The issue? The LDS church's stance on same-sex couples adopting children.
Click here for a short blog post on the subject.
See video here.
A longer article which profiles a lawyer helping those who choose to leave the LDS can be read here.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Bill O''Reilly: "Jesus Died For Money"
O'Reilly's interview with the Today Show's Matt Lauer can be viewed here.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Islamophobia and Interfaith Efforts to Oppose It.
Islamophobia, the unreasoning fear of Islam, is a real thing. As an example, I offer this article about that controversy in a town in Florida that came from a photograph of a group of Muslim men exercising their constitutional right to pray.
There are individuals who profit--financially, politically, personally-- from peddling Islamophobia and pandering to the fears of the uninformed.
There has been a call for protests at mosques across America today. Link.
Fortunately there are interfaith groups actively working to counter them. Link.
On a related note, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks was interviewed on National Public Radio about his new book Not in God's Name. It is well worth a listen.
There are individuals who profit--financially, politically, personally-- from peddling Islamophobia and pandering to the fears of the uninformed.
There has been a call for protests at mosques across America today. Link.
Fortunately there are interfaith groups actively working to counter them. Link.
On a related note, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks was interviewed on National Public Radio about his new book Not in God's Name. It is well worth a listen.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Tribalism Poisons Everything
Read a good thinkpiece titled Atheist Tribalism Poisons Everything.
Religion is not the problem. Non-religion is not the problem. Tribalism is the problem.
Religion is not the problem. Non-religion is not the problem. Tribalism is the problem.
Diwali for Dogs
Zorastrians feed their dogs first.
In Nepal, dogs are celebrated with a special day each year. Read about it here.
In Nepal, dogs are celebrated with a special day each year. Read about it here.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Spirituality and Mental Health
Interesting interview from NPR's Here and Now. Robin Young talks to Lisa Miller, author of The Spiritual Child.
Listen here.
Read more (including an excerpt from the book) here.
Listen here.
Read more (including an excerpt from the book) here.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Langar at the Golden Temple
Monday, September 14, 2015
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Mormon "Preppers"
According to this article, some Mormons expect the end of the world to begin this month. This kind of thinking is not unique to the Latter-day Saints.
Sikh. American.
Islamophobia is real. It is wrong. It is inexcusable.
And sometimes it leads ignorant bigots to act out against other religious groups.
Here is a good op-ed piece about being a Sikh American.
And sometimes it leads ignorant bigots to act out against other religious groups.
Here is a good op-ed piece about being a Sikh American.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Santhara Update
Following up on this post, India's high court has lifted the ban on the Jain practice of santhara. Read about it here.
The decision is controversial. A quick Google search on "santhara" turns up many articles debating the practice.
The decision is controversial. A quick Google search on "santhara" turns up many articles debating the practice.
More on that Statue of Baphomet
An article on the BBC website decodes the symbolism of the Temple of Satan's statue of Baphomet.
It should be noted that the Temple of Satan, like most modern Satanists, does not really conceive of Satan as an evil spiritual being. From the article:
It should be noted that the Temple of Satan, like most modern Satanists, does not really conceive of Satan as an evil spiritual being. From the article:
We understand the Satanic figure as a symbol of man's inherent nature, representative of the eternal rebel, enlightened inquiry and personal freedom rather than a supernatural deity or being.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Bible Museum in Washington DC
Ads for the Museum of the Bible keep showing up on my Facebook feed. This article explains a lot. And it has a cool illustration:
Circumambulating the Kaaba on a "Hoverboard"
When ancient religion meets modern technology the results can be...disconcerting.
The man in this video appears to be using a hands-free segway to perform tawaf, the walk around the Kaaba in Mecca.
I'm not sure what to make of this. Neither, it seems, do some Muslims.
Article here.
The man in this video appears to be using a hands-free segway to perform tawaf, the walk around the Kaaba in Mecca.
I'm not sure what to make of this. Neither, it seems, do some Muslims.
Article here.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
The Mormonizing of America
Mormonism is influential beyond its numbers. Especially now. This article examines some of the reasons.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Satanic Coloring Book
In the interest of Church/State separation, the Satanic Temple requested that they be allowed to distribute coloring books in a Florida school. After all, the Gideons could hand out Bibles...
Read the story here.
See the coloring book here.
A friend of mine, a Christian mind you, says, "Satanists make everything better."
Read the story here.
See the coloring book here.
A friend of mine, a Christian mind you, says, "Satanists make everything better."
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Controversy Over Portrait of Jesus in Public School
Warner Sallman's Head of Christ is reputedly the world's most reproduced painting. I have seen it hanging in the hallways of public schools and, if I'm not mistaken, Mr. Sallman used to be the guest at school assemblies where he made a gift of the painting to the school. When Royster Middle School in Chanute, Kansas removed their print of the painting, it made some residents unhappy.
Read about it here.
And watch the Today Show's report on video here.
Read about it here.
And watch the Today Show's report on video here.
One of my seminary profs used to call this painting "Beautiful Hair Breck Jesus."
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
YouTube's Battle Against ISIS
The self-proclaimed Islamic State is giving all Muslims a bad name. Unfortunately their extremism captures headlines. Reasonable Muslim voices are drowned out by the violence and ignored by the media.
YouTube is trying to do something about it.
Read the article. Watch the videos. Don't imagine that ISIS is typical of Islam. Don't be an Islamophobe.
Really, don't be an Islamophobe.
YouTube is trying to do something about it.
Read the article. Watch the videos. Don't imagine that ISIS is typical of Islam. Don't be an Islamophobe.
Really, don't be an Islamophobe.
Mormons Appoint Women to Leadership Positions
Read all about it.
It is my observation that, at least in the west, issues of sexuality are the bleeding edge for religions today. Questions about women in leadership and the inclusion of LGBTQ individuals are hot button topics. Some groups trench in and maintain traditional view. Others are opening up to a greater or lesser extent. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, traditionally patriarchal, has appointed three women to leadership roles.
They have also been more open about some of the details of their history than was previously the case.
It is my observation that, at least in the west, issues of sexuality are the bleeding edge for religions today. Questions about women in leadership and the inclusion of LGBTQ individuals are hot button topics. Some groups trench in and maintain traditional view. Others are opening up to a greater or lesser extent. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, traditionally patriarchal, has appointed three women to leadership roles.
They have also been more open about some of the details of their history than was previously the case.
Ten Things You Learn in Religion 101
This article is not without it problems. It is written from a Christian, and I think an Evangelical point-of-view. It is more about historical comparative Christianity than religion in general. Still, it is worth reading, especially for those who have an Evangelical Christian background.
Sex Slavery...
The self-proclaimed Islamic State is enslaving and systematically raping women, particularly Yazidi women. This article looks at the problem in some depth. It's well worth the read.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Religous Dress
Nice article here about why some religious groups dress as they do.
There is no mention of the Mormon temple garments, however. Some women would like to have the temple garments redesigned.
There is no mention of the Mormon temple garments, however. Some women would like to have the temple garments redesigned.
Zoroastrians Sue Snoop Dogg
Zoroastrians don't make the news very often. There really aren't that many of them. But...
Click here.
Click here.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Then this happened...
On July 16, 2015 a Muslim man killed four Marines and a sailor in Chattanooga, TN. In the aftermath of that terrible event, this happened.
Satanists erect statue of Baphomet in Detroit
I have a friend who says "Satanists make everything better." They certainly make life more interesting by pushing the limits of Church/State separation.
Time magazine reported on the event.
Time magazine reported on the event.
Does Dawkins Have A Savior Complex?
Richard Dawkins tweets that Muslim women need liberated. Muslim women respond negatively.
Read all about it.
Read all about it.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Black Mormons...
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a mixed history when it comes to members of African descent. On the one hand, the LDS Church denied black people the priesthood, and admission to temple rites, until the 1970s, claiming their dark skin was the "mark of Ham." On the other hand, the early Mormon community included free blacks and their attitude toward slavery may have contributed to the troubles they had with their neighbors in Missouri back in 1838.
Today the LDS has a reputation for whiteness.
Interesting article here.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Mormonism's Jon Krakauer Problem
Jon Krakauer wrote a compelling book about a horrifying murder committed by a fringe group of the Latter Day Saint movement. According to this article Krakauer's book is problematic. It conflates mainstream Mormonism with extremist groups. Unfortunately, it is the only introduction to Mormonism many people have had.
Part
of the Krakauer problem then becomes a problem of genre confusion. To
be sure, Under the Banner of Heaven is meticulously researched with
extensive endnotes. And Krakauer’s hours of interviews with former
members of the FLDS expose the abuses that the leadership of this
insular community have long perpetrated. And he does so with arguably
more authority than even the many Mormon fundamentalist captivity
narratives published before or since. Yet, more than history or
investigative journalism, Under the Banner of Heaven is first and
foremost a page-turning polemic against religion in general and
Mormonism—in all its forms—in particular. As such, if it can be solved
at all, the Krakauer problem cannot be solved by peer-reviewed
biographies of Joseph Smith, like Richard Bushman’s celebrated and
exhaustive Rough Stone Rolling, published in 2005.* Nor can it be solved
by trade press books like Bowman’s own The Mormon People, which came
out in 2012, and has been perhaps the best single-volume history of
Mormonism published in the last decade. Krakauer tells a better, more
gripping story because he writes by a different set of rules that values
thesis over fact. - See more at:
http://religionandpolitics.org/2015/07/14/mormonism-and-the-problem-of-jon-krakauer/#sthash.MmEONSR1.dpuf
And
yet the Krakauer problem doesn’t end with problematic sources and
faulty interpretations of theology. To contextualize Under the Banner of
Heaven as a piece of writing, the literary “parents” to Krakauer’s book
are not only twentieth-century true-crime thrillers and captivity
narratives like Capote’s In Cold Blood (which, of course, has also been
criticized for blurring the lines between fact and fiction in service of
a better story). Bowman says Krakauer’s version of Mormon history is
“descended from the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson,
and Jack London who all wrote nineteenth-century dime novels premised
on the notion that Brigham Young’s Zion was a totalitarian dictatorship
complete with secret police and young Mormon maidens pining for rescue
from the grimly-bearded elders of the church.” - See more at:
http://religionandpolitics.org/2015/07/14/mormonism-and-the-problem-of-jon-krakauer/#sthash.MmEONSR1.dpuf
And
yet the Krakauer problem doesn’t end with problematic sources and
faulty interpretations of theology. To contextualize Under the Banner of
Heaven as a piece of writing, the literary “parents” to Krakauer’s book
are not only twentieth-century true-crime thrillers and captivity
narratives like Capote’s In Cold Blood (which, of course, has also been
criticized for blurring the lines between fact and fiction in service of
a better story). Bowman says Krakauer’s version of Mormon history is
“descended from the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson,
and Jack London who all wrote nineteenth-century dime novels premised
on the notion that Brigham Young’s Zion was a totalitarian dictatorship
complete with secret police and young Mormon maidens pining for rescue
from the grimly-bearded elders of the church.” - See more at:
http://religionandpolitics.org/2015/07/14/mormonism-and-the-problem-of-jon-krakauer/#sthash.MmEONSR1.dpuf
And
yet the Krakauer problem doesn’t end with problematic sources and
faulty interpretations of theology. To contextualize Under the Banner of
Heaven as a piece of writing, the literary “parents” to Krakauer’s book
are not only twentieth-century true-crime thrillers and captivity
narratives like Capote’s In Cold Blood (which, of course, has also been
criticized for blurring the lines between fact and fiction in service of
a better story). Bowman says Krakauer’s version of Mormon history is
“descended from the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson,
and Jack London who all wrote nineteenth-century dime novels premised
on the notion that Brigham Young’s Zion was a totalitarian dictatorship
complete with secret police and young Mormon maidens pining for rescue
from the grimly-bearded elders of the church.” - See more at:
http://religionandpolitics.org/2015/07/14/mormonism-and-the-problem-of-jon-krakauer/#sthash.MmEONSR1.dpuf
And
yet the Krakauer problem doesn’t end with problematic sources and
faulty interpretations of theology. To contextualize Under the Banner of
Heaven as a piece of writing, the literary “parents” to Krakauer’s book
are not only twentieth-century true-crime thrillers and captivity
narratives like Capote’s In Cold Blood (which, of course, has also been
criticized for blurring the lines between fact and fiction in service of
a better story). Bowman says Krakauer’s version of Mormon history is
“descended from the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson,
and Jack London who all wrote nineteenth-century dime novels premised
on the notion that Brigham Young’s Zion was a totalitarian dictatorship
complete with secret police and young Mormon maidens pining for rescue
from the grimly-bearded elders of the church.” - See more at:
http://religionandpolitics.org/2015/07/14/mormonism-and-the-problem-of-jon-krakauer/#sthash.MmEONSR1.dpuf
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Friday, July 10, 2015
Religious Accomodation in the Magic Kingdom
Sikh mail carrier allowed to wear his religion's distinctive emblems at work in Walt Disney World.
Read about it here.
Read about it here.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
They Tried to Kill Us (We Survived, Let's Eat)
Jewish humor from Jewmungous (Sean Altman). The video features the estimable Garth Kravitz as the rabbi!
Monday, July 6, 2015
Ise Jingu
The Grand Shrine to Amaratsu in Ise, Japan is entirely rebuilt every 20 years. The video is a little corny, but worth watching.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Post Mormons Meet in a Coffee Shop...
...and the LDS leadership shows new openness in discussing contentious matters of Latter Day Saint history.
Watch the video here.
Watch the video here.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Sikh Student in the ROTC
A US District Court rules that a Sikh student does not need to trim his hair or beard, nor lose his turban to serve in the ROTC.
Click here.
Click here.
Two Thinkpieces about Mormonism
A Mormon asks "Are We Mormons a Cult?"
A Christian asks "Is Mormonism Christian?"
Both answers are nuanced and surprising.
A Christian asks "Is Mormonism Christian?"
Both answers are nuanced and surprising.
Ramadan Mubarak
The Gayatri Manta
Good morning!
Click here for a YouTube video of the mantra which many Hindus greet the new day.
The mantra greets the sun which, according to Grant Hardy, is to be understood as "light," understood as "knowledge."
Click here for a YouTube video of the mantra which many Hindus greet the new day.
The mantra greets the sun which, according to Grant Hardy, is to be understood as "light," understood as "knowledge."
Friday, June 12, 2015
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Are You Smarter Than An Atheist?
A longer form of the Pew Forum Religious Knowledge Quiz as published on the Christian Science Monitor website. Click here.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
A Soft Word Turneth Away Wrath
In response to armed protestors at a mosque, the Muslims invited them in for prayer...
Read about it here.
If this story is true, the organizer of the rally shows his true colors.
Read about it here.
If this story is true, the organizer of the rally shows his true colors.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Sukkot Poem Video
From the Jewish Standard:
This captivating music video begins with all the sounds of the Hebrew alphabet and takes flight into a surreal rendition of the image-rich poetry and prayers recited on the Sukkot festival.
Vocal artist Victoria Hanna researches ancient sacred Hebrew texts and sets them to music that explores their mystical nature in combination with contemporary modes of communication and symbols. Her work reveals transcendental aspects of voice, text, and spatial perception, as well as an astonishing vocal range and timbre
Much of the inspiration for her current work comes from Jerusalem, where the overlapping of past and present, ancient and modern, lies at the city’s very core.
Her work presents sacred Hebrew texts, prayers and spirituals in a unique and utterly modern context integrating theatre, music, spoken word and video.
Translation:
Man and beast
Flesh, spirit and soul
Sinew, bone and skin
Likeness and image - a tapestry
Splendor resembling futility
Compared to images of beasts
Luster, figure and stature
Renew the face of the earth
Planting trees in desolate lands
Winepresses and stacks of grain
Vineyards and sycamores
To the demarcated land
To heal with powerful rains
To give life to forsaken refuse
To sustain with vegetation
To enhance with sweet fruits
To invigorate with flowers
To rain on the sproutlings
To pour a stream of cool waters
To cloak with droplets
To elevate the thirsty earth
Which is suspended on silence
Lord who saves
Other than You there is no Savior
You are powerful and abundantly able to save
I am impoverished
Yet You shall save me
God is the Savior
God delivers and saves
Those who cry to You - save
Those who yearn for You - save
Satisfy Your lambs
Cause an abundance of crops, of trees, of vegetation - save
Let the wind bring the soaring clouds
Let the stormy rains roll in
Let the clouds not be withheld
God who opens a hand and satisfies Your thirsty ones - satisfy
Your callers - save
Your beloved - save
You seekers - save
Your wholesome ones - save
Thursday, February 26, 2015
What to Do with Our Bodies afte rWe Die
"The Urban Death Project is developing a new option which may appeal to
those among us who want to minimize environmental harm and give
something back to the earth when we die. It is a system designed for
urban settings in which human bodies are transformed into a
soil-enriching substance. This choice can also provide a deeply
spiritual element for those who see something sacred in the cycles of
life and the processes of decomposition and regeneration."
Read the whole article here.
Read the whole article here.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Muslim Students Shot in Chapel Hill
Read about it here.
Early reports led to the creation of the #muslimlivesmatter hashtag on Twitter. The father of the two women insists that the murders were a hate crime.
It shortly became known that the accused murderer is a vocal atheist. This elicited response from several sectors of the atheist community.
Huffington Post reported on the response here.
Early reports led to the creation of the #muslimlivesmatter hashtag on Twitter. The father of the two women insists that the murders were a hate crime.
It shortly became known that the accused murderer is a vocal atheist. This elicited response from several sectors of the atheist community.
Huffington Post reported on the response here.
Memorial vigils were held across the country.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Average Mohamed
Thursday, February 5, 2015
National Prayer Breakfast 2/5/15
http://sojo.net/blogs/2015/02/05/obama-condemns-distorted-faith-national-prayer-breakfast
Mongolian Monk Mummy
Read all about it.
Or just watch this bad video:
This remarkably preserved monk, found in the lotus position, may have practiced self-mummification, a grueling process that begins to preserve one's body before death. Some Buddhists are claiming that the 200 year old monk is not, in fact, dead but in a deep meditative state.
Incorruptibility is considered a mark of sainthood in many traditions. Even Vladmir Lenin's corpse, "perfectly" preserved, is seen as somehow marvelous.
Or just watch this bad video:
This remarkably preserved monk, found in the lotus position, may have practiced self-mummification, a grueling process that begins to preserve one's body before death. Some Buddhists are claiming that the 200 year old monk is not, in fact, dead but in a deep meditative state.
Incorruptibility is considered a mark of sainthood in many traditions. Even Vladmir Lenin's corpse, "perfectly" preserved, is seen as somehow marvelous.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Pat Robertson says Haitians made a pact with the devil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1421914688&v=S5nraknWoes&x-yt-cl=84503534&feature=player_detailpage
Monster Energy Drink and Muslim Prayer in Christian Churches
The National Cathedral (Episcopal) in Washington DC hosted Muslim prayer:
Franklin Graham objected.
News Story Here
So did this woman, Christine Weick.
Video: Monster Energy Drink Exposed
Duke University Invited Muslims to pray. Franklin Graham objected. Duke University canceled the plan.
CBS New report
Eboo Patel explains why Franklin Graham is wrong.
Read it here.
Franklin Graham objected.
News Story Here
So did this woman, Christine Weick.
Video: Monster Energy Drink Exposed
Duke University Invited Muslims to pray. Franklin Graham objected. Duke University canceled the plan.
CBS New report
Eboo Patel explains why Franklin Graham is wrong.
Read it here.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Sikh Captain America
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/21/red-white-and-beard-documentary_n_6509368.html?ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000055
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
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