Texas Polygamy Bust

  A court case from April 2008 convicted a Texas polygamist community of several accounts of sexual assault. According to Texas officials, the polygamist community groomed young girls for sexual abuse from their much older husbands, as well as encouraging young men within the community to engage in acts of sexual assault. As a result from the court case, several children were taken from their mothers and placed in the care of Child Protective Services.
  Gary Gates, the founder of the Texas Center for Family Rights, disagrees with the position of the court regarding the removal of small children from their families, despite the acts occurring within the Fundamental LDS community.
  This article posed an especially interesting topic in regards to my upcoming book report, detailing the violent acts of sexual abuse within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Though my presentation on Thursday will provide better insight, the Texas polygamist case from 2008 presents a very similar situation to those of a small town in Nevada called Colorado City. Granted, Fundamentalist LDS groups are not as common, the issue still stands: Are FLDS members practicing their right to the First Amendment (freedom of religion)? Or are they committing felonies by impregnating young girls as early as 12 years old?

Here's the link!

Pop Culture Trends of the 2000s

  Beliefnet.com published an article detailing all of the religion affiliated (specifically Christian) influences of the 2000s.
  The writer makes great points and even highlights religious influences of the decade that initially didn't appear obvious or related to any sort of belief system. For instance, did you know that Napoleon Dynamite is Mormon?
Even the popular Twilight Saga contained elements commonly seen in religion -- Bella remained chaste despite her passionate love for a vampire.
  Pop culture experts suggest the Jonas Brothers were perhaps the most influential Christian stars of the 2000s. Their strong Christian tendencies and publicity surrounding their chastity before marriage encouraged their young audiences to seek a similar lifestyle. The brothers even publicly admitted their motto: "True Love Waits" -- engraved on their purity rings. 
  In regards to Christian holidays, the movie The Passion of the Christ drew in more than $76.2 million on its opening weekend, a much higher number than expected. In fact, the movie is the highest-grossing non-English movie of all time (despite the controversial content). 
http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/2009/12/Pop-Culture-Trends.aspx

Ancient Bath Too Advanced for the Times

  Archaeologists discovered an ancient bath hidden among ruins in Jerusalem's Kiryat Menachem quarter. The bath appears more than 2,000 years old, and archaeologists found evidence suggesting the bath was built with the intention of keeping the water pure and consistently flowing -- a necessity for religious rituals in Christian and Jewish cultures. Kashrut, a set of Jewish dietary laws, set the groundwork for many Christian dietary laws shortly after this time period. Kashrut requires that water be collected without human contact.
  The bath even had a sophisticated plaster coating to ensure the water would not seep into the ground. Researchers and archaeologists have been excavating the site even further after additional discoveries dating back 9,000 years were discovered in the surrounding region. After revealing the elements of the excavation, historians now have a better glimpse at the composition of religious rituals and their corresponding structures.

http://news.yahoo.com/2-000-old-ritual-bath-found-jerusalem-121302315.html

Marriage as an Institution

  Since marriage equality has been on the minds of so many recently, heated debate has strayed from marriage in Biblical terms, and has instead magnified marriage as a government institution. In an article posted on the New York Times website, the issue stands -- the "marriage penalty" hits couples on tax day.
  The marriage penalty discourages couples with two incomes from marrying, and encourages the union of couples with only one income. In addition to the issue regarding marriage in Biblical terms, marriage has been undermined by government taxation. So those who believe marriage is a Biblical institution now have an entirely new issue to combat -- is marriage defined in monetary terms?

Sister Wives

  Sister Wives is a very popular show on the TLC network. Not much appears 'typical' about this family, which includes four wives to one man (Kody Brown) and 14 children, three of whom came from a previous marriage of the youngest and newest wife, Robyn. The most interesting aspect of the Brown family is their stance on polygamy, and their bravery by entering the public forum under the scope of glaring, critical, societal views of polygamy.
  Legally speaking, Kody Brown technically only married his first wife, Meri. Though conflict frequently occurs amidst tensions of four women sharing one husband, the family continually preaches the teachings of John Smith, the originator of Mormon belief, who reportedly had more than 30 wives, including a young teenager. Fundamentalist Mormons believe polygamy is an essential part of attaining access to Heaven, despite complete dissociation from The Church of Latter-Day Saints, which hasn't paid attention to Fundamentalist views since the late 1800s.
  The Brown family attempts to show the prospect of polygamy from a positive perspective, but all members involved have faced large legal consequences.

OneRepublic

  OneRepublic, an alternative rock band, released their new album, Native, around the end of March. The band has international recognition, and produces some of the highest chart-topping hits to date on most popular radio stations.
  Shockingly, the band originated in Colorado Springs, when the original members posted their first hits on MySpace from their high school -- Colorado Springs Christian School. Their first hit, "Apologize", has the most song plays in one week out of any popular song (with the exception of Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love").
  OneRepublic is perhaps the most famous Christian-based band, and many of their songs contain elements of their faith. Many acclaim the musical group for promoting positive messages and abstaining from the use of profanities -- popular among Christian musical enthusiasts.

  For those who haven't experienced OneRepublic, I suggest listening to some of their songs, though I'm sure you can catch a song or two on the radio. I've attached "If I Lose Myself" from their most recent album.

Top 10 Most Laughable Christian Songs

  Though I appreciate the presence of traditional hymns in service, I wanted to look up some of the more ridiculous Christian songs in an effort to reach out to the 'young', 'hip' youth communities. The title of the video speaks for itself, and some songs include parodying musical gems from our past like "I Like Big Butts" and "Friday" (made famous by Rebecca Black). Hope you enjoy! I thought this was pretty funny.

Christian Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center

  Celebrate Hope is a Christian-focused alcohol and drug treatment center in Orange County, California. Their mission is "...to minister the love of Jesus Christ to the least, the last and the lost." Celebrate Hope claims the title of one of the best rehab centers in the country. Their program centers around healing, reconciliation, and restoration to God, one's own family, and one's own dignity.
  Overall, the program appears identical to any other rehab center, though treatment involves heavy self-inflection and even heavier emphasis on the Bible's interpretation of addiction.
  Based on my first impression of the home page, Celebrate Hope believes in God's ability to help those who help themselves first (a typical saying among the Christian community).
  I attached the link here if you'd like to find more info. 

Mary Baker Eddy

  In my last post, I briefly glazed over a segment of Christianity called Christian Science. Christian Science was founded by a woman by the name of Mary Baker Eddy. She founded the Church of Christ, Scientist in 1879. The Church of Christ, Scientist, is based on the healings of Jesus Christ.

  Eddy was born and raised in New Hampshire, but unfortunately she consistently became ill. In an effort to find relief, Eddy tried unorthodox remedies and therapies to treat her illnesses. In addition to her extensive illnesses growing up, Eddy (in her mid-40s) slipped on ice one night and suffered extreme internal injuries. Doctors didn't expect her to recover, so Eddy requested that one of her helpers bring her a Bible. After reading accounts of Jesus' healing powers, Eddy miraculously healed -- only shortly thereafter to relapse. Again, Eddy consulted the works and acts of Jesus Christ from the Bible, and she somehow recovered a second time.
  After two unanticipated recoveries, Mary Baker Eddy documented her experience and sought to discover how she healed without the need of medication. In her autobiography, she calls the Bible her 'textbook'. Later she references how the name of 'Christian Science' came to be, in which she quotes: "The miracles recorded in the Bible, which had before seemed to me supernatural, grew divinely natural and apprehensible…”
  Eddy founded her church in 1879, and had ordained the Bible and her textbook, Science and Health, as the primary pastors of the church. The headquarters of the Christian Science Church are located in Boston, Massachusetts. Services consist of a lesson and service every Sunday, as well as mid-week meetings in which members gather to share the healings of Jesus Christ they experience as the week progresses.

Christian Science

  The concept seems odd, but a segment of Christianity exists, called Christian Science. Christian Science developed from a woman named Mary Baker Eddy, who incorporated the tenets of scripture in her textbook on Christian Science, named Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
  When I read the basic teachings of Christian Science on the official website, not much "science" was involved. In fact, I found no evidence in the basic teachings tab that hard science and experimentation were involved in the creation of the Christian Science textbook, or the religion itself for that matter.
  What I found more interesting was that Christian Science deviates very little from others who have taken on the responsibility of interpreting the Bible in a non-relgious setting.
  The basic teachings of Christian Science are as follows:

• The Word of the Bible is the guide to eternal life
• God is both supreme and infinite
• Jesus' crucifixion acknowledges eternal faith and love
• Love is the basis of all things and all things knowledgeable

  Overall, the idea not entirely different from the basic teachings of what we call "typical" Christianity. The difference is that Christian Science was founded upon a textbook written by Mary Baker Eddy, who I will write about in a continuation post.

Darkness and Mary Magdalene

  Darkness has a symbolic hold on many of the tellings of the Easter gospel and tradition. Darkness is often symbolic of the tumultuous trials humans face every day, including illness, hunger, death, etc. Reverend David Lewicki took a stance on the dark trials of human life, and enlightens his readers based on the Christian mindset.
  This Easter, everyone wakes up in darkness. Every person faces some sort of difficulty representative of darkness -- a looming shadow impeding happiness, health, or even daily function. Rev. Lewicki describes this darkness in reference to Mary Magdalene, a close friend of Jesus Christ and one of his disciples (a good point to make for the feminist movement). Mary Magdalene became a follower of Christ after having seven dark demons expelled from her being. She returned to the tomb where Jesus was quickly placed after his crucifixion -- a dark place, devoid of light, filled with death and sorrow. Her grief upon realizing Jesus Christ was missing: also darkness. And yet, Jesus Christ rose from the throes of Hell, the throes of death, and provided an illuminating light, so bright every man who believes in him is safe from darkness.
  According to the Reverend, Mary Magdalene characterizes one of the most essential themes of the Bible which encompasses all of Christianity: God is light, and darkness no longer exists as long as one believes in the risen Christ. From this perspective, women have taken on a whole new role in the Church; one that's becoming less sexist, and more ecompassing of all kinds of people.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-david-lewicki/john-201-18-how-long-does-darkness-last_b_2980734.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife

  The other day I came across an interesting article written about a Harvard neurosurgeon who wrote a book on his experience in the afterlife. Dr. Eben Alexander never believed in consciousness after biological neuronal death, yet he experienced a phenomena he cannot medically explain, changing his perception of an existence of Heaven.
  A man of science, Alexander never previously played with the notion that a realm beyond that of human existence, but after contracting a rare form of meningitis (very deadly), the neurosurgeon lapsed into a coma lasting a full week, in which his neuronal capabilities suggested a life in a completely vegetative state. Doctors were certain Alexander would never wake and regain all his original functionality, but by some miracle, he awoke with function intact a week after his bout of bacterial meningitis.
  Alexander's book, called 'Proof of Heaven' details the very intense and very real experience he felt in his comatose state (keep in mind his brain showed no activity whatsoever during his out-of-body experience). He first noticed leaving earth, travelling to the sky, and being surrounded by advanced beings, totally overjoyed in their existence, chanting as they moved. A woman approached Alexander and told him he would return to earth, but that he was very loved and that within the universe, love and logic are equally plausible explanations for the creation of man.
  The whole story seems very far-fetched, though doctors cannot explain Alexander's experience in terms of medicine, because no brain activity showed during his trip to Heaven. This is a man who distinctly opposed religious explanations for how the world works until he experienced firsthand what Christianity consistently preaches. It's an interesting viewpoint, and certainly one to consider.
  If you have the time, read some of the articles, and watch the video from my link.

'The Bible'

 The History Channel recently began a new series called 'The Bible' -- detailing the life of Christ reenacted directly from the works of the New Testament. One story in particular caught my eye, about the actor Diogo Morgado, who portrays Jesus. Morgado claims to have had somewhat of an "out of body" experience as he stood perched on the cross during filming. He claims to have looked down on the set, and suddenly his whole life flashed before his eyes. He later describes in this article the experience as "touching", and believes his role as Jesus Christ was meant to touch the lives of others.
  Though I don't necessarily understand the meaning of this experience, or what this experience entails in regards to Christian viewers, but the story was somewhat touching nonetheless. Over the weekend, I watched portions of 'The Bible' episodes with my brother, and they're very different from what I consider traditional History Channel/Discovery Channel reenactments. The episodes seemed more captivating and thought-inducing than I anticipated. Perhaps the experience connected on a more personal level because the season finale airs tonight (Easter Sunday).

Marriage Equality and the Supreme Court

  Since marriage equality has caused such an uproar in the past week, I looked into the Supreme Court rulings and the Constitutional amendments in relation to the hot-button issue. DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) rules that marriage is only between a man and a woman, but the Supreme Court needs to decide if DOMA violates the Equal Protection clause by refusing benefits to same-sex couples. Additionally, same sex marriages were legal in the state of California until voters passed Proposition 8, defining marriage between only a man and a woman. Decisions on the cases will have no expected ruling until June. Until then, many American Facebook users have changed their profile picture to a red or pink equal sign as a display of protest. The movement toward marriage equality grows as younger generations develop more liberal opinions on the matter. Huge political and pop culture leaders have been taking their stances as politics continue to polarize in the heat of debate. Despite the backlash of proponents of same sex marriages, the issue still remains: is the Supreme Court lording over a case of equality or Constitutional traditional values (i.e. the values of the Church)?

 

The Thorn

  Every year, New Life Church (mega church) puts on a large production relating to Easter Sunday about how Jesus was betrayed and killed for the sins of all mankind. Every other year the mega church alternates between productions, though this year New Life performed The Thorn -- a very moving performance by local dance companies, church members, and the like. I cannot put into words the theatricality and emotional bearings The Thorn has on those in attendance, but because the church is so large, thousands gather to see each of the shows. Though I can't do proper justice to the work dedicated to The Thorn, I will say the who performance feels very cirque-du-solei. Ballerinas dressed as angels spin in hula hoops and fabrics hung from the ceilings, local tae-kwon-do master black belts parade around and captivate audience members donning the garments of "demons".
  I highly suggest all see the performance once in their lifetime -- the story of Jesus' betrayal and crucifixion is captivating even if one doesn't believe in Christ or Christianity. New Life goes to great lengths to put on the show, and the whole thing looks incredibly realistic. I am shocked at how well the actors portray their characters, especially Jesus. None of the scenes appear fake, and it's quite shocking. Regardless of religion, I recommend The Thorn to anyone who happens to be in Colorado Springs around Easter time. See for yourself!

Texas Christian University

  TCU is a private university located in Fort Worth, Texas and founded in 1873. TCU associates with the Disciples of Christ.
  The Disciples of Christ -- otherwise known as The Disciples -- is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination. The movement began in the early 1800s, and eventually formed from a group called the American Christian Missionary Society.
  The Disciples of Christ follow the basic practices of most present-day Christian denominations -- baptism to achieve salvation, communion, etc. However, one unique aspect of the Disciples of Christ is that church leaders encourage followers to read the Bible on their own and decide how God is calling them to act within the faith.
  TCU is such a well-known university and welcomes thousands of students every year, drawing much attention to The Disciples of Christ.
http://www.tcu.edu/

St. Patrick's Day

  Saint Patrick is known as a Christian missionary, bishop and patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain around the beginning of the 5th century. When he was 16, he was captured and imprisoned by Irish raiders, where he remained in captivity for six years, working as a shepard. While in captivity, he became a devout Christian and dreamed of converting the Irish to Christianity.When he finally returned to England, Patrick dreamed again, in which an angel told him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick traveled to Ireland and converted large populations of Irish civilians to Christianity, while also incorporating pagan traditions.
  St. Patrick's Day is celebrated every year on March 17, in honor of Saint Patrick's death -- March 17, 461.

  According to folklore, the holiday is associated with green because Ireland is often called the "Emerald Isle".

20 Kids and Counting.

  While living at home, I watched my fair share of television and occasionally flipped the channel to TLC. TLC features odd families, though I found none more rare and confusing than the Duggar family. For those who do not know of the Duggars, they are a Christian, devoutly religious family committed to raising the 20 children Michelle Duggar conceived in her now 47 (48?) years of life.
  I decided to inquire further about their decision to avoid any and all forms of birth control, and I came across the official Duggar family website, which describes the reasoning behind their decision to conceive in accordance with "God's wishes". According to the website, Michelle Duggar regularly used birth control before conceiving her first child and suffering a miscarriage. They consulted a Christian doctor, who informed the young couple that birth control often causes miscarriages in unknown pregnancies. As a result, Michelle and Jim Bob made the decision to abstain from birth control, and continued conceiving children as God "saw fit". I supposed the rest is history. Here is the link to the Duggar website.
  The Duggars participate in Christian traditions typical of a devoutly religious family, and attempt to remain distant from pop culture in order to avoid temptation. One episode I saw even featured Jim Bob Duggar instructing his sons to look down and away from scantily clad women (rather interesting).

Pope Election

  As the conclave nears, a new Pope will be chosen -- and in light of the elections, a chimney has been installed on the Sistine Chapel.
  Such a thing would seem odd -- though the process comes from a tradition to notify the Catholic masses of the time a new Pope has been chosen. The century old cast-iron stove burns black or white. White means a Pope has been selected (ballots are burning in the stove), whereas black smoke means a Pope has yet to be chosen, and ballots are still being counted. In the past, this process notified the public waiting in anticipation for the election of the new leader of the Catholic followers.
http://news.yahoo.com/sistine-chimney-installed-conclave-nears-135418278.html

Christian Cookies

  I found a recipe for Christian cookies online! However, I assume they're "Christian" simply because they are formed in the shape of the Ichthys. Regardless, I find this recipe ironic because really no other aspect of these cookies strike me as "Christian". In fact, the cookies themselves are made of won ton wrappers... weird. The dish is traditionally made with Polish dough (also doesn't strike me as incredibly Christian), though I suppose it's a baking option if I'm ever feeling exceptionally inclined to make Christian cookies. If you ever want to make some yourself, here's the link!