baby Daddy Drama on The Mile.â€?
Tune in on Wednesday, May 25th, to find out what sordid confession I revealed to Valium and oh yeah, to read why Ortanique is worthy of all it's dramatic culinary accolades…
Ortanique On The Mile
Address: 278 Miracle Mile
Cross Street: Salzedo & Miracle Mile (Coral Way)
Hours of Operation:
Lunch: Monday – Friday: 11:30am – 2:30pm
Dinner: Monday – Wednesday: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Thursday – Saturday: 6:00pm – 11:00pm
Sunday: 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Payment Options:
Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Diners Club
Phone: (305) 446-7710
Neighborhood: Coral Gables, Florida
Dining Style: Fine Dining
Cuisine: Fusion / Eclectic
Offers: Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking Area, Smoking Area, Takeout, Wheelchair, Wine
Parking: Valet
Dinkinish's scale by wink:
1 wink= experience sucked
2 winks =needs work
3 winks = a delicious experience
3½= truly on their way to greatness
4 = the ultimate foody journey
For more reports and articles please call (212) 481-7745 to subscribe to the newsstand edition of The Black Star News.


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0861 842 538
Founded in 1953, Lufthansa Airlines commenced its operations after 2 years in 1955. When combined with its different subsidiaries, it is one of the largest airlines in Germany. In addition to this, when it comes to the fleet size and total passengers carried, it is also recognized as one of the largest airlines. Currently, it is serving 197 international and 18 domestic destinations in 78 different countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the USA. Furthermore, it has various airport offices to help people with their queries. If you are in Morocco and want to fly to a different place, then you can go to the Lufthansa Airlines Cape Town Office. Continue reading this to know more about the same.
Lufthansa Cape Town Office Address Details
As we have mentioned earlier that it is one of the largest airlines not just within the native country but in entire Europe, they offer the best services to its passengers in all possible ways. In case you want to collect information to make your upcoming trip more enjoyable and memorable, then you surely need the details of Lufthansa office in Cape Town to get details in-person. So, look at the following for more:
Lufthansa Airlines Cape Town Airport Office
Cape Town International Airport
P.O. Box 412246 Craighall
Cape Town, South Africa
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|+1-844-731-1839 or 0049 (0) 69 690 55171
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Tags: Airlines, Cape Town, Lufthansa Airlines


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Of all the disastrous effects of the 1 percent's insatiable drive to accumulate wealth – call it collateral damage or calculated results, the causation is clear – there is a sense among many at Occupy Wall Street that the most critically important is the imminent transition to an Earth inhospitable to human life. Crushing unemployment, skyrocketing poverty numbers, calamitous wars abroad, a seemingly intractable prison-industrial complex – all these merit our urgent attention, but redress of those grievances is moot if humans go extinct.
"Climate change is the biggest corporate crime imaginable," says Duncan Meisel, an organizer for the Tar Sands Action, who is active with Occupy Wall Street. "If we just try to fix the jobs crisis without also fixing the environmental crisis, we don't have a future."
The demolition of the natural world is a fundamental component of the warfare the wealthiest 1 percent wages on the rest of humanity. As Chip Ward puts it, "Degrading the planet's operating systems to bolster the bottom line is foolish and reckless. It hurts us all. No less important, it's unfair. The 1% profit, while the rest of us cough and cope."
For those protesters whose chief objection is to the unseemly marriage between the functions of state and the interests of corporate wealth, environmental concerns are also paramount. Take an example that has recently received publicity: that of one of the nation's largest nuclear waste dumps, run by the Waste Control Specialists Corporation (WCS), located in West Texas.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's team of scientists deemed the dump hazardous, owing to its proximity to the vital Ogalalla aquifer, but was overruled by Gov. Rick Perry's appointees on that commission, at the bidding of WCS's billionaire CEO Harold Simmons, a major Perry donor. Simmons also owns NL Industries, which, having been caught leaking radioactive waste into an Ohio aquifer, is being paid by the Energy Department to move the waste to Simmons' dump in Texas.
Writes Matt Taibbi, "The company leases the land for the dump, meaning that WCS keeps the lion's share of the profits, while the liability mostly stays with the state." This is attributable to an overactive revolving door, another big concern among Wall Street occupiers. Taibbi continues, "The executive director of the state's environmental commission, for instance, received a job as a lobbyist for WCS not long after helping the firm get its license. What's more, the company even got the government to pay for the landfill, lobbying the town of Andrews to float a $75 million bond issue to finance the construction of two new dump sites on the property."
But this is just the latest in a long line of governmental sell-outs to the financial beneficiaries of environmental devastation. Famously, President Bush's energy bill, which included, among other things, $6 billion in oil and gas subsidies (and regulatory rollbacks for the same industries), $9 billion in coal subsidies, $12 billion in nuclear power subsidies, and was written behind closed doors by the energy industry lobbyists on Vice President Cheney's Energy Task Force.
The primary issue the environmentalist community is focusing on of late is the Keystone XL oil pipeline, whose forestallment is a cause célèbre in Liberty Plaza Park. Bill McKibben, the founder of 350.org, spoke about the proposed pipeline at Occupy Wall Street, saying:
Today in the New York Times there was a story that made it completely clear why we have to be here. They uncovered the fact that the company building that tar sands pipeline was allowed to choose another company to conduct the environmental impact statement, and the company that they chose was a company that did lots and lots of work for them. So, in other words, the whole thing was rigged top to bottom and that's why the environmental impact statement said that this pipeline would cause no trouble, unlike the scientists who said if we build this pipeline it's "game over" for the climate. We can't let this pipeline get built.
According to Meisel, "Exxon Mobil made more money last year than any other company in the history of money. All of that came at our expense, whether it's in the form of diseases caused by pollution that they refuse to pay for, or straight up price gouging from the oil addiction they sustain."
News that the Obama campaign had hired Keystone pipeline lobbyist Broderick Johnson was not well received with the Wall Street occupiers, many of whom viewed it as an indication firstly that President Obama meant to continue the Bush-era policies of friendship with corporations hostile to environmental sustainability, and secondly, that his kind words for Occupy Wall Street were insincere and constituted an attempt to co-opt the energy behind the movement as support for his pre-existent legislative agenda and re-election hopes.
All of this contributed to the frustration of the Occupy movement as America's Building Trades Union (in collaboration with the American Petroleum Institute), which are hostile to environmentalists' efforts to block the pipeline, recently established a web site to that effect using the wording of the Occupy movement. Other unions supporting the pipeline include the Teamsters and Laborers, both of which have come out in support of Occupy Wall Street. Indeed, occupiers have been crucial in recent protest actions at Sotheby's, in support of the Teamsters locked out by the auction house.
It is self-evident to the ownership class' advantage if any two large constituencies professing solidarity with the 99 percent movement are acting at cross-purposes. The obvious tack for both groups to take is support for a massive green jobs stimulus – things like creating sustainable energy in the US, winterizing homes, and other measures that necessarily provide jobs to American workers. The Transit Workers and Amalgamated Transit Union have done just that, and a proposal popular in the progressive community calls for a "New Apollo Project" that way geared.
As Occupy Wall Street installs energy bikes to replace its recently confiscated fuel-based generators, it will face the tough prospect of either uniting its assorted sympathetic factions around proposals like the New Apollo Project or perhaps even deciding where its allegiances lie and rejecting one or more endorsements. Occupiers (myself included) have frequently condemned attempts to co-opt the message and iconography of the movement; but when the co-opter in question is a labor union with a good relationship with the occupiers on the ground, the problem recalls Lord Palmerston's formulation: "We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow."
Briefly, we wanted to update you on where Truthout stands this month.
To be brutally honest, Truthout is behind on our fundraising goals for the year. There are a lot of reasons why. We're dealing with broad trends in our industry, trends that have led publications like Vice, BuzzFeed, and National Geographic to make painful cuts. Everyone is feeling the squeeze of inflation. And despite its lasting importance, news readership is declining.
To ensure we stay out of the red by the end of the year, we have a long way to go. Our future is threatened.
We've stayed online over two decades thanks to the support of our readers. Because you believe in the power of our work, share our transformative stories, and give to keep us going strong, we know we can make it through this tough moment.
At this moment, we have 24 hours left in our important fundraising campaign, and we still must raise $23,000. Please consider making a donation today.


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Speakers and attendees - Multimessenger Town Hall
Honolulu, HI - AAS 235 in 2020 - Speakers and attendees during the Multimessenger Town Hall at the American Astronomical Society's (AAS) 235th meeting at the Washington State Convention Center here today, Wednesday January 8, 2020. The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899 and based in Washington, DC, is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America. The annual meeting is the premier astronomical event with more than 3,000 astronomers, educators, industry representatives, and journalists in attendance and at least 1,600 oral and poster presentations scheduled. Photo by © CorporateEventImages/Phil McCarten 2020
Speakers and attendees Multimessenger Town Hall AAS 235 in 2020


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They Even Fried The Carrot Cake!
On our diet here...
11.01.2012 - 29.02.2012
So friends and family have been asking about food since we've been here: mostly, "how is it?" Generally speaking, Latin American cuisine consists of rice, beans, root vegetables, plantains and corn. Supplement these basic food stuffs with arepas (or any variety of corn-based pancake or tortilla), dozens of varieties of delicious fruits, fried pig and chicken parts. Jumble this around, mix some of it in bowls, and you have what you generally eat throughout the day, every day here.
I don't get too tired of rice and beans and fruits and veggies, but it gets pretty tough to sustain ourselves in any healthy way when the only options on the road are fried… everything. There's fried chicken, fried chicken pastries, fried empanadas, fried chicharron (pig skin), fried cow intestine, fried fish on the bone, fried plantains, fried mashed potatoes, fried potato chips, fried and battered rice cakes, fried yucca, fried doughballs, fried onion rings, and fried corn cakes: kind of like your good ole' people's fair back in the States.
To say the least, we've jumped at the chance to buy granola and raisins and fruit and carrots to travel with, so as not to saturate our bodies too much in the saturated-fats buffet here. Still, it's impossible to avoid having to eat at least a few fried foods a day… T.L. isn't complaining too much about it really.
Why so much fried food? Well, foods are generally prepared stovetop, as most people do not have an oven in the home. In addition, the best option for street vendors is portable burners. So the quickest and easiest prep, which doesn't require much seasoning or special ingredients, is frying. When I talk about heavily fried foods, this means, if you place your fried food on a stack of napkins, it will soak through around 15, while still leaving an oil mark on the table.
We had a menu-of-the-day meal recently (they usually come with 2-3 courses and a juice, and can be found at any number of small eateries that line every town)… This one included soup and salad and carrot cake, so I was pretty excited. When our meal came, T.L. asked what I thought the little fried thing was on our plates, and I said "Who knows? Just another little fried thing..." We both bit in, and said wow, that is super fried and really delicious, but what is it? Then I saw some trace of a shaving of carrot… it was the carrot cake! They battered… and fried… the carrot cake! The default healthy dessert! The sacrilege! They knew it would be delicious! So I let T.L. finish mine, as it was very rich, and I supplemented with some ice-cream later that night.
The Colombian diet is also heavy in meat: pork, beef, chicken, lamb, sausages, hotdogs, hamburgers etc. so for a mostly non-meat eating person, I've had to slowly introduce more meat into the diet. While T.L. had been thoroughly enjoying our vegetarian meals at Organizmo, his only birthday wish had been for meat. So, I set off to town with Itamar, a vegetarian, in search of birthday supplies. We thought we had done a good job buying some raw red meat and chicken, until T.L. told me, post-barbecue, he wasn't even sure it was meat.
Thus far in Ecuador, however, we've tried a large selection of tasty, less-fried snacks, and we've been able to make some of our own food again at our WWOOF site in Baños and couchsurfing. So we've made it so far without having to eat guinea pig, but it's coming sooner than later. House-pet-impaled-on-metal-stick-over-hot-coals (cuy) has yet to ignite my appetite, but who knows what we'll eat at the end of a treacherous day of hiking!
Posted by AmyERichards 15:33 Archived in Colombia Tagged rice cake corn foods carrot colombia ecuador fried beans Comments (0)


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Recently, Apple removed Wobble—an app that adds animated jiggles to photo breasts—from the App Store. Other removals followed. Now, a developer who talked to Apple says the future of iPhone titillation is bleak.
Really bleak. Like no racy photos, no suggestive language, no bathing suits bleak.
This devastating news comes by way of TechCrunch, who has been following this story closely (but not in a weird way). Initially it seemed that Apple's new policy was to ban "overtly sexual content," which was disappointing, but, you know, understandable. Now TC has received word from a developer who has discussed the matter with "multiple App Store reviewers," and things aren't looking too hot. Not even close to hot, in fact.
Said developer was told "there will be no more applications that are for any purpose of excitement or titillation." Huh? I get pretty excited playing Tapulous—are they going to ban that too? Well, if you're thinking that maybe behind the hyperbole things aren't actually so bad, think again. Here's the full shakedown, as recapped by the developer of Wobble, an individual who has been standing in the shower since Apple first turned on the cold water on Thursday night:
1. No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)
2. No images of men in bikinis! (I didn't ask about Ice Skating tights for men)
3. No skin (he seriously said this) (I asked if a Burqa was OK, and the Apple guy got angry)
4. No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs (yes – I am serious, we have to remove the silhouette in this pic)
5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned
6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!! (I doubt many people could get aroused with the pic above but those puritanical guys at Apple must get off on pretty mundane things to find Wobble "overtly sexual!)
7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content (not sure how Playboy is still in the store, but …)
This can't be life! Of course, the glimmer of hope here is that Apple is still reviewing their policy and taking a hard line while doing so, just to be safe. On the other hand, this could it, the real deal, the Puritanical future of apps on the iPhone.
Even if this isn't a permanent policy, it's hard to believe this is an issue at all. It makes me glad for the relative chaos of the marketplaces of other OSes. And the freedom. [TechCrunch]


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For Christians, the crucifixion is the event that changed everything. Prior to the death of Jesus and the emergence of Christianity most ancient people interpreted oppression, persecution, and violence as a sign that their deity was either irate or impotent. The crucifixion forced Jesus's followers to rethink this paradigm. The death of their leader was reshaped as triumph and the experience of persecution became a sign of elevated moral status, a badge of honor. The genius of the Jesus movement was its ability to disassociate earthly pain from divine punishment. As a result Christians identified themselves as innocent victims; they associated their sufferings with those of Jesus and aligned the source of those sufferings with the forces that killed Jesus. From the very beginning, victimhood was hardwired into the Christian psyche.
The enduring impact of this idea is evident in the rhetoric of modern-day Christians. In the weeks that followed the recent papal resignation, Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles, who was accused of participating in the coverup of sexual abuse by priests, described himself in terms appropriate to a martyr: as a scapegoat who suffered like Jesus. Because of the nature of the crimes for which he is suspected, Mahony's claims that he is being persecuted have been universally dismissed, but other similarly hyperbolic instances of American Christians crying "persecution" slip into the public square.
The belief that Christians are continuously persecuted has a basis in Scripture. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus instructs his followers to take up their cross and follow him and predicts that his followers will be persecuted for his name. Then again, in the very same passage he predicts that some of those standing before him will not taste death before the arrival of his kingdom in glory. Why do we accept the prophecy of persecution when the statement about the disciples living until the last judgment clearly failed? The reason why Jesus's statements about persecution have had such a pronounced impact on the formation of Christian identity is that this prophecy is believed to have been proven in the experiences of the early church. The Church has suffered since the beginning, the argument goes, and we are persecuted now as we have always been.
But what if Christians were not always persecuted? What if there never was an "Age of the Martyrs"? When we look at the evidence, it becomes clear that the stereotype of cruel Roman emperors persecuting innocent Christians is a myth. From the Roman side, there is scant evidence for the persecution of Christians. It is not even clear that the Romans knew about the existence of Christians until the early second century. Even then they didn't see Christianity as a religion. They describe it, rather, as a foolish superstition that could potentially harm local economies. Christians undoubtedly died as a result of legislation passed during the reign of the emperor Decius (ca. AD 250), but not because he was targeting them. Intriguingly, not a word of our Roman evidence for his legislation refers to Christians.
With the exception of the Great Persecution of Diocletian (AD 303-305), when Christians were indeed actively persecuted, it is difficult to find any examples of Roman emperors behaving as Christians typically portrayed them. Apart from this comparatively brief period, and an even briefer one during the reign of Valerian in 257-58, Roman emperors never targeted Christians for attack. At the beginning of the second century, the emperor Trajan actually stipulated that Christians were not to be sought out. Roman emperors simply don't appear to have been that interested in Christians. For most of the first three centuries of their existence Christians flourished: they held lofty political positions, and were so comfortable under the Romans that they even constructed a prominent church across the road from the imperial palace in Nicomedia.
The overwhelming majority of Christians idealized martyrdom and suffering like Jesus, but very few of them died violently—and even fewer died as the result of the kind of persecution described in Sunday school. Romans had good reason to be concerned about Christians. Scandalous rumors of Christians participating in incestuous orgies and practicing cannibalism were widely circulated. More important, Christians sounded a lot like revolutionaries. In courtrooms they stated that they were unable to respect anyone but Christ, their new emperor. Roman officials had no problem executing political subversives—this was a world in which Jon Stewart would be executed for his institution-challenging satire. Ancient empires were accustomed to reshaping the religious identities of those they bested in war. The Romans magnanimously allowed conquered groups to maintain their own religious traditions and implement their own law at their own discretion. But this generosity ended when it became socially disruptive or politically subversive. Christians threatened the stability of the empire, and when we look at their interactions with Roman authorities, we might even find ourselves sympathizing with the Romans.
Given that the Roman evidence for persecution is so thin, the origin of our misunderstandings about the early church must, and does, lie with the early Christians themselves. There are literally thousands of stories of Christians martyrs being brutally tortured and killed, but the overwhelming majority of these were written long after the events they claim to describe. Who is responsible for these misunderstandings about history? And why did they alter the historical record? One of the reasons is the explosion of the cult of the saints, the passion for collecting and displaying holy relics, in the fifth century and beyond. Everyone wanted a piece of the action and innumerable stories about martyrs were fabricated to support local churches and to attract pilgrims to particular towns.
Even the earliest, most ostensibly trustworthy, martyrdom stories have been edited and reworked. The authors of these accounts borrowed from ancient mythology, changed the details of events to make the martyrs appear more like Jesus, and made the Roman antagonists increasingly venomous. Peeling back the layers of editorial work is like watching textual plastic surgery; even small changes radically alter our understanding of the subject. Legend maintains that the Apostle Peter asked to be crucified upside down out humility, but comes from a sixth century rewriting. Fascinatingly, the earliest version of the story gives a very different and almost mysterious explanation. Other ancient authors were less artful. Lazy biographers of the saints sometimes pasted together the story of a martyr's death from the writings of his colleagues and we can pull these apart without difficulty. We need not accuse the priest-scribes who created these accounts of any malicious deception, as these kinds of literary practices were fairly common at the time, but nor, certainly, can we conclude that they're giving us the historical facts. Even if Christians choose to venerate individual martyrs—regardless of whether the stories are true or not—we should not leap to the conclusion that ancient Christians as a collective whole were constantly persecuted. We simply lack the necessary evidence to support such a claim. Faith in martyrs is one thing; historical claims about persecution are quite another.
Claims about violent persecution may not be historically accurate, but in the hands of ancient Christian writers they did valuable work shoring up the authority of the church. The fourth-century historian Eusebius was able to use the stories of the martyrs to combat heresy and to establish the succession of bishops in the early church. When the origins of the episcopacy in France were clouded, Eusebius invented an anecdote in which Gallic martyrs wrote to the bishop of Rome recommending a particular candidate. When he wanted to demonstrate the errors of a particular heresy, he would cleverly tell a story in which a martyr denounced the schismatic group's leader. This fascinating invention of the history of persecution set a precedent. Later generations of medieval copyists would do the same—inserting doctrinal formulae into the mouths of expiring martyrs.
Eusebius began a long-lived tradition of equating dissent and disagreement with persecution. He argued that the church is fundamentally under attack and that, just as Roman officials attacked her in the past, now heretics attack her in the present. The essential idea is polarization: us against them, good against evil. Once Constantine allowed Christianity to become a state-sponsored religion in the fourth century, some Christians went on the offensive. They sought out pagan temples to destroy, with high hopes of dying and becoming martyrs. The memory of authentic persecution under Diocletian did not make Christians forgiving and generous toward the now disenfranchised pagans. The rhetoric of persecution perpetuated by early Christian writers, rather, created a polarized view of the world that only heaped violence on top of violence.
This idea of constant attack and Christian victimhood is grounded in the myths of the early church, but it endures to this day. It is evident in the rhetoric of modern American media pundits, politicians, and religious leaders who proclaim that there is a war on Christianity in modern America. The problem with identifying oneself and one's group as a persecuted minority is that it necessarily identifies others as persecutors. It is certainly the case that Christians—and members of other religious groups—around the world endure horrifying violence and oppression today. But it is rarely those voices or calls for action on their behalf that reach our ears. On the contrary, these experiences are drowned out by louder, local complaints.
Instances of oppression, violence, and persecution do not need a history of persecution or a commitment to victimhood to support them. The mistreatment of Christians in modern India, for example, is not wrong because it is part of a history of persecution. It is just wrong. Nor is it somehow more outrageous than violence against Muslims or Hindus there.
Most importantly, the myth of persecution can actually generate violence. At the beginning of the first Crusade, Pope Urban II promised Christian soldiers the rewards of martyrdom if they died in the conflict. The historical factors are complicated, and medieval European Christians did see themselves as under attack, but their actions cannot be dismissed as "self-defense." This is a cautionary example for us. There is always the possibility that we have no sense of our own position in a conflict. Even though we cast ourselves as martyrs, we might be crusaders.
The example of Jesus that hangs at the center of Christianity encouraged his followers to embrace suffering and to stand firm in times of persecution. But even if Christians are called to embrace suffering and victimization, we can do without a story of persecution that is inaccurate, unproductive, and polarizing. Nor should we build our interpretation of the present on errors about the past.


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KNS Precision Inc. Privacy Policy – Your Privacy Rights
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Michiana Elite Bird Fair
Michiana Elite Bird Fair Hosted by Royal Wings Aviary
The Michiana Elite Bird Fair, also known as Michiana Bird Fair, will be held March 21, 2015, at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana. There will be over 30,000 square feet of displays at the Weikamp Athletic Center on the Bethel College campus. The Michiana Elite Bird Fair is the largest bird fair in the Michiana area and is hosted by Royal Wings Aviary.
See videos:
Michiana Elite Bird Fair Has a Three-Fold Purpose
The purpose of the Michiana Elite Bird Fair is three-fold: 1) to improve the Potawatomi Zoo, 2) to strengthen family relationships and provide an opportunity for quality family time, and 3) to inform the public about exotic birds and available bird-related products. A portion of the proceeds go to the Potawatomi Zoo and endangered bird species. Admission is $4 for adults. Children under 10 are admitted FREE. We offer FREE face painting for children.
Michiana Elite Bird Fair Features Well-Known Speakers
The Michiana Elite Bird Fair will feature two spectacular speakers. Dr. Peter Sakas is a well-known avian veterinarian and speaker from the Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center in Niles, Illinois. He is the author of "Essentials of Avian Medicine: A Practitioner's Guide" published by the American Animal Hospital Association and numerous other articles. He will be lecturing about "Recognizing Illness in Pet Birds" and "Avian First Aid." Dr. Ric Berlinski, DVM, veterinarian at the Toledo Zoo, is very knowledgeable about exotic birds and is a very entertaining speaker. Both will be will be speaking about avian topics as well as answering "Ask-a-Vet" questions one-on-one at the Michiana Elite Bird Fair.
Program Schedule
11:00 Dr. Peter Sakas, DVM
12:00 Dr. Ric Berlinski, DVM
2:00 Dr. Ric Berlinski, DVM
3:00 Dr. Peter Sakas, DVM
Michiana Elite Bird Fair Attractions
Visitors at the Michiana Elite Bird Fair (Michiana Bird Fair) will be able to buy birds directly from the breeders. Bird owners will be able to find all the products they need to care for and pamper their birds. Bird food, cages, toys, and perches will also be available. COME SEE THE BALD EAGLE FROM 12 to 2.
Silent Auction 10 to 4
There will be a silent auction at the Michiana Elite Bird Fair with items and certificates from quality restaurants and businesses, as well as bird products and cages.
This year we will have special drawings for 4 fabulous prints by noted artist Tim Marsh.
Directions to the Michiana Elite Bird Fair (Michiana Bird Fair)
Directions to the Michiana Elite Bird Fair (Michiana Bird Fair) can be found by clicking "Bethel College" on our homepage.
You won't want to miss this event! For questions call Allan or Pam at (574) 273-1767 or e-mail email@example.com.


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April on MLB Network Features 26 Live Games &
The Premiere of MLB Now with Brian Kenny & Harold Reynolds
World Series Champion San Francisco Giants Face Rival Los Angeles Dodgers on
MLB Network Showcase with Bob Costas, Jim Kaat and Sam Ryan on April 2
MLB Network Strike Zone Channel Returns Friday, April 5
MLB Network's coverage of the 2013 Major League Baseball season begins with fifteen live hours of Opening Day coverage on Monday, April 1, featuring a sneak peek of the new studio show MLB Now with Brian Kenny, host of Clubhouse Confidential, and analyst Harold Reynolds at 8:00 p.m. ET and on Tuesday, April 2 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Starting Wednesday, April 3, MLB Now will air weekdays from 4:00-5:00 p.m. ET.
Fresh off one of the most hotly contested MVP races in history, the cultural divide in MLB is more evident now than ever before. MLB Now will represent two different groups of baseball fans and how they watch the game today as Kenny, armed with his analytic acumen, will match wits with 12-year MLB veteran Reynolds on daily news across the league, including everything from second-guessing a crucial managerial move in a game to discussing whether or not a player should be signed to a long-term contract.
Kenny and Reynolds will welcome outside opinions each day, with live guest interviews via MLB Network's Cisco Ballpark Cam network and live polling on social media so viewers can give their take on the day's topics. New MLB Network host Kristina Akra, who served as a reporter covering the Washington Nationals for MASN in 2012, will appear across MLB Network's studio programming and make her MLB Network debut on MLB Now on Monday April 1.
MLB Network's Opening Day coverage begins on April 1 at 10:00 a.m. ET with Intentional Talk, hosted by Kevin Millar and Chris Rose, the return of The Rundown with Lauren Shehadi and Matt Yallof at 11:00 a.m., MLB Tonight at 1:00 p.m. ET with Greg Amsinger, Larry Bowa, Kevin Millar, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds, Bill Ripken, Ken Rosenthal, Paul Severino, Matt Vasgersian, Tom Verducci and Mitch Williams, followed by MLB Network's in-season highlights show Quick Pitch at 1:00 a.m. ET with Heidi Watney.
GRAMMY® nominated band OneRepublic will provide the soundtrack for MLB Network's coverage of Opening Week as "Counting Stars," the opening track off their third studio album Native, which will be released March 26th on Mosley Music Group/Interscope Records, will be featured across all of MLB Network's programming. A behind-the-scenes look at the video the band recently shot in MLB Network's Studio 42 is available here.
MLB Network's live game schedule for the 2013 season will begin with the Tampa Bay Rays' home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, April 2 at 3:00 p.m. ET, followed by the World Series champion San Francisco Giants at the Los Angeles Dodgers, called by Bob Costas, Jim Kaat and Sam Ryan, on MLB Network Showcase at 10:00 p.m. ET. The remainder of MLB Network's April game schedule is available here, including the following matchups on MLB Network Showcase:
April 2: San Francisco Giants @ Los Angeles Dodgers / Bob Costas, Jim Kaat & Sam Ryan
April 12: Atlanta Braves @ Washington Nationals / Matt Vasgersian, John Smoltz & Sam Ryan
April 18: St. Louis Cardinals @ Philadelphia Phillies / Matt Vasgersian, Jim Kaat & Sam Ryan
April 25: Toronto Blue Jays @ New York Yankees / Matt Vasgersian, John Smoltz & Sam Ryan
April 30: Cincinnati Reds @ St. Louis Cardinals / Bob Costas, John Smoltz & Tom Verducci
MLB Network's commercial-free, highlights-focused Strike Zone channel will return on Friday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. ET, once again taking viewers on a high-speed trip around MLB on Tuesday and Friday nights during the regular season. When live game telecasts air on MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone brings fans to every game across the league, with up-to-the-minute highlights, live look-ins and updates. MLB Network Strike Zone is available on Bright House Networks, Consolidated Communications, DirecTV, DISH, Google Fiber, OpenBand, SureWest Communications and Time Warner Cable.