Food for Thought 7

As of now, I am watching Al-Jazeera newshour currently zeroing in the drama which is unfolding, right at this very instant, in the city of Bamako in Mali. A group of gunmen has taken hostage of about 170 people in the luxury Radisson Blu Hotel in the capital city. Three people are already dead it seemed. I flinched when the newscaster mentioned that shouts of "Allahu Akbar" were heard from the gunmen. A few hostages were released after they were asked to recite some versus from the Quran. 

If I were a hostage in such a situation, fully aware of how violent my hostage-taker can be, I wonder if I can recite any verses properly. Furthermore, my fear would have intensified, if I had already seen someone being killed in the situation.Isn't it ironic, that the matter of life and death depends on the ability to recite some verses. I still think, in the eyes of The Lord, even if you can memorise the whole Quran, it will not mean anything if your heart is dark and full of hatred.

Only last Friday something horrific took place around Paris where 129 lives were lost. A few days after that, in the middle of the week, some suicide bombers caused the deaths of about 40 people in Nigeria. Every few days now, we would be hearing of some atrocities being committed in some parts of the world. 
(updated: 21 people died in the Radisson Blu hostage taking horror, at the end of the seven-hour terrifying siege. Two of the dead were the gunmen themselves.)

Pasted below are a few articles I gather from the blogsphere and some online portals which touch spot-on some issues that I find very relevant to our society.
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The following is a letter written by one Sulaiman Daud of Singapore. I have taken this from the famed SyedOutsideTheBox blog but you can also read it from Facebook.

I want to thank well-meaning non-Muslims who, in the wake of these attacks, have emphasised that they have been carried out by a small, twisted minority. A terrorist's goal is to sow hatred and discord, and by not giving in, you are defeating their plans.

But I want to say that as a Muslim, I wish that we weren't so quick to emphasise that this has nothing to do with us. While I personally have never killed anyone and none of my friends and family have ever resorted to violence,radicalism has everything to do with Islam. And the failure to address that out of a well-intentioned commitment to tolerance is making the problem worse.

ISIS is a Muslim organisation, and it is an Islamic problem.Let me say it again to be perfectly clear. ISIS is a Muslim organisation, and they are a cancer at the heart of Islam. And the problem will not go away until Muslims confront that.

ISIS attackers scream 'Allah hu'akbar' during their attacks.

ISIS recruits cite Qur'anic verses as justification for the rape and enslavement of women.

ISIS soldiers kill archaeologists, gay men and women, and people who refuse to convert to Islam because they are blasphemers.

There are no Christians in ISIS. There are no Buddhists, Jews, Pagans, Taoists, Houngans, Catholics, Wiccans, Hindus or even Scientologists in ISIS. ISIS is a Muslim organisation and they kill in the name of Islam.

So don't say that ISIS aren't 'true Muslims' or that they are 'not really Muslims'. Like any large organisation, ISIS exists in a spectrum. You have the aimless, restless teenager who never amounted to anything in his life and travelled to Syria because he can't find a job and doesn't know if the Qur'an is to be read from left to right or right to left.

But you also have pious professionals, businessmen, and academics who read their Qur'an cover to cover, pray every day, were seduced into radicalism, and truly believe that the Islamic State's goal of conquest is a noble one. The so-called 'Caliph' Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has a doctorate in Islamic studies.

So if you feel that Muslims are being oppressed or killed in Muslim countries, I expect you to also be just as outraged by ISIS. Because they have killed more Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Jordan than the entire US army. They have done more damage to the name and reputation of Islam than any Western nation. ISIS is Islam's biggest enemy, not the US, not Israel or France or Germany or the Russians.

We have to own the problem. We have to admit that this is a religious problem, and we need to renew our commitment to a secular country which treats all religions equally.

I have believed in the importance of secularism all my life, and with every day that passes that belief grows stronger. Religion is no way to govern a nation. Not any religion, and not any nation.

ISIS is not America's problem, nor the British, nor the French. ISIS is not Syria or Iraq's problem. ISIS is a problem for Muslims. And if you can't admit that, you're not really a good Muslim either.

#LibertyFraternityEquality
#LongLiveTheRepublic

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Malaysia: Only a Corrupt Minister like B-G Jamil can prosper under Najib
by Mariam Mokhtar
http://www.malaysiakini.com

Malays and Muslims need to start thinking! Within a matter of days, the federal minister, Jamil Khir Baharom, lost a huge amount of credibility when he was hit by a series of allegations regarding abuse of funds meant for orphans and the needy. Damning revelations were made about his overseas trip for work-cum-golfing holiday.

Amazingly, the day before these allegations came to light, Jamil Khir had attempted to stop another vocal critic of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) from making his views known.

Perhaps, it is time that Jamil Khir stops taking the moral high ground in his retaliation against Tawfik Ismail’s urging that Jakim be disbanded. Jamil Khir is being disingenuous when he said , “Views that Jakim should be abolished are not in line with the demands of the federal constitution. The constitution has to be respected, by all parties.”

Tawfik (photo), who is the the eldest son of the former deputy PM Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, had been critical of Jakim’s role and said, “I think Jakim should be abolished. I don’t think Jakim should exist. What is the government afraid of? You have 13 muftis, with 13 different fatwas and 13 different ways of approaching it (religion).

“What is the purpose of JAKIM? Halal certificates? That can go to the Health Ministry, or the Trade Ministry. What else does JAKIM do? Print the Quran? We have a communications minister.”

Jamil Khir has selective amnesia.In May 2015, a lawyer representing the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) questioned the federal constitution’s validity under Islamic law. Jamil Khir also happens to be MAIWP’s chairperson, so he cannot pretend he was not aware of this lawyer’s actions.

The problem arose when MAIWP and the Attorney-General’s Chamber (AGC) appealed against a Court of Appeal ruling that allowed non-Muslim lawyers to practise as Syariah lawyers in the Syariah courts of the Federal Territories.

A non-Muslim lawyer, Victoria Jayaseele Martin, graduated with a Diploma in Syariah Laws and Practice from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) Malaysia in 2004. The 53-year-old wanted to be admitted as a Syariah lawyer in the Federal Territories.

The Court of Appeal declared that Rule 10 of the Rules of the Syariah Lawyers 1993, declared that only Muslims could practise as Syariah lawyers.

The Court of Appeal had overturned a High Court decision which prevented Martin’s judicial review, ruling that MAIWP had powers under the law to set conditions for admitting Syariah lawyers.

So, today, Jamil Khir admonishes Tawfik for his suggestion to dissolve JAKIM, because it would be “against the wish of the federal constitution”, and warned Tawfik that “all parties should respect the constitution”. In a further retaliation against Tawfik, Jamil Khir said, “We also need to realise that Islam has been a major factor to our stability, and it is this stability that has made Malaysia a model Islamic country.”

Sliding down the slippery slope

No, Jamil, you are wrong! Islam has been used by the government to divide its people. Malaysia is not a model Islamic country. It is sliding down the slippery slope to extremism.

Article 3 of the constitution states that “Islam is the religion of the Federation”, but all religions will be practised in peace and harmony throughout the Federation. We are a secular society, and we have a secular constitution.

Malaysians are at the mercy of extremist Malay and Muslim NGOs, and the religious authorities which assert excessive authority.The extremists, and those who represent religious authorities, have their own interpretations of Islam, which are very shallow. In short, they have hijacked the religion.

How many more atrocities, like the conversion of minors, the ban on the word ‘Allah’, and Bible seizures should Malaysians be subjected to?

The hounding of the bookstore manager, Nik Raina Nik Abdul Aziz (photo), was an unprecedented and relentless persecution. A waste of time and resources, which would have mentally harmed a weaker person. The lower end of the social scale is subject to khalwat raids.

UMNO Baru’s support for Kelantan’s dream of implementing hudud, is also against the constitution. JAKIM and Jamil Khir both attempt to implement rules for women’s dress, but do very little to address the issue of incest in the villages.

Jamil Khir is pretending to be a highly religious Muslim, but he is merely an UMNO Baru propagandist whose job is to deceive the Muslims of Malaysia and make them think that they should give up their constitutional rights, in preference for the UMNO Baru Muslim rights which are non-existent, and which are tearing this nation apart.

The government uses Islam to work on and subjugate the Malay mind. They use religion as their ‘bargaining chip with which one cannot argue’.

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Disband Islamofascist JAKIM?
by Farouk A. Peru
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

I was enthralled to read Tawfik Ismail’s statement a few days ago which called for the abolishment of the Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM). I am a keen supporter of Tawfik’s nephew, Tariq Ismail and his constitutionalist movement and feel that this is all we need for a national revitalisation. His uncle Tawfik Ismail’s call therefore is long overdue.

Despite its name (and the operative word being ‘kemajuan’ or development/growth/advancement) JAKIM has not contributed anything worthwhile to the development of Islam in Malaysia. Their Facebook and Twitter accounts have no discussion at all on Islamic philosophy, but is rather about puerile pictures!

On the other hand, they have practised Islamofascist policies which have repressed Malaysian Muslims than anyone else and turned them into religious consumers.

The claim that JAKIM is needed arises from the constitutional provision that ‘Islam is the official religion of the federation’. However, this is a non-sequitur. Islam being the religion of the federation has absolutely no link with the formation of JAKIM. This provision could be interpreted in many other ways, namely the idea that Islam is the identity of the majority of the people of the Federation or even that Islamic values are the values which carry the nation. Again, the interpretation of what constitutes ‘Islamic values’ is a matter of personal and interpretation.

Nowhere does the constitution state that the conservative fraternity of ulama is the sole guardian of the Faith, let alone in charge of Malay-Muslim lives. ‘Tangkap khalwat’ is most certainly absent from the list, yet it’s Jakim’s favourite activity.

As stated in the outset, JAKIM includes the term ‘Kemajuan’ (development, growth, advancement). What, pray tell, has JAKIM actually contributed to the development of Islam in the nation? The morale of Malay-Muslims are at their lowest ebb. From the point of view of education, JAKIM has not been able to motivate them towards stellar educational achievements. They may argue that this measurement is unfair considering that JAKIM is meant to be a religious establishment and should not affect ‘secular’ matters, but if this is true, then JAKIM has no jurisdiction outside the mosque!

Sadly, they would like to have their cake and eat it as well. JAKIM’s “protectionist” approach to Islam in the nation is not meant for the Malay-Muslims, but for their own rice bowl. When Tawfik Ismail made his clarion call, JAKIM officials were quick to point out that Jakim is needed for the protection against Shia-ism, liberal Islam and ISIS.

These claims are highly dubious for the following reasons. Shiaism is a recognised form of Islam and has been since the beginning of Islamic civilization and culture. No less that the former Egyptian mufti himself (and de facto head of Al-Azhar, the oldest existing Islamic university in the world) acknowledged Shiaism as the ‘fifth school of Islamic law’.

In Malaysia, Shiaism has been proliferating for decades and arguably for centuries (if one considers reverence of the Prophet’s family as Shia doctrine). Malay Islam (what Jokowi calls ‘Islam Nusantara’) has had no problem with Shiaism until now.

Since the rise of Saudi Arabia with its money and influence, Shia-phobia has also risen accordingly. There are many Wahabi influenced priests in JAKIM and it is only UMNO’s myopia which prevents them from understanding the implications of Shia-phobia.

UMNO (led by the now deposed hero Muhyiddin Yassin) rode high on this Shia-phobia a year ago and even wanted to change the constitution to provide that ‘Islam’ in the constitution meant their own brand of Islam. This shows that this parochialism was never intended to begin with.JAKIM’s hostility towards ‘Liberal Islam’ arises from the fact that the latter empowers Muslims to think for themselves and thus render JAKIM redundant. Are they really protecting Muslims or in reality, like their manoeuvres against the Shia, simply protecting themselves?

Their declaration against ISIS is even more dubious than the first two. ISIS’ brand of Islam is not much different from JAKIM’s own. The only difference is the level of violence involved. While ISIS is totally uninhibited about the use of violence, JAKIM has to operate under secular law. If it did not, then it would be operating under the very same ancient Arab cultural laws as ISIS. Ask a JAKIM official what should be done to people who leave Islam and you will see.

One must ask this question though – if JAKIM really is for the protection of Islam, why do they not utter a single peep against the racist doctrines of Ketuanan Melayu and Bumiputraism. Why did JAKIM charge Nik Raina for a crime she did not commit. Arguably, this should be the first fatwa they issue because, if they are to protect the akidah (faith, theology), then being the so-called stellar experts that they are, they should know that racism is utterly deplorable in Islam (notwithstanding the Red shirts rally recently where a Minister said he was proud to be an Islamic racist). Perhaps that is also why PERKASA, the ultra racist Malay organization, was the first to ask Tawfik to retract!

It is the same with the austere living of the Prophet. If JAKIM really was following in the footsteps of the Prophet, they would not need billions of ringgit to run their activities. They should be content by simply living in the most frugal manner. However, it seems that they even allow for VVIP ablution areas in the mosques! This shows that their religiosity is perverted. In the mosque, the rich and power pray along side the downtrodden to God because in the eyes of the Almighty God we are created equal. Do we have separate cemetery for VVIPs?

JAKIM needs to be reformed or failing that, be totally disband. They can reform by bringing in scholars from other disciplines (such as philosophy, sciences) in order to balance their religious parochialism. Organise open dialogues with Shia, Ahmadiyya, Liberal, Quranist and other Muslims. Include other faiths or even people of no faith at all and discuss how best to benefit humanity.

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In Malaysia Islam is big business
by Azrul Mohd. Khalib
http://www.themalaymailonline.com

There exists a reality which has been present ever since men discovered organised religion: organised religion as big bsiness.

There are countless examples from history. In ancient Egypt, people would voluntarily give offerings to the cult of Pharaoh in the belief that they were living gods or descended from divinity. Jesus flipped out when he saw the moneylenders at their tables in the temple with the sheep, oxen and pigeons on sale. Martin Luther was so upset about the selling of indulgences as a method of fundraising that he raised hell by nailing 95 objections to the door of a church.

In more recent times and in our cozy corner of the world, we have seen examples of priests driving luxury cars, wearing expensive watches and living lifestyles more suited to the rich and famous. Just last month, the court decision of a corruption scandal convicting the leaders of a mega church and involving fraud of millions in funds rocked Singapore.

So, being part of organised religion especially in the leadership, can be a lucrative and profitable enterprise both personally and for the faith, of course. It should be no surprise to anyone that those involved would fight tooth and nail on any move which threatens the status quo.

Over the past few weeks, we have heard the bleating and baying of protests from officials, personalities and politicians in response to revelations and accusations alleging the misuse of funds earmarked and intended for religious and humanitarian purposes.

Make no mistake, the amount of money involved in the administration, development and enforcement of Islam in Malaysia is huge. And it involves the use of money from both Muslim and non-Muslim taxpayers. That must be made clear as there is often a mistaken belief, particularly among Muslims that everything dealing with Islamic religious expenditure comes solely from Muslims and that non-Muslims have no right to object or comment on how expenditure is done.

However, regardless of the source of the funds, these religious affiliated bodies must justify the major provisions made to them and also be held accountable, like all other government institutions.

The allocation (2015:RM783 million; 2014: RM 806 million) given to the Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) under the Prime Minister’s Department gets most of the attention and the fuss as it is visible under the federal budget. It is one of the largest allocations under the Prime Minister’s Department.

However, when the different allocations for the Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri under the individual state budgets including that of the Federal Territory are combined and counted in, the annual amount is closer to more than RM 1.2 billion.

The figure increases further when the costs of running the offices of the state muftis, and bodies related to administration of Islamic justice such as the Shariah courts and judiciary, are taken into consideration.

Last year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom was happy to announce that the 2013 collection of zakat (tithes) from Muslims in Malaysia had exceeded RM2.2 billion. In fact, data from the Centre for Zakat Collection (Pusat Pungutan Zakat) also indicates that contributions appreciate on an average of around 20 per cent each year. That is a lot of money and it is good that there is such a large amount available for humanitarian and welfare purposes as the need these days is quite great.

Unfortunately, we seem to be good at collecting but less efficient or diligent in delivering much-needed assistance to the intended recipients and beneficiaries.

Despite the fact that zakat can only be used to help those of the Islamic faith (as opposed to sedekah which is for anyone) and with such large amounts available annually, there are still too many who are being left out or denied help and assistance.

For reasons which range from the moral and undesirable (e.g. being transgender persons, sex workers, living with HIV and AIDS) to the bureaucratic (incomplete paperwork, no address of residence, non-Malaysian), many, especially the poor, homeless and destitute, are left with hands outstretched hoping to receive money and access to services which ironically were established to help and serve them but remain out of reach.

Knowing of this and seeing so many in need has led many Muslims in Malaysia to wonder where the zakat money has gone to despite the huge amounts collected each year. It is an increasing trend for those fulfilling their religious obligation to do so directly to the poor and needy. Simply put, most of those who do so no longer trust the authorities to distribute their zakat.

The recent arrogant and baseless statement by Dato’ Che Mat Che Ali, chair of the Federal Territory Zakat Centre (PPZ-MAIWP) that Malaysian Muslims are committing a sin when they do so lends strength to this distrust. His assertion that such donors were more likely to be generous to “cute widows” or “eloquent speakers”, rather than those truly in need, was really offensive and likely to result in a backlash with more people electing to bypass the PPZ.

Transparency and accountability of funds related to religious bodies is an issue which appears to not be taken seriously by those in authority. Senator Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki recently stated that the two overseas courses by the Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (Yapeim) ― reportedly costing RM290,000 to organise ― were part of the government’s efforts to stop the spread of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) in Malaysia.

Maybe he thinks that we are all stupid or gullible but it is laying it quite thick to expect Malaysians to believe that you had to go all the way to Paris (the city of love!) to do that.

This is on top of the earlier allegations that Jamil Khir, his wife and their entourage had used over RM400,000 in Yapeim funds meant for orphans to pay for an eight-day trip to the US which included shopping sprees and games of golf.

Amidst the fallout came the revelations that this government-backed foundation made a combined annual revenue of RM1.034 billion from 16 profit-making subsidiaries. More than half a million people contribute monthly to Yapeim through a monthly salary deduction scheme which is expected to bring in RM65.73 million this year. A pawn broking business (Ar-Rahnu) is also expected to bring in RM83 million by the end of 2015. Sounds like a successful business.

Let’s not kid ourselves. When it comes to Islam in Malaysia, it is a business. And everyone wants to get a piece of the pie, enjoy the perks and benefits and make a bit of money on the side. All for the faith, of course.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

The book I bought has a different cover image,
but I choose this one because, this is exactly
how I imagine Mr. Penumbra's bookstore
looks like

                     
Finished this book by Robin Sloan about two weeks ago. Loved the way it is written. For me, the language and the terms used are very modern and really chic. To me, there are energy, freshness and conciseness in the way things are described in this book.

It is about a group of young people who are very determined to decode some old books in order to find out the mystery of eternal life. Their drive and determination move me and compel me to read as fast as possible to find out what happens next. Even though the ending is a bit of an anticlimax, I still think this is a good read.

Book Summary
Clay Jannon loses his job as a marketing designer and finds himself at the heart of San Francisco's most unusual bookstore. Clay works the graveyard shift, and under strict instructions from the owner—Mr. Penumbra—must catalogue each transaction with customers. However, Clay soon learns that this is no ordinary bookstore. For instance, the customers do not pay for their books, but rather, borrow them. Also, Clay must enter each customer's appearance, attitude, and aura into the customer journal. All of this information is for use by the owner.

As the mystery of Clay's job envelops him (where does Mr. Penumbra get the funds to pay him?), he decides to break the rules and conduct his own covert operation with his friends Raj, Neel, Mat, and Jad. Additionally he enlists the help of his new, amazingly talented and impressively intelligent girlfriend, Kat. Together, the team of friends uncovers the great mystery behind the “Waybacklist,” a set of encrypted books on the store's shelves.

During Clay's investigation, the troupe travels cross-country to uncover the secrets of the “Waybacklist,” not the least of which turns out to be a Knights Templar group, the Unbroken Spine. This “bibliophile cult” is not only made up of the patrons of Penumbra's bookstore, but also its parent store in Manhattan, run by Penumbra's old friend and boss, Corvina.

Via secret meetings, the Unbroken Spine seeks to decode the Founder's Puzzle, developed by Aldus (Teobaldo) Manutius, a 16th century printer and founder of the Unbroken Spine. Manutius used scholars and scribes to produce first editions of classics like Aristotle and Plato. Most importantly, though, he composed the Codex Vitae, the book of life, which contains the answer to life's greatest question: how do you live forever?

The Unbroken Spine, who works to decode the Codex Vitae, believes that once that secret is unlocked, every member of the Unbroken who has even died will live again. So, their life's work is to find the clues Manutius left hidden in those first volumes to ultimately achieve immortality. Corvina believes the only way to do this is through careful readings by the members, while Penumbra wants to take things into the 21st century by using computers to aid their way.

To help his cause, Penumbra takes Clay and his friends to “The Reading Room,” a catacomb of books where the Unbroken Spine holds their meetings. While there, Clay is able to secretly acquire and copy the only volume of the codex vitae of Manutius. From there, he uses the work of Gerritszoon, the man Manutius hired for a typeface to sustain his new printing house. Using both technology and his close reading skills, Clay ultimately unveils to the group that the tiny notches in Gettitszoon's typeface are indeed the code they've sought. He uses these to decode the Codex Vitae and a message hidden in the typeface itself: “Thank you, Teobaldo. You are my greatest friend. This has been the key to everything.”

Disappointed by this anticlimactic message, the Unbroken Spine disbands. However, Clay and Mr. Penumbra start a consulting company for other companies interested in the intersections between books and technology. Clay writes a novel about his journey to uncover the Codex Vitae, and the most important lesson he learned: only through careful work and friendship can immortality be achieved through the written word.

Where Things Come Back

Nowadays a lot of the time, if it is possible, all I wanna do is read, read and read. Just happened to get hold of some very good books and reading become more and more seductive for me. So, today, yesterday and day before yesterday, in between doing whatever household chores that I have to do, including of course taking care of my three furry kids, driving out to buy food or provisions, I was glued to this page-turner book by John Corey Whaley. Finished it by lunchtime today, yeahh!! Yet I felt a little sad that it is finished. I have to leave all the characters and they will be detached from my mind when I start another book hu hu hu. I love the characters is this book, especially the protagonist, young Cullen Witter. That is the power of a good story for me.

The book is geared for young adults. The main character Cullen Witter is seventeen and about half of all the chapters in the book are narrated by him in the first person. It is a story about families, about young people embarking on furthering their education, finding romantic love, discovering who he or she is, finding their callings in the world. It also about friendship, brotherly love and dealing with losses in the form of being rejected by one's family,  broken relationships, deaths or losing a beloved brother. The strong bond between Cullen and his brother Gabriel and between Cullen and his friend Lucas Cader really touched me to the core.

When Cullen's mother has a nervous breakdown about two months after Gabriel disappears I am reminded of my late mum's
withdrawal into a shell, after my younger brother and my sister-in-law died in a car crash about twenty-two years ago. It took her a few months to overcome her grief and even that I think some part of her was never the same again after that.

                           
                                            

Plot Summary
Lily, Arkansas is a small town where things come back. John Corey Whaley describes small town living with all of its idiosyncrasies from the perspective of a young man named Cullen Witter, Cullen and his family live in Lily and have been there long enough to be a fixture of the town. When Cullen's younger brother simply disappears without a trace one day, Cullen and his best friend Lucas are devastated. Cullen's mother and father, and Gabriel's best friend, Libby Truett, are also shocked and unhappy. Despite an extensive search, no trace of Gabriel can be found.

Cullen and his family work their way through the stages of grief. Lucas sleeps on Cullen's floor more often than not, having lost his own brother, and for the most part adopted Cullen and Gabriel as surrogates. Two weeks after Gabriel's disappearance, a man named John Barling show up in town, having come from Oregon, and insists that he's seen a Lazarus woodpecker, considered extinct for the last sixty years. He causes more commotion than Gabriel's disappearance does, and breeds a great deal of resistance as a result.

At the same time, Benton Sage is being sent on his first mission on behalf of his church. Reverend Hughes, responding to a request from Rameel Desta, sends Benton to Ethiopia. Benton is excited at first, and ready to do God's work, but life as a missionary is not at all what he expected it to be. Rameel takes him from town to town where they hand out food and medicine, and talk about God. Benton thinks his talents are wasted here and that there is little being done in the way of bringing these people to God. He sends a letter to the Reverend, asking to be relieved. Six weeks later, an envelope with a plane ticket home arrives, and Benton leaves Ethiopia. When he returns, expecting to be given a different assignment, Reverend Hughes tells him that he should rethink his plans to serve the church. Even his own father is so disappointed in Benton that he won't speak to him. Benton decides to accept one of the scholarship offers and returns to school at the University of Atlanta where he meets Cabot Searcy. When Benton commits suicide on Christmas, Cabot is tasked with boxing up his things. In the process, he discovers Benton's journal, which leads him to the Book of Enoch, and the beginning of a quest that will consume him.

He meets and marries Alma Ender (as a result of a pregnancy scare) who left Lily to live with her grandmother in Atlanta and go to University. When she tires of his inability to hold a job of any kind, and leaves him to return to Lily, he follows her, convinced that he can talk her into coming home. Alma believes she is home, and asks him to sign the divorce papers she sent, and leave her alone. When she adds that she has a date, Cabot is crushed. He can't just go home. Instead, he hangs around a convenience store until he discovers where he can find Cullen Witter, drives to his house and when a young man comes out, he presumes it is Cullen. He lures him closer, and after bashing him in the head with a flashlight, pushes him into the trunk. When Gabriel wakes sometime later, he has no idea where he is or why. Cabot will hold Gabriel for weeks, convinced that he is the angel Gabriel and that God had sent him to repair the damage that he had done the first time. Gabriel must maintain his composure in order to keep his life, while his family struggles with the idea that he might be dead. When he finally returns to Lily, and Cullen sees him walking up the driveway, he isn't sure Gabriel is real at first. He touches him without speaking and then knows for sure that in Lily, things come back.

Ways To Live Forever

                       

I had just finished reading this gripping, heart-wrenching book by Sally Nicholls. I always adore well-written books for children or for young adults. It is good to remember what it is like to be a child, to think and reason like like a child. Sometimes issues become simpler and less quarrelsome when viewed through the eyes of a child. Adults tend to complicate matters with our prejudice and hidden agenda.

Back to the book, the story revolves around an 11 year-old boy named Sam McQueen. It is narrated in the first person by Sam himself. Sam has leukaemia and only have a few months to live. Because of the sickness Sam is home-schooled together with 14 year-old Felix Stranger who is also terminally ill with cancer. Sam first meets Felix while he is being hospitalised.

When their teacher Mrs. Willis suggests that he keep a journal, Sam decides to go a step further and write a book about his take on the situation. His book is a combination of questions, lists, observations, facts and journal-type entries. The most important list in his book is the one with the things he'd like to accomplish in his life: ride in an airship, break a world record, watch horror films, see Earth from outer space, go up a down-escalator, and do teenage things like smoke, drink, and have a girlfriend. He is amazed when his friend Felix helps him realise that his list can be so much more than a "wish" list -- he really can accomplish these things, one way or another.

Summary
Sam McQueen has lived 11 years, and so far it’s been a gruelling journey. Diagnosed with leukaemia at age six, he has been in and out of hospitals, dealing with endless nosebleeds, always feeling tired, and surviving the torturous bouts of chemotherapy. The doctors thought they had beaten the cancer, but it always comes back. This time, they suspect the worst and give Sam about a year to live.

Not all of Sam’s life has been horrid. He has two awesome parents and a younger sister named Ella who love him very much. And then there’s Felix, who he met at the hospital. Felix also has cancer, but it’s a different kind. Although Felix is two years older than Sam, they became best friends almost immediately. The two of them together spell “trouble” and present a big challenge to the nurses, like the time they snack around the hospital corridors playing spy games.

Sam and Felix have school together three days a week at Sam’s house. Their teacher, Mrs. Willis, usually makes it fun and doesn’t push them to do boring stuff. In fact, she gave Sam the idea to start his very own book, in which he will talk about his life and coping with cancer. Included will be all of the lists that he and Felix make: his favourite things, what he looks like, what to do when someone dies, ways to live forever, and questions that nobody will answer. He also has a list of goals to accomplish, such as seeing a ghost, flying in a blimp, kissing a girl, and going up the down escalator. He never really expects to perform these activities, but with the encouragement of Felix, he starts crossing things off his list.

Eventually, both Sam and Felix’s health begins to fade. Sam knows they don’t have long to live, and the idea of death is never far from his mind. But he doesn’t let it stop him from taking advantage of the time he has left, or loving those most important to him.

Sally Nicholls has written an amazing story that will forever touch those who read it. Her very real character of Sam will wiggle into your heart with his honesty  and openness, and no one will be able to refuse his sincere invitation to share in his challenging life. His quizzical mind asks the questions everyone wants answered, and his heart- and soul-touching story may even provide some possible answers. Nicholls writes with a childlike openness and sense of humour that, along with its page-turning intensity, will have the book finished all too soon. However, becoming Sam’s friend and sharing in his special story will allow readers to carry a part of him in their hearts forever.
Two of Sam's lists are shown below.