20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Common Ground for People of Faith, October 28, 2006
This review is from: 9/11 & American Empire: Christians, Jews, and Muslims Speak Out Vol. 2 (Paperback)
Following hot on the heels of 9/11 and American Empire Vol. I: Intellectuals Speak Out comes Vol. II: Christians, Jews and Muslims Speak Out.
Co-edited by Kevin Barrett, John B. Cobb Jr., and Sandra Lubarsky, Vol. II succeeds on several levels.
First, the quality of writing and serious contemplative nature of each essay builds on what has been an amazing year for written output about 9/11. Second, apart from Griffin's volume, Christian Faith and the Truth Behind 9/11, Vol. II sets a standard for frank discussion of morality in the shadow of the US hegemon (in the wake of 9/11). Third, for someone who is devoutly or moderately religious, but has not examined the events of 9/11 in a critical light, Vol. II packs a powerful punch. Informed by Griffin's informative rundown of False Flag terrorism, and Nafeez Ahmed's thoroughly documented reinterpretation of "international terrorism", one cannot walk away from this book without being a little bit wiser about the Machiavellian nature of the War on Terror and the historical roots of state-sponsored terrorism.
With Barrett's name on the lips of Wisconsin politicians and attack dogs on FOX News, his notoriety is assured. Cobb is known and respected as a pioneer in the fusion of Process Thought and Christianity. Lubarsky seems to have come on board with the other two editors via her association with David Ray Griffin; she co-edited a volume with him called Jewish Theology and Process Thought. Griffin is also a Process Theologian, so we can say that Alfred North Whitehead is well represented here.
Other notable authors also contribute to Vol. II, not least the rabbi Michael Lerner, whose short piece reveals his willingness to contemplate the worst about 9/11, and also reveals his prior experience with infiltration of a political organization by agents of the state. Sage advice for the naive.
Vol. II makes for an interesting primer to all three religions, with discussion inspired by the notion that 9/11 was a catalyst for geopolitical maneuvering that most Americans would not support without such a catalyst. It turns out that there is a lot of common ground for people of faith to stand on, to examine their priorities and formulate a response to 9/11 that is not afraid to stand apart from the Imperial ambitions of a "New Rome".
Much of the value of the book can only be transmitted by a first-hand reading. The subjective nature of the 9/11 experience informed by each author's religious worldview is a welcome addition to the growing library of 9/11 skepticism.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Everyone should read this selection!, July 17, 2011
This review is from: 9/11 & American Empire: Christians, Jews, and Muslims Speak Out Vol. 2 (Paperback)
When will the Bush crowd be brought to justice. That is my lasting concern. It is so obvious to me that 9/11 played into the Republican right wingnut crowds' need to invade Iraq and grab oil. Unfortunately we don't even seem to get oil out of this deal. Only lost lives or messed up kids plus lots of civilian casualties! And now, a new book out this Tues. called "The 11th Day" by Anthony Summers. Exposes the funding of 9/11 by Saudi Arabia and the suppression by Bush of the 28 pgs of the 9/11 report about Saudi Arabia to avoid impeachment. Apparently the definitive 10 yr research project into 9/11. I just read an excerpt of the book in Vanity Fair mag.
One last comment: Does anyone really believe that a bunch of Saudis were able to attack the most heavily defended building the world without some form of assistance from the far right in the country!!! Remember that there was a "Stand Down Order!"
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7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A matter of life and death, March 10, 2007
This review is from: 9/11 & American Empire: Christians, Jews, and Muslims Speak Out Vol. 2 (Paperback)
This is in any case a very courageous book, even though the contributions vary in the extreme. Some authors accept the official 9/11 version. Most, however, see 9/11 as an inside job, a mantra for permitting preemptive war, disregarding human rights and personal freedom (S. Lubarsky).
One big chasm between the contributors is the fact that some see religion as an end, not as a means.
Religion is the institutionalization of people's irrational beliefs by the rulers to consolidate, enhance or justify their power and policies (J. Diamond). Fundamentalist followers are their best foot folk.
In the 9/11 case, R. Ruether speaks of `misuse of religious language'.
C. Heyward defines it more perfectly: `the problem with 9/11 is how religion was used to exploit the violence. The leaders of the US are justifying their behavior by faith in a god who is a concoction of their own lust of power.'
Nearly all the authors stress that Muslim fundamentalist terrorism with its symbol Al Qaeda and `its legend Osama Bin Laden' (R. Griffin), together with `the axis of evil' is the focal point. By creating terrorism as the main global enemy a screenplay of endless war (R. Ruether) should justify endless defense budgets.
But, there is not only Muslim fundamentalism. C. Keller exposes bitterly the Christian Right. She quotes one version of it: `war-making is precisely the work of killing people, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying one's work.' As Dante did already in the Renaissance, she pleads for a strong distinction between Religion and State.
More, N.M. Ahmed in `Interrogating Terrorism' explains clearly that the link between Muslim fundamentalism and Western intelligence is in no way cut. Muslim fundamentalism is still used in `the strategy of terror' and in covert destabilization of important oil countries to counter Russian and Chinese influence.
The most radical proposition comes from Rabbi M. Lerner `to use 5 % of the GDP to eliminate poverty, homelessness, hunger, inadequate education and healthcare and repair damage to the environment'. In view of R. McNamara's statement that `the US military spending could safely be cut in half' (quoted in E. Masud), the 5 % should be absolutely no problem.
Rabbi M. Lerner has other very important propositions in his sleeve, thereby criticizing heavily the actual government: `eliminate the electoral college, instant run-off voting, fully publicly financial elections, firm public control of electronic voting.'
In his critic he is not alone. For J. Cobb Jr. the US `is moving away from authentic rule by the people. Today we are more a plutocracy than a democracy.'
And C. Heyward sees `our political system as inextricable from capitalist powerbrokers and that what we hear from government is bound up in greed, corruption, lies, and violence.'
This book is a must read for all those interested in the future of mankind.
The terror myth should not become a self-fulfilling prophesy (E. Masud) and the sovereignty of the people should be taken seriously (J. Cobb Jr.).
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