Category Archives: Middle East

Quran So Far Away

Posted on May 1, 2022 by Nathan

I’ve now read through the Quran, mostly using this translation. I know it’s really only considered authentic in Arabic, but I can’t read that language. Discussing Islam can be kind of awkward, especially because the amount of Islamophobia in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Arabian, Book Reviews, Christianity, Gnosticism, History, Islam, Judaism, Language, Magic, Middle East, Mythology, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child

Posted on December 6, 2020 by Nathan

Beth has mentioned to me that she really likes the Coventry Carol, which I can’t say I was particularly familiar with. It’s a very bleak sort of song, which makes sense considering what it’s about. But we both know it … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Christmas, Donkey Kong, History, Holidays, Mario, Middle East, Music, Mythology, Plays, Religion, Roman Empire, Tori Amos, United Kingdom, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is Saul Also Among the Prophets?

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Nathan

It’s pretty obvious that the Bible contains a lot of contradictions, although those who believe the whole thing to be the totally accurate Word of God tend to either ignore them or come up with convoluted workarounds. The way I … Continue reading →

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A Day for Esther

Posted on March 22, 2019 by Nathan

Purim ends at sundown today. I can’t say I grew up knowing much at all about Jewish holidays. I wonder if kids growing up in New York City do, or if they just know that they’re days some people get … Continue reading →

Posted in Feminism, Hellenistic Greece, History, Holidays, Judaism, Middle East, Prejudice, Religion, Roman Empire | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Simple Life

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Nathan

Something I’ve been looking into recently is the idea that the book of Genesis has, at least in parts, a bias against civilization. I don’t mean so much in the sense of polite behavior, but as in the more historical … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Ethnicity, Food, Gender, History, Judaism, Middle East, Mythology, Religion, Semitic | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Bible Says a Lot of Things

Posted on December 2, 2018 by Nathan

One thing I’ve found is that, when someone discusses the Bible from a secular perspective, there will be devout believers who get angry about it, even though no one is actually attacking their faith. I guess part of the problem … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Fundamentalism, Greek Mythology, History, Judaism, Middle East, Mythology, Norse, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Resistance Is Blasphemous

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Nathan

I sometimes wonder if there’s a connection between being deeply religious and following authority without question. In the most popular holy books, God does often come across as a rather cruel, petty dictator. Of course, that’s not really how it … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Fundamentalism, History, Judaism, Middle East, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Roman Empire | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

I Have Learned the Value of Human Sacrifice

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Nathan

Human sacrifice is a quite controversial subject, as a lot of the information we have on it was provided by enemy cultures that might have been trying to slander other groups. It kind of seemed to me that people who … Continue reading →

Posted in Greek Mythology, History, Judaism, Mesoamerica, Middle East, Mythology, Religion, Roman Empire | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Dragon and the Maiden

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Nathan

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, by Patricia Wrede – This is a series of four books: Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, and Talking to Dragons. The last was actually the first written, but after Wrede was convinced … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Fairy Tales, History, Magic, Middle East, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Priestesses and Prostitutes

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Nathan

One rather controversial idea presented in a book I read recently was that temple prostitution didn’t actually exist. I’m not sure if she was referring just to the Arabian Peninsula, or proposing that it didn’t happen anywhere. There’s apparently a … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, History, Judaism, Middle East, Mythology, Religion, Semitic, Sexuality | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment