It’s been a few months since I have been in touch with you. Own Your Brain continues to grow! Tragedies like the mass shooting in Orlando and almost all terrorist attacks and hate crimes are the result of a young mind being influenced by some form of extreme mental manipulation. Politicians try to exploit […]
I was contacted by M. Ayub Ayubi, from Pakistan. He wanted to tell his story. I hope you will watch the video. It may be hard to understand, due to his accent, so please hit the “CC” button to turn on the closed captions. Don’t see the video? Click here to see the video! Ayub […]
Happy New Year! I’ve been on the road, interviewing for this project 4 months now. It’s been challenging, and I’m a bit behind schedule, but the momentum will be picking up in 2016. Here is my update, from the road and from my heart. Don’t see the video? Click here to see the video!
As I watch young men and women commit atrocities in the name of ISIS, I continue to ask the question, “Whose voice will get through to a young Muslim who is vulnerable to radicalization”? Those are the voices, the stories, I am looking for to include in The Stories Campaign. This week is an excellent […]
If you want to understand how the recent terrorist attacks in Paris could happen… you have to start with understanding the radicalization process. Christian Picciolini was vulnerable to the radicalization that he happened to be exposed to at a critical time in his life. The suicide bombers in Paris were vulnerable to the radicalization which […]
This week’s story is one that touches me personally. Ray and Sonya Pearson were born into the same religious cult I was a member of, The Unification Church, often referred to as “The Moonies”. It’s founder, Sun Myung Moon, claimed to be the 2nd coming of the messiah. Don’t see the video? Click here to […]
The Stories Campaign begins with the story of three women from Portland, Oregon who were in rival gangs, before they turned their lives around. I had the honor of meeting Nicky Taylor, Dee Dee Wallace and Lunita Renfrow and hearing their stories first hand. Here is their story. Don’t see the video? Click here to […]
I just listened to the Podcast Sam Harris posted a few weeks ago. The link is below and I definitely recommend listening to it. Sam makes a strong argument that “belief is the primary driver of behavior”. He points to cases such as the Heaven’s Gate cult, in which members took their own lives, or […]
Richard Dawkins tweeted the following today. “My son’s a good Muslim … so I don’t understand what he’s doing there [trying to join ISIS].” Is it precisely BECAUSE he’s a good Muslim? There was an immediate response of people calling Richard names and being aghast at the question. Most didn’t take it as a question, […]
The Big Question, the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations – in partnership with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue is asking the question, should we talk to terrorists. I’m sure it will be a great discussion. Since I won’t be able to attend, here are my thoughts. I would like to re-frame this question. […]