What is the House of Yahweh?

Despite a similar fallout, it is not the Eldorado FLDS ranch raided in Texas recently (see Polygamy and Warren Jeffs for more on that incident). But it is in Texas, and its leader may face up to 20 years in prison.

The House of Yahweh is a sect, and some are now calling it a cult. Its leaders claim this is propaganda and that the House of Yahweh is simply being persecuted by outsiders. They are not, as leader Yisrayl Hawkins says, planning to kill themselves, nor do they contain followers to keep them from leaving (again, according to Hawkins).

Beliefs and practices outsiders claim are true and insiders claim are not true:
1. The leaders have multiple wives (polygamy) and Hawkins himself preaches that members must practice polygamy.
2. They are illegally dodging child labor laws by forcing children to work 40 hours a week.

Things they do believe/practice:
1. They do believe in Jesus and follow their own translation of both the New and Old Testaments.
2. Women must wear a veil when menstruating.
3. Men and women are separated by a wooden wall when attending church.
4. Everyone wears rubber gloves to follow cleanliness guidelines set in the Old Testament.
5. Nuclear war will fulfill prophecies.

Here is the Dallas Morning News’ explanation of the nuclear baby:
“In 2006, Mr. Hawkins forecast that a “nuclear baby” would be unleashed on the world, bringing nuclear war to the Middle East on Sept. 12 of that year. After doomsday failed to materialize, the prophet said the 2006 date was the day of conception and that the metaphorical baby – depicted as a horror-movie-evil infant holding a baby bottle and missile – would be born in 2007. That too failed to come to pass.” Click here for their full article.

Whether he’s a criminal is yet to be determined; certainly, his practices and beliefs are out of the norm.

Before you make your judgment, check out this Web site which shows Hawkins’ many efforts toward peace, particularly internationally. Click here to see some of his UN visits and various awards, including the Palestinian Legislative Council award.

So…sect or cult? Religious leader or criminal? Visit the House of Yahweh’s Web site here and decide for yourself.

Filed under: Cults, Sects | No Comments »

Could the violence in Tibet have actually caused the cyclone in Myanmar?

If you’re a follower of Buddhism or Hinduism, you might think so. According to Religion News Service, many in Myanmar believe the protests in Tibet over independence and the Olympic Games could have created negative karma – the result of which was the cyclone that killed some 30,000-100,000 people (depending on whose estimate you’re using).

But wait – what is karma? Are we just saying Myanmar was destined for a cyclone? Well, not really. And maybe.

Karma is the idea that our actions have consequences — both actions in this life and actions in past lives. All actions bear on consequences in this life. So, if you were a murderer in your past life, even though that life is over, it still has negative consequences for your present life. Or if you did a good deed in this life, it would have positive consequences in this life and in future rebirths. Thus karma becomes an entire system of action, reaction, over and over, lifetime through lifetime, something one cannot escape since every action will have some sort of reaction. (Thus, everything is related to everything else, a typical Buddhist concept.)

It’s more the idea of “what goes around comes around” than “this is your fate.” Fate does not come into play here. What’s in question is each choice each person makes and how natural justice ensures good or bad outcomes in the future.

Christians certainly have some understanding of karma, as it is understood that if you sin, there will be negative consequences; if you perform right action, you will be rewarded. However, it seems that karma in Eastern thought is a bit more tangible. If you do something bad, something bad will actually happen to you in this lifetime or the next lifetime, a tangible event. If you do something good, you will see rewards in this lifetime or the next, tangible rewards.

How good will the rewards be or how bad will the consequences be? According to one Buddhist site, it depends on everything from one’s intentions to how many times one has repeated this deed.

Do you believe in karma? Do you think the violence in Tibet could be to blame for the cyclone in Myanmar? Leave your comments and let readers know what you think.

Filed under: Buddhism, Hinduism, Religion and Politics | 1 Comment »

On May 14, the State of Israel turns 60. That day in 1948, the Jewish People’s Council announced the founding of the state; it was, in turn, accepted by the United States and later the Soviet Union.

The founding of the State of Israel stems from the Zionist movement and long-time debates among Israelis, Jewish and non-Jewish. To learn more about the founding of Israel and all the events that led up to it, check out this excellent summary.

Filed under: Holidays, Judaism, Religion and Politics | No Comments »

Ooh, I bet you have an opinion about this one.

These days, with all the media attention focusing on Jeremiah Wright, his invective speeches, his effects on Obama’s campaign — it’s hard not to have an opinion about the pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

The mainstream media has certainly demonized Wright, and Northwestern University withdrew their offer of an honorary degree for Wright, fearing granting the degree would disrupt graduation services. So is the pastor really that bad? Does he really say all the things the media claims he says? Are the video clips we have of him saying things like “God damn America” taken out of context?

One writer thinks so: click here for an interesting take on coverage of Wright.

As usual, I think before we draw any sort of conclusions, we should look at this story in context. And we should place Wright in his church, taking a look at his core beliefs and examining whether what’s been said in the media fits with what he claims to believe.

Check out Trinity’s set of beliefs here, or click here for a set of Wright’s talking points. Do Wright’s comments and sermons reflect this set of beliefs? Does this set of beliefs seem particularly righteous to you or particularly frightening? Post your comments.

Lost? If you don’t know anything about what’s been going on with the reverend, click here.

Filed under: Christianity, Protestantism, Religion and Politics | No Comments »

Yesterday, I attended a service in the Chicago Temple. The pastor there spoke about a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, titled “Thank Heaven for Lawson.”

After attending the service, I looked up the article. Every inch seemed quote-worthy, so I posted the following quote on a social networking site:

“Much of Christianity in the United States has been more influenced by violence and sexism and racism and greed than by the teachings of Jesus. I am a follower of Jesus. That’s what I’ve called myself for decades. And that is a radical faith that refuses to define any human being or group of human beings as being outside God’s grace.” — Rev. James Lawson

After posting the quote, I received a couple of responses, one of them applauding the quote and further reprimanding modern Christianity for becoming too communal and political. I retorted that Christianity could remain communal if one were following the Bible and the words of Christ. After all, much of the Old Testament is about God’s chosen people (not person), and much of Christ’s gospel message was about loving one another (not being alone). And that’s also what Lawson seems to be getting at.

Modern Christianity, according to Lawson, has (and I insert my own interpretation here) taken the liberty of imposing its own personal prejudices on its religion and on others. Lawson, however, subscribes to a “radical” idea of remaining true to the idea of an inclusive faith, one that does not keep anyone out or away from God’s grace. Here, Lawson was speaking of particularly of the civil rights movement he’s been so closely involved with as well as the modern attitude toward homosexuals in the church. His idea IS one of communal faith. Edwin Markham would agree: “He drew a circle that shut me out: Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win; we drew a circle that took him in.”

Do you think Lawson is out of step with the modern church? Is Christianity a religion that keeps people out or one that draws them in? Is Christianity inherently communal or should it be personal? What would Jesus say?

To read the full article in the Trib, click here.

To learn more about the life of James Lawson, click here.

Filed under: Christianity, Protestantism | No Comments »