Goat Ribeye

As I was going through the freezers at Exotic Meat Market looking for fun meats to try I came across a package labeled "Bakri Ribeye Steaks". My initial thought was that bakri must be some kind of deer or antelope I'd not heard of. Anshu, the proprietor, told me they were goat steaks, from a goat raised at his ranch. They looked interesting so I picked them up. 

I got home and found out that "bakri" is Urdu for goat. Urdu is spoken in Pakistan and India, so I assume that Urdu is the language (or one of the languages) Anshu spoke in India. Normally goat can be very tough and dry unless prepared carefully and cooked slowly. However, I figured that this was a nice cut of meat and would do nicely grilled if not over-cooked. 

I cooked it on indirect heat on our outdoor grill and it turned out great. Goat has a much richer and stronger flavor than beef. It was a little tougher than an equivalent piece of steak, but the flavor was much better. 

Judy regularly gets goat curry when we visit Indian or Pakistani restaurants and I usually get lamb. Invariably her dish is better than mine, so I've decided I'm going to take goat choices more often. 

Smoked Alligator Wings (Front Legs)

I visited Exotic Meat Market in Grand Terrace recently and was looking through their freezers to see what they had available. One freezer was labeled "alligator" and had all sorts of alligator cuts inside it. One package grabbed my attention - "smoked alligator wings." I had to ask one of the employees what alligator wings are and was told it was the front legs of the alligator. 

When I got home I immediately set them out on the counter to defrost. The smoking had caused them to turn brown and they were quite small, they must be from small alligators. 

They had a very nice, quite strong, smoked flavor. But what really surprised me was that the bone structure looked just like chicken wings. 

Scriptural Stations of the Cross

I have previously blogged on the Stations of the Cross. I was in Salt Lake City recently and visited the Cathedral of the Madeleine and was confused as I examined the Stations of the Cross as they expressed themes I'd never seen before in this context. 

The Stations of the Cross were painted by Sam Wilson in 1992 and 1993. Wilson is a professor in the Art and Art History Department at the University of Utah. These stations follow a revised and more scriptural version of the stations introduced by Pope John Paul II in 1991 at the Coliseum in Rome on Good Friday. They are known as the Scriptural or Biblical Way of the Cross. The Scriptural Way omits stations that do not have biblical references such as the three falls of Jesus (Stations 3, 5 and 7), the encounter of Jesus with his mother (Station 4) and the encounter of Jesus with Veronica (Station 6). New stations include Jesus' agony in the Garden of Olives (Station 1), the betrayal of Jesus by Judas (Station 2), the condemnation of Jesus by the Sanhedrin (Station 3), the denial of Jesus by Peter (Station 4), the promise of paradise to the good thief (Station 11) and the presence of Mary and the John at the foot of the cross (Station 13). I really like this modification. But these modifications are made even better by Wilson's use of American Southwest colors, flowers, animals and symbols, along with traditional symbols, in a postmodern style, to makes these stations truly unique. They are, by far, my favorite Stations of the Cross anywhere.

The Scriptural Stations of the Cross are as follows:

(1) Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-41);

As with all of these stations, there is a large cross in the background. In this particular station, there are other smaller crosses. Peter, James and John sleep while Jesus prays and a snake, Satan, wraps around the cup that Jesus asks the Father to take away from him. Jesus is Hispanic or Indian. I enjoy it when Jesus is represented by local culture. 

The all-seeing eye of God is an eye surrounded by rays of light and usually enclosed by a triangle. It represents the eye of God watching over mankind. The eye is encased in a cross of billowy clouds. The red in the flowers may represent the blood that Jesus sweat as he prayed.

The stations are encased in beautiful wood framed plaques and the number of the station is indicated by two angels, one on each side, propping up the frame underneath. 

(2) Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested (Mark 14:43-46);

Judas grabs Jesus by the arm and is ready to kiss him. Satan is whispering in his ear. A scorpion is between them, which represents treachery, death and dying. Peter, with a white beard is to the bottom right and faces a pasty looking man whose ear is high-lighted by its normal, fleshy color. This is the ear that Peter will cut off with his sword. 

The raven represents grief caused by loneliness and separation. It represents evil and death. Ravens also hoard shiny objects, here representing the 30 pieces of silver that Judas will get for betraying Jesus. This is one of my favorite segments among the whole series. 

(3) Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66-71);

The thorn is an emblem of Christ's passion. At the bottom corners, thorns are superimposed over each other in the form of a cross. Jesus wears a purple robe, the only time in these stations he is shown with this color robe. Purple represents royal lineage, royal birth, the color worn by Roman emperors. It confirms Jesus's royal bloodline as the Son of God. The Greek "I" at the top left is "iota," the word perhaps an implication of Matt. 5:18 "until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." The rose, top center, is also associated with Christ's passion. So the row at the top almost appears to be an equation: Christ accomplishes the law by his passion and becomes the King, as represented by the crown. This seems to me to be a little out of place, perhaps just part of the confusion of the inconsistent passion narratives. John 19:2 says that it was Pilate who had the soldiers twist together a crown of thorns and put it on his head, then clothe him in a purple robe. 

I'm not completely sure what type of bird this is, but I think it may be some form of goldfinch. If so, it symbolizes the transition from the physical to the spiritual and understanding the power and importance of change. 

(4) Jesus is denied by St. Peter (Matt. 26:69-75);

Peter denied knowing Jesus three times and each time the cock, or rooster, crowed. Three roosters are in this scene. The keys of heaven entrusted to Peter later are at the top, superimposed over the cross. 

This appears to be some form of bass. Peter will later become a fisher of men. The rooster portrays him at his low point, the fish and the keys portray him at later, higher points. 

(5) Jesus is judged by Pontius Pilate (Mark 15:1-5, 15;

The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and omega, are top left and right. In Revelation 22:13, Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." This denotes he is the whole, that he is the true God.  The daisy, top center and bottom left and right, symbolizes innocence and purity. 

I love this coyote. In Native American myth, the coyote is "an indication of an ending. The sighting of the Coyote was said to bring natural shifts in balance, causing an end (which, of course, simply makes way for new beginnings, and so on). Essentially, the Coyote is like a 'way-maker' of new direction as it went about its symbolic role of representing the cycle of life/death in nature." The "Coyote brought with it seeds of life so as to sew new growth upon the new world. [The] legend depicts the Coyote as a bringer of life and a new birth symbol." 

(6) Jesus is scourged at the pillar and crowned with thorns (John 19:1-3);

John 19:1-3 indicates that Pilate had Jesus flogged, then the soldiers put a crown of thorns on his head and clothed him in a purple robe. There may be confusion on my part in how I have portrayed these. Here Jesus is clearly being flogged, but the crown of thorns and purple robe are shown in an earlier station. It appears to be Adam and Eve, to top left and right, and the serpent near Adam with a representation of Satan. This represents original sin and death as a result of Adam and Jesus taking upon himself those sins and bringing life (Romans 5:12-18). Cotton at the bottom right and left represents healing and protection. 

The bear symbolizes strength and confidence, standing against adversity. It also indicates a time for solitude and rest. 

(7) Jesus bears the cross (John 19:6, 15-17);

A turtle to the upper left symbolizes long life, ironic as he goes toward his death. At the middle top is a thistle, a symbol of Christ's passion. Top right is a wooden boat with a sail in the form of a cross. It is symbolic of the church and also represents a journey. The cactus, bottom left and right, symbolizes endurance. 

Jesus is the Lamb of God. The white banner with a red cross symbolizes Christ's victory over death. The symbol comes from Constantine's use of a cross on the Roman Standard. 

 (8) Jesus is helped by Simon the Cyrenian to carry the cross (Mark 15:21);

The strawberries, upper right, symbolize good works, perhaps in reference to Simon helping Jesus carry the cross. To the left of Jesus is what looks like a young version of Mother Teresa, who certainly performed many good works and in an indirect way helped Jesus carry the cross, as when you do it unto the least of these, you do it unto me (Matt. 25:40).  

This might be a nod to Veronica and her veil which includes an image of the face of Jesus imprinted on it, one of the Stations of the Cross that was eliminated by the Scriptural Way of the Cross.   

I love this deer. It represents gentleness, the ability to move through life and obstacles with grace and the ability to regenerate. 

(9) Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem (Luke 23:27-31);

(10) Jesus is crucified (Luke 23:33-34);

The leaves of holly, upper left, symbolize the thorns in Christ's crown and the berries represent his blood. Upper right is St. Frances, showing the stigmata. 

The vulture represents birth and death. Barbed wire enhances separation, it includes and excludes. 

(11) Jesus promises his kingdom to the good thief (Luke 23:39-43);

Catholic tradition has the skull of Adam buried beneath the cross, bottom center. So the blood of Jesus literally drips down on top of Adam. The rat, upper right, is a symbol of shrewdness, opportunistic and resourcefulness, perhaps referring to the good thief. The dove, top center, is a symbol of the Holy Ghost and also represents the soul. The sparrow, upper left, represents higher thoughts and ideals. She seeks to have us keep our burdens light and to be creative in solving our problems. 

(12) Jesus speaks to his mother and the beloved disciple (John 19:25-27);

The apple, upper left, is a symbol of immortality, temptation and knowledge. Raspberries, upper right, are symbols of kindness and the red juice of blood running through the heart. Mary, bottom right, has a dagger through her heart. The Cathedral of the Madeleine is shown to the right of Jesus and above the head of Mary. Mary Magdalene was also near the cross at the time of Jesus's death, the patron of the Cathedral of the Madeleine. The representation of the cathedral symbolizes her presence. In Luke 22:42-43, Christ, in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed that the cup might be taken from him, then an "angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him." This angel is traditionally identified as the Archangel Chamuel. Here Chamuel continues to support Christ on the cross. 

(13) Jesus dies on the cross (Luke 23:44-46); and

The sun stopped shining for three hours at the death of Christ, perhaps symbolized by the sun and moon, top left and right. The thistle, bottom left and right, has a purple flower, the color of royalty. The thistle has prickles on the stem and flat part of the leaves, associating them with thorns and Jesus. A snake wrapped around a staff or rod is associated with healing. The snake is also a symbol of rejuvenation and resurrection because it sheds it skin and receives a new one. And "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:14-15) To the left, Archangel Chamuel has tears in her eyes as she watches Christ die. The cup is no longer in her hand. 

In legend, the mother pelican fed her dying young with her blood to revive them from death, but lost her own life. This symbolizes Christ saving us through his blood. 

(14) Jesus is placed in the tomb (Matt. 27-57-60).

Top center, lilies in the shape of a cross, represent Christ's resurrection, as does the butterfly to the upper right of Christ.  

An ancient myth held that the phoenix, which lived in the Arabian desert, lived to be 500 years old and then set its nest on fire and was consumed in the flames. After three days, the phoenix rose again from the ashes, restored to youth, to live another 500 years. St. Clement related this story to symbolize the resurrection. 

Pope Francis has abandoned the Scriptural Way of the Cross, instituted by John Paul II, and reverted back to the traditional Way of the Cross.

By the way, in looking up the Scriptural Way of the Cross, I found an alternate Way of the Cross for Protestants that I like.  In this version, the Last Supper is the first station and the resurrection is the last station. 

Comparison of Joseph Smith and Muhammad

As I have been reading about Islam recently I have been struck many times by the impression that many of the experiences of the Islamic prophet Muhammad were mirrored by the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith. As I read I sometimes put "JS" or "Joseph Smith" in the margin when similarities between their experiences jumped out at me. Here are some similarities I noted:

Scripture as Evidence of Prophetic Calling

"Muslims regard the Quran as the most important miracle of Muhammad, a proof of his prophethood..." (Wikipedia, Quran)

"The most singular evidence in support of Joseph Smith's claim to being a spokesman for Almighty God was the publication of a scriptural record, the Book of Mormon." (Ezra Taft Benson, October 1981 Ensign, "Joseph Smith: Prophet to Our Generation")

Each was Uneducated

The Koran says that Muhammad was illiterate: "Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet [Muhammad] who can neither read nor write..." (7:157) "Muhammad's illiteracy was taken as a sign of the genuineness of his prophethood." (Wikipedia, Quran)

"Joseph Smith had an elementary school education and wasn't known for having great writing skills. Did he write [the Book of Mormon] on his own? Could you, even with the help of your college education and the Internet write such a book?" (Mormon DNA)

Sites of First Revelations are Holy Sites

"Often overlooked because of its proximity to the great shrines of Mecca, the Cave of Hira is nevertheless one of the great if underappreciated holy sites of Saudi Arabia. It was in this tiny cave...that [the Prophet] received his earliest divine revelations that would ultimately lead to the founding of the Islamic faith. Although a stop at the Cave of Hira is not a mandatory part of the traditional pilgrimage to Mecca...[it is] nevertheless a very popular detour for visitors to the Holy City." (The Complete Pilgrim)

"Every year thousands of Mormons make a pilgrimage to Palmyra, to...visit the historic places where their religion originated. The most holy of those sites is the Sacred Grove, a wooded patch adjacent to the Smith family farm where Smith had what is known as the First Vision." (Business Insider)

Challenge to Write a Revelation

God, through Muhammad, challenged the Arabs to produce a work of similar caliber as the Koran. The challenge came in three stages. First he challenged them to create a whole book: "Say: 'If all mankind and the jinn would come together to produce the like of this Koran, they could not produce its like even though they exerted all and their strength in aiding one another.'" (17:88) Then he challenged them to write ten chapters: "Or do they say that he has invented it? Say [to them], 'Bring ten invented chapters like it, and call [for help] on whomever you can besides God, if you are truthful." (11:13) Then he challenged them to write a single chapter: "And if you all are in doubt about what I have revealed to My servant, bring a single chapter like it, and call your witnesses besides God if you are truthful." (2:23)

William E. McLellin was not impressed with the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants. He attempted to write one and the attempt "was a miserable failure." It also resulted in a revelation [D&C 67:5-8] "Your eyes have been upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and his language you have known, and his imperfections you have known; and you have sought in your hearts knowledge that you might express beyond his language; this you also know. Now, seek ye out of the Book of Commandments, even the least [revelation] that is among them, and appoint him that is the most wise among you; Or, if there be any among you that shall make one like unto it, then ye are justified in saying that ye do not know that they are true; But if ye cannot make one like unto it, ye are under condemnation if  ye do not bear record that they are true."

Book of Scripture is Unmatched

"In Islam, i'jaz or inimitability of the Quran is the doctrine which holds that the Quran has a miraculous quality, both in content and in form, that no human speech can match." (Wikipedia, I'jaz)

"I [Joseph Smith] told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." (History of the Church, 4:461)

Angel Gabriel

Muhammad's first and subsequent revelations came from the archangel Gabriel. (Wikipedia, Muhammad's first revelation)

Joseph Smith heard the voice of the angel Gabriel. (D&C 128:21)

Initial Instruction for Sacred Book Repeated Multiple Times by an Angel

The angel Gabriel visited Muhammad and asked him to "Recite" three times before Muhammad finally did recite what Gabriel asked him to. Then Gabriel voiced, "O Muhammad thou art the Messenger of God, and I am Gabriel" twice while Muhammad was leaving the Cave of Hira. (Martin Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, pages 44-45)

The angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith and told him there was a book written upon gold plates giving an account of the inhabitants of the Americas and means prepared for him to translate them. This same message was repeated to Joseph two more times that night and a third time the next morning (Joseph Smith History, 1:30-49)

Each is named in their Sacred Book

"But those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and believe in that which is sent down to Muhammad [the Koran], for it is the truth from their Lord, He will expiate from them their sins, and will make good their state." (47:2)

"...I the Lord,...called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments;...And after having received the record of the Nephites, yea, even my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., might have power to translate through the mercy of God, by the power of God, the Book of Mormon." (D&C 1:17, 29) "For Joseph [in Egypt] truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins...Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions , and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord....And his name shall be called after me [Joseph]; and it shall be after the name of his father [Joseph]. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation" (2 Nephi 3:6, 12 and 15)

Words are Collected

Muhammad's words, actions and habits are collected in the hadith, and along with the Koran, helped develop Islamic jurisprudence, practice and theology. (Wikipedia, Hadith)

The Joseph Smith Papers or Project is a project with the goal of collecting and publishing all of the manuscripts and documents created by or under the direction of Joseph Smith. (Wikipedia, The Joseph Smith Papers) Joseph Smith's words and actions, along with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, are the foundation for Mormon theology and practice.

Description of Angels

"Gabriel came to the prophet. He was splendidly dressed, his turban rich with gold and silver brocade, and a cloth of brocaded velvet was thrown over the saddle of the mule he was riding." (Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, by Martin Lings, page 237, hereafter Muhammad) Muhammad "heard a voice above him saying: 'O Muhammad, thou art the Messenger of God, and I am Gabriel.' He raised his eyes heavenwards and there was his visitant, still recognizable but now clearly an Angel, filling the whole horizon,.." (Muhammad, page 45) "[T]here came unto us a man whose clothes were of exceeding whiteness and whose hair was of exceeding blackness, nor were there any signs of travel upon him, although none of us knew him. He sat down knee unto knee opposite the Prophet, upon whose thighs he placed the palms of his hands...Then the stranger went away, and I stayed a while after he had gone; and the Prophet said to me: 'O Umar, knowest thou the questioner, who he was?' I said: 'God and His Messenger know best.' He said: 'It was Gabriel. He came unto you to teach you your religion.'" (Muhammad, pages 346-347)

"[A] personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. He had on  a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen;...His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom. Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning....He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni." (Joseph Smith History, 1:30-33)

The Greatest of Prophets

"...[W]e shall be the leaders on the Day of Resurrection...Abraham is the intimate friend of God, Moses is the purified of God, and I [Muhammad] am the beloved of God. With me is the banner of praise on the Day of Resurrection." (The Book of Hadith: Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, from the Mishkat al-Masabih, by Charles Le Gai Eaton, pages 137-138) "Muhammad is given a higher position [among the Prophets] since he was the last of all the Prophets and [the[ Quran as the final word of God was revealed unto him which completed and compiled all the commandments and guidelines set for humankind by Allah. Also Muhammad's way of life has been made by Allah as an example for all human beings to follow upon."  (Quora.com: Who are the 5 highest prophets according to Islam?)

"Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it." (D&C 135:3)  "...Joseph Smith was...one of the greatest prophets that has ever lived on the earth. He was the instrument in God's hand in ushering in the present gospel dispensation, the greatest of all, and the last of all in preparation for the second coming of the Master."  (Ezra Taft Benson, October 1981 General Conference)

A Prophet is Not Always a Prophet

Muhammad "passed by while people were fertilizing palm trees and asked them what they were doing. When they told him, he said, 'Maybe it would be better if you did not do this.' So they stopped and as a result the fruits were reduced. When they mentioned this to him, he said to them, 'I am only a human being. When I command you regarding your religion, accept it; but when I command you based on my own opinion, I am merely a human being.'" (The Book of Hadith, page 9)

"This morning I...visited with a brother and sister from Michigan, who thought that 'a prophet is always a prophet;' but I told them that a prophet was a prophet only when he was acting as such." (History of the Church, 5:265)

Theocracy

"The term theocracy signifies belief in governance by divine guidance, a form of regime in which religion or faith plays the dominant role. It denotes thus a political unit governed by a deity or by officials thought to be divinely guided." (Encyclopedia.com, Theocracy)

"In Islam, the community established by the prophet Muhammad (c. 570-632) in Medina (622-632) was a theocracy in which Muhammad served as both temporal and spiritual leader."  (Encyclopedia.com, Theocracy)  "The Prophet...was certain that God would open up Syria to his armies of Islam...[H]e announced an expedition against the Byzantines, and set about mustering by far the largest and best equipped army that he he had led...[T]he army was thirty thousand strong, with ten thousand horse...[T]he Prophet himself rode forth and took command....[L]et it be known that they would put to death any man of Thaqif who fell into their hands unless he abandoned his polytheism...[I]f they entered Islam their territory would be under the protection of the Islamic state...Christians of Najran...sought to make a pact with the Prophet. They were of the Byzantine rite...[T]he Prophet made with them a favorable treaty according to which, in return for the payment of taxes, they were to have the full protection of the Islamic state for themselves and their churches and other possessions." (Muhammad, pages 330-331, 335 and 338-339)

"The Council of Fifty...was a Latter Day Saint organization established by Joseph Smith in 1844 to symbolize and represent a future theocratic or theodemocratic 'Kingdom of God' on earth. Smith...hoped to create this Kingdom in preparation for the Millennium and the Second Coming of Jesus." (Wikipedia, Council of Fifty)  "Joseph established thriving cities in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois; produced volumes of scripture; sent missionaries throughout the world; orchestrated the building of temples; served as mayor of Nauvoo, one of the largest cities in Illinois, and as general of its militia, the Nauvoo Legion; and was a candidate for the presidency of the United States." (Pbs.org., American Prophet Joseph Smith)

Multiple Wives

Muhammad was married to 13 wives. His first was at age 25 to the 40 year old Khadija. They had two sons and four daughters. They also adopted a slave as a son. His youngest wife was Aisha, daughter of his close friend, Abu Bakr, who was age 7 when they married (the marriage was not consummated until she was age 9). He had one other child, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad, from his marriage to Mariyah al-Qibtiyya, an Egyptian Coptic slave who was gifted to him by the Christian ruler of Egypt. (Wikipedia, Muhammad's wives and Children of Muhammad) The "ruler of Egypt sent [Muhammad] a rich present...[which included] two Coptic Christian slave girls...The girls were sisters, Mariyah and Sirin, and both were beautiful, But Mariyah was exceptionally so, and the Prophet marveled at her beauty. He...lodged Mariyah in [a] nearby house...[and] would visit her both by day and by night; but his wives became so openly jealous that she was unhappy, and he then lodged her in Upper Medina. Aisha and the others [wives] were at first relieved, but they soon found that they had gained nothing. For the Prophet did not visit Mariyah any the less often...They well knew that he [Muhammad] was altogether within his rights - rights that had been recognized from the time of Abraham and before. Were they not all...descended from the union of Abraham with the bondmaid Hagar? Moreover, the law revealed to Moses had corroborated such rights, and the Koran itself expressly allowed a master to take his bondmaid as concubine on condition of her free consent." Muhammad received a revelation which is now chapter 66 in the Koran. "O Prophet! Why do you ban [for yourself] that which God has made lawful to you, seeking to please your wives?...If you two [Aisha and Hafsah - both wives] turn in repentance to God [it will be better for you], your hearts are set upon the ban; but if you aid each other against him [Muhammad], verily, God, even He, is his Protector, and Gabriel, and the elect of the faithful; and beyond these, the angels are massed to help him. It may be, if he divorce you, that his Lord will give him wives in your stead who are better than you, submissive unto God, believing, devout, penitent, inclined unto worship and fasting, widows and virgin maids." (Muhammad, pages 286-287; Koran chapter 66)

Joseph Smith's wives are more difficult to determine because the marriages took place secretly. Joseph was legally married to one wife, Emma Hale, and they had 11 children (2 were adopted and 5 died at birth or before attaining age 2) [Wikipedia, Children of Joseph Smith].  It appears he had about 33 additional wives, 11 of which were married to other men at the same time. The youngest was Nancy Winchester, age 14 or 15. (wivesofjosephsmith) It appears that he may have fathered as many as 5 children from these marriages: Sylvia Sessions Lyon, whose recognized father was Windsor Lyon; Frank Henry Hyde and Orson Washington Hyde, whose recognized father was Orson Hyde; John Reed Hancock, whose recognized father was Levi Hancock; and George Algernon Lightner, whose recognized father was Adam Lightner (Children of Joseph Smith and DNA Research).  The revelation on plural marriage, Doctrine and Covenants Section 132, says, "let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those [wives] that have been given unto my servant Joseph...But if she will not abide this commandment, then...I will...give unto him an hundred fold in this world, of...wives...And if he have ten virgins given unto him...he cannot commit adultery..." Emma allowed several of Joseph's wives to live in her home, but then reneged and Joseph arranged for them to live elsewhere. In August 1843, Joseph told William Clayton that Emma had totally resisted plural marriage "and he had to tell her he would relinquish all for her sake...He however told me he should not relinquish anything." (Emma Hale at wivesofjosephsmith)

Contested Succession Through Family Line

After Muhammad's death his succession became an issue. He had no adult sons who survived to adulthood, so his close friend, Abu Bakr succeeded him as the first caliph. This was disputed by some who believed that Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, who was married to his daughter, Fatimah, was his designated successor. Ali and Fatimah had two sons, Hasan and Husayn, both direct descendants of Muhammad. Ali later became the fourth caliph, after Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman. After Ali died, a dispute as to succession arose between Hasan, Ali's son, and Muawiya, who was to become the first of what became known as the Umayyad Caliphate. Hasan ultimately ceded the caliphate to Muawiya, but later Muawiya, concerned that Hasan would be an obstacle, arranged to have Hasan poisoned by Hasan's wife to ensure that his own son, Yazid, would succeed to the caliphate. Many expected the caliphate to return to Ali's line upon Muawiya's death. So Husayn, Hasan's younger brother, rejected a request for allegiance by Yazid and Yazid killed Husayn and about 72 of his family at the Battle of Karbala. Ultimately, the Shia Muslims, now about 15% of Muslims, believe that succession comes down through Ali and his line. The much large Sunni Muslims, about 85% of Muslims, do not believe in that succession. (Wikipedia: Shia Islam, Umayyad Caliphate, Fatimah, and Succession to Muhammad)

After Joseph Smith's death his succession also became an issue. Several church leaders claimed that Joseph had indicated his oldest son, Joseph Smith III, would be his successor, but Joseph III was only 11 years old at his father's death. Joseph's younger brother, Samuel, was also a potential candidate, but he died about a month after his brother.  At a conference about 1 1/2 months after Joseph's death, the majority of church members decided to follow Brigham Young, who was president of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, over Sidney Rigdon, who was a member of Smith's First Presidency. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was formally reorganized in 1860, 16 years after Joseph's death, with Joseph III as the leader. He was supported by Emma Hale Smith, his mother and Joseph's wife; Joseph's son and Joseph III's brother, David Hyrum Smith, who was one of Joseph III's counselors; and later by Joseph's brother William Smith. Some time later William Smith himself claimed succession and claimed that Brigham Young had had Joseph's brother Samuel poisoned (no evidence exists for this claim). The Reorganized Church, which until recently had a successor of Joseph as its prophet and leader, was later named the Community of Christ and now has about 250,000 members. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which recognizes Brigham Young as Joseph's successor, currently has about 15 million members. (Wikipedia: Succession crisis (Latter Day Saints); Community of Christ; Emma Smith; William Smith (Latter Day Saints); David Hyrum Smith)

As I started to research this topic I found that the comparison of Joseph Smith and Muhammad and Mormonism and Islam started early and has been noted by many people. The New York Herald referred to Joseph as "the modern Mahomet" shortly after Joseph's death. Other similarities noted by others include: (1) both believed their faith represented the original religion of Adam and the prophets thereafter; (2) both believed the Bible was adulterated from its original form; (3) both believed Christianity did not conform to the original religion taught by Jesus; (4) neither believe in the Trinity or Original Sin; (5) both believed their faith to be the only completely true religion on the earth; (6) both believed good deeds are required for salvation, not just faith; (7) both emphasized charitable giving; (8) both emphasized chastity; (9) both required fasting at specified times; (10) both discouraged the use of alcohol and gambling; (11) both recognized a form of ablution (Joseph Smith as part of the temple rites); (12) both believed in plural marriage and the possibility of a continuation of marriage into the next life; and (13) both believed there were varying degrees of reward and punishment in the hereafter. (Wikipedia, Islam and Mormonism; Islamic and Mormonism Similarities; The Muhammad - Joseph Smith Comparison: Subjective Metaphor or a Sociology of Prophethood?; A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Muhammad)

Chile, Onion and Cheese Sandwich

Our kitchen is being remodeled and so I've been eating lots of sandwiches the last few weeks. I've discovered a combination that I find incredible.

Start with potato bread. It has large slices and is very moist. Spread a layer of butter on each piece of bread and then a layer of Best Foods mayonnaise on top of the butter layer. 

Get the sweetest onion you can find, a Vidalia or similar, preferably one without a lot of bite. Cut it into thin slices, enough for two full layers on the sandwich. Salt and pepper each layer. Put one layer on one of the slice of bread. 

Cook four Anaheim chiles on the grill until they are blistered and then put them into a plastic bag. The hot moisture inside the bag will make it easier to peel off the blistered outer layer. 

Then open up a chile and clean out most of the seeds and spread it on one piece of bread over a layer of onions. Add salt and pepper. Then while the chile is still hot, add a large slice of cheese - I used Tillamook Colby Jack. Then add another peeled and opened chile on top of the cheese, salt and pepper. Then add another layer of cheese, a layer of chile, salt and pepper, a layer of onion and the final layer of chile, salt and pepper, followed by the other piece of bread. 

The combination of salty, buttery mayo mixes in with the sweet and crunchy onion, the melting cheese and the denser, more bitter chile, for a wonderful flavor and texture combination. Thinner onions are better than thicker onions and four Anaheim chiles are better than three. 

The Koran or Quran

Two incidents in Morocco got me thinking about reading the Koran. The first incident was with our guide, Hassan, in Fes when the topic of Moses and Abraham came up. Hassan expressed surprise to learn that both were in the Bible. I was surprised by his surprise, given the significant amount of his interaction with Christian tourists, and was intrigued to find how Moses and Abraham are presented in the Koran. Hassan also talked about his desire to do the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. He said that once you do the Hajj you add that to your name, so for example, he would be called Hajj Hasan. The second incident was on our third day traveling with our driver, Aziz, while we were in the midst of a long drive. He asked if we believed Jesus was a prophet or a God? Judy responded that as Christians we believed Jesus was a God. Aziz, obviously primed, played a talk from his cell phone explaining why Jesus was just a prophet. The talk went on for about 20 minutes, then afterwards Aziz asked us what we thought about what we'd heard and whether we would think about becoming Muslims. This was jolting to me for several reasons. It breached the boundary between driver and client and it was perhaps only the second time since my Mormon missionary days that I have been evangelized. However, during the remainder of our drive that day we asked Aziz about other Islamic topics, including, why Muslims don't eat pork and Muslim attitudes about women. Aziz found these topics addressed by the same person and we probably listened to an hour or more of this type of discourse. All of this got me intrigued to learn more about Islam.

After an internet search for the best translation of the Koran, which is written in Arabic, I purchased a translation by A.J. Arberry which is claimed to best convey the "impression made on Muslims by the original." It covers about 700 pages, but the pages are loosely packed and have wide margins. It is divided into 114 chapters, called suras, and each chapter is divided into verses, called ayat. For comparison, the New Testament has 7,956 verses and 138,020 words. The Koran has 6,236 verses and 77,439 words (just a little less than the four gospels plus Acts which has 83,207 words). Each chapter of the Koran has a title, derived either from a name or quality discussed in the text, or from the first letters or words of the chapter. Except for the first chapter, titled "The Opening," which is only seven verses, the chapters are pretty much arranged from longest to shortest. Chapter 2, "The Cow," has 286 verses and covers all or portions of 42 pages. Chapter 114, "Men," is six verses and covers about a quarter of a page. While writing this post, I found an internet version of the Koran that I like, The Noble Quran. It has an index that allows a quick click to the text of each of the 114 chapters, each verse is numbered and set apart from each other verse, and insertions into the text in parens ( ) give helpful information for greater comprehension.

Chapter 78, The Tiding

My biggest surprise has been how little doctrine is found in the Koran. It seems primarily devotional, for praise and worship, like Psalms. Large portions made little sense to me, not surprising given my lack of cultural and doctrinal background. But even when discussing familiar topics, the language and structure is more poetic, not my strong suit. The parts I found most interesting were those that dwelt with familiar figures, like Abraham, Moses, Noah, Lot and Jesus, or the few places that did deal with doctrine I have some awareness of. I'll briefly share some of those parts. I find that the translations I have looked at vary greatly. Sometimes I feel like the Arberry translation I used is better at catching the rhythm and poetry of the Koran, but is less clear in conveying the meaning. It also does not clearly delineate the verse numbers, making it very difficult to find specific references. So below I use a number of different translations and sometimes even combine portions of different translations that I feel convey a clearer meaning.

Jesus

"The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only a messenger of Allah...And say not, Trinity. Desist. it is better for you. Allah is only one God. Far be it from His glory to have a son." (4:171)

"Allah will say: 'O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah?' He will say: 'Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right [to say]...Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden." (5:116)

"The Jews say, 'Ezra is the Son of God': the Christians say, 'The Messiah is the son of God.' That is the utterance of their mouths, conforming with the unbelievers before them. God assail them! How they are perverted! They have taken their rabbis and their monks as lords apart from God, and the Messiah, Mary's son - and they were commanded to serve but One God; there is no god but He..."(9:30-31)

"And for their saying: We have killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah, and they killed him not, nor did they cause his death on the cross, but he was made to appear to them as such. And certainly those who differ therein are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge about it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for certain: Nay, Allah exalted him in His presence." (4:157-158)

The Koran has two references to Jesus bringing to life a clay bird as a youngster, an event from the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas. First, in 3:49, "And will make him [Jesus] a Messenger to the Children of Israel [saying]: 'I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God's Leave...'" Second, "When God said, 'Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My blessing upon thee and upon thy mother, when I confirmed thee with the Holy Spirit, to speak to men in the cradle, and of age;...and when thou createst out of clay, by My leave, as the likeness of a bird, and thou breathest into it , and it is a bird, by My leave..." (5:110)

Eating Pork

"These things only has He forbidden you: carrion, blood, the flesh of swine..." (2:173)

Ablution

"O believers, when you stand up to pray wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads, and your feet up to the ankles. If you are defiled, purify yourselves; but if you are sick or on a journey, or if any of you come from the privy, or you have touched women, and you can find no water, then have recourse to wholesome dust and wipe your faces and your hands with it. God does not desire to make any impediment for you; but He desires to purify you, and that He may complete His blessing upon you..." (5:6)

Moses

Moses is mentioned more in the Koran than any other person and there is even proportionally more detail about his life than any other person. Many events from his life are narrated, but conspicuously missing is his receiving the ten commandments. The Moses portions of the Koran were probably my favorite.

"...We did send down the Torah to Moses, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to God's Will, judged the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests too judged the Jews by the Torah for to them was entrusted the protection of God's Book, and they were witnesses thereto." (5:44)

"Moses...observed on the side of the Mount a fire. He said to his household, 'Tarry you here; I observe a fire. Perhaps I shall bring you news of it, or a faggot from the fire, that haply you shall warm yourselves.' When he came to it, a voice cried from the right bank of the watercourse, in the sacred hollow, coming from the tree: 'Moses, I am God, the Lord of all Being. Cast down thy staff.' And when he saw it quivering like a serpent, he turned about retreating, and turned not back. 'Moses, come forward, and fear not; for surely thou art in security. Insert they hand into thy bosom, and it will come forth white without evil; and press to thee thy arm, that thou be not afraid. So these shall be two proofs from they Lord to Pharaoh and his Council..." (28:29-32)

"And We (God) brought the Children of Israel over the sea; and Pharaoh and his hosts followed them insolently and impetuously till, when the drowning overtook him, he said, 'I believe that there is no god but He in whom the Children of Israel believe; I am of those that surrender.' 'Now? And before thou didst rebel, being of those that did corruption. So today We shall deliver thee with thy body, that thou mayest be a sign to those after thee. Surely men are heedless of Our signs.'" (10:90-92)

Muhammad

Muhammed is mentioned by name four times in the Koran. Three of those passages refer to him as the Messenger. For example, "Muhammad...is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets." (33:40) The fourth refers to his messenger role: "But those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and believe in that which is sent down to Muhammad [the Koran], for it is the truth from their Lord, He will expiate from them their sins, and will make good their state." (47:2)

Muhammad received the first revelation of the Koran in 609 CE, at the age of 40. He was in spiritual contemplation in a cave on Mount Hira, about three miles outside Mecca, when the Angel Gabriel appeared to him in the form of a man and said, "Recite." Muhammad responded, "I am not a reciter." Gabriel then embraced Muhammad so hard that he could endure it no longer, at which time Gabriel released him and said again, "Recite." It played out the same way two more times, except that the third time Gabriel went on to recite what is now a portion of chapter 96 of the Koran, which reads in part: "Recite: In the Name of thy Lord who created, created Man of a blood-clot. Recite: And thy Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the Pen, taught Man that he knew not. No indeed; surely Man waxes insolent, for he thinks himself self-sufficient." (96:1-7) Muhammad then recited all of the words back to Gabriel and Gabriel left him. Muhammad left the cave for home and was half way down the mountain when he heard Gabriel above him say, "O Muhammad, thou art the Messenger of God, and I am Gabriel." Muhammad looked upward and saw Gabriel filling the horizon and Gabriel repeated the same message again.  (Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, Martin Lings, pages 44-45, hereafter "Life of Muhammad")

On an internet search for the best books on Muhammad, this was at the top of most peoples list. 

Muhammad received more revelations from Gabriel over the course of 23 years until shortly before his death. Those revelations now make up the Koran. Here is a list of the chapters of the Koran in the order they were received and whether the revelations were received in Mecca or Medina (Muhammed moved to Medina in 622). The earlier revelations are shorter, so tend to be toward the end, and they contain more repetition and rhyme.

Chapter 53, verses 4-11, allude to that first visit from Gabriel: "This is naught but a revelation revealed [the Koran], taught him [Muhammad] by one terrible in power [Gabriel], very strong; he stood poised, being on the higher horizon, then drew near and suspended hung, two bows-length away, or nearer, then revealed to his servant that he revealed. His heart lies not of what he saw.."

I like the following story because it shows Muhammad was not beyond reproach from God. Muhammad was speaking to one of the leaders of the Quraysh, a non-believer and someone he had wanted to connect with, when a recent convert who was blind approached him and asked Muhammad to recite some of the Koran to him. Muhammad told the blind man it was not a good time and asked him to be patient and wait. The blind man persisted and Muhammad finally turned away from him. Shortly afterwards Muhammad received this new revelation: "He [Muhammad] frowned and turned away, because the blind man came to him...As for him who thinks himself self-sufficient [the Quraysh leader], to him you attend; What does it matter to you if he will not become pure. But as to him who came to you running and is afraid [of Allah and His punishment], of him you are neglectful and divert your attention to another..." (80:1-2, 5-10; Life of Muhammad, page 66)

The Koran

One of the meanings of the word "Koran" is to recite which fits in well with Gabriel's first revelation to Muhammad mentioned above. The Koran makes reference by name to itself about 70 times. For example, "God has bought from the believers their selves and their possessions against the gift of Paradise:...that is a promise binding upon God in the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Koran..." (9:111) Further,  "Say: 'I follow only what is revealed to me from my Lord...And when the Koran is recited, give you ear to it and be silent; haply so you will find mercy." (7:203-204)

Muslims believe the Koran was written by God and Gabriel was merely reciting to Muhammad that which had already been written. This was alluded to in the first revelation which said God taught by the pen. Someone asked Muhammad about the pen. Muhammad responded, "The first thing God created was the pen. He created the tablet and said to the pen: 'Write!' And the pen answered: 'What shall I write?' He said: 'Write My knowledge of My creation till the day of resurrection.' Then the pen traced what had been ordained." (Life of Muhammad, page 46) The Koran refers to this heavenly Koran as the "Mother of the Book" (13:30) and the "glorious Koran, in a guarded tablet." (85:21-22).

Abraham

The Bible recounts the story of Abraham and Sarah. Sarah offered Abraham her hand maiden, Hagar, so that Abraham could father a child. Hagar bore him Ishmael. Later, Sarah bore a son, Isaac, and Sarah then wanted Hagar and Ishmael to leave. They were guided to what is now Mecca where Ishmael was about to die of thirst. Hagar stood on a nearby prominence to look for help. Then she rushed to another prominence for the same purpose. She went back and forth between these two prominences seven times. Meanwhile, Ishmael, laying in the sand, cried out to God. An angel called to Hagar and told her not to be afraid, "God has heard the boy crying...Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation. Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink." (Genesis 21:17-19) This well was known as Zamzam. Abraham later visited Hagar and Ishmael in Mecca and God showed Abraham a site, near the well of Zamzam, where the Kaaba, a sanctuary, must be built and how it should be built. Abraham and Ishmael then built the Kaaba. The Koran states: "We [God] appointed the House to be a place of visitation for the people, and a sanctuary...We made covenant with Abraham and Ishmael: 'Purify My House for those that shall go about it and those that cleave to it, to those who bow and prostrate themselves.' And when Abraham said, 'My Lord, make this a land secure [Mecca], and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in God and the Last Day.' ...And...Abraham, and Ishmael with him, raised up the foundations of the House." [2:125-127]).

Abdul Mattalib, Muhammad's paternal grandfather, was responsible for feeding and watering the pilgrims to the Kaaba and levying a tax on them. He spent lots of time at the Kaaba, sometimes having a couch brought to the northwest side of the Kaaba, over the tombs of Hagar and Ishmael, where he would sleep at night. One night he had a vision and was told to dig for Zamzam. By this time the well was covered over and lost to memory. Abdul followed the directions given him in the vision and uncovered the well. He was thereafter given the added responsibility over Zamzam as he already had charge of watering the pilgrims. After both of Muhammad's parents died, his grandfather raised him for two years until his own death. During that time, Muhammad spent lots of time at the Kaaba with his grandfather. As his grandfather was dying, he arranged for Muhammad to go live with another of his grandfather's sons, his uncle, Abu Talib. (Life of Muhammad, pages 7-11,27-28)

The Koran, in a chapter titled "Pilgrimage," says: "And when We [God] showed Abraham the site of the House [Kaaba]: [saying] 'Associate not anything [worship] with Me [none has the right to be worshiped but God], and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up for prayer, and those who bow, and make prostration; and proclaim to mankind the Pilgrimage [the Hajj]. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant mountain highway, that they may witness things that are of benefit to them and mention God's Name on appointed days, over such beasts of the flock as He has provided them [for sacrifice]. Then eat thereof and feed therewith the wretched poor. Then let them complete the prescribed duties for them, and perform their vows, and circumambulate the Ancient House.'" (22:26-29) Kaaba means cube and its four corners are towards the points of the compass. The most holy object at the Kaaba is a celestial stone given to Abraham by an angel. Muhammad taught that it "descended from Paradise whiter than milk, but the sins of the sons of Adam made it black." The black stone was built into the east corner. (Life of Muhammad, pages 1-3) The circumambulation of the Kaaba is symbolic of Hagar's seeking help for her dying Ishmael.

"And when Abraham said, 'My Lord, show me how You will give life to the dead.' He said, 'Why, do you not believe?' 'Yes,' he said, 'but that my heart may be at rest.' Said He, 'Take four birds, and twist them to thee [and cut them into pieces], then set a part of them on every hill, then summon them, and they will come to thee running." (2:260)

There are two references in the Koran to Books of Abraham: (1) "This is in the former Scriptures, the Scriptures of Abraham and Moses." (87:18-19); and (2) "Nay, is he not acquainted with what is in the Books of Moses, and of Abraham who fulfilled his engagements" (53:36-37). Muslim scholars believe these are references to a lost scriptures. (Wikipedia, Abraham in Islam)

Islam is sometimes referred to as the "religion of Abraham" (2:135)

Violence

I've mentioned that I read the Koran to a number of people and at least two have asked me about the verses of violence, or the verses of jihad. I wasn't really looking for those kinds of verses when I read, but in general I did not feel it was any more violent than the Old Testament, or even a number of passages of the New Testament. Historically, the Christians have been much more war-like than the Muslims.The Christians have a very poor record for their treatment of the Jews, for their treatment of the Muslims and Jews during the Crusades, and even the treatment of the eastern Christians by the western Christians. Even the Mormons have their Danites and Mountain Meadows Massacre. I don't really have much interest in this aspect of the Koran, but provide a link to the 164 jihad verses in the Koran and the verses of violence in the Koran.

Compilation of the Koran

The revelations were received by Muhammad orally and Muhammad and his followers memorized them. Within a few years after Muhammad's death, the first caliph, Abu Bakr, directed that the revelations be collected into a hand-written book. Zayd ibn Thabit was directed to head that task. Zayd contacted men who knew the Koran by heart and also reviewed portions that had been written down on parchment, palm-leaf stalks, thin stones and animal bones, such as the shoulder blade of the camel. The third caliph, Uthman, started to notice pronunciation differences as Islam spread. Zayd was called upon again, this time to destroy variant forms of the revelations so that there was only one standard copy of the Koran existed.