Where God Was Born

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Where God Was Born Page 38

by Bruce Feiler


  On the history and philosophy of religion, I enjoyed Mircea Eliade’s The Sacred and the Profane, John Hick’s Philosophy of Religion, Harold Kushner’s Who Needs God, Rudolf Otto’s The Idea of the Holy, and Huston Smith’s Why Religion Matters.

  I would especially like to recommend three sensational books that speak to the larger themes of our time: The Battle for God by Karen Armstrong, which explores the rise of fundamentalism in the three Abrahamic faiths; Islam Under Seige by my friend Akbar Ahmed, which illuminates the challenges facing Islam today; and The Dignity of Difference by Jonathan Sacks, the best book I know that lays out a realistic vision of interfaith harmony.

  Finally, after Walking the Bible was published, I set up a website, www.brucefeiler.com, and encouraged readers to share their thoughts. I have been overwhelmed and deeply moved by the outpouring of honest, intimate, heartfelt letters. I am hard-pressed to convey how life affirming—and life changing—these exchanges have been. From the beginning I have tried to answer every letter I receive (even the occasional grumbling ones), and have added more features in response to requests. I invite you to visit the site, where you’ll find photographs of some places along my journey, resources for interfaith activities, and discussion questions for reading groups. The best way to uphold the values in the Bible, I believe, is to find a way to keep talking about them today.

  INDEX

  Aaron (biblical figure)

  Abbasids

  Abraham (biblical figure)

  Mesopotamian origins of

  Abrishami Synagogue

  Achaemenid dynasty

  see also Persia; specific Achaemenid kings

  Afghanistan, Buddhist statues defaced in

  afterlife

  Agnew, Spiro

  agriculture

  Ahasuerus (biblical figure)

  Ahuramazda

  Ai, Israelite attack on

  Air Force, U.S.

  Akiva ben Joseph

  Akkadian language

  Al Aqsa mosque

  Alexander III, Czar of Russia

  Alexander III (the Great), King of Macedon

  Al-Rashid hotel

  al-Ubaidy, Mohammad Saleh

  Alwash, Azzam

  Amar, Shlomo

  Amos (biblical figure)

  Antiochus IV, King of Syria

  Antipater of Sidon

  anti-Semitism

  Apadana staircase

  Applebaum, David

  Applebaum, Nava

  Arabic language

  Arafat, Yasser

  Aramaic language

  Aristotle

  Ark of the Covenant

  Armenian Christians

  Armstrong, Karen

  Army, U.S.

  Arouet, François-Marie (Voltaire)

  Artaxerxes I, King of Persia

  Ashurnasirpal II, King of Assyria

  Assyria

  brutal conquests of

  winged bull motif of

  Assyrians, Christian

  astrology

  Augustine, Saint

  Augustus

  Avesta

  Axial Age

  Baath Socialist Party

  Babylon:

  Assyrian conflicts with

  in Christian apocalypse prophecy

  cultural achievements of

  gods of

  Greek conquest of

  hanging gardens of

  initial golden age of

  Islam in

  Muslim nationalist pride in

  Persian conquest of

  as planned city

  in present-day Iraq

  Sumer vs.

  Babylonian Exile

  biblical geographical arc based on

  elite Judaeans deported to

  as fruitful existence

  initiation of

  Persian release from

  redemptive potential of

  retaliatory response sparked by

  spiritual Judaism developed in

  voluntary continuation of

  Baghdad

  bomb damage in

  design of

  Green Zone in

  history of

  interfaith discussion in

  Jewish population of

  postwar looting in

  in U.S. occupation

  Balata Refugee Camp

  Barkay, Gabi

  Bathsheba (biblical figure)

  Bat Mitzvahs

  Begin, Menachem

  Bell, Gertrude

  Ben-Gurion, David

  Ben-Yehuda, Eliezer

  Bethlehem

  Bialik, Hayim

  Bible, see Hebrew Bible; New Testament; specific books of Bible

  Bijar (Iraqi driver)

  Bikur Holim Hospital

  bin Laden, Osama

  Binyomin (Iranian Jew)

  “Bird, The” (Bialik)

  blood money

  Boaz (Israeli pilot)

  body armor

  Boleyn, Anne

  Bremer, Francine

  Bremer, L. Paul

  Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama)

  Buddhism

  Buruma, Adrian

  Bush, George H. W.

  Bush, George W.

  Byzantine Christians

  Cahill, Thomas

  Caleb (biblical figure)

  Camp Doha

  Canaan

  Carter, Jimmy

  Cates, Gwendolen

  Catholicism

  Ceausescu, Nicolae

  chadors

  Chaldean Catholics

  Chaldeans

  chaos, order vs.

  Christianity:

  Assyrian

  baptism in

  Catholicism

  David as forefather of

  fundamentalist sects of

  Greek Bible adopted by

  Hebrew biblical prophesy of

  imperial power vs.

  interfaith military chaplaincy and

  in Iraq

  Islamic hostility toward

  Islamic second coming vs.

  Jewish biblical warriors embraced by

  on Jonah story

  liturgical selections of

  Muslims persecuted in name of

  of Palestinians

  spread of

  Zoroastrianism vs.

  Christie, Agatha

  Christmas

  church, state separation from

  Churchill, Winston

  Church of Latter Day Saints

  Church of the Holy Sepulcher

  Church of the Nativity

  circumcision

  cities, planned

  clay tablets

  Clemens, Kristi

  Clement of Alexandria, Saint

  Clinton, William J.

  Code of Hammurabi

  Cohen, Tzippy

  Confucianism

  Constantine I (the Great), Emperor of Rome

  Creation stories

  creativity

  Crusades

  cuneiform

  Cyrus II (the Great), King of Persia:

  background of

  biblical references to

  burial tomb of

  empire united by

  gardens of

  magnanimity shown by

  modern celebration of

  religious tolerance of

  dag gadol

  dakhmas

  Darius I, King of Persia

  David (biblical figure)

  ambitious ruthlessness of

  Bethlehem origins of

  God’s protection of descendants of

  Goliath vanquished by

  in Islam

  Jerusalem conquered by

  marriages of

  monarchy united by

  temple conceived by

  tomb of

  David’s Wells

  Dayan, Moshe

  Dead Sea Scrolls

  death, moral judgment after

  death rites

  Declaration of Independ
ence

  democracy:

  Islamic theocracy vs.

  stability of

  Deuteronomistic History

  Deuteronomy, Book of

  dhimmi

  diaspora

  Dignity of Difference, The (Sacks)

  divine, human yearning for

  Doha, Camp

  Dome of the Rock

  Duecker, Duke

  Dyer, Charles

  Easter eggs

  Eastern Orthodox Church

  egalitarianism

  Egypt:

  ancient empire of

  Israelites’ exodus from

  Eitan, Rafi

  Elah Valley

  Elamites

  Elijah (biblical figure)

  Elisha (biblical figure)

  Endeavor

  Enuma Elish

  Esfahan, Iran

  Esther, Book of

  Euphrates River

  Europe, anti-Semitism in

  evangelical Christians

  evil

  Exodus, Book of

  Ezekiel (biblical figure)

  Ezra (biblical figure)

  Ezra, Book of

  Faisal I, King of Iraq

  Farkas, Alex

  Fatima (Muslim holy figure)

  Feiler, Bruce:

  childhood of

  Jewish background of

  marriage of

  religious development of

  Fertile Crescent

  Finkelstein, Israel

  fire

  Firebase Melody

  Fischer, Chani

  Fleming, Jim

  Flowers Land Hotel

  Forouzan, Fereydoon (pseudo.)

  14th of Famadan Mosque

  frankincense

  free will

  Freud, Sigmund

  fundamentalism

  Garden of Eden

  gardens

  Gemara

  genealogy

  Genesis, Book of

  Creation described in

  Genghis Khan

  geniza

  George, Donny

  Gerefteh, Mah

  Gethsemane

  Getz, Yehuda Meir

  Gibson, McGuire

  Gihon spring

  Gilgamesh, epic of

  global capitalism

  God:

  compassion of

  moral conduct required by

  omnipresence of

  personal relationship with

  Golden Gate

  Goliath (biblical figure)

  Goren, Asnat

  Goren, Avner

  author’s travels with

  background of

  on biblical events vs. archaeology

  on biblical leaders

  on composition of Bible

  at family funeral

  on Israeli national identity

  on Israeli-Palestinian tensions

  on Jerusalem as holy city

  on Jesus in Jerusalem

  on moral development

  on secular Zionism

  spiritual values of

  on Sumerian tales vs. Bible

  on temples

  Goren, Smadar

  Goren, Yair

  Great Mosque of the Prophet Jonah (Masjod Jami Nebi Yunus)

  Great Wall of China

  Greek civilization

  Greeks, Jewish uprising against

  Gregory of Nyssa, Saint

  Gropius, Walter

  Haggai (biblical figure)

  Halpern, Baruch

  Hamadan, Iran

  Haman (biblical figure)

  Hammurabi, King of Babylon

  Code of

  Hanging Gardens of Babylon

  Hanukkah

  happiness, personal

  Haram al-Sharif, see Temple Mount

  Hartman, David

  Hasmoneans

  Hatra

  heaven

  Hebrew Bible:

  archaeological evidence on

  authors of

  chaos vs. order in

  creation/destruction cycles of

  damaged copies of

  Deuteronomistic History section of

  diaspora dissemination of

  final narrative books of

  flawed leaders portrayed in

  geographical arc of

  godliness vs. moral decay depicted in

  interdependency portrayed in

  interfaith peace derived from

  Israeli cultural identity linked to

  Jewish life rooted in laws of

  kings vs. prophets in

  land connection stressed in

  latter half of

  Mesopotamian influences in

  moral relationship found in

  mythic time vs. realistic time in

  Pentateuch

  political arguments based on

  Prophets section of

  redemption offered in

  spiritual identity vs. political identity in

  Sumerian religious stories vs.

  Talmudic law vs.

  versions of

  violence in

  writings section of

  see also specific biblical books

  Hebrew language

  hell

  Hellenism

  Henry VIII, King of England

  Herod (the Great), King of Judea

  Herodotus

  Herzberg, Max J.

  Herzfeld, Ernst

  heterogeneity

  hexagrams

  Hezekiah (biblical figure)

  hijab

  Hikmat (Iraqi guide)

  security efforts of

  Hinduism

  historical events, as theological allegory

  Hitler, Adolf

  Hittites

  Holy of Holies

  hope

  Hosea, Book of

  Hulagu Khan

  human rights

  Hussein, Qusay

  Hussein, Saddam

  Babylon restorations of

  marshlands drained by

  Mesopotamian history invoked by

  ouster of

  public images of

  residence of

  sons of

  Hussein, Uday

  Hussein I, King of Jordan

  Hyde, Thomas

  Ibn Taymiyya

  IDF (Israeli Defense Forces)

  Iliad (Homer)

  imperial authority, biblical arguments against

  improvised explosive devices (IEDs)

  India, Zoroastrianism in

  individualism

  Indo-Europeans

  Institute for Interreligious Dialogue

  interdependency

  Intifada

  Iran, Islamic Republic of:

  anti-Americanism in

  archaeological work in

  democracy vs. Islam in

  geography of

  history of see also Persia

  interfaith relations in

  Iraqi conflicts with

  Jewish population of

  1979 revolution in

  parliament of

  population growth of

  public behavior regulations in

  reform movement in

  size of

  theocratic government of

  travel to

  U.S. hostages held in

  Zoroastrian population of

  Iran National Museum

  Iraq:

  archaeological work in

  Assyrian Christians in

  democracy vs. theocracy in

  heterogeneity of

  history of see also Assyria; Babylon; Mesopotamia; Sumer

  Iranian conflicts with

  Israeli bombing of nuclear plant in

  secularism vs. Islamic militantism in

  southern marshlands of

  Sunnis vs. Shia Muslims of

  Iraq

  travel difficulties in

  U.S. invasion/occupation in

  Iraq National
Bank

  Iraq National Museum

  irrigation systems

  Isaiah (biblical figure)

  Isaiah, Book of

  Ishtar

  Ishtar Gate

  Islam

  Abrahamic roots of

  Friday Sabbath of

  history of

  in interfaith dialogue

  Jonah story in

  Persian adoption of

  on political life vs. religion

  rise of militancy in

  varieties of

  Zoroastrianism vs.

  Israel:

  border security procedures in

  central mountain summits of

  diaspora Jews resented due to

  emigration to

  establishment of

  flag of

  founding generation of

  Iranian enmity toward

  lost tribes of

  national identity of

  size of

  suicide bombers in

  see also Jerusalem

  Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)

  Israelites:

  Assyrian attack on

  outsider status of

  Persian liberation of

  social development of

  spiritual identity vs. political identity of

  Jacob (biblical figure)

  Jaspers, Karl

  Jeremiah (biblical figure)

  Jeremiah, Book of

  on Babylonian Exile

  Jericho, capture of

  Jerome, Saint

  Jerusalem

  Babylonian conquest of

  bombings in

  Christian evangelical praise of

  decline of

  Eden linked with

  as holy city

  Israeli-Palestinian sovereignty issues in

  Jesus in

  underground tunnels of

  see also Temple Mount

  Jesus:

  ascension of

  Bethlehem birth of

  biblical prophecy of arrival of

  David’s connections with

  at Jerusalem sites

  Jonah vs.

  as messiah

  as prophet

  second coming of

  Jewish Geography

  jihad

  Jiroft, Iran, excavations in

  Joel (biblical figure)

  John Chrysostom, Saint

  John Paul II, Pope

  Jonah (Yunus) (biblical figure)

  Jordan River

  Josephus, Flavius

  Joshua (biblical figure)

  Joshua, Book of

  Josiah (biblical figure)

  Judaism:

  assimilation of

  in Baghdad history

  biblical development of

  in diaspora

  hexagram as symbol of

  land linked with

  liturgical selections used in

  modern values of

  Reform and Conservative

  religious tolerance and

  repentance in

  text as core of faith in

  Zionism vs.

  Zoroastrianism vs.

  Judges, Book of

  Jung, Carl

  Kamran (Iranian driver)

  Kant, Immanuel

  Kaplinksi, Smadar

  Karlan, Ismail

 

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