In Buddhism, an arahant (Pali: अर्हत्) or arhat (Sanskrit: अरहन्त) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has … More
Category: Religion
Cintāmaṇi
Cintāmaṇi (Sanskrit; Devanagari: चिंतामणि; Chinese: 如意寶珠; Pinyin: Rúyì bǎozhū; Japanese Romaji: Nyoihōju; Tamil:சிந்தாமணி), also spelled as Chintamani (or the Chintamani Stone), is a wish-fulfilling jewel within both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, said by some to be the equivalent … More
Inanna – goddess of love, war, and fertility
Inanna is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, justice, and political power. She … More
Nephites – Israelites lived in ancient North America
According to the Book of Mormon, the Nephites (/ˈniːfaɪt/) are one of four groups (along with the Lamanites, Jaredites, and Mulekites) to have settled in the ancient Americas. … More
Beta Israel – The History of Ethiopian Jewry
Jewish community in Ethiopia — the Beta Israel (House of Israel) — has existed for at least 15 centuries. Because of low literacy levels, a tendency … More
4 Ezra: A Book You’ve Probably Never Read
n one of the earliest postings on this blog, the difficulty of defining the exact limits of the Old Testament within the … More
The Prayer of Manasses
The Prayer of Manasses, also known as the Prayer of Manasseh is a short work of 15 verses recording a … More
A hajj closer to normal: 1 million Muslims
It is a scene that stirs hope — and relief — for Muslims around the world. A million pilgrims from … More
Where Christians killed, Muslims gave safe passage
Siege of Jerusalem (1187) The siege of Jerusalem lasted from 20 September to 2 October 1187, when Balian of Ibelin surrendered the city to Saladin. … More
Shavuot: Jewish renewing commitment to God
The festival of Shavuot, marked this year on June 5 and 6, celebrates the biblical story of God revealing Torah … More
The Dalai Lama – His Holiness
The Dalai Lamas are believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and … More
– the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama
A couple of years ago, during a meeting of Tibetan leaders in Dharamshala in India, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai … More
Avalokiteśvara – compassion of all Buddhas
In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara ( Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर /ˌʌvəloʊkɪˈteɪʃvərə/) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars; one notable avatar being Padmapāṇi, the one who holds the lotus … More
If Evangelicals Truly Cared About Abortion
Let’s cut to the chase. White, male-driven, conservative Evangelicalism would love for us all to believe that, despite some of … More
Jesus was on the side of the poor and exploited
In the church I grew up in it was culturally assumed that Christians would vote Liberal. Jesus wasn’t party-partisan, we … More
6 Bible Quotes That Are Blatantly Socialist
Throughout history, the Bible has been used to justify all kinds of movements and ideologies — from the Crusades, to … More
Eid al-Fitr – ‘Holiday of Breaking the Fast’
Eid al-Fitr (/ˌiːd əl ˈfɪtər, -trə/; Arabic: عيد الفطر, romanized: ʿĪd al-Fiṭr, lit. ‘Holiday of Breaking the Fast’, IPA: [ʕiːd al ˈfitˤr]) is the earlier of the two official holidays celebrated within Islam (the other being Eid al-Adha). … More
Sun God in Ancient Synagogues in Israel
At least seven synagogues in Israel built 1,500 to 1,700 years ago feature mosaics of the zodiac, of all things. … More
Clashes erupt again near the Al-Aqsa Mosque
Israeli police on Sunday entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City to secure the way for Jewish visitors … More
Ramadan greetings
Following the citing of the Ramadan crescent moon by Islamic committees in several Middle Eastern countries, the first day of Ramadan will … More
Michael Ruark 