My new Twitter handle is now live - check me out at @jackiewgibson!
CNN has posted a history of bias against Sikhs - more reason for people to learn about religions before they attack anyone:...
Sikh temple shooting unfolding, learn about Sikhism here: http://t.co/A0ltLLIm
Sikh temple shooting unfolding, learn about Sikhism here: http://t.co/l3KrAJZf
Hackers group Anonymous takes down Vatican website: http://t.co/B6lbGAVp
WGN-TV calls doomsday prophecies "an illusion": http://t.co/mv8Gzyw7
RT @graceishuman: Really,? Asking people JUST LEAVING the service how they felt about it? Tacky, tacky, inappropriate
Whitney Houston's funeral service really took the world to church. Love Pastor Winans' honesty, very moving.
#teacher ? Here are appropriate responses to situations with your Jehovah's Witness student: http://t.co/A6UfqcgH
#Teachers: Want to know why your Jehovah's Witness student won't say the pledge and how to respond? http://t.co/EIdlgDwW
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Sects
The following overview of the Society of Friends was written by Religion Transcends writer Jackie Walker for the Spring 2009 issue of Relate magazine. Relate’s mission is to inspire teen girls to pursue their dreams with confidence and to teach them to be an example for others in their speech, life, love, faith and purity. Religion overviews may have Christian overtones to make the content relatable for the Christian teen audience.
What would it be like to be the president’s daughter? What would you wear? Who would you meet? What would your school look like?
If you’re President Barack Obama’s daughters, you enter the classroom with secret servicemen at your side. Your family pays $30,000 a year for your school tuition. Your classmates have been warned not to talk to the newspapers. And even though you’re not a “Quaker,” your school is founded on the Quaker religion.
Here’s what you would need to know about Quakers and Quaker education if you were the president’s daughter.
Fact file
Name: “Quakers” is a nickname for the Religious Society of Friends. The group gained the nickname when its founder told a government official to quake upon hearing the name of God.
Numbers: 210,000 worldwide
Founder: George Fox (1624-1691)
History: Fox wasn’t satisfied with the churches around him in England. Feeling God spoke to his heart when his heart was ready to listen, he decided people needed to listen to Jesus on their own. After challenging churches and the government with his ideals, he was imprisoned eight times; over 6,000 of his followers were also jailed. Things were not any easier when the Quakers came to America in 1656. They were persecuted and some were killed until William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania) became a follower and showed people that Quakers wanted peace.
Main beliefs: Quakers don’t follow a set of beliefs. Instead, each person is supposed to follow her “Inner Light” or her own understanding of what God wants. This means many Quakers believe different ideas – but they all agree that Jesus is the most important belief. Therefore, many Quakers identify themselves as Christians.
Worship: Each week, Quakers gather for a worship meeting. It’s simple: Anytime two or three people meet in the name of Jesus, that’s considered worship (see Matthew 18: 20). There are no rules, no schedule, and no priests or pastors. Instead, Quakers believe each person can be moved by God to figure out what’s true and good. During a service, they sit in silence for an hour, waiting to be moved by God to speak (ready to listen, like Fox). If moved, a Quaker may speak to the whole group, either reading Scripture, praying, or talking about an experience or idea. As you can imagine, sitting in silence for an hour became a problem for some people over the years. In 1827-1828, a major separation of the Quakers took place. Some groups of Quakers began meeting in giant buildings with pastors, singing, and schedules. Others continued to hold meetings in small buildings with no leader and simple silence. The divide remains today.
Dress: In the past, Quakers wore “plain dress” or simple clothing that would not take attention away from God. Most people stopped wearing plain dress in the 20th century and today most Quakers dress like everyone else.
Peace: Quakers stand against war, injustice, racism, and all forms of violence. Instead they seek harmony, peace, justice, diversity, and equality for all people. After all, if all people have the “Inner Light” of God within them, it would be wrong to hurt people. This idea has led many Quakers to become “conscientious objectors,” refusing to join the armed forces and even refusing to make war goods and weaponry. Such refusal has led to imprisonment for some Quakers and death for others. But Quakers continue to actively work against violence and for peace. As a result, they have been successful in promoting women’s rights and human rights – and they were among the first to lead the anti-slavery movement in both England and the United States.
Inside the school
Quakers began founding schools around the time our founding fathers were forming our nation. They were among the first to teach pioneer children on the western frontier. After the Civil War, Quakers raised funds to educate thousands of former slaves.
Obama’s daughters (Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7) attend the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC, the same school that former first daughter Chelsea Clinton attended while her father was president. The first daughters aren’t Quakers – but only five percent of students at Sidwell are. Still, the school promotes many Quaker ideals mentioned in the above fact file – peace, unity, independence, and equality. The girls attend a weekly service, sitting in silence for an hour. In class, they will be taught to listen to God, to learn about the world, and to go out into the world to do good things. Based on these practices, it’s not so surprising that Obama chose a Quaker school for his daughters.
Want to know more about Quaker life or Quaker schools? Check out Quakers in America by Thomas D. Hamm (2003), available in part at www.books.google.com.
Copyright 2009, Religion Transcends.
The following overview of Mormons was written by Religion Transcends writer Jackie Walker for the Spring 2008 issue of Relate magazine. Relate’s mission is to inspire teen girls to pursue their dreams with confidence and to teach them to be an example for others in their speech, life, love, faith and purity. Religion overviews may have Christian overtones to make the content relatable for the Christian teen audience.
More than likely, you’ve heard of Mormons, or maybe you’ve heard something about Mormon presidential candidate Mitt Romney. But do you really know who they are? Try this quick quiz:
True or false?
- Mormons are not Christians.
- Mormon men have multiple wives.
- All Mormons live in Utah.
- Mormons believe in one Heaven and one Hell.
- Mormons do not believe in Christ.
According to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church), commonly known as Mormons, these statements are all false. So if the stereotypes of Mormons are wrong…who are the Mormons?
A history lesson
In 1820, Joseph Smith claimed God told him to restore the Church because all other churches had gone astray in their actions and beliefs. Later, Smith claimed a prophet back from the dead told him he could restore the Church if he could find a long-lost book, authored by a man named Mormon. After some time, Smith said he found the book and translated it into English. Today, Mormons call this the Book of Mormon. It contains a story about two tribes of Israelites who established the “true Church” in the United States after Jesus died and received a visit from Jesus Himself. Smith set out to restore the Church to the way it was at the time of these Israelites. He organized his followers in New York and eventually moved them to Illinois. After facing persecution for his beliefs, Smith was arrested and murdered there in 1844.
Three years later, Brigham Young became president of the community. (Brigham Young University was named after this notable leader.) To escape persecution, Young led Mormons on a pioneer journey out west, eventually settling at their headquarters in present-day Utah. Today, more than 5 million Mormons live in the United States, and they make up about 60 percent of Utah’s population. In addition, almost 10 million Mormons live in another 162 countries throughout the world.
A belief system
Along with the Book of Mormon, Mormons trace their beliefs to three other sacred texts, including Smith’s translation of The Bible. They believe in a Godhead: three completely separate identities including God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. God has a physical body and is the actual father of all humans. Jesus is the human son of Mary and God. Though He is not considered God, Mormons say He saved the world and will come back to America to reign someday. Finally, the Holy Ghost looks like a man and brings God’s good influence to humans.
Like the separate identities that make up the Godhead, Mormons also believe in multiple levels of Heaven:
- The lowest level is for those who haven’t accepted Christ as their savior and suffer for their sins until they can move up.
- The second level is for those who didn’t learn about Christ on Earth but accepted Him in Heaven or for those who lived honorable lives. In this way, even unbelievers can go to Heaven.
- The third level is for those who accepted Christ on Earth and were baptized.
But there’s a way for residents of the third level to get even higher: Most Mormons believe if you marry and follow the commandments (staying away from alcohol, tobacco, tea, and coffee and following other social commands), you can achieve the highest level. There, a husband and wife can become like gods, creating children and even planets.
Note: That did not read “husband and wives.” While polygamy (men with multiple wives) was once allowed in the LDS Church (Smith had multiple wives), the Church outlawed it in 1890. It is illegal throughout the United States. Still, there are around 30,000 people in Utah and surrounding states who practice polygamy against church law.
A presidential debate
Mitt Romney is a Republican candidate for president – and he’s a Mormon from Utah. Some voters seem concerned that his religious background will negatively affect his presidency. Some Christian voters are worried that Romney, as a Mormon, isn’t Christian and would make laws that didn’t follow Christian principles. But Mormons stress that, despite some differences in beliefs, they are indeed Christians who claim Jesus as their savior. Furthermore, Romney has emphasized that his campaign is not about being a Mormon; it’s about what he would do for Americans. His religion, he stresses, won’t affect the choices he makes as president.
Thanks to Romney’s candidacy, Mormons are getting more exposure than ever. Many Mormons are contributing to his campaign, hoping his visibility will help Americans (and other Christians) to better understand their lifestyle and beliefs.
Learn more about Mormon beliefs at www.pbs.org/mormons.
Copyright 2009, Religion Transcends.
The following overview of Jehovah’s Witnesses was written by Religion Transcends writer Jackie Walker for the Winter 2007 issue of Relate magazine. Relate’s mission is to inspire teen girls to pursue their dreams with confidence and to teach them to be an example for others in their speech, life, love, faith and purity. Religion overviews may have Christian overtones to make the content relatable for the Christian teen audience.
You’ve probably seen them around your neighborhood. They may have knocked on your door, offering to tell you the Good News before moving on to the next house. You may have even received information explaining their beliefs. So just who are these door-to-door evangelists that call themselves Jehovah’s Witnesses? What do they really believe? And why are they so urgently calling out to neighborhoods across the country?
Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
In 1870, Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) organized a Bible study in Pennsylvania. He began collecting his beliefs and teachings into a magazine now called The Watch Tower. Russell’s teachings were often focused on the return of Christ, as predicted in the New Testament book of Revelation, which he believed would happen in the near future. Quickly, he gained a following and organized his followers under an organization called the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (“God’s visible organization in the world”). Today, we know this group of students as Jehovah’s Witnesses, a name drawing on the personal name of God (sometimes translated as Yahweh, as in Roman Catholicism). Jehovah’s Witnesses now span 230 countries and territories, and boast over 6 million followers.
Jehovah’s Witnesses meet every Sunday in a local Kingdom Hall (their version of a church) to study a biblical theme using their copies of The Watch Tower. Then, they meet weekly in each other’s homes for Bible studies, always using The Watch Tower to find out what the Bible says. In addition, Witnesses meet mid-week in Kingdom Hall to train for evangelizing, or witnessing, to local unbelievers. Afterward, Witnesses go door-to-door, explaining their beliefs and attempting to gain converts. If they find that someone is interested, they may then hold a Bible study in the potential convert’s home to better explain their beliefs in person.
What do they believe?
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in the Trinity – in other words, they do not believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all God. Instead, they believe that the Holy Spirit is a force that God uses to make people do His will. In addition, they believe Jesus was simply a created angel, neither divine nor equal to God. He is thought to have died on a stake (instead of the traditional cross with nails) so that man’s sins could be forgiven. Witnesses do not believe Christ was resurrected after his death. Rather, they believe he was raised in 1914 (the year they believe the world’s greatest troubles began) and that he is invisible. So, for Witnesses, Christ is already here but will not appear visibly until the end of the world.
At the time of the present world’s end, Witnesses believe Christ will destroy Satan and purify the Earth, creating Paradise right here where we already live. They believe only 144,000 people (the “flock” predicted in Revelation) will enter heaven and live forever. All other believers will live in Paradise on Earth; nonbelievers will perish.
Because they believe the end of the world to be right around the corner, Witnesses feel it is critical that they convert as many believers as possible so that those people may, too, live in Paradise.
Will they celebrate Christmas this winter?
The short answer is no. Witnesses do attend a memorial of Jesus’s death each year, right around the time of the Jewish/Christian Passover in the spring. However, they do not celebrate birthdays or any other holidays, including Christmas and Easter. They believe man created birthdays and holidays and that they give glory to the world and not to God. Sometimes, these celebrations are thought to be under the control of Satan himself.
What do they think of governments and war?
Jehovah’s Witnesses are politically neutral. Their government is God’s Kingdom, so they don’t believe in allegiance to worldly governments. They do not vote, salute the flag, participate in public service, or run for office. It is absolutely forbidden to serve in the armed forces, as they are only to serve in God’s army. Anyone who performs any of these actions and is found guilty can be excommunicated, or removed from the community of believers. Family and friends may also shun that person until they seek to be forgiven and allowed back into the community of believers.
Instead of focusing on worldly actions, Witnesses focus most of their energy on converting nonbelievers and members of other religions. So don’t be surprised if you find them knocking on your door in the future. They are seeking to tell you the Good News as they know it, in the hopes of taking you with them to Paradise.
To learn more about Witnesses and how you might respond at the door, check out Answering Jehovah’s Witnesses by Jason Evert.
Copyright 2009, Religion Transcends.
Isaac Hayes died last week. He was an R&B singer/composer, the famous voice of “Chef” on South Park, an actor – and a Scientologist.
According to his friend Roger Friedman (Fox News), his passing leaves many unanswered questions.
Hayes’s apparent downward spiral began in November 2005 when South Park aired an episode spoofing Tom Cruise and Scientology. Matt Stone, the show’s creator, apparently came to Friedman and said that Scientology leaders had pressured Hayes after the episode aired. He told Stone that they would have to stop making fun of Scientology – or Hayes would have to quit.
Months later in January 2006, Hayes had a severe stroke. Scientology monitors “portrayed it as a minor health issue,” said Friedman, and played it off as a simple case of exhaustion. But Hayes could no longer control his speech or motor skills. He resigned from South Park in March 2006.
To maintain his household income and pay required fees to the Church of Scientology, Hayes toured and performed, speech impairment and all.
Then last week, he was found dead by his treadmill. Friedman asked these questions in his article:
Why, for example, was a stroke survivor on a treadmill by himself? What was his condition? What kind of treatment had he had since the stroke? Members of Scientology are required to sign a form promising they will never seek psychiatric or mental assistance. But stroke rehabilitation involves the help of neurologists and often psychiatrists, not to mention psychotropic drugs — exactly the kind Scientology proselytizes against.
Please do consider the source (no offense, Fox News). What do you think? Could Hayes’s involvement with Scientology have affected his health or the way he behaved and was cared for following the 2006 stroke?
Find another article about Scientology on Religion Transcends here.