mespie74

I saw this article today which made me think of this thread. "We are making a fatal mistake by ignoring the dissidents within Islam" by Timothy Garton Ash http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2034009,00.html He mentions Ms. Ali as well as other Muslim dissidents who do not get as much attention in the Western press as Ali does. One point he makes is the importance that any change in Islam must come from within, and I wonder if and how non-Muslims might try to influence any change. Also, I agree with Judith in regards what beliefs constitute being a Christian. I grew up a Christian and worked in evangelical Christian organizations. The divinity of Jesus is the central theme. The values taught in Christianity (such as humility, charity, forgiveness, etc.) are also taught in other faiths. What separates the Christian from all the others that share these values is their belief that Jesus is God.

The Lord of the Rings series. I got through the Fellowship of the Ring, but for some reason, I put The Two Towers down and didn't pick it up again. I might try again though, and I thought the movies were pretty good. Michael, I've read through the entire Bible, mainly in school (I spent a little bit of time in seminary) but also on my own. I think the Law books (especially Leviticus and Numbers) are very difficult, partly because they repeat the same phrases over and over. I found it helpful to have a good commentary nearby when reading the prophetic books (Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, etc.). The imagery is strange and a lot of it is based in ancient Near East culture. Rokki

Thank you, Kat! I'm sure reading Atlas will be a great journey! Rokki

Thank you, Chris! I was introduced to Rand through a website, although I first heard of her in high school. The website is called the Political Compass. I took the test that they have on their website and my results put me in the libertarian right quadrant. The website also suggested authors that fall in the same quadrant. Rand along with Hayek and Friedman were the authors in my quadrant. I found myself agreeing with much of her philosophy in the books I've read. A little more about me... I live in the western suburbs of Chicago and have spent most of my life here. I'm 32. No husband or kids. I love sports, watching and participating, and I love reading, historical fiction being my favorite genre. I have spent most of my career in non-profits. I actually began in Christian ministry, so objectivism is quite a change from where I was 10 years ago. At the same time, I feel that I'm finally being true to my core beliefs. That's me in a bigger nutshell. I'm new to posting on sites like this, so may be a bit shy at first. It seems like a welcoming discussion board, though, so eventually I will get more comfortable and I think I will enjoy it as well. Thanks, again! Rokki

Hello. My name is Rokki (pronounced "rocky"). I've been visiting this forum for the past several months and decided to join and hopefully contribute every now and then. I'm new to Objectivism, so this is an opportunity to learn. Last summer I read We Are Living and The Virtue of Selfishness and enjoyed both. Currently, I am reading Atlas Shrugged. So, that's me in a small nutshell. Looking forward to talking to you all. Rokki