The River of Life by Lee Harmon Directed to Christians But Also Worthy Study Guide for Everybody...

All the world is seeking, including me...and including Lee Harmon, whose web site clearly defines his position as The Dubious Disciple.  I learned something that has blessed me by reading his latest book... I, too, may fall under the same name... Although I've always considered myself more like the woman at the well...

If you are an individual who is seeking...for something you cannot define, this might be the perfect book for you to read... Most of us, if we admit it, question... Yes, we question many things that happen in our lives and in the world...

The amazing thing about this book, though, and I believe about his earlier books, although I've not read them, Harmon has a passion for learning more... While many of us simply question, he goes seeking. His intense research is obvious. And it appears to be more as a scholar than what you might expect from a pastor, priest or other church leader. Specifically, he is willing to explore all sources of documentation in order to provide the results of his research. I consider and recommend this as a must-read if you, too, are dubious...or, even, like me, always seeking for answers...

The River of Life:

Where Liberal and Conservative Christianity Meet

By Lee Harmon

Let me quickly point out that this book will be very controversial for many! Especially Christians... I'm of the opinion that if you cannot read a book that proves contrary to your beliefs, then, really, how do you have the knowledge to believe as you do... ??? Harmon strikes at the very heart of many of those beliefs... You are Warned... 

Tomorrow's discussion includes many of the books issues, so I hope you'll spend time here at BRH then, as well. Will if encourage you to read the book. I believe so...if you are the type of person who wants to seek to learn, to know more...

I am an agnostic Christian.
For the sake of full disclosure, perhaps I should define what I mean by agnostic. I believe in God; I just don’t think we know squat about him. I sense that we are linked by something mysterious, that we are more than matter. I am not agnostic in general, I am merely agnostic toward the Christian depiction of God, or any other personal god, feeling that inadequate evidence exists for one caricature to rise above the rest. Arguing about whether it is Shiva or Allah who is the Truth is a little like bickering over the color of Cinderella’s eyes. Yet I believe, because I have both seen and felt God. I have sat in the churches of various denominations and seen strong people reduced to emotional puddles and then lifted into radiance. I have seen kidneys given to complete strangers. I marvel at Mother Teresa’s mission of kindness in the name of God, though she herself felt estranged from the God of her church.
I am a Christian in search of God. Christian, because Jesus is my inspiration and Christianity is my heritage.
Life is a mystery. How do we explain our universe, life’s origins, and human consciousness? In the Christian Trinity, we have the Son (the mystery of incarnation, or God-in-us); we have the Father (the mystery of our creation and creator); and we have the Spirit (that “something mysterious,” the wave of meaning and purpose which links us). All three are astounding, beautiful, awesome. We Christians tend to combine these three mysteries into one, and then personify their union, though we have no evidential reason for doing so. Nevertheless, I am happy uniting all three under the heading of God so that a common ground exists for discussion.
I am also a liberal Christian, living in a conservative world. Most of my family and friends are conservative Christians. Conservatives consider apostolic tradition of utmost importance, meaning they seek to emulate the first-century church as best they know how. This is a noble goal, but it can lead to stringent intolerance for diluted beliefs. It’s the right way or the highway. Liberal Christians, on the other hand, find the creedal requirements which develop from such strictness stifling and contrary to observation and experience. We see God in many people and places, not just in Christian circles. This can lead liberals to a violent condemnation of narrow doctrine. Intolerance is intolerable.
And round and round we go. As a liberal Christian, I have both stooped to verbal aggression and felt the sting of attack. Both sides care so dang much that we can’t help squabbling, but this hardly puts a good face on Christianity. If the two sides could merely take one step backward, digging back to the Jesus we both adore, perhaps there could be a unity of purpose. Even though there can never be agreement about religious belief, the Kingdom could nevertheless advance. That is my hope in writing this book.

~~~

Harmon lays out where he is coming from right at the Introduction. He's open and honest with this, as well as with all of the book. In many ways, I thought of this book as his "personal testimony" for those who are used to being called upon to do so... Although, not many individuals did so, in most of the churches I've attended during my life... For that, I was much more appreciative and open to the book... Because the first chapter is called, "Heaven and Hell..."

It may seem strange that I begin
my book at the end. Isn't the
afterlife more of a destination
that a starting point?

Well, I'm not really starting here. I'm dismissing the topic up front as being of little importance to Jesus...


Harmon proceeds then to share his understanding of the stories related to Heaven, including those from the Bible. He quickly dismisses Hell...

And do not fear those who kill the body
but cannot kill the soul. But rather
fear him who is able to destroy both
soul and body in [Gehenna]. Isiah 66:24
~~~

Now if that doesn't set some readers off, I don't know what will! However, I must say that Harmon's argument, his belief, is based on historical evidence as well as his understanding of the Bible...including, most importantly, the background on the words themselves... For instance, reading the Bible historically, easily refers to "unquenchable fire" as simply that... fire, not Hell... I noticed that both Harmon and Cahn, in The Harbinger, both immediately went back to 70 CE in Jerusalem. It is apparent that was a significant time, don't you think? But do you know what happened then? And, are you familiar with the word, Gehenna? If you're like me, I'd never heard of it. This word alone was very enlightening to me...

For now, I'll leave you with Jesus' own definition of eternal life, which has nothing to do with the afterlife:

And this is eternal llife, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent...John 17:3
                                                                     ~~~

For people around my age, we have lived through a number of times when "The Second Coming" was predicted to come... Are you still waiting, or has that already occurred, as clarified in this book? This detailed research is well worth your study and just may explain how and when your personal beliefs were formed...or, maybe just as importantly, why they were formed...

Are you aware of what is called "The Holy Spirit?" This is one symbol that people have used across the years... These others have a more personal feeling for me... 

What if the Second Coming already occurred? Harmon suggests that The Holy spirit is already here...

The spirit remains with us even today. The aion of God's rule began in Jesus's day, when the Spirit arrived from heaven, and continues through today. Do you struggle to feel its presence? If you have trouble connecting with the Spirit, try prayer. Yes, I'm serious, whether you are liberal or conservative. When I slipped from the rank of believing Christian into agnostic Christian, I confess that I forgot how to pray. I simply could not visualize anyone on the receiving end of my prayer, and felt silly trying. Nor could I bring myself to utter the skeptic's prayer: God, if you exist, save me from hell, if there is a hell. Many of you may identify with the class of Spiritual But Not Religious, yet you need not jettison the connection with the Divine that prayer affords.

Six more chapters continue on... And I would say, after reading it, Harmon covered the majority of questions that have bothered me through my life. The book is insightful, intelligent in presentation, objective, world-wide in thought. All this while proclaiming his beliefs based upon his scholarship and humbly presenting his thoughts honestly, logically, and with a caring for his readers, in my opinion. I was impressed. Most of the books I've read from Christians have declared what it is we should believe. Harmon merely provides the results of his efforts and allows the reader to absorb or consider and as you'll see tomorrow, allow questions to be raised about what he's written. The author may be a doubting Thomas, but then, the original Thomas had a pretty good career after he started questioning, don't you think?

Caravaggio — The Incredulity of St Thomas

Do check this out... It's highly recommended. For me, I was blessed by reading The River of Life. I wish for you the same...

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. --John 19:33-34

I believe a tricking river began that day, from the pierced side of Jesus. A river the prophets of Israel some anticipated. There came out blood and water. Water, we are told by John's Gospel, represents the Spirit. The blood, while it carries many deep symbolic meanings, represents the sacrifice of Jesus...

GABixlerReviews

~~~

Author, blogger, computer programmer, liberal Christian. Check out my book blog at http://www.dubiousdisciple.com, where I review all kinds of religious books, and learn more about me and my latest book at http://www.thewayithappened.com. Then friend me on twitter and facebook!

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J. R. Lankford's The Covert Messiah, Asks "Why Didn't You Believe My Words?"

Be Still and Know That I Am God...

"As more and more of the villagers slipped into the bliss that awaits beyond thought, Babu asked Jess the question that had plagued him all his life. How had humanity strayed so far from its source? Jess replied that the mind, once humanity's servant, had become its master. So much so that a Greek named Descartes said, I think, therefore I am. It was actually the reverse. I am, therefore, I think. Humanity had forgotten its identity was consciousness itself--not moral bodies. Faith moved mountains because of the power within, the gift of awareness given by God. Misdirected by fear, the opposite of faith, human consciousness created a world of enemies and dangers until the earth reached its present state--the brink of destruction, the planet dying, species dying, human beings daily killing each other and themselves. Of Jess's disciples, only Thomas grasped the Truth and correctly reported, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth and men do not see it."

~~~

The Covert Messiah

By J. R. Landford

When I realized that this novel is part of a series, I was sad that I hadn't read the first three books. But fortunately, the author went over those books in the video she provides, where she is reading the first chapter of The Covert Messiah, below... I hope to find the time to also read the earlier novels and the next one already publicized!  

When she was eight years old, a Russian girl
 named Ariakne Kramarik painted
 Prince of Peace, a portrait of Jesus.

OK, I got kinda excited with this book. After having just read the two books by Stan Law about merging mysticism and science, it was a bit of serendipity (or a God Incident?) that this book was next on my TBR stack! 

Even though I had not read the earlier books, I was able to easily sink quickly into Lankford's continuation, mainly because she writes much about the internal thoughts of people--her characters--and readers have the opportunity to see the guilt, frustration, and anxiety that many of us feel, but never reveal to others. The humanity that each of us experiences is very relevant, since it lays the groundwork, the basis upon which the Messiah character speaks out His truth...

Because practically everything the character says, had already been said by Jesus!

Not even His Mother had really believed His truths...

I don't know about you, but this picture which I found on Lankford's Facebook page, instantly became my favorite portrait of Jesus. After you study it, lean back in your chair--I swear his eyes spoke to me!!! But then, I've listened and felt the presence of the Comforter for many years, just now, however, really realizing the truth behind what His words...really mean...

My guess is that, given the way the writer wrote this book, she also was given the vision behind His words... Perhaps you will read them differently, too, through this particular novel.

Earlier books tell the story of the Shroud of Turin being the source of the cloning of Jesus... Now, I'm one of those believers who think that would really be a cool thing, just so you know... Unfortunately, he was murdered when he was just 10 years old... 

Русский: Спас Отпечаток лика Христа на Туринской плащанице
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_of_Turin

In the Covert Messiah, Jess had materialized in front of his mother while she was in the market in Porlezza...

"I didn't expect to run into my son eight years after he died...In the brightness and the crowds I almost missed Jess. The sunrise had just turned Lake Lugano into liquid diamonds. I was at the mercato del sabato, the market in Porlezza, held every Saturday on the lakefront. By now I was used to Italy's northern lakes--their extravagant aura, the surrounding green of Alpine hills, the markets held in shore side medieval towns, each on its own speial day...Today would have been Jess's eighteenth birthday..."Ciao, mia cara madre," he said in a voice that belonged to no one but Jess, even eight years older. I must have dropped my market tote and passed out, because the next thing I knew I was on the ground, staring at people's legs, my head resting on what smelled like squashed oranges and my precious Jess bending over me...I knew it was Jess. I knew he was here. I knew he was dead...Are you real this time? I whispered. Jess had appeared to me in a vivid dream after Peter's birth seven years ago...I am real in the way you mean..."

 ~~~ 

Jesse was on his way to Ugudu, a small village...He wanted his mother to go with him. Maggie was the housekeeper of the man who had initiated the cloning and had agreed to carry the baby. So when Jesse sprang his plans on Maggie, she began to question him... Remember that he was just 10 when he had been killed and she was now seeing nearly a grown man, going about his business, just as Jesus had... Maggie was having quite a bit of trouble "getting with the program" just as perhaps we all would??? In any event, they finally wound up there...

As did quite a number of other people!

Zach Dunlop was going after his wife, who had gone with the pastor who had first established a mission in the village. He had recently been asked to the White House and was encouraged to proceed... When Zach's wife learned that, she insisted on going too--her final goal was somehow getting to the White House... Indeed Zenia was a beautiful woman who was quite willing to do many things to ensure her personal plans for the future... And if she needed to "help" the Pastor in those efforts, well, she was going on safari!

Zach worked on Wall Street and had learned of early rumors about AmerCan, a Canadian mining company heading to that location. He had already advised his boss to "buy..." However, later he heard that there might be trouble and went to ensure his wife's safety. On his way, he met a young girl, pregnant, and daughter of Felix, who had been the scientist who had performed the cloning. When Felix verified his daughter, who had heard that Jesus' clone was in Africa and was headed to find him, he, too, started to make travel plans.  Zach and her accidentally met and joined together in their travel plans...
Zach had a friend working with him, Ahmed. He was in love with Ajia, a young African woman who was very involved in helping to ensure further loss of land, resources, and people, to the whites did not happen. Ahmed was living under a different name to hide his background and family connectiions. Ajia had acted in a forbidden manner with Ahmed one night and they both were working through what they could do... Ahmed had a plan and Ajia demanded she participate...

In fact, there was already a group of men, working with the Pastor, who were from governments of Africa and America, as well as AmerCan, on their way to Ugudu. It was planned that the Pastor would do introductions and announce that AmerCan would dig and provide for well water for the village. Of course, there was much more involved.

Quite like a soap opera, right? But...

"All in Babu's life had prepared him for this day. He and Jess (Jesus) became one with the drums, creating a frequency in the air, producing sound waves with which brainwaves could joyfully synchronize. For Babu it had always been the first step in opening to God...people were getting into position on the ground...
"So many had come they'd had to form two circles, one within the other...Except for Watende and his mother, everyone was here...Soon the ngoma drum had done its work, and Babu picked up his nsanza, its sweet, high notes lifting hearts...
"Will we change this today? Babu asked in thought.
"We two are here together for this purpose, Jess replied..."
~~~

Imagine if you would that you are one of the individuals heading for Ugudu. You might be the scared young girl who got pregnant while drinking and doesn't know who the father is... You might be an individual who has committed adultery... Or you might be on the way to commit murder... Or you may be there to steal the land... Or you may be an individual who is very religious but never believed what the Words said in your ancient religious books really meant...

What you will find is The Comforter, in the form of an 18-year-old body, together with an African healer who has taken back his rightful place in his village... And all individuals there in a sacred circle... 

What happens will be your choice. Your Free Will. This book cannot just be read... it will be experienced. Some of you will laugh, ridicule, or perhaps think it's a pretty good story. Others of you will not consider what was said of any use to your life. What did I think of this book? I think it has been an instrument of truth and renewal for me. May you read it with an open mind to see what it becomes for you.  At a minimum, it is memorable, fascinating and very provocative! An exciting hypothesis of the second coming???


GABixlerReviews

In the 1990’s I, J R Lankford, quit my former job -- which involved jetting around the world to oversee the development of world standards for electrical products (my husband teasingly called me the “Secretary General of oven controls”) -- to pursue a childhood dream of writing novels. Perhaps I wasn’t of sound mind at the time. Who quits a job that lets you work in London, Paris, and Geneva, in favor of sitting alone in a room and scribbling? Well, me, and I’ve never regretted it. Novels fulfill me in a way the world can’t. I fall in love with the outrageous, courageous, cowardly, dangerous, unscrupulous, seductive and perfectly heroic characters in my mind and can’t resist bringing them to life in words. If you’d like to know more, here’s “How I Became a World Citizen (A True Confession)” See more on her Web Site!

Contemporary SciFi Studies Cultural Catalyst In Great Adventure

The Eternal Messiah:

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the
 Ahmadiyya movement, considered by
Ahmadis to be the Promised Messiah of the latter days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah
"We have a chance to witness something amazing,
the precist turning point of an entire culture.
"Why do you believe that?" asked Win.
"Because I've seen it before. Cultures at this stage
in their development are at a critical point, a
teetering, you might say. Do they stay in one place,
technologically and culturally stagnant, or do they
move ahead? I believe the ones that do progress
need some kind of shock, a catalyst if you will.
This catalyst is often religious in nature--almost
always, in fact. It leads to a transformation, one
that moves the people either into an organized
society, or, in a place like K'Turia where an organized
society already exists, the transformation jars them
out of the stagnant ceremonial rules which limit
their development...
"I am explaining cultural development in a scientific
way. Just because it has an element of religion does
not mean that it is not scientific."
~~~

Jesus of K'Turia
Cold Maneuvers

By W. R. Pursche and
Michael Gabriele
Click Above, if interested, and Enjoy Gabriele's Relevant Music, Cold Maneuvers...sounding like the Lemians in action... Get it started then Click Back! 


The only negative issue I had with this novel was the usual slow beginning as readers move into another world, another planet and begin to meet strange names, learn about their lives, and try to follow different alien species. For me, since I don't routinely read scifi/fantasy, I had never heard of any of the places, so had no idea of the type of people they were, that may have been identified in some other book, except through actually reading the book. I would like to have known, for instance, more about a Treb, which is the species that Win, the main character, was. This type of information would have helped readers understand better what the words meant rather than trying to interpret what was happening... A glossary of the people and some groups was--but nothing was provided for the words specific to the species...

The best way to describe the story is to picture a place where there is no technology. That alone is hard to imagine, right? K'Tura was town where religion was the most important condition of their life. Individuals were "born" into where they fit in a hierarchy that, of course, had the priests at the top, and the farmers, traders and other workers at the bottom. The priests were the only ones that determined The Way for them to live. There was no free will to choose...anything...

"The Rhean once known as Prome activated the
neural net which would connect its sentient
protoplasm to that of Rhean Ceme, millions
of miles away. After the slightest of hesitations
the link was established...
"This neural connection was their racial secret.
It is what set them apart from virtually all others
in the universe..."
~~~

But a man was there... His name was Jesus... And he was telling a different story...

The book centers on a small group of off-worlders who had been sent to find a freighter that had a cargo that must be either destroyed or taken away, but nobody knew what the cargo was. They assumed it was weapons.

Garrick was placed in charge. The three others were from a science vessel and had been pulled into a job that they really weren't prepared for.

Prentiss, in many ways, became the lead character. As a cultural specialist, she had hypothesized that societies remained primitive until a major catalyst, usually a very charismatic individual, became a leader to those in that society.

But she never expected to find Jesus on K'Turia.

Naturally she wanted to learn as much as she could while they were there. She had already studied the story of the earth Jesus Christ and assumed that the man who was there on that planet would take a similar role as had happened on earth.

At the same time on K'Turia, there were representatives of the Lemians, a military group that planned to take over the planet, if not as negotiated, then through military action. Those interactions had just begun...

As in most futuristic scifi stories, there are planets that have merged together, while others have remained independent, seeking to take over other planets. Indeed there were a number of negotiations that were taking place during the book. Readers will need to read carefully to see what was actually happening since the religious activities on K'Turia take center stage in the action adventure. I think the authors have done an excellent job in making religion a central part of the story, while not referring to any actual religions, religious books, or leaders...

And it is the character Jesus himself who proclaims that The Way [used in this book] was for everyone. What this results in is a contemporary novel that can speak to any individual about their needs, their desires, their search for what their life means--hopefully, a life of helping others, a life of sacrifice when required...a life with freedom to choose... Well Done Pursche and Gabrield!


GABixlerReviews

Bill Pursche lives in Orlean, VA, with his wife Kim and their son Ryan. They have two dogs, two rescued orphan horses, and a no-longer-feral cat. He splits his time between writing, painting, providing business advice, and doing whatever he can to help save and care for dogs and other animals. His writing has appeared in numerous publications and magazines, and many of his original "Canine Commandments" have been widely quoted and can be found all over the Internet. He donates 100% of the net proceeds of his book "Lessons To Live By: The Canine Commandments" to animal rescue groups and humane associations. With Michael Gabriele, he is also the author of "The Eternal Messiah: Jesus of K'Turia."

Michael Gabriele is a professional musician and artist in Rhode Island. For information about Mike's music, please visit www.myspace.com/michaelgabriele. 

Together they are working on the next two books in the Eternal Messiah series.

Talking To New Side of Thomas Kostigen Re Debut Novel!

 BRH Announces Favorite Novel of Year -
 Can't Beat This One for me...

I was just about to welcome you and announce that I'd picked Golden Dawn as Favorite Novel of Year on Book Reader's Heaven, even though the year is not over!

TMK: Wow. Thank you so much!!

But now I've read Fatwa, and I have to first ask, are your sure that nobody other than yourself is in danger? I became concerned because when I first started gathering material, I was finding lots of pictures...then this morning, all kinds of computer glitches were happening. Will there likely be problems or danger in supporting your book?!

TMK: Ha. No danger. A fatwa is only aimed at 'blasphemy." I amped up the idea of a threat for storytelling purposes. 

Yes, I picked up on that realization after I caught my breath! Still...

LOL... I must tell you that your novel was the first which ever satisfied my craving for answers and provided that "missing point" that other writers had not yet covered!

TMK; Thank you. Very kind.

I should probably put in a disclaimer that there may be a book out there, but I've never heard of it, even though this is a hot topic...So, first, I must ask you, how much research was done to document what you wrote?

TMK: As a journalist for 25 years, research drives my writing. So as you can see from the tremendous amount of "facts" in the book that I had to find all these nuggets from historical documents.

Indeed, there was no doubt in my mind that your background had played a major role in choosing what to write in your debut novel. I found reference to the Mahdi...but to me, this should be known worldwide, and yet is not? Can you tell us whether you were able to formally document most of what you shared?

TMK: Yes, the mahdi is one of those enigmatic figures who should be known more worldwide, especially since the prophet is widely known in Islamic circles. But we in the West take a very Judeo-Christian view of the world and history. So this isn't so surprising. Ahmadinejad's comments about the mahdi are well documented. It's easy to find them with a search engine. The trick is of course, knowing what to look for. So the entire history of the mahdi up to the current time is absolutely accurate. 

While I have to agree your opinion of us is true, I'm also hoping that some of us begin to put 2 and 2 together to make 4.  When there are willing suicide bombers, Al Qaeda, and so much about the religious basis for actions, any objective individual has to be able to look to the history behind such actions. That's why your book was so important to me--it filled the gap!

Igreja Matriz de Fátima
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57913436@N00/16840674

I had earlier heard of Zoroastrians; however, again, there is little known about them. Why do you feel that these types of organizations, papers, documents, etc., are kept secret by religious organizations?

TMK: There is a great deal of ownership when it comes to religion. In my experience no religion likes to admit it has been influenced by another. Each likes to believe, I think, theirs is the one and only path. So ancient texts and influences are ignored or covered up. Just as the Third Secret of Fatima has been.

Yet, the story of Fatima is well known, "in general" but nothing about why, and how much, is not shared to the world. Why did you write this novel? Any personal interest beyond selling a great thriller?

TMK: I wrote this novel because of my interest in current events. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos
/87874260@N00/1029392917

What shapes the events we see before our eyes? And is what we 

are seeing the truth? Are there others behind the factors at 

work? That is what got me going down the path to this story. 

You've traveled around the world quite a bit. Did you visit any locations in Golden Dawn and have you seen any information that supports your fictional account?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:
Fatwa-opining-london-uk-100302_24.jpg

TMK: I traveled to all the locales in Golden Dawn except Iran. And I would go, but I can't get a visa! Still, I did a lot of research on the sites, history and people of Iran to make those scenes come alive.

Do you "believe" that your ending scene in Chapter 10 of Part 3 is even viable? Specifically, do you see one religion world-wide in the future? Why?

TMK: I do believe we will operate under a common ethos, if not religion in the future once a common "evil" arises. Then I think the world will fight together under one banner of "good." By the way, the world's religions do gather and leaders communicate. more should be written about this because I think it shows tolerance and understanding.

Indeed, I was pleased you included references to contact with the highest ranks of Catholicism. The  later actions of Mesbah Yavari's, the ayatollah who supported the president, were also a perfect statement for me. The character, Zhubin, also added greatly to the impact of what was happening...

Let's go back a little. we have always heard of false prophets. Mahmoud Talib was not just a false prophet but a criminal that purposely set out to become someone he was not. In your book, you mention the Napoleon complex...do you have an opinion about just how many who enter the political arena world-wide also have that type of mentality (or is that my own opinion seeking support, LOL?)

TMK: Oh I believe every politician is a megalomaniac. Otherwise why run for public office. All that scrutiny? Who needs that? Only big egos!

Not going to disagree with you there... Sean O'Shaughnessy is an intriguing character, do you see any possibility that Michael will become more like his uncle in the future? At the same time, how does the fatwa affect the future of Michael Shea's character?

TMK: I'd rather not explicate the future of Michael. But I will say he will carry on with Sean's torch. 

I knew you wouldn't answer that except as you did...But I did get the answer I really wanted to see--that there will be a sequel! I've already signed up for information on your site so I'll look forward to learning when it comes out!

Neda's role is one that was somewhat uncertain at the end of the novel. Can you share whether she will be called upon to follow her Zoroastrian rather than her personal relationship with Michael? Can she do both? Can Michael stay the somewhat uncommitted man he is regarding faith?

TMK: Again, I don't want to reveal to much about the sequel either, but Neda will be in it as a prominent character.

You're making it too easy for me...LOL...I just was looking forward to the continued romance angle...hey, they are a unique couple and I look forward to seeing how they deal with the religious aspect of their lives...

Mesbah Yavari seems to be fooled in his interpretations of what the Koran and books of hadith were saying. And yet he also was willing to consider optional results...is there any true way to believe any of any early documents.

TMK: The problem and blessing with faith is that it is subjective. I think people can believe and adjust their beliefs for particular purposes (the selling of indulgences, the Crusades, etc). Every religion does this. I believe Yavari could or can as well.

You mentioned that the Sunni, Shia, Sufi, Wahhabism all were slightly different in the Muslim world. Do you see this as similar to those differences in Protestant beliefs, or is there any correlation at all? Or is Catholicism closer?

TMK: I think these belief systems are very different from Christianity because they infect lifestyle, culture, and politics in very deep and radical ways that most -- and I say most -- Christians do not embrace. But I do see a similarity in terms of fundamentalism.

Is the Black Flag, the Al-Quaida's flag, really a part of the Mahdi document?

TMK: Yes, absolutely true!

Do you personally believe the statement made by Neda "They cannot force people to live like this, in fear. We are not hateful people but our government wants us to be hateful. I wish people in the West could understand that. Only a minority of the country is made up of religious zealots. The rest of us are like you. People are the same. Governments and religions corrupt people."

TMK: That statement is the cornerstone of the book. Thank you for identifying it and for asking. This is what we should be taking away from the Arab Spring, the Iranian protests, and the revolts in Syria. It's politics, not the people.

And that, Thomas, was why your book became my favorite. I believe in your cornerstone!

Without putting you on the spot, there was a comment by Michael that the news service was not reporting as they had in the past--that was why we see so much on the personal lives of stars, athletes and politicians...? Many of us no longer trust or see the value of news reporting as in the past. Can we trust anybody??

TMK: I will take a line from Ronald Reagan: trust but verify...

Good answer, but not so easily done these days, in my opinion... The political ads that just bombarded our homes, surely couldn't permit anybody rational to believe any of them...

And finally, why go with the fatwa rather than continuing the series?

TMK: Fatwa is meant as a complementary series. Golden Dawn will continue on its own...and Michael Shea will be back.

Excellent! Now I'm really excited!

Fatwa is a dynamite piece of writing after a novel...very unique...saw the copyright statements in the book...but is there "anything" I can use for this... I can at least do a short review, but how much can I say???

TMK: You can say as much as you want and feel free to use a few pages if you'd like. 

Yes, it all makes sense now...I'm so happy to have had you visit...but with two series running concurrently...you'd better hurry back to your writing! Come back soon!

Book Readers Heaven has been pleased and honored to have you share in response to my questions...I applaud you in tackling and working to highlight what I consider the major issue facing the world today... My selection of your book is based upon my own assessment of what's important for the future...and in no way reflects on the quality of any other books! You all know by now I pretty much say what I think...and I love books...

My selection of Mr. Kostigen's book as my favorite is purely based upon "my personal opinions related to politics and religion" and I don't say that lightly...

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad_at_the_United_Nations_2008_6.jpg

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This Callinan Thriller May Be The Answer You've Sought For the Future?

..."The first phase would end when a book was written recounting his odyssey. This book...the angels had told him, would alert the world to Paul's story and this would trigger a chain of events that would elevate his journey and raise the stakes. Paul would then meet more powerful people...He would be changed by this process and be subject to mental, spiritual and physical dangers as he evolved to the point where he would be able to understand the words of the new world savior...
Paul knew little about this person except that he was now around fifteen years of age and could not read or write. He would not be linked to any religion or creed. In fact, his emergence would see many religions go the way of the dinosaurs. They would finally have served their purpose and be reborn within a  new collective spiritual era..."
A stone angel at the back of the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An Angel On My

  Shoulder

By David Callinan

Was it all just a dream? Of the author? Or, of the main character Paul?

The author calls The Angel on my Shoulder a spiritual adventure... I think I would have said, a spiritual nightmare! Although I must admit, that the author seems to be somewhat like myself—always questioning, never accepting anything as the final version, the final fact...

This novel won’t be for everybody. It is deep, bordering into the unknown spiritual realm, and includes some parts where readers might get totally lost in the complexity. In my opinion, that is to be expected in a novel that is meant to both entertain and teach. When I found parts that I wasn’t sure I understood, I read them but didn’t worry about meaning—there is either further explanation included, or I knew there were ample resources available to learn more.

After all, this was Paul’s adventure, not mine...

Let me just say that Paul did have an angel with him at all times, but there were many more he met—they were to be his teachers in his development, preparing him to meet the new world savior... His mission was to write this book...

  

They claimed that Paul was one of them...

Paul thought that he may be slowly going out of his mind...

But he was able to hold it together so that his wife and children did not notice anything major...he had always been introverted and somewhat withdrawn...

And...

All of the communication between those angels took place inside his head telepathically...(or as created by him, if he was indeed crazy) He didn't know which...

Most of us have some type of connection to a formal religious group...many to a church where they go to learn or worship. Some religions use angels with wings to represent the beings called by that name. But none of us could know, be sure, of their true image...Will, indeed, we retain body form in the hereafter? Is there a hereafter?

Many have become disenchanted with the formal structure of the church. There are many reasons for that to have occurred, given the wars, sex scandals and political power issues we see...

There are also many, like the author, who have studied Metaphysics (Metaphysics is a type of philosophy or study that uses broad concepts to help define reality and our understanding of it.) and other forms of religions beyond their own to try to understand...Not only does the author demonstrate great skill, experience, and intelligence in his writing, in this novel, readers will see that he also has done much research and study in these areas beyond what the normal individual has studied... I certainly am one of those who gained knowledge from the novel, although I would question one angel's role in Paul's life--the one who used pain to teach. I cannot accept that premise--but then again, I didn't have to. Interestingly, however, when Paul's adventures begin against the evil of this world...you do somewhat understand...

Most readers have enjoyed thrillers where good fights evil...in humans... Ruby Moon-Houldson is an author I have read extensively that writes thrillers where most of the characters are supernatural. I am sure you could name many others. I had not read anything like Callinan's however, where the mind was used as the location setting for much of the activities. No wonder the main character had such a hard time accepting that all that was occurring was outside his own mind!

Now, I must say that I was totally into Callinan's description of the "new world savior"... One that was not tied to "any" of the known world religions... I think many of us have "been there; done that" and don't accept the separation of people by what some religious book has told them to do... What about you?

Callinan's novel is provocative, discouraging, encouraging--it is complex and sometimes beyond understanding in the metaphysical area. It is scary ridiculous...and inspiring... I think that's why I was impressed that the author created a "doubting" main character, for only as Paul explored his thoughts and actions are we, the readers, able to also explore and watch through his adventures. It doesn't whether if you get interested in the concept--no matter what, An Angel on My Shoulder is a thrilling adventure!

A truly intriguing book. Do you dare to test your own beliefs like Paul? Highly Recommended if you're willing!

GABixlerReviews 

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