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How to Win a Cosmic War
- God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror
- Narrated by: Sunil Malhotra
- Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
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Publisher's summary
A cosmic war is a religious war. It is a battle not between armies or nations, but between the forces of good and evil, a war in which God is believed to be directly engaged on behalf of one side against the other. The hijackers who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, thought they were fighting a cosmic war. According to award-winning writer and scholar of religions Reza Aslan, by infusing the United States War on Terror with the same kind of religiously polarizing rhetoric and Manichean worldview, is also fighting a cosmic war - a war that can’t be won.
How to Win a Cosmic War is both an in-depth study of the ideology fueling al-Qa‘ida, the Taliban, and like-minded militants throughout the Muslim world, and an exploration of religious violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Surveying the global scene from Israel to Iraq and from New York to the Netherlands, Aslan argues that religion is a stronger force today than it has been in a century. At a time when religion and politics are increasingly sharing the same vocabulary and functioning in the same sphere, Aslan writes that we must strip the conflicts of our world - in particular, the War on Terror - of their religious connotations and address the earthly grievances that always lie behind the cosmic impulse. How do you win a cosmic war? By refusing to fight in one.
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- Narrated by: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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What happened to Islamic reform? Why have al Qaeda and Boko Haram become the faces of contemporary Islam? Why has the Arab Spring devolved into a battle over sharia law? Continuing her personal journey from a deeply religious Islamic upbringing to a post at Harvard and American citizenship, the New York Times best-selling author of Infidel and Nomad crafts a powerful call for an Islamic reformation as the only way to end the current wave of global violence and repression of women.
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And They Revoked Her Honorary University Degree!
- By Russell on 04-14-15
By: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
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Why the Jews?
- The Reason for Anti-Semitism, the Most Accurate Predictor of Human Evil
- By: Dennis Prager, Joseph Telushkin
- Narrated by: Traber Burns
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In this seminal work that has spent more than 30 years in print, Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin explain the reasons behind anti-Semitism, the world's preoccupation with the Jews and Israel, and why now more than ever the world needs to confront anti-Jewish sentiment. Prager and Telushkin examine in detail how anti-Semitism is a unique hatred - no other prejudice has been as universal, deep, or permanent - and how the concept of the "chosen people" spawned that hatred.
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It answers the question!
- By MarissaB on 10-01-16
By: Dennis Prager, and others
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Reconciliation
- Islam, Democracy, and the West
- By: Benazir Bhutto
- Narrated by: Rita Wolf
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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In Reconciliation, Bhutto recounts in gripping detail her final months in Pakistan and offers a bold new agenda for how to stem the tide of Islamic radicalism and to rediscover the values of tolerance and justice that lie at the heart of her religion.
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Female Muslim insight
- By Craig Bell on 03-07-08
By: Benazir Bhutto
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The ISIS Apocalypse
- The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State
- By: William McCants
- Narrated by: Stephen McLaughlin
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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How did the Islamic State attract so many followers and conquer so much land? By being more ruthless, more apocalyptic, and more devoted to state building than its competitors. The shrewd leaders of the Islamic State combined two of the most powerful yet contradictory ideas in Islam - the return of the Islamic Empire and the end of the world - into a mission and a message that shapes its strategy and inspires its army of zealous fighters.
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It's time to dig into this...
- By MetaDreaming on 12-08-15
By: William McCants
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The Enemy at Home
- The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11
- By: Dinesh D'Souza
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Dinesh D'Souza, the most original and controversial writer on politics and society in the U.S. today, uncovers the links between the spread of American pop culture, leftist ideas, and secular values and the rise of anti-Americanism throughout the world. In The Enemy at Home, D'Souza makes the startling claim that 9/11 and other terrorist acts can be directly traced to the ideas and attitudes perpetrated by America's cultural left.
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FINALLY, Someone gets it!!
- By Ron Egolf on 03-21-07
By: Dinesh D'Souza
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Jews, God, and History
- By: Max I. Dimont
- Narrated by: Anna Fields
- Length: 17 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Vitality floods its pages. Philosophers and kings, warriors and merchants, poets and financiers come alive as the story ranges across time and the globe. From ancient Palestine through Europe and the Orient, to America and modern Israel, Max Dimont shows how the saga of the Jews is interwoven with the history of virtually every nation on earth.
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Grand in scope and depth
- By Joe on 08-27-12
By: Max I. Dimont
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How Civilizations Die (and Why Islam Is Dying Too)
- By: David Goldman
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Past and present civilizations failed and fail for many reasons, but the number-one predictor of a civilization’s survival is its sense of religion—or lack thereof. So argues David Goldman in How Civilizations Die (and Why Islam Is Dying Too). The strength of a civilization’s religion affects its purpose, its fertility rate, and ultimately, its fate, says Goldman—who then argues that, contrary to popular belief, Islamic countries are in the last throes of death while Christian America is in a position to flourish.
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Pseudointellectual Clickbait
- By Sam on 12-22-20
By: David Goldman
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They Can Live in the Desert but Nowhere Else
- A History of the Armenian Genocide
- By: Ronald Grigor Suny
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 15 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Starting in early 1915, the Ottoman Turks began deporting and killing hundreds of thousands of Armenians in the first major genocide of the 20th century. By the end of the First World War, the number of Armenians in what would become Turkey had been reduced by 90 percent - more than 1,000,000 people. A century later, the Armenian genocide remains controversial but relatively unknown, overshadowed by later slaughters and the chasm separating Turkish and Armenian versions of events.
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Great book, unbiased view finally
- By Raffy Afarian on 10-30-15
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Jesus, Jihad and Peace
- What Bible Prophecy Says About World Events Today
- By: Michael Youssef
- Narrated by: Jon Gauger
- Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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In a world that cries out for peace, which will prevail - Jesus or Jihad? Bible-believing Christians wonder: What does Islamic extremism mean in terms of Bible prophecy? Do today's turbulent events have prophetic significance? In Jesus, Jihad and Peace, Dr. Michael Youssef provides answers that are concise and biblically accurate, explaining how trends within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam fit into prophetic history.
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Excellent analysis
- By 404 on 03-04-15
By: Michael Youssef
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The Complete Infidel's Guide to Iran
- By: Robert Spencer
- Narrated by: Bob Reed
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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The author of The Complete Infidel's Guide to ISIS and The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran returns with the sharp wit and boundless courage needed to expose the oncoming storm from Iran.
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Terrible
- By J. R. Bowers on 12-22-16
By: Robert Spencer
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Bully of Asia
- By: Steven W. Mosher
- Narrated by: Al Kessel
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The signs are everywhere. China unilaterally claims the entire South China Sea as sovereign territory, then builds artificial islands to bolster its claim. It suddenly activates an air defense identification zone over the East China Sea, and threatens to down any aircraft that does not report its position. It builds roads into Indian territory, then redraws the maps to show that it is actually Chinese territory. The People's Republic under President Xi Jinping is quickly becoming The Bully of Asia.
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Eye opening, up to date
- By Silomi on 01-01-19
By: Steven W. Mosher
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Stop the crusade
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Taking America Back for God points to the phenomenon of "Christian nationalism," the belief that the United States is - and should be - a Christian nation. At its heart, Christian nationalism demands that we must preserve a particular kind of social order, an order in which everyone - Christians and non-Christians, native-born and immigrants, whites and minorities, men and women - recognizes their "proper" place in society.
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What listeners say about How to Win a Cosmic War
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- ali erturk
- 05-30-15
Good read
A good book about what is Cihad and who these guys are and how to end all is chaos...
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1 person found this helpful
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- chetyarbrough.blog
- 07-14-15
NO IN-BETWEEN
Reza Aslan suggests there is no in-between in wars defined by religion. Aslan’s observation is that 21st century terrorism is grounded in, and defined by, religion. The consequence is a war that has spiritual but little human dimension. Aslan infers today’s war and terrorist actions are based on apocryphal religious texts. The texts are written by men who interpret the word of God; i.e. texts that speak of ephemeral mortality, and an eternal afterlife. The interpreters of God are saying–be part of this religion or be an infidel, an apostate; worth less than nothing. You are with us or against us. There is no in-between.
As much as one may wish to agree with Aslan, the mixture of religion and government in the Nuclear Age seems like a formula for Armageddon. On the other hand, time settled many terrorist wars of the past. Every democracy does not mean American’ democracy, but democracy has always endorsed in-between beliefs within its polities. Aslan’s argument for “How to Win a Cosmic War” offers a little hope but with big risk.
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- Karl E. Misulis
- 01-14-16
Great book! Inspiring to fight against radicalism!
Reza Aslan tells a great tale of how contemporary and ancient politics have affected the War on Terror, and how modern politics have affected the people in those countries. He concludes by showing how we can defeat jihad and end the War on Terror. Wonderful book! Highly recommended!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Ed Patrick
- 07-07-16
Good, but dated.
This is excellent background for Westerners to understand the history of radical Islam. The authors optimism is somewhat muted now by the development of the Islamic state. Perhaps we can expect another book from this author in the near future explaining where he thinks we are going from here.
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- Fatima
- 04-28-10
Broadens your perspective
Certainly an interesting look at religion and modernization. Sheds light on psychology, identity, modernization, war, and underlying cultures as they function to shape history.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Pavel
- 12-22-15
A book of understanding
A book about identity, the loss of it and how people forge a new one.
For those who want to understand:
- the social, demographic and cultural specifics that lead to the nuances of the worlds most spread religions
- the origins of some of the terms used widely today - jihadism, fundamentalism,...
- the difference between fundamentalism (not just Islamic) and Islamism
- constructive ideas of countering the "bad-VS-good" mentality spread on both sides of the world
- how radical religious social movements differ from established religious institutions
Overall an insightful listen.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amira Soliman
- 10-23-18
my books before bedtime
amazing book brilliant writer cannot agree more love his art of writing read all his books
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- Classical Ideas Podcast
- 04-10-16
This will make you smarter!
This book is remarkably concise and interesting.
Do you know the difference between Islamism and Jihadism? Do you know the differences between what it's like to be Muslim in Europe vs. the United States? I highly recommend this book, especially in the wake of Paris, Brussels, Ankara, Lahore, London, and 9/11.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-26-17
How to win a Cosmic War by Reza Aslan
Excellent read. I learned so much and it helped me to step out of my intellectual box and see things a little different. I wish all Generals and persons making decisions for my country USA would read this book. I think they would have a better approach to our country’s freedom than just our military might. Democracy works when we understand diversity. I want to read all his books.
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- Crossing Rebecca
- 10-01-10
Helpful approach to a difficult subject
Aslan's analysis and breakdown of the various sorts of Islamic movements was quite helpful. I liked it enough that I bought a hard copy so that I can quote it as needed. I am less certain that he has a solution of how to "win" the war, but his statement that refusing to engage in a Cosmic war is the only valid strategy is one that needs to be heard.
His ability to cite Christian scripture and make it sound ominous (a claim to be "washed in the blood" should not be understood as threatening) needs to be understood, I think, against the backdrop of people reading the Qur'an in equally ominous ways. If you focus on the global pronouncements, this book is simplistic. He does not have any simple solutions that are going to bring peace in the war on terror or in any other war. However, the book can be very helpful in sorting out a range of Muslim attitudes.
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6 people found this helpful