Check out what is happening right here in the United States.
Massachusetts is trying to pass a bill that would force people to be vaccinated, quarantined, or "decontaminated" if suspected of harboring a dangerous infection.
Link on Natural Health News
This means that government health workers would be able to have the right of search and seizure within private homes, and that citizens could be fined and jailed for not following the demands of the government.
Wake up people! The government doesn't know what is best for our health and shouldn't be able to force medical fascism on us and our children.
This excerpt from the article basically outlines what I feel about this:
"Some might argue these are necessary actions to save a nation from a deadly pandemic. And yet they forget that the pandemic has been intentionally allowed to worsen by censoring information about vitamin D and natural remedies that could stop it. Somebody at the top, in other words, wants this pandemic to get really bad, perhaps because it allows them to invoke precisely the draconian response I've outlined in this article. Seizing power in a Democracy cannot be accomplished by simply declaring war on the rights of the People. Rather, a situation must be engineered where the People are so desperate that they beg to be controlled. Releasing a pandemic into the wild is the perfect way to accomplish precisely that."
This just sickens and scares me. We need to make sure that this doesn't stand in MA and that other states and countries don't follow suit.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
More Books!
We went to the Portland Central Library downtown today. Its a nice library in a really cool old building. Layla and I had fun browsing around as she knocked books off the shelves.
I let her play in the kids books for awhile and do a puzzle, then we went to mommy's favorite sections, Languages and religion.
They didn't have a lot of Somali books at the downtown branch, but I guess there are more at some of the other neighborhood libraries. They have an awesome religion section though. That is, they actually have scholarly books about Islam and Biblical studies and not just negative propaganda type books. The Islam section was pretty heavy on Sufism books. Makes sense for Portland though. There is a big Sufi organization here, and Buddhism is also pretty big in the area.
Here's what we got:
The book about Ramadan fasting looks really good. It is more scholarly that a lot of the Islamic books I've seen. It has information on the history of fasting, fasts in Christianity, Judaism, and other religions. Effects of fasting on health and its benefits, as well as a lot of information on what things are considered to invalidate one's fast.
I plan on starting it right away even though I still have a lot of reading to keep up on. I'm actually still ahead on the Bible reading, and have already finished my Juz of the Quran for today. I'll probably be making another post tonight on one of the ayat that really stuck out to me.
The other book, "The God of Old," focuses on the narrative accounts in the Bible where people had encounters with God. From what I can tell, he focuses on studying how the ancient Israelites perceived God as we can best discern from the texts and archaeology. The author, James Kugel, has another book called "How to Read The Bible, A Guide to Scripture Then and Now" that I also highly recommend. All of his books focus more upon the ancient period of Biblical history that we know the least about from the texts. This time period extends roughly from the Patriarchs to the time of Solomon.
This is the kind of stuff I do for fun :)
I let her play in the kids books for awhile and do a puzzle, then we went to mommy's favorite sections, Languages and religion.
They didn't have a lot of Somali books at the downtown branch, but I guess there are more at some of the other neighborhood libraries. They have an awesome religion section though. That is, they actually have scholarly books about Islam and Biblical studies and not just negative propaganda type books. The Islam section was pretty heavy on Sufism books. Makes sense for Portland though. There is a big Sufi organization here, and Buddhism is also pretty big in the area.
Here's what we got:
The book about Ramadan fasting looks really good. It is more scholarly that a lot of the Islamic books I've seen. It has information on the history of fasting, fasts in Christianity, Judaism, and other religions. Effects of fasting on health and its benefits, as well as a lot of information on what things are considered to invalidate one's fast.
I plan on starting it right away even though I still have a lot of reading to keep up on. I'm actually still ahead on the Bible reading, and have already finished my Juz of the Quran for today. I'll probably be making another post tonight on one of the ayat that really stuck out to me.
The other book, "The God of Old," focuses on the narrative accounts in the Bible where people had encounters with God. From what I can tell, he focuses on studying how the ancient Israelites perceived God as we can best discern from the texts and archaeology. The author, James Kugel, has another book called "How to Read The Bible, A Guide to Scripture Then and Now" that I also highly recommend. All of his books focus more upon the ancient period of Biblical history that we know the least about from the texts. This time period extends roughly from the Patriarchs to the time of Solomon.
This is the kind of stuff I do for fun :)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Layla's Best Friend
We came into the room last night to this cute sight. Layla cuddling her doll the same way I used to sleep with her when she was tiny. She's starting to want to take her places when we leave too.
They're so cute when they're sleeping :)
They're so cute when they're sleeping :)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Who ate all the Sambusa?
Layla ate all the sambusa!
Well, I guess that's not completely true. Layla, Dave and I ate all the sambusa, and wow they were really good. Probably shouldn't be looking at this if you're fasting and faint of heart. IIf you're looking for something fun to make for iftar, sambusa are the best.
Check out Tammy's Somali Home on my side bar for sambusa recipes because I didn't really use one.
Basically, I wrapped them in egg roll wrappers that I had cut diagonally, they are filled with ground beef, garlic, lots of onion, Anaheim peppers, cumin, curry powder, chili powder, salt, and ancho chile powder.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Teachings about Marriage in An-Nisa
As you may know, I have started reading through a Juz of the Quran each day of Ramadan. I've been reading through An-Nisa, and have come across a few things that I don't quite understand.
Here are some of the problematic passages:
1. If any of your women is guilty of unnatural offense, bring four of your witnesses to give evidence; if they testify against them, regain them in the houses until death, or until God provide some other way for them. (An-Nisa 15)
a.) What is the unnatural offense? It seems to suggest homosexual behavior in the context of the next verses.
b.) What would the witnesses have to say that they had witnessed for this to be prosecuted?
c.) What is meant by until God provide some other way for them?
The passage continues:
But if two men among you are guilty of such acts then punish both of them. But if they repent and reform, let them be, for God accepts such repentance and is merciful. (An-Nisa 16)
b.) What is the required amount of witnesses for the men? The text doesn't say, and what is the punishment for them?
c.) Let them be?! So men don't have ANY punishment if they just promise to never do it again?
It just isn't setting well with me at this point.
2. Unlawful to you are your mothers and daughters...(other list of women prohibited for marriage) and the daughters of the wives you have slept with who are under your charge; but in case you have not slept with them there is no offense (if you marry their daughters);
(An-Nisa 23)
a.) So the text seems to be saying that you can marry the daughter of your wife (who is not presumably your own daughter), but only if you hadn't slept with that particular wife yet. Why would one have a wife with whom he hadn't yet consummated the marriage yet?
While we're on this topic let's head back to Surah al Baqarah's teaching on divorce in v. 230:
If a man divorces her again ( a third time), she becomes unlawful for him (and he cannot remarry her) until she has married another man.
Then if he divorces her there is no harm if hte two unite again if they think they will keep within the bounds set by God and made clear for those who understand.
a.) So a man is allowed to fully divorce his wife 3 times and yet take her back to him as a wife. However if he has divorced her a third time, she has to marry and divorce another man in order for them to re-unite again!
This one is problematic to me for 2 reasons. First, it seems to condone easy divorces, which are not socially positive in any culture. The woman might already know that she wants her husband back, but she has to find another man, marry him, have sex with him, and they have to be divorced in order to get her husband back. She would have to wait the obligatory 4 mos, and then she could marry her original husband. What if the husband wanted her back and they arranged the marriage to the other man basically as a sham so they could marry again. Is that not immoral?
The second reason it bothers me is that it directly contradicts this teaching about divorce from the Torah:
When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hands and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her and and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, for she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the LORD, you shall not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance. (Deut 24:1-4)
You see, even if the 2nd husband died of natural causes, she could never marry the first man again.
Jesus set a higher standard for divorce in the Gospels:
It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality , makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matt. 5: 31-32)
What do you guys think about divorce in general? I think that it can be necessary, even in cases where one party is not necessarily unfaithful. What if the husband is abusive or prone to anger? What if he is lazy and refuses to provide for the family? What if the woman is abusive to her children or endangers them? I think those types of cases are definitely enough reason to divorce. People can change, but the sad truth is that sometimes they don't.
Is Jesus teaching on divorce too strict? I don't think that he's saying that there is never a case where remarriage can happen (although some churches do teach this). I think that he was using harsh language because divorce was too common and easy in the Judean culture of the 1st Century A.D. We're leaning back that direction again. My parents are one of the few their age I know who are still married. I don't think that marriages should be rushed into or out of unless there is a reason of someone's safety or sanity.
I will add to this if I come across anything else confusing in my reading.
And please, I welcome comments of all kinds as well as links to good sources of commentary.
May God be with all of you each and every hour!
Here are some of the problematic passages:
1. If any of your women is guilty of unnatural offense, bring four of your witnesses to give evidence; if they testify against them, regain them in the houses until death, or until God provide some other way for them. (An-Nisa 15)
a.) What is the unnatural offense? It seems to suggest homosexual behavior in the context of the next verses.
b.) What would the witnesses have to say that they had witnessed for this to be prosecuted?
c.) What is meant by until God provide some other way for them?
The passage continues:
But if two men among you are guilty of such acts then punish both of them. But if they repent and reform, let them be, for God accepts such repentance and is merciful. (An-Nisa 16)
b.) What is the required amount of witnesses for the men? The text doesn't say, and what is the punishment for them?
c.) Let them be?! So men don't have ANY punishment if they just promise to never do it again?
It just isn't setting well with me at this point.
2. Unlawful to you are your mothers and daughters...(other list of women prohibited for marriage) and the daughters of the wives you have slept with who are under your charge; but in case you have not slept with them there is no offense (if you marry their daughters);
(An-Nisa 23)
a.) So the text seems to be saying that you can marry the daughter of your wife (who is not presumably your own daughter), but only if you hadn't slept with that particular wife yet. Why would one have a wife with whom he hadn't yet consummated the marriage yet?
While we're on this topic let's head back to Surah al Baqarah's teaching on divorce in v. 230:
If a man divorces her again ( a third time), she becomes unlawful for him (and he cannot remarry her) until she has married another man.
Then if he divorces her there is no harm if hte two unite again if they think they will keep within the bounds set by God and made clear for those who understand.
a.) So a man is allowed to fully divorce his wife 3 times and yet take her back to him as a wife. However if he has divorced her a third time, she has to marry and divorce another man in order for them to re-unite again!
This one is problematic to me for 2 reasons. First, it seems to condone easy divorces, which are not socially positive in any culture. The woman might already know that she wants her husband back, but she has to find another man, marry him, have sex with him, and they have to be divorced in order to get her husband back. She would have to wait the obligatory 4 mos, and then she could marry her original husband. What if the husband wanted her back and they arranged the marriage to the other man basically as a sham so they could marry again. Is that not immoral?
The second reason it bothers me is that it directly contradicts this teaching about divorce from the Torah:
When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hands and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her and and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, for she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the LORD, you shall not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance. (Deut 24:1-4)
You see, even if the 2nd husband died of natural causes, she could never marry the first man again.
Jesus set a higher standard for divorce in the Gospels:
It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality , makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matt. 5: 31-32)
What do you guys think about divorce in general? I think that it can be necessary, even in cases where one party is not necessarily unfaithful. What if the husband is abusive or prone to anger? What if he is lazy and refuses to provide for the family? What if the woman is abusive to her children or endangers them? I think those types of cases are definitely enough reason to divorce. People can change, but the sad truth is that sometimes they don't.
Is Jesus teaching on divorce too strict? I don't think that he's saying that there is never a case where remarriage can happen (although some churches do teach this). I think that he was using harsh language because divorce was too common and easy in the Judean culture of the 1st Century A.D. We're leaning back that direction again. My parents are one of the few their age I know who are still married. I don't think that marriages should be rushed into or out of unless there is a reason of someone's safety or sanity.
I will add to this if I come across anything else confusing in my reading.
And please, I welcome comments of all kinds as well as links to good sources of commentary.
May God be with all of you each and every hour!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Breaking the potty training code
Layla and her Grandma (my mom)
Lately she had been hardly ever going in the potty. I would put her on and the she would go in the diaper less than 10 minutes later. Frustrating.
Yesterday I was feeling the Ramadan spirit and went out and bought some nice dates. I let Layla have one and she got really excited about it. She kept asking for more...
Then my husband got a good idea. We didn't want to give her candy or junk food as a reward for using the potty because it could add up to a lot of junk over the course of a day. He thought maybe we could give her a date every time she went.
It works! So far she has gone 2x today and 1 last night. :)
Who knows maybe this might work for some other little ones.
That is, if they like dates!
Friday, August 21, 2009
My Duas for Ramadan
What better time is there than Ramadan to make duas? Here are global concerns I will be concentrating during this month:
Israel/Palestine:
The song is titled Hevinu Shalom 3Aleinu, Ma3na Ajmal Min Salaam
Let there be peace among us, With us is nothing more beautiful than peace.
The next song is for my dear beloved Somalia, how I would love to visit you someday.
Also dedicated to Omar who is like a brother to me and is living back in Hargeisa.
Aniga iyo Da'uud waanu ku jecelynahay walaal. Waana ku xiisey.
The song is called Baaqii Nabadda-Proclaim Peace
(Chorus)
Doonayaayo doonayaayo doonaya nabad nabad nabadda doonaya
O' We want, o' we want, we want peace, peace, peace is what we want
Da'iimow Allahayow,noo daryeelo, dalkeenu, dadkeenu, nabadda
O' Eternal one, O' Allah, take care of us, our country, our people, peace
Dadow, dadow, dhul Allahayow soo duceeya, Aamiin, aamiin
O' People, 'o people, Pray to Allah for your land, amin, amin
Nalada cadeeddo lagu wada dega baan
By the lights of the sun let us reside together
dadow dadow dhul adoo soo duceeya aamiin aamiin
O' people, o' people pray for your land, amin, amin
Qabiilka dhabar go'ynoo dankugu lagu dadaal
Cut off tribalism from our backs, let our effort be united
dadow, dadow, dhul dalool soo duceeya
'o people, o' people, pray for a broken land (lit. with holes)
Please, any Somali sisters who know better than I do, let me know any words I missed or problems with the translation. This song was a lot easier than most Somali songs, but I still had a little trouble getting all the words.
Ramadan Kariim everyone!
Israel/Palestine:
The song is titled Hevinu Shalom 3Aleinu, Ma3na Ajmal Min Salaam
Let there be peace among us, With us is nothing more beautiful than peace.
The next song is for my dear beloved Somalia, how I would love to visit you someday.
Also dedicated to Omar who is like a brother to me and is living back in Hargeisa.
Aniga iyo Da'uud waanu ku jecelynahay walaal. Waana ku xiisey.
The song is called Baaqii Nabadda-Proclaim Peace
(Chorus)
Doonayaayo doonayaayo doonaya nabad nabad nabadda doonaya
O' We want, o' we want, we want peace, peace, peace is what we want
Da'iimow Allahayow,noo daryeelo, dalkeenu, dadkeenu, nabadda
O' Eternal one, O' Allah, take care of us, our country, our people, peace
Dadow, dadow, dhul Allahayow soo duceeya, Aamiin, aamiin
O' People, 'o people, Pray to Allah for your land, amin, amin
Nalada cadeeddo lagu wada dega baan
By the lights of the sun let us reside together
dadow dadow dhul adoo soo duceeya aamiin aamiin
O' people, o' people pray for your land, amin, amin
Qabiilka dhabar go'ynoo dankugu lagu dadaal
Cut off tribalism from our backs, let our effort be united
dadow, dadow, dhul dalool soo duceeya
'o people, o' people, pray for a broken land (lit. with holes)
Please, any Somali sisters who know better than I do, let me know any words I missed or problems with the translation. This song was a lot easier than most Somali songs, but I still had a little trouble getting all the words.
Ramadan Kariim everyone!
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