Latest post of the previous page:
Thank you Alan C, I have just bought the book.INFORMATION
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The original book thread
Re: The original book thread
I have just finnished reading "The Truth About Mohammed: Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion" by Robert Spencer. The book wasn't an easy read and wasn't quite what I expected. He begins by explaining the texts which are commonly used by Islamic scholars and uses these to put his case. He then gives a chronological account of Mo's life and, using these texts, shows what a complete and utter bastard the man must have been. This man was no Jesus-that's for shure! I was aware that Mo had been involved in military action, but I had naiively thought that this was as a follower when defending his country (or something like that). I had no idea that it was him who waged war on others in the name of Islam. He also, notoriously, ignored the generally accepted rule of war that the winning side considered civilians and their property were not to be taken. Instead he looted civilian property (sometimes just destroying it in situ) and killed or enslaved women and children.
I'm now reading "The Ottoman Centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire" by B P Kinross. I think it may take me a while to get through it. though.
I've also recently read a couple of books about dog training and behaviour, but I don't think anyone will be interested in that
I'm now reading "The Ottoman Centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire" by B P Kinross. I think it may take me a while to get through it. though.
I've also recently read a couple of books about dog training and behaviour, but I don't think anyone will be interested in that
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.
Re: The original book thread
Much like the God of the Old Testament, then....getreal wrote:He also, notoriously, ignored the generally accepted rule of war that the winning side considered civilians and their property were not to be taken. Instead he looted civilian property (sometimes just destroying it in situ) and killed or enslaved women and children.
Have you come across any books about cheering up your polar bear....?I've also recently read a couple of books about dog training and behaviour, but I don't think anyone will be interested in that
Re: The original book thread
No, Nick. But I have read this book about polar bears.
I think I may have to give my book on the Ottoman's a bit of a break. It's pretty dull
I think I may have to give my book on the Ottoman's a bit of a break. It's pretty dull
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.
Re: The original book thread
Ooo! I've read the companion volumes. Fun, aren't they?getreal wrote:No, Nick. But I have read this book about polar bears.
And do polar bears get lonely?
I know why they don't eat penguins...
Spoiler:
Re: The original book thread
just finished re reading the Truth by Terry Pratchet and am going to start on carpe jugulum for the third time. The trouble I have is that I read a lot at work in the staff room and some times I find theses books so funny I litteraly role on the floor laughing.
Re: The original book thread
coming to the end of "Pere Goriot" by Balzac. Interesting depiction of corrupt early/mid 19C Parisian high society - where women kind of dominate the scene, but of course the purse strings are ultimately held by men
Re: The original book thread
The Ottoman Centuries is proving a facinating read! I am also reading The Trouble With Islam Today by Ishrad Manjii. It is written by a woman who is Moslem, but who feels that Islam has lost it's way--and has done for centuries. It's reasonable interesting, but she provides no refenences, so there is no way of verifying what she says. I hate leaving a book part read, so I will finnish it.
Does anyone have any recommendations for intellegent (but not dense!) books on Islam?
Edited for multipe spalling erors
Does anyone have any recommendations for intellegent (but not dense!) books on Islam?
Edited for multipe spalling erors
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.
Re: The original book thread
You missed some! [/pedant]getreal wrote:Edited for multipe spalling erors
Alan Henness
There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:
1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?
There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:
1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?
Re: The original book thread
I think she meant there weren't enough....
Re: The original book thread
Bugger--I just lost my entire post!!
Short version
Some guy, who has written books critical of religion, is himself a christian (probably). He used to be editor of some catholic "newspaper" (possibly The Tablet, but because I have it in my mind that he's american, I have some doubts about thet). He has (I think) been employed by the vatican as "devil's advocate" when they are assessing new saints (maybe).
I have read (possibly more than one) book that he's written, but I can't remember which one or who he even is! I've searched my bookshelves and the internet and am begining to think he is a figment of my imagination! Help!!! Someone here must know who he is!!
I'm still reading my history of the Ottoman empire, but it's begining to sound a bit like Lord of the Rings: you know the kind of thing- bunch of people ride out to far lands and fight a bunch of other people, have a short rest and ride on, meet another bunch of people and fight them, short rest...you get the idea.
Short version
Some guy, who has written books critical of religion, is himself a christian (probably). He used to be editor of some catholic "newspaper" (possibly The Tablet, but because I have it in my mind that he's american, I have some doubts about thet). He has (I think) been employed by the vatican as "devil's advocate" when they are assessing new saints (maybe).
I have read (possibly more than one) book that he's written, but I can't remember which one or who he even is! I've searched my bookshelves and the internet and am begining to think he is a figment of my imagination! Help!!! Someone here must know who he is!!
I'm still reading my history of the Ottoman empire, but it's begining to sound a bit like Lord of the Rings: you know the kind of thing- bunch of people ride out to far lands and fight a bunch of other people, have a short rest and ride on, meet another bunch of people and fight them, short rest...you get the idea.
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.
Re: The original book thread
Oh dear! If you're using Firefox or Chrome, you should install the Lazarus addon/extension. You can guess what it does from its name!getreal wrote:Bugger--I just lost my entire post!!
Alan Henness
There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:
1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?
There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:
1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?
Re: The original book thread
I installed chrome a couple of weeks ago after which (though not necessarily beause of installing it) my computer went a bit mental. No desktop at all and when I tried to put sits on it wouldn't let me access them (I now have to use favorites instead, but why use two clicks when one will do). My daughter said she couldn't acess her photos at the same time. I unistalled chrome and she had to retrieve her photos from her facebook.0
So if it's called Lazarus, I take it that it takes four days to work it's magic and has 2 sisters called Martha and Mary.
So if it's called Lazarus, I take it that it takes four days to work it's magic and has 2 sisters called Martha and Mary.
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.
Re: The original book thread
Chrome is crap!
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015
Me, 2015
Re: The original book thread
We're way off topic here but............A few months ago when I got the new PC with windows 7 I started to get all sorts of problems with firefox, I switched to lunascape and everything works just fine.
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.
Re: The original book thread
I don't even know what firefox is.
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.
Re: The original book thread
Google is your friend getreal.
firefox
firefox
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.
Re: The original book thread
LOL! I can't see why installing Chrome would have caused those problems. We've got it on all one desktop, one laptop and one Linux box and all work fairly well - certainly no more problems than Firefox.getreal wrote:I installed chrome a couple of weeks ago after which (though not necessarily beause of installing it) my computer went a bit mental. No desktop at all and when I tried to put sits on it wouldn't let me access them (I now have to use favorites instead, but why use two clicks when one will do). My daughter said she couldn't acess her photos at the same time. I unistalled chrome and she had to retrieve her photos from her facebook.0
So if it's called Lazarus, I take it that it takes four days to work it's magic and has 2 sisters called Martha and Mary.
Alan Henness
There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:
1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?
There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:
1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?
Re: The original book thread
So, no one knows who the writer is who has been employed as devil's advocate by the vatican and was editor of The Tablet?
Maybe I dreamed it all!
Edit: I think I may be confusing Christopher Hitchins (who was involved in the examination of Mother Theresa for the vatican) and someone else. Wish I knew who the someone else was, though.
Maybe I dreamed it all!
Edit: I think I may be confusing Christopher Hitchins (who was involved in the examination of Mother Theresa for the vatican) and someone else. Wish I knew who the someone else was, though.
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.
Re: The original book thread
Nick wrote:Much like the God of the Old Testament, then....getreal wrote:He also, notoriously, ignored the generally accepted rule of war that the winning side considered civilians and their property were not to be taken. Instead he looted civilian property (sometimes just destroying it in situ) and killed or enslaved women and children.
Have you come across any books about cheering up your polar bear....?I've also recently read a couple of books about dog training and behaviour, but I don't think anyone will be interested in that
I am interested in the dog books, myself
cheers
Re: The original book thread
I hadnt realised that the humanist soc and the bha were different.Athena wrote:I don't often read novels these days but I've just completed Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, whose debut novel The Time Traveler's Wife was one of my favourite reads of recent years but then I have a weakness for time-shift stories.
This is a ghost story and, like all ghost stories, it'is ridiculous but at the same time original and compelling. Not a patch on the earlier book, IMO, but still recommended and I hope they make a movie out of it. It's set partly in Highgate Cemetery - as part of her research the author spent some time working there as a guide - and it has inspired me to want to visit that place which, I am ashamed to admit is only a few miles away from where I've lived most of my life but I've never been to.
Nice to see a humanist funeral get a mention even if it was arranged through the "Humanist Society" rather than the BHA. Here's what she says:
Clip-board? Red shawl? WTF?"The officiant stood at the front of the room holding a clipboard and watching as people took their seats. She wore something red draped over her shoulders. Jane wondered what was about to happen. They had asked for a non-religious ceremony. Ron had arranged everything through the Humanist Society.....
The red-shawled officiant spoke. She welcomed them and said some non-religious things that were meant to be comforting to non-religious people. She invited people who had known Jean to speak about her."
(I've changed the characters names so as not to spoil it for anyone who fancies reading the book).