Christian Fish.

Large numbers of cars have some sort of bumper sticker variation of the "Christian Fish", or the Ichthys. But what does the Ichthys mean?
Ichthys comes from the Greek word for fish. ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthys) is an acronym for Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr -- which means "Jesus Christ, God's Son; Savior".
Historians believe the fish shape is an adaptation based on an Early Christian symbol resembling a cross for the eye. Other historians believe the fish symbol in Christianity came from a strong Roman influence in which fish were often incorporated in depictions of Roman gods.
Ironically, the shape didn't become popular in recent history until the early 1970s, when the Vietnam War caused reason for rebellion among younger generations. Since its use during the peaceful rebellions of the 70s, the Ichthys can be seen nearly everywhere... though most commonly stamped on the bumpers of cars.
The fish represents many themes and motifs in the Bible -- most notably the 12 Apostles (many of whom were fishermen). Perhaps the most famous "fish" story told in the Bible tells of a boy bringing baskets of five small loaves of bread and two fish. According to the story, this shortage of food was meant to feed five thousand. Jesus multiplied the food, and fed all the people. However, my favorite interpretation has been told time and again: Jesus and his disciples are known as "fishers of men" -- rescuing even the most downtrodden souls and giving them new life through the discovery of God.

Religion Common to the Household

  One recurring theme I find interesting in college life: those not in the practice of religion seem to be more informed than those raised in a highly religious setting. In fact, I am one of the students who remains ignorant of their own faith.
  I wanted to do more research on Lutheranism since most of my family is Lutheran. Lutheranism began around 1517 by a German man named Martin Luther. He famously opposed the Catholic church, and believed salvation came solely from the grace of God and faith in Him alone. He found Catholic rituals unnecessary and "stumbling blocks" in the path of eternal salvation. Martin Luther seems like a classic tale of martyrdom. He was consistently threatened and excommunicated, but he continued to spread his teachings to the remainder of German and Scandanavia.
This brief synopsis summarizes the main points and traditions of the Lutheran Church:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/denominations/lutheranism.htm

Another Political Science Lecture

  Ironically enough, religion was a point of discussion in lecture today. Professor Greenberg reviewed public opinion, and the role of public opinion in comparison with political parties became a point of discussion.
  Today's political scene looks more divided than ever -- deeply divided based on religion and partisanship. According to my professor, religion dictates most conservatism. Mormons and Evangelicals lead the pack with republican/conservative viewpoints.
Just another interesting fact to think about...

I'm on a roll tonight!

  Before this information leaves my memory, I wanted to blog a quick post about my American Politics class in relation to Christianity. In American Politics, we have been discussing the demographic of the American population, and recent discussion involved the composition of American religion. Our country is overwhelmingly Christian and really, this post is solely to make people think.
  Interesting fact: America is the only highly-developed country that maintains a very religious culture. Every other developed nation has little to no religious connectivity. Chew on that for a while. 

Focus on the Family

Another prevalent Evangelical presence in Colorado Springs comes from a family-oriented foundation, known as Focus on the Family.
Focus on the Family acts as a ministry, accepting and working solely based on donation. They manufacture videos, CD's, and books to spread their core values. They work all over the country, but they're headquartered in a largely religious region of Northern Colorado Springs. They target all walks of life, but their characters within their videos and tapes reflect a tendency toward children.
Focus on the Family website:
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/

Los Angeles Times posted a story in 2009 regarding James Dobson, the Conservative Evangelical leader who founded Focus on the Family. He and his wife resigned from their roles, leaving a trail of suspicion behind. He is famous for his political viewpoints despite his claim to keep his political opinions separate from his nonprofit organization.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/02/james-dobson.html

Veggie Tales

  Today I decided to throwback to my childhood, beginning with Veggie Tales. Veggie Tales is incorporated with Big Idea Productions, which strives to include life lessons to reach out to young children. Veggie Tales started in 1993 -- 20 years ago. Today I'm not sure if Veggie Tales still creates episodes since a big lawsuit against Big Idea Productions a while ago. Even still, Veggie Tales has a special place in my heart, and regardless of whether or not I agree with all of its values, I find singing vegetables teaching life lessons to kids admirable.
  Growing up, Veggie Tales was a staple of my weekend activities. We would rent a VHS (so old, I know), and watch an episode of Veggie Tales to absorb "God's lesson" for the day. For those who haven't seen Veggie Tales before, I attached a clip of one Veggie Tales video. The show features a cucumber named Larry, and a tomato named Bob. They teach valuable lessons through Christian teachings, and they sing! Separate of the Christian values and stories, fun random clips are also included.
Here ya go:

Greek Orthodoxy

Hey all! Last night I attended a Greek Orthodoxy church, and I wanted to make a quick post about what I learned and found most interesting:
Greek Orthodox churches are visually appealing -- most of their ornaments placed about the church were large, colorful images of every major martyr, saint, apostle, etc. I actually enjoyed them. The ordained official who spoke to us revealed that the images were often criticized as false idols, but he described them as pictures of your family you can enjoy when you cannot see them face-to-face. Church members express gratitude and love towards these ornate images by giving them a soft kiss.
Bishops are not required to take vows of celibacy, as customary in the Catholic Church. Though the most highly acclaimed officiant, who ordains every other officiant, must remain celibate. I think it's great that officiants in Greek Orthodoxy have the ability to marry and have children!
Another interesting finding -- members of the Greek Orthodox church cross their chest on the right side first, as opposed to Catholics, which cross left first. Additionally, the pointer and middle finger come together with the thumb before crossing the chest to represent the union of Christ the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I enjoyed getting a taste of a different Christian culture... It's not often I visit churches with entirely different rituals from what I am accustomed to.