End of a Christian Presence in Iraq?

Attacks on Christians in Iraq have been occuring heavily since late October, and many Christians are beginning to pack up their cars with their belongings and flee due to the violence. Many are going to Northern Iraq (where it's a little less hostile) or abroad.

This fleeing is similar to the Jewish exit in Iraq in 1948.

Not safe for Chrsitians to worship aloud in Iraq.

Teach Them Young

Hopefully, classrooms across the world will one day communicate the importance of religious tolerance to children.

Violence Toward Christians in India

I was reading an article posted two days ago, about the escalating violence toward Christians in India. Then, I decided to go to YouTube and see what I could find, and found this "secretly obtained" footage of preachers and Christians being beaten because of their beliefs. I do not like this violence, but the hurt we see when we watch this is nothing compared to the hurt these people must be feeling-- both physically from the beatings, and spiritually from the inability to express their beliefs.

At the end of the video, a man says, "You all have to pray for us. We have homes there [India] and we don't have freedom to worship openly... So [everytime] we are persecuted and we are jailed."

More attacks on Christians in Afghanistan

Gayle Williams worked with the poor and disabled in Afghanistan for the past 3 years, spreading the Christian word.

She was killed by a gunman in Kabul on Saturday, December 11th because of her religion.

"We killed her because she was working for an organization which was preaching Christianity in Afghanistan," a spokesman for the insurgent group, Zabihullah Mujahid said.

(News Blaze)

"Islam & Women in USA after 9/11"

Christianity Explodes in Sub-Sahara Africa

There are now twice as many Christians as Muslims in Sub-Sahara Africa, "where once Christians and Muslims combined made up less than a quarter of its population, the region now has 21 percent of the world[']s Christians."  

This video notes that the Muslims and Christians have no hard feelings toward each other, which leads me to believe that they have a good sense of religious tolerance and the ability to freely communicate what they believe.

Hugs in Thailand Show Religious Tolerance

The main religion in Thailand is Theravada Buddhism, but the country is a big supporter of religious tolerance. I think this new video does a great job of communicating the country's openness to other religions by showing how loving and accepting it is through "hugs." If you watch the video on YouTube, you can read an entire summary about the importance of religious tolerance.

Religulous, the conversation continued

Going off of the previous post, here is an interview with a Catholic priest on his view of the movie Religulous.

Religulous

Religulous is a movie that came out in 2008. I have never seen it, but I know a few people who have seen it and they say it's very interesting and brings up a lot of different questions about religion. 

Westboro Church Update

SUPER ironic. So here's the short story broken down.

Just a refresher...Westboro Church is the church who crashes soldiers funerals and hoots and hollers with signs saying, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God hates America," etc. etc.

So here's the scene:

Ryan Newell is a retired Sgt. War Veteran who served in Afghanistan.

Ryan Newell apparently started following some Westboro Church members after they held a protest at a local high school.

Ryan Newell gets arrested for stalking.

Ryan Newell was in jail on $500,000 bond.

Ryan Newell spent a WEEK in jail.

Westboro Church members go along with their daily, hate-spreading messages.

?

Read the full story here.

The War on Christmas Continues

In the United States, we are lucky to be able to debate and communicate freely about religious issues. The Atheist billboard that we've mentioned in a few posts has been counter-attacked: The Catholic League has put up a billboard on the other side of the Lincoln Tunnel to promote the message of their beliefs.


This is actually a very witty article about the battle. Besides the sarcastic humor, it tells a good chronology of the billboard war.

What is religious freedom?

Touching on an age-old issue...

Muslim Orphans in America?

Not so much. Check out this full article explaining the complicated system still in place for Muslim orphans to be adopted in the U.S. Although many Americans want to adopt from Iraq and other Islamic countries, the process is at a standstill. There are laws in place that complicate the transfer of orphans from the Middle East to the Western world.

From what I understand, the reason for this lack of cooperation stems back to a time in history involving slaves.

Just a short excerpt:

"Ingrid Mattson, a professor of Islamic studies at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut, said adoption in that period had more in common with slavery. Men would take in boys, then erase any tie between the child and his biological family. The goal was to gather as many fighters as possible as protection for the tribe. Orphans' property was often stolen in the process."

Interesting that these laws are still in place...but for what?

Religious freedom stats by country

The link above lists different countries around the world and profiles them in terms of religion.

It lists each country by each religious body, and also gives an overall look at their religious freedom status.

It's a great way to compare and contrast different countries. Take a look.

Dalai Lama discusses religious freedom in Tibet

Religious Freedom in U.S. Elementary and High Schools

Ever wondered what the official "rules" are when it comes to worshipping aloud in public schools? I found this article, written by the U.S. Department of Education, to be very informative, and I've listed some examples below. School students and teachers have more religious freedoms than one may have guessed. Read the article for a complete list of protected freedoms.

Did your high school follow these freedoms?

Religious Expression and Prayer in Class Assignments

Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions. Such home and classroom work should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance and against other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school. Thus, if a teacher's assignment involves writing a poem, the work of a student who submits a poem in the form of a prayer (for example, a psalm) should be judged on the basis of academic standards (such as literary quality) and neither penalized nor rewarded on account of its religious content.

Teachers, Administrators, and other School Employees

When acting in their official capacities as representatives of the state, teachers, school administrators, and other school employees are prohibited by the Establishment Clause from encouraging or discouraging prayer, and from actively participating in such activity with students. Teachers may, however, take part in religious activities where the overall context makes clear that they are not participating in their official capacities. Before school or during lunch, for example, teachers may meet with other teachers for prayer or Bible study to the same extent that they may engage in other conversation or nonreligious activities. Similarly, teachers may participate in their personal capacities in privately sponsored baccalaureate ceremonies.

Organized Prayer Groups and Activities

Students may organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and "see you at the pole" gatherings before school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities groups. Such groups must be given the same access to school facilities for assembling as is given to other non-curricular groups, without discrimination because of the religious content of their expression. School authorities possess substantial discretion concerning whether to permit the use of school media for student advertising or announcements regarding non-curricular activities. However, where student groups that meet for nonreligious activities are permitted to advertise or announce their meetings—for example, by advertising in a student newspaper, making announcements on a student activities bulletin board or public address system, or handing out leaflets—school authorities may not discriminate against groups who meet to pray. School authorities may disclaim sponsorship of non-curricular groups and events, provided they administer such disclaimers in a manner that neither favors nor disfavors groups that meet to engage in prayer or religious speech.

Religious freedom in the Muslim world?




 

Christianity most persecuted religion in the world

Pope encourages Chinese bishops to defend their faith "with courage"

Here is a video that talks about the Chinese bishops mentioned in the previous post.

Pope renews plea for religious freedom in China

Pope Benedict XVI asked for prayers for the Church in China yesterday, saying that the faithful are “experiencing particularly difficult moments.”

The Pope also referred to tensions arising due to an ordination of a bishop sponsored by the Catholic Patriotic Association. The Pope asked the Virgin Mary “to support all Chinese bishops, who are so dear to me, that they may bear courageous witness to their faith.”

The War on Christmas

Ashley's post was the first I'd heard about the Atheist's billboard. I wanted to follow up on that because it hits so close to home for many of us. My questions are:

1. Should the billboard be tolerated (it will in America, because of religious freedom) even though it seems to attack Christianity because of the nativity scene?

2. Could Atheism be lumped into a "religious" category, meaning, is it their freedom of religion (or non-religion) to say what they want?

Either way, we are lucky in the U.S. to be able to have talks about these things. First, the billboard was allowed to be communicated to masses who drive by. Then, it is allowed to be broadcasted in the news on TV and through newspaper and radio. Also, it stimulates discussion (probably debates), which shows that this is an open forum in America.

One thing I thought was interesting is that in this video, Silverman (President of American Atheists) is upset that Atheists are unrepresented in government and other positions. He urges Atheists to "come out" because there are millions of them hiding. Why are they hiding? Do they think they'll be persecuted in some way?

White Collar's Matt Bomer Speaks on Religious Tolerance

In my last post, I talked about USA Network's new campaign, Characters Unite. Now other media outlets are starting to cover news and stories from the campaign, including TV Guide Network. Last Tuesday, TV Guide posted this video and article about White Collar's Matt Bomer, who is speaking out about religious tolerance.

It's great to see celebrities using the spotlight to focus in on important issues, like religious tolerance. You can also check out our classmate's blog (celebsfightback) to see how other celebrities are communicating and using publicity to help their causes.

Freedom of Religion or No Religion

The American Atheists have recently bought a billboard above a New Jersey highway which looks to be celebrating Christmas, but reads, "You KNOW it's a Myth — This Season Celebrate REASON!" The American Atheists say they are trying to reach out to closeted non-believers during this holiday season.

According to their website, the billboard serves three purposes:

• 1) To address those atheists who "go along to get along", and to encourage them to come out of their closets
• 2) To attack the myth that Christianity owns the solstice season.
• 3) To raise the awareness of the organization and the movement.

Response to Mosque near Ground Zero

What can President Obama say about the proposed Muslim mosque that would be built near Ground Zero? He's in a tough spot - he said in one speech that they should be free to worship anywhere to be consistent with American ideals, and then another day said that he didn't say it was wise to choose the plan the mosque where they did. Here is an interesting, short NPR clip about the debate and Obama's and Bush's reactions to the proposed mosque.

What would you say about this if you were the President?

Islam Combats "Defamation of Religion"

A group of 57 states with largely Islamic populations called The Organization of the Islamic Conference wants a resolution to be passed in the United Nations to condemn the "defamation of religions." Whose religion, though?

The resolution, called "On Combating Defamation of Religions" would prohibit self expression that insults or "defames" (a broad term) religion. The resolution is for their own favor, though, to make it legal to prosecute someone for insulting Islam. We've all seen these pictures, even on this blog. Isn't this a bit too radical? Not in many Islamic countries.

The Organization of the Islamic Conference wants to see this resolution pass not only for Islamic states, but globally. If this were ever to happen, anyone on the earth who blasphemed Islam could be punished. This could be used against almost anyone because the terms "blaspheme," "defame," and "insult" are quite broad. How are these accusations of defamation and their punishments going to be determined if there aren't any set regulations? It seems silly to even ask that when putting this law into effect would be blatantly be crossing human rights violations and freedom of expression.

The article from which I found this information was written by the Freedom House advocacy director. I think it is important that Freedom House is using it's platform and reliability to make issues like this known in the New York Times, which is read around the globe.

Retaliation to alleged attempted terrorist attack?

19 year old Mohamed Osman Mohamud, the alleged Somali-American terrorist, has been indicted for a car bombing in Oregon. On the edge of my seat, I waited for the next shoe to fall...and it has.

There was a break-in at the Islamic Center, (Salman Al-Farisi Islamic Center in Corvallis, Oregon) where Mohamud worships. Soon after, a fire was started early Sunday morning, destroying a computer, a chair and a copy of the Koran. (blogs.ajc.com)

Check the full story here.


Stereotyping and generalizing against religious groups isn't justice.

Should I Be Laughing? Part 3

Government not surprised by Annual Report findings

On Egypt:

"The status of respect for religious freedom by the government remained poor, unchanged from the previous year. Members of non-Muslim religious minorities officially recognized by the government generally worship without harassment; however, Christians and members of the Baha'i Faith, which the government does not recognize, face personal and collective discrimination, especially in government employment and their ability to build, renovate, and repair places of worship.... Government authorities often refused to provide converts with new identity documents indicating their chosen faith. The government failed to prosecute perpetrators of violence against Coptic Christians in a number of cases.... [and] continued to contribute to a climate of impunity."

Taken from the US State Department's Annual International Religious Freedom Report. You can find the whole report here.

Like the girls said earlier in the blog, this came as a shock to me. How accurate do we think this is? Do you believe what it's telling us?

USA Network Uses Media to Promote Religious Tolerance

USA: "Characters welcome." And now the network is using that slogan to help promote the acceptance of all characters and types of people.

USA network recently launched Characters Unite, a public service announcement (PSA) campaign "designed to help form a more perfect union by combating intolerance, prejudice, discrimination and hate, and promoting greater acceptance, understanding and mutual respect of all people."

My friend was reading our blog and passed on this website to me, detailing USA network's new communication strategy to help the United States combat social issues like bullying, hate crimes, gender-based issues, and religious tolerance. It's an awesome campaign, and it's exciting to see a well-known organization take a stand against these issues.

I would like to applaud USA network's efforts and the effective ways in which they are using communications and getting people involved. The network recruited many of its TV characters to speak up on issues that they feel passionate about, and show many meaningful 30 second clips for each issue. Religious tolerance is one of the main subjects, and there is a whole section devoted to it with facts, PSAs, and ways to help.

To help USA network take a stand against these issues, you can take a pledge online and the company will donate $1 to its non-profit partners.

Interesting background on China vs. Christianity

Who says we can't learn from the past?

This TIME article, while slightly outdated (published in 2005), gives great background information on the Christian faith surviving and even thriving to the distaste of the Chinese government.

In my opinion, TIME magazine is one of the best and well-respected publications, and it definitely comes through here.

Some interesting facts from the article...

- As of 2005, there were 60 million Christians in China

- Christians are China's fastest growing religious group

- The $1.5 million Southern Church, with Ionic columns and a rooftop gazebo, stands as a monument to China's thriving Christians

Finally, the most interesting paragraph for me...

Christianity is legal in China, but fettered: The country's estimated 50 million Protestants, whose ranks grow by roughly 2 million a year, must submit to the authority of the government's Religious Affairs Bureau. Its officials make sure churches follow written and unwritten rules — no members under 18, no overt evangelical work, no emphasizing the Second Coming and, above all, no questioning of Communist Party rule. Christians who worship in unregistered "house churches" often face harassment, or worse. Last year a woman died in police custody after being detained for distributing Bibles on the street. Police regularly round up members of heterodox Christian sects like Lightning from the East, which believes that Jesus has already returned, as a Chinese woman.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1132243,00.html#ixzz16bPG2g3z

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef has some interesting opinions

First, I would like to say that I am not Jewish. I feel I do not discriminate against religion at all, as I believe it is every person's right to practice any religion they wish that does not interfere with the general welfare and health of a population.

Now on to this article. More or less, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef said non-Jews sole purpose in life is to serve Jews. He also related them to donkeys.

"With gentiles, it will be like any person – they need to die, but [God] will give them longevity," Yosef said. "Why? Imagine that one’s donkey would die, they’d lose their money."

"This is his servant... That’s why he gets a long life, to work well for this Jew,” Yosef said.

Gentiles is a synonym for a non-Jewish person.

As a non-Jewish person, I was offended by this. My sole purpose in life is serve Jewish people? I am like a donkey? I think not. While Mr. Yosef probably doesn't care what I think, he needs to realize that public relations still matters in religion. Speaking publicly, he needs to realize the majority of the world is NOT Jewish, and that many will share my opinion.

Let me be frank --- freedom of speech is important and I fully support his ability to say these things.

But when there's so much fighting and unrest over this "holy land", maybe saying these things only adds fuel to the fire.

Argentina's Religious Freedom Day

November 25 was Argentina's Religious Freedom Day, a national holiday that began in 2004. It was decided to be on 11/25 because on 11/25/1981 the United Nations approved the "Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on religion or belief."

CALIR is the Argentine Council for Religious Freedom, whose objective is to promote religious freedom in all forms, individual or collective. CALIR is on the radar promoting freedom through communities and universities.

I think that it's important that CALIR uses a university platform to spread its message of religious freedom, because professors and academic authority are looked up to by many students and seen as progressive. It's also impressive that this day was publicized throughout the city of Buenos Aires, which shows that there is open communication about religious freedom in the country's capital. Religion is important in a cultural context in South America, so I would imagine that there are less cultural barriers to communicating about it. It would be interesting to see though, if this would stand for a very dissimilar religion to the area, such as Hinduism or Buddhism.

I am a Muslim

I attended an event at the Schlow Centre Region Library called "I am a Muslim." At the event, there were three speakers who are Muslims from different parts of the world. One of the speakers was from Kosovo, another was from Sudan, and the most memorable speaker of the night was a female student from Saudi Arabia who spent time talking about the hijab:

"It's a choice...just because I wear the hijab, that doesn't mean I am a good Muslim...If you don't wear the hijab, that doesn't mean your a bad Muslim," she said.

She also addressed the woman's role in Islam:

"I can go to work if I want, but that money is mine, not my husbands. Islam appreciates a woman," she explained.
But she elaborated by saying, "Her [a woman's] responsibility is to raise the children, not make the money for the family, that's the man's job."

As you can tell from the picture, a lot of students and people from the community came out to the event.

Giving Thanks

Today, I just want to take the opportunity to say how thankful I am for religious freedom. In the United States, I am free to worship God in public without harmful repercussions, and others may choose to worship as they wish as well.

The Hudson Institute advocates religious freedom as a component of U.S. foreign policy and believes in freedom to communicate those freedoms. The group mentions how "pivotal" it is to society, and how Thomas Jefferson and America's founders found it important enough to be dubbed the "first freedom."  I like how they've chosen to define religious freedom:

"Religious freedom has two dimensions. It belongs to individuals and also to religious groups. It includes a person's right to walk down the street wearing a cross, a yarmulke or a headscarf, or not to do so, and to express and live out one's beliefs in society. It also includes the rights of groups to worship God as they wish in community, to run schools, hospitals and other institutions, to publish and possess sacred literature, and order their internal affairs."

Let's count our blessings today-- Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Rally to Stop Abductions & Allow Religious Freedom in Japan

"Clergy, civil rights leaders and Japanese victims of religious freedom violations protest the Japanese government’s failure to protect the rights of minority religious believers." Photo taken from religousfreedom.com.

On Friday, demonstrators in Boston were invited to speak with the Deputy Consul General after protesting in ten cities across the U.S. The demonstrators want the Japanese government "to stop the abuse and discrimination of minority believers in that country." People who choose to practice minority religions have been abducted and abused in an attempt to force them to leave their religions, and this has been going on since 1966.

It's interesting to see how these demonstrators are using the United States as their marching ground for help in Japan and to freely communicate their religious needs. You can follow this issue at stopjapanabductions.org, and hopefully see how the Japanese Government will react to this cry for help.

Insulting Prophet Mohammed = Death in Pakistan

Taken from religion.blogs.cnn.com

Can you imagine being put to death for insulting a religious figure? In Pakistan, insulting the Prophet Mohammed (a violation of the country's blasphemy law) will earn you life in prison or a death sentence.

Asia Bibi has been jailed for 15 months, but she will most likely avoid the death sentence. Officials believe she was falsely accused, after investigating her petition for mercy. Bibi says that women "who don't like her" made the claim against her.

My hope is that Bibi will be found innocent. It's still shocking that words-- simple communication-- can bring about death in Pakistan. The people are clearly allowed to talk about Prophet Mohammed and their religion, but only if it's in a positive light. Not freely.

Pastor on trial for sharing faith with Muslims

From www.klove.com/news/top-stories.aspx

Mark Holick was communicating his faith by sharing Christian packets outside of a mosque in Kansas when he was arrested. The officer gave no answer when Holick asked what he was being charged with.

Holick is no stranger to speaking out about his faith, and won a previous trial after being arrested for sharing his faith on a public sidewalk down the road from a homosexual event.

Holick may have annoyed both of these groups by sharing his faith outside of these functions, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have the write to share and communicate.

Clinton Reacts to International Religious Freedom Report

In her statement titled, "Annual Report on International Religious Freedom," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reacts to the U.S.'s recent report.

Here are some snippets from her statement:

"Every year, the State Department prepares a comprehensive review of the status of religious freedom in countries and territories around the world...this is not only the American view; it is the view of nations and people around the world...

Because we believe in religious freedom and because we are committed to the right of all people everywhere to live according to their beliefs without government interference and with government protection, we are troubled by what we see happening in many, many places. Religious freedom is under threat from authoritarian regimes that abuse their own citizens. It is under threat from violent extremist groups that exploit and inflame sectarian tensions. It is under threat from the quiet but persistent harm caused by intolerance and mistrust which can leave minority religious groups vulnerable and marginalized.

During the past year, al-Qaida issued calls for further violence against religious minorities in the Middle East. Sufi, Shia, and Ahmadiyya holy sites in Pakistan have been attacked. So was a Syriac Catholic church in Baghdad just a few weeks ago. We received reports from China of government harassment of Tibetan Buddhists, house church Christians, and Uighur Muslims. And several European countries have placed harsh restrictions on religious expression.

These infringements on religious freedom strain the bonds that sustain democratic societies. With this report, we hope to give governments, NGOs, and citizens around the world valuable information about the status of religious freedom and a call to action for all of us to work together more effectively to protect it....

Indeed, freedom of speech and freedom of religion emanate from the same fundamental belief that communities and individuals are enriched and strengthened by a diversity of ideas, and attempts to stifle them or drive them underground, even when it is in the name and with the intention of protecting society, have the opposite effect. Societies in which freedom of religion and speech flourish are more resilient, more stable, more peaceful, and more productive. We have seen this throughout history. And as this report reflects, we see it in the world today..."

Trouble Spots

Here is a map that displays countries from Europe, Africa, and Asia that have the most violations in religious freedom. Do any of the countries surprise you?

Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, 2010

Photo taken from www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/148657.htm

On Nov. 17, this year's Report on International Religious Freedom was published. The United States feels that religious freedom and tolerance is important, and publish this report to praise the countries that are doing well and document the countries where repression is highest. Notice that the cover pictured above was designed to show "places of worship found in some unexpected places." The report also acknowledges all contributors and says: "The work of all of these individuals advances the cause of freedom, ensures accuracy in our reporting, and brings hope to repressed people around the world."

I had no idea a report like this existed, and I'm glad the U.S. is leading a movement toward religious freedom and communication around the world. 

Take a look at some countries listed-- do any of the results surprise you?

Chinese Perspective

My boyfriend's parents grew up in China. While visiting them this weekend, they were reflecting on Christianity in China, as they just returned from a visit. Mrs. Juang returned to the exact church she attended as a child and was able to sit in the same seat. She said that in China, there are two Christian churches that are "allowed" by the communist government-- but the kicker is, the pastors are hired and paid by the Chinese government as well. However, she also said that there are many underground churches, as we've commented on in past posts. According to Mrs. Juang, Chinese youth have been rapidly converting to Christianity in recent years.

Even in places where people may not be allowed to worship freely, they are still defending their faith and worshiping how they choose. I would be interested to learn about the communication structure of these underground churches-- how they recruit, how they obtain religious materials, where they gather together, and how they keep from being discovered.

Religious Freedom in Country X

This is my friend Josh, and he's going to talk about his experiences with religious freedom in an Asian country.

France Reacts to Christian Attacks in Iraq

Here's a quick video from a French correspondent. It was posted six days ago by France 24, a French News Station.

Christians continue to be attacked in Iraq

Iraqi Christians have been the targets of attacks for the past two weeks. I blogged last week about the massive attack on the Catholic church, but now terrorists are also targeting houses and cars owned by Christians. Some people are being "warned" before attacks, but others are being caught completely off guard. The New York Times has frequently been blogging about the attacks. Check this blog out.

Religious freedom? Isn't free.

Pope Encourages Religous Freedom in Iran

I posted on this a couple days ago...here is a video.

More Like Punishment by Religion...

We're talking about freedom of religion on our blog. Or, the opposite too I guess.

I just read this article in The New York Times about the exact opposite happening: punishment by religion. In Iran, a women convicted of adultery may be stoned to death. Stoned. And it's a shocking thing to media systems both there and here. It's shocking in Iran, because they are actually talking about it in the media-- a clip of the woman calling herself a sinner was shown on state-owned television. It's shocking in the United States, because of the severity of the punishment of adultery, and because her son specifically told people who knew about the situation to lie to foreign western media, to make it less of a deal.

So this brings up two good aspects:

• Because of the government's and her own strict following of the Muslim faith, this Iranian woman may be stoned to death (the punishment is under review by the court-- but she may still be executed in a different way), because she was convicted of having an illicit relationship. Is this religious freedom?
• It was controversial in Iran, because this story was broadcast on television. The woman's lawyer told her son to lie to western media, saying it would be prudent. Is this media freedom?
• 

Iran has a "Stop Stoning Forever" Campaign

Blogging Bishops?

Tonight, Catholic Bishops in the United States were asked to spread their religious teachings to a new continent and culture-- the "digitalized continent."

At the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore, a present Bishop stated that the content of their religious material does not have to change, but the way in which they are reaching out to people should change if they are to meet the social media generation's needs. But Bishops are timid about this method, because they don't know how to use social media. And because United States citizens have the freedom to post whatever they want on a blog, it may be hard to keep up with user comments.

I think it would be interesting to follow this breaking trend in religious communications and see if the Bishops actually begin blogging. What would you ask a Bishop blogger?

Podcast: Religion & Media

Ever wondered how religion factors into the media? Jenna Ekdahl-- a Penn State senior majoring in journalism and religious studies-- gives her opinion on the issue. Jenna organized a "Religion and the Media" seminar at the Pasquerilla Center this semester.

US Making Strides?

It's hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes when you really don't have any clue how to relate to them.

This article highlights a new policy made by the United States two weeks ago, which will require the frisking of people with turbans as a security policy. The U.S. decided not to make the removal of turbans mandatory, but still reserves the right to "pat down" the turban to feel for anything suspicious. In my eyes, this seems like a good compromise, but many people are still offended by the decision.

Is the U.S. doing enough with this decision? Are they taking steps in the right direction?

The article at a glance:

"The turban — along with a comb, a sword, a specific undergarment and a metallic wrist bangle — are part of the required dress for Sikh men, according to the religion, which is a mix of Hindu and Islam founded in the 15th Century in Punjab. Sikh women are forbidden to cut their hair.

Men have long accepted they cannot carry a sword aboard planes, Badal said, and so have modified the religious requirement by carrying pendants or blades embedded in their comb 'as a symbolic symbol.' But this can mean they do not clear a metal detector, which prompts a second security screening."

Take a look. Did the U.S. make a fair decision?

Should I Be Laughing? Part 2

Pope Delivers Message to Ahmadinejad

In a recent letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Pope encouraged religious freedom in Iran. In the letter, the Pope referred to religious freedom as a human rights issue.
Here is an excerpt from the letter:
"When the promotion of the dignity of the human person is the primary inspiration of political and social activity that is committed to search for the common good, solid and enduring foundations are created for building peace and harmony between peoples."

Burqa Ban, What Do You Think?

As mentioned in previous posts, France has banned Islamic women from wearing the burqa. A lot of controversy is surrounding this law and many people are questioning its intentions. Is this a national security issue or an infringement on religious rights? Does this law suppress the rights of Islam OR the rights of women? I asked some female students at Penn State what they think.

Freedom of Blogging...

If I blogged that...

I am God.

God says, smoke marijuana.

...What would happen?

Likely nothing. But in West Bank, that is not the case. Blogger Walid Husayin was arrested for the posts he placed on his blog and Facebook groups. He's an atheist, and some of his writings satirized the Koran. That was enough to get him imprisoned for heresy. He said the same things I said above, and his consequences were hardly small. Though he hasn't been charged yet, he is being detained for who knows how long.

This is a perfect example of the technological and governmental barriers that Palestine faces. Quite honestly, writing the above statements makes me feel like I should be a little wary. It's helping me realize how much freedom I have and how easily that freedom is taken away in certain countries around the world.

NY Times: Assertive Chinese Held in Mental Wards

This atrocity relates with my last post. In that one, the Chinese government prevented practicing Christians from traveling to a conference in South Africa.

Because they were outspoken, I can't help but think they may become victims of what was reported to have happened in this New York Times article.

More or less, because the Chinese people disagreed with the government, they were thrown in psych wards. The man featured endured 54 electric shock treatments to go along with injections of drugs that made him swoon.

What is wrong with the Chinese government? I'm glad I live in the U S of A to say the least.

Moving forward, I found some posts relating to what Chinese dissidents and what they're doing to combat the suppressive government.

Check them out: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/chinas-new-rebels/

Some Pictures for Thought

Religious Americans = Higher Well-Being

Americans who choose to practice some form of religion have higher rates of well-being than those who choose not to practice religion, according to this article discussing a recent Gallup poll.

The context of this study brought some questions to my mind:

- If this study was conducted in a country that's less tolerant of religious freedom or practices, would the same results be true?

- Would people feel more stress instead of well-being if they must practice their preferred religious beliefs in secret-- especially if they're going against their government's choice religion? Or would they still feel a sense of well-being because they are choosing to defy everything that's going against them to stay true to their beliefs, even if they must remain behind closed doors?

- Does the freedom Americans have to express and communicate their religion play a role in this heightened sense of well-being?

Obama's Remarks on Jihad

While in India, President Obama spoke to a group of Muslims about "jihad" and his interpretation of the religion. He said, "I think all of us recognize that this great religion in the hands of a few extremists has been distorted to justify violence towards innocent people that is never justified."

Obama also added that "Islam is one of the world's great religions and people of all faiths need to treat one another with respect and mutual dignity." Do you think people will begin to better respect  and understand different religions if top leaders continue to address religious issues? I think communication can only enhance respect between religious groups.

And speaking of communication, it was neat to see the difference between the United States and India's coverage on Obama's remarks-- both audiences seemed to be receptive and appreciative.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation

I never knew about this organization...very interesting.

"The Military Religious Freedom Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that all members of the United States Armed Forces fully receive the Constitutional guarantee of religious freedom to which they and all Americans are entitled by virtue of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Over 18,000 active duty members of the United States Armed Forces have come to our foundation as spiritual rape victims/tormentees, 96% of them are Christians themselves."

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/

Religious Freedom in the USA

"We have the most religious freedom of any country in the world, including the freedom not to believe."
-Bill Clinton

Is this true?

Attack of Iraqi Christians

This massive, brutal, and pre-meditated attack is a prime example of the danger of being a different religion (in this instance, Christian) and practicing it within a hostile environment. Here's an article from The New York Times that touches on its effect and the aftermath.

Religious freedom is something we have, but it's not always free. So unfortunate.

Should I Be Laughing?

International Religious Freedom Day

October 27th was International Religious Freedom Day. This day celebrates an important human rights issue and may also stir-up questions such as, how is Freedom of Religion defined?

According to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, freedom of religion is when "everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

In plain language, the UN explains this as having the right to profess your religion freely, to change it, and to practice it either on your own or with other people.

The Masque of Africa

In the new book The Masque of Africa by Nobel Prize winner V.S. Naipual, he again writes about Africa and religious issues he explores there. But in this book, he investigates the influence of the "alien religions": Christianity and Islam. In Africa, Christianity and Islam have begun to permeate countries across the continent, though they each have many indigenous religions of their own.

A former university dean in Gabon is quoted in the book and says, "The new religions, Islam and Christianity, are just on the top. Inside us is the forest."

This shows how deeply rooted spiritual practices are within African culture and history. The spread of Christianity and Islam is relatively "new" to them in comparison to what they have practiced since the beginning of their time.

I am interested in this book and think it would explore religious rights in a sense, because the people that he talks to must have opinions on these religious influences. The people he writes about have had experiences that certainly shape their perspective, so maybe the book would give good insight into what it looks like for a "new" religion to act in their culture.

U.S under U.N. scrutiny for Religious Rights

The U.S. will be the brunt of scrutiny by the United Nations Human Rights Council during the "Universal Periodic Review," coming under accusations of human rights violations such as:

• violent, barbaric police officers
• holding political prisoners behind bars
• 30% of the population not having adequate income for basic needs
• discrimination against Muslim people

The speakers against the U.S. even come from inside the U.S, and they say that America has stimulated a profiling issue of Middle Eastern people based on terrorism and religious beliefs. These people will be able to speak out against the U.S. and say "what really goes on" here and how it should be changed.

I was surprised to read this article. I never would have guessed that the U.S. would be brought before the U.N. for human rights violations-- especially when this is a "free" country, one that I think has done a pretty good job in comparison to others around the world. I don't think the U.N. should be able to be told people's opinions about American's attitudes toward other people (Muslims, Middle Eastern people) if there aren't bad things happening because of those attitudes.

Terrorists Target France and Burqa Ban

Here is a link to an interesting article and video. Anything that has bin Laden targeting anything is something that I would read. This article explains how, apparently, bin Laden reached out to France last Wednesday, threatening and justifying an attack on the country because of the burqa ban it implemented. The audio, which was verified as bin Laden speaking, is the first of its kind to target France individually.

This is just one example of how the burqa ban decision has impacted people all over the world. If bin Laden is listening, there has to be a lot more people with negative opinions on this matter as well.

In France, burqa ban leads to terrorist threats

Recent legislation in France has banned the burqa, a garment that covers the entire body and is worn by some Islamic women. This law has been very controversial from the beginning but the issue seems to have gotten worse. France has been very firm about keeping the ban a law, but this law may soon threaten the safety of the entire nation. Lately, al-Queda leader Osama bin Laden threatened in a video to kill French citizens for revenge on France’s law.

Penn State Religion in the Media Talk

As I was checking my email just now, I saw a link to a flyer promoting a panel called "What does the media say about religion?" It's sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Religious Affairs at Penn State. There will be a panel to offer their knowledge and a discussion afterward about how attendees think media shape's the public's view of religion.

Too bad its happening right now! I can't make it. But I was pleased to see the email come through my Communications listserv emails. The link showed a colorful flyer that had newspaper headlines of religious issues, such as the Washington Post headline: "Under God - religion, government and politics in the news."

It's good to see a Penn State organization offer discussion about media and religion. I hope they have a good turnout and insightful discussion. Maybe they'll ask the question-- Do you think you can worship aloud, Penn State?

Church and State Collide in French Schools

I stumbled upon this article on nytimes.com and was surprised by what I read. As we've been learning, France has controversial and strict rules against Islamic headscarves and veils. The country has been ridiculed by many people for its strict religious laws. Yet, in this article, we see a diverse French school-- full of Muslims, Catholics and other religions-- joined and worshipping together in a new, state-appointed school. It's an interesting mix of church and state, which in France, let alone in any country anymore, surprised me. The fact that they have a new, state-funded Catholic school with state appointed teachers isn't something we see often. Just sayin'.

The Tony Blair Foundation

Michelle shared The Tony Blair Faith Foundation's website with us, and I've been exploring it today. The goal of this foundation is to "promote respect and understanding about the world's major religions and show how faith is a powerful force for good in the modern world." The site emphasizes that different faiths can make a difference by joining together and fighting issues like illness and poverty around the world.

I like that the site is committed to teaching others about understanding different religions. If people understood why different religions work the way they do, then there may be less of a fear or intimidation factor among individuals when encountering someone of a different religion for the first time. In this way, communication is a top priority for the foundation. To build on the importance of communicating about religions, the foundation is trying to implement a Faith and Globalization course into universities and institutions around the world. Maybe one day it will make it to Penn State-- check it out!