Lenka S. reviewed Nomad: From Islam to America: A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations on + 819 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Honestly I feel like Naomi B. has not read the book but skimmed through, and picked and twisted what is, into what is NOT in the book. Such as her Q: The "bad" Christians are those who believe and obey the Bible and do what it says -- terrible things like saving sex for marriage, being faithful to one's spouse, loving one's enemies, and doing good to all.
If you read the book you will find that this sentence is NOT in the book, nor will you find anything implying any such thing. Naomi B.'s attack on this book from a point of (sorry to use this word) 'fundamental' christian is similar to the attacks of fundamental islamists who called 'death 'fatwa' on Ayaan for her critique of Islam's treatment of women and non believers.
Sadly Naomi B. only shows her lack of understanding of the fine points of this book. She implies that this book is an attack on Bible and christian values. She could NOT be more wrong. Bible is hardly ever mentioned, and if it is, it is there to point out the flaws in Islam as a religion of blind obedience through sexual and political repression. As in divide the sexes and enslave one half in body (as in genital mutilations, stoning...) and the other in mind (all education being the learning of Koran and enforcement of the genital mutilations, stoning...) so that few radicals can control large populations.
Her solution of using standard western style education to overcome poverty and mind washing by religious clerics can hardly be compared to Q: a solution reminiscent of the Hitler Youth.
Here is a Q. (Pg 158) from the book about sex education and public schooling:
'Like my mother and my aunts, these immigrants had refused to give their daughters sex education, to talk to them about how their bodies were changing, or to tell them that it is natural to be interested in boys. Unlike Dutch parents, they could not bring themselves to teach their daughters that self expression is fine but that it has boundaries, so that their daughters might find ways to express them selves without flashing their genitals. They had not taught them how to gradually manage the challenges of independence. And, perhaps just as important, they had not taught their sons the respect for women - and in Dutch schools most of their teachers were women.'
As you can see there is nothing critical of modesty, and saving one self for marriage, Ayaan is just the pointing out the need for education as a tool for preventing 10 year old girls becoming brides because the conservative parents do not understand that there is another option to preserve their daughter's and consequently their family's honor....
Ayaan though atheist her self profess the need for church to take more active role in communities across europe and US and work on conversion of Muslim immigrants, it is her belief that the need for spiritual guidance is better served by christian God, a loving and forgiving master, then the unforgiving, violent, freedom devouring Muslim's Allah.
I felt that the this book deserved more open minded review then the uninformed, 'uber' Christian viewpoint it got. I hope I have inspired more of you to read it.
If you read the book you will find that this sentence is NOT in the book, nor will you find anything implying any such thing. Naomi B.'s attack on this book from a point of (sorry to use this word) 'fundamental' christian is similar to the attacks of fundamental islamists who called 'death 'fatwa' on Ayaan for her critique of Islam's treatment of women and non believers.
Sadly Naomi B. only shows her lack of understanding of the fine points of this book. She implies that this book is an attack on Bible and christian values. She could NOT be more wrong. Bible is hardly ever mentioned, and if it is, it is there to point out the flaws in Islam as a religion of blind obedience through sexual and political repression. As in divide the sexes and enslave one half in body (as in genital mutilations, stoning...) and the other in mind (all education being the learning of Koran and enforcement of the genital mutilations, stoning...) so that few radicals can control large populations.
Her solution of using standard western style education to overcome poverty and mind washing by religious clerics can hardly be compared to Q: a solution reminiscent of the Hitler Youth.
Here is a Q. (Pg 158) from the book about sex education and public schooling:
'Like my mother and my aunts, these immigrants had refused to give their daughters sex education, to talk to them about how their bodies were changing, or to tell them that it is natural to be interested in boys. Unlike Dutch parents, they could not bring themselves to teach their daughters that self expression is fine but that it has boundaries, so that their daughters might find ways to express them selves without flashing their genitals. They had not taught them how to gradually manage the challenges of independence. And, perhaps just as important, they had not taught their sons the respect for women - and in Dutch schools most of their teachers were women.'
As you can see there is nothing critical of modesty, and saving one self for marriage, Ayaan is just the pointing out the need for education as a tool for preventing 10 year old girls becoming brides because the conservative parents do not understand that there is another option to preserve their daughter's and consequently their family's honor....
Ayaan though atheist her self profess the need for church to take more active role in communities across europe and US and work on conversion of Muslim immigrants, it is her belief that the need for spiritual guidance is better served by christian God, a loving and forgiving master, then the unforgiving, violent, freedom devouring Muslim's Allah.
I felt that the this book deserved more open minded review then the uninformed, 'uber' Christian viewpoint it got. I hope I have inspired more of you to read it.
Paul C. (Paul-RLT) reviewed Nomad: From Islam to America: A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations on + 176 more book reviews
Focuses mainly on her life since arriving in America (though with flashbacks to her earlier years in Africa, Saudi Arabia and Europe). Long discourses on the failings of Islam and particularly the oppression of women. In this book, she frankly admits to being an atheist.
This book does not detail anything about her relationship with current husband (N. Ferguson).
This book does not detail anything about her relationship with current husband (N. Ferguson).
Naomi B. (tripleguess) reviewed Nomad: From Islam to America: A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations on + 48 more book reviews
I respect the author for the journey she has made. However, just from glancing through the book, I can see that I have huge ideological disagreements with her.
According to the book, the "good" Christians are those who don't take the Bible seriously but only regard it as a book of parables with some good ideas for being nice.
I would question whether such people are Christians at all. Jesus said "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46) As C. S. Lewis said, either Jesus was right in everything he claimed (divinity and ultimate authority included) or he was a raving lunatic or a liar. "Nice guy with some interesting ideas" is not one of the options.
The "bad" Christians are those who believe and obey the Bible and do what it says -- terrible things like saving sex for marriage, being faithful to one's spouse, loving one's enemies, and doing good to all. (That would include me, an evangelical Christian.) This obedience is supposed to stunt the mind and body, resulting in blind obedience to spiritual leaders and sexual repression.
Where did this impression come from? My parents were both deeply Christian. While not well off, they gave me every opportunity available to the boys. If anything, they spoiled me and my sister, especially my Dad. I was never expected to marry against my will or to be blindly obedient. By example (kicked out of more than one authoritarian church), Mom and Dad taught us to question those who wanted to teach us and to weigh their motives carefully. Our faith we share with those who are interested. When people are not interested, we "shake off the dust" (Matthew 10:14) and leave them be.
This freedom came not from minimizing the Bible, but from studying and applying it daily. There is a reason its words are called "Words of Life."
Two of my literary heroes are C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton. Neither of these good men were knuckledraggers. They believed fervently that God created the body, mind and soul and that all were to be used to the fullest extent possible. (Matthew 25:14-30, Parable of the Talents.)
My favorite female author is Jan Silvious, a Christian who has written extensively on the topics that women ought to respect themselves deeply, refuse all forms of abuse, and engage in genuine relationships rather than buy-and-sell "arrangements." Her work is firmly rooted in Scripture.
I have chosen to remain single for the time being. I have not found this oppressive but liberating. While some girls flounder from relationship to short-lived relationship, giving their body to this person and that person in hopes that "this time" they will find some who can meet their needs, I am free to let Jesus meet my needs and pursue my creative interests with a peaceful mind. If I never meet a man who changes my mind, then I look forward to the Resurrection in which no good thing will be withheld. (Psalm 34:10; Psalm 84:11)
To be fair, the author does not think well of other religions either (notably Islam). Her solution to the problems caused by religious fundamentalism is to force children to attend schools where they can be secularized, a solution reminiscent of the Hitler Youth.
I leave it to others to say how they feel about their beliefs being portrayed this way. I can tell you only how I feel. The Christians mentioned in this book are not me, so I have told you about me. Now you know.
According to the book, the "good" Christians are those who don't take the Bible seriously but only regard it as a book of parables with some good ideas for being nice.
I would question whether such people are Christians at all. Jesus said "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46) As C. S. Lewis said, either Jesus was right in everything he claimed (divinity and ultimate authority included) or he was a raving lunatic or a liar. "Nice guy with some interesting ideas" is not one of the options.
The "bad" Christians are those who believe and obey the Bible and do what it says -- terrible things like saving sex for marriage, being faithful to one's spouse, loving one's enemies, and doing good to all. (That would include me, an evangelical Christian.) This obedience is supposed to stunt the mind and body, resulting in blind obedience to spiritual leaders and sexual repression.
Where did this impression come from? My parents were both deeply Christian. While not well off, they gave me every opportunity available to the boys. If anything, they spoiled me and my sister, especially my Dad. I was never expected to marry against my will or to be blindly obedient. By example (kicked out of more than one authoritarian church), Mom and Dad taught us to question those who wanted to teach us and to weigh their motives carefully. Our faith we share with those who are interested. When people are not interested, we "shake off the dust" (Matthew 10:14) and leave them be.
This freedom came not from minimizing the Bible, but from studying and applying it daily. There is a reason its words are called "Words of Life."
Two of my literary heroes are C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton. Neither of these good men were knuckledraggers. They believed fervently that God created the body, mind and soul and that all were to be used to the fullest extent possible. (Matthew 25:14-30, Parable of the Talents.)
My favorite female author is Jan Silvious, a Christian who has written extensively on the topics that women ought to respect themselves deeply, refuse all forms of abuse, and engage in genuine relationships rather than buy-and-sell "arrangements." Her work is firmly rooted in Scripture.
I have chosen to remain single for the time being. I have not found this oppressive but liberating. While some girls flounder from relationship to short-lived relationship, giving their body to this person and that person in hopes that "this time" they will find some who can meet their needs, I am free to let Jesus meet my needs and pursue my creative interests with a peaceful mind. If I never meet a man who changes my mind, then I look forward to the Resurrection in which no good thing will be withheld. (Psalm 34:10; Psalm 84:11)
To be fair, the author does not think well of other religions either (notably Islam). Her solution to the problems caused by religious fundamentalism is to force children to attend schools where they can be secularized, a solution reminiscent of the Hitler Youth.
I leave it to others to say how they feel about their beliefs being portrayed this way. I can tell you only how I feel. The Christians mentioned in this book are not me, so I have told you about me. Now you know.
