Blog – Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Amphiist 61: Women’s rights in Islam (spoiler: much more than in the West)

May 20, 2018October 3, 2021

There are many sides fighting to influence our world view We need to listen to all of them (free speech) Including what the mainstream media refuses to cover The rest of us are entitled to our perspectives: The Amphiist defends […]

Amphiist 60: Muslims should not be friends with non-Muslims, but can give them dawah

May 19, 2018October 3, 2021

Amphiist 59: The incredibly beautiful perspective of Islam on money

May 18, 2018October 3, 2021

Amphiist 58: Jihad in the Quran, and ISIS

May 17, 2018October 3, 2021

Amphiist 57: Islam is monotheistic and does not permit intercessors

May 16, 2018October 3, 2021

I am an amphiist, which I define as someone who looks at both sides of issues (it's a Greek word). However, I have my own expanded definition, which means that I believe in three interrelated concepts, which, when taken together, inform an amphiist viewpoint. Abraham Maslow talked about self-actualization, a person reaching their highest potential. Thomas Carlyle discussed natural aristocracy, which is a principle the Founding Fathers created with regard to the United States, that a person did not have to be of royal birth to have merit; it was the content of their character that counted. And scholars Mayer and Salovey came up with the concept of emotional intelligence, an idea popularized by Daniel Goleman. We should have control over our emotions, and see the bigger picture. All of these together make up an amphiist, and I apply this reasoning to politics, entertainment, etc. I defend the oppressed by offering an alternative perspective. I am currently raising funds for publication of an Amphiist newspaper, the primary focus of which will be anti-extremism. We need to find common ground. We need to stop thinking in terms of liberals against conservatives. Right against left. Men against women. One race against another. One religion against another. If you would be interested in contributing, please consider supporting my work at Paypal via jaclyncarter2005@gmail.com.

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