Book Reviews – Cont.
► In Allah, We, Our and Us, Ginex takes a detailed look at the beliefs in The Qur’an that indicates that Islam is the one true religion. This book takes no prisoners as it boldly transcribes how radical Islamists’ misinterpretation of The Qur’an has resulted in bigotry, hatred and violence. Ginex addresses questions about Islamic beliefs and how they affect democratic principles, and he raises the issue of democracy in Islam that often haunts its believers: If Islam is about surrendering to the Creator and living in unity with others, then why are Muslim terrorists groups aggressively killing people whose beliefs are different from theirs?
Ginex’s broad and structural discussion of religion in the present day, draws a portrait that may not be welcome to some readers. The dangers of misinterpretation are explored, and Ginex encourages examination of many suras to better understand the spiritual mind of the Muslim believer.
As an agnostic, I appreciate Ginex’s non-partisan introspection concerning different beliefs. He does not give the reader a ready-made opinion but simply lays out a scholarly argument that would take as much scholarship to refute. In many ways, this book confirms many of my suspicions but also helps me to peer beyond the veil into others of which I had less knowledge. Behind the largely detached writing, Ginex is clearly worried about longer-term trends propelling the different faiths. It takes a lot of courage to examine those who are in power. Religious leaders have shown that they need constant supervision and shouldn't have a free pass to do whatever they please.
This is the sort of book that will keep you awake at night, thinking. Most readers will like the parts about zealotry, and for readers like me who do not have an affiliation with any particular faith, these chapters will be educational and also give some structure about how to assess the problem and its antidotes.
Lucas Anthony
Editor/Proofreader at The Clean Copy (professional editing services)
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