Podcasts about koran

In this episode of Crossing Faiths, John Pinna talks with Joseph Yoo, an Episcopalian pastor, about a wide array of topics, beginning with their shared, humorous appreciation for professional wrestling, which serves as a recurring touchstone for discussions on belief, community, and the nature of fandom. Yoo shares his journey from a Methodist upbringing (his father was a preacher) to becoming an Episcopalian priest and his current work planting a new, inclusive church in a former bakery in Texas, emphasizing the importance of belonging before believing. They explore themes of faith deconstruction, the interpretation of scripture (using Jonah as an example), the challenges and nuances of church leadership, and outreach in the modern world, all interwoven with personal anecdotes and lighthearted banter about cultural differences in religious practice and the human need for meaning. Joseph Yoo is the priest of Mosaic Episcopal church in Houston. You can visit https://linktr.ee/JosephYoo to connect with him.

While Islam has often been characterized as unitary and unchanging, by both Muslims and Westerners for their own particular reasons, that has never been the case–and today's world is no exception. Legalists and mystics debate, and radical groups exist at the same time as Muslim feminists who advocate new interpretations of the Koran.  This is the core argument of my guest John Tolan's new book Islam: A New History, from Muhammad to the Present. Ranging from new historical research on the first decades of the origins of the Muslim faith, he moves across centuries and millennia capturing the diversity and debate which characterized the history of the youngest of the three great monotheistic religions. Its diversity was fueled not just by religious debate, but by the great cultures which it assimilated, engaged, or had continual contact over the vast territory across which it spread.  John Tolan is professor emeritus of history at the University of Nantes. His books include England's Jews, Faces of Muhammad, Saint Francis and the Sultan, and Saracens.  

John Pinna sits down with Karen Volker, the newly appointed Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative (URI). Karen shares URI's inspiring 25-year evolution into a powerful global grassroots interfaith network, detailing how its local "Cooperation Circles" tackle diverse challenges by applying a "health approach" to violence prevention, inspired by models like Cure Violence. Listeners discover URI's strategic focus on building capacity, fostering connections, and measuring the tangible impact of interfaith actors working collaboratively to create cultures of peace, justice, and healing, offering a hopeful vision for how diverse communities can achieve real-world change.

At the beginning of May, something extraordinary happened in Batumi, Georgia. We gathered 1,000 Adjaran Georgians - Muslims by background - in a hotel ballroom for three unforgettable days. And there, David preached Jesus to them... not just as a prophet mentioned in the Koran as Isa Messih, but as the living Son of God, risen in power! Whilst in April, David arrived in Kazakhstan on his 93rd birthday, marking 75 years in ministry. Leaders from across the Almaty region came to be encouraged by a man who served through 30 years of Soviet persecution - and over 30 more in the turbulent years that followed. Still tireless, still passionate, David continues to inspire with a faith that never fades. For details on these missions trips visit our website: eurovision.org.uk

Jako pierwszy muzułmański minister w historii Australii, Ed Husic trzy lata temu złożył przysięgę na Koran – świętą księgę islamu – obejmując stanowisko w rządzie. Dziś, gdy Partia Pracy finalizuje skład gabinetu na swoją drugą kadencję, Husic twierdzi, że został z niego usunięty, częściowo z powodu swojego stanowiska wobec konfliktu w Strefie Gazy.

This podcast interview between John Pinna and Maurice Bloem of the Joint Learning Initiative (JLI) on Faith and Local Communities explores the JLI's unique approach to leveraging data and evidence for just and sustainable development. Bloem emphasizes the importance of going beyond traditional top-down models and incorporating local wisdom and diverse perspectives, including what he calls the "Ducky" framework for growth and collaboration. The conversation highlights the critical role of faith-based organizations in development due to their long-term community relationships and understanding of faith as a core aspect of identity, while also addressing the challenge of navigating bias and promoting genuine listening and dialogue in an increasingly polarized world.

This conversation between John Pinna and former CIA officer John Kiriakou delves into the significance of the private meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican. Kiriakou, drawing on his intelligence and foreign policy background, analyzes the meeting in the context of past interactions between the two leaders, particularly a previous public dressing-down of Zelensky by Trump. Both Pinna and Kiriakou highlight the perceived value and return to direct diplomatic engagement, a departure from recent trends. The interview discusses the unpredictability of Trump's approach, the changing political landscape within the Republican party regarding foreign intervention, and the potential implications of direct talks with adversarial nations, using examples like Iran and North Korea. They also touch on the historical use of unconventional "back channels" in U.S. foreign policy and the challenges of navigating bureaucracy and ingrained perspectives within intelligence and foreign policy institutions. The conversation ultimately underscores the importance of direct communication, even with adversaries, to enhance strategic interests and overcome limitations posed by reliance on traditional, potentially outdated, information sources and approaches.

In this episode, John Pinna has a conversation with Ani Zonneveld, founder and president of Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV). Zonneveld discusses the organization's founding in response to the narrow representation of American Muslims post-9/11 and the dominance of conservative Muslim organizations. She highlights MPV's commitment to "10 principles" rooted in the social justice values of the Quran, emphasizing human dignity for all, including LGBTQ+ individuals, and the importance of egalitarian spiritual leadership, including female imams. The discussion also touches on the shifting political landscape, the increasing alliance between the Christian and Muslim right based on "family values" as code for anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, and the potential threats to public education through legal challenges rooted in religious liberty claims. Zonneveld contrasts progressive faith organizations, which advocate for the separation of religion and state and inclusive values, with conservative religious groups that utilize religion to justify discrimination. She shares personal anecdotes, including a powerful encounter with an orthodox imam that led to a change in perspective on LGBTQ+ dignity. Zonneveld also critiques the hypocrisy within interfaith circles and the lack of action on human rights issues by some religious organizations. She ultimately emphasizes the importance of operationalizing core Islamic values of social justice and universal human dignity and making these teachings accessible to the public to foster change from within the Muslim community.

The Jews of Medina failed to accept Muhammad as their prophet, and from that point on, fully 17 percent of the Koran is hateful towards the Jews.

They started heading southeast in 1096. Three full years later, June of 1099, the Crusaders arrived at the walls of Jerusalem, multiple armies led by multiple personages. And, other than wanting to rescue the Holy Land from Muslims, they weren't even on the same page. So then, what happened when they finally sieged the walls of Jerusalem? On a related theme, what percentage of Crusaders actually were present out of the many armies that left Germania, France, and Italy? And because I find their ardor, zeal, passion, and commitment utterly fascinating, I muse about what must it have been like to share such purpose. In this sixth episode on the Crusades I also explain why there is such a divergence between Muslims who view violent warfare as a holy calling and Muslims who view jihad as a spiritual-existential effort. In the show's brief opening I reflect on the meaning of Easter and talk about a recent survey on pastors and the depths of their Christian worldviews. Come think and laugh with me!

This episode features a conversation between John Pinna and Jeff Mitchell, an atheist and author of the book "Jesus Demigod (https://a.co/d/ddpkbqa)", which argues that Jesus did not exist. Mitchell shares his faith journey, having grown up as a Christian in the Bible Belt and later becoming an atheist after critically examining the Bible and Christian theology. The conversation explores topics such as the historicity of Jesus, the reliability of the New Testament, and the concept of truth. Mitchell argues that the evidence for Jesus is abysmal and that the stories about him are literary creations, while John Pinna shares his perspective as a person of faith, highlighting the importance of respectful dialogue and critical thinking. The discussion touches on the challenges of confronting uncomfortable truths, the value of life, and the need for civil conversations in the face of disagreement. Special Guest: Jeff Mitchell.

On this week's #NCFNewspeak, the panel discuss: * Labour's rape gang betrayal * Koran burner Pprosecution: Does the CPS believe in an Islamic blasphemy law? * Racist police block white job applicants

Welcome to the most-difficult-to-produce episode I've ever put out! Why? Because I am talking about Islam following the way Mohammed and the Koran talk(ed) about Islam. The West suffers from a kind of historical amnesia about both the Crusades and Islam; almost like there is a willful ignorance at work. But what did Mohammed himself offer to Muslims who go to war? With what kind of pious language did he describe jihad to the glory of Allah? To help frame the disconnect today I also explain the current perspective on religion versus how religion was always practiced, everywhere. And, to my surprise (I felt so naive) I note the reigning Protestant meme-perspective on the Crusades. To open the show I offer reflections both on today's Evangelical piety and the process of becoming who we are, as persons. We emphasize the "I'm at a crossroads!" decisions, but it is the little, daily, mundane decisions that truly shape who we are.

This episode features a conversation with Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, who details the legal and political realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She argues that Israel's 57-year occupation is unlawful and functions as a vehicle for annexation and repression, characterizing it as apartheid. Albanese asserts that Israel has committed acts of genocide in Gaza, as part of a long-term plan to create a Greater Israel devoid of Palestinians, and that this is increasingly extending to the repression of Jewish citizens who oppose the occupation. She critiques the international community's insufficient response, highlighting the need for accountability through sanctions and divestment, and stresses the importance of recognizing Palestinian rights – including the right to self-determination, an end to apartheid, and reparations – before pursuing political solutions like a two-state solution. Ultimately, she emphasizes the urgent need to halt the ongoing destruction and potential erasure of the Palestinian people and to shift focus towards protecting their fundamental human rights. https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-palestine/francesca-albanese Ms. Francesca Albanese is an international lawyer, specialised in human rights and the Middle East. Since May 2022, she has served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 (oPt).

In their podcast conversation, John Pinna and Elliot Toman discuss the evolution of religious freedom within the context of the Trump administrations. They examine how Trump 1.0 championed international religious freedom, while Trump 2.0 has shifted towards a focus on "religious liberty," specifically targeting anti-Christian bias, which prompts concerns about potential oppression. They analyze the shift in terminology noting the approval of a military battle plan by Trump's administration that targeted Muslims during prayer. Pinna and Toman debate whether this shift is due to Trump's personal convictions which they doubt, or the influence of certain constituencies wanting to promote religious liberty as it is framed. The conversation also explores political maneuvering and how this relates to current events regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This podcast episode explores the multifaceted relationship between food, identity, and community, particularly within immigrant and Jewish communities in America. It features a discussion with a professor emerita specializing in American Jewish and immigration history, who shares personal anecdotes and insights related to how food serves as both a boundary, preserving cultural traditions and a bridge, fostering connection and understanding across different groups. The conversation touches on historical and present-day dynamics, how food cultures have shifted, the politicization of food and the challenges and opportunities this presents. Hasia R. Diner is an American historian who serves as Professor Emerita at the Departments of History and the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University. She previously held the position of Paul S. and Sylvia Steinberg Professor of American Jewish History. Diner is the Director of the Goldstein-Goren Center for American Jewish History and has also served as Interim Director of Glucksman Ireland House NYU. She was the former series editor for the Goldstein-Goren series in American Jewish History. Her prolific scholarship includes notable works such as "Hungering for America: Italian, Irish and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration," "The Jews of the United States, 1654 to 2000," "We Remember With Reverence and Love: American Jews and the Myth of Silence after the Holocaust, 1945–1962," and "Immigration: An American History," co-authored with Carl Bon Tempo.

Diplomatic Hell Hole.Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels."Are we in the right place?" the stranger worried."I'm afraid so. Anais, you need to leave.""Not until you tell me what is going on here," she sizzled."She's not here to have sex, if that's what you worried about," I retorted. "Wait, are you here to have sex with me?""I barely know you.""That rarely stops me," I muttered."He's a master of bedroom antics," Pamela praised me. "He's pretty much at a loss at doing anything else.""Thanks Grandma," I griped."Your welcome, Grandson.""We, are here to meet someone," the stranger hedged."You came to the right place," Pamela preempted me. "He's definitely someone.""Fine, redo. I'm Cáel Nyilas," (deep breathe), "NOHIO, HCIESI-NDI, U HAUL, Magyarorszag es Erdely Hercege plus a bunch of other honorifics that have yet to be confirmed. I am single-handedly bringing back medievalism to the center of Europe and the Near East. The woman to my left is Pamela Pale, and she really is my bodyguard. The woman to my right is Sgt. Anais Saint-Amour, RCMP, my ex-lover and the person that needs to leave   right now.""I'm not sure I should leave at this moment," Anais shifted possessively. I had to recall earlier this morning, the part where we'd broken up by mutual consent. Yep. That had really happened. I had thought I was whittling down my current list of paramours. Why do the Goddesses hate me so?"Told you, she can't give up that cock," Pamela whispered."As you can see, I have limited control of my life," I told the strange woman. "I know you are here to meet somebody who isn't me. Now you know who I am. Who are you and your companions?""I'm Ms. Quincy.""Sorry; I'm on a first name basis with everyone I meet," I interrupted."What's your rank, Honey?" Pamela added."What makes you think,?""She doesn't think. That's what makes her so dangerous." I explained."Hey now," Pamela faux-complained."Okay. She's a fledgling telepath, or medium," I shrugged."Captain, Zelda Quincy.""In case you are mesmerized by her tits," Pamela tapped me, "she's packing some serious hardware.""One of those personal defense gizmos?" I leaned Pamela's way."Close, but no cigar. She's my kind of girl, big 'bang-bang', back-up at the small of her back and knife in her boot.""What!" Zelda gulped."She's his knife-fighting instructor," Anais answered drolly."Are you Special Forces?" Zelda regarded my mentor."Nah, I got kicked out for a consistent failure to observe even the loosest Rules Of Engagement. I'm a free-spirit.""Oh, you're a sniper," Zelda nodded."I like this one," Pamela smiled."Ah, thank you." Then, over her shoulder, "I think we are in the right place." Zelda entered the room, followed by a Hispanic panther of a man (kind of like a tanned, slightly shorter Chaz without the cool accent) wearing a long coat, and a Subcontinent-cast woman who looked at everyone as if she expected us to sprout fangs, or start quoting the Koran any second now. She obviously was a brain seconded to this mission very much against her will.The fourth person had that cagey 'when my lips move, I'm lying' look while seemingly unhappy with her current assignment. The heavy implication was that the lady was a career diplomat. Considering our current company and who we were talking to, she was State Department. She was in her late 30's or early 40's and giving off the sensation she had devoted so much to her career that she was starting to wonder if that was all that life had to offer.The fifth member was a military man clearly uncomfortable about what he was doing here, thus not a spook. His off-the-rack suit wasn't terrible, so he expected to socialize somewhat while performing his duties. He also looked like a man who expected other people to speak half-truths and obfuscated lies as easily as they breathed. Numbers three, four and five were dressed for the weather and unarmed.All of this meant they were good at what they did, though they probably didn't know the particulars of what was expected of them. They had their marching orders. Those orders were about to be made irrelevant in the company they would be keeping. The latter weren't the 'doing it by rote' kind of people they would normally be dealing with."I bet you she's a doctor," I murmured to Pamela, "she's with State and he's some sort of Foreign Service type.""I bet the first guy is Air Force," she countered."Like one of those Para-rescue guys?""No. More like one of those Battlefield Air Operations guys, I'm guessing," she corrected me."That guy?" I nodded to the final guy. "Pentagon wonk?""More likely he's one of those embassy guys. I'm going to take an educated leap here, Office of Military Cooperation, Mongolia?""That is pretty clever of you. Kazakhstan. Major Justin Colbert.""I bet some people in the White House, Pentagon and Langley are disappointed with you right now," I reasoned. His jaw grew tight."Don't worry, Major," Pamela grinned. "We consider that a good thing. We don't like the people in charge and have a low opinion of their opinion on just about everything, including their habit of blaming the blameless for their government's fuck ups.""Who are these people?" the first man whispered to Quincy."She's a telepath." That was Zelda"She's a psychic-medium." That was Anais."She can see through time." That was me. "Nice to meet you. Who are you?""Chris Diaz. Lieutenant Colonel, USAF.""Dr. Saira Yamin," the second woman introduced herself. "Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies. Are you the man from Johnston Island?""Why yes, yes I am," I beamed."The APCSS is in Waikiki, Hawaii," Pamela educated me. "Your arrival probably cost her some prime surfing time.""I was more interested in the fact that he survived a plane crash in a Category Four Cyclone," she admitted."Mother Nature hates me. No matter how hard I try, she refuses to kill me," I confessed. "My suffering is an endless source of amusement to that bitch.""That, that wasn't the helpful answer I was looking for," she stammered."So, Lt. Colonel Chris Diaz, you must be with JSOC, I have a deep and abiding respect for you guys. If you need something, just ask," I greeted him. "Captain Zelda, you are not with JSOC.""She's with the DCS ~ that is the Defense Clandestine Service," Pamela kept going. "Zelda, you love being in your uniform, you're proud, yet happy with the concept of dying in an unmarked grave for Constitution and Country. You are too old to have been in the first female class at Ranger School, so that means no 'in the field' JSOC for you. You've gotten around that stone wall by joining the US Defense Department's own little pack of killers.""Also, you felt it was necessary to bring a Benelli M4-11707. That's a close-in action shotgun, but a bit over-kill considering the paper-thin walls in this building. That tells me you are used to being in the kinds of places where such a tool is a necessity. Or in other words, since you think you are meeting a band of terrorists, you brought along your favorite toy.""Your personal weapon is a SIG Sauer P229R DAK in .357 which is a new weapon still under trial by the US Army and Air Force. Your boot dagger is ceramic so it will pass a cursory exam, or scan. You hate the idea of being trapped on a public aircraft weaponless. You have also given up killing power for a proper balance for throwing. I like a forward-thinking gal.""Air Force ~ you've recently come back from Asia, most likely Tibet. It shows in your breathing brought about by a close call with Altitude Sickness. The only reason for an Air Force guy to be here is because he's familiar with the Khanate military and you are not US Army, or Marine Corp Special Forces. I know the type.""You went with the MP5K in the standard 9mm, so you are more interested in sending bullets down range than looking into someone's face as you kill them. You may be a 'light' Colonel, which means you are almost somebody. What your higher-ups haven't appreciated is that our guests will respect you because they are like that ~ remembering past friends and comrades in arms. Of greater importance, you have Cáel's gratitude which will count for more than you currently believe."I pledged then and there to be as good as Pamela at determining that kind of stuff before I died. She had assured me it was as much a matter of psychology as eagle-eyed perception. People were often a type that gravitated to various forms of destruction, be they old school, or going for the latest gadget."I told you all that firepower was excessive," State softly chastised her associates (what they really were, not the underlings she saw them as)."So, you appeared to have forgotten to tell us your name," I regarded the State lass."Nisha Desai Biswal. I'm with the government.""Oh, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, I've examined your website," I told her. It clearly pissed her off somewhat that I so swiftly disregarded her crude attempt at subtle manipulation."Hey. I've got some real enemies at State, so it pays to know who might be the next suit trying to cock me over," I explained. I had to prioritize. It would take some serious effort to convince Zelda to have a MFF three-way straight out the gate and she was definitely the hotter number."Major, you came here unarmed," Pamela noted. "That won't do. They expect you to be armed because you are a warrior, damn it. Cáel get him one of your Glock 22's.""Gotcha," I nodded. I went to my room, tipped away the false back to my closet (that Havenstone had installed recently so Odette wouldn't accidently fire off one of my weapons) and retrieved one of my spare Glocks, but not the one with the laser sight. Such over-the-top fancy gear would be inappropriate. I only gave him one mag. If he couldn't get the job done with 15 rounds, he wouldn't have a chance to reload.Mind you, I took two in a twin-rig shoulder holster and four 22 round magazines, because I tend to shoot two-handed which doesn't exactly give you a bullseye every time. I returned to our crowded living room, handed the Major his weaponry, and then directed the US group to the far side of the room (towards Timothy's bedroom. Saira and Nisha took the couch.Because this tiny space wasn't crowded enough, there was a knock at the door. I checked. It was Juanita, oh yeah, my real bodyguard."Listen up everybody," I announced to the room. "This is my other bodyguard, my official one. Her names is Juanita Leya Antonio Garza, she's from the Dominican Republic via Buenos Aires and she is armed, so don't freak out." I opened the door."What is going on?" Juanita hissed."I'm having a private meeting with a few heavily armed friends. The other side to this party hasn't arrived yet. Why don't you come in?" She came in."Why didn't you warn me?" she whispered her complaint."Long night, worse wake-up, needed to do some soul-searching. Pamela was looking after me, then this came up and I forgot. I apologize," I lowered my head in shame. Juanita was only trying to do the job she'd been entrusted with and by not thinking of her, I was making that so much harder.I made the introductions, first names only."Juanita, Anais, Pamela; please slip into the kitchenette," I suggested.Anais "Why?"Juanita "Where are you going to be?"Pamela "Sure. I'm starving. I'm going to raid the fridge.""Anais, because I need my faction in one place. Juanita, I will be refereeing this meeting, so I will have to remain in the living room, roughly six feet from you." It was really a small apartment. "Pamela, if it is edible, it isn't mine and you'll have to replace it."Great Caesar's Ghost! No wonder Big Wigs had their personal assistants handle this pre-meeting crap. I was on my last two fucking nerves and one of those was already stressed and tender. And the real reason for being here hadn't even arrived yet."Why am I in your faction?" Anais mulled over threateningly."Because you haven't walked out that door. There are going to be three sides to this meeting, not three plus Anais. That is the way it is going to be. Now, are you going to behave, or are Juanita and Pamela going to toss you out?""You are threatening me!""Finally catching on to that, aren't you, Sweetie?" Pamela chimed in."I'm only staying because I believe you are in trouble," Anais grumped."Why is she (Anais) here?" Nisha inquired heatedly. "This is supposed to be a very, very private encounter.""I know Anais. I don't know you. I trust Anais with my well-being despite the fact she has numerous reasons to distrust me. She's staying because she is a straight arrow. That's good enough for me.""But is she going to keep her mouth shut about what happens here today?" Nisha pressed."Anais, this is a clandestine meeting that isn't going to be recorded by anybody so, barring a crime being committed, you can never discuss this with anyone who isn't already in the room. Agreed?"Pause."I agree," she nodded. I really was going to have to fuck her again. Not today. Well, maybe not today; I had to keep my options open. Her investigator mind was going into overdrive. Give it a week and she'd be knocking on my door late one night. Inquisitive, truth-hungry dames are like that, trust me. Then it would be 'bask in my genius' sex. It had been a while since I'd experienced that, with Lady Yum-Yum.There was another knock at the door. I checked before Juanita could do the checking for me, in case someone was going to shoot me through the door. Fuck it. I was going to talk to Timothy about moving. Him, me and Odette. I couldn't give those two up. It was Kazak bookends. I opened up and invited them in. It turned out they had names besides Bookends #1 and #2, Nuro and Roman.Nuro (I think) checked out the rooms while Roman (I was pretty sure) kept an eye on my guests. I made introductions, first names only and specifying who was with who. Technically, they could trust my side because I was the Great Khan's brother and thus my servants were his servants. Technically.Iskender came next followed by OT. A woman I didn't know (sadly, not OT's daughter) came in behind him while the other two quintuplets stayed in the hallway. Iskender and I hugged."Ulı Khaan s yikti ağası," he smiled. That was 'Prince-something'. My Kazak was a bit rusty. He then whispered into my ear. "OT bows to you first. His title is Hongtaiji." What?"Ulı Khaan s yikti ağası," OT bowed."Hongtaiji Oyuun T m rbaatar," I bowed back. I remembered I had to rise first. It was an etiquette thing. In retrospect, Iskender had stretched the bounds of tradition by hugging me, his titular superior. "Welcome to my humble abode.""I thank you for your hospitality," he 'grinned'. His face wasn't made for that gesture so that faint gesture came across as rather unnatural.My mind finally finished translating what Iskender and OT had called me. It wasn't 'prince'. It was 'beloved brother of the Great Khan'. Mother fucker!"Wait," Justin, the military attach  guy muttered, "we are here to meet this guy?" indicating me."What do you mean?" Saira questioned."The title Mr. Nyilas was identified with means 'beloved brother of the Great Khaan'," he explained. "The Kazakhs don't go tossing honorifics like that around. This guy," again pointing at me, "is a really important somebody.""Thanks for dropping this grenade in my lap, OT," I joked. "I'll get you for this, and your little yak too.""Odette is going to be so miffed that she missed this," Pamela chuckled."Mr. Nyilas," Zelda began."Please, call me Cáel. It is how I roll.""Cáel, can I ask you a stupid question?""Go right ahead," Pamela snorted. "Cáel does stupid real well. It is a critical part of his skill set. It makes him adorable instead of annoying. Trust me, you'll learn that soon enough."Too much 'trust me' was flying around in a room where nobody trusted anybody."Thanks for that encouragement, Teach," I grumbled. "Ask away, Captain Zelda.""Why are you playing this game with us?""I wasn't. Until thirty seconds ago I was sure I was here totally as a spectator," I gripped. "My buddy," the word dripped with sarcasm, "Temujin likes dumping these kinds of surprises on me.""Did you mean what Ms. Pale said about you feeling you owed me?" Chris asked."Absolutely.""We need help defusing this Thailand crisis before a shooting war begins.""What do you suggest?""We want the Khanate to back down," Chris stated firmly."I thought we had agreed that I would spearhead this delegation," Nisha reminded Chris."I think the situation had evolved and we need a different approach," Chris insisted."You should listen to the Lieutenant Colonel," I advised. "He knows a whole lot more about what is going on than you do.""Why don't you explain it to us?" she began her weevil-ling."You are engaging in linguistic niceties with men who have bled together, Ms. Biswal," I instructed. "Not that Chris and I have bled on the same battlefield, we have shed blood in the same cause; and that cause has been bringing our two nations, the Khanate and the US, together. The Khanate owes Chris for his efforts on our behalf and we pay our debts.""How so?" Nisha asked."National Security stuff," I evaded. "If you don't know, you shouldn't know and you probably don't want to know. Suffice it to say, the Khanate is willing to listen to Lt. Colonel Diaz's request as a friend.""But he doesn't speak for the United States Government," she corrected."Why not?" I riposted. "He's dealt with the Khanate longer than you have. He has a clue about the mindset of their rank and file.""But does he know their leadership?" she persisted."I don't know. Chris, do you think you have a handle on me?""Are you really capable of talking for the Khanate government?" Nisha preempted Chris. What she left unsaid was 'are you culpable in their atrocities?'"Let's find out," I then looked over my shoulder. "Hongtaiji Oyuun T m rbaatar, will my words and wishes reach my brother's ear?""That is why I am here," he replied."Don't you have the authority to speak for your leader?" she grilled OT. Nisha was relentless trying to stay in the limelight. "Aren't you a diplomat?""There is no need to insult the man," Pamela snidely commented."I am one of many voices that provide information to the Great Khan. I am not his brother. Cáel Nyilas is and has already proved his familial affection by proposing Operation Funhouse and brought whole nations as gifts," OT schooled her. "He is gifted with both tactical and strategic insight as well as sharing the Great Khan's love for his people and his hopes for their eventual freedom.""I didn't think you were a soldier," Zelda looked me over."Oh no," I wove off that insinuation. "I've never been a real soldier and am unworthy of that distinction. I know quite a few who have earned that title and they scare the crap out of me. I mean, they go looking for trouble. In my case, trouble comes looking for me. I'm damn lucky to still be alive and that's the damn truth.""Bullshit," Pamela coughed."What was that, Artemisia?" I winked at her."Bitch," she laughed "My men have become women, and my women men. At least you didn't call me Cassandra.""Well, she's Greek (a deadly insult to all Amazons), but you could be her Evil Twin because everyone believes whatever you say.""Can we get down to business?" Chris inquired."Damn," Pamela shook her head. "They haven't been paying attention.""What does that mean?" Zelda griped."Iskender, you know what I'm talking about, don't you?" I asked."Not a clue, Exalted One," he stood there like a stone statue. Note, the Khanate contingent really were standing there like the Altai Mountains, doing nothing. You had to carefully examine them to see that they did indeed breathe and blink."Use small words," Pamela advised."You really are a rude misanthrope," Anais told Pamela."Do you know what's going on?" Pamela volleyed."No.""Then sit back and watch how the madness works," she snickered. "It is all you, Cáel.""Okay. One; how did Artemisia escape the battle of Salamis?" I began. Nothing."Oh," Justin nodded. "She rammed an allied ship to make the pursuing Athenians think she was an ally. What does that have to do with our current predicament?""Achieve your ends by using violence as a distraction," I sighed. "The Khanate will invade Thailand in," I looked to OT, "tomorrow?" He nodded."How does that help us?" Nisha complained."Second example, Cassandra. She saw the truth through all illusions and falsehoods and no one believed her. Now, reverse that."Pause."We are waiting," Saira finally joined the conversation. I could hear those little microprocessors inside her noggin firing electrons at light speed."We fight a phony war. The Khanate and their buddies invade in a lightning campaign that appears to be successful. Shit like attacking the opposition where they ain't. Things that look epic on CNN where some retired colonel, no offense...""None taken," Chris responded."Where some colonel talks about seizing resources, severed supply lines and encirclement. We, the Khanate, bomb shit like bridges and supply dumps, things with no civilians to get killed. On the downside, to make this work the Khanate needs to put some level of force into Bangkok.""That will get civilians killed," Nisha reminded me, unnecessarily."Civilians are getting killed right now by their own government. This time they will get a chance to strike back," I stated firmly. "The Thai protestors aren't cowards. They are just grossly outgunned. We can change that.""How does that help the United States?" Nisha queried."The US gets to come in and save the day," I sighed. "The US can t get there until the day after, so you don't look bad about letting the first 24 hours of brutality happen.""Oh," Zelda blinked."The US gets to end the fighting that the Khanate has no desire to continue. The US brings peace, while whomever takes over owes the Khanate. Both sides look good. Both sides claim victory. The President gets a second Nobel Peace Prize (psychic, aren't I?). The US gathers some regional allies like Malaysia, the ROC and the Philippines along with our Marines to ensure free and fair elections. The Khanate isn't seen to be backing down against the Titan of Western Civilization. They are working with them to bring about a better world.""Win-win," Saira nodded in agreement."The Khanate is still an autocratic tyranny," Nisha commented."As opposed to the People's Republic's oligarchical tyranny?" Chris countered."Agreed," Saira said. "I now think we should work with the Khanate to bring stability to Central Asia which which was impossible while those member nations were being squeezed between Russia, Europe, China and India.""What are you a doctor of?" I asked."I specialize in 'failed states', among other things," Saira grinned."This could still turn into one bloody cluster-fuck," Zelda mused."My peopled don't have the resources to devastate Thailand," OT finally spoke. "If you, the US, agrees to intervene on our timetable, you will have our thanks, off the record, of course.""How do we know this isn't some ruse to allow the Khanate to overthrow Thailand's existing government?" Justin questioned."You have my word," I replied. No one said anything for several heartbeats."Really?" Nisha balked."Mr. Nyilas, Cáel, do you give me the Great Khan's word?" Chris studied me intently."Without reservation," I answered. "For what you have done for us and more, the Great Khan will honor this deal. We and the Thai's will do the bleeding. You will get your accolades. We avoid a pointless clashing of forces, which is why we are all here today.""I will give you my written recommendation in a few hours," Saira told Nisha.Chris stepped forward to shake my hand. He was an alpha-type alright. I gave as good as I got. His eyes bore into mine, looking for a faltering of will."What did you do in Romania?""I got a lot of good men killed.""Okay.""Okay?" Nisha squawked. "A handshake, a pat on the back and the deals done? Since when did our democratic republic do business this way? He admitted he got men killed in Romania. What is to say this won't be Romania writ large?""Ms. Biswal, he told the truth. He got good men killed and he isn't happy about it. I would be worried if he claimed one bit of glory from that episode. He didn't.""Nisha," I took a deep breathe, "When you unleash men with weapons, nothing is assured. Maybe the Thai government will see the hate coming their way and back down. Maybe the people will resist the intrusion. Maybe the Khanate's forces will get slaughtered at the starting line. It isn't like they have enough time to deploy enough forces to win a protracted war.""What happens if the Khanate decides it won't go?" she continued."Then they get destroyed on the ground in a war of attrition," Chris answered for me. "He's right. They can't bring enough in the time allotted to completely overwhelm the roughly 120,000 members of the Royal Thai Army that have remained loyal to the regime.""In three days they will be out of fuel, shells, rockets and bullets. It is logistics, Ms. Biswal," Zelda piled it on. "The Khanate war-fighting systems are not NATO compatible. That means they can't simply capture more material as they penetrate the frontiers. If they overstay their welcome, we can launch missile strikes against their fuel depots. The combat devolves back to World War I and that's a style of war they can't afford to fight.""What about stopping the Khanate from invading in the first place?" Nisha wouldn't give up."Had the US acknowledged the Khanate, none of this would have happened, Ms. Biswal," I became snappish. "Neither superpower talked to the other until other commitments had been made.""If you think you can come in and start dictating Khanate policy, you are dreadfully mistaken. The US doesn't have the power, or the resolve," I glared at her. "Don't try convincing the Khanate that isn't the case. We know better.""You don't know what the US is capable of," she snapped back."Abandoning Iraq with a fractured pseudo-democratic process? Abandoning Afghanistan without destroying the Taliban? The Syrian Civil War? The Donbass Crisis? The collapse of Libya? Boko Haram? Somalia? Yemen? Exactly how has the US's power and resolve solved any of those issues?" I countered."Ms. Biswal," OT spoke again. "We are willing to create a desert and call it 'Peace'. Our enemies know that. Your unwillingness to do so is neither a strength nor a weakness. It is a hallmark of your society in the same way that 'Total War' is a hallmark of ours. We are more than willing to leave you to manage the Peace. Let us manage the War against the forces opposed to civilized discourse.""As ugly and disagreeable as it is, we are willing to keep creating pyramids of skulls on every street corner until either they learn their lesson, or we kill them all. Let us do that and you will have your global stability and reap the economic benefits and accolades of Pax Americana. We are not your enemy. We are precisely the ally you need to keep the peace and we will do that, if you let us.""To allow barbarism is to become barbarians," Saira mused."That is complete fiction," I scoffed. "The United States didn't become communist because it allied with the Soviet Union in World War II. Truman didn't become Stalin. The enemy of my enemy is my friend is older than recorded history.""It is the Carrot and the Stick on a Global basis," Justin agreed. "Listen to the gentle words of the West, or you will end up feeling the wrath of the East.""As long as the Khanate accepts the limitations of is role," Saira added, "this might work. Please understand there will be factions in the Western Democracies who will not accept that status quo. It is not in the nature of our societies to stifle dissent.""Is it possible to get any political concessions from the Khanate's leadership?" Justin requested. "A pledge to hold some level of democratic elections? A Constitution with some strong provisions to protect individual rights and liberties would be nice.""Justin, in case your bosses missed it, the Khanate is still at a state of war with the PRC," I shook my head. "With their limited experience with democratic government throughout most of the Khanate's territories, that would be madness.""With limited concessions to the Imperial State, we have not interfered with the politics of Albania, Armenia, Georgia and Turkey. We are never going to become a Western-style democracy. We have had limited rule by consensus long before White Men arrived in the Western Hemisphere," OT informed them."Discounting the Irish Monks, Vikings and Knights Templar," Pamela interjected."If you say so," OT gave a minuscule bow to Pamela. "Long before your nation was anything more than the scribbled history of a long-faded Greek city-state, we had meritocracies, oligarchies of senior statesmen & warriors, thinkers and religious leaders, and we had codified judicial moral equality into the political arena. We have a far superior record of religious and minority freedom, of genuine multi-culturalism plus a deeper understanding of the arts and crafts as a means of uniting disparate peoples. We find your claims of cultural superiority to be childish.""Oh, snap," I snickered. "You get'em, OT.""I bet the boys in Foggy Bottom felt that pimp-slap," Pamela agreed."I bet the bronzed skull of some Harvard dean just fell off its pedestal.""They are called 'busts'," Anais groaned. "With a name like that, how could you forget it?""So true," I concurred. "All this responsibility must have clouded my normally hedonistic vocabulary.""That doesn't change the fact that you have employed biological warfare and genocide in this current day and age," Justin pointed out."Tell that to our Native Americans," I snorted. "They are easy to find. They live in trailer parks in whatever blasted Hell Hole we stuck them in, or in their casinos where they are buying back their country, one rube at a time. Ask them if they've gotten over it.""We don't claim to be perfect," Justin insisted."No, we merely claim to have the only correct form of government, economic policy and schools of philosophical, political, scientific and educational thought," I pointed out."We definitely should revive ethical utilitarianism," Pamela slapped a fist into her palm. "Oh, and the guillotine. Work houses for orphans and grist mills for the disabled, and A Modest Proposal for those chronically unemployed and terminally homeless, yes, and,""Pamela, what is it with you today?" I snickered."It is nearly sunset,""Ah, and you haven't killed anyone yet.""You know how cranky I get when I don't get my daily dose of homicide.""Are you two done?" Anais frowned. She did that a lot around me."And you don't hand out Mini-Uzi's to your preschoolers," Pamela glowered. "What is wrong with you people?"Pause, waiting for that punch line that was never coming. See, it was more difficult to sense Pamela was an immediate threat to your health if you thought she was completely off her rocker."Hmm, well, on that note, ladies and gentlemen, I believe we have a deal. Chris and Justin, I will leave you with my loyal Iskender to work out the gory details. Who wants to grab dinner?" I inquired."Are you serious?" Nashi gasped."Oh yeah. I had the Russian invasion of Manchuria figured out in this amount of time and Manchuria is way bigger than Thailand." Was it? I didn't know. Geography was not one of those subjects which gets you laid."What do you have in mind?" Zelda inquired."Whatever you want."{1 am, Sunday, August 31st ~ 8 Days to go}"How did I end up in bed with you?" Zelda sighed happily, her body splayed halfway over mine and her head resting on my chest, listening to my heartbeat."You aren't the first girl to ask me that question."On the other side, Anais moaned in her sleep. Yeah, she was over me. Abso-fucking-lutely. If you recall, she'd try anything once. I convinced her the military babes were totally different than that Goth chick we'd blown the mind of back in Montreal.Zelda was with me because I had caught her in a lie. She claimed to be a lesbian when I first hit on her. She was adamant. I destroyed her with incontrovertible evidence.A) She hadn't scoped out Anais when she came in. A glance didn't count and Anais oozed sexy when she was angry, which was most of the time.B) She hadn't scoped out Juanita's figure when said worthy went to the kitchenette. I look for such things and Juanita has thighs to die for.C) When I told her she had a wicked sense of humor, she blushed. Honestly, lesbians rarely care about strange men complimenting their personalities.D) Then I double-downed by asking her if she preferred a shower, or bath. She said shower (because that's the butch thing to say). When I asked her 'when was the last time she'd had a bubble bath', she blushed again. Lesbians don't like it when a man imagines them naked. Straight chicks, unless you are a creepy, stalker guy, like it when men fantasize about them swathed in bubbles, thus semi-clothed, thus not creepy.E) In a final and fatal act of evasion, she asked a grumpy Anais what she liked about me. Anais was blunt."He can fucking hammer you all night, sneak in a romantic quickie in the shower, cook you a delicious breakfast then give you another round of mind-numbing intercourse up against the wall before you have to go to work. And still find the time and energy to fuck your neighbor."Woot!"So, this happens to you often?" she mused, it was a trap. She really wanted to know if I was an egotistical scumbag who took advantage of every woman I came across. At the same time, she wanted to know if I considered her a 'whoe' ~ a woman who gives up the goodies for free."Do you mean 'am I taking advantage of you'?" I replied."That is not what I asked," she persisted. That meant 'yes'."Let me see," I laid back and looked up at the ceiling. "I have a fiancée, six women I am close enough to to spend quality time with, a fuck-buddy who is a sweet girl and trusts me too much and a passel of ex-girlfriends who have found my infidelity to be reprehensible.""Six women?" she frowned."Four co-workers (Rhada, Oneida, Yasmin and Buffy), the girlfriend of a co-worker who dumped her in a very public fashion (Brooke) and that woman's friend (Libra). She was the wing-chick who was stuck with me on a quadruple-date and was underwhelmed with me when we first met."I didn't count my 'hook-ups' and I wasn't sure how to qualify Nicole."Ex's?""'No' is not a word in common usage in my vocabulary. I've dated a best friend's girl, a mother, sister and aunt of the same girlfriend, basically, I'm either highly immoral, incredibly loose, or a letch.""Don't you take responsibility for any of those, relationships?""Hell yeah," I tilted her chin up so that we could make eye-contact. "I've never blamed a woman for taking out her frustrations on my flesh, ran away from a screaming fit (Big Lie!), or blamed them for any failing in our relationship. It is always my fault because I can't stay loyal.""That's depressing," Zelda moped."Don't get me wrong. I don't find fault in any of the women I have spent time with. That is my problem, I find women fascinating; never boring, or bland. Quite frankly, it is a gift that I don't regret having. I may be a fuck-up, but I'm a fuck-up who will give you the very best attention.""Full of yourself, much?" her attitude shifted. I had short-circuited her fears; I was a cheater, I confessed to it without shame because I was inexorably drawn to her beauty, personality and charm. With Anais around, I couldn't claim to be solely enchanted with Zelda, so I had to think quickly on my feet. After all, Zelda was energetic and had great stamina."I promised you pleasure," I countered. "Did I deliver?""Yes, you are full of yourself," she slapped my stomach. I wasn't full of myself. I was a confident sex machine."Thank you.""Huh?""Wonderful sex, taking a chance with me, agreeing to a three-way, being awake after," I looked at the bed-table clock, "six hours.""I run five miles a day," she bragged."I try to have ten hours of sex a day," I teased. Zelda slapped my stomach again. Anais stirred."Do any women like you, for any reason beyond your cock?""I'm considered loyal where sex is not concerned, reliable and brave," I offered."What happened in Romania?""Have you ever been in combat?""I've been in violent confrontations, but not a true firefight," she admitted."Hmm,""Is it something that you can't relate?" she asked."No. You are a soldier so you probably know more about combat than I do. It was, not chaotic at all. I never lost perspective of what was going on despite the bullets flying around. The Romanian Captain in charge knew his stuff, directed his company well and all I had to do was figure out where the terrorist leader was.""What happened?" she perked up."I am here talking with you and he's in a morgue in Bucharest.""Oh," She wanted more."I have to live with the knowledge that I set all of that in motion, Zelda. I convinced the Romanians that they had to confront that terror group before they moved on to their next target, me.""I knew they would come after me and my friends, no matter where we were. Which would have ended up as a blood bath in some urban center. So I felt compelled to strike first. Based on information I provided, the Romanian Army sent two battalions, the 22nd and 24th, of the 6th Mountain Troops Brigade into battle.""It was a massacre," I remembered sadly."But you won," she tried to comfort me."Of the four companies involved in the battle, the Romanians suffered nearly two hundred dead and wounded. I hardly consider it anything other than a massacre. Yes, we won. Only three of the terrorists escaped. Their leader died. I don't think I've ever felt so hollow in my life," I finished."Forty percent losses, that is horrific," she crawled on top of me."The kicker is the Romanians sent some men of the 24th to hunt me down when I was kidnapped. A squad was in the group that rescued me and my companion from Johnston Island. I thought they would never want to deal with me ever again.""Don't be so hard on yourself. If they thought well enough of you to send their men out to rescue you, then you must have done right by them.""Chaz said something like that too," I felt sheepish and sleepy."Chaz? Who is she?"Honest to God, one day I want to find a girl who thinks I'm talking about another girl and asks if we can have a three-way, instead of trying to compare herself to this unknown person. Wait... I already had someone like that. Her name was Odette."Chaz is Color Sergeant Charles 'Chaz' Tomorrow of Her Majesty's SSR," I corrected her assumption."SSR? Those are some tough people. How do you know him?""Black Bag directives from the National Security Council, sworn to secrecy upon penalty of death, pinky-promise kind of stuff," I grinned. Maybe I wasn't all that sleepy after all."You really are a Man of Mystery," Zelda purred. She had truly exceptional stamina. "Maybe I can convince you to talk.""Maybe I can find another use for my tongue," I countered and off we went. Somewhere along the process, Anais woke up and joined in.It wasn't all fun and games. Anais' parting words were "You are a pig," then she sauntered out of my room and out of my life. Had she remembered to take her Serge with her, I would have bought the act. As it was,"Is she always so volatile?" Zelda remarked."Volatile? That's not her being volatile. That's Anais being affectionate. Volatile usually is accompanied by thrown objects and bodily harm," I sighed happily. Meeting her one more time couldn't be all that bad, could it? Zelda looked hungry so I shoved that thought to the back of my mind and got to work.That was the highlight of my Sunday. Zelda had to fly back to Washington D.C. and I had to go to work with JIKIT. It seemed that the Khanate and the US military were heading for a showdown. I unloaded all my Saturday's activities to the team and we got to work, no recriminations. I was the Khan's spiritual brother and sometimes that meant I had to do him favors.I asked Addison when she thought he would return the favor. She laughed, then smiled and told me that wasn't how it worked. He was a world leader now and I was merely his kooky kinsman that he would keep throwing problems at until one day I broke. Then it would be some other poor saps turn.Then she told me she was kidding and clearly the Great Khan thought the world of me. I chose to believe the second lie because it made me feel better, and it was promising to be a long weekend/start of the week.Note: Geopolitical DevelopmentsWhat follows are snippets of the Battle for Thailand that takes place late in the night of September 1stand continued into the early morning of September 3rd. If this does not interest you, you can rejoin Cáel's exploits in four pages)On the eve of battle, the Royal Thai High Command had decided to strip all but one armored unit from the 2nd Army in order to give the First Army's offensive against the rebels more of a punch. It's decision to strip the tank battalions from both their infantry divisions as well as the armored and one of the two mechanized regiments would prove to be disastrous. It was as if the leadership of the Royal Thai military were idiots.The least economically valuable part of the country was the northeast which the 2nd Army warded. They had severely underestimated the airlift capacity of the Khanate as well as the willingness of Laos and Cambodia to both use their armed forces in an invasion as well as their willingness to let Vietnamese troops cross their countries.That thinking had led the Thai military to adopt a 'forward defense' strategy, the desire to fight the enemy at the borders, as opposed to having stronger formations deeper within the country. Considering the relative weakness of the Cambodian and Laotian militaries, that policy had made sense:- The baseline Laotian and Cambodian tank was the T-54/55, a 1950's Soviet relic. The normal anti-tank capabilities in all Thai infantry formations was more than equal to such a threat.-Neither country had an air force worth worrying about.In contrast, the Khanate's primary tanks, the T-90SM and T-95 were resistant to most of what the Thai Army could throw at them, at least from the front. The seven hundred combat aircraft the Khanate and the Vietnamese were able to field was an equal catastrophe for the Thais. It greatly compensated for the relative small numbers of invaders.Finally, there was a fundamental misunderstanding of what the Alliance's goals were. Military logic dictated the destruction of Thailand's mobile force followed by the capture of Bangkok. As long as the Thai regime held the capital, it would remain the legitimate power in the country.Due to the altering political landscape, the Alliance's only option was to make the government 'look bad'. The loss of peripheral provinces, while of negligible immediate strategic value, looked great on the maps the world-wide media would be showing to their audiences. It would appear that the Thai army had failed to defend their country. That would (hopefully) make the Thai Third Army look like the legitimate authority in Thailand.That was the plan anyway, and you know what they say about battle plans and the enemy, right? H-hour was 4 am, September 1st.The commander of the Zuun stood up and waited to be recognized. The staff officer from the Yunnan Command pointed at him."Sir, why are we doing this? I am not afraid to fight for the Great Khan, but this action seems to be suicidal. We will be far behind enemy's lines while our offensive force will be grossly under-equipped.""You will have to rely on our ability to supply you by air.""We only have supplies for two days of operations. What happens then?""We rely on the Americans to come and save us," the senior officer responded bitterly."Allah save us from allies," the young commander muttered. What else could he do?He was part of the 2nd Mountain Sultan Mehmet Tumen which had just arrived in Yunnan to replace the exhausted 1st Mountain Abu al-Ghazi Bahadur Tumen. His men were from Turkey, inexperienced in combat and using new equipment they were not familiar with. They would be working with a unit he had never worked with before, the 1st Airmobile Tauekel Khan Tumen, Kazaks, who would be seizing the small airport his men needed to land in.From there, they were to 'run amok'. That was the technical term for racing south down a highway in Central Thailand, attacking the headquarters of the 3rd Cavalry Division, an armored unit. Once that was accomplished, they were to attack the local police precinct. Provided they were still alive after that, they were to return to the air strip to resupply then they were to 'spread chaos' until they were finally hunted down by the vastly larger Thai division his 100 men would be fighting.Of course, there was the plan for the rebel Royal Thai Third Army to force their way through the larger frontline forces of the loyalist Royal Thai First Army and come to his rescue. How would the Thai troops respond when ordered to fight their fellow Thais? No one was sure. If there was any hope in this mission, it was the knowledge that several other Zuuns had the exact same mission in other areas of Thailand.  It was H-hour minus twenty-two.It was 11 o'clock in the evening when the general in charge of the Royal Thai 9th Infantry Division was woken up. The Marines were leaving. That was correct; the three Royal Thai regiments were heading west to Sattahip Naval Base, because they had been ordered to by the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize why this was going on.Seven hours earlier, the Royal Thai Army had seized all the Air Force bases in the 1st and 2nd Army districts as well as ordering the 4th Army to do the same thing (The Royal Thai Air Force had been trying to remain neutral in the upcoming civil war).Undoubtedly the navy had decided to make their assets less 'hijack-able'. A few phone calls later confirmed that most of the Navy had set sail for parts unknown and the naval air units at Ban Sattahip Air Base (U-Tapao International Airport) had also departed either out to sea, or to ports and bases in the South.He made a personal appeal to the commander of Marine Forces to no avail. They wanted no part of the upcoming struggle and advised the general to do the same. The general had other problems. The Royal Thai Marines were the frontline forces facing the southern border with Cambodia. He quickly reorganized his regiments, sending them to take the old Marine strongpoints to await further orders. Stopping the Marines never entered his mind.That was a bloodletting he wanted no part of. The last thing he did was inform his superiors, thus avoiding any stupid orders to the contrary. Suddenly the nebulous movements along the Cambodian border developed a haunting significance. He wondered how much longer he had before something happened.  It was H-hour minus five.At midnight a loyalist commander of a company of mechanized infantry in the 2nd Cavalry's 11th Battle Group (named after their axis of advance, Highway 11) decided to send a motorized section of his command forward to the advance position his battalion was to occupy come sunrise. Either later in the day, or tomorrow morning, the forces loyal to the regime would launch a coordinated assault against the rebels main supply center at Phitsanulok.He had a cot set up in his communications hut and had just nodded off when the radio squawked to life. His lieutenant in charge of the advance made a hurried report. They had encountered serious opposition in a confusing night action, then he went silent. The captain immediately swung into action. He put the rest of his men on alert, then contacted the neighboring Tank Battalion. He needed some armored support. He made a similar call to the attached artillery component.The Tank Battalions night officer quickly put a platoon of light tanks at his disposal. The artillery were ready for any fire mission he sent their way. Before the armor could arrive, the company commander found himself being called to the carpet by the Duty Officer at the 3rd Cavalry (two regiments of the 2nd Cav. had been attached to the 3rd's command) over his 'offensive' action and the relief mission was called off. What had happened to the patrol of 20 Royal Thai soldiers? He was ordered to wait until sunrise to find out.Little did anyone know, these were the first combat casualties of the upcoming rebel offensive. His patrol had stumbled across a battalion of mechanized troops arriving at their jump off point for the attack that was less than six hours from beginning. Neither the commander of the 11th Battle Group, the 3rd Cavalry Division, or First Army was informed that the enemy had already advanced twenty kilometers south of where they were supposed to be.  

"In this stream I am joined by Jay Dyer to discuss the interesting connections and history between British intelligence and Islam. Make sure to check it out and let me know what you think. God bless."-COTEL is here https://www.youtube.com/@ChurchoftheEternalLogosSend Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

It's public space night, and the wide ranging group discussion ensues. Grant joins Tore for the evening. Bringing people along slowly takes a strategy. Credible information can be fed to soft prime the world. It's disclosure, but a gentle one. Thru whistle blowers works great. We are actually in Phase II. There's more than one Arc Of The Covenant. Science created one version. Huh? Planet X could raise gravitational havoc. Why would NASA be hinting? Poles have flipped before, but we didn't depend on tech back then. Another Y2K? Pyramids exist all over the world. Advanced ancient tech is a good bait subject. Tesla terrorists could be planted. Bergrum and the contract tracing app. What did Jesus study in the unknown years. Was alchemy on the list? Religion as a whip has been very effective. When two or more gather, that's a church. They hijacked all religions, not just Christianity. How important is your faith to you? Dialing God's number outside the space. Focusing on life's purpose, which is service to others. And, it's reciprocal. The essence of the Koran is actually love. The big question remains, is free will there too? Going to bliss without Netflix. The pyramids might be at the epicenter of what's to come. Love yourself and God, then the rest will come naturally.

This episode features a conversation with Momin Sheikh, exploring the intersection of faith, culture, and identity within the Muslim community, particularly focusing on the experiences of first-generation American Muslims. The hosts discuss the nuances of being "Pakistani Muslim" versus strictly religious, addressing how cultural practices often blend with and sometimes overshadow core Islamic tenets. The conversation navigates through personal faith journeys, the challenges of maintaining religious identity in a Western context, especially post-9/11, and the evolving interpretation of Islamic practices. They examine the importance of spirituality, good works, and ethical conduct as expressions of faith, while grappling with prescriptive religious practices and the diversity of beliefs within Islam, advocating for a more inclusive and action-oriented approach to faith. Momin Sheikh is an entrepreneur and real estate developer based in Philadelphia. At Frankel Management Company (FMC), he leads development efforts with his team to deliver 100-200 multi-family residential units and over 250,000 sq. ft. of commercial space annually. His work focuses on fund strategy, capital raises, and investor relations, bringing transformative projects to life. Beyond real estate, Momin is the founder of Open Admissions, an edtech company dedicated to expanding access to higher education. Through technology-driven solutions, the platform empowers students to navigate the college admissions process with confidence and clarity. Previously, he founded MerakiCMO, a consulting agency that served over two dozen multinational clients. Before launching his own ventures, he held senior finance roles at JP Morgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, gaining extensive experience in investment banking, private equity, and commercial lending. That background shaped his ability to structure deals, underwrite investments, and foster strong relationships with stakeholders. Momin is also deeply committed to philanthropy. He co-founded Friends For Good, a nonprofit that connects young professionals to charitable causes, and serves on the boards of organizations such as CareLink, Down North Pizza, and Big Brothers Big Sisters, where he mentors and contributes to community-driven initiatives. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, collecting art, and supporting causes close to his heart. In 2019, he was honored with the Philadelphia Business Journal's 40-Under-40 award, recognizing his contributions to business and the community.

In this conversation between John Pinna and Roya Mahboob, they discuss the stark contrast between Afghanistan's "golden age" of women's advancement from 2001-2021 and the current Taliban regime's gender apartheid policies. Mahboob details how her organization, Digital Citizen Fund, has shifted from establishing technology centers and teaching digital literacy to supporting underground education networks since the Taliban takeover. They explore the upcoming film "Rule Breakers," which chronicles Mahboob's journey and the Afghan girls robotics team, highlighting Muslim women's capabilities in STEM fields. Despite the dire current situation, Mahboob expresses hope, noting that unlike the Taliban's previous rule in 1996, today's younger population has experienced freedom and retains access to information through technology. She emphasizes that education remains the key to preventing extremism, and calls for international pressure on the Taliban alongside practical support for Afghan women's remote learning opportunities. Roya Mahboob is an Afghan tech entrepreneur and the founder of Citadel Software, a software development company based in Herat. In addition to being one of Afghanistan's first female tech CEOs, Mahboob founded the Digital Citizen Fund, a nonprofit that aims to increase women's technological literacy and provide employment and educational opportunities for girls in Afghanistan. Mahboob was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2013 for her innovative initiatives to expand computer education. She has created nine IT centers for girls in high schools across Afghanistan and plans to expand her programs to 40 schools, ultimately reaching more than 160,000 female students. Mahboob has also taken her model beyond Afghanistan to schools in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Nepal. After facing death threats from the Taliban and others for her work, Mahboob left the country in 2013 and spent two years working remotely before returning to Afghanistan in 2016. She founded the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, also known as the Afghan Dreamers, an all-girl robotics team. She was recognized as an Asia Game Changer in 2019 and received the Doha Forum Award in 2022. Additionally, Mahboob has been honored with the Lantos Human Rights Awards and the Presidential Leadership Scholarship. The film Rule Breakers release this March 7th, which is based on Roya's experience with the Afghan Girls Robotics Team.

In this candid conversation between John Pinna and Elliot Toman, the hosts explore compelling aspects of religious narratives, focusing on Christianity and Islam's different interpretations of Jesus. John, a Muslim, argues that the Islamic view of Jesus presents him as a prophet who didn't die on the cross but ascended to heaven, removing the "cult of personality" that Christianity created. Elliot, approaching from a Christian perspective, suggests that Christianity's narrative of God "flipping the script" through Jesus's sacrifice can be deeply compelling when properly understood. The conversation examines tensions in both faiths, including Islam's emphasis on clear guidelines versus Christianity's redemptive story, while questioning why God's message seems ambiguous across religions. They critically discuss how religious communities handle persecution complexes, with American Christians redefining "martyrdom" to maintain religious identity while living comfortably, and ultimately reflect on how messianic figures like Trump can supplant authentic religious ideals in contemporary society.

In this podcast interview, John Pinna speaks with Michael Barton, a Muslim revert from Wichita, Kansas who converted to Islam in 2006. Barton discusses his journey from Methodism to Islam, describing how he felt disconnected from his Christian upbringing despite a strong belief in God. He shares how his college anthropology studies and encounters with Muslim students sparked his interest in Islam, particularly when he discovered Islam's connection to biblical prophets and its pure monotheistic concept of God that resonated with his own beliefs. Barton details his gradual immersion in the Muslim community, from his first visit to a mosque to taking his Shahada during Ramadan, through his struggles balancing his new faith with old habits, to eventually becoming a principal at an Islamic school. He now actively shares his faith through TikTok and other social media platforms while reflecting on the challenges of being a Muslim in America's Bible Belt and the importance of presenting Islam with knowledge, nuance, and cultural sensitivity appropriate for the American context. https://linktr.ee/MichaelBarton

1. Seth continues his review of Luke 6, further examining the Sermon on the Plain.2. Seth responds to a listener submission about the Koran. 3. No topic. 

A killer 3 hour open forum that ended up with perfect callers bringing standard challenges to the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as a host of oddball arguments and claims. Enjoy! GL is here https://www.youtube.com/@GodLogicApologetics Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/joinBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

A killer 3 hour open forum that ended up with perfect callers bringing standard challenges to the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as a host of oddball arguments and claims. Enjoy! GL is here https://www.youtube.com/@GodLogicApologetics Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/joinBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Jacob Reynolds, Tom Slater and Fraser Myers on Britain's backdoor blasphemy laws, the betrayal of Ukraine and the depravity of Hamas. Celebrate 25 years of spiked. Donate £25 or more to get a year's membership of spiked supporters for half the usual price: https://www.spiked-online.com/donate/  Take your personal data back with Incogni. Use code SPIKED at the link below and get 60 per cent off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/spiked    Apply for spiked's internship programme: https://www.spiked-online.com/interns/ 

Today on Countdown 2 Eternity pastors James Kaddis and Tom Hughes will discuss the fraudulent similarities that exist between real Bible prophecy and the lies found in the Koran about the end times. Join us for a very informative discussion. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1479/29

The interview between John Pinna and Mustafa Akhwand explores various themes related to U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, and Muslim-American experiences. The conversation centers on the need for direct engagement and better understanding between the U.S. government and Middle Eastern countries, particularly in places like Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Akhwand, as executive director of Shia Rights Watch, emphasizes the importance of having the right advisors with on-the-ground experience rather than relying on those who lack direct cultural understanding. The discussion also touches on personal experiences with Islamophobia in America, the challenges of current diplomatic approaches, and the need for the new Trump administration to engage directly with minority communities. Throughout the conversation, both speakers stress the importance of moving beyond surface-level policies to develop more nuanced, culturally-informed diplomatic strategies that can better serve both American interests and international relations. Mustafa Akhwand is the founder and Executive director of Shia Rights Watch, with a background in Journalism and Media publishing. He is awarded by Human Rights Education Association for minority rights and certified human rights education trainer. He worked as an advisor for a number of non-violence organizations such as Freemuslim (Center for De-Radicalization & Extremism Prevention). In addition to his work, he cost the podcast “Human Rights Sentinel“, hosting members of minorities in different regions to highlight the human rights violations against other minorities. https://shiarightswatch.org/

Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Mark 7:31-37 - Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to Him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged Him to lay His Hand on him. He took him off by Himself away from the crowd. He put His Finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then He looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop Saints Cyril and Methodius, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) When looking at the contradictory beliefs of Islam, we can see how the Koran can be interpreted according to the circumstances. Thus, radical elements call for the annihilation of the West. Learn about this topic in the following article: https://www.tfp.org/why-islam-remains-a-persisting-threat/ 3, 4) Should Church officials be teaching illegal immigrants how to avoid (and break) the law? https://www.returntoorder.org/2025/02/should-church-officials-be-teaching-illegal-immigrants-how-to-avoid-the-law/

//The Wire//2300Z February 13, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: VEHICLE RAMMING ATTACK STRIKES GERMANY. STABBING ATTACK REPORTED NEAR TURKISH CONSULATE IN LONDON. US NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER COLLIDES WITH MERCHANT VESSEL IN EGYPT.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Germany: Early this morning a vehicle ramming attack was conducted in the city of Munich, resulting in the wounding of 28x people who were participating in a labor strike protest demonstration. Two people remain in serious condition, which are a mother and small child. The suspect, who has been identified as "Farhad N.", is an immigrant from Afghanistan who was allegedly already marked for deportation due to prior criminal offenses.AC: Of note, American Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy were scheduled to meet in Munich for a security conference. As this is a developing situation this morning, it is not clear as to how this terror attack may impact the scheduling of the security conference.Middle East: This afternoon the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75) was involved in a collision with a commercial vessel in the vicinity of Port Said in Egypt. The TRUMAN collided with the M/V BESITKAS-M, a bulk cargo carrier flagged out of Panama, and did not experience any flooding. AC: Very few details have come to light regarding how an American aircraft carrier can even be involved in a collision (due to being surrounded by escort ships and host to extreme levels of security), however it's possible that the collision took place in the very busy waterways leading to the Suez Canal. Even taking into account the challenges of maritime navigation through these waters, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which a collision with an aircraft carrier can occur.United Kingdom: Limited reporting on social media this afternoon indicated that an incident took place outside the Turkish Consulate in London. A man approached the Consulate and set a Koran on fire while standing on the sidewalk outside the compound. A random passerby promptly stabbed the man. AC: Absolutely zero British media has covered this story, or even mentioned that it happened. As such, no details can verify that this incident actually happened, beyond video evidence posted on social media.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The horrific attack in Munich is made more poignant in the context of local German political activity. Three days ago, a very large demonstration involving an estimated 200,000 Germans was carried out in Munich, specifically in opposition to both the AfD political party, and various immigration issues. Three days later, one of the "immigrants" that those people were protesting to keep in their nation, rams his vehicle into a crowd.As a result (and very likely intended to get ahead of this tragedy reigniting immigration issues), outgoing Chancellor Scholz immediately called for the attacker to be punished and deported, a sharp departure from Germany's very pro-immigration stance across most of the nation. Scholz's very likely replacement, Friedrich Merz, echoed the same sentiments while on the campaign trail, stating that "something has to change in Germany". However, all of this rhetoric is very likely to be more of a knee-jerk reaction rather than a genuine change of heart or policy. For instance, immediately following his statements this morning, Merz announced a new targeting effort aimed at Elon Musk, for allowing Merz's political opposition (yet also very likely to be a coalition partner, the AfD party) to have a presence on Twitter/X.Analyst: S2A1Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground//END REPORT//

Go to https://getdwplus.com/winston to enjoy 30% off by using code WINSTON30 and access The Making Of Am I Racist today! Lord Toby Young, founder of Free Speech Union, comes in to discuss Labour's draconian free speech curtailments.With the new APPG definition of Islamophobia set to come into law under Angela Rayner's supervision, Keir Starmer's fierce response to tweets, memes and livestreams after the Axel Rudakubanu killings.But it gets worse - de-facto blasphemy laws with arrests for a Koran-burning in Manchester, a week after famous Koran-burner Salwan Momika is killed in Sweden.We discuss the history of hate speech and free speech in the UK, Non-Crime Hate Incidents, police quangos and the latest developments in the courts.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapters 00:00 Introduction 1:23 Islamophobia Law and Its Implications 4:50 Formation of the Advisory Council on Islamophobia 10:05 Challenges to Free Speech and Article 10 20:57 Context of Islamophobia and Free Speech in Europe 21:13 Non-Crime Hate Incidents and Their Impact 33:14 August Riots and Arrested For Social Media Posts 56:22 The Online Safety Act and Ofcom 1:06:13 The Importance of Free Speech and the Role of the Free Speech Union Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Crossing Faiths, Rabbi Aaron Zimmer and Rabbi Eli Feder discuss their endeavor to explore the relationship between science and religion, specifically focusing on using physics to argue for the existence of God. Motivated by a desire to reconcile modern scientific understanding with religious belief, they challenge the notion that science and faith are incompatible. The rabbis introduce the concept of "fine-tuning" in physics, arguing that the precise mathematical constants governing the universe suggest an intelligent designer rather than random chance. They critically examine the multiverse theory as an alternative explanation, presenting it as a less plausible scientific hypothesis. Drawing on their backgrounds in Talmudic study and scientific research, Zimmer and Feder aim to provide a rigorous, accessible argument for God's existence by demonstrating the improbability of our universe's precise conditions arising by accident. Their approach combines deep scientific analysis with the ability to communicate complex ideas in understandable terms, ultimately seeking to offer people a rational framework for understanding faith in the modern world. Elie Feder earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and received Rabbinic ordination from his rebbe, Rabbi Yisrael Chait. Since 2004, Elie has been a mathematics professor at Kingsborough Community College and a maggid shiur at Yeshiva Bnei Torah. He has published many papers and delivered numerous talks on graph theory, which is his field of mathematical research. As a teacher, Elie has a passion for simplifying complex topics for his students. Recently, he authored a book “Gematria Refigured,” which presents a rational, nonmystical approach to gematria as a tool of uncovering the significance of quantity and fine tuning in Torah, life, and the universe. Elie hosts the Gematria Refigured+ and the Physics to God podcasts. He resides in Far Rockaway, New York, with his wife and their four children. After earning a physics degree and receiving rabbinical ordination from his rebbe, Rabbi Yisrael Chait, Aaron Zimmer considered furthering his education through graduate school. However, his intellectual curiosity extended far beyond the realm of physics, encompassing a diverse array of fields, including philosophy, mathematics, and psychology. Capitalizing on his blend of analytical and philosophical skills, Aaron utilized his personal resources to venture into commodity futures trading. This endeavor involved commodities such as oil, natural gas, cotton, sugar, and coffee. His strategic approach was deeply rooted in the conceptual frameworks of physics and the intricate Brisker Method for Talmudic analysis. After an eleven-year career marked by success in commodity trading, Aaron decided to retire. In his retirement, Aaron channels his intellectual energy into studying various branches of knowledge, including the Talmud, philosophy, and physics. He co-hosts the Physics to God podcast and resides in Lawrence, New York, along with his wife and their five children. Youtube channel: @PhysicsToGod https://www.physicstogod.com https://www.physicstogod.com/3-proofs-of-god-from-science

Just how radically different is the portrait of Isa in the Qur'an with Jesus of the Bible? This week we'll hear once more from president of Watchman Fellowship James Walker's interview with Sara, a former Muslim, who was moved and convicted by Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. If Allah is truly merciful and loving, why did the Sermon on the Mount seem so radically different than the Allah of the Qur'an? This interview took place live at the Defend Apologetics Conference at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary this past January.Sara is is a former Muslim who became a Christian after questioning the teachings of the Qur'an and the Hadiths. She is currently a student at Leavell College at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. You may visit her YouTube channel here: www.youtube.com/@ApostateofAllahRelated Links: Access additional Watchman Fellowship resources related to this week's podcast: Watchman book: What the Qur'an Really Teaches about Jesus, by James Walker Watchman Fellowship's 4-page Profile on Islam by James Walker: www.watchman.org/Muslim Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Shi'a Islam by Dr. Mike Edens: www.watchman.org/Shia Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Ahmadiyya Islam by Eric Pement: www.watchman.org/Ahmadiyya Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on The Bahai Faith by Robert Pardon: www.watchman.org/Bahai Watchman Fellowship's complete Profile Notebook demo video: www.watchman.org/Demo Additional ResourcesFREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.PROFILE NOTEBOOK: Order the complete collection of Watchman Fellowship Profiles (around 700 pages -- from Astrology to Zen Buddhism) in either printed or PDF formats here: www.watchman.org/notebook. SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

The boys drink and review an Irish Cream Stout from Southern Tier, then discuss slavery around the world and throughout history. From the earliest records of mankind there has been slavery. From Hammurabi, the Bible, Aristotle, records from Egypt -- slavery was assumed to be a part of life. The Bible didn't outlaw slavery, but it set limits on it. Later, we see a similar pattern in the Koran. Slavery continues into the Roman Empire, where we see several different types of slaves, from gladiators, galley slaves, and miners, to easier roles like body slaves, household slaves, and even slaves who ran businesses. You might have become a slave from debt or from committing a crime. Slaves might have made up as much as 30 percent of the population. The "slavs" are so called because so many of them were forced into slavery. American Indians had slaves. Europeans, Africans, and Asians all enslaved one another. Vikings took slaves. Everybody everywhere took slaves. The whole concept is brutal and unthinkable to a modern man, but in a world where life was nasty, brutish, and short, sometimes slavery was better than the alternative. The first U.S. war was fought against the Barbary pirates, who were capturing and enslaving Americans and Europeans. Up until about 300 years ago, almost nobody questioned slavery.

AGAIN IT'S open forum debate & QNA ! The topics are literature, books, Bible, Church history, patristics, councils, Islam, Koran, revelation, Protestantism, CalviToday we RETURN to open forum debate & QNA ! The topics are literature, books, Bible, Church history, patristics, councils, Islam, Koran, revelation, Protestantism, Calvinism, evangelicalism, Arianism, cults, Hebrew roots, JWs, etc. Calling all MUSLIMS, Catholics, Protestants, Calvinists, Evangelicals, Arians/JWs, Hebrew Roots, Black Hebrew Israelites: Open theological debate. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

This week we conclude our series on Islam with the testimony of a former Muslim who became a Christian after questioning some of the basic teachings of the Qur'an and the Hadiths. On this episode president of Watchman Fellowship James Walker had a chance to talk with Sara at the Defend Apologetics Conference in January about her transition from Islam to Christianity. This week we'll hear about Sara's background with Islam and how she started to question what the Qur'an and the Hadiths really say about Jesus.Sara is is a former Muslim who became a Christian after questioning the teachings of the Qur'an and the Hadiths. She is currently a student at Leavell College at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. You may visit her YouTube channel here: www.youtube.com/@ApostateofAllahRelated Links: Access additional Watchman Fellowship resources related to this week's podcast: Watchman book: What the Qur'an Really Teaches about Jesus, by James Walker Watchman Fellowship's 4-page Profile on Islam by James Walker: www.watchman.org/Muslim Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Shi'a Islam by Dr. Mike Edens: www.watchman.org/Shia Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Ahmadiyya Islam by Eric Pement: www.watchman.org/Ahmadiyya Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on The Bahai Faith by Robert Pardon: www.watchman.org/Bahai Watchman Fellowship's complete Profile Notebook demo video: www.watchman.org/Demo Additional ResourcesFREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.PROFILE NOTEBOOK: Order the complete collection of Watchman Fellowship Profiles (around 700 pages -- from Astrology to Zen Buddhism) in either printed or PDF formats here: www.watchman.org/notebook. SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

//The Wire//2300Z January 31, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: RECOVERY EFFORTS CONTINUE AT CRASH SITE IN WASHINGTON, FALSE INFORMATION SURROUNDING THE INCIDENT BECOMES MORE PERVASIVE. AMERICAN TRADE TARIFFS ON CHINA, MEXICO, AND CANADA ANNOUNCED.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events- Sweden: Wednesday night, local counter-Islam activist Salwan Momika was murdered in Stockholm. Five assailants were arrested after one shot him in his apartment that evening. AC: Momika was a highly controversial figure who gained notoriety for being the pro-Israel activist at the heart of the Koran burnings in Sweden in 2023, and for his legal activism with regards to Islam in Sweden. Of note, local media did not know of his murder until the next morning, as he was scheduled to appear in court for one of the many cases he was the defendant in. When he did not show up, the court noted that the defendant was deceased, leading to the media inquiry. No further details have been provided regarding the details of this murder.Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): The conflict has continued to escalate, both domestically and internationally. The Rwandan-backed M23 rebels are in complete control of Goma, which has led to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to voice concerns regarding their medical facilities in the city. Specifically, the ICRC facility in Goma was partnered with the local medical institute that served as the leading authority for Ebola research throughout the region. The ICRC is concerned that the instability throughout the region could result in a lab leak.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. - Recovery operations continue in the Potomac, with more wreckage and remains being recovered overnight. The remains of 41x people have been recovered so far, with 28x being identified as of this afternoon.Throughout the continent, American trade policy is taking form, with the White House announcing the implementation of a 25% tariff on most Canadian and Mexican trade imported into the United States. A separate 10% tariff on trade with China has also been announced as being in the works. AC: As of right now, these trade polices are not in place, however press statements this afternoon have suggested that at least some of the tariffs will be implemented tomorrow. However, the documentation pertaining to these policies has not been published, so the exact impact of these trade policies (and also the impact of negotiations) is unknown at this time.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: On the information front, the false information circulating on social media surrounding the aircraft collision in Washington D.C. has become staggering. Overnight, seemingly out of nowhere, many well-known engagement farming accounts on Twitter/X made posts claiming that the pilot of the crashed Blackhawk was a transgender individual. By morning, all big accounts had deleted their posts citing this news story.The source of this claim can be traced back to a handful of single accounts (all of which bear many markers of deception) who made these claims without a single shred of evidence. For one, the female pilot of the Blackhawk has not yet been identified by authorities. The transgender person claimed to have been the pilot during this incident did not match the unit either; he was from a completely different unit and service branch altogether (National Guard vs. the Active Duty pilots involved in the crash). Perhaps the most damning bit of evidence to prove that this story is false is that the transgender pilot is still alive, and he is making the rounds on the media circuit, having been granted a platform to speak by this story surging through social media.Though largely speculative, this could have been the general plan for the scam, which is in line with fairly typical con jobs within the realm of information exchange.1 - Rand

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Secular Rarity and Armin Navabi, add sprinkles to our Sunday(sundaes), swim through the world of proof that atheism is in fact imaginary and not created by a non-god. Kenneth in VA, wonders if proving god should be done in the mystical sense when the scientific method fails. What is the point of talking about it if you are unable to describe this method? Are you feeling something that is god, or are you describing the feelings themselves? If SR has a pet that he is unable to describe at all, what is the likelihood that the pet is real? When something is happening that you are not in control of, is that what you would describe as god? How does being in a highly emotional state affect your perception of whether or not there is a god involved? How would you value these experiences, if it turns out their origin is not from a larger source, but are coming from you?Muslim Intellect in the UK asks: Would the world exist if god did not exist? How did you arrive at the position that the existence of the world proves god? Please describe how this is obvious to you, when it may not be obvious to us or anyone else. Why would we take the Koran seriously when we have not even established there is a god, and that particular god brought us the Koran? The message from Allah is worthless without this happening first. Why should we believe a book that says god is real and how do we know if the claims in the book are true?Mike with no pronouns in SC says that the song, “Imagine” is an atheist anthem and that atheism is imaginary. Why is it a problem for atheists to take a lack of position? How do you decide what question is the biggest question to ask? Somebody that does not have a claim does not need to prove anything. The burden of proof applies to specific claims, not general things. There is no need to mix up concepts and muddy the water. What changed your mind to make you go from a non-believer to a believer? Before your scientific discoveries, was anyone else in your eyes justified in believing in the god that you believe in?John in Canada believes in a non-god creator and uses the laws of energy and math to explain his position. You are making an equivocation on the word, “create”. Did you really think that explaining that things cause other things would prove your point?Jackie in MS wants to build a case that idealism as a metaphysical system makes the most sense out of any system. It is not necessarily true that without our perception, things won't exist. Language having a limit does not give us a reason to reduce the definitions of words to mean another word. Do the qualities of a rock change when there is nothing to look at that rock? Why is it impossible for the universe to exist before there was any consciousness to describe the perception? Do you think we have done enough to understand this topic? Does omnipotence seem weird or does it just break the rules?Thanks for tuning in this week! Question of the week is: What is really buried under the Kaaba at Mecca?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

AGAIN IT'S open forum debate & QNA ! The topics are literature, books, Bible, Church history, patristics, councils, Islam, Koran, revelation, Protestantism, CalviToday we RETURN to open forum debate & QNA ! The topics are literature, books, Bible, Church history, patristics, councils, Islam, Koran, revelation, Protestantism, Calvinism, evangelicalism, Arianism, cults, Hebrew roots, JWs, etc. Calling all MUSLIMS, Catholics, Protestants, Calvinists, Evangelicals, Arians/JWs, Hebrew Roots, Black Hebrew Israelites: Open theological debate. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

News: Boredom's purpose? Trump vs DEI. Calls: Koran? Jesus? Black farmers' decline! Elon Musk spaceship! Azzmador lesson…The Hake Report, Thursday, January 23, 2025 ADTIMESTAMPS* (0:00:00) Start* (0:02:09) Topics: Trump saying forget it!* (0:07:06) Hey, guys!* (0:08:27) News… winter storm* (0:11:21) Thailand "marriage equality" again* (0:13:17) Boredom has a purpose: CNN* (0:22:05) Trump deletes websites; Biden 2nd greatest* (0:30:11) JEFF, LA, re: DEI, Trump… Southern cold* (0:37:05) Supers, Punchie's coffee, weak men, Holidays?* (0:45:35) Coffees… "Bishop" woman: Trump Truth* (0:51:09) JOHN, KY: Pro- or anti- black?* (0:58:47) JOHN: Your people?* (1:03:19) ANDREW, Scotland, 1984 free speech, read the Koran(n)* (1:10:59) ANDREW: Bill Lockwood believes Jesus is God, I guarantee* (1:16:58) ANDREW: Jews and Protestants blame Adam, and not Eve! Catholics* (1:18:28) Popcorn coffees: anti-discrimination, DEI, Trump, "meritocracy"?* (1:26:51) Bigg Bump: black farmers declined with "Civil Rights"* (1:34:50) Bigg Bump tip: black business destroyed by blacks* (1:36:23) Elon Musk fireworks: Failed rocket launch, spaceship parts* (1:39:28) FB: Azzmador story* (1:43:24) Free Ross Ulbricht, dark web "drug dealer"?* (1:44:57) RICK, VA: Border open under Biden* (1:48:09) "Exodus" - Little Jimmy Scott - 1969LINKSBLOG https://www.thehakereport.com/blog/2025/1/23/the-hake-report-thu-1-23-25PODCAST / Substack HAKE NEWS from JLP https://www.thehakereport.com/jlp-news/2025/1/23/hake-news-thu-1-23-25Hake is live M-F 9-11a PT (11-1CT/12-2ET) Call-in 1-888-775-3773 https://www.thehakereport.com/showVIDEO YouTube - Rumble* - Facebook - X - BitChute - Odysee*PODCAST Substack - Apple - Spotify - Castbox - Podcast Addict*SUPER CHAT on platforms* above or BuyMeACoffee, etc.SHOP - Printify (new!) - Spring (old!) - Cameo | All My LinksJLP Network: JLP - Church - TFS - Nick - Joel - Punchie Get full access to HAKE at thehakereport.substack.com/subscribe

Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Today we RETURN to open forum debate & QNA ! The topics are literature, books, Bible, Church history, patristics, councils, Islam, Koran, revelation, Protestantism, Calvinism, evangelicalism, Arianism, cults, Hebrew roots, JWs, etc. Calling all MUSLIMS, Catholics, Protestants, Calvinists, Evangelicals, Arians/JWs, Hebrew Roots, Black Hebrew Israelites: Open theological debate. Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Today we RETURN to open forum debate & QNA ! The topics are literature, books, Bible, Church history, patristics, councils, Islam, Koran, revelation, Protestantism, Calvinism, evangelicalism, Arianism, cults, Hebrew roots, JWs, etc. Calling all MUSLIMS, Catholics, Protestants, Calvinists, Evangelicals, Arians/JWs, Hebrew Roots, Black Hebrew Israelites: Open theological debate. Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

A classic debate!Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Today we RETURN to open forum debate & QNA ! The topics are literature, books, Bible, Church history, patristics, councils, Islam, Koran, revelation, Protestantism, CalviToday we RETURN to open forum debate & QNA ! The topics are literature, books, Bible, Church history, patristics, councils, Islam, Koran, revelation, Protestantism, Calvinism, evangelicalism, Arianism, cults, Hebrew roots, JWs, etc. Calling all MUSLIMS, Catholics, Protestants, Calvinists, Evangelicals, Arians/JWs, Hebrew Roots, Black Hebrew Israelites: Open theological debate. Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Orders for the Red Book are here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/the-red-book-essays-on-theology-philosophy-new-jay-dyer-book/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyernism, evangelicalism, Arianism, cults, Hebrew roots, JWs, etc. Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.