Win a Free Copy of A VIOLENT LIGHT

WIN A FREE COPY OF JIM’S NEW THRILLER!

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To be eligible to win one of 3 giveaway copies of A VIOLENT LIGHT, here’s all you have to do:

 

  • Post a review of at least 2 sentences of SOMEONE HAS TO DIE or A WAY OUT OF HELL to one of the sites listed below*, or on your Facebook page or blog
  • The more sites you post on, the more chances you have to win
  • Email me at jimbaton@gmail.com telling me where you posted
  • Your name will be entered as many times as you post for a random drawing on Christmas Eve 2016

Winners will be emailed and posted on my website by Christmas Day, books shipped by New Year’s Day.

 

*Suggested sites:

If you haven’t read one of these books yet, pick up the ebook now or mark your calendar for Black Friday–Cyber Monday when the paperbacks will be on sale for only $8.99.

Spread the message of PEACE for the holidays!

1001 Ways to Die in America

cemetary   I’ve been criticized for not treating the threat of a Muslim terrorist sneaking into the US posing as a refugee as real. Let me be clear—that is a real threat. The events in Chattanooga and San Bernadino last year (19 killed) and Orlando this year (49 killed) remind us that there are Muslims motivated by hate who are willing to kill Americans.

At the same time, I’d like to bring some perspective to the actual danger this poses to you, because the fear of Muslim refugees that is saturating our media has been blown all out of proportion. Yes, there is a danger you may be killed by a Muslim refugee this year. There is also a danger you might have a tree fall on your head. And guess which one is more likely? The falling tree by a long shot.

Let’s take a look at some actual statistics to determine how likely a Muslim refugee terrorist might be to cause your death. Is it really worth your anxiety, or would your worries be better invested somewhere else?

Here’s what I discovered. Statistically speaking, you’re more likely to be struck by lightning or die from a peanut allergy than to die in a Muslim terrorist attack. In fact, you’re 10 times more likely to die by falling out of your own bed. You’re about 80 times more likely to die by walking across the street. You’re nearly 100 times more likely to die by texting while driving. And you’re 700 times more likely to die by choosing to kill yourself.

That doesn’t even account for the truly great killers among us, such as poor eating habits, the consumption of tobacco, alcohol or drugs, or being the victim of a medical error (your doctor or nurse is 4000 times more likely to kill you!).

There are so many ways to die in America it’s crazy. But dying at the hand of a Muslim terrorist is about as likely as discovering you had a long-lost identical twin. Last year’s statistics show that more Americans were shot and killed by toddlers with guns than by Islamic terrorists!

And check this out—in all of 2015, do you know how many deaths in America were caused by Muslim refugees or illegal aliens? Zero. As in none. It never happened. (American citizens and permanent residents were responsible for Chattanooga, San Bernadino and Orlando.)

So if America needs to close our borders or banish somebody or something, how about we start with tobacco, alcohol, fast food and incompetent medical professionals? Then we can move on to cell phones, peanuts, beds, trees and lightning. Next we’ll get rid of toddlers. Then we can deal with those nasty, dangerous Muslim refugees.

For more insight on your deadliest enemies, check out 2016’s latest statistics at: http://www.romans322.com/daily-death-rate-statistics.php

Some of you may think I’m wrong. You’re welcome to argue your point! Go ahead and comment below.

My hope is that you live a long and fear-free life. The world needs your love.

My Voice, Your Voice, His Voice

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It’s always a good feeling to be interviewed—whether on television or by a child doing homework for AWANA—it’s affirming to know that someone wants to hear what I have to say, that my voice is being heard.

Honestly, I don’t have much to say about 99% of the issues in our world. I love to listen to what others are saying, and do my best to hear God’s voice amidst the chatter. But there are a few issues that I care deeply about, to which I’ve given my life.

So if you’d like to hear my thoughts about any of the following topics (and much more!), in a moment I’ll direct you to three new places to connect with me!

  • What inspired you to write about ISIS?
  • Is ISIS coming to America?
  • Are jihad attacks more likely to come from refugees, illegal immigrants, or US citizens?
  • Is Islam a peaceful religion, or are its true followers those who promote violence?
  • What could healing Abraham’s broken family look like today?
  • What authors or books have influenced you?
  • What’s your favorite book of all time?
  • What’s your response to this current presidential election?

You can find recent interviews I’ve done at the following websites:

http://mybookplace.net/jim-baton/

https://anita-thoughtsonchristianity.blogspot.co.id/

Also, if you drop by your local Christian bookstore and pick up the November issue (already on shelves today) of Today’s Christian Living magazine, you’ll find my award-winning article, “Christmas with a Killer.”

I take the responsibility of my platform to speak very seriously. If you have a blog, Facebook page, magazine, newsletter, church or small group, and you’d like me to write something for you on the topics of Islam, peacemaking, writing, or prayer, please contact me!

And whatever platform God has given you, I hope you are developing the message He wants you to speak into your sphere of influence. Your voice needs to be heard! It’s time for us to believe that His voice can speak through your voice and my voice.

Donald Trump Jr, Skittles & Syrian Refugees

skittlescandypictureLast week Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a picture of a bowl of Skittles with this message:

“If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you. Would you take a handful? That’s our Syrian refugee problem.”

Like many others who protested, I am grieved by the casualness by which someone from a nation at peace can dismiss the horrible sufferings of those fleeing their own nation as victims of terrorism.

The New York Times shares some of the criticism Trump Jr. received after his tweet, including this classic from Binyamin Appelbaum: “Pause to reflect on the fact that this was sent from an iPhone, which was created by [Steve Jobs] the son of a Syrian immigrant.”

Check out the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/21/us/politics/donald-trump-jr-faces-backlash-after-comparing-syrian-refugees-to-skittles-that-can-kill.html

Not only is it cavalier to compare candy to victims of unspeakable atrocities, the “bowl of Skittles” image makes us feel like there’s a high percent chance that someone in the room eating Skittles will die. But both the vetting process and statistics argue otherwise.

John Oliver explains the incredibly difficult 18-24 month process it usually takes for a Syrian refugee to enter America. Step 1 is applying to the UNHCR which generally rejects 99% of applicants. For the lucky 1%, it’s on to Step 2, applying to the US State Department. This includes security screenings by the National Counterterrorism Center, the FBI, Homeland Security, and then extra screenings specifically for Syrians. There is an interview, fingerprinting and a health screening, and the Director of the FBI has to sign off on every single Syrian refugee! Step 3 is cultural orientation, while continued research goes on in the background to make sure no new information would disqualify the refugee. This is the most thorough vetting of anyone in the world trying to gain refugee status in America.

The statistics also refute the Skittles analogy. If there are 3 poison Skittles in a bowl of 300, that’s 1 in 100. But both the New York Times article and John Oliver point to statistics that say 1 in tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, or even more would be more accurate.

Check out John Oliver’s video clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U-t3GetV_Q

If we deny all Syrian refugees out of fear that one will be a terrorist, what kind of uncompassionate, short-sighted protectionism is this? We could be missing out on a Jerry Seinfeld, Paula Abdul, Johnny Manziel, and as previously mentioned, Steve Jobs.

I’d like to offer a better parallel than Skittles—Italian immigrants to America. The power of the mafia peaked in Italy in the early to mid-1900s. They expanded their operations to other countries including the US, bringing crime and death in their wake. What if we had discovered 60-100 years ago that 1 in 250,000 Italian Americans had connections to the mafia? Should we have closed our doors to Italian immigrants as well? Think of all the trouble it would have saved us!

But we didn’t, and I’m so glad we didn’t! Would American history have been the same without Frank Sinatra, Lee Iacocca, Jack Nicholson, Yogi Berra, Madonna, Jay Leno, Quentin Tarantino, Vince Lombardi, Jon Bon Jovi, Robert DeNiro, Mario Cuomo, Dan Marino, Lady Gaga, Mario Puzo, Rachel Ray, Ray Romano, Selena Gomez, Tommy Lasorda, Rudy Giuliani, Hulk Hogan, Henry Mancini, Sylvester Stallone, Harry Caray, Bradley Cooper, Joe Montana, Bruce Springsteen, Wolfgang Puck, Vin Diesel, Ariana Grande, Nancy Pelosi, Kate Hudson, Mario Andretti, Alicia Keys, John Travolta, Jennifer Aniston, Phil Mickelson, Steve Carell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Demi Lovato, the Jacuzzi family, the Jonas brothers, Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito, several Nobel Prize winners, plus several thousand more Americans with Italian heritage who are household names? Remove all of them from our history—unimaginable! America wouldn’t be America without them.

Syrians are not Skittles. They are hurting people, victims of the same terrorism we hate. They are also intelligent, skilled, creative human beings who might invent whatever will come after the iPhone. Let’s welcome them with open arms and see how they make our nation of immigrants a richer place.

For Aspiring Writers

write-593333_1920   Everywhere I travel and speak, I meet people who are writing or wanting to write. I want to encourage you to go for it! There have never been as many tools and services available for writers as we have now. Professional editors, cover artists, formatters, and marketers are available to make sure the self-published author produces a quality book. And if you want to learn how to do everything yourself, there are tutorials everywhere.

I’ve also met so many helpful people along my writing journey who have taken time to answer my questions, inspire me, or point me in the right direction. If any of you have questions about writing, I’d be happy to do my best to answer them too.

An easy way to ask me what’s on your mind is by adding to the questions I’m already answering at:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/5813900.Jim_Baton/questions

Take a look there at what I’ve already said and add your own writing process queries.

[Please ask questions related to Christian-Muslim relations on my blog Q&A page.]

And if you’ve already written a book but can’t seem to get people to buy it, let me encourage you to not only keep learning about marketing, but to get to work on that second book! I recently read that Ted Dekker (one of my favorite authors) wrote 4 books that were never published before someone liked his 5th book and his career was launched.

I recognize that in the process of writing my first few books, I’m still learning the craft. Hopefully each book gets significantly better.

That’s one reason I’m so excited about my next book hopefully coming out before Christmas—A VIOLENT LIGHT—I think it’s the best written of my books yet. It will keep you on the edge of your seat, puzzling with the main character to figure out what is fear and what is real, with a nail-biting climax that could keep you up all night.

But more about my new book later. Today’s post is to motivate you to a) ask questions, and b) keep writing!

The Best Way to Remember 9/11

0381Remembering 9/11 can be a sobering time for our nation. The terrorism-caused tragedy traumatized our country in a way few other events ever could. Unfortunately, some choose to use this memory to stir up fear, prejudice and rejection of Muslims.

Others, however, choose to respond in a more positive way. September 11 has now become the date of highest charitable giving in the US–how redemptive is that! Some are choosing to remember by praying for our nation on 9/11. And some are going a step further, to building new relationships with Muslims for peace.

I say this all the time in my blog posts–the best way to ensure that jihadist recruiters in America never get welcomed into a Muslim home is for that home to already have non-Muslim American friends in the living room, helping our Muslim neighbors to feel like they belong in our community.

My good friend Thomas Davis sent me this powerful 5-minute video link to a remarkable church who is doing exactly that. Everyone in America should see this–

https://upstanders.starbucks.com/episodes/04-the-mosque-across-the-street.html

I challenge all my Christian friends today to a fresh commitment, to remember 9/11 by determining in our hearts to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

PS: My e-book SOMEONE HAS TO DIE is still on sale for only 0.99 right here– https://www.amazon.com/Jim-Baton/e/B01G9XGMWQ

Perhaps you know someone who needs to read it. Passing this book on is a great way to remember 9/11 too. 🙂

SPECIAL PROMO — SHTD only $0.99!

SHTD --- front cover, 2-22-12
In memory of 9/11, I’m offering the ebook version of SHTD for only $0.99 all through the month of September.*
*EXTENDED THROUGH OCTOBER 15!*
Or itunes, or Nook or Kobo, or several other ways: https://books2read.com/u/476Djm
After you read it, please post your review!
And if you know someone who might like this book, please forward them this blog post link!
Thank you! And may peace triumph over fear.

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The Battle for our Children

021 (2)A lovely young woman (we’ll call her “Star”) wearing a head covering came into our office recently to apply for the position of Peace Generation Coordinator that we had advertised. She already had a master’s degree and seemed to be from a family of some wealth, so I was surprised to hear how she spent her free time.

Star is a member of a social-change-focused group called “the Gus Durians” after Indonesia’s former president Gus Dur. As a bit of background, Gus Dur once was probably the most famous Muslim cleric in the nation, and a constant voice for righteousness against a corrupt and abusive government, when an ugly dispute between various parties in the parliament resulted in his name being put forward as a “neutral” choice for president. He wasn’t really equipped to be a politician, and after calling the squabbling legislators “a bunch of kindergartners” he was impeached.

However, Gus Dur is not remembered for that brief political implosion, but for his years of championing human rights and especially minority rights. For example, every year he took flak from his Muslim colleagues for attending Christmas services at a Christian church, in solidarity with this religious minority.

The Gus Durians have carried on his legacy after his death. Star and her small group have actively sought out every minority group they could find in our city to ascertain their needs and offer help and support in whatever way they could. They approached Christians, Buddhists, Ahmadiyah (a Muslim fringe group often persecuted as a “cult”), Communists, LGBT (homosexual activity is illegal in Indonesia), street kids, etc.

It’s the street kids’ story that I want to write about. My wife works with street kids, elementary school dropouts, beggars, trash-pickers, and other poor kids. On the recent Idul Fitri holiday, she served lunch to 80 of them in our home! But there are others working with street kids too.

Star discovered a half-way house for street kids in the high-crime district of our city. She and her friend sat with the leader to ask about his ministry. Then he began asking about their group, and when she mentioned searching for the LGBT community, he edged forward intensely, pressing them about where the homosexuals gather. At first they were taken aback and evaded his questions. As they probed deeper, they uncovered that this leader of the street kids’ ministry was also a member of FPI, the “Islamic Defenders Front,” that had attacked churches, burned down Ahmadiyah mosques, forcibly closed night clubs, and wanted to destroy the LGBT community as well! They felt fortunate they hadn’t given out any more information and got out of there as fast as they could!

All this to say…the battle between peacemaking and terrorism begins with our children. Our Peace Generation curriculum has already taught thousands of kids the values of peace, but we’re not the only voice in our city. Others are teaching the values of prejudice, hate and violence.

It’s too late if we wait until they grow up and join ISIS, then put a bounty on their heads and kill them. We need to act NOW to raise the children of our world to know that God loves them, and that He wants us to love all the other children of the world too. We must do all we can to raise a young generation—Christian, Muslim and other—with a new set of values of peace.

From North Carolina with (Fearless) Love

welcoming refugees   I just got back to our work in Indonesia after an encouraging month’s tour in the USA, promoting my book A WAY OUT OF HELL and meeting people with a similar passion for peace.

The most exciting stop on my tour was in North Carolina, where I reconnected with my dear friend and Peace Catalyst International colleague, Thomas Davis, an extraordinary bridge-builder and peacemaker both in his hometown and in several nations around the world. (You can read Thomas’s amazing stories at his blog: http://www.incomparabletreasure.com/. You can see his Muslim Christian Dinner Club, read his post on “Jesus–Messiah, Feminist, Friend of Outsiders, Savior of the World” and so much more.)

Thomas invited about 20 Christian friends to a dinner to hear me share about our peacemaking work in Indonesia, but I went home astounded at what Thomas’s friends are doing in their own communities!

  • Some are helping international students, including Muslims, to adapt to their new surroundings in America and find local friends who will care for them
  • Others are involved with some Iranian Muslims reading the Qur’an and the Bible together
  • Still others have joined Thomas’s Dinner Club, where several families from the church and from the mosque regularly eat together, rotating to different members’ houses, with no agenda except to enjoy one another’s friendship
  • Out of this Dinner Club came the idea of joining together to help refugees fleeing the Middle East. Can you imagine a Syrian family arriving in America, and at the airport a local Muslim family and a Christian family are waiting side-by-side to welcome them to America and help them start a brand new life? Isn’t that outrageously beautiful?

My last post asked some tough questions of my fellow Americans; my trip to North Carolina reassured me that there are still those Christians in America who have rejected fear and have chosen to reach out in love. “Love your enemy” was always meant to change us, for if we no longer see an enemy, but the object of our affections, we begin to see the whole world as “friends and future friends.”

If you feel emboldened to start something small in your hometown that builds bridges between Christians and Muslims, please let me know! Perhaps Thomas or myself or others would be able to help you take that first step.

America–land of the fearful, home of the no-longer-brave

fear[1]I want to talk about fear. About how fear is robbing America of its greatness and its destiny. And about how to find our courage again.

We have become a nation of panicky, terrified, paralyzed wimps. We’re so afraid that our confident, well-adjusted, highly educated children will lose their job to a Latino man struggling to provide for his starving children that we want to build a wall to keep our affluence in and keep others’ suffering out. Why not use those several billion dollars to help build the Mexican economy so people don’t resort to the desperate act of risking their lives to cross our border illegally? Whatever happened to “Love your neighbor (country)”?

We’re so afraid of violence one day affecting us that sweet old grandmothers are buying guns to “protect themselves.”  Do we really think that putting guns into as many hands as possible is the best way to live a safe life? Whatever happened to “If you try to save your life, you’ll lose it; but if you lose it for my sake, you’ll find it”?

We’re so afraid of one terrorist sneaking in, we want to close our borders to all Middle Eastern refugees, and send them where exactly? Send these desert dwellers to the uninhabited frozen tundras of Canada—where at least their visa applications are accepted? Whatever happened to “I was hungry and you offered me food, I was a stranger and you welcomed me…”?

We’re so afraid of lawsuits that when we see a child crying in the park we refuse to pick him up, give him a hug, or sometimes even get involved at all. If anything, we’ll call a cop to come interrogate the child, who also being cautious not to touch him, will try to find his parents to come and get him. Mark 10:16 tells us that Jesus took the children in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. Whatever happened to “If you welcome a child in my name, you welcome me”?

We are in danger of becoming the priest and the Levite in the Good Samaritan story—dedicated, God-fearing people who saw someone in need, but refused to get involved.

We want a love that is safe, that has no element of risk involved, that won’t be misunderstood, that won’t come back later and cost us something, that is clean and sterile. Only one problem—that’s not loving others, it’s loving ourselves.

Meanwhile the people around us live messy lives, are often misunderstood, and take risks just to survive each day. They exhibit far more courage than we do.

America didn’t used to be like this. There was a time when the whole world looked to us as the nation ready to help the down-and-out. They flooded to our shores, and were met by Lady Liberty, on whose statue are engraved these words:

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

We once carried the heart of God for the hurting: “Though you are poor or hungry or homeless or in prison or rejected or messy—My love is bigger than that.”

The Bible says that “perfect love casts out fear.” (I John 4:18) The Good Samaritan’s love was stronger than his cultural taboos, and gave him courage to help the very person who feared him.

Oh, that we would be filled with such a love of God that we could silence the whispering “What will people think?” and the “What if I get hurt?” and hear His Voice speaking: “How would Jesus love the person in front of me?”

Any coward can build a wall, point a gun, or turn their back and walk away. It takes true courage to risk loving at a personal cost. Following a Savior who was willing to lay His life down for even his enemies ought to stir us to open our arms as wide as His were opened.

May God give America the courage to once again say to the hurting of every age and color and nationality and religion and gender and social status and personal mess of a life—“Send these to me. My love is bigger than that.”