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/