Sherry Jones cont.

I was lucky, and was able to see author Sherry Jones who wrote the controversial book "The Jewel of Medina" at Carroll College, Helena, Montana Thursday the 4th of December.Sherry is a Novelist, journalist and once was an Independent Record Reporter, and a Montanan.The publishing company Random House, self censored themselves and dropped plans for printing Jones' book because they were told “The Jewel of Medina” would offend Muslims and could “incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment.”Sherry was informed that a sorce within academics told them that it would be a "declaration of war" because the same person claimed the book as soft porn.This book controversy has been compared to the Salman Rushdie's, “The Satanic Verses.” He is calling Random House’s action “censorship by fear.” This is no known fatwa for Sherry, maybe that is only for heretics within the faith.It was only after Random house backed out, that a fire was started at the book’s publisher in Great Britain. They responded by postponing the publication in the U.K. But, Sherry told us that her book has been published in Serbia. She said a cleric there also called the book pornograhic and insisted it was pulled from the shelves and turned over to him. But, by the time the stores opened the next business day, they were sold out. Yeah!The book is now for sale in the U.S. and in other countries such as Germany, Denmark and Italy. Another 20 publishers worldwide have shown interest.Sherry has written a historical, fictional story that may have a profound impact with women in the Eastern world. Becasue of this, there were two security guards at the book signing for her protection. When asked if she was afraid she said No. She said we all die eventually. Nothing has happended so far, and she doesn't expect it will.The story is about A’isha bint Abi Bakr, Muhammad's youngest wife. I have only just started to read the book myself. It's too early to tell if I like it or not. I'm not a snobby reader, so I'm sure it will be a fine read. Sherry says her book is over 90 percent historically accurate. I like that. It took her five years of research to fill out the story, since there is next to nothing written about women of the past in the middle east. Not much better the western world. Men dominate history. Therefore this book is a feministic look back.Her next book will continue the story of Aisha after Mohammad's death and the civil strife that followed.Sherry has been called evil names by both American's who are anti-Muslim and the usuall suspects from the Muslim community. When asked if she found any conficts with her religious beliefs and those she wrote about. (I found it strange when the host pointed out to her that "father" so and so was in the room. Carol is a Catholic Collage) She said no, she then stated she had been very religious as a youth until her twenties and now she believes "God is Love".I sat there and blinked, and then it hit me! Cool! If it's true, because we atheists are told over and over again God is Love, so I thought. turn it around and that means Love is God therefore God is only a feeling, a human emotion and nothing more. Now I get how liberals see God. Rose colored glasses anyone?

So called traditional Marriage?

Marriage in the Bible?

Abraham, the great Jewish patriarch, slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife Sarah was infertile? Or Jacob, who fathered children with four different women. Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel—all polygamists.

The New Testament model of marriage is worse. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments—especially family. The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust. "It is better to marry than to burn with passion"

Should anyone today turn to the Bible as a how-to script for a modern marriage? I think not

'The Jewel of Medina' to speak in Helena

By EVE BYRON - Independent Record - 12/03/08
Author Sherry Jones will speak at Carroll College Thursday evening. (Photo courtesy Mariah Jones.)
Novelist, journalist and former Independent Record Reporter Sherry Jones will be in Helena Thursday to present a lecture on her controversial book “The Jewel of Medina.”

Jones was invited to speak at Carroll College after professor Barry Ferst learned that the book’s initial publisher, Random House, dropped Jones because of concerns “The Jewel of Medina” would offend Muslims and could, according to Random House, “incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment.”

In fact, a fire was started in the building housing the book’s publisher in Great Britain by people opposed to the publication.

Those incidents led to a whirlwind of world-wide publicity, even before the novel was publicshed, with Salman Rushdie, author of “The Satanic Verses,” calling Random House’s action “censorship by fear.”

The Washington Post, The New York Times and The New Republic, as well as newspapers and magazines throughout the world, carried stories about the controversy.

The book eventually was published in Serbia, Germany, Denmark and Italy, and also was picked up by Beaufort Books, which started offering “The Jewel of Medina” for sale in the United States in October. At this point, 20 publishers worldwide have shown interest in it.
“When I heard of Jones’ book and the controversy surrounding its publication, I knew this book and the presence of its author in Helena would provide an excellent opportunity for my students and the community to consider inter- and inner-religious conflicts and literary censorship,” said Ferst, who teaches “Islam: Philosophy and Culture,” among other courses at Carroll. “It is valuable to the public to see the struggles an author goes through in producing an historical work that may have a profound impact on a current geo-political situation.”

Jones remains amazed at the hubbub surrounding her book.

“As an author, you expect criticism or bad reviews, but some of the stuff was so off the wall and so unfair; I never expected it, especially from people who hadn’t read the book,” Jones said.

She started working on the first draft in the winter of 2002, partly in response to the anti-Muslim rhetoric after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. At the time, she was attending the University of Montana in Missoula and working part time at the Missoulian newspaper.

“I heard a radio essay by a Muslim woman that was very moving. She ended up saying that because of the treatment of women under Islam, she had to give up her religious faith,” Jones said Tuesday, speaking by telephone from her home in Spokane. “I thought that was just terrible. I thought something like that could happen in Christianity, if the fundamentalist faction of Christianity really took hold and turned back the clock on women’s rights.”

As Jones began looking into the role of women and Islam, she read stories of the Prophet Muhammad, who Muslim’s believe was the messenger of God, whom they call Allah.

She learned Muhammad had nine wives and four concubines, but could find few works translated into English that told of their lives.

Jones was particularly intrigued with A’isha bint Abi Bakr, who was born in 613 A.D. and engaged at age 6 to Muhammad, who was more than eight times her age. She became his favorite wife and after his death, led troops in the first Islamic civil war.

“I felt a lot of compassion for this young girl, the fact that this young girl grew up to be an amazingly strong, powerful woman. I was curious how that happened,” Jones said. “She went from being a girl controlled by men to a uniquely self-empowered woman.”

Jones used her 28 years in journalism to unearth as much information as she could, then based her fictionalized version of A’isha’s life on those facts. Six years and seven rewrites later, the book finally was published.

She’s quick to note that this is a fictional novel, made up in her mind about what it would be like to be a young girl married to a much older, powerful man, and living in a house with 11 other women vying for his attention.

The book portrays A’isha as a willful child initially focusing only on her own wants and needs initially but eventually growing and evolving into the mature woman who became a prominent figure in early Islam.

Since the book’s release, it’s been called everything from a “flawed jewel” to a “jewel of a story.” Some reviewers call it “solid historical fiction” and say A’isha is an unforgettable character, while others say it’s riddled with inaccuracies, distorting and sensationalizing history in order to get people to read the novel.

Even with all the controversy, Jones enjoyed writing “The Jewel of Medina” and already has penned the sequel, about the life of A’isha’s and other early Islamic figures after Muhammad’s death. It’s slated for publication in 2009.

“(A’isha) was a remarkable heroine in Muslim literature,” Jones said. “For me, A’isha was, and has been, throughout all the stress and difficulties of the past few months, an example and an inspiration.”

Reporter Eve Byron: 447-4076 or eve.byron@helenair.com

Washington D.C. Nativity Scene

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that there cannot be a nativity
scene in Washington, D.C. this Christmas. This isn't for any
religious reason though.
They simply have not been able to find three wise men and a virgin
in the Nation's capitol. There was no problem, however, finding
enough asses to fill the stable.
[Thanks to Les Pourciau]

Area churches and vehicles vandalized

I would love to find these punks and bonk their heads together!

They are obviously teen trouble makers and what they are doing is harmful to the reputation of those like me. The church goers will automatically assume these kids who did this are atheistic, hate god, and evil. NOT!

Their angst is misplaced, when the kids wrote 666 on the wall, they blew it. Whenever there is any reference to Satan, the fundies go nuts. This is why they say atheists worship the devil. Ridiculous, but that's how they see it.
I might have to write a letter to the editor to defend us unbelievers against being found quality by association with these hoodlums..
I would also bet these kids come from a ‘good’ Christian home, maybe even go to the Christian High School. Either way, they are stupid brats and nothing more.


By ANGELA BRANDT - Independent Record - 12/02/2008

Vandals struck a Faw Road church over the weekend, causing more than $500 in damage.

The pastor arrived at the Fortress of Joy Sunday morning to find graffiti, according to Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton.

“God is dead,”(no, never existed) “Christianity is slavery” (trueish) and “666”(not something an atheist would write) among other sayings were sprayed in black paint all over the outside of the church.

Another church on the 100 block of Valley Drive, the Church of Nazarene, fell victim to a recent spree of criminal mischief, Helena Police Chief Troy McGee said. Police received a report of broken-out windows from the church early Sunday morning.

These crimes follow a spree of vandalism to buildings and vehicles in the Helena area.

Authorities have received more than 50 reports of broken windows across the city in the past two weeks. Vandals have mostly broken windows and taillights on vehicles, apparently with rocks and possibly baseball bats, McGee said.

Investigators are still determining whether the incidents are related.

Reader Comments:
chamules wrote on Dec 2, 2008 6:02 AM:
"You forgot the vandalism at the Helena Christian School High School where their bus was spray painted with anti-Christian graffiti. Sick. Helena used to be a nice town "

This is a typical knee jerk reaction. Chamules is wrong, this is still a nice town.