I’m happy to announce that my first novel on terrorism and peacemaking in Indonesia, SOMEONE HAS TO DIE, is now published in the Indonesian language (Bahasa Indonesia), and on sale here. I’ve been blessed with some amazing endorsements from leading Indonesian Muslims such as Abd. Rohim Ghazali (Executive Director of the Maarif Institute), Azaki KhoirudinContinue reading “Someone Has to Die in Indonesian!”
Tag Archives: Indonesia
A Halloween to Remember
Halloween—the dentists’ favorite holiday… My American friends who take a walk through their neighborhoods today will be greeted by an assortment of scary decorations in front of their neighbors’ homes: carved pumpkins, skeletons, witches, ghosts, gravestones, giant spiders, black cats, even skulls placed on a stick. In American culture, decorating homes like this is aContinue reading “A Halloween to Remember”
World Religions Quiz
How much do you know about world religions? A Pew Forum study of nearly 11,000 Americans done this year found that most of us can’t even correctly answer half of a basic world religions survey. Think you can beat the average? Take the survey here. I thought I should take the challenge since I teachContinue reading “World Religions Quiz”
“Baton Packs a Punch”
I was greatly encouraged to read this recent review of my writing on Amazon. The reviewer, Carolyn Klaus, kindly permitted me to post it here on my blog as well. Enjoy! I just finished A Way Out of Hell. Wow. It is a tightly woven thriller that has haunted me, day and night, since IContinue reading ““Baton Packs a Punch””
Unifying America
Generally, those who have reviewed my novels on terrorism and peacemaking have been encouraging if not enthusiastic. However, I was recently blessed by a brutally honest reviewer who objected to some aspects of my newest book, A VIOLENT LIGHT. This reviewer drew conclusions that because some characters in the book acted the way they did,Continue reading “Unifying America”
The Battle for our Children
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 spentContinue reading “The Battle for our Children”
The Jihad of Jesus
I remember well the Q&A session in one of the many interfaith events we’ve organized over the years. An angry Christian stood up and declared, “As long as the word jihad exists, there will never be peace between our two religions!” The room was deathly silent, demanding the right response given in the rightContinue reading “The Jihad of Jesus”
What do Muslims Believe?
An American friend recently told me that he had discovered there were some Muslim families in his apartment complex. But he hesitated to approach them, not knowing how they would respond. He assumed if he understood what Muslims believe first, it would help him to make friends. My friend’s desire is understandable, but may notContinue reading “What do Muslims Believe?”
The Importance of Reconciliation in Conflict Resolution – Part 2
I’m a bit behind on my writing due to moving from the US back to Indonesia, back to our work with local Muslims and Christians pursuing peace. What a joy to be surrounded by people here who share a common dream for a better world and are willing to put aside their personal prejudices andContinue reading “The Importance of Reconciliation in Conflict Resolution – Part 2”
Jim Baton 