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“Every religion in the world has syncretism,” said my professor of Anthropology of Religion many years ago. Examining religion through the lens of anthropology and historical analysis can reveal the phenomenon of syncretism. The phenomenon of syncretism among religious believers warrants examination. First, I will be using Merriam-Webster’s definition of syncretism as “the combination of…
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Chapter 1 – Of Kurds, Curses and Jam The first chapter begins by describing the loss of Kurdish lives that came from Saddam Hussein and chemical weapons. An expression is stated: “We have jam, but there is no jam. Jam exists, but it does not exist here. The spirit of jam is with us but…
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A Short Essay on Video Games and Violence Do video games cause violence and aggressive behavior? Is the answer truly cut-and-dry—a simple yes or no? Or are there social, psychological, cultural, and even religious factors that shape whether video game players are more prone to violent behavior than those who do not play them? This…
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The Character of Magus in Chrono Trigger The character known as “Magus” takes a central role in the plot of Chrono Trigger. Does the character named Magus employ some of the traits of the magus in the ancient world? First, we need to examine the character and traits of Magus in Chrono Trigger. Magus is…
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I Am Setsuna is a fascinating turn-based role-playing game (RPG) that any fan of the genre should play. The story is set in a world that is perpetually covered in snow. I was first intrigued by the game because the director stated that the battle system was inspired by Chrono Trigger. Any player familiar with…
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The Second Message of Islam reflects the thought of the Sudanese reformer and scholar Maḥmūd Muḥammad Ṭāhā. Ṭāhā was executed by the former president of Sudan, Jaʿfar Numayrī, on January 18, 1985. The book opens with an introduction by the translator, ʿAbdullāh Aḥmad An-Naʿīm, a prominent scholar of Islamic law and human rights. In the…
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Chrono Cross is my favorite video game, and it is widely considered a classic among fans of turn-based role-playing games (RPGs). However, I was unable to play Radical Dreamers as a child. Radical Dreamers is a text-based adventure game released in 1996 (Radical Dreamers: Nusumenai Hōseki, n.d.). The game served as an inspiration for Chrono…
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Mike Thomson is a reporter and presenter for radio and television news who has reported from conflict zones in the past. His book, Syria’s Secret Library: Reading and Redemption in a Town Under Siege, is well written and serves as a very readable introduction for anyone beginning to study the Syrian civil war. Thomson explains…
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The Lynx has intrigued me for a long time. It most likely started in my childhood. My favorite video game, Chrono Cross, featured an anthropomorphic character named “Lynx”. Lynx was a powerful, albeit misunderstood figure from that video game. I learned later in my adult life that various people groups across different geographic areas venerated…
Triggered to Thinking 