Last Post

With my last post, I will address the topic that most interests me: religious acceptance across the nation. With all the complaints against how Obama has started his presidency, there is one area where I cannot help but support Obama: reaching out to bring religions closer to one another.

One recent White House event was the dinner held in honor of the Ramadan fasting period. With all the controversy going on the recent dinner crashing couple, people seemed to have overlooked what occurred at this event. Not only was this a dinner held primarily for Muslims, perhaps the most scrutinized group in America, but it also extended an invitation to Jewish leaders. That for me personally, is appalling. Not only has Obama invited the "American enemy" but he has brought together leaders of two warring nations.

Why is there no media over this now? President Clinton earned huge acclaim for conducting a meeting between Muslim and Jewish leaders at Camp David. And yet, all people can focus on is how Obama may be a secret Muslim, how he is asking for more soldiers, and how is making American look weak by bowing in front of the Japanese emperor. I'll end with one piece of advice: Wake up Americans and see the courage and audacity of our President. He has tackled the issue that has created the most conflict in the history of mankind: Religion.

Job Hirings based on Religion

George W Bush, often criticized for his over emphasis on Christianity during his presidency, had implemented a program that allowed faith-based groups to hire only Christians. Essentially a Christian program such as CAC, can turn away more qualified applicants on the basis that they aren't Christian.

What is perhaps most stunning is that President Obama has decided to keep the program. Knowing the policies of Obama, we know that he has called for religious tolerance and acceptance. He has reached out to the middle east and explicitly stated that the United States is not attempting to persecute Muslims. He has also tried to alleviate the tensions between Israel and Palestine. So with so much work done for religious quality, why has he kept this blatantly discriminating program?

That is what the people are arguing. They are trying to appeal to the president to repeal the act. One question that is probably grazing their minds is how Christianity can hold such power in a country founded on "separation of church and state".

The little known Golden Temple

If anyone hasn't gone to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, it is a place I highly recommend people visit it. This is the most revered location in the Sikh faith, which is thought to be built on a lake with healing properties.
Considering that Sikhs are a very small minority in India, what is it exactly that has drawn so much attention to this beautiful temple? The answer is politics. Sikhism was created by Guru Nanak, in an attempt to take the best of both the Hindu and Muslim faiths. It was also created in an attempt to get away from the two mega- Indian faiths.
One political event forever changed how the temple was viewed is the invasion by Indian troops in 1984. Because Indira Gandhi had taken up alliances with a fundamentalist Sikh leader, she was nearly powerless when he took refuge with his armed men in the holy Sikh temple. Indira Gandhi then made the extremely controversial choice of sending in armed soldiers and tanks. When the attack occurred, all Sikhs were dismayed, and some wanted revenge. This was obviously the mindset of Gandhi's Sikh bodyguards as they assassinated her a few days later.
What is unfortunate is that this holy Sikh site is most remembered for the political conflict that embroiled it in controversy.

Benedict XVI trying to improve relations

Over the last three years of his papacy, Benedict XVI admits that he has made some mistakes when addressing other religions. He has referred to Islam as a religion based on old concepts attempting to spread in a new way: by violence. Quite ironic he should make reference to violent conversion when Christianity has had crusades and mass conversion camps.
What is encouraging though, is that the Pope is trying to call a meeting with Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu leaders. This falls in place of growing dialogue that the Catholic Church has supported for the last 20 or so years.
The view of the Catholic Church is that dialogue with other religions is necessary and helpful. Pope John II was well known for his advice to Catholics that they must be ready for conversion when taking part in dialogue. That just goes to show that he truly held that other religions could also hold truth.
Benedict could probably take a page out of John II's book. Perhaps with this step, there is a much brighter future for possible camaraderie between the Abrahamic religions and the Eastern religions.

President Obama and now Bobby Jindal

President Obama, despite repetitively claiming that he is a Christian, is still accused of being a Muslim. People intermittently still look at old interviews of Obama trying to find slip-ups and lies that would uncover his hidden Muslim faith. You would think after people couldn't find much evidence, they would leave the topic alone, but these people never do. Perhaps they still haven't understood that we now have a black President.

In a different part of the nation, another ethnic minority is being heavily scrutinized for claiming to be a Catholic. Ironically it is another political figure, Bobby Jindal. Despite conversion many years ago, Jindal still draws the routine Hindu accusations and even occasional Muslim one. What is it with people? Why must political figures so actively go out and prove their faith?

Have we forgotten how recently not just Christians, but Christian priests have been found guilty of being unfaithful to Christian principles? Have we forgotten that Christians have been accused of exhorting the poor people through the use of televangelism? It is time for Christians to stop looking for public figures to affirm their faith and focus on cleaning up their own religion.

Are Christian Perceptions Changing?

Throughout most of the 20th century, the Christian view of other religions has been that they are false, and all non-Christians are condemned to hell. Through time however, views have either expanded or reverted to older ideas.
The first different view is that other religions have some truth in them, but Jesus is the savior, and through his grace, all the moral people in THE WORLD will be saved. So Christianity still > other religions.
The second view is that Christianity is on par with other religions. That means that other religions are true and have God in them as well. Additionally, these people can reach salvation within their own faiths, although that salvation will be lower than the Christian heaven. Essentially, all the truth cannot be held in one religion alone, and that makes other religions valuable as well.
The final view includes the acceptance of all other religions. This view calls for increased dialogue between faiths and warns Christians that they must be ready in case conversion occurs. Here salvation is equal and achievable in all faiths.

One example of the second view, known as the mutuality model, is Newark Mayor Corey Booker. While taking a look around his office, one would see he has not just a bible, but the Koran, Bhagvad-Gita, and Torah as well. His reasoning? No one religion can capture the infinite.
It just goes to show you that even hundreds of years of precedent cannot stop people from expanding their religious boundaries.

Why are Atheists so Politically Strong?

Atheists are gaining in number, as proven by the fact that atheism is the third most popular "religion" in the world. They put out books in large numbers and gain media time at regular intervals. So what is it about atheists and atheism that attracts people and the media?

1. Atheism is an outlet for those religious people that are strictly fed up. These people see atrocities in the world and experience them in their personal lives. After years of pleas to God, these people are looking for alternatives. Atheism provides that alternative with the thinking that perhaps the world is not oriented around a higher being. Perhaps the world is oriented around the human being and the idea that people are the highest in the social ladder.

2. Atheists are well educated and spoken. This presents a disadvantage to religious people in a debate, because the grounds of the debate are based upon worldly activities and issues. Religions are conversely based upon spirituality, places and beings not evident to the human eye, and usually blind faith. So it is understandable that people are drawn to arguments based on tangibles.

To give you proof of a well spoken and educated atheist, here is the link to none other than the renowned Christopher Hitchens.

Diversity in Atheism

One would think that an Atheist denies any existence of God. That isn't the case however. There are supposedly three different waves of Atheism. The first wave was the one we are all familiar with, declaring that there is no God. The second wave actually took a vastly different approach, claiming that there is no doubt that God exists. What caused them to lost faith was the fact that God's existence didn't lead to an end in the world's suffering. The third and current wave claims that there is no God, but perhaps there is value to religion.
I want to address that third group's stance. Taking out the concept of God, what is religion? Quite frankly it becomes just another organization or group, comparable to the government or the boy scouts. God is what makes religion. Without that higher being, religion is merely a social gathering. Without God, there is no weight to any religious text, nor religious rituals. Without God, there is no religious diversity and nor is there religious approaches to living life.
For me personally, the third wave of atheists are riding a nonexistent wave. Because without God, there is no religion.
Of course another point is arguable here. Why do we need religion? Well religion does many of the same things that other social organizations do: 1. it gives a sense of community 2. it builds relationships 3. It provides a social network to fall back upon. But it also does more than that. Religion provides meaning, or purpose in life. Atheists have no belief in God, so what are their aims in life? Money, fame, knowledge? These are aspects that are whimsical, and can be lost as quickly as they are gained. Faith in a higher being and an afterlife however, has driven people through entire lifetimes. Perhaps more importantly, it has given satisfaction. What can atheists say to that?

Televangelists Finally Being Exposed

I had seen televangelists perform on television many years ago. Not being a Christian, I gave little thought to them. But in my Politics and Religion class, i was exposed to the ways in which televangelists take advantage of poor Americans in the name of Jesus. With so many televangelists, you would think that one of these guys is for real. But there is strong proof against that claim, because so many of these people are multi-millionaires.
Now how exactly do these people become so rich when they are preaching for God, and asking for money for good causes such as charities? Truth is that many are taking part of this incoming money and using it for personal desires. So what exactly are these people buying? Planes? Boats? Rolls-Royces? Houses? Yes to all of the above. Their spending is so ludicrous, that its a wonder these people have not been jailed for mass extortion. One man has at least stepped up to the plate. Mr. Chuck Grassley has started to meticulously monitor these televangelists under the pretense of tax evasion. There is legitimacy to this claim, because the government outlaws religious authorities earning or receiving copious amounts of money.
Until further developments can be made, we will just have to hope people begin making their own investigations, and exposing these frauds.

Sarah Palin Part of Christian Right?

Having recently heard of the Christian Right, I came across an article that talked about Sarah Palin's new book Going Rogue suggesting her candidacy to not only join the organization, but to lead it. With Palin being the vice president candidate runner up with John McCain, this book brings up to different thoughts.
The first is: What in the world was a Christian Fundamentalist, the type of people that constitute the Christian Right, doing running for the second most influential position in American politics? If anything, this is further proof that Americans are too dependent on "Christian Morals", rather than personal qualifications.
The second thought is that why didn't Sarah Palin run with George Bush? The match would have put together extremely devout Christians, and the people could have had the most fundamental Christian duo of American history. In that sense, the Christian Right would have been happy, the American people would have been happy, and the Vatican would have been happy. It would have been a win-win situation for everyone. Well perhaps everyone except the millions of Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Atheists. At least it would neatly solve the question : Is America a Christian Nation?

Christian Power in Europe

Just recently, Switzerland banned Muslims from building minarets on their mosques. It seems that there is little reasoning behind the decision. This is without a doubt discrimination against the minority Swiss Muslims, numbering around 400,000. The ban seems to make little sense, since only four mosques actually have minarets. These spire like structures are used to call Muslims to prayer. Perhaps of some ironic nature, is the fact that the religious majority there is Christian.

The situation in Europe strongly mirrors a situation I blogged about earlier, on the Hindu mandir in Chino Hills. Just as the minaret situation, the mandir faces opposition on placing spires above the imposed 42 foot city height limit.

One point should be remembered however. That this is not a post to blast Christianity. I'm sure minority religions have problems practicing their faith in religious dominated societies. The point is then, that religious tolerance isn't enough. Rather, countries need to incorporate religious acceptance.

Islam only extreme?

Islam is a religion of terrorism. That seems to be the outlook of many Americans at least. But if Islam is looked at from a macro perspective, it is easy to see that acts of terror, violence, and intolerance are regulated to a small portion of the population. Other Muslims take no part in crimes or violence.
So what really should Americans be targeting? Fundamentalism. That is the root of religious dissension. Fundamentalists, which come from all religions, never accept tolerance and go to extreme means to get religious objectives completed. They are the cause of strife and the current mindset that religions cannot live harmoniously with one another.
What is important here, is to remember that not only Muslims are fundamentalist. Christians (Religious Right, Family, KKK), Hindus (VJP), Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs will always have their own fundamentals. But that doesn't mean that they should ruin the image of followers as a whole.
Some key similarities of fundamentalists are
1. Strong Basis on Texts
2. Taking the texts literally- meaning they are not open to interpretation
3. Intolerance of other religions
4. Divinity of religious leaders
5. Secularism causes problems

Obama's show of faith

As I have noted in a recent post, Obama has not been scared to show that he is a man of faith. Now that does not mean he goes to the level of FORMER PRESIDENT G. Bush, but just that he lets Americans know he is religious. He even actively used his Christian background to appeal to voters during the elections.
So the question is, do President's, or politicians in general, live their lives as religiously as they publicly advertise? There have been numerous examples where President Obama has been caught in small lies about being present in church or actively being Christian. So what really are the chances that all of our Presidents have being abiding Christians? Could they have just fooled the Christian crazed American people into voting them into office? Could they just be attending memorials, services, and rituals to keep selling their product?

For most Americans, this is a definite possibility. Sadly, with so much emphasis on religion during elections, it is likely that other qualified men and women who are either part of minorty religions or atheists, never get a chance to change America for the better. How do we know that Christian leaders have the best interests of the country in mind? How do we know that an atheist cannot lead America forward? Quite frankly, we don't.

Atheism accepts intelligent design

Atheism is officially the third largest "religion" in the world. That is frankly surprising, and as a religious person, perhaps a bit frightening. And yet, even though people make think that Atheists and Theists must be absolutely opposed on every issue, that isn't the case. The proof is provided by the recent study that some atheists don't discount the intelligent design theory offered by mainly Christians. The theory goes along the lines of, if you pick up a watch and open it up, you see that there are many integral parts that lead to the watch being able to keep time. Essentially, there has to be a creator for the watch. That example is drawn in parallel to the world. The world has so many facets that work together and create the existence we are a part of today. So theists argue, that like a watch, there must have been a creator for the world. There is no way that the world can function so seamlessly as it does, without having been set in motion by a greater being.

But my purpose for this blog isn't necessarily to discuss this acceptance. Rather its to move on to what moves people to become atheists. Here are a list of personal thoughts on why it happens.
1. Calamities/ Life changing experiences- Holocaust, WWII, Hiroshima bombing, Rwanda Genocide
2. Religious intolerance, acts of violence, and fraud around the world
3. Ego (either wanting to take credit for accomplishments, or feeling so minuscule in relation to a divine being and countless galaxies.
4. Attempt to do away with faith (although every decision we make is based on faith)
Let me hear your reasons or disputations.