The following overview of the Amish was written by Religion Transcends writer Jackie Walker for the Fall 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.

See a PDF of the article here: Fall 09 Religion

Which would you choose? To wear jeans, own a telephone, go to high school – and live away from your family for the rest of your life? Or to wear long dresses, quit school after eighth grade, live without electricity – and stay close to your family and friends. Tough decision, huh? But this is the choice that every Amish teenager must make.

Many people recognize the Amish as a simple group of people who drive horses and buggies and dress plain. But the life of an Amish teenager isn’t quite so plain and simple. At only 16, teens must begin to decide whether to remain Amish, a choice that will affect the rest of their lives. Here are the questions they must consider.

Where did I come from?

In 1693 in Europe, founder Jacob Amman and others decided to break away from other Christian groups and form their own religious sect. They called themselves “Amish” after Amman. In the 18^th century, the Amish moved to America where all Amish live today – about 231,000 Amish in 28 states. Within their communities you may find Old Order Amish who maintain old traditions and new orders who may drive cars or use machines.

What do I believe?

As Christians, the Amish believe in God and Jesus. They also believe:

• The Bible is God’s word.
• Worship should be held in a house every other Sunday for three hours. Christmas and Easter may be celebrated, along with other holy days.

• Sinful members should be shunned (no one may talk to them) and perhaps even kicked out of the community until they confessed.

The Amish also stay separate from the rest of the world so they can focus on God. To show they are different, they wear plain clothes (dresses, suits, and hats); speak a different language (Pennsylvania Dutch), and do not participate in government. They also reject all technology including electricity, cars, radios, telephones, computers and TVs.

What will I do all day?

Amish teens go to school in one-room schoolhouses with no electricity. There are usually three or four students in each grade and everyone has the same teacher. Subjects usually include English, Math, Health and History. Kids play sports during recess but do not have extracurricular activities. The biggest difference between Amish schools and “English” schools is that the Amish are only allowed to go to school through eighth grade. After that, boys find jobs in factories or work on the family farm or in the family business. Unmarried girls may work in nearby homes or in Amish shops. Once women marry, they must stay home and maintain the house.

Can I talk to non-Amish people?

The Amish mostly only talk to other Amish – but not always. For example, tourists often come to Amish communities to purchase goods or to get a glimpse at a different lifestyle. Though it may be uncomfortable to be stared at, Clinical Psychologist James A. Cates, PhD (who works with Amish in the Elkhart-LaGrange settlement in Indiana), says the Amish are happy to interact with the “English” (non-Amish). However, the Amish are unlikely to develop deep relationships with the “English.” And they usually would not allow anyone to take pictures or video of them.

Amish teens typically date other Amish teens – but not always. Cates said some Amish teens date “English” teens “to drive their parents crazy.” But when it comes to marriage, the Amish may only marry other Amish (or risk being shunned).

Making the decision

When Amish teens turn 16, they enter Rumspringa, a time when they are released from Amish rules and restrictions. They may skip church, use technology, wear jeans and experiment with “English” activities. This freedom helps them to figure out if they want to be Amish or “English” for the rest of their lives.

“This is their time,” Cates said. “If they’re going to return to the Amish church, this is the only time in their lives in which they are free not to be under the expectations of the Amish church.”

For some, this immediate opportunity to break the rules can be too much to handle. In the 2002 film The Devil’s Playground, Amish teens from the Elkhart-LaGrange community were shown abusing drugs and burning buggies. Cates said this isn’t how most teens act during Rumspringa. But the film caused enough of a stir that Cates was approached to develop classes to help Amish teens who have been arrested.  His program is called the Amish Youth Vision Project. In three years, 240 Amish teens from Elkhart and LaGrange counties have completed the program. Cates said it has helped them to understand the dangers of peer pressure and alcohol use.

When Rumspringa is over, around age 20, Amish teens make a choice to either return to the Amish community or enter the world on their own. According to Cates, 95% return to the Amish lifestyle. At that time, they are baptized, join the church, and give up all “English” items and activities.

What you can learn from the Amish

The Amish stick close together, support their family and friends, and maintain a strong religious identity.

“It’s easy to look at the horse and buggy, the plain clothes, the way of living, and that’s what strikes us first,” Cates said. “If you look beyond that, there’s a powerful sense of Christian community at its best.”

Want to see what an Amish community really looks like? Take a trip to local Amish areas like Jamesport, in Northwestern Missouri (www.jamesport.net), or Arthur, Illinois (www.illinoisamishcountry.com). Can’t road trip? Read Amish Society by John A. Hostetler.

Created by ReligionTranscends.com, 2009

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If you follow the LDS Church in the media, you may have heard a number of myths:

Blacks can’t be Mormons.

Blacks can’t participate in the Mormon priesthood.

Mormons are all racist.

Some are true. Some were true. Some are quite false.

Fair LDS has a great explanation of the history of the black race in the Mormon Church.

It’s true that Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) wouldn’t allow black members to join the priesthood. But that’s no longer the policy. The original policy, enacted by Brigham Young in 1852, was based on Biblical passages. The Church used those passages to claim that God had set aside the lineage of Cain (yes, Cain and Abel) as a cursed race — purportedly the black race.

Eventually the Church admitted that there is no such cursed lineage in the Bible – just cursed individuals, like Cain himself. The Bible does mention that Cain’s lineage became black, but it doesn’t say why. And it’s certainly not directly connected to Cain’s behavior. The Church reversed its  policies in 1978 under then-president Spencer Kimball.

The author of the Fair LDS article explains that keeping blacks out of the priesthood was, quite simply, racist and unnecessary. It would be wrong to generalize and claim that all Mormons are racist. In fact, founder Joseph Smith did not see reason to keep any specific races out of the priesthood.

Unsatisfied? Still think Mormons are racist as a group? Check out the Q&A section of the article for the Fair LDS response. It’s really quite interesting. It doesn’t excuse it. But it explains it away.

Want more? Their store has a DVD documentary about black Mormons.

Learn more about Mormons on Religion Transcends.

Copyright 2009, Religion Transcends.com

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The Pew Research Center published results of a prayer survey a few weeks ago. After talking to 35,000 Americans, they determined that the following percentages of members of various religions/denominations pray at least once a day:

OVERALL

60% of Americans say they pray daily

CHRISTIANS

Jehovah’s Witnesses: 89% pray at least once a day

Mormons: 82%

Evangelical Protestant Christians: 78%

Black Protestant Christians: 80%

Orthodox Christians: 60%

Mainline Protestant Christians (Methodists, Lutherans, etc.): 53%

Catholics: 58%

MUSLIMS: 71%

BUDDHISTS:  45%

HINDUS: 62%

JEWS: 26%

See the results in graphic form at the Pew site.

It appears women over the age of 65 are the most likely to pray. People with the least amount of income also seem to pray the most (for money, perhaps?).

Of course, the poll doesn’t explain Pew’s definition of “prayer.” And certain factors come into play (e.g., meditation may be more important than prayer for many Buddhists) that affect the results. So it should be kept in mind that prayer may reflect religiosity but is not an exclusive factor in determining religiosity. What do you think about the results?

Copyright 2009, Religion Transcends

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Recently a woman in France accused the Church of Scientology of conning her out of $30,000. She claims the group convinced her to buy vitamins, thereby acting “illegally as a pharmacy” and conning people. Her trial against the church came to court on Monday.

If guilty, the entire sect would be shut down in France. The church is claiming it is not responsible for its members.

Watch this news video about the case on BBC News. 

Read more about Scientology on Religion Transcends.

Copyright 2009, Religion Transcends

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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.

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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?

1. Mormons are not Christians.
2. Mormon men have multiple wives.
3. All Mormons live in Utah.
4. Mormons believe in one Heaven and one Hell.
5. 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.

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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.

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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.

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Chad Hardy created a calendar featuring shirtless Mormon missionaries.

On July 13, he was excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the LDS church of Mormons), according to Religion News Service.

Hardy had sought to show people that there were many sides to Mormons by showing actual shirtless Mormon missionaries. He himself was once a missionary. But the church felt his actions needed the severest reprimand in order to bring about his repentance.

Though Hardy could appeal the decision, he doesn’t plan to.

Visit Hardy’s Web site to find the calendar that sold 10,000 copies in one year and for news about the upcoming 2009 calendar.

Then find out more about excommunication in the Mormon church.

Knowing what you now know about excommunication and Hardy, do you think the local church’s decision was a good one?

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FLDS leader Warren Jeffs was moved from his cell in an Arizona prison to a hospital in Las Vegas yesterday. He has a medical problem that has caused him to become “seriously ill,” according to a report from BBC News.

Apparently, since he was placed in prison several months ago, the leader has attempted suicide and has been placed in the infirmary as a result of his own fasting.

For more on Warren Jeffs, the polygamist controversies surrounding him, and the FLDS Church, click here.

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