Are You Ready For "AntiChrist"?

Trailer for "AntiChrist"

The recent Lars von Trier movie "AntiChrist" which opened in theaters this Friday October 23, 2009. It is a film that "has already set off carefully orchestrated frisson of disturbance at film festivals around the world." The movie "AntiChrist" is made up of a Prologue, four chapters titles "Grief", "Pain (Chaos Reigns)", Despair (Gynocide)" and "The Three Beggars", and an Epilogue. The film has also come under attach for its explicit and often disturbing sexuality, including the opening scene showing a toddler falling to its death while HE and SHE have sex on the bed nearby. The film has also invited controversy for its graphic sexual violence. In one controversial scene, SHE hits HIS testicles with a wooden plank so hard that it is implied they are crushed. While HE is unconscious, she masturbates him until he ejaculates blood. Though the International reception was polarized on Rotten tomatoes there was a 49% approval rating based off of 119 reviews. The Daily Mail started there review by nothing tat the films contains " a few images of startling beauty, but soon when on to call it "offensively misogynistic" and "needlessly graphic." The movie in all show how the media has been using religion for many of hundreds of years and it always causes much controversy.

Vatican Accepts Anglicans into Catholic Church

On October 21, 2009 Pope Benedict announced the newly created law known as "Apostolic Consititution" which wil clear the way for the entire congregations of Anglican faithful to join the Catholic Church. The change leaves us to question how married Anglican priests will be ordained as Catholic priests and how Anglican bishops will adjust to the rule which does not applying to them if they are married.

Stacy Meichtry and Amy Merric sound off on the Vatican's bold move to open the Catholic Church to Anglicans in the Wall Street Journal. The two co-authors sound as followers of this epic change, in the article they seemed to be caught off guard about the announcement. The article gives us a background and quite a bit of deatil about the relationship between the Anglican Communion and hte Catholic Church The authors discuss the anouncemnt as a suprised to the Anglican Communion as well. The article seems to be only skimming the surface of the real issue between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church.

I believe that the Catholic Church has taken a step back allowing people to remain prejudice over gay people and women. The Church is not moving forward and accepting them but they are taking may steps back. I believe that many may lose faith in the Catholic Church since they are not willing to give equal opportunities to the gay and to women.

Are you frustrated over the Fort Hood Shootings compared to Religion? Well, we are...

Article

Laura Bohn from North Western University reports that many Chicago Muslim organizations and academics not only fear the retribution, but are frustrated by a perceived public demand to apologize for or explain one individual maniacal act. Bohn states that many investigators have been grappling with the questions such as if there is a correlation between Nidal's religious beliefs. Though many have became very upset with these remarks, "just because he prayed five times a day, does it mean he felt God" said one interviewee.As investigators grapple with these questions and examine a possible correlation between Hasan and his religious beliefs. Though it is suspected Hasan has a series of e-mail correspondence with an iman who preaches violent jihad and has links to al-Qaeda, many insist Hasan's actions have nothing to do with Islam.

Oh just them Christians...

The picture that I have posted, was found on an anti-christian site, where people who have been affected or have just been fed up with Christianity being at every corner can go and release there feelings. I found the picture humorous since, they described Christians as zombies and just blindly following a faith they barely understand. They called them zombies because they are out to get all the non-Christians and convert them into "zombies" as well. In the poster they make references to Adam and Eve, who were tempted and have sinned us all. They make a mockery out of Christianity and their beliefs. Many politicians are Christian and they tend to advocate that they are. Politicians aren't people who persuaded people to convert by their beliefs effect their judgments and their law making skills.

Artist Who Set Off Muslim Fury Visits NYC

Article

We all remember the Danish cartoonists that set the European world into a hot mess over controversial cartoon they decided to draw and publish in their newspaper on Muhammad. The cartoons were offensive but the up roar of anger was unexpected especially in this day and age. But we all know that the Islamic prejudice subject as been a soar one since 9-11. Many argued that the newspaper had the right so publish whatever they please because the right of freedom of speech.

Kurt Westgaard who drew the "offensive" caricatures of the Muhammad visited Princeton University and Yale University. The schools refused to display the cartoons anywhere and if they were put up they were pix elated. As for the United States, a very liberal country, only one newspaper in the entire country posted the cartoons. In retrospect, we can see that Americans feared the outcome of the Muslim Society if the cartoons were posted. Many editors and columnists did not allow the cartoons to be published anywhere because of fear. The question of the first amendment could not even be expressed because of fear.

How Do We Really Like Mormons?

Many Mormon men have taken time off in their lives to spread the Mormon message. They tend to come knocking on your door with their button down shirts and a nicely pressed tie. They don't mean any harm, but those of us that think that they lead very busy lives tend to get very annoyed by their visits. The missionaries visit our homes, to spread teachings of Jesus Christ but there tack ticks aren't always appreciated among our modern American society. In the picture above, which I thought was really funny is just two Mormon boys doing their penance for their religion and God. Their is a separate door bell for the Mormon visitors in which the boxing glove will then punch them in the face, basically a symbol of "get out of here, and don't come back." It just as we see them as different people not as just two boys coming to visit but two intruders trying to force their religion on us.

Is Religion Apart of Politics?

Though constitutional democracy is neutral between the conceptions of the good life, many citizens cannot, without psychological disagreement; separate themselves from their religion or beliefs whenever they enter into the political public sphere. To be sure that all our policies and laws are influenced bu the values, tradition, and norms that we hold. Some theorists believe that religion cannot and need not to be separated from politics. Many believe that the call for separation of religion from politics is an ill-conceived secularism. But what is the proper mediation between religion and politics? What is the proper role for religion in constitutional democracy politics? The answer becomes easier to understand when we pose a similar question to any comprehensive ethical, metaphysical, or religious doctrine.

Abuse Covered up in the Catholic Church

Church allowed abuse by priest for years

This article was prepared by the Globe Spotlight Team: reporters Matt Carroll, Sacha Pfeiffer, and Michael Rezendes; and editor Walter V. Robinson. It was written by Rezendes



In this article, we can see that since the 1990's over 130 people have confirmed of their horrific abuse through only one man who claimed he was a man of God and was protected by the Catholic Church. Priest John J. Geoghan had allegedly fondled and raped these children for three decades through lies and corruption the Church stood behind a man who had no dignity. My question is why would the Church cover these scandals up, if the could have stopped it early on then it wouldn't be such a controversy now. If the Church had come clean right at the beginning there would be such disgrace looked at upon the Catholic Church. How can a man or woman who have lost their way find faith in the Catholic Church, where the corruption and scandal has become larger than God's love.

Sarah Palin and Her Religion

Video


In this,video by the Wasilla Project, they cover Sarah Palin's background as a social conservative and how she has used her religious affiliation to advance her political career. Palin asked many religious leaders about the presidents he had known, and picked his brain about foreign policy. The video discusses her love for Christ and how she has lived her entire life being a devoted Christian. The video talks about how when she first began to run for governor of Alaska the campaign focused on her religion, and how many of her campaign slogans were Christ related. Palin had many different views on topics such as stem cell research and abortion laws. She was a conservative and her state loved her for it. John McCain would was seen as more of a liberal Republican and when he had asked Palin to be his vice president many believed it was to get the conservative Republican vote only. Palin who had expressed her religion numerous times, I guess forgot that most of the state thinks that the United States should be secular.

"Namaste"

Clip of Pastor Eddie D. Smith's Sermon

In Pastor Eddie D. Smith sermon discuss the power of the word "Namaste." The word "Namaste" originates from Sanskrit and translates into "I bow to You." Smith discusses how the word "Namaste" translates in into "the divinity within me salutes the divinity within you," which means that the God within me salutes the God within you. Pastor Smith discusses how men have been miss treating each other because there is not understanding of this concept. Pastor Smith emphasis that from now on the church would be saying "Namaste" to one another to create a sense of respect for one another and to hopefully see the divinity in all humans. He goes on to state that our children now greet each other by say "wat up bra" which doesn't create any sort of respect for one another. He emphasis that the boys in the church need use this term more, to stop them from killing one another.

Pastor Smith argues the term "Namaste" can change the world. If this greeting was used by every person in the world and if we were all to understand that "Namaste" means I salute the divinity within you, can change how people look at one another and how just may be our crime rates would go down.

"A Land Called Paradise"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbcmPe0z3Sc



"A Land Called Paradise" by Lena Khan. In December 2007, over 2,000 American Muslims were asked what they wished they could say to the world. This is what they said.

In this video, American Muslims write on a poster board feels, dreams, and goals that all Americans have. But what is different it about this video is that sometimes we forget that American Muslim women do the everyday things that we may do everyday. I think Lena Khan made this video to show people that are quick to judge Muslim culture that there is no difference between us and them.

I believe that since 9/11 we have put Muslims into a different category by stereotyping them into being non-American or unpatriotic. I commend Khan for her efforts to reveal to the world that we are all Americans, we all shop at malls, and have similar dreams for ourselves and our families. Even our political beliefs are changed among American Muslims, we may categorize them as being radical and too conservative because how some of the women dress.

Shinto and Nationalism

Article

The article discusses how Shinto can not be separated from Japan and the Japanese, but in the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries Shinto became an established state religion, which linked to the cause of Japanese nationalism. In the 6th century Buddhism was imported into Japanese religious life and Buddhism and Shinto together began to play a large part in the Japanese government. The Japanese civic religion in the 17th century still included elements of Confucianism, while popular religion consisted mainly of Buddhism and Shinto. There was a movement towards a purer Shinto during the new two centuries, and became an established religion of Japan for a time. The Japanese have been linked with religion for many centuries, the government is strictly based on Buddhism and Confucianism. The country has been examined numerous times by so many different groups to understand how the state works. But the migration population in Japan is very little so it seem to be understandable that the Japanese tolerate a government so religious because they have been there for many centuries.

Feeding Liberals to the Christians

The picture demonstrates Sarah Palin and John McCain standing on a balcony and pushing two lions that symbolize liberals and the media to the hungry/upset looking Christians standing at the bottom. The cartoonists has labeled the lions as media and liberals putting them in the same category, and the Christians as crazed people who are out to get them. The picture is ironic since the media and liberals are lions, where are animals that are predators and kings of the land they live on, so the cartoonist is saying that these liberals and the media have been predators to Sarah Palin and John McCain. By feeding them to the Christians, it seems as those these Christians are just as strong and powerful as lions are, they are ready to attack. The media and liberals have been constantly attacked by devoted Christians and many Christians have been exploited and harassed by liberals and the media. So both groups have to after each other for many years, but as Conservatives had much support for McCain and Palin the tension between the two groups had become much more interesting to see. The Christians playing such a large role in McCain and Palin's campaign they headed the way to stop liberals and media to mess up their chance in power in the office.

Let's Sing about Race, Religion and Politics

Song about Obama's Campaign

The song is to inspiring people to participate in the voting process. The singer, JTE, sings to us about talking about politics, President Obama, the first lady, religion and race. In his song he sings that we should talk about it all, he states the Obama was seen as a proficiency in the Bible. He sings about how the Bible teaches us to love and to understand one another. There have been many songs about President Obama since he declared himself a canidate in the 2009 presidential election. Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States on Noverber 4th, 2008 and millions rejoiced in the streets. In the months leading up to the election, many hip-hop articles made a hobby out of finding words that rhyme with "Obama". From Jay-Z to Mary J. Blige and we can't forget about Obama Girl.