One Man Against Torture

Last week John sent this article by Matthew Alexander (a pseudonym), who is a US solider taking a stand against interrogation techniques that use torture. He makes a powerful case against torture, and obviously his team is doing something right: they were responsible for obtaining the information that led to al-Zarqawi's capture. One of his detainees said to him, poignantly, "I thought you would torture me, and when you didn't, I decided that everything I was told about Americans was wrong. That's why I decided to cooperate."

I thought the article was great, so I was excited to see Alexander on The Daily Show two nights ago. As John Stewart mentions, a pseudonym doesn't work quite them same when you go on tv, but I'm glad he did---this is a brave man with an important message. Now if only the military and DOD would pull the cotton out of their ears and hear it...

Here's the link to Alexander's new book. I hope to get my hands on it soon.

There ARE Atheists in Foxholes

I thought this was a nice story from NPR about an atheist soldier's unexpected but welcome encounter with acceptance and understanding in a foxhole in Afghanistan. It's troubling to read that he was repeatedly told by his own comrades and Afghan allies that he was going to hell when he is a soldier risking his life just like the rest of them. An apt tribute to the cut-short life of the young Afghan translator who made the soldier for once feel something other than rejection and judgment.

Gay Marriage and the Bible

I enjoyed this article about the various portrayals of marriage and love in the Bible. The author makes a convincing case that our modern ideals of straight marriages bear little resemblance to marriage in the Bible. While acknowledging Biblical condemnations of gay sex, she points to the familiar arguments that the Bible is equally a cultural text reflective of its time (Christians today reject its laws on slavery, capital punishment, and many more issues.). She discusses Jesus' message and how that can help Christians express and advocate a community of inclusion that celebrates committed love in all its forms.

A good read, although I'm not the one who needs convincing as I'm for legalizing gay marriage and don't think the Bible should have ANYTHING to do with the legal institution of marriage. I would hope the sentiments expressed in this article become more commonplace in Christian churches who count LGBT people as their parishioners and want to extend to them the same rights to join their loved one in marriage.

In the Doghouse

Do not buy your wife, fiance, or girlfriend any kind of cleaning item, kitchen appliance, weight loss tool, hair removal device, or other related items for Christmas. If you do, this will happen to you.

Women, the shopping season is upon us. As most of our man friends are probably procrastinators who have hardly even thought about what to get us, send this warning their way. Thanks to Thrashley for the link.

Food Paradise

I like eating even more than I like reading or sleeping, which is saying a lot. Lately I've been loving Travel Channel's "Food Paradise" show. It comes on Wednesday nights at 9:00 (so check it out tonight if you're bored) and features the greatest foods across the country. Each episode has a different theme, like pizza, steak, donuts, sandwich, and my personal favorite, DEEP FRIED PARADISE. The Web site lists the different restaurants featured so you can check them out if any are near where you live or where you're traveling. Make sure you've eaten a substantial dinner before you watch or you are likely to order and eat an entire pizza, carton of ice cream, or other such gluttonous fare. At the very least, you'll need a napkin to wipe the drool off your face.

The Saddest Male Models in the World

Some ridiculous male fashions and the sad, embarrassed models who have to wear them. A nice laugh for your Tuesday morning, brought to you by Best Week Ever. Thanks, John.

Jonestown

Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple by Deborah Layton

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Jonestown tragedy happened a few years before I was born, so prior to reading this book I knew very little about the People's Temple and Jim Jones. I saw a news story one day that marked the twentieth anniversary of the mass suicide, and I poked around online until I came across Deborah Layton's book.

Layton was a privileged, rebellious teenager when she was introduced to the People's Temple and the world of its charismatic leader, Jim Jones. She is a talented and passionate storyteller, tracing the evolution of the Temple from a socially conscious advocacy organization that helped the poor, homeless, and drug addicted to a perversion of socialism that brainwashed, abused, and terrorized its members. Layton's brother, sister in law, and mother all joined the cult as well. The latter two traveled with her to Jones'so called Promised Land in the jungles of Guyana, where members were held prisoner and ruled by lies and fear.

Layton's eventual escape led to an American contingent of a congressman, members of the press, and concerned relatives traveling to Guyana only to be ambushed by Jones' security forces. Hours later, Jones ordered the mass suicide, his soldiers killing any who refused to drink the poison.

The story is compelling and heart breaking. Layton debunks myths about cults by portraying the lives of intellectuals, doctors, lawyers, and others from all walks of life who joined the Temple. It's frightening how insidious the transformation of the Temple was from a legitimate commmunity organization to a cult ruled by a sociopath. She shows us how any of us could fall prey to a charismatic leader only to have things go terribly wrong.

This is a fantastic book. Read it.


View all my reviews.