What I Think About What Other People Say (WITAWOPS)

“There are other forces in this world, Frodo, besides that of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it, and that is an encouraging thought.” — Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring What Do I Think? Gandalf’s words to Frodo reflect an age-old debate: Are we merely playing out a script that has already been written, or do we have the power to shape our own destinies? The struggle between free will and predestination is not just a historical theological debate—it is playing out in society and governance today. It impacts how we interpret success and failure, in how we justify actions, and out day-to-day decisions. Designed by Freepik Christianity has long been divided on this question. Strict Calvinists embrace predestination, the idea that God has already determined who will be saved and who will be damned. In contrast, strict Arminians believe in free will, asserting that while They know what we will choose, the Almighty ...

Consider these three quotes, each regarded as the word of God within their respective religious traditions: "inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the scriptures. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction." “And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and oppression is worse than killing.”  “Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” Image by macrovector on Freepik . Before you scroll down to identify the sources (think spoiler), consider what they collectively mean and imply.  What Do I Think When it comes to understanding sacred texts, I find myself navigating between three perspectives. First, that these texts are not exactly what God revealed but rather what men (intentionally gender-specific here, since religious scholars and leaders have historically been male) have altered over time to serve their own interests...

When a controversial cult leader builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal. …This show is….riveting, provocative, true crime, media circus, critically acclaimed, cerebral, docuseries, TV -- Netflix Series description of Wild Wild Country, 2018 Yes, this is still a non-fiction blog and the description that Netflix provides is pretty accurate. I was flabbergasted when I heard about and began to research Rajneeshpuram, a real city in Oregon (yes, that is the 33rd U.S. state). The city existed between 1981 and 1989. I stumbled across the name when I was looking at a list of cities in Oregon; the list included a number of former cities now disincorporated and I began to wonder where it came from and where did it go? Typical Rural Landscape Picture designed by Freepik  This is not a spoiler for the Netflix docuseries; I will not disclose the outcome(s). In a nutshell, an Indian, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, facilitated the purchase ...

It's been an emotional and somewhat tumultuous week for many of my readers. This post explores the meaning of signs, focusing on a faith perspective but prefaced with a bit of much needed humor.  The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. --  Psalms 19:1 Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day, and the ships that run in the sea with that which profits men, and the water that Allah sends down from the cloud, then gives life with it to the earth after its death and spreads in it all (kinds of) animals, and the changing of the winds and the clouds made subservient between the heaven and the earth, there are signs for a people who understand. --  Qur’an, 2:164 What Do I Think: Kenya is a richly diverse country where people practice a wide...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion… U.S. Constitution, 1st Amendment, 1791 Until 2025, I had unwavering faith in the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Its promise that the government could not favor one religion over another seemed clear and straightforward. This is common practice in other countries that have a state-sponsored religion: Church of England, Islam in Egypt, or Buddhism in Thailand). Some State constitutions like Washington’s reinforced this principle. It says ““No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction, or the support of any religious establishment.” — Washington State Constitution, Section 11 In high school, studying mandatory U.S. Government, we dissected the distinction between government actions and private ones. Christmas trees at shopping malls or Rockefeller Center? Fair game for private entities. But public schools? That was another matter entirel...

“Galeeb, with your background in Islamic Studies, please explain to my spouse why we, as Muslims, should not be putting up a Christmas tree and celebrating Xmas.”  What Do I Think I used to inwardly wince when I saw decorated Christmas trees in the homes of my western Muslim friends or family. Sure, to each their own—but can you explain why you are bringing a core symbol of a Christian religious holiday into your home? Do you also celebrate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday ? Is your tree reflecting your religious beliefs, or is it driven by social, cultural, national, or capitalist norms? I am a firm believer in intentionality. Act and speak with explicit intention—understand “what” and “why” behind your actions, articulate your reasoning to yourself and others, and remain steadfast in your beliefs. Thus, when someone asked me to explain why a Christmas tree should not belong in a Muslim household, I had to pause. My gut reaction would not suffice; I needed to validate it with logic...

Today I explore whether we can and do forgive past leaders for their mistakes. “ The American administration made many mistakes against other peoples. Will every American citizen, every American soldier be asked: “Why were you with them? Why were you with them?” He will respond, saying that there was an administration, and there were inherent circumstances unique to this time and place that imposed on me to be here. Administrations are making bad decisions. The American people cannot all bear the responsibility.” Foreign Leader, 2021 What I think Unfortunately, as individuals, communities, and nations, we make mistakes—only God is perfect. Sometimes, hopefully, we acknowledge them, learn from them, and take meaningful steps to repent, make amends, and remember. The alternative is to ignore and forget, to follow the ostrich policy .  I don’t enjoy visiting the Washington State Fairgrounds. The venue proudly boasts on its website, “The Washington State Fair Events Center is the large...

"8 percent of Christians in India do not believe in God." (Pew Research, 2021) What do I think Given our diverse interests, our dinner conversations are generally very lively and interesting. When we really get into a topic, one person, generally the one who starts the topic, will also use their phone at the table. Here’s why. I grew up without internet or cell phones, my parents couldn’t instantly validate, correct, or elaborate on anything we discussed. Our discussion was limited to what we already knew or believed. Now, though, we can dig deeper in real time. Take a recent dinner conversation: my child mentioned hearing about Jehovah’s Witnesses in India. The questions flew across the table. Was that for real? How many Christians are in India? One phone came out. 2% of Indians are Christians, which equates to roughly 28 million people—almost the population of Texas!  But any search gives multiple answers. This one also told us that 98 percent of Christians in India do not ...