tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252019282024-03-05T19:59:59.341-05:00refWrite...page2pisteutics and other concerns in regard to world religions and to the creation's universal pisteutic law-mode for integral human existence and life and worshipAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.comBlogger617125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-40510282791784911792013-02-15T21:16:00.000-05:002013-02-15T21:16:08.170-05:00Pisteutics: Christianity/ies: Becoming an African Christian denomination with 5,500 believers in a burnt-over landInternational cooperation has reached a new stage in Christian Reformed missions to the African countries of Sierra Leone and Nigeria, as well as North American based CRC assistance in missions and world relief (World Renew). The Sierre Leone CRC is growing rapidly, so it has been able to attract a seminary professor who had also served a term as denominational president in Nigeria, Rev. Istifanus B. Bahago, to come from his home country to take up the leadership and program development tasks of the Sierre Leone churches.<br />
<br />
— Owlb<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.crcna.org/news-and-views/changing-guard-sierra-leone?utm_source=CRC+News&utm_campaign=9eab0b9d40-CRC+News+%7C+February+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email">Christian Reformed Church of North America</a> (Feb15,2k13)<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Sierra Leone CRC develops its leadership personnel and heads toward closer organization of its 65 congregations into an African Christian denomination</span><br />
<br />
<h1 class="page-title" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', 'Droid Serif', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 1.8em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px 0px 0.2em; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; widows: 2; width: 440px; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></h1>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;">by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author-ref field-type-entityreference field-label-hidden" style="display: inline; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="field-items" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div class="field-item even" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div class="textformatter-list" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a class="node node-6735 entityreference" href="http://www.crcna.org/author/chris-meehan" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.15s; -webkit-transition-property: initial; -webkit-transition-timing-function: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990033; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">Chris Meehan</a>, CRCNA Communications</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="field field-name-field-article-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item even">
<div class="large-paragraph" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In January, Rev. <b>Istifanus B. Bahago</b> assumed leadership and program development for the quickly growing Christian Reformed Church of Sierra Leone.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bahago took the position on behalf of the <b>Christian Reformed Church of North America</b> and the Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRCN), for which Bahago was a <b>seminary professor</b> and most recently served as <b>president</b>.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He replaces Rev. <b>John Phiri</b>, director of lay training and empowerment for the <b>Reformed Church in Zambia</b>, who has been serving for many years in the position.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rev.<b> Ezekiel Sudu</b>, another <b>CRC Nigeria</b> missionary, and his family joined Phiri in 2011 or so and are continuing to serve in Sierra Leone.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bahago and his wife, Jemimah, recently relocated to Sierra Leone with two of their children to begin the work.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="external " href="http://www.crwm.org/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.15s; -webkit-transition-property: initial; -webkit-transition-timing-function: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990033; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;" title="">Christian Reformed World Missions</a> (CRWM), along with the CRC of Nigeria, have joined to help to define and support the ministry of Bahago.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CRWM has been engaged in ministry in Sierra Leone for many years and stood by people during the country’s<b> bloody civil war that ended in 2002</b>. [And still leaves many scars among the people.]</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since that time, CRWM has been involved in evangelism efforts and partnerships that have helped spur <b>tremendous growth of churches in Sierra Leone</b>.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The CRC of Sierra Leone now consists of more than <b>5,500 believers and 62 congregations</b> that are <b>increasingly organizing and functioning as a denomination</b>. <a class="external " href="http://www.worldrenew.net/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.15s; -webkit-transition-property: initial; -webkit-transition-timing-function: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990033; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;" title="">World Renew</a>, the CRC’s disaster-relief and development agency, is also at work in Sierra Leone.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Along with overseeing the ministry in Sierra Leone, Bahago will help the CRC of Sierra Leone <b>organize its ministries, mentor and train leaders, build vision and awareness and increase involvement between the CRC of Sierra Leone and churches and ministries worldwide</b>.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a recent letter he sent out to a range of supporters, including officials with CRWM, Phiri said he had officially handed the mission field over to Bahago.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“I thank you all for your great support that you gave me while I and my family served in this mission field,” he writes.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“My humble request is that you may continue your good support for the mission field and Rev. Bahago. He is a timely gift God has given to the mission field. Pray for a smooth adjustment and fruitful results.”</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bahago was born to farmers in Nigeria’s Taraba State. He trained to be a teacher and taught for several years in primary school before answering a call to ministry and attended seminary.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Following seminary, he taught at <b>Veenstra Theological Seminary</b> for 10 years before being elected president and serving the denomination in that capacity.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bahago has asked churches to keep the church in Sierra Leone in prayer, especially from <b>Feb. 11-16</b>. During this time, church members in Sierra Leone will be fasting and praying as it discerns God’s will and how to best move forward.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="author-info" style="display: block; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">—<div class="field field-name-field-article-author-ref field-type-entityreference field-label-hidden" style="display: inline; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="field-items" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div class="field-item even" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div class="textformatter-list" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a class="node node-6735 entityreference" href="http://www.crcna.org/author/chris-meehan" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.15s; -webkit-transition-property: initial; -webkit-transition-timing-function: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990033; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">Chris Meehan</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span></div>
<div id="article-meta" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 20px;">
<div class="article-map">
<div class="view view-articles view-id-articles view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-63c265d2e2938deb3378c72658268b1d">
<div class="view-content">
<div class="openlayers-views-map">
<div class="contextual-links-region openlayers-container openlayers-container-map-thumbnail-map" id="openlayers-container-openlayers-map-f3ae8edc" style="height: 220px; position: relative; width: auto;">
<div class="openlayers-map openlayers-map-thumbnail-map openlayers-processed olMap openlayers-openlayers_behavior_argparser-processed openlayers-openlayers_behavior_zoomtolayer-processed openlayers-openlayers_behavior_popup-processed" id="openlayers-map-f3ae8edc" style="cursor: default; height: 220px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative; width: auto; z-index: 0;">
<div class="olMapViewport olControlArgParserActive olControlSelectFeatureActive" id="OpenLayers.Map_2_OpenLayers_ViewPort" style="height: 220px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-align: left; width: 680px;">
<div id="OpenLayers.Map_2_OpenLayers_Container" style="height: 100px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 100px; z-index: 749;">
<div class="olLayerDiv" dir="ltr" id="OpenLayers.Layer.Vector_22" style="direction: ltr; height: 100px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 100px; z-index: 725;">
<svg height="220" id="OpenLayers.Layer.Vector_22_svgRoot" style="display: block;" viewbox="0 0 680 220" width="680"><g id="OpenLayers.Layer.Vector_22_root" style="visibility: visible;" transform=""><g id="OpenLayers.Layer.Vector_22_vroot"><circle cx="339.99999999998937" cy="109.99999999999844" fill-opacity="0.5" fill="#888888" id="OpenLayers.Geometry.Point_24" r="6" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-opacity="0.7" stroke-width="4" stroke="#222222"></circle></g><g id="OpenLayers.Layer.Vector_22_troot"></g></g></svg></div>
</div>
<div class="olLayerDiv" dir="ltr" id="OpenLayers.Layer.Google_11" style="direction: ltr; height: 220px; position: absolute; width: 680px; z-index: 100;">
</div>
<div id="OpenLayers.Layer.Google_11_EventPane" style="height: 220px; position: absolute; width: 680px; z-index: 101;">
</div>
<div id="OpenLayers.Map_2_GMapContainer" style="background-color: #e5e3df; height: 220px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; width: 680px;">
<div style="height: 220px; left: 0px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 680px; z-index: 0;">
<div style="height: 220px; left: 0px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 680px; z-index: 0;">
<div style="-webkit-transform-origin: 0px 0px; -webkit-transform: matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 0.5, 0); left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 1;">
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 100;">
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 0;">
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 1;">
<div style="height: 256px; left: 96px; position: absolute; top: -209px; width: 256px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 256px; left: 96px; position: absolute; top: 47px; width: 256px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 256px; left: 352px; position: absolute; top: -209px; width: 256px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 256px; left: 352px; position: absolute; top: 47px; width: 256px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 256px; left: -160px; position: absolute; top: -209px; width: 256px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 256px; left: -160px; position: absolute; top: 47px; width: 256px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 256px; left: 608px; position: absolute; top: -209px; width: 256px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 256px; left: 608px; position: absolute; top: 47px; width: 256px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 101;">
</div>
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 102;">
</div>
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 103;">
</div>
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 104;">
</div>
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 105;">
</div>
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 106;">
</div>
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 0;">
<div style="height: 220px; overflow: hidden; width: 680px;">
<img src="http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js/StaticMapService.GetMapImage?1m2&1i3488&2i3793&2e1&3u5&4m2&1u680&2u220&5m3&1e0&2b1&5sen-US&token=11758" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 1px solid rgb(198, 198, 198); font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 220px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 680px;" /></div>
</div>
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 0;">
<div style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; z-index: 1;">
<div style="-webkit-transition: opacity 200ms ease-out; height: 256px; left: 96px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: -209px; width: 256px;">
<img src="http://mt0.googleapis.com/vt?lyrs=m@207000000&src=apiv3&hl=en-US&x=14&y=14&z=5&s=&style=api%7Csmartmaps" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 256px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: opacity 200ms ease-out; height: 256px; left: 96px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 47px; width: 256px;">
<img src="http://mt0.googleapis.com/vt?lyrs=m@207000000&src=apiv3&hl=en-US&x=14&y=15&z=5&s=G&style=api%7Csmartmaps" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 256px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: opacity 200ms ease-out; height: 256px; left: -160px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: -209px; width: 256px;">
<img src="http://mt1.googleapis.com/vt?lyrs=m@207000000&src=apiv3&hl=en-US&x=13&y=14&z=5&s=Galil&style=api%7Csmartmaps" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 256px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: opacity 200ms ease-out; height: 256px; left: -160px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 47px; width: 256px;">
<img src="http://mt1.googleapis.com/vt?lyrs=m@207000000&src=apiv3&hl=en-US&x=13&y=15&z=5&s=Galile&style=api%7Csmartmaps" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 256px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: opacity 200ms ease-out; height: 256px; left: 608px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: -209px; width: 256px;">
<img src="http://mt0.googleapis.com/vt?lyrs=m@207000000&src=apiv3&hl=en-US&x=16&y=14&z=5&s=Galile&style=api%7Csmartmaps" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 256px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: opacity 200ms ease-out; height: 256px; left: 608px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 47px; width: 256px;">
<img src="http://mt0.googleapis.com/vt?lyrs=m@207000000&src=apiv3&hl=en-US&x=16&y=15&z=5&s=Galileo&style=api%7Csmartmaps" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 256px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: opacity 200ms ease-out; height: 256px; left: 352px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: -209px; width: 256px;">
<img src="http://mt1.googleapis.com/vt?lyrs=m@207000000&src=apiv3&hl=en-US&x=15&y=14&z=5&s=Gal&style=api%7Csmartmaps" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 256px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: opacity 200ms ease-out; height: 256px; left: 352px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 47px; width: 256px;">
<img src="http://mt1.googleapis.com/vt?lyrs=m@207000000&src=apiv3&hl=en-US&x=15&y=15&z=5&s=Gali&style=api%7Csmartmaps" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 256px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="olControlArgParser olControlNoSelect" id="OpenLayers.Control.ArgParser_26" style="position: absolute; z-index: 1001;" unselectable="on">
</div>
<div class="olControlSelectFeature olControlNoSelect" id="OpenLayers.Control.SelectFeature_27" style="position: absolute; z-index: 1002;" unselectable="on">
</div>
<div class="olLayerGoogleCopyright olLayerGoogleV3" style="bottom: 0px; left: 2px; position: absolute; right: 0px; z-index: 1100;">
<div style="background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 0px, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.498039) 50px); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; direction: ltr; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; height: 19px; line-height: 19px; padding-left: 50px; padding-right: 2px; text-align: right; white-space: nowrap;">
<span>Map data ©2013 Google, MapLink, ORION-ME</span><span> - </span><a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en-US_US/help/terms_maps.html" style="-webkit-transition: 0.15s; border: 0px; color: #444444; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Terms of Use</a></div>
</div>
<div class="olLayerGooglePoweredBy olLayerGoogleV3 gmnoprint" style="bottom: 0px; left: 0px; margin: 2px 5px 2px 2px; position: absolute; z-index: 1100;">
<div style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.15s; -webkit-transition-property: initial; -webkit-transition-timing-function: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990033; cursor: pointer; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 24px; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static; text-decoration: underline; width: 62px;">
<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=8.460555,-11.779889&z=5&t=m&hl=en-US" style="-webkit-transition: 0.15s; border: 0px; color: #990033; display: inline; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: static; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Click to see this area on Google Maps"><img src="http://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/google_white.png" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 24px; left: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 62px;" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-78555213757869742252013-02-09T23:43:00.003-05:002013-02-10T00:29:04.626-05:00Morals, moralviews, moral communities — Kevin Andrews new book Maybe 'I do' — Modern marriage and the pursuit of happiness (2012)This is a most important statement — <i>précis</i>, really -- of the author's book, in short form. <b>Maybe 'I do'</b> by Kevin Andrews, present Shadow Minister for Families, Housing, and Human Services and formerly holding the then-appropriate portfolio in the Australian Cabinet itself. The book, <b>Maybe 'I do' — Modern marriage and the pursuit of happiness</b> (2012) is by all appearances a densely scholarly book with powerful statistical backup from sundry sources. On the basis of the author's statement of the books purpose and thesis, I strongly recommend it to all readers interested in the subject matter, especially recommended to reformational thinkers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> editor for morals, marriage, family, and friendship<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></i></div>
<h2 style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Maybe ‘I do’ – </span></i></h2>
<h2 style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></h2>
<h2 style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Modern marriage and the pursuit of happiness</span></i></h2>
<i><span class="date" id="ctl00_cphContent_incNewsArticle_lblDate" style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal;">21-Dec-2012</span></i><br />
<div style="color: #272729; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<i>
</i>
<div style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<i><img alt="" src="http://www.marriagefoundation.org.uk/Shared/Uploads/Images/Kevin%20Andrews%20lunch.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: tahoma; height: 389px; width: 385px;" /></i></div>
</div>
<i>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
Pix: Sir Paul Coleridge UK judge and Marriage Foundation left; the Hon.</div>
<div style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
Kevin Andrews MP Australian Parliament</div>
<div style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The following address was made by </span></em><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">The</strong><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></strong><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">Hon Kevin Andrews MP </strong><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(</span></strong>Member, Australian Parliament; Shadow Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services) at a function organised by the Marriage Foundation at </span><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">the Middle Temple London, on December 21 2012, to introduce Kevin Andrews's new book </span>Maybe 'I do' -- Modern marriage and the pursuit of happiness</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"> (published by Conor Court, available <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Maybe-I-Do-Kevin-Andrews/9781922168016" style="text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">here</a>) to a British audience. <em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The photo shows Kevin Andrews with Paul Coleridge, Chairman of the Marriage Foundation. </span></em></span></span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><u>Kevin Andrews discusses his new book on 'maybe marriages' ...</u></span></span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span></span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span></span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><u><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Maybe-Do-Marriage-Pursuit-Happiness/dp/1922168017">Amazon.com</a></u></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; display: inline !important; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></em></strong></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ulm2q8qKloH61G4Hw87Rd6yEhmSWemRe2PLOEU1QAH_BrHp861ER1ECh6oFvfvXwy8AtbAk-zVXZIS9RntgIVBaGsUhPfPY2K-KyiKqNBim7QSsmF3LrcKDU_ExujdXfVEdL/s1600/maybe_i_do.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ulm2q8qKloH61G4Hw87Rd6yEhmSWemRe2PLOEU1QAH_BrHp861ER1ECh6oFvfvXwy8AtbAk-zVXZIS9RntgIVBaGsUhPfPY2K-KyiKqNBim7QSsmF3LrcKDU_ExujdXfVEdL/s1600/maybe_i_do.jpg" /></a></span></em></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; display: inline !important; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Maybe ‘I do’ – Modern marriage </span></span></em></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span></i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></i><br />
<div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; display: inline !important; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><strong style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">ands the pursuit of happiness</span></span></em></strong></span></i></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">
</span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></i>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; line-height: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; line-height: 7pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">It is a delight to join you in one of the four great Inns of Court. It is also a rare privilege, <b>Sir Paul</b>, to share a platform with <b>a Family Court judge who has taken the decision to speak out about the significance of stable marriages for adults, children and society</b>, and the <b>tragedy of rising levels of divorce and the growth of a non-marital culture</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">When divorce laws were reformed in </span><b style="color: #272729;">Australia in the mid-1970s</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, the Parliament constructed them upon two pillars: first, the </span><b style="color: #272729;">right to terminate a marriage that had irretrievably broken down</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">; and, secondly, the </span><b style="color: #272729;">desire to provide an opportunity for couples to reconcile their differences, if at all possible</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. Regrettably, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>second pillar of reconciliation crumbled within a few years, due largely to the inattention given to it by the Family Court</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">Christmas is traditionally a time when individuals are embraced in the kinship of immediate and wider family. Sadly, for an increasing number of people, Christmas is a reminder that the ties of a intact marriage and the stability of a stable mother and father unit have been lost. Tragically, as this Foundation has pointed out, this experience has become the </span><b style="color: #272729;">norm for tens of thousands of young people</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. Half of all children in this country are </span><b style="color: #272729;">born out-of-wedlock</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. Half of all children have </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>lost all contact with their father by the time they reach 16</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. These are truly shocking statistics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>economic cost</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;"> alone is enormous, an estimated <b>$20 billion per year in the UK</b>, and <b>close to $10 billion in Australia</b>. These figures do not adequately convey the personal trauma, the lost educational and employment opportunities, and the incidence of poverty for so many people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The <b>Brookings Institution</b> economist, <b>Isabel Sawhill</b>, wrote this year that <u>if individuals do just three things – finish High School, work full time and marry before they have children - their<b> chances of being poor drop from 15 per cent to two per cent.</b></u><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">The respected scholar of child poverty went on the say that “unless the media, parents and other influential leaders celebrate </span><b style="color: #272729;">marriage as the best environment for raising children</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>the new trend – bringing up baby alone – may be irreversible</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Sawhill is not alone in her observations. On this side of the Atlantic, the <b>UK Centre for Social Justice </b>concluded in its report,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Broken Britain</b>,</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>that the fabric of society was crumbling, leaving at its margins <u>an underclass, where life is characterised by dependency, addiction, debt and family breakdown</u>. It is an underclass where a child born into poverty today is more likely to remain in poverty than any time since the late 1960s. The Centre identified <b>five key paths to poverty: family breakdown, serious personal debt, drug and alcohol addiction, failed education, worklessness and dependency</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">In <b>Australia</b>, demographers at Monash University were some of the first in the western world to observe a <b>growing gap</b> [on the one hand] between the educated, employed, well-off and married; and [on the second hand] <b>those who are less educated, in marginal or no employment, and are unpartnered</b>. It is a trend that has since been recognised in the <b>US</b>, the <b>UK</b> and <b>elsewhere</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Hundreds of social science studies across the western world now point to one clear conclusion: that the <b>incidence of family breakdown and unpartnered parenthood is having a significant impact</b>, especially on children, but also on adults and society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">This trend was borne out by data released last week by </span><b style="color: #272729;">ACOSS</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, which revealed that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>25 per cent of lone parents in Australia live below the poverty line (defined as 50 per cent of median income)</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. Similarly, 52 per cent of the unemployed and 43 per cent of parenting payment recipients are below the 50 per cent of median income line, suggesting that Isabel Sawhill’s observation is as true for Australia as it is for the US.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The studies report <b>problematic outcomes for the health, education and well-being of the young people affected by the changes</b>. Where children experience <b style="background-color: yellow;">more than one family transition</b>, the <u>risks compound</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">This is </span><b style="color: #272729;">not</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;"> to say that </span><u style="color: #272729;">all the effects apply to each child whose parents’ divorce</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, or [apply to each child] who is </span><u style="color: #272729;">raised by a single parent</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. There is no way to predict how any particular child will be affected, nor to what extent. But it is clear that there are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>widespread ramifications for this cohort of children as a whole</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Nor is it to suggest that many single parents are not doing a good job, often in very difficult circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">The renowned sociologist, Professor </span><b style="color: #272729;">Andrew Cherlin</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">,</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">notes, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>even if a minority of the affected children have their lives altered, it is still a lot of children</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">If we are concerned about poverty and social justice, we must be concerned about marriage and family. Increasingly, social scientists argue that we must do something about the issue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">One the world’s leading marital scholars, Professor <b>Paul Amato</b>, concludes his survey of the research that “<u>studies consistently indicate that children raised by two happily and continuously married parents have the best chance of developing into competent and successful adults</u>.”<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Professor <b>Amato</b> adds: “Because we all have an interest in the well-being of children, it is reasonable for social institutions (such as <b>the state) to attempt to increase the proportion of children raised by married parents with satisfying and stable marriages</b>.” [The famous and infamous Amato thesis.]<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">The alternative is to treat the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>negative consequences as the unavoidable flotsam of modern relations</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. This is <b>a counsel of despair</b>.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Two influences</span></span></span><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #272729;"><b>Maybe ‘I do’</b></span></em><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #272729;"><b> </b> </span><span style="color: #272729;">reflects the synthesis of two strands of my interests and activities over the past two to three decades. One is the <b>public role of Parliamentarian and policy maker</b>. It was a concern about marriage and family that motivated me to enter Parliament, and which has been the focus of my ongoing attention since. I served on the original <b>Parliamentary Inquiry into the Operation of the Child Support Scheme</b>, and later chaired the <b>Inquiry into Strategies to Strengthen and Support Marriage</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The other, more private sphere has been in the <b>field of marriage education</b>. For over 30 years, Margaret and I have been part of a team of couples who have <b>facilitated marriage education programs for engaged and newly married couples</b>. The program has supported more than <b>20,000 people on their pathway to marriage</b>. It has brought me into direct discussions with many young couples about their <b>motivations, aspirations, hopes, and fears regarding marriage</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">After returning to the <b>families’ portfolio</b> [of Australia's federal cabinet] in 2009, I was curious to learn if there had been any change in the many adverse consequences of divorce and single parenthood that had been identified in the 1990s. Had the negative trends identified in the research been compounded or ameliorated? Had the policy initiatives taken in the meantime had any impact? <u>In this book, I have drawn liberally upon and updated earlier research with hundreds of subsequent studies</u>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The thesis of the book</span></span></span><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">My thesis can be stated succinctly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">There are </span><b style="color: #272729;">two competing views about marriage</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. The first is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>marriage as protective institution</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, especially for children, but also for adults, and society generally.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">The alternative view is </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">marriage as an affectionate relationship between individuals</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">I am </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">not</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;"> suggesting that they are</span><b style="color: #272729;"> either/or, strict opposites</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;"> – </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">but</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;"> that <b>one or the other must be the primary consideration. Most marriages contain aspects of both</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The alternative views are as old at <b>Plato</b> and <b>Aristotle</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">The first view – </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>marriage as protective institution, especially for children</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;"> – has been favoured across cultures and civilisations throughout history.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">But there have been times when the alternative has gained more prominence, for example, amongst the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Epicurean Greeks</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>late Roman era</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, and in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Soviet Union between the wars</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The book considers the reasons why the former view has prevailed – and why it should continue to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">Importantly, it gathers the evidence from hundreds of social science studies over the past four decades that<b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000;"><b>overwhelmingly illustrate that a happy, stable marriage is the optimal state for children and adults</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. It also reveals that <u>when the protective role of marriage is lost or discarded</u>, <b>many people, especially children and women, are left worse-off</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">There is also a secondary theme. The traditional view treats marriage, in the words of </span><b style="color: #272729;">John Locke</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, as a </span><b style="color: #272729;">pre-political institution</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>alternative view politicises marriage in a novel, and I contend, a dangerous way</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">These views extend to responses to the <b>retreat from marriage</b> and the <b>rise in non-marital childbearing </b>which I outline in the book. One is to treat the negative consequences as the unavoidable flotsam of modern relations. This view is reinforced by powerful social and cultural forces.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">The other view recognises that </span><b style="color: #272729;">while most people survive the adverse consequences, many are disadvantaged significantly</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. It recognises that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>a satisfying marriage and a healthy family life remain widely held aspirations</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">. It is compounded by a critical fact: that <u>many children suffer consequences of marital decline that can last a lifetime</u>.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Social science</span></span></span><span style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-family: tahoma; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">In<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em style="font-style: normal;"><b>Maybe ‘I do’ – Modern marriage and the pursuit of happiness</b></em>, I have drawn from hundreds of studies to <u>chart the impact of family structure on the health, happiness and well-being of adults, children and society</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #272729;"><b>Maybe ‘I do’</b></span></em><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #272729;"><b> </b> </span><span style="color: #272729;">has a number of layers and themes. It reveals that <b>most people</b>, including the young, retain an <b>aspiration for a happy and fulfilling marriage</b>. It charts the negative impacts of marital breakdown and unwed childbearing on adults, children and society through the distillation of hundreds of social science studies. It examines the <b>cultural and legal changes</b> that have facilitated the trends and <b>examines the impact across the western world</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">I also examine the </span><b style="color: #272729;">policy responses to date,</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;"> before proposing a number of policy goals and proposals, including </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>expanded relationships</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">, marriage and parenting education.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;"><br /></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272729;">[What does author Kevin Andrews mean by "expanded relationships"?</span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Finally, at the behest of my publisher, I have included a chapter about </span><b style="font-style: normal;">what the social scientists observe [that they think] helps individuals and couples aspiring for a healthy and happy marriage, and what can detract from this goal, including a series of common myths about marriage and divorce</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">. [Ufh! there's that horrible misuse of "myths" by which ignorance woud negate all the work of analysis and theory in philosopher Ernst Cassirer's </span><b>Philosophy of Symbolic Forms</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">. I hate such usage, especially by learnèd thinkers and politicians. — Owlb]<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #272729; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></i></div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #272729; font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I have been fortunate also to discuss these issues over many years with some of <b>the foremost family scholars, researchers, practitioners and policy-makers in the world</b>. Many of them have been extraordinarily generous with their time and advice.</span></span></span></i></div>
</div>
</div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">
</span></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-14459008040749955722013-02-09T21:43:00.003-05:002013-02-09T21:47:54.712-05:00Morals, moralviews, moralview communities: Is marriage normal or outdated?I hate expressions, especially when put forth by learnèd groups, that such and such presentday garbage of half-literacy or indeed sometimes literacy itself are called "myths" — and such is the case an article in a fine entity in the United Kingdom called "Marriage Foundation." The cause is good. The rhetoric of Myth is itself garbage that meanly defames the phenomenon of myth in Western history and culture. To get a good, far more normative, undestanding of the meaning of "myth," try Volume II of Professor Ernst Cassirer's now 4-volume work, <b>The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms</b>. (1923-1929 original German edition Berlin 3 volumes + 4th posthumous volume<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <i><b>The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms Volume 4: The Metaphysics of Symbolic Forms</b></i>. Edited by John Michael Krois and Donald Phillip Verene. Translated by John Michael Krois. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996). I thawt a few notes might influence some of those who like to garbage the meaning of the word after Cassirer's historical reconstruction of the normative meaning of "myth" in the Western cultural tradition (Greek "mythos," pl "mythoi").</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Ernst Cassirer (1874-1945)</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Cassirer">Wikipedia</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At Hamburg, Cassirer discovered the <b>Library of the Cultural Sciences</b> founded by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aby_Warburg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Aby Warburg">Aby Warburg</a> [now in London, England]. Warburg was an art historian who was particularly interested in <b>ritual</b> and <b>myth</b> as sources of <b>archetypal forms of emotional expression</b>. In <i><b style="background-color: #ea9999;">Philosophy of Symbolic Forms</b></i> (1923–1929) Cassirer argues that man (as he put it in his more popular 1944 book <i>Essay on Man</i>) is a "symbolic animal". Whereas animals perceive their world by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instinct" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Instinct">instincts</a> and direct <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_perception" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Sensory perception">sensory perception</a>, humans create a universe of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbol" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Symbol">symbolic</a> meanings. Cassirer is particularly interested in <b style="background-color: #f4cccc;">natural language</b> and <b style="background-color: #f4cccc;">myth</b>. He argues that <b>science and mathematics</b> developed from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">natural language</span>, and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;">religion</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;">art</span></b> from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f9cb9c;">myth</span>.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">In </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i><b>The Logic of the Cultural Sciences</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> (1942) Cassirer argues that objective and universal validity can not only be achieved in the sciences, but also in practical, cultural, moral, and aesthetic phenomenon. Although inter-subjective objective validity in the natural sciences derives from universal laws of nature, Cassirer asserts that an analogous type of inter-subjective objective validity takes place in the cultural sciences.</span></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Cassirer's last work </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i><b>The Myth of the State</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> (1946) was published posthumously; at one level it is an attempt to understand the intellectual origins of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">. Cassirer sees Nazi Germany as a society in which <b>the dangerous power of myth</b> is <b>not checked or subdued by superior forces</b>. The book discusses <b>the opposition of<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"> </span></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logos" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Logos">logos</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"> </span>and<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythology" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Mythology">mythos</a></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"> </span>in Greek thought, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Plato">Plato</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">'s </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Republic_(Plato)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="The Republic (Plato)">Republic</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">, the medieval theory of the state, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machiavelli" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Machiavelli">Machiavelli</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Carlyle" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Thomas Carlyle">Thomas Carlyle</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">'s writings on </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Man_theory" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Great Man theory">hero worship</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">, the racial theories of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_de_Gobineau" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Arthur de Gobineau">Arthur de Gobineau</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegel" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Hegel">Hegel</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">. Cassirer claimed that in the 20th century politics there was a return back, with the active encouragement of philosophers such as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Heidegger" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Martin Heidegger">Martin Heidegger</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">, to the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">irrationality of myth</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> [here one coud as well say the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">pre-rationality of myth</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">, since it is after all a way of knowing]</span>, and in particular to <b>a belief that there is such a thing as destiny </b>[an belief the idea of which Herman Dooyeweerd, who studied Cassirer closely, exposed in his New Critique of Theoretical Thought (1953-1957, three volumes plus a special Index volume) as being biotistically founded in an absolutization/demonization of the biotistic mode of the multimodal multi-law-for created reality — Owlb].</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></blockquote>
<br />
This thesis of the pre-scientific meaningfulness of both natural language in the power of naming and of myth as ways of knowing alongside which science is but one of a manifold of epistemic ways (see Douglas Blomberg, preface to his dissertation); such that Cassirer's discoveries and are not incongruent with Dooyeweerd's idea of the differentiation of human society, itself a thesis integral to his entire philosophy of culture. It is important that reformational thinkers understand myth in the way most appropriate in the different thawt-worlds of Dooyeweerd, Wartburg, and Cassirer than in the trivializing way in which half-educated scholars and their derivatives use the word today, as unfortunately in the Marriage Foundation's otherwise valuable item below and its kindred items in the MF's newsletter for this month. Demons exorcised, we turn to the very valuable set of facts presented by the Marriage Foundation regarding the realities of that insitution in the United Kingdom today: <br />
<br />
<br />
UK <a href="http://www.marriagefoundation.org.uk/Web/">Marriage Foundation</a> (Feb9,2k13)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 18.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Is marriage normal or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">outmoded?</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Is marriage an arrangement of the past? No.</span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Married couple families are still the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">most</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">common family type</span> in the UK, with 12.2 million </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">of the UK’s 18.2 million families being based </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">around a [nuclear] married couple.</span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The proportion of the UK adult population who </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">are married is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">one of the highest in Europe</span>.</span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">number of other family types</span> is, however, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e69138;">increasing</span> as are the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: lime;">number of people living </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: lime;">alone, particularly those aged 45-64</span>. There are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">now <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">2.9 million cohabiting couples</span>. </span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">So don’t be persuaded by casual talk that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><strike style="background-color: yellow;">marriage is dead</strike>: it is still the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">norm for the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">majority of adult couples</span>. </span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Research also shows </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">70% of those aged 20 to 35 want to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">marry</span>. </span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 8.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">And <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">three quarters of people currently </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">cohabiting say they want to marry</span>.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-2500936879193679542013-02-04T18:45:00.000-05:002013-02-04T18:45:41.795-05:00Some American evangelicals trying to buy Old Testament laws in Uganda<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<br />
In the picture below, February 17, 2019, a youthful Ugandan worshippper wears a hat with a starkly homofobic message at an anti-homo rally held at the <b>Christianity Focus Center</b> in the Ugandan capital's biggest slum, Kisenyi. Kampala, the capital city, is a metropolis of 1,659,600; while the country itself comprises 35,873,353 (2012 estimate). These raw facts become significant when one considers what has been transpiring in the country which was once under the dire control of dictator Idi Amin, and now enjoys the more placed régime of President Yoweri Mouseveni.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Uganda" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="President of Uganda">President of Uganda</a>, currently <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoweri_Kaguta_Museveni" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Yoweri Kaguta Museveni">Yoweri Kaguta Museveni</a>, is both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_state" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Head of state">head of state</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_government" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Head of government">head of government</a>. The President appoints a Vice President, currently <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Ssekandi" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Edward Ssekandi">Edward Ssekandi</a>, and a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Uganda" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Prime Minister of Uganda">prime minister</a>, currently <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amama_Mbabazi" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Amama Mbabazi">Amama Mbabazi</a>, who aid him in governing. The parliament is formed by the <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Assembly_of_Uganda" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="National Assembly of Uganda">National Assembly</a>, which has 332 members. 104 of these members are nominated by interest groups, including women and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda_People%27s_Defence_Force" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Uganda People's Defence Force">the army</a>. The remaining members are elected for five-year terms during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Uganda" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Elections in Uganda">general elections</a>. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsxNoukX1oE8b6QMYWz1wc0NRegPrNZqg3W8RnEl5EEiiuuxttjcomX3ikIPK9mC6iRn-c3NLDeI-yUJCxcyeUFULQaQsWx2n8sz2gzpRgblDn4U2IoVg99aKLZwwi4UDz44N/s1600/homofobic_ugandan_youth_with_hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsxNoukX1oE8b6QMYWz1wc0NRegPrNZqg3W8RnEl5EEiiuuxttjcomX3ikIPK9mC6iRn-c3NLDeI-yUJCxcyeUFULQaQsWx2n8sz2gzpRgblDn4U2IoVg99aKLZwwi4UDz44N/s640/homofobic_ugandan_youth_with_hat.jpg" width="403" /></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Uganda" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="List of political parties in Uganda">Political parties in Uganda</a> were restricted in their activities beginning in 1986, in a measure ostensibly designed to reduce sectarian violence. In the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-partisan_democracy" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Non-partisan democracy">non-party</a> "Movement" system instituted by Museveni, political parties continued to exist, but they could only operate a headquarters office. They could not open branches, hold rallies, or field candidates directly (although electoral candidates could belong to political parties). A constitutional referendum canceled this nineteen-year ban on multi-party politics in July 2005. Additionally, the constitutional term limit for the presidency was changed from the previous two-term limit, in order to enable the current president to continue in active politics. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Presidential elections were held in February 2006. Yoweri Museveni ran against several candidates, the most prominent of them being Dr. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kizza_Besigye" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Kizza Besigye">Kizza Besigye</a>. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
On Sunday, 20 February 2011, the Uganda Electoral Commission declared the 24-year reigning president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the winning candidate of the 2011 elections that were held on the 18th of February 2011. The opposition were, however, not satisfied with the results, condemning them as full of sham and rigging. According to the results released, Museveni won with 68% of the votes, easily topping his nearest challenger Kizza Besigye. Besigye, who was formerly Museveni's physician, told reporters that he and his supporters 'downrightly snub' the outcome as well as the unremitting rule of Museveni or any person he may appoint. Besigye added that the rigged elections would definitely lead to an illegitimate lead and that it is up to Ugandans to critically analyse this. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The EU Election Observation Mission reported on improvements and flaws of the Ugandan electoral process: "The electoral campaign and polling day were conducted in a peaceful manner [...] However, the electoral process was marred by avoidable administrative and logistical failures that led to an unacceptable number of Ugandan citizens being disfranchised." Since August 2012, hacktivist group <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_(group)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Anonymous (group)">Anonymous</a> has threatened Ugandan officials and hacked official government websites over its anti-gay bills. Some international donors have threatened to cut financial aid to the country if anti-gay bills continue. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Museveni will be heading Uganda for another 4 years, with the next elections anticipated to be held in 2016.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Museveni has been in power since 1986. In the mid- to late 1990s, he was lauded by the West as part of a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_generation_of_African_leaders" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="New generation of African leaders">new generation of African leaders</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda#cite_note-17" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;"> </a></sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">His presidency has included involvement in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Congo_War" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Second Congo War">civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> (DRC) and other conflicts in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_(Africa)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Great Lakes (Africa)">Great Lakes region</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">, as well as the civil war against the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord%27s_Resistance_Army" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Lord's Resistance Army">Lord's Resistance Army</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">, which has been guilty of numerous crimes against humanity including </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_slavery" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Child slavery">child slavery</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_murder" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Mass murder">mass murder</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">. Conflict in northern Uganda has killed thousands and displaced millions.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1em;"></sup></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Uganda is rated among countries perceived as very corrupt by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_International" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Transparency International">Transparency International</a>. It is rated at 2.4 on a scale from 0 (perceived as most corrupt) to 10 (perceived as clean).</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHhnIBtUOHde0wKux8ZDjHFSQABtATpc6dzqFnDhksWr7LWoLqCAMpUTQ3yjFG8LXKINI3hm4CkdokuHpi5jHjewKJVZtS5BGl0Kkx7ToruAx4ET9dVLoxAJAD2cXfmBrb8jT/s1600/yoweri_miseveni_prez_uganda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHhnIBtUOHde0wKux8ZDjHFSQABtATpc6dzqFnDhksWr7LWoLqCAMpUTQ3yjFG8LXKINI3hm4CkdokuHpi5jHjewKJVZtS5BGl0Kkx7ToruAx4ET9dVLoxAJAD2cXfmBrb8jT/s640/yoweri_miseveni_prez_uganda.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Yoweri Miseveni, President of Uganda</i><br />
<br />
<br />
A Reuters report in June 2012 stated explicitly that the debate over homosexuality <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">has pitted veteran President Yoweri Museveni's government against two influential but opposing forces: the evangelical church and western donors.</span>" Of course, the "evangelical church" includes only some evangelicals, and they have their own Western donors -- individuals, congregations, and corporate funders; what is referred-to in the quote as "Western donors" are Western governments which actually are spending tax-payers' money in the name of human rights (but what the homofobic Ugandans and their handlers oppose is not always a breach of human rights, tho some of positions advocvated and at one time in the draft legislation are serious deadly breaches of human rights indeed... it's the confusion on both sides that is most disturbing). Western tax-payers money is often used to imply rights that don't or shoudn't exist — like the right often enuff claimed in GBLTQ talk as the right to molest children.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/29/us-uganda-gays-idUSBRE85R0XR20120629">Reuter</a>s: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"The president made general remarks sometime back, more than a year ago, (that) he didn't think that the bill was very urgent," [Stephen] Tashobya said.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="midArticle_15" style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[President Mousveni,] The one-time rebel leader, is widely regarded as a shrewd political operator who knows how to curry favor from Western powers, as he has by <b>sending troops to Somalia</b>, and when feathers ought not be ruffled.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="midArticle_0" style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b>John Nagenda</b>, among Museveni's top advisers, told Reuters the president believed it was evil to indulge in homosexual acts. </span>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Museveni's gripe, Nagenda said, was with <b>donors threatening to cut aid to impose moral values</b>. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 25px;">It treats us like children," he said.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 25px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="midArticle_4" style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In October, British Prime Minister <b>David Cameron</b> threatened to cut aid to countries that did not respect gay rights. U.S. Secretary of State <b>Hillary Clinton</b> followed up in December.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="midArticle_5" style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"That is <b>blackmailing</b>, that is <b>neo-colonialist</b> and <b>oppression</b>. Attaching sharing of resources to a lifestyle of people is completely unacceptable," said Uganda's Minister of Ethics and Integrity <b>Simon Lokodo</b>.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="midArticle_6" style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"If you want to give (aid), you give it <b>irrespective of our customs and cultures</b>."</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="midArticle_7" style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">London appears to have since softened its rhetoric. The British High Commission in Kampala told Reuters in a statement that the <b>UK government had no plans to cut aid in connection with the bill</b>.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="midArticle_8" style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, the statement also said Britain's diplomats were raising concerns over the proposed legislation "at the most senior level of the Ugandan government."</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="midArticle_9"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
So much, for the moment, regarding the Uganda state. We see how it can be valuable to add another demographic statistic to those thus far amassed: '<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">at least 500,000 homo people live in Uganda out of a total population of 31 million, though the government of Uganda contests that number as inflated; the BBC states that it is "impossible" to determine the actual number.'</span> </span>Now, we need to gather a bit of info about the Christian church in Uganda, particularly the Anglican Church of Province of Uganda, in short the Church of Uganda.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="webkit-fake-url://551D773D-F6DD-4AAF-80A9-C1464B4AFEF2/image.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="webkit-fake-url://551D773D-F6DD-4AAF-80A9-C1464B4AFEF2/image.tiff" width="640" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of Kampala, Primate of the Church of Uganda (Anglican)</i></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://churchofuganda.org/faq/faq-about-church-of-uganda-gafcon-and-the-anglican-communion">For the record</a>: "The Church of Uganda’s position on homosexual behaviour is taken from the Bible, where it is considered a sin, along with idolatry, drunkenness, greed, adultery, stealing, fornication, lying, etc. (1 Corinthians 6.9-11). Jesus came to save men and women, boys and girls from the power of sin and to give them abundant life in the righteousness of Christ. The Church of Uganda welcomes all sinners and proclaims the Bible’s promise, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But, if we confess our sin, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1.8-9). Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi has said, “Violence against homosexuals is wrong.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 23px;">"</span></span></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 23px;">The Anglican Church in Uganda counts 11 million members. Archbishop Orombi has retired and his successor is Archbishop <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201212140216.html">Stanley Ntagali</a> (57). </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“<a href="http://churchofuganda.org/news/press-releases/church-of-uganda-still-a-part-of-anglican-communion">The Church of Uganda</a> is not seceding from the Anglican Communion,” said Rev. Canon <b>Aaron Mwesigye</b>, church spokesperson. “Some press stories have misrepresented our position.”</span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“The plain fact is that we are simply not attending the Lambeth Conference in July 2008, but we are still very much a part of the Anglican Communion."</span></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Church of Uganda broke communion with the <b>Episcopal Church in the United States of America in 2003 after they elected and consecrated as Bishop Gene Robinson, a divorced man living in a same-sex relationship</b>. But, the Church of Uganda has remained a consistently active member of the Anglican Communion.</span></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“It is <b>the Americans</b> who have seceded from the Anglican Communion because of their decisions and their teaching,” Mwesigye said. “They have <b>departed dramatically from the historic faith, teaching, and practice of the Bible and the Anglican Church</b>.”</blockquote>
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“How can they still be Anglican when they don’t believe what Anglicans believe?”<br />
The Church of Uganda, along with many other Provinces in the Anglican Communion, urged the Archbishop of Canterbury to see that this crisis was resolved before convening Bishops of the Anglican Communion at the <b>Lambeth Conference</b>.</blockquote>
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c;">Since, however, the crisis has </span><b style="color: #51555c;">not</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c;"> been </span><b style="color: #51555c;">resolved</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c;">, and since </span><b style="color: #51555c;">those who precipitated the crisis – the Americans – have been invited to the Lambeth Conference</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #51555c;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>the Church of Uganda has upheld its decision not to attend.</b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #51555c;">
“The crisis in the Anglican Communion is very serious,” Mwesigye concluded. “It is not good stewardship of our limited resources to spend more than US$5,000 (8,500,000/=) per person for our Bishops and their wives to attend a three-week meeting which seems, in practice, to have no authority and is blatantly and persistently ignored by some of its wealthier member churches.”</blockquote>
</span></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Uganda">Wikipedia</a>: "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Church of Uganda has been active in the leadership of southern hemisphere churches which have agreed to provide pastoral oversight and support to new Anglican churches in North America in the ongoing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_realignment" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Anglican realignment">Anglican realignment</a>.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On 2 September 2007, the Ugandan church consecrated an American bishop, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Guernsey" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="John Guernsey">John Guernsey</a>, from Virginia, to oversee many of the American parishes which it supports. This action was opposed by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church_(United_States)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Episcopal Church (United States)">Episcopal Church</a> (TEC), the American branch of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Communion" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Anglican Communion">Anglican Communion</a>. The Anglican churches in Africa are theologically conservative and deeply opposed to what they view as departures from orthodoxy in the American church, for example the ordination of gay priests. In keeping with this stance, the Church of Uganda declared itself in full communion with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Church_in_North_America" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Anglican Church in North America">Anglican Church in North America</a>, a denomination formed by American and Canadian Anglicans opposed to their national churches' actions regarding homosexuality, on 23 June 2009.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">"</span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><a href="http://www.theinternational.org/articles/321-the-power-of-american-evangelicalism-in-u">The International</a> (Feb4.2l11)</span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="bTitle" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Power of American Evangelicalism in Uganda</span></div>
<div class="author_top" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by Emily Simons</span></div>
<div class="date" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 0.625em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
MONDAY JANUARY 28, 2013</div>
<div class="date" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 0.625em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 23px;">On January 18, 2013, a new documentary by Academy Award-winning director <b>Roger Ross Williams</b> premiered worldwide at the <b>Sundance Film Festival</b>. In <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">God Loves Uganda</strong>, Williams aims to make American Christians aware of how their collection plate donations might be contributing to programs abroad. Williams, a gay man raised in a devoutly Christian household, made his video in response to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that is awaiting approval in Uganda’s Parliament. When asked by interviewer Kevin Ritchie why he chose to focus on the evangelical missionaries rather than the <span class="caps" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LGBT</span> activists in the country, Williams replied that he is “much more interested in the people who want to kill me.”</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To understand the anti-gay missionaries, Williams made an effort to surround himself with those people that made him the most uncomfortable. Despite the missionaries’ hateful rhetoric, “they’re still a person” and he wanted to create a successful dialogue that would help the audience learn and grow. Called “the most terrifying film of the year” by Sundance Film Festival Senior Programmer David Courier, Williams hopes the film will impact debates in the U.S. surrounding evangelicalism and foreign policy.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill</span></strong></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In addition to the Constitution Amendment Act of 2005, which prohibits marriage between persons of the same sex, homosexuality is also criminalized under the Ugandan Penal Code.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to the International Federation of Human Rights, the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill would significantly broaden this criminalization and contribute to an increase of arbitrary arrests, physical violence, and discrimination against LGBTs. Last year, David Kato, a prominent <span class="caps" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LGBT</span> human rights defender in Uganda, was murdered after his name and photo were released in the news.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Anti-Homosexuality Bill was originally introduced to the Ugandan Parliament in October 2009 by David Bahati, a Ugandan Member of Parliament (MP). Upon the introduction of the bill in 2009, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni fielded a personal phone call from Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, who expressed U.S. opposition to the bill.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to investigative journalist and author John Sharlet, Bahati is a member of ‘The Family’. Based out of Washington D.C., The Family is a secretive fellowship of powerful American Christian politicians who are anti-gay and anti-abortion. In his book, <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power</strong>, Sharlet investigates The Family’s critical role in formulating the original Anti-Homosexuality Bill introduced by Bahati. In an interview with the New York Times, Bahati said that the idea for the bill first arose from a conversation with members of The Family in 2008, because it was “too late” in America to propose such legislation. According to the Reverend Kapya Kaoma of Zambia, much of Africa’s anti-homosexuality movement is supported by American evangelicals. Lobbying for the bill in Uganda has been generously funded by conservative U.S. Christian organizations that range from evangelicals to Catholics to Mormons.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is a prevailing belief in Uganda that homosexuals recruit people into their sexual orientation. In a December 2010 interview with Rachel Maddow, Bahati proclaimed that $15 million had been invested in Uganda to “recruit children into being gay.” He asserted that children are tempted with money used to “lure them into the practice of homosexuality.”</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In regards to Ugandan views of homosexuality, Ugandan Edith Gwokyalya said, "In my opinion, we Africans hold our cultural expectations in high esteem. Homosexuality is one of those things that are culturally viewed as taboo, therefore the idea of it is greatly rejected. " Gwokyalya says that although some people feel that homosexuality is their right, it does not change the cultural perception, and so gays are still looked down upon.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Strong opposition from international governments and civil society organizations helped delay the bill for more than two years. In February 2012, Bahati reintroduced the bill to Parliament amidst applause from fellow MPs. Rebecca Kadaga, speaker of the Ugandan Parliament, announced that she would pass the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill as a “Christmas present” to Ugandans.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is Homosexuality the Real Issue?</span></strong></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The bill is seen by many as a distraction for the country’s underlying problems. Many members of Parliament see the bill as a unifier, a guaranteed popularity booster. Those opposed to the bill believe it is being kept alive to distract Ugandans from the real issues; in December oil legislation stalled, and several European nations cut aid to the country because of a corruption scandal. Be that as it may, homosexuality legislation remains an undeniably prominent issue for Ugandans.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Although many details of the bill have been kept confidential, the reintroduced bill contains such punitive measure as a seven-year sentence for consenting adults who have gay sex, life sentences for people in same sex marriages and even jail time for those that do not report known LGBTs to authorities. Unlike the original bill, Ugandan lawmakers say that the new bill does not contain the death penalty clause for “aggravated homosexuality.” This includes homosexual acts in which <span class="caps" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HIV</span> is spread, or gay adults who have sex with minors. It was this clause that gave the 2009 bill the notorious nickname, the “Kill the Gays bill.”</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">U.S. Government Condemns the Bill</span></strong></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">U.S. President Barack Obama has called the bill “odious.” In November 2012, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson traveled to Uganda to “reiterate the U.S. administration’s ‘vocal’ concerns about the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.” During a press briefing on November 26, 2012, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland communicated U.S. condemnation of the bill and stated that the chief concern at hand is the criminalization of homosexuality. The goal of Assistant Secretary Carson’s trip was to emphasize the U.S. stance to Ugandan President Museveni, the Parliament, and to key decision makers in Uganda. Nuland refused to comment on whether the U.S. would join countries such as Britain, Norway and Sweden who have threatened to cut foreign aid to Uganda if the bill becomes law. She stated that the U.S. administration is currently focused on “raising awareness of the concerns within Uganda about this bill so that we don’t get to that stage.”</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The International Human Rights Community Responds</span></strong></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a press statement released on December 7, 2012, Souhayr Belhassen, the President of the International Federation for Human Rights (<span class="caps" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FIDH</span>), declared that “the anti-homosexuality bill has to be rejected unconditionally.” Sidiki Kaba, Honorary President of <span class="caps" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FIDH</span>, said, “if passed, this bill will seriously jeopardize fundamental freedoms and represent a setback for the country.” The bill is at odds with Uganda’s domestic and international human rights commitments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On December 10, dozens of <span class="caps" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LGBT</span> activists stormed the Ugandan Embassy in London protesting what they call the “world’s most harsh and comprehensively homophobic law.” On January 9, 2013, the University of Buckingham (UB) in the UK suspended its affiliation with Victoria University in Uganda because of the anti-gay bill. UB wanted Victoria University to include a clause in its statute stating that no person will be discriminated on the basis of “sexual orientation.” However, because the Ugandan Constitution and Penal Code prohibits homosexuality, Victoria University could not oblige. Dr. David Young, Vice-Chancellor of UB, said, “there are fundamental differences between the two nations’ respective laws regarding equality and diversity, which cannot be reconciled.”</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">More than 445,000 people have joined a campaign on Change.com, urging Citibank and Barclays to publicly condemn the bill. Both Citibank and Barclays have major operations in Uganda, and Citibank customer Collin Burton, who launched the campaign, said, “Now, perhaps more than ever before, we need the international business community to step up and lead by the corporate values they tout on their websites. Human lives are counting on it.”</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Strong Support from the Religious Right</span></strong></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">News of the bill’s reintroduction was greeted with enthusiasm by leaders on the religious right. American anti-gay extremist Scott Lively has been a major backer for the bill since its inception, and called the recent progress “a huge blessing for Uganda. Museveni is calmly and confidently setting the course of his nation by the guidance of the Bible, in a way that also shows great courage and resolve.” This same community of Christian American right-wing leaders praised Museveni extensively for his prayer of national atonement, delivered in October. Museveni’s prayer focused on overcoming demonic influences like witchcraft, and sounded very similar to prayers given at American events sponsored by religious right organizations. Conservative evangelicals were ecstatic, cheering Museveni for providing “an inspirational moment for the nation.”</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">God Loves Uganda</strong>, the film focuses on the activities of the International House of Prayer, an anti-gay church located in Kansas City, Missouri. According to the film, the church has helped to create a new level of hatred and violence against gays in Uganda. Through his film, Williams demonstrates that missionaries today are not just focused on bringing Jesus to Africa, but also the entire political agenda of the American conservative movement. Along with the message that “Jesus saves” evangelical missionaries also communicate their controversial stances against birth control, abortion, and homosexuality.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">James Onen, the host of a popular morning show on the Ugandan radio station Sanu FM interviewed Solomon Male, a Ugandan Pastor who has openly taken a stand against homosexuality. Onen reported that “with spite in his voice,” Pastor Male told him that “the bill should be called the Pro-Homosexuality Bill because it was the best thing to happen to the gay community in Uganda.” Onen says that Pastor Male believes the bill has made people learn about homosexuality by creating conversation around it. Anti-gay as well as <span class="caps" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LGBT</span> activists agree that before the proposal of this bill, homosexuality was never discussed. And according to some Ugandans, homophobia “did not exist in Uganda” because sexual relations between people of the same sex was never acknowledged, and therefore it was not an issue.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Anti-Homosexuality bill has ignited discussions in Uganda related to sexual orientation, but many Ugandans and international observers are concerned that this issue is directing the focus of the country away from corruption scandals and serious financial debts to an easier, more unifying subject for the nation.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-40960841322519000982013-02-01T15:40:00.000-05:002013-02-01T15:43:14.365-05:00Pisteutics: Christianity/ies: Worldliness for the Lord's sake<br />
<br />
I gleaned the article below from a site new to me, that of Chesterton House -- A Center for Christian Studies at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, an Ivy-League university. I'd never had a chance to buy or read the Mouw book, but here I have a wee synopsis, a thawt-provoking intro to Prof. Mouw's ideas along this line by Karl E. Johnson of the House. And I hope it gets you started reading it. I call this article and the book of which it is a précis, genuinely reformational thinking.<br />
<br />
-- <b>Owlb, RefWrite page 2</b> general editor and book-monger<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Richard Mouw and Holy Worldliness</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.chestertonhouse.org/resources/blog-skinny/richard-mouw-holy-worldliness">Chesterton House</a> (Feb1,2k13)<br />
<br />
<div class="submitted" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; line-height: 20px; margin: 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span content="2013-01-25T11:39:03-05:00" datatype="xsd:dateTime" property="dc:date dc:created" rel="sioc:has_creator" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Written by K<span about="/user/2" class="username" property="foaf:name" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" typeof="sioc:UserAccount" xml:lang="">arl E. Johnson</span> on Fri, 01/25/2013 - 11:39am</span></span></div>
<div class="content" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: right; margin: 0px 1em 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="field-items" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://chestertonhouse.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/HolyWorldliness_0.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img height="300" src="http://chestertonhouse.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/HolyWorldliness_0.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: border-color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 8px; vertical-align: baseline;" typeof="foaf:Image" width="300" /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="field-items" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Several years ago, an itinerant evangelist passing through Ithaca advertised a revival meeting that invited guests to "repent from worldliness." Why would one wish to do that, a friend asked me--doesn't worldliness mean traveling and getting exposure to other cultures? How can that be bad?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The word <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">worldly</em>, I attempted to explain, means<em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">profane, materialistic, irreligious</em>. "Well," my interlocutor responded, "that's not what it ought to mean."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What I wish I had understood better at the time is the full range of meanings of the word <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">world</em> in Scripture. To be sure, it is sometimes used negatively ("love not the world" 1 Jn 2:15; and "friendship with the world means enmity against God" James 4:4). But it is also used neutrally ("go into all the world" Mk 16:15) and even positively ("for God so loved the world" Jn 3:16). Simply put, world is a complicated word.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Thinking too exclusively of <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">worldly</em> as irreligious has led some Christians to become overly 'otherworldly' in their orientation, as evidenced by a narrow understanding of evangelism as 'saving souls.' <b>A robust theology of creation, by contrast, affirms the goodness of God's world</b> and (this is one of our main themes at Chesterton House) <b>our work in the world</b>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is an argument that theologian Richard Mouw has been making for over 30 years. Beginning with works such as <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Political Evangelism</b></em> (Eerdmans, 1973), <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Holy Worldliness</b></em> (Fortress, 1980), and <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>When the Kings Come Marching In</b></em> (Eerdmans, 1983), Mouw has maintained that the biblical mandate to "fill the earth" (Gen 1:28) refers not only to procreation but also to cultural activity. And not just to cultural activity in the narrow sense of art and literature, but to the broad array of patterns and processes that constitute our social, political, and economic life. We fill the earth in part by establishing just legislation, building sturdy bridges, and reading riveting bedtime stories. We fill the earth also through teaching, research, and other means of faithfully inhabiting academic disciplines and institutions.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Mouw's <b>theology of culture</b> is grounded not only in <b>creation</b> but also in <b>redemption</b>. In his view, <b>redemption is a renewal of creation</b> (Col 1:19-20). Take, for example, his discussion of the ships of Tarshish. In Isaiah 2, the ships of Tarshish are listed among the sources of pagan pride that will occasion the judgment of God. And yet in Isaiah 60, a vision of the New Jerusalem, there they are again. Why? The judgment of these artifacts, Mouw suggests, is purifying--"more like the breaking of a horse rather than the breaking of a vase. The judgment here is meant to tame, not destroy." The ships' former function will be destroyed, but the ships themselves will be recommissioned to the glory of God.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">That this vision of heaven includes <b>not only souls but also "stuff"</b> has implications for our present lives. “If God has not given up on human culture," Mouw says, "then neither must we.” Moreover, because <b>sin is cosmic in scope, so too is redemption</b>. Sin disorders the natural environment, relations among races, and human institutions, and so our work in the world includes <b>creation care, racial reconciliation, and justice work</b>. "Jesus Christ [came] to save sinners. But He also came to reclaim a larger creation that has suffered because of human’s sinfulness." In this view, <b>creation and re-creation are part of one cosmic work</b>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Mouw's contribution to <b>American evangelical social thought and practice</b> has inspired a generation of students and scholars to take cultural life more seriously. That is <b>not</b> to say he advocates simple <b>activism or cultural immersion</b>. Although he speaks of persons as "agents of the full redemption that Christ came to accomplish," he adds that we are not the builders the Holy City. "The Holy City 'comes down out of heaven from God' (Rev 21:2); the Lord is its 'builder and maker' (Heb 11:10)." Seeking to steer a <b>biblical course between activism and quietism</b>, Mouw advocates the biblical ideal of <b>seeking the welfare of the city</b> (Jer 29:7).</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Are we called to repent from worldliness? By all means. But at the same time, we are called to "holy worldliness."</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-4508258274014265432013-01-27T10:57:00.000-05:002013-01-27T10:57:06.254-05:00Pisteutics: Christianity/ies: The neo-Pentecostal simoniacs of BrasilI'm still in shock about this article the link for which I received from a friend in Brasil. I had no idea that the expressions of emotive behaviour I had seen in fotos and videos were the mark a very deadly spiritual disease. According the author's text, this movement has built itself up in numbers and fiancial success by going on virulent attack campaigns against Roman Catholicism and Afro-Brasilian religions. I know of only one clear alternative stream in Brazilian Protestantism, what in many countries is called the reformational movement (but tiny, tiny compared to what the neo-Pentecostal exploiters of the poor claim and their domains). I pray for this Protestant alternative because it is devoted to the coming of Christ's kingdom in all spheres of society, all realms of life, all vocations of human contributors to the flourishing of all. An end of exploitation. Demonizing to effectively oppose the demonizers — critiquing the neo-Pentecostal's because of their intransigence to Roman Catholicism and Afro-Brazilian religions, with no eye for kernels of truth and redemptive moments in the majority religious culture of that vast country, that seems like a false task. We can say our piece, and educated our people differently as Christ's Spirit empowers us to do so. So hopefully we will find those moments and personalities even within neo-Pentecostal commuities where not all have bowed the knee to simony — Hot Gospel for Sale! The sociology of the neo-Pentecostal movement is fascinating.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Widespread simony among Brazil's wealthy pastors (Acts 8:9-24) —the Gospel of Financial Gain</span><br />
<br />
<br />
[I have interspersed my critical comments in places into the author's text between brackets. — Owlb]<br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Religion has always been a profitable business. And if you happen to be a Brazilian evangelical preacher, chances of hitting a heavenly jackpot are actually pretty high these days. Even though <a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/places/brazil/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Brazil</a> remains the world’s largest Catholic country, with about 123.2 million of its population of approximately 191 million defining themselves as followers of the Vatican-based church, the latest census figures pointed to a strong decline among the ranks of Roman Catholics, who now account for 64.6% of the country’s population–down from 92% in 1970.</span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4U4uEFoRswByjCxz4i9D2_CRfunY6xlq-wP9YGjETeQlo-A9WYZ7BXdsbu_4fc3hmkJq_q7A8KLgb5d8aSjY7YW7WVNFcasRu_taDStF0N_n8pjeX2p4gCYqwGJQ-Zr1wPpt/s1600/bishop_edir_macedo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4U4uEFoRswByjCxz4i9D2_CRfunY6xlq-wP9YGjETeQlo-A9WYZ7BXdsbu_4fc3hmkJq_q7A8KLgb5d8aSjY7YW7WVNFcasRu_taDStF0N_n8pjeX2p4gCYqwGJQ-Zr1wPpt/s1600/bishop_edir_macedo.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meanwhile, the number of Protestant evangelicals has soared from 15.4% of Brazil’s population just a decade ago to 22.2%, or 42.3 million people. It’s likely that the downward trend for Catholicism will continue and it’s estimated that by 2030, Catholics will represent less than 50% of Brazilian churchgoers.</span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So why are evangelicals taking over Brazil’s religious scene?</span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the evangelicals’ most appealing qualities is their belief that material progress results from God’s favor. [The author, Anderson Antunes is a good wealth reporter, but he's using a definition of evangelical that is quite mistaken about this being a belief of evangelicals in North America and many other countries about which I know something. The belief has been denounced by scores of evangelical writers, theologians, many denominations, and Christian organizations parallel to the churches as such. It's known as the Wealth and Prosperity Heresy — sometimes as the Health, Wealth, and Prosperity Heresy. It withdraws the consolation of the Gospel for the sick, poor and uneducated. It bastardizes the preaching of the coming of the Kingdom of God in all societal spheres to all classes and all ethnicities. It treats the Weber Thesis as an absolute truth, which has been by now quite thoroly debunked. — Owlb] While Catholicism still preaches a very conservative look to an afterlife instead of earthly riches, evangelicals – especially the ‘neo-Pentecostal’ ones – are taught that it’s all right to be prosperous. [It is all right to be propserous. It's how you get it and what you do with it, that matters.] This doctrine, known as ‘Prosperity Theology,’ is in the foundation of the most successful evangelical churches in Brazil. [How sad to hear it!]</span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/billionaires/gallery" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">IN PHOTOS: The World’s Billionaires</a></strong></span></div>
<br />
<aside class="vestpocket" data-position="7" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 5px; color: black; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 30px; margin-top: 8px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 20px; position: relative; width: 175px; z-index: 1;"><div class="box gallery" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 5px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 20px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 175px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="thumb exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlf45jfkj/thor-batista/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="num_images" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #069eec; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: white; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 2px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline;">12 images<span class="icon" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><img alt="" src="http://specials-images.forbes.com/imageserve/02vV75d13m8wy/176x176.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(184, 184, 184) 1px 1px 6px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(184, 184, 184) 1px 1px 6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 175px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlf45jfkj/thor-batista/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Photos: </span>Billionaire Scandals Of 2012</a></span></div>
<div class="box article" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 5px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 20px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 175px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="thumb exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexisglick/2012/08/22/dilma-rousseff-brazil-entrepreneurs-power-women/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 175px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img alt="" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/thumbnails/blog_2351/pt_2351_13_o.jpg?t=1347623271" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(184, 184, 184) 1px 1px 6px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(184, 184, 184) 1px 1px 6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 175px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a><a class="vp_text exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexisglick/2012/08/22/dilma-rousseff-brazil-entrepreneurs-power-women/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dilma Rousseff: Brazil's Entrepreneur-In-Chief</a><cite class="box_byline clearfix" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/meghancasserly/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal bold 10px/normal Verdana; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Meghan Casserly" class="avatar" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/assets/images/avatars/mcasserly_40.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: left; height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; top: 3px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 20px;" /><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Meghan Casserly</strong><span class="desc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Forbes Staff</span></a></cite></span></div>
<div class="box article" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 5px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 20px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 175px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="thumb exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2011/06/07/the-five-richest-pastors-in-nigeria/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 175px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img alt="" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/thumbnails/blog_1410/pt_1410_297_o.jpg?t=1307463945" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(184, 184, 184) 1px 1px 6px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(184, 184, 184) 1px 1px 6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 175px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a><a class="vp_text exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2011/06/07/the-five-richest-pastors-in-nigeria/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Five Richest Pastors In Nigeria</a><cite class="box_byline clearfix" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/mfonobongnsehe/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal bold 10px/normal Verdana; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Mfonobong Nsehe" class="avatar" src="http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/1e86128f2cb515febc94b63b33a8465a?s=40&r=pg&d=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Favatars%2Fgeneric_profile_image_40.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: left; height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; top: 3px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 20px;" /><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mfonobong Nsehe</strong><span class="desc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Contributor</span></a></cite></span></div>
<div class="box article" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 5px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 20px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 175px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="thumb exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/andersonantunes/2012/08/10/the-richest-people-in-brazil/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 175px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img alt="" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/thumbnails/blog_1528/pt_1528_1344_o.jpg?t=1344626937" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(184, 184, 184) 1px 1px 6px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(184, 184, 184) 1px 1px 6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 175px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a><a class="vp_text exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/andersonantunes/2012/08/10/the-richest-people-in-brazil/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Richest People In Brazil</a><cite class="box_byline clearfix" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px Verdana; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/andersonantunes/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal bold 10px/normal Verdana; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Anderson Antunes" class="avatar" src="http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/9e0ee7e8a21c9f5ac2f4e15717d6720f?s=40&r=pg&d=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Favatars%2Fgeneric_profile_image_40.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: left; height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; top: 3px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 20px;" /><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Anderson Antunes</strong><span class="desc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Contributor</span></a></cite></span></div>
</aside><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The value of material progress in Brazil’s evangelicalism is explicit and actively promoted. <a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.alinebarros.com.br/site/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Aline Barros</a>, a Grammy-award winning singer-turned-preacher who has over <a class="exit_trigger_set" href="https://twitter.com/aline_barros" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">900,000 followers on Twitter</a>, puts it like this: “What have you done for the Kingdom of God? What have you produced for God? If you are alive, you’ve got the breath of life –produce!” [It's not a bad booster for someone who's discouraged with one' life situation, and doesn't know where to turn. But there are better ways to help others who need real assistance to get on their feet, and most of these are communal and draw the compassion and service of reformational Christians vs. the money Gospel so extant in Brazil.]</span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It seems to be working. As has been widely reported, Brazil has experienced a period of great economic growth over the past few years. The country’s economic success has not only lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty, but it has also raised the expectations of a <b>new lower-middle class </b>– known as the ‘C Class.’ With the very rich and the very poor remaining staunchly Catholic, the majority of Protestant evangelicals in Brazil are in this category, and they have found in the religion a way of being thankful for their good fortune as well as an excuse to enjoy their new status in society without guilt. [Again, it's not coming into wealth thru inheritance or hard work that is indequate; it's how you get the wealth, and what you do with it, that matters. This can be done guiltlessly if you've followed all the rules. And there are those to who it has been given a special service thru sacrifice for the common good, training in social work and taking on the low pay of that profession to live close to the people in need. There's only so much you can give away if you're responsibly raising children.] </span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">In other words, they are eager to give back to the church, to perhaps bear some of the load. [It isn't only to the church that they must give, the churches have no business serving as bankers and finanical institutions, that's far from their main calling and close to their ultimate disaster!] This has ended up turning </span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: black;">some churches into highly lucrative businesses and making some leaders into multi-millionaires</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. It’s the so-called “</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">Industry of Faith</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">.” [A pox on such an industry, it sounds so very much like the sale of indulgences in the European Middle Ages.]</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Take “Bishop” </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Edir Macedo,</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> for example. The founder and leader of the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"> <a class="exit_trigger_set" href="https://twitter.com/aline_barros" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Universal Church of the Kingdom of God</a>,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> which also has temples in the </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/places/united-states/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">United States</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, Macedo is <b>by far the richest pastor in Brazil</b>, with a net worth estimated by several Brazilian business magazines* at </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$950 million </strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">(one government arm in Brazil estimates an even higher sum). [How can this be other than simony? Selling the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Gospel or forgiveness of sins which intrinscially can never be sold.] He is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/13/brazil-evangelical-leader-charged-fraud" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">continuously involved in scandals</a>,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> mostly due to allegations that his organization had <b>siphoned off billions of dollars of donations intended for charity</b>. There have also been official charges of <b>fraud </b>and <b>money laundering</b>. Yet Macedo has managed to keep his flock of followers throughout the years.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">One of the fathers of the modern Prosperity Theology, Macedo even spent </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">eleven days in jail in 1992 due to charges of charlatanism</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. Macedo has denied all the accusations against him in Brazil, but he is <b>still under prosecution by US authorities as well as Venezuelan authorities.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">As an evangelical writer, he stands out </span><b style="background-color: transparent;">with more than 10 million books sold</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, some of which are extremely critical of the Catholic Church and a number of Brazilian Afro-religions. His biggest move was in the </span><b style="background-color: transparent;">late 1980s</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, when he acquired control of </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://rederecord.r7.com/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Rede Record</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, currently Brazil’s </span><b style="background-color: transparent;">second largest broadcaster</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. His other assets include a newspaper, </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.folhauniversal.com.br/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Folha Universal</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, which has a circulation of over <b>2.5 million in Brazil</b>, a news channel, </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://noticias.r7.com/record-news/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Record News</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, music label companies, state-of-the-art properties and a $45 million </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/bombardier/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Bombardier</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> Global Express XRS <b>private jet</b>. Macedo’s spokesperson said he would not comment on personal affairs.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/pictures/emeg45eig/christy-walton/#gallerycontent" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">IN PHOTOS: The World’s Richest Women</a></strong></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Following in Macedo’s footsteps is </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Valdemiro Santiago</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. A former preacher within the </span><u style="background-color: transparent;">Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, he was reportedly expelled from the institution after some misunderstandings with its boss, of whom he was a protégé</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. That was enough for him to found his own church–the </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.impd.org.br/portal/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">World Church of the Power of God</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, which has more than 900,000 followers and over 4,000 temples, many of which are adorned with images of him on billboards. He made headlines last year after reportedly dropping <b>$45 million on a private jet identical to that of Macedo’s</b>. Several Brazilian business magazines estimate his net worth at </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$220 million</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. A call and email to Santiago’s church were not returned.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Then there’s </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Silas Malafaia</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, the leader of the Brazilian arm of the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"> <a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.assembleia.org.br/site/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Assembly of God</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, Brazil’s biggest Pentecostal church. The most outspoken of his colleagues, Malafaia is constantly involved in <b>controversies related to the gay community in Brazil</b>, of which he </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/26/world/americas/silas-malafaia-tv-evangelist-rises-in-brazils-culture-wars.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">proudly declares himself to be the biggest nemesis</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. The supporter of a law that could classify homosexualism as a disease in Brazil, Malafaia is also a prominent figure on Twitter, where </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="https://twitter.com/PastorMalafaia" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">he is followed by more than 440,000 users</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. In 2011, Malafaia–who’s worth an estimated </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$150 million</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> according to several Brazilian business publications–launched a campaign called “</span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.vitoriaemcristo.org/_gutenweb/_site/hotsite/clube1M-2011/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">The One Million Souls Club</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">,” that aims to raise $500 million (R$ 1 billion) for his church in order to <b>create a global television network</b> that would be broadcast in 137 countries. Those interested in contributing to the campaign can donate sums starting at $500 (R$ 1,000), that can be paid in installments. In exchange, donors will receive a book. Malafaia also owns <b>one of the four biggest record companies in Brazil’s gospel segment</b>, according to <b>Billboard Brasil</b>, and the country’s second largest gospel publishing company, Central Gospel, with sales of a reported $25 million (R$ 50 million) per year.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Possibly the most active in multimedia among Brazilian preachers is the singer, composer and televangelist Romildo Ribeiro Soares, simply known as </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">R.R. Soares</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. As the founder of the </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.ongrace.co.in/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">International Church of the Grace of God</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, Soares is one of the most regular faces on <b>Brazilian TV</b>. Another former member of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God–he is the brother-in-law of Macedo–the self-entitled “missionary” Soares is said to be the humblest among his peers. His <b>private jet</b>–a King Air 350 — is worth a “modest” $5 million. Soares’ estimated net worth (also from several Brazilian business publications): </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$125 million</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. Soares’ spokesperson did not return calls or emails.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">The founders of the </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.renasceremcristo.com.br/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Reborn in Christ Church</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, “Apostle” </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Estevam Hernandes Filho</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> and his wife, “Bishop” </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sonia</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, oversee more than 1,000 churches in Brazil and abroad, including several in </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/places/fl/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Florida</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. With a combined net worth estimated at </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$65 million</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> by several Brazilian business magazines, the couple made international headlines in 2007 when they were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">arrested in <a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/places/fl/miami/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Miami</a>, accused of carrying more than $56,000 in undeclared cash</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">. Some of the money had been stuffed between the pages of their Bibles, according to U.S. customs agents who detained the couple at the Miami airport. They were <u>returned to Brazil a year later</u>. They are also still <u>under prosecution in Brazil for a number of other crimes, including for the collapse of ceiling at one of their temples, which caused 9 deaths</u>.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The arrest and allegations in Brazil of <b>systematic embezzlement</b> have resonated loudly. In December 2010, Brazilian soccer star <b>Kaka</b>, who was <b>friends with the Hernandes couple and a member of their church, left the institution, reportedly because of their leadership mishandling of money</b>. Kaka had reportedly donated more than $1 million (R$ 2 million) to the church during the time he was one of its most well known members. A spokesperson for the Hernandes couple did not respond to emails and phone calls.</span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Becoming an evangelical preacher in Brazil is the dream of many young people across the country. </span><u style="background-color: transparent;">Contrary to more traditional protestant churches that require their pastors to have at least a masters degree, the neo-Pentecostal churches such as the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God offer intensive courses to “create” pastors for as much a little as $350 ( R$ 700) for a few days of classes.</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> It’s not only about money (</span><b style="background-color: transparent;">Malafaia pays up to $11,000 per month to the most talented members of his pastor’s crew</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, according to </span><a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://vejasp.abril.com.br/materia/cursos-para-formacao-de-pastores?pw=1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f2d5f; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Veja SP magazine</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">), but </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ea9999;">also about power</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Many Brazilian pastors have been given </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">diplomatic passports</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> in the past few years. Some, especially those who lead big churches, are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">courted by politicians at election time</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, not to mention that as in many countries around the globe, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">churches are exempt of taxes in Brazil</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">, which can sometimes create a very convenient loophole.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As the Bible says, faith moves mountains. And money, too.</span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">*Estimates for net worths were based on numbers by Brazil’s </em><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ea9999; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Public Ministry of the Union and Federal Police</em><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> (for those who have been investigated by such organs), as reported by the Brazilian media, as well as </em><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ea9999; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">estimates of the value of each pastor’s private holdings that appeared in major publications</em><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, including magazines Veja, Exame, IstoÉ, IstoÉ Dinheiro and newspapers Folha de S. Paulo, O Globo and O Estado de S. Paulo.</em></strong></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-79709890393147140332013-01-21T22:01:00.000-05:002013-01-21T22:40:05.440-05:00Science: Intelligent Design, Creationism, Religion: Phony rights activist orgs try to capture definition of "religion"First of all, Intelligent Design is not fundamentalist biblistic creationism. It's a philosophical-scientific idea at work in many sciences, not least of all natural sciences, and in the metadiscourse that deals with the pre-evidentiary axioms of some sciences in their present state — tending toward rigidification, reification, and ideologies required to maintain institutional holding modes against change. The institutions are scientific organizations and associations, university departments and some free-standing research facilities, and scientific journals that have reached the end of their tether, maintaining settled othodoxies and branding alternative views based on alternative paradigms as heterodox, heretical, and populated by heretics who somehow have gotten thru the system with all the PhDs they shoud have. The retrogressive sciences in these respects are cases of a certain stage of frigidity in the established paradigms themselves presumed to be final-stage axiomographies, a trend of all positivism. Thomas S. Kuhn has instructed us well regarding <b>The Structure of Scientific Revolutions</b>. New facts can't lead to new theories, certainly not new paradigms for the scientific discipline in question. Nowhere do these epigones of intellectual control show up more ridicously than in the teachers and textbooks of govt-school elementary and secondary science teaching. Following the recommendations of Paul Feyerabend in his <b><i>Against Method</i></b> (1975) and the front group for the above mentioned mindcontrol forces the <b>National Center for Science Education</b>, their agenda now is to exercize complete control for scientific orthodoxy in the public schools, while in Feyerabend's case authorizing an easing up in college science courses (of course even there the opening-up process to free inquiry just doesn't happen except once in a blue moon). Two books are crucial for acquiring an alternative view in today's sciences: Michael Behe's <i><b>The Edge of Evolution</b></i> (2007) which carves out a thawt-space for the new discipline of Intelligent Design within biological disciplines; and Danie F. M. Strauss' <i><b>Philosophy — Discipline of Disciplines</b></i> (2009 digital edition). Another important thinker in this debate, who has published only at the level of scholarly journals and a key local newspaper article, is biologist Dr Uko Zylstra; see his study in "<b><i>Intelligent-Design Theory: An argument for biotic laws </i></b>"[<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><em class="pubName"><a class="discreet" href="http://philpapers.org/asearch.pl?pubn=Zygon" style="color: #104bb8; text-decoration: none;">Zygon</a></em> 39 (1):175-191 (<span itemprop="copyrightYear">2004</span>)].</span> In this study, Zylstra shows his kinship with several ideas of philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd and in debate with biologist Jan Lever who treats bios as a substance universal to all life, and thus has no room for biotic laws in Dooyeweerd's modal sense. Zygon carries an extensive list of similar books and articles related to the problem-cluster of intelligent design. <br />
<br />
Second, the best historical analogy of rights issue in regard to the American Inquisition in Science is that of Galileo Gallilei. The Aristotelian scientists who had a monopoly in scientific education during the Rennaissance coud not see thru Gallileo's telescope what he had come to see after long study. They enforced their overwhelming majority against the dissenter of one, who almost persuaded a pope until they came with their established scientific authorities to insist on what possibly coud be seen and coud not be seen thru those telescopes, and nowadays thru the microscopes of Intelligent Design research scientists. But I use a definition of religion with which the ID scientists apparently are innocent. Religion for the school of thinking to which I affiliate myself uses the rubric "Life is religion," which for us implies to our scientists that "Scientific work is religion" — if you're a traditional Darwinist, your work functions as your daily religious expression, whether the science be good, bad, or indifferent, because it's a main avenue of your daily life. Likewise, if you're an evolutionary-thinking Intelligent Design scientist, you're life's work expresses your religion daily — whether you're a good researcher, lousy, coasting on your laurels, or going along with your crowd. Life is religion. Now a fundametnalist biblicist who considers himself/herself a "creationist" is not necessarily a scientist at all, or even an intelligent layperson. Such a "creationist" is just a dogmatist regarding one's interpretation of the Bible, especially certain passages in Genesis 1-2. To my mind, that's still religion — religion weakned by fundamentalism and biblicism because it doesn't know how or is unwilling to read Genesis in a better way. But, being ID, doesn't mean, by the definitions I use, that the task of the ID researtcher is any less religion than the church-determined activities we may also participate in, or not.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlbird, refWrite page 2</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/01/on_mlk_day_reme068451.html">Evolution News and Views</a> (Jan21,2k13)<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #333333; color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">ACADEMIC FREEDOM/FREE SPEECH NEWS</span><br />
<br />
<h2 class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">On MLK Day, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">remember that </span></h2>
<h2 class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Intelligent Design is a <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Civil Rights</em> issue</span></h2>
<div class="asset-meta" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="byline" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><br />
<h3 class="vcard author" style="border: 0px; color: #e28d1c; font-size: 1em; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span class="byline" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</span></h3>
<span class="byline" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<h3 class="vcard author" style="border: 0px; color: #e28d1c; font-size: 1em; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a class="fn url" href="http://www.discovery.org/p/209" style="border: 0px; color: #e28d1c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">David Klinghoffer</a> <abbr class="date" style="border: 0px; color: #a6a6a6; display: inline; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: normal; font-weight: 100; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="2013-01-21T04:16:02-08:00">January 21, 2013 4:16 AM | <a href="http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/01/on_mlk_day_reme068451.html" style="border: 0px; color: #e28d1c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Permalink</a></abbr><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/01/on_mlk_day_reme068451.html&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=300&action=like&font=trebuchet+ms&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: none; display: inline; height: 21px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 100px;"></iframe></h3>
</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pRO9g2_M3ACp99hQyVSavIJvbBMf_SDzkNof_jnaO7CTrcldcjRzbHwhPDQsh3AqVYiQy4CX-JhrQAqugK6BkJCMEqJTynhTPyB9cXlRt3VFdCGzRBgEJI2MHZgJ2FCz08il/s1600/washington_monument_dc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pRO9g2_M3ACp99hQyVSavIJvbBMf_SDzkNof_jnaO7CTrcldcjRzbHwhPDQsh3AqVYiQy4CX-JhrQAqugK6BkJCMEqJTynhTPyB9cXlRt3VFdCGzRBgEJI2MHZgJ2FCz08il/s640/washington_monument_dc.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The mission of <b>Americans United for the Separation of Church and State</b> sounds very commendable, and worthy of a nod on <b>Martin Luther King Day</b>. After all, the whole cause of civil rights that Dr. King stood for is about <u>protecting the freedom to believe, and to be, as you are, safe from harassment, intimidation, and discrimination</u>. Americans United, or AU, focuses on the <b>religious aspect of civil liberties</b>, protecting religion from the state and vice versa, safeguarding freedom of conscience and conviction.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Or anyway, that's <b>the idea in theory</b>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Meet <b>Cecil R. Phillips</b>, a retired engineer in Louisiana who fell afoul of his <b>local chapter of AU</b> and found himself <u>summarily barred from future meetings, his membership in AU rescinded and membership fee returned</u>. What did he do to merit this treatment?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Go ahead and listen to <b>Casey Luskin</b>'s excellent and <a href="http://www.idthefuture.com/2013/01/intelligent_design_supporter_e.html" style="border: 0px; color: #6883db; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">eye-opening interview with Mr. Phillips</a>. The trouble started at a <u>chapter meeting back in October [2012]</u>, when the subject of evolution came up and <b>Phillips voiced his doubts about the standard Darwinian story</b>. He has read up on intelligent design and finds <b>Michael Behe</b>'s argument from irreducible complexity to be particularly provocative and convincing. By his own account, he's <b>not a particularly religious person</b>. The <b>scientific ideas</b> are what interest him.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This was evidently too much for somebody, identity unknown, who was present at the meeting. A couple of months later Phillips received a letter from <b>AU headquarters in Washington, DC</b>, without a signature but identified as having been authored by "<b>National Field Department on Behalf of Concerned Chapter Members</b>."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The letter informed Phillips that AU's mission "includes <u>protecting public school students from the <b>advancement of religious ideas as science</b> in the classroom</u>." It charged him with promoting "<b>intelligent design creationism</b>," in violation of that mission, and disinvited him from attending future meeting as this would have</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: url(http://www.evolutionnews.org/graphics/blockquote-quotation.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin: 10px 15px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 15px 25px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">a counterproductive effect on the group's ability to conduct business in an atmosphere of openness and comfort.</span><br />
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Therefore, your presence is no longer welcome at our meetings, and your membership in our organization has been rescinded.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">You can </span><a href="http://www.evolutionnews.org/AU-LetterToPhillips.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6883db; line-height: 19.1875px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">find a reproduction of the letter here</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">. As you'll hear in </span><a href="http://www.idthefuture.com/2013/01/intelligent_design_supporter_e.html" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6883db; line-height: 19.1875px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Casey's interview with him</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">, Phillips sounds like a very mild-mannered guy. Soft-spoken, thoughtful and articulate. Hardly threatening, or so you would think. Obviously </span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">someone</em><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"> felt so threatened by this gentleman, tarred as a "creationist" (which he's emphatically not), that he or she took up the matter with the national office. There someone else, in turn, didn't have the guts to sign his or her name on the letter that barred Cecil Phillips from future participation in AU. Coward.</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is really shameful, and telling. As we were reminded in the final and likewise <a href="http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/01/judge_lets_nasa068401.html" style="border: 0px; color: #6883db; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">shameful resolution of the David Coppedge matter</a> last week, evolution is a civil-rights issue as much as it is a scientific one. Coppedge's right to dissent from Darwinian orthodoxy was crushed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the judge in the case accepted NASA's slickly constructed defense, rubber-stamped it, denying him the justice of what <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">should</em> have been total vindication.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Coppedge and his attorney cast the case in terms of religious-viewpoint discrimination. That was because JPL, like Americans United, can't make the proper distinction between intelligent design and religion. The government-funded lab demoted and then terminated Coppedge for advocating his scientific views and for protesting when his rights were trampled on.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Did Americans United have anything to say about that? No.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For every Cecil Phillips, for every David Coppedge, there are countless other people who share their scientific doubts about Darwin, their openness to seeing evidence of design in nature, but who keep their views to themselves in a strategy of self-defense. They are teachers, professors, students, and other thoughtful open-minded citizens, who can't exercise their right to advocate a particular scientific view. They reasonably fear censorship and bullying.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When folks like the National Center for Science Education tell you there's "no controversy," "no debate" about Darwinian evolution, that's true only insofar as the controversy and the debate are deliberately suppressed through intimidation. Civil-liberties organizations like AU and the ACLU<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">ought</em> to be in the thick of the fight to protect free-expression rights for Darwin doubters. Instead, they stand firmly with the censors and the bullies.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Image credit: March on Washington/Wikipedia.</span></em></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-37165282502674196832013-01-20T10:56:00.000-05:002013-01-20T10:56:19.408-05:00Pisteutics: Christianity/ies: Jumping your horse thru fire Saint Anthony's Eve<br />
<br />
<br />
<img height="640" src="webkit-fake-url://23542765-E0BE-45D1-9B09-3BB8BD91EF76/image.tiff" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #333233; font: 13.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">A man rides his horse through the flames during the "Luminarias" annual religious celebration on the night before Saint Anthony's, Patron of animals, Day in the village of San Bartolome de los Pinares, about 62 miles northwest of Madrid, Spain, January 16, 2013. According to tradition that dates back 500 years, people ride their horses through the narrow cobblestone streets of this small village to purify the animals with the smoke from the bonfires. <b>Photo:</b> Sergio Perez/Reuters</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-54718007613965116592013-01-20T10:05:00.000-05:002013-01-20T10:05:01.292-05:00PisteuticsPakistan: Blasphemy: Cabinet minister is accused of blasphemy in a TV broadcastI can't imagine a government official of Pakistan going on TV to blaspheme Allah, or the Prophet, or our Lord Jesus Christ. The accusation is unbelievable. What motive coud an official have for taking the trouble (literally) of making remarks ... well, wait a moment, perhaps the accuser has a different idea of what blasphemy is than do most sane human beings. So, will the court case explore what Sherry Rehman said and meant? Or will the presumably precious and twisted definitions launched by Faheem Akhtar Gill carry the day? Pakistan can only add to its grief if it goes on a witch hunt thru such trials, allowing presumably malicious accusers like FAG get away with defamation. The accusation of blasphemy is always a political move on the part of the accuser. Who is this Faheem Akhtar Gill? What groups and causes is he involved with? There shoud be stiff penalties for accusing someone of blasphemy, but no penalty for blasphemy itself. God will take care of Himself/Herself one way or another. Blasphemy cannot hurt God. Blasphemers shoud be ignored, not made into a <i>cause célébre</i>.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> pisteutics newspotter, analyst, columnist<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.volokh.com/2013/01/17/pakistani-ambassador-to-the-u-s-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistani-proceedings/">Volokh Conspiracy</a> (Jan20,2k13)<br />
<br />
<div class="post-title" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div>
<h2 style="color: #014101; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.3em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<a href="http://www.volokh.com/2013/01/17/pakistani-ambassador-to-the-u-s-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistani-proceedings/" rel="bookmark" style="color: #014101; text-decoration: initial;" title="Permanent Link to Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. Accused of Blasphemy in Pakistani Proceedings"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. </span></a></h2>
<h2 style="color: #014101; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.3em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<a href="http://www.volokh.com/2013/01/17/pakistani-ambassador-to-the-u-s-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistani-proceedings/" rel="bookmark" style="color: #014101; text-decoration: initial;" title="Permanent Link to Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. Accused of Blasphemy in Pakistani Proceedings"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">accused of blasphemy </span></a></h2>
<h2 style="color: #014101; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.3em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<a href="http://www.volokh.com/2013/01/17/pakistani-ambassador-to-the-u-s-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistani-proceedings/" rel="bookmark" style="color: #014101; text-decoration: initial;" title="Permanent Link to Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. Accused of Blasphemy in Pakistani Proceedings"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">in Pakistani proceedings</span></a></h2>
<div class="post-meta" style="background-position: 0% 50%; clear: both; color: #999999; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="post-meta" style="background-position: 0% 50%; clear: both; color: #999999; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="post-meta-Eugene Volokh" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.volokh.com/author/volokh/" rel="author" style="color: black; text-decoration: initial;" title="Posts by Eugene Volokh">Eugene Volokh</a></span> • January 17, 2013 3:31 pm</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="post-entry" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-top: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 20px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/01/17/news/national/sc-admits-petition-against-sherry-over-alleged-blasphemy/" style="color: #007f00; text-decoration: initial;">Pakistan Today</a> reports:</span></div>
<blockquote style="color: black; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: 5em; margin-right: 5em; margin-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0em;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Supreme Court (SC) admitted a petition for hearing against Pakistani ambassador to US <b>Sherry Rehman</b> over allegedly committing blasphemy, a local TV channel reported.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A two-member bench of the SC comprising Justice <b>Anwar Zaheer jamali </b>and Justice <b>Ejaz Afzal</b> directed CCPO Multan [a police official] to take action according to the law.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The petition was submitted by <b>Faheem Akhtar Gill</b> alleging Rehman of committing blasphemy while speaking on a news channel two years ago.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://dawn.com/2013/01/17/sc-admits-petition-against-sherry-rehman-over-alleged-blasphemy/" style="color: #007f00; text-decoration: initial;">Dawn.com (Pakistan)</a> has a similar story. <a href="http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/17/16560383-pakistans-envoy-to-us-faces-potentially-deadly-blasphemy-accusation?lite" style="color: #007f00; text-decoration: initial;">NBC News</a> adds:</span></div>
<blockquote style="color: black; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: 5em; margin-right: 5em; margin-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0em;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The allegations against Rehman, which revolve around <b>comments she made on Pakistani television in 2010</b>, are being brought by Muhammad Faheem Ahkter Gill, a 31-year-old businessman who owns a marble business in the city of Multan.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gill was watching the television interview with Rehman with two friends. He said he felt her comments were <b>derogatory to the Prophet Muhammad</b> and, being a Muslim, it was his responsibility to do something about it.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“I had been striving to get a blasphemy case registered against her since 2010, but in vain. Today the supreme court has ordered (the police) to register a case against her,” he said.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How far this case is going, and what is the significance of the court order to investigate, I can’t say. Thanks to <b>Paul Milligan</b> for the pointer.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="bottom-meta" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; padding: 0px 0px 30px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div addthis:title="Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. Accused of Blasphemy in Pakistani Proceedings" addthis:url="http://www.volokh.com/2013/01/17/pakistani-ambassador-to-the-u-s-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistani-proceedings/" class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style" style="float: right !important; padding-top: 7px;">
<a class="addthis_button_facebook at300b" href="http://www.volokh.com/2013/01/17/pakistani-ambassador-to-the-u-s-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistani-proceedings/#" style="color: #007f00; cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px; text-decoration: initial;" title="Facebook"><span class="at16nc at300bs at15nc at15t_facebook at16t_facebook" style="background-image: url(http://ct1.addthis.com/static/r07/widget011_top.gif); background-position: 0px -288px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; display: block; float: left; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; overflow: hidden; width: 16px;"><span class="at_a11y" style="height: 1px !important; left: -10000px !important; line-height: 16px; overflow: hidden !important; position: absolute !important; top: auto !important; width: 1px !important;">Share on facebook</span></span></a><a class="addthis_button_email at300b" href="http://www.volokh.com/2013/01/17/pakistani-ambassador-to-the-u-s-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistani-proceedings/#" style="color: #007f00; cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px; text-decoration: initial;" title="Email"><span class="at16nc at300bs at15nc at15t_email at16t_email" style="background-image: url(http://ct1.addthis.com/static/r07/widget011_top.gif); background-position: 0px -272px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; display: block; float: left; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; overflow: hidden; width: 16px;"><span class="at_a11y" style="height: 1px !important; left: -10000px !important; line-height: 16px; overflow: hidden !important; position: absolute !important; top: auto !important; width: 1px !important;">Share on email</span></span></a><a class="addthis_button_printfriendly at300b" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&winname=addthis&pub=agahe&source=tbx-250&lng=en-US&s=printfriendly&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.volokh.com%2F2013%2F01%2F17%2Fpakistani-ambassador-to-the-u-s-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistani-proceedings%2F&title=Pakistani%20Ambassador%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Accused%20of%20Blasphemy%20in%20Pakistani%20Proceedings&ate=AT-agahe/-/-/50fc0209ea4d633e/2&frommenu=1&uid=50fc0209e7e373c1&ct=1&tt=0&captcha_provider=nucaptcha" style="color: #007f00; cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank" title="Printfriendly"><span class=" at300bs at15nc at15t_printfriendly" style="background-image: url(http://ct1.addthis.com/static/r07/widget051.gif); background-position: 0px -4288px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; display: block; float: left; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; overflow: hidden; width: 16px;"><span class="at_a11y" style="height: 1px !important; left: -10000px !important; line-height: 16px; overflow: hidden !important; position: absolute !important; top: auto !important; width: 1px !important;">Share on printfriendly</span></span></a><div class="atclear" style="clear: both;">
</div>
</div>
<span class="mcategories" style="background-image: url(http://2-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/www.volokh.com/wp-content/themes/volokh/images/xcategories.jpg.pagespeed.ic.cW5iqXr1SF.jpg); background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; float: left; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 18px; padding-top: 10px; width: 500px;">Categories: <a href="http://www.volokh.com/category/freespeech/blasphemy/" rel="category tag" style="color: #007f00; text-decoration: initial;" title="View all posts in Blasphemy">Blasphemy</a> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-25650168400053013212013-01-20T04:57:00.000-05:002013-01-20T04:57:24.301-05:00Pisteutics: Do-gooders with a mission to the poor, no nanny interference, please!Here we go again with the Nanny state — this time on the municipal level in Seattle, Washington. Let's face it, this is an officious bureaucracy jealous of freelance good deeds done by private groups with a soul but no licence. How to kill the sphere of missionary care for the poor and down-and-out! Instead of just admitting its bureaucratic jealousy of freelancers, the city guardians of civic prerogatives present themselves as on the side of nutrition — what if some of the poor at the moment don't want nutrition, perhaps some want a donut with their coffee. The bureaucrat wants the freelance do-gooders to "co-ordinate" with the govt's approved outfit. All of a sudden, it's the guardian against waste. But really what's at issue on that score is litter. The city doesn't want to pay for workers to pick up the litter, give a few more jobs to the destitute, who can then pay taxes! "Controlled environment" is safer for the do-gooders. Control, control, control. If there's no history of hassling freelance groups that provide food, let the freelancers take the risk to perform their mission. If bad things start to happen, then the city can try something else — like hire more police. Lord, save the do-gooders from the nannies, please. And let the poor eat.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2 </b>faith-groups newspotter, analyst, columnist<br />
<br />
<h1 class="article_head" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 44px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: -2px; line-height: 47px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></h1>
<h1 class="article_head" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -2px; line-height: 47px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://mynorthwest.com/11/2178586/Mission-told-not-to-feed-the-homeless-in-Seattle-city-parks#.UPmzmpWdN6c.twitter">MyNorthwest.com </a> (Jan20,2k13)</span></h1>
<h1 class="article_head" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 44px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: -2px; line-height: 47px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Mission told not to feed the homeless in Seattle city parks</h1>
<span class="article_byline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">BY <a class="byline_link" href="http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=762&sid=452891" style="color: #115e90; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; text-transform: uppercase;">BRANDI KRUSE</a></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="article_dateline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> on January 18, 2013 @ 12:32 am</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span class="article_dateline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">(Updated: 7:24 am - 1/18/13 )</span><br />
<span class="article_dateline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="article_dateline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: georgia; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>Bread of Life is upset about the restriction and hopes to continue serving meals to homeless individuals who do not come into their shelter. (AP Photo/File)</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW3Lnk55KIaNFIcNbCd873ZL1JiMABilBKQNVcr7b_8zMH3OexLdg5om9SolpSEcfi3KaWw7-V-YWh8X7yBVbflc4jzYenxxHQSvH_58r-F1Vsx0TuG6TdPtLGEUVZs7UR8Z8/s1600/rescue_mission_cant_serve_homeless_in_seattle_park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW3Lnk55KIaNFIcNbCd873ZL1JiMABilBKQNVcr7b_8zMH3OexLdg5om9SolpSEcfi3KaWw7-V-YWh8X7yBVbflc4jzYenxxHQSvH_58r-F1Vsx0TuG6TdPtLGEUVZs7UR8Z8/s640/rescue_mission_cant_serve_homeless_in_seattle_park.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The <b>Bread of Life Mission</b>, which has served the homeless community in Pioneer Square for more than 70 years, said the city has directed them to stop feeding the hungry in downtown parks.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On the <b>third Saturday of every month for the past three years</b>, volunteers for the mission have handed out meals at places such as <b>City Hall Park</b>. The offering was in addition to the <b>three meals a day they serve inside their building at 97 South Main Street.</b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"It was a service we were offering free of charge to be a blessing to the homeless," said Executive Director <b>Willie Parish, Jr.</b> "All we were doing was just a continuation of what we do on a daily basis."</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In December, however, Parish said Seattle police told them they were <b>no longer allowed to serve food at the park</b>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">City officials say the restriction is nothing new, and that <b>Bread of Life</b> simply <u>operated in the park for three years without being caught or reported</u>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>David Takami </b>with the <b>Seattle Human Services Department</b> said the city does not allow groups of people to feed the homeless outdoors without approval.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"This has happened in the past where there are <u>a lot of meals served in a short period of time on the same day</u>," he said. "It's <b>a little chaotic</b> and it can also lead to <b>wasted food</b>."</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Takami said those wishing to feed the homeless need to coordinate with the <b>Operation: Sack Lunch program</b>, which serves up to 300 people a day at the city's outdoor meal site, located under the I-5 bridge at 6th Avenue and Columbia Street.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By requiring that all food be served at the site, Takami said <b>the city can control the nutritional value of what the homeless eat</b> and can <b>prevent litter</b> from being left behind at parks after meals.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He said the <b>controlled environment is also safer for volunteers</b>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"For example, there was one group of middle school students who, out of the goodness of their hearts, wanted to serve meals to homeless people and we were concerned [...] because of possible safety issues," Takami said.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nevertheless, <u>Bread of Life is upset about the restriction and hopes to continue serving meals to homeless individuals who do not come into their shelter</u>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.3em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"We love to do it, we want to continue doing it," Parish said.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-45690746154899382982013-01-20T04:03:00.001-05:002013-01-20T04:14:06.878-05:00Pisteutics: African Religions: Immigrants in Sweden abuse dawter becawz 'she's a witch'Is this merely cross-cultural misunderstanding? Is the dawter accused of witchcraft being abused and differentiated from her siblings? Why? I favour the intervention made by the Swedish authorities, but I've studied what leading sociologist Peter Berger says about voodoo. What do you think?<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> religions newspotter, analyst, columnist<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/9811359/Parents-tried-to-exorcise-daughter-10.html">The Telegraph</a>, London England (Jan20,2k13)<br />
<br />
<h1 style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 2.4em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Parents 'tried to exorcise daughter, 10'</h1>
<h2 style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.6em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
A couple living in Sweden were charged Friday with child abuse for trying to exorcise their daughter at age 10 because they thought she was a witch, a prosecutor said.</h2>
<br />
<div class="byline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #282828; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="publishedDate" style="color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 390px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3:07PM GMT 18 Jan 2013</span></div>
<div class="cl" style="clear: both; display: table;">
</div>
</div>
<div id="mainBodyArea" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="firstPar" style="color: #282828; line-height: normal;">
<div style="line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The couple, from the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/democraticrepublicofcongo/" style="color: #234b7b; font-weight: normal; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Democratic Republic of Congo</a>, "think their daughter is a witch and reject the accusation" of abuse, <b>Daniel Larson</b>, a prosecutor in the western Swedish town of Boraas, said.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="secondPar" style="color: #282828; line-height: normal;">
<div style="line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The indictment is based on <b>three alleged acts of abuse</b> committed between February 2007 and February 2008.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="thirdPar" style="color: #282828; line-height: normal;">
<div style="line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The girl, who claims she is <b>not the couple's biological daughter</b> though the parents say otherwise, was allegedly beaten unconscious and <b>forced to drink a concoction</b> made up of a cleaning product and her own urine, according to the charge sheet.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="fourthPar" style="color: #282828; line-height: normal;">
<div style="line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Social services removed the girl</b>, born in 1997, from her parents' custody in 2008 and she has since been living with a foster family. The girl only recently opened up about the alleged abuse "once she felt safe," the prosecutor said.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="fifthPar" style="color: #282828; line-height: normal;">
<div style="line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She had been placed with the foster family because of various reports that she was <b>not being treated well at home</b>. Her <b>school</b> had among other things reported to social services that <u>her parents treated her very differently from her brothers and sisters</u>, for example sending her to school in <b>dirty clothes everyday</b>.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="body" style="color: #282828; line-height: normal;">
<div style="line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to the online version of local daily <b>Boraas Tidning</b>, the parents had in <u>2008 applied for a social welfare cheque to be able to afford a trip to DR Congo to exorcise the girl.</u> The aid was refused and she was shortly thereafter placed in foster care, though the alleged abuse was never investigated at the time.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The trial is due to start in the next few months.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another similar case went to trial in Boraas last year. The accused, also from DR Congo, were acquitted, and the prosecutor has appealed the verdict.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.48em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i>Source: AFP</i></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-18912634486347022772013-01-19T12:18:00.000-05:002013-01-19T12:18:33.726-05:00Morals, Moralview, Mores: Traditional Marriage: Paris gives "astounding" support in march by 800,000<br />
<br />
Le Figaro, the Paris daily, which is known for its conservative estimates of crowds, measured this one at 800,00 — the largest manifestation / demonstration in support of traditional marriage that the world has ever seen or in which its people have ever participated. The article below mentions the Gay atheist Xavier Bongibault who spoke for traditional marriage in the organized proceedings. In supporting traditional marriage as the only form of intimate union that merits the word "marriage" as properly the designation in our various languages for 1woman1man intimate unions, I trust Bongibault with other homos speaking to the vast crowd, and certainly myself as a homo Christian, do not mean to discount the valid further two intimate unions, 2women or 2men, and their potential recognizability by the state — but not to the displacement of the unique 1woman1man union that has been recognized by the state in its various jurisdicitions — these latter unions are marriage, the other intimate unions are not, tho valid intimate unions. Why? because only the unique daily dialogue and negotiation of precisely the difference between the woman and the man, the duality of the sexual/genderal partners, male and female, makes marriage then and now unique. One need not in theory complicate this ontological analysis (Herman Dooyeweerd, Andre Troost, James Olthuis, Albert Gedraitis) by introducing a further teological argument in regard to the begetting of children and the supposed "ideality" of consanguinity of the offspring with the parents and among the siblings. The theory of marriage can work profoundly with all the issues that cocme alongside around the ontology of family, but none of them need cloud the initial concern regarding kinds of intimate unions and the ontology of marriage which is limited normatively to 1woman1man intimate union.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> general editor<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ionainstitute.ie/">The Iona Institute</a> (Jan19,2k13)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-KiK9zZGR9EDfhf9TX04mj9IniWJE4GvvvVDsBQV0Tmb2tkDZfYt_IKQ7eK4bFEELkCxpockdzNVuTZzlsJy16S3Hr03xnjgoC5OJQS1xZZumGsS23WsjAETjkXjOgfk1QUx/s1600/paris_largest_pro-marriage_demo_ever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-KiK9zZGR9EDfhf9TX04mj9IniWJE4GvvvVDsBQV0Tmb2tkDZfYt_IKQ7eK4bFEELkCxpockdzNVuTZzlsJy16S3Hr03xnjgoC5OJQS1xZZumGsS23WsjAETjkXjOgfk1QUx/s640/paris_largest_pro-marriage_demo_ever.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<table cellspacing="0" class="backgroundTable" style="background-color: #7f0126; font-family: Helvetica; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" valign="top"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="contentTable" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><table cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" class="bodyTable" style="width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" class="defaultText" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: dimgrey; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-top: 20px;" valign="top"><span>LAST </span>Sunday Paris witnessed what must have been the biggest and most extraordinary demonstration ever in favour of the traditional family.<br /><br />According to an article in Le Figaro an astounding 800,000 people took part. It was fantastically well organised.<br /><br />By design, the colours pink and blue predominated,to emphasise the two sexes. People were given pink and blue balloons, pink and blue banners, pink and blue shirts to emphasise that the sexes are different, that it takes a man and a woman to conceive a child and that children ideally should be raised by their own mother and father.<br /><br />The demonstration told the world that marriage exists to recognise all of these facts and that permitting same-sex marriage would contradict them, deny them or treat them as unimportant.<br /><br />Without doubt it was the biggest, the best, and the most focused lesson on the nature of marriage that any country has ever seen. Taking over much of the centre of Paris for several hours, it was also good humoured, colourful and a piece of street theatre every bit as much as it was a demonstration. The organisers and all who took part deserve huge congratulations from everyone, everywhere who cares about marriage and the family.<br /><br />What was also novel about it is the fact that it was led by unexpected people. The chief spokesperson was a French comedienne named 'Frigide Barjot' who in no way fits the stereotype of the uptight defender of tradition.<br /><br />Another leader was a gay atheist named Xavier Bongibault.<br /><br />Several other gay men acted as spokespeople. This, of course, did a huge amount to counter the cheap and all too commonplace accusation that anyone who is against gay marriage must be ‘homophobic’.<br /><br />The French Government is nonetheless determined to press ahead with its plan to legalise same-sex marriage. However, if there was a referendum on the subject there is a very good chance it would be defeated because more and more people would become acquainted with the excellent arguments in favour of man/woman marriage.<br /><br />But no matter what happens, those who organised and took part in Sunday’s demonstration can be proud that they made a resounding statement in favour of the deepest needs of children that are embodied in the marriage of a man and a woman.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-96350535432791442013-01-18T05:32:00.001-05:002013-01-18T05:32:36.325-05:00Pisteutics: Christianity/ies: Turkish municipality okays re-opening 300 yr old Greek Church "for all Christians"In small gestures and subtle legal re-arrangements, I woud like to see something more free about places of worship and involvements of the Turkish state in the fate of religious communities. I am hoping that this is such a positive case.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> general editor<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/greek-church-in-alanya-to-reopen-for-worship.aspx?pageID=238&nID=37915&NewsCatID=393">Hurriyet Daily</a> (Jan18,2k13)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtxhe8x9k1wj9dbJvGHPljqgzzs4j0bE-uWD_rOkeNyUMxjNXJ3G4E7o7Jevn8HwLJYPc-WlFkAbFAKlh8AUx9yWyejWKcKur6-5mMRBBODgvZ3zXxD2zoqjSWXf6JYJ1A0rw/s1600/hagia_yorgi_greek_orthodox_church_alanya_turkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtxhe8x9k1wj9dbJvGHPljqgzzs4j0bE-uWD_rOkeNyUMxjNXJ3G4E7o7Jevn8HwLJYPc-WlFkAbFAKlh8AUx9yWyejWKcKur6-5mMRBBODgvZ3zXxD2zoqjSWXf6JYJ1A0rw/s640/hagia_yorgi_greek_orthodox_church_alanya_turkey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The historic </span><b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Hagia Yorgi </span><a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tag/Greek" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #00569f; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; outline-style: none; text-align: start; text-decoration: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Greek</a> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Church</span></b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> in the </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Mediterranean province of Antalya</b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">’s <u>Alanya district </u>will be restored and reopened for worship by the district’s municipality.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>300-year-old church</b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, which will also serve as a </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>cultural center</b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, is to provide religious services to all the Christians in the region.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Alanya Mayor </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Hasan Sipahioğlu</b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> told the </span><a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tag/H%C3%BCrriyet%20Daily%20News" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #00569f; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; outline-style: none; text-align: start; text-decoration: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Hürriyet Daily News</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> on Dec. 28 that the <u>recently enacted municipalities law created opportunities for municipalities to take such initiatives</u>.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sipahioğlu said the </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>authority regarding places of worship</b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> was given to municipalities with the introduction of the new law, adding that <u>30,000 foreigners were currently living in Alanya</u>. “The Christians living in Alanya used to worship in places they rented. With this project, we will <u>open the church for the service of all the Christians living in our district without discrimination between </u></span><a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tag/Orthodox" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #00569f; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; outline-style: none; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Orthodox</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><u> Christians, Protestants, and Catholics</u>,” Sipahioğlu said.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />Reviving Alanya</b><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">According to Sipahioğlu, there are </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>various historic churches in Alanya</b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, and the Hagia Yorgi </span><a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tag/Greek" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #00569f; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; outline-style: none; text-align: start; text-decoration: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Greek</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> Church was only one of them. He said they have initiated the required proceedings to restore them, adding that they would also restore mosques along with the churches. “We want to revive Alanya, with all of its religious and cultural aspects.”</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">When asked his opinion on the <u>new mosque projects in Istanbul</u> and the </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Syriac church project that is planned to be built on a land belonging to Latin Catholics</b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, Sipahioğlu said he did not want to interfere with those subjects since he was responsible for duties in Alanya alone. “Christians have demanded a church in Alanya and we want to fulfill their request,” he said. </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The </span><b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Alanya </span><a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/tag/Russia" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #00569f; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; outline-style: none; text-align: start; text-decoration: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Russian</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> Education and Culture Association</span></b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> head </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Katya Gündüz</b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> said they regarded the municipality’s decision as a positive step, indicating that over <u>5,000 Russians are currently living in Alanya</u>. “We have been fighting to have a church for about 10 years,” Gündüz said, adding that her association has also made contact with the municipality in regards to the church.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">“The only target of our struggle is [to have] a place where we could worship. We have felt its absence for years,” Gündüz said.</span></span><br />
<div class="Tarih" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: both !important; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Tarih" id="ctl00_ctl01_ctl00_lblNewsDate2" style="clear: both !important; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 12px;">December/29/2012</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-5546134888280306442013-01-16T18:03:00.001-05:002013-01-16T18:03:22.522-05:00Pisteutics: Morals: I was a stranger (video)This video from the Evangelical Immigration Table will give you pause, time to think, a prayer even?<br />
<br />
-- <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> general editor<br />
<br />
Matthew 25:36 EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/57162315?byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="400"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-3245746193543628252013-01-15T01:57:00.001-05:002013-01-15T01:57:24.406-05:00Index for refWrite blogsystem Jan 14, 2k13<br />
<u>Index for refWrite blogsystem, Jan15,2k13</u><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW1</span></b></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b>refWrite Frontpage</b> (<a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/">refWrite-experimental</a>): featuring hot news on politics (Politicarp), economics (EconoMix), juridics (Lawt) -- usually articles selected from the 24/7 cycle, and often responded to, or analyzed in detail, or commented upon, with verve … <b>latest</b> <a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/2013/01/juridicsinternational-iternational.html">International Arbitration: As part of globalization, international law is being transformed and enriched,</a> but poses new problems for legal scholars <b>and </b><a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/2013/01/economicsbangladesh-enterprises.html">Alinskeets target Wal-Mart and the Bangladesh factory fires to build American union</a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/2013/01/envirochina-air-pollution-astronomical.html">EnviroChina: Air Pollution astronomical: If you're in Beijing, you're not breathing well, sad to say</a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/2013/01/politicsusa-gun-control-after-another.html">Gun control after another massacre: Alan Keyes provides a cautionary analysis</a></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW2</span></b></div>
<div class="p3">
<b>refWrite page 2</b> (<a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/"><span class="s2">refWrite...page2</span></a> <b>rW2</b>: pisteutics, Christianity/ies, other faiths worldwide, morals, moralities, moral communities, moralviews, mores, ethics (a science and a modal science that pertains to intimate unions, marriage, family, friendship, and even the moral qualifying factor of labour unions), education and formation (including spiritual formation), psychotherapy, science/s including natural sciences (Owlb)<b> latest </b><a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pisteutics-christianiyies-new-council.html"><span class="s2">New council of churches in Egypt to face Islamists</span></a><span class="s3"> <b>and </b><a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pisteutics-christianiyies-450th.html"><span class="s2">450th anniversary of Heidelberg Catechism</span></a> <b>and </b><a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pisteutics-christianityies-is-word.html"><span class="s2">'Allah' a good translation in Muslim cultures for 'God'?</span></a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pisteutics-abrahamisms-jon-levenson.html"><span class="s2">Jon Levenson thinks re different Abrahams in Judaism/s, Christianity/ies, and Islam/s</span></a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pisteteutics-jewish-conversion-to.html"><span class="s2">Jewish conversion to Christ: Isaac da Costa</span></a></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW3</span></b></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s4"><b>refWrite page 3</b></span><span class="s3"> (<a href="http://refwritepage3.blogspot.ca/"><span class="s2">refWrite...page3</span></a>) </span><span class="s5"><b>rW3</b></span><span class="s3">: academics, reformational scholarship, evolution and Intelligent Design (Owlb) <b>latest</b> <a href="http://refwritepage3.blogspot.ca/2013/01/economics-reformational-scholarship.html"><span class="s2">Sociologist collects basic texts of reformational economist</span></a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwritepage3.blogspot.ca/2012/12/academics-boys-school-bangkok-christian.html"><span class="s2">Christian education for all?, Bangkok, Thailand</span></a> <b>and Video</b> — <a href="http://refwritepage3.blogspot.ca/2012/12/historical-video-documentary-innocents.html"><span class="s2">Innocents betrayed — populations denied guns, no defense against totalitraian slawter</span></a> <b>and </b><a href="http://refwritepage3.blogspot.ca/2012/12/intelligent-design-thinking-existed.html"><span class="s2"> ID before Darwin — Creation and evolution in James McCosh</span></a>.</span></div>
<div class="p3">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW4</span></b><span class="s6"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p6">
<span class="s7"><b>refWrite Backpage</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/"><span class="s2">refWrite backpage</span></a>) arts, music (Musikos, Country Gal and others), sports (Sportikos), technics (Technowlb) -- includes entertainment, movies (Movie-Man), satire and humour (Saturikos) -- and other newspotters, analysts, and columnists <b>latest</b> <a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/2013/01/sports-tennis-rafael-nadal-will-try-to.html"><span class="s2">Rafael Nadal will try to move past his injuries </span></a>iin new pursuit of tennis championship <b>and </b><a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/2013/01/dance-fabulous-solo-in-airport-dance.html"><span class="s2">Fabulous solo dance in airport</span></a> <b>and </b><a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/2013/01/technics-bureaucracies-why-does.html"><span class="s2">Bureucracies both commercial and governmental mess up InfoTech</span></a> and <a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/2013/01/sports-hockey-nhl-maple-leafs-off-to.html"><span class="s2">National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs kick off season Jan 20</span></a>.</div>
<div class="p7">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW5</span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td class="td1" valign="middle"><div class="p8">
<span class="s7"><b>refWrite refBlogger Insert</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage5.blogspot.ca/"><span class="s2">refWrite refBloggers Insert</span></a>) anti-censorship by govts, Google, Facebook, Pinterest, and the usual culprits; news and advocacy on behalf of freedom of speech, freedom of news media, freedom of artistic and other expression including the key hub-freedom of religion and inter-religions dialogue (insert this page in your own blog!) <b>latest</b> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=30512374#editor/target=post;postID=651908812964569069"><span class="s2">Readers, bloggers, celebrities defend Chinese newspaper against govt censors</span></a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwritepage5.blogspot.ca/2013/01/angela-phillips-of-univerfsity-of.html"><span class="s2">Prof argues for UK's new laws governing newspapers and investigative journos</span></a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwritepage5.blogspot.ca/2012/12/chinacopyright-apple-fined-8-of-20.html"><span class="s2">China fines Apple for re-sale of e-books by Chinese authors</span></a> <b>and </b><a href="http://refwritepage5.blogspot.ca/2012/12/myanmar-burma-censorship-restrictions.html"><span class="s2">Myanmar/Burma removes censorship (in theory)</span></a></div>
<div class="p8">
<br /></div>
<div class="p8">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW6</span></b></div>
<div class="p9">
<span class="s7"><b>refWrite Calendar</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage6.blogspot.ca/2012/07/january-2013-anno-domini.html"><span class="s2">January 2013 anno domini</span></a>): a series of monthly blog entries, page by page, month by month, choose a month and <span class="s7"><b>scrolldown in the month you are interested in, at the moment </b></span>-- events among reformational community and friends worldwide, also Business & Human Rights events, sports events now and longterm, some entertainment events, some tech events, and lots more ….<b>latest </b>January and February — sports (esp football/soccer], scholarly conferences [Kuyper, Heidelbert, Brit youth, Brazil Christian sport, business & human rights] </div>
<div class="p8">
<br /></div>
<div class="p8">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW7</span></b></div>
<div class="p10">
<span class="s8"><b>refWrite page 7 </b><a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/"><span class="s2"><b>Christian Medical Observations and Ruminations</b></span></a></span><span class="s3"><b> latest </b><a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-ways-to-measure-doctors-good-deeds.html"><span class="s9">New ways to measure doctors; good deed (NYC hospitals)</span></a> <b>and </b><a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/2013/01/new-york-citys-mayor-prescribes-suffer.html"><span class="s9">'Suffer pain a bit' to stoip pharmacy hold-ups</span></a><b> and</b><a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/2013/01/north-koreas-deceased-leader-kim-jong.html"><span class="s9"> North Korea's died from his 'fit of rage'</span></a> <b>and </b><a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/2013/01/sleep-apnea-robs-you-of-proper-rest.html"><span class="s9">Sleep apnea robs you of oxygen to your brain</span></a><b> and </b><a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/2013/01/in-vitro-fertilization-ivf-in-uk-just.html"><span class="s9">In vitro fertilization labelled just 'loss' and 'waste'</span></a></span></div>
<div class="p11">
<b></b><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW8</span></b></div>
<div class="p12">
<span class="s7"><b>refWrite page 8</b></span><b> </b><a href="http://refwritepage8.blogspot.ca/"><span class="s10"><b>Christian Labour Advocate</b></span></a><b> : latest </b><span class="s11"><a href="http://refwritepage8.blogspot.ca/2013/01/south-african-columnist-contributes-to.html">South African columnist contributes to background regarding Lonmin labour crisis,</a></span><span class="s3"> where hardrock drillers took up arms against police and were massacred and <a href="http://refwritepage8.blogspot.ca/2012/12/forced-labour-in-china-penal.html"><span class="s2">Forced labour in China's penal camp gets outed by inmate in box of Hallowe'en decoration</span></a> bawt in Portland, Oregon, USA and <a href="http://refwritepage8.blogspot.ca/2012/12/tunisia-government-narrowly-and.html"><span class="s2">Tunisia narrowly averts first general strike by main body of unions </span></a>which are now at the forefront of critique and opposition to anti-democratic tendencies.</span></div>
<div class="p5">
<span class="s11"><a href="http://refwritepage8.blogspot.ca/2013/01/economixphilippines-child-labour.html">Philippines Northern Samar's provincial govt enacts first local anti-child law replete with funding</a></span><span class="s3"> and <a href="http://refwritepage8.blogspot.ca/2013/01/south-africa-farm-workers-union-call-to.html"><span class="s2">South Africa's farmworkers union calls to resume strike after violence</span></a> and Justice Malala, <a href="http://refwritepage8.blogspot.ca/2013/01/south-african-columnist-contributes-to.html"><span class="s2">South African columnist, contributes to background on Lonmin platinum miners strike and massacre</span></a> and</span></div>
<div class="p11">
<b></b><br /></div>
<div class="p11">
<b></b><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">rW9</span></b></div>
<div class="p13">
refWrite page 9 <a href="http://refwritepage9.blogspot.ca/"><span class="s10">Books mostly</span></a> rW9 -- many titles arranged according to blog-entires by topic or news developments. I keep including new blog entries on new topics and book lists proffered from others -- includes some fiction, some poem books, lots of theology, needs more balance. we will add basic titles for Talmud (Neusner), Mishna (Neusner), and Philo of Alexandria aka Philo Judaeus (circa 25 BC- 47 AD), the Jewish philosopher who inter-acted with Hellenistic Greek-based culture, before the time of Jesus and during Jesus' life before the Cruicifixion, Descent, Resurrection, and Ascension (see a virulent anti-Christian try to <a href="http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/philo.html"><span class="s2">use Philo against Christians</span></a>, just as some Christians tried to enlist the Alexandrian in support of our faith in Jesus Christ. Also, a book on the Great Library of Alexandria, and some tie-in titles with Hellenism and its hegemony culturally before the time of Jesus and his Apostle to Hellenists, Saul of Tarsus aka Paul. On Paul, I especially recommend Sylvia Keesmaat's book,<i> Paul and His Story: (Re)Interpreting the Exodus Tradition</i>, but balance Paul's treatment of Abraham (the interpreters make it a key replacement-theology text) with Jon Levenson's 2011 <i>Abraham between Torah and Gospel</i> (<a href="http://refwritepage9.blogspot.ca/2013/01/joh-levensons-introductory-volume-to.html"><span class="s2">new</span></a>); look also for this guy's critique of Abrahamism in current streams of inter-faith dialogue. Keesmaat's volume is reviewed <a href="http://www.wlu.ca/press/Journals/sr/issues-full/30_1/eastman-r.shtml"><span class="s2">here</span></a> (2001) by Brad Eastman who isn't interested in the fact that Paul relies on the Septuagint, not directly on the Hebrew Bible in recalling powerfully the exodus story to his Roman readers (Greek and Latin speaking), Jews and Gentiles in the synogogues in Rome. A new Economics topical page has been (barely) started. And I still want to beef up a Hellenistics page with reference to Toynbe and more deeply Werner Jaeger's Paideia (I've read the entire three volumes, as Prof Evan Runner recommended we do). (8-) </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-26277356581896890312013-01-14T19:51:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:37:55.480-05:00Pisteutics: Christianiy/ies: New council of churches in EgyptThis is good news, but glaringly the good news does not include the Protestant churches in Egypt. Where all Chritians complain they are in danger because they are no longer represented in Egypt's parliament, the ancient liturgical churches themselves create a council that does not include Protestants. Can this be true? Is there no end of ironies coming out of Egypt? Huge numbers of Christians are emigrating and many are going to the USA.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> general editor<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqVuNCWcSmLmOP1peI9snE12ZyvcptDP5tMfl3bwa1fgk0Ae0MYPUWOSTTLmOvkyg8BHzxsnNO9_yFZkzXzQ5250zMSYMitZsP_QFJ56yYaRM9RPOj-ID4a7PG0IlAxc1r4At/s1600/coptic_priest_cairo_christmas_jan13_2k13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqVuNCWcSmLmOP1peI9snE12ZyvcptDP5tMfl3bwa1fgk0Ae0MYPUWOSTTLmOvkyg8BHzxsnNO9_yFZkzXzQ5250zMSYMitZsP_QFJ56yYaRM9RPOj-ID4a7PG0IlAxc1r4At/s640/coptic_priest_cairo_christmas_jan13_2k13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4716/Christendom/article/detail/3376893/2013/01/14/Kerken-Egypte-slaan-de-handen-ineen.dhtml">Trouw</a>, Amsterdam (Jan14,2k13) <br />
Machine-translated from the Dutch.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Council of Christian Churches </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">formed in </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Egypt, Protestants not mentioned</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
Egypt gets a Council of Churches. The Coptic community will collaborate in a council that includes the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.<br />
<br />
The Vatican news agency Fides reported that the Coptic bishop of Alexandria, <b>Botros Fahim Awad Hanna</b>, says the churches hope together to become stronger in the predominantly Muslim country.<br />
<br />
The churches know it's the last time to find each other says <b>Anba Botros</b>. They regularly consult about the changes that the popular uprisings in the country have brought. That the Copts -- the largest Christian minority by far -- are reaching out to other Christians is a relatively new phenomenon.<br />
<br />
<b>'New Patriarch is more willing to dialogue'</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The Vatican writes the new openness to the November initiative of the new chief patriarch (the "Coptic Pope") <b>Tawadros II</b>. He would be more willing to dialogue than was his predecessor Shenoeda.<br />
<br />
Christians are unsure of their standing in Egyptian society since President Hosni Mubarak was more or less forced to resign two years ago. The new Egyptian rulers, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafist Al-Nour party, make much less effort than Mubarak to protect Christians.<br />
<br />
<b>London headlined leader slams Muslim Brothers</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The head of the Coptic Church in London, <b>Antonious Thabet</b>, in his annual Christmas speech Sunday criticized the Muslim Brotherhood. Copts celebrate the birth of Christ in January.<br />
<br />
"The Muslim Brotherhood is not what they used to be," said Thabet according to the Egyptian newspaper <b>Al-Ahram</b>. Thirty years ago, his best friend was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, but now Muslim women woud be reluctant even to shake hands with Christians.<br />
<br />
The <b>Egyptian Senate</b> meets this month on whether Christians as in <b>Jordan</b>, <b>Lebanon</b> and <b>Syria </b>should get a permanent seat in parliament. In this way, their political participation is guaranteed, even if they do not deliver enough votes to earn seats in elections. Salary levels are against political participation, according to them, making "the gap between Muslims and Christians only bigger."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-39607262933919276302013-01-14T17:18:00.000-05:002013-01-14T20:34:36.568-05:00Pisteutics: Christianiy/ies: 450th anniversary of Heidelberg CatechismHere's an upcoming conference of which you may want to take note. It's an earlybird in a grand calvacade of celebratory scholarly and churchly events to honour the Heidelberg Catechism which on January 19, 2013 will be 450 years old, 450 years of services to God's people of Reformed Faith in may national traditions.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> general editor<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1985219598"></span>Refo500<span id="goog_1985219599"></span></a> (Jan10,2013)<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Symposium </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Heidelberg Catechism, yesterday-today-tomorrow </span><br />
<br />
09/10/2012<br />
<br />
On 19 January 2013, exactly 450 years ago, <b>Elector Frederick</b> signed the preface of the <b>Heidelberg Catechism</b>. On this occasion, the organizing <b>Theological Universities of Kampen and Apeldoorn</b>, together with the <b>Reformed Association</b>, the <b>Restored Reformed Seminary</b> and <b>College Driestar</b> present a symposium in Gouda. Many aspects of the Heidelberg are to be discussed during the Symposium's fascinating and attractive program. The symposium will be held on this special anniversary of the catechism.<br />
<br />
Program Symposium<br />
<br />
Saturday, January 19, 2013<br />
<br />
In the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>morning</b></span> there are <b>four lectures</b>:<br />
<br />
Birth of the Heidelberg Catechism in the context of the Palatinate, by Prof. EA de Boer<br />
<br />
The advent of the Heidelberg Catechism to the Netherlands, by Prof. F. van der Pol<br />
<br />
The theology of the Heidelberg Catechism, by Dr. A. Huijgen<br />
<br />
The spirituality of the Heidelberg Catechism, by Dr. W. of Vlastuin<br />
<br />
<br />
In the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>afternoon</b></span>, two lectures / workshops of half an hour:<br />
<br />
The Heidelberg Catechechismus in the learning context of the church of tomorrow, by Dr. TTJ Pleasure<br />
<br />
The Heidelberg Catechism in catechesis and education, by Mr JP Proos<br />
<br />
The symposium will also be presented in several books, including the Handbook Heidelberg Catechism. These books are for sale locally.<br />
<br />
The day will conclude with a forum in which sit:<br />
Dr JP Proos, J. More Field, Dr. T.T.J. Pleasure and Rev. W. Visscher.<br />
Chair: Karla Apperloo-Boersma, project Refo500.<br />
<br />
Date: Saturday, January 19, 2013<br />
Time: 10.00-15.15 hours<br />
Place: <b>Driestar Educational </b><b>University, Gouda, the Netherlands</b><br />
<b>The language of the symposium will be mainly Dutch</b><br />
Price: € 19.50 (including tea, coffee and lunch)<br />
Closing date for application: 15 January 2013<br />
Read more about the lecture series at the Studium Generale program Driestar Educational.<br />
<br />
Subscribe to the Studium Generale program here. You can sign up until January 15th for the symposium.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-51302099712733537372013-01-14T17:04:00.000-05:002013-01-14T17:04:12.546-05:00Pisteutics: Christianity/ies: Is the word 'Allah' a good translation in Muslim cultures for the English word 'God'?We laity always wonder how easy or difficult is it to translate the word "God" into the languages where it shoudn't stick out like a sore thumb, something totally and radically alien to the very language of communication it seeks to inhabit. In cases where Arabic and Islamic countries even where Arabic is not dominant but that religion and its cultural expressions are sometimes in the huge majority, why shoud we be scared of the word itself in Bible translations we hope some of those people will read? S K Teoh puts that in front of us, using the term for the vernacular language that serves in one Muslim majority country as in "Bahasa Indonesia." I have the impression it also serves in Malay, "Bahasa Malaysia." The people's language, I guess.<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2</b> general editor<br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_1823700292"></span><a href="http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/letter/6467-why-allah-in-bahasa-bibles-should-be-allowed.html?fb_action_ids=10200442300840291&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210200442300840291%22%3A515445985162758%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210200442300840291%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D">Harakat Daily</a><span id="goog_1823700293"></span>, English edition online (Jan14,2k13)<br />
<br />
<br />
<h1 class="contentheading" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: dimgrey; font-family: arial, 'Yanone Kaffeesatz'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a class="contentpagetitle" href="http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/letter/6467-why-allah-in-bahasa-bibles-should-be-allowed.html" style="color: #174f82; line-height: 30px; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Why 'Allah' in Bahasa Bibles </span></a></h1>
<h1 class="contentheading" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: dimgrey; font-family: arial, 'Yanone Kaffeesatz'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a class="contentpagetitle" href="http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/letter/6467-why-allah-in-bahasa-bibles-should-be-allowed.html" style="color: #174f82; line-height: 30px; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">should be allowed</span></a></h1>
<div class="articleinfo" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.59375px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<table style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.59375px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody>
<tr nowrap="nowrap"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="createdby"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="createdby"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">by S. K. Teoh,</span></span></td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px;"><span class="createdate" style="display: block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span class="createdate" style="display: block;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">31 December 2012</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.59375px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="text-article" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.59375px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Many Muslims and even some Christians have misunderstood the use of “Allah” in Bahasa Bibles. To clarify some of the confusion:<br /><br />1. The BM Bible or the Alkitab is not translated from the English Bible but from the original languages, ie Hebrew and Greek.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />2. The Hebrew word for God is 'El' or 'Elohim' (similar root as 'Ilah' in Arabic) and 'Yahweh' for LORD. The Greek words are 'Theo' for God and 'Kurios' for Lord.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />3. Biblical translators all over the world have used the local language terms for 'Elohim' and 'Yahweh' eg God and LORD in English; 'Dios' and 'Senor' in Spanish, 'Shangti' and 'Zhu' in Chinese</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />4. For 15 centuries, Arabic Bibles have used Allah for God and Rab for Lord (predate Islam)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />5. The first Malay translation of the Bible was made in 1612, and Allah was used for God and Tuhan for Lord in this and all the subsequent translations till today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />6. Malay-speaking (and Iban) Christians have used the term Allah for more than a hundred years in Malaya and the Borneo states in worship, prayers and reading their holy scriptures.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />7. Twenty million Christians in Indonesia have used Allah for years without any misunderstanding or objection.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />8. English Bibles nor Bibles of other languages obviously do not use the Bahasa terms.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />9. Forbidding the use of the term “Allah” by Christians, not only infringes their rights to practise their faith but also lead to confusion. For example, is the “Tuhan” in Negara-Ku and Rukun Negara not the “Muslim God” or can Christians sing the Selangor anthem where “Allah” is used?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />10. Theological meanings between Christianity and Islam will always be different whether the term used is “Allah” or “Tuhan” or “God”.</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-8931813095016785642013-01-14T16:46:00.004-05:002013-01-14T17:15:34.717-05:00Pisteutics: Abrahamism/s: Jon Levenson makes us think about the different Abrahams in Judaism's, Christianity/ies, and Islam/sAfter reading thru this wonderful article by Dr Jon Levenson, I checked out my surmise — yes, there is a Hebrew Bible reference directly to "Abraham my friend," attributed to the Lord. This expression is the distillate of my consciousness of Abraham since I was a child. It's what emerges in consciousness floating above the theological verbiage and detritus of Jews and Christians, replacement theology or continuance theology in theories of the Covenant. God was Abraham's friend; Abraham was God's friend. It's a reciprocal relationship, but that truth does not imply equality nor non-equality in itself. It's the Creator/creature understanding, and even the <i>imago Dei</i> teaching in Genesis that beforehand in the reading order of the Bible that conditions our insite into the inquality of the friends in their reciprocal relationship. This engages God in His graciousness. The Lord pulls back on his divinity, His Allness, to let the creation take some space surrounded by that Allness, infused with that Allness, but different from that Allness of the Creator — it's a famous rabbinic understanding. It gave room for Abraham to breathe as a friend of God, reciprocally they were friends. Can't our theological discourse on Abraham and the Three Religions (sounds like a rock band!) be reformed from these one-up-man-ships of the woud-be Abrahamics to that there shiners thru the existential teaching of the possiblity of friendship with God for (some) human beings. How woud election figure into that, configure with that?<br />
<br />
But the textual reference itself is not to be found in Genesis, apparently. It's to be found in Isaiah 41:8 — "But thou Israel art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend" (KJV), where God declares the friendship between Himself and a human. Can we read back into Genesis the idea of God's reciprocal friendship with perhaps some Jews, some Christians, some Muslims on the basis of a friendship-selection, a friendship-election? After all, we Reformed Christians read the covenant of Christ back into creation itself, as the creation-covenant idea, and we have developed a hermeneutics that reads the Christ of the creation covenant back into both the Creation and the Promise of Deliverance stories in Genesis 1-3. But, after reading Levenson, I have to ask: Do we need 'replacement theology' to do that and to then construe Abraham not so much as a family founder but as a friend? I'm not so concerned about being a friend of God, because, I guess, I don't see how I coud ever manage the responsiblity of my side of that friendship. There's something about Karl Barth's Wholey Other idea of God that appeals to me, just look at the nite sky and you'll understand me, I guess. But just because I'm not a friend but a mere servant, however wayward; still that thawt of the infinite Creator God who has created all the cosmos and who can choose and make friends with human mortals as He pleases, that comforts me. Please, Lord, spare me from being chosen a special friend of Yours, like Abraham. I'm just not up to it. I serve over here from the shadows, as You know, and please continue having mercy on me thru Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, when it comes to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Jesus of Nazareth, it's easier to receive the sunshine and rain of Your presence, at least for evangelicals like me: "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege," how much easier to go in faith to Jesus in my daily prayer in the midst of my secularity and humdrumness, no need for self-presentation to human others either. Just wander in, stumble in, collapse into the presence of Jesus in faithful prayer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.jewishreviewofbooks.com/publications/detail/the-idea-of-abrahamic-religions-a-qualified-dissent">Jewish Review of Books</a> (Jan14,2k13, original Spring 2010)<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<h1 class="typekit_mpc" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: myriad-pro-condensed-1, myriad-pro-condensed-2, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The Idea of Abrahamic Religions: </h1>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h1 class="typekit_mpc" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: myriad-pro-condensed-1, myriad-pro-condensed-2, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
A Qualified Dissent</h1>
<h1 class="byArticleDetail typekit_mpc" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; font-family: myriad-pro-condensed-1, myriad-pro-condensed-2, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -2px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<ins style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><br />
<table style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 690px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 420px;">by <a href="http://www.jewishreviewofbooks.com/authors/detail/jon-d-levenson" style="color: #990000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">JON D. LEVENSON</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</ins></h1>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.jewishreviewofbooks.com/publications/detail/the-idea-of-abrahamic-religions-a-qualified-dissent">Jewish Review of Books</a> (Jan14,2k13)<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
<div id="secondaryContent" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="tallcap" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">O</span>ne of the most remarkable things about the Jewish and Christian traditions is that they both revere figures who predated the central events of their redemptive histories. Both hold in high esteem the patriarchs of Genesis—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— even though these figures precede Moses or Jesus. The cases of Isaac and Jacob are complicated by the fact that they were in conflict with Ishmael and Esau, respectively. But in the case of Abraham, there is no such conflict, and so it should come as no surprise that nowadays many find in him a focus of Jewish-Christian commonality. That Abraham, or Ibrahim in Arabic, is a person of high importance in the Qur’an and the continuing Muslim tradition adds to his luster as a figure on whom those who seek peace and inter-communal reconciliation can focus.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">A particularly apt example of the <b>hopes currently attached to the patriarch</b> comes from the <b><i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Abraham Path Initiative</i>,</b> an organization dedicated to getting people to “<b>follow the footsteps of Abraham/Ibrahim through the Middle East</b>.” As their literature notes, “three and a half billion people—over half the human family—trace their history or faith back to Abraham, considered the father of monotheism.” Their aim is to develop a thoroughly modern interfaith and intercultural pilgrimage, which will inspire “respect and understanding among people, young and old, around the world.”</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Needless to say, groups like this have their work cut out for them. For it certainly seems that <b>most Jews, Christians, and Muslims regard Abraham as the father of their own community alone</b>, a view that is easily explained if we consider the foundational literatures of the three putatively Abrahamic communities. <b>In Judaism, Abraham serves as the first Jew</b>, the biological father of most Jews and the adoptive yet no less real father of those who have converted to the religion of his descendants. <b>For Christians, Abraham has long been “the father of all that believe,”</b> in the words of the apostle Paul (Rom 4:5), who clearly thinks that what those believers believe—and what the patriarch’s life prefigures—is the <b>core message of the gospel</b>. In the<b> Islamic case</b>, as early as the Qur’an, <b>Abraham is emphatically said to be neither a Jew nor a Christian but rather a <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">muslim</i>, one who has submitted to God</b>. In the words of the Muslim scripture itself, “the people who are worthiest of Abraham are those who followed him, together with this Prophet and the believers.” As an imam in Jerusalem put it not long ago, “<b>Abraham is the father of one religion, and that religion is Islam.</b>” That there are now, and have long been, Jews and Christians who make the same statement in behalf of their own religions merits serious thought.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Muslim case is unique among the three, though, since however sharply <b>Jews and Christians</b> differ in their interpretation of the scriptures they hold in common, they are after all <b>working from the same text.</b> To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw’s quip, if “England and America are two countries separated by a common language,” then Judaism and Christianity are two religions separated by a common Abraham. Genesis is not part of Muslim scripture, however, and <b>the Qur’anic Ibrahim is different from that of Genesis in ways great and small.</b> Another way of stating this is to say that whereas Judaism and Christianity have long diverged in their interpretations of Abraham, it is not at all clear that Islam is interpreting what the other two mean by “Abraham.”</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Then again, Islam may be less of an outlier than first seems the case. For if we compare Abraham as he is presented in Genesis with the figure of the same name as he is reinterpreted in <b>post-biblical Jewish sources</b>, it is <u>not at all clear that Jews and Christians are talking about the same figure, either</u>. There is something <b>historically unrealistic</b>, and I daresay <b>rather Protestant as well</b>, about the assumption that the commonality of scripture in Judaism and Christianity implies that they are talking about the selfsame figure.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In the case of the Abraham of Genesis, there is something in the text that resists the notion that he is equally the father of more than one community, but also something that renders a larger perspective if not inevitable, then at least hard to avoid for very long. Let us begin with God’s first address to the man who was known at first as “Abram”:</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> The LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land, from your kin-group, and from <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> your father’s house to the land that I will show you.</i></o:p><i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> I will make of you a great nation. And <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> who bless you and curse him that curses you; and all the families of the earth shall bless <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> themselves by you.”</i> (Gen. 12:1–3)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBxxGje40Sq6OWNeQdFlSVYuNZ4q7rfClExLJVrh8R4eR6MEMyckpD3cQVRQoU2L-YExAAc0eJqkqeKuBwjVfV1Jfy7og7bQh7StYpzrQ4r9MD14VjAQP_3ejpWe5fdbI6HDu/s1600/abraham_from_jon_levenson_jewish_review_of_books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBxxGje40Sq6OWNeQdFlSVYuNZ4q7rfClExLJVrh8R4eR6MEMyckpD3cQVRQoU2L-YExAAc0eJqkqeKuBwjVfV1Jfy7og7bQh7StYpzrQ4r9MD14VjAQP_3ejpWe5fdbI6HDu/s640/abraham_from_jon_levenson_jewish_review_of_books.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />In the context of Genesis itself, the land the LORD will show Abraham—and promise to give to his descendants a few verses later—is <b>Canaan</b>, and <u>the “great nation” that will derive from this still childless man with a barren wife turns out to be the people of Israel, named for his grandson</u>. Yet, the very passage that puts the Israelite patriarch-to-be into motion toward the promised land looks beyond the promised people and perhaps the promised land as well, in its enigmatic last verse: <u>“And all the families of the earth / Shall bless themselves by you” (Gen. 12:3). What, precisely, does this mean? </u>Here is the comment of the best-known medieval Jewish commentator, <b>Rashi</b>:</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">There are many freer interpretive traditions, but this is its contextual sense: A man says to <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> his son, “May you be like Abraham!” And this is so in every case of those words “shall bless <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> themselves by you” in the Bible, and here is the proof: “By you shall Israel invoke blessings, <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”</i> (Gen. 48:20)</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Rashi, in short, thinks the Hebrew preposition in question here does not mean “in” or “through,” as many translations render it; it means “by.” This traditional Jewish reading obviously influenced the translation from the <b>Jewish Publication Society</b> that I have quoted (“And all the families of the earth / Shall bless themselves by you”).</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><u>The immediate context in Genesis and Rashi’s astute reference to Jacob’s blessing of his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh speak strongly for this interpretation. If Rashi and those who follow him have understood the verse correctly, what God promises Abraham in Genesis 12:3 is that he shall become a byword of blessing</u>. In other words, it is by reference to him that members of the families of the earth shall give blessings. It is as if someone were to say, to use American analogies, “May you make money like Rockefeller!” or “May you dunk like LeBron!”</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="tallcap" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">T</span><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">he <b>traditional Christian interpretation moves in the opposite direction</b>. For Christianity has long seen in <b>the election of Abraham</b> the <b>beginning of a movement that reaches fruition only with the incorporation of all the nations of the world into the Abrahamic promise</b>. In this reading, the Jewish people are—or, to be more precise, were—<u>a prototype for the Church, a multi-ethnic body that early on made a claim to be the true Israel.</u> For<b> many Christians</b>, the new relationship initiated with God’s call and commission of Abraham involves <u>a dramatic movement <b>away from particularism towards universalism</b>, away from a particular land and a particular people and towards the salvation of the entire world.</u> As for the call of Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3, this interpretation places the greatest emphasis, not surprisingly, on that final clause, rendered as, “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” For Paul, the Jew who after the death of Jesus became his “apostle to the Gentiles,” these words became the prooftext for a theology that insisted that <b>the blessing in question falls on the Gentiles and not only on the Jews (and perhaps not on the Jews at all)</b>:</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” [Gen. 15:6], <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> foreseeing that <b>God would justify the Gentiles by faith</b>, declared the gospel beforehand to <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you” [Gen. 12:3]. For this reason, <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> <b>those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed</b>.”</i> (Galatians 3:6–9)</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">To the modern mind, Paul’s words can give the impression that he wished to <b>counter the particularism of Judaism</b>, and its <b>retrograde doctrine of the “chosen people,”</b> with <u>a more universalistic affirmation, one that included all of humanity within God’s promise—universalistic Christianity replacing particularistic Judaism.</u></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Paul’s goal was actually quite different from this <b>characteristic post-Enlightenment reading</b>. What he sought was the <u>universal diffusion of the particularistic—and rather tiny—community that was the nascent Church.</u> And here is the point with which the familiar depiction of Judaism as particularistic and Christianity as universalistic fails to reckon, with drastic consequences over the centuries: for Paul, <b>the Church was not just a particular community. It was a particular community made up exclusively of descendants of Abraham.</b> “And if you belong to Christ,” the apostle to the Gentiles wrote in the same letter, “then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.” <b>Conversion to Christianity</b> (to use terminology that did not exist in Paul’s time) thus <b>gives Gentiles the status that Jews claimed for themselves</b>: it makes them descendants of Abraham and thus heirs to the promises given to him. It does so, to be sure, while <b>bypassing the laws of Moses </b>and even the <b>commandment of circumcision</b>, given to Abraham himself six generations before Moses. But the Gentile’s Christian identity has markers of its own, the best known being <b>the conversion or initiation rite of baptism. Baptism makes a Gentile, as it were, into a Jew</b>, and is thus <u>properly compared with the conversion-rites of Judaism</u>, which in the case of male converts require circumcision. In both the Christian and the Jewish cases, the rites in question <b>underscore the separation of the community</b>—the Church of Jesus Christ and the people Israel, respectively—<b>from humanity at large</b>. Were the goal to affirm the dignity of all humans—a theme that is, to be sure, prominent in both traditions—then the focus would be on the <b>universal fathers of the human race, Adam and Noah, and surely not on Abraham.</b></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Where does <b>Paul’s Christological reading of Abraham</b> leave those who have been Jews all along and who are not persuaded by the new phenomenon that comes to be called Christianity? On the one hand, <b>Paul expresses great concern for his “kindred according to the flesh.”</b> He declares that <u>the covenant and the patriarchs are still theirs, and explicitly denies that God has rejected his people.</u> On the other hand, in the same passage he iterates his view that <b>“not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants,”</b> since the promise trumps the flesh (that is, birth), and declares that <u>the Jews are branches that have been lopped off the tree due to unbelief and replaced by Gentiles who have been grafted in “in their place.”</u> To complicate the picture still further, however, Paul closes with what seems to be a prediction that <u>“these natural branches [will] be grafted back into their own olive tree.” </u>This last turn probably relates to <b>Paul’s expectations for the end-time</b>, when he thought Jesus would return. What he seems to have believed is that <u>in the end of days, the Jews, like the rest of the world, would turn to Jesus, and as a consequence God would lift his punishment on them and restore his chosen people to their prior and ultimately irrevocable glory.</u></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Unfortunately, even <b>Paul’s ambivalence about Jews who do not become Christians</b> was <u>largely lost in the subsequent centuries of Christian history</u>, and the blessing for the nations turned into a curse for the Jews. The author of the early Christian work known as the <b><i>Epistle of Barnabas</i></b>, writing about 100 C.E., expands upon God’s declaration in Genesis that Abraham—then still uncircumcised—is righteous on the basis of his faith thus: “Behold, I have made thee, Abraham, the father of the Gentiles . . . who believe in God in uncircumcision.” The same author declares, as <b>Jeffrey Siker</b> puts it, that “<b>God has abandoned the Jews for the Gentiles</b>.” The apologist <b>Justin</b>, who wrote after the <u>Roman Empire had brutally defeated the Jews in the <b>Bar Kokhba War</b> (132-135 C.E.)</u>, took the next step. <b>He transformed circumcision</b> from a sign of God’s enduring and unbreakable covenant into its opposite, a sign of divine rejection and Jewish suffering, painfully evident in their loss of the Land of Israel, the enormous destruction that the Romans wrought there, and especially the Roman exclusion of the Jews from Jerusalem.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>This notion that the singling-out of Abraham never referred to the Jews, or no longer refers to the Jews, but applies only to the Church</b>, interprets the event as purely instrumental: God did not fall in love with Abraham and the nation that would descend from him for their own sake. Rather, he <u>singled them out strictly for the purpose first declared in Genesis 12:3: “And all the families of the earth / Shall bless themselves by you/be blessed in you</u>.” The traditional effort of Christians to convert all nations and the lack of just such an effort among the Jews [this is a mistake, as Christian mission to Jews has been active among evangelicals for centuries, and has been given its converts like the poets Bilderdijk and da Cost in the Reformed Church tradition, the Netherlands — Owlb] for the last two millennia could then be interpreted as further proof that <b>only the Church, not the people Israel, carried on the Abrahamic legacy [</b>this view is now known as 'replacement theology', but it is not true of the evangelical wing known as Dispensationalism for a century and a half; it seems various developments among Protestant Christians have consistently arisen to correct Protestant theologies of replacement to at least some degree].</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="tallcap" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">F</span><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">rom what I have said so far, one could easily devise a simple contrast between the Jewish and the Christian interpretations of their common father that would go like this: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b>The Jewish understanding of Abraham focuses on the Jewish people, and others are brought in only to highlight the blessedness of Abraham and the family that descends from him. The Christian understanding of Abraham is no less focused on a specific group, in this case the Church, but it conceives of Abraham in an expansive context, as a man who bears a message of universal import, foreshadowing the universal aspirations of the Church for its gospel. Whereas, to revert to Genesis 12:3, the Jews think all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by reference to Abraham, the Christians think that in Abraham all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Though each tradition is particularistic in its own way, Judaism is inward-looking and Christianity outward-looking.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> But this grand contrast, like so many others involving these two traditions, is much too simple.</span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">To understand why, let us first turn to those alternative, “freer interpretive traditions” of Genesis 12:3b that <b>Rashi</b> mentions. An <b>ancient midrash</b>, in fact, paraphrases the divine prediction this way: “Rain comes through your merit; dew comes through your merit.” The midrash thus shows that the blessing on Abraham has positive consequences for “all the families of the earth,” whose prosperity is owing to him through the benefits his descendants, the Jewish people, confer. He is thus not simply a byword of blessing, as <b>Rashi</b> was to think; [Abraham] is a universal <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">source</i> of blessing. The midrash that offers this reading supports it with <u>intriguing examples of Gentiles who prosper because of the interventions of Jews, for example, the pharaoh to whom Joseph revealed the coming famine and how to survive it and whom Jacob later explicitly blesses, and the Persian king Ahasuerus, whose life Mordecai and Esther save from an assassination plot.</u></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This <b>ancient midrashic notion</b> that God will bless “all the families of the earth” because of Abraham is a notion that developed much further in the <b>[European] Middle Ages</b>. An example of the most expansive understanding of the clause appears in the works of the great medieval philosopher, commentator, and statesman <b>Isaac Abarbanel</b>, who himself was exiled from Portugal and Spain.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The goal of his journeying is hinted at in the expression, “you shall be a blessing” (Gen. 12:2), <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> for He commanded him that <b>when he would journey, there would be a blessing among the <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> peoples because he would teach them and make them know the true faith in such a way that <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> the world would be perfected by means of him.</b> And He (may He be blessed!) informed him that <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> <u>His providence would adhere to those people who accept his teaching and learn his faith.</u></i></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Abarbanel</b> thus draws a tight connection between Abraham’s journeys conveyed at the beginning of God’s initial charge to him (“Go forth from your native land,” Gen. 12:1) and the enigmatic blessing at its end (“And all the families of the earth / Shall bless themselves by you”).</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In Abarbanel’s view, <b>it is Abraham and, by implication, the Jewish people, who instruct the world</b>. God’s singling out of the Jews does<b> not</b>, to be sure, <b>depend on their fulfilling any mission</b>. But in Abarbanel’s theology and that of the sources upon which he depends, <u>the Jews do have a mission to fulfill nonetheless, to share the universal and transcendent truth to which they have graciously been made privy.</u> The blessing of Abraham and the blessing of all the peoples of the earth are not at odds with each other. They are <u>related parts of the same divine initiative</u>.</o:p><span class="tallcap" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">T</span><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">he notion that <b>Abraham held a distinctive theological idea that he felt charged to disseminate</b> is so widespread in the Jewish tradition that to some it comes as a surprise that it has <b>no basis in the text of Genesis itself</b>. There, <u>what Abraham founds is not a religion or a theology but a <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">family</i>.</u> He is the first father of the people Israel, named for his grandson, Jacob/Israel. There is no reason to think of <b>Abraham as holding a purer view of God than any of the people with whom he comes into contact or objecting to their mode of worship in the slightest. </b> [What comes to my mind here is the uniqueness of Abraham in that he is said in Genesis to be "a friend of God," as I recall. A friend of God who was tested unimaginably by God in being asked to offer his only son Isaac, if I recall correctly. But I may be anticipating Levenson's text here.]</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In Genesis, that is. For <b>elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible</b>, in the book of Joshua, we find a hint of a <u>dynamic within Abraham’s family of origin that does not appear in Genesis</u>. In his farewell address, Joshua, Moses’ successor, begins thus: “In olden times, your forefathers—Terah, the father of Abraham and father of Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and <b>worshiped other gods</b>. But <u>I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates and led him through the whole land of Canaan and multiplied his offspring.</u>” Why God chose Abraham—and not, for example, his brother Nahor—remains a question here, to be sure, but it is one that later traditions would answer in rich and imaginative detail.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The earliest example seems to be the <u><b>book of Jubilees</b>, a Jewish work from the mid-second century B.C.E. that never became part of the biblical canon of rabbinic Judaism.</u> After telling us the circumstances of Abraham’s birth, the eleventh chapter of Jubilees reports this: “And the lad began understanding the straying of the land, that <b>everyone went astray after graven images and after pollution</b> . . . And he <b>separated from his father so that he might not worship the idols with him</b>. And he began to pray to <b>the Creator of all </b>so that He might save him from the straying of the sons of men, and so that his portion might not fall into straying after the pollution and scorn.” Soon thereafter, we read of <b>Abraham’s confronting his father with the message that the idols are useless.</b> “Do not worship them,” he tells Terah. “Worship the God of heaven.” “And his father said to him, ‘I also know (that), my son, but what shall I do to the people who have made me minister before them? . . . Be silent, my son, lest they kill you.’” But Abraham refuses to go along and burns down the idolatrous temple.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Jubilees</b> also reports that once when Abraham was observing the stars in hopes of predicting the weather, “a word came into his heart, saying, ‘All the signs of the stars and the signs of the sun and the moon are all in the hand of the LORD. Why am I seeking?” (Jub. 12:17). Here, <b>the polemic against idolatry clothes a key philosophical claim.</b><u> Nature is not God; God is above nature.</u> This insight then provokes Abraham to pray that God protect him from straying from God’s service and that he reveal to Abraham whether he should return to Ur or stay in Haran. <u>Only then</u>, as <b>Jubilees </b>would have it, <u>does God give him the command with which Genesis 12 begins, to leave his native land and his father’s household and to set out for the unnamed land that turns out, of course, to be Canaan.</u></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The command to leave the land of the idolaters and the promise of a new land to be deeded to Abraham’s descendants are, on this account, <b>a divine response to Abraham’s discovery of a profound theological truth, the nature of the God who is above nature.</b></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The tale of Abraham’s confrontation with his idolater father underlies a number of stories still familiar to traditional Jews. According to the one that is perhaps the best known, Abraham’s father hands him over to the idolatrous king Nimrod, who, eager to show that fire is divine, casts him into a furnace, from which, of course, God rescues Abraham. The story is so familiar that, in my experience, many Jews are surprised to discover that it is not in the Bible.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">If the <b>idea of Abraham’s conflict with his idolatrous father is not scriptural in Judaism (or Christianity)</b>, however, <u>it is, however, scriptural in Islam</u>. In this, we see a <b>commonality of Judaism and Islam</b> <u>not paralleled in ancient Christianity</u>. In the <b>Qur’an</b>, the story of Abraham’s confrontation with his father appears, in fact, in association with another Jewish theme that we have already examined, his <b>attack on astrology</b>:</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">And when Abraham said to his father Azar, “Do you take idols for gods? I see you and your <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> people are in manifest error.”</i></o:p> <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> Thus We show Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, that he might be one of those <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> possessed of certainty. <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> And when night fell, he saw a star; so he said: “This is my Lord”, but when it set, he said: “I do <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> not like those that set.”<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> Then, when he saw the moon rising, he said: “This is my Lord”, but when it set, he said:<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> “If my Lord does not guide me rightly, I will be one of the erring people. <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> ”Then, when he saw the sun rising, he said: “This is my Lord; this is larger”, but when it set,<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> he said: “O, my people, I am innocent of what you associate [with God].<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> “<u>I turn my face towards Him Who fashioned the heavens and the earth, as an upright man, </u><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> <u>and I am not one of the polytheists.</u>”</i> (Qur’an 6:74–79)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">However weak the stories of Abraham and his father’s idols may be as an interpretation of the function of religious iconography (as practitioners of Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity and several other living traditions can attest), the stories do have one great strength nonetheless: they readily communicate the <b>difference between the Creator and His creation to the mind of a child</b>, <u>implanting this key theological point deeply in the culture of the faithful</u>.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN-qa64OI8dYzzHHU29id8-M5z_SpY1GleR77YQxYI2Dx4LpJaLvBhUjCPY5SZNGCssOFdT8ZBLkotmiYAF6Xs8c-5omcHJYFyCJgrFJV4FLNCf411tNLzJz45yqvppvVv0lA/s1600/muslim_ibrahim_offering_his_son.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN-qa64OI8dYzzHHU29id8-M5z_SpY1GleR77YQxYI2Dx4LpJaLvBhUjCPY5SZNGCssOFdT8ZBLkotmiYAF6Xs8c-5omcHJYFyCJgrFJV4FLNCf411tNLzJz45yqvppvVv0lA/s640/muslim_ibrahim_offering_his_son.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="tallcap" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">W</span><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">e have seen that </span><b style="color: #333333;">the attempt to treat the Abraham of Genesis as the founder of a religion</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> is in </span><u style="color: #333333;">fundamental error</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. In that book, what he founds is not a religion—he has no theological teaching—but a family. When we came to the </span><b style="color: #333333;">Abraham of Second Temple and rabbinic Judaism</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, however, we found that [Abraham] has now acquired a teaching. </span><u style="color: #333333;">This Abraham stands foursquare against the widespread folly of idolatry and the mistake of thinking that the world is governed by physical phenomena.</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> Instead, he teaches about </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>the one God who is the creator and owner of the world and whose purposes the very singling out of Abraham and his descendants manifests and advances</b></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. The father has become a founder.</span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><u>To the extent that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are focused on a belief in that God and a proclamation of him to the world, we can indeed speak of them as Abrahamic religions</u>, a confraternity of three communities devoted to the one God whose character was discovered and taught by their common revered antecedent. And to that extent, too, the appeal to Abraham as a source of commonality and kinship among these three groups makes eminent sense and can help defeat the widespread notion that strong religious commitments can be a source only of division and discord.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">There are, however, <u>some serious qualifications about this use of Abraham in interreligious contexts </u>that the texts we have seen underscore. If an appeal to Abraham simply invokes his name in pursuit of <u>inter-communal peace and harmony</u> but disregards the teachings with which these three communities associate him, it can <b>only</b> be <b>shallow and self-defeating</b>. And if that is the case, then the appeal to <b>Abraham the monotheist</b> must of necessity be founded upon that <u>belief in the invisible, transcendent, superintending, and providential God that he is thought to have rediscovered or reencountered.</u></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">The appeal to Abraham, in other words, is </span><b style="color: #333333;">necessarily</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> also </span><b style="color: #333333;">a critique of polytheism, atheism, and pantheism in their various forms</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, and those who belong to an Abrahamic confraternity of communities would have to </span><b style="color: #333333;">oppose rigorously any attempt to reduce nature or human nature to their physical manifestations</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. Needless to say, this position would be highly offensive in some influential circles, since it </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">opposes not only naturalism, or scientism, but also the position, widespread nowadays, that ultimately no theological or philosophical worldview is any better or truer than any other</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. Those who invoke Abraham out of a commendable desire for inter-communal peace must be careful <b>not</b> to <b>allow their pluralism to slide into relativism</b>, as if the figure they invoke made no truth claims and opposed no idolatries. Abraham is, after all, the man who in many texts remonstrates with his idolatrous father and townsmen and, in at least one that we have seen, <b>burns down the idolaters’ temple</b>. It is <b>one thing to deplore the burning; it is quite another to deny that idolatry, and the transcendent truth that exposes its limitations, exist.</b></span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">The belief in the </span><b style="color: #333333;">sovereignty and providence of God</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> evident in these Jewish texts from the </span><b style="color: #333333;">Greco-Roman period</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> was </span><b style="color: #333333;">hardly unique to the Jews</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. It finds resonance among the pagans of the time, especially figures influenced by </span><b style="color: #333333;">Stoicism</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. Indeed, there is </span><b style="color: #333333;">a pagan monotheism</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, but if we are to use the term “monotheism” in connection with the so-called </span><b style="color: #333333;">Abrahamic religion</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">s, we must also be careful </span><b style="color: #333333;">not</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> to allow that misleading term to imply a </span><b style="color: #333333;">simple equation of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with the God of the philosophers</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. </span><b style="color: #333333;">Martin S. Jaffee</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> points to one key difference when he describes as the “essential marker” of the sort of monotheism represented by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. That marker, in his words, “is not the uniqueness of God alone. </span><i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Rather, it lies in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>desire of the unique God to summon from out of the human mass a unique community established in his name and the desire of that community to serve God in love and obedience by responding to his call</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">” In Judaism, that “unique community” is called the people Israel. In Christianity, it is known as the Church. In Islam, it is called the Umma, the body of the faithful who have submitted to God as he has commanded them to do.</span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This is <b>not</b> to claim that the three traditions hold the <u>same theology of election, or chosenness</u>. They do not. Indeed, in the <b>Muslim case</b>, it is <u>doubtful that Allah has elected Abraham at all</u>; he is, rather, a prophet in the chain whose culmination is Muhammad, “the seal of the prophets.” To speak of the God of Abraham, however, without regard to the identity and nature of the “unique community” that he is thought to have founded and prefigured or, in the case of Islam, exemplified, is drastically to misunderstand how Abraham functions in these three traditions.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Some, to be sure, see this communal dimension as unnecessary. <b>Bruce Feiler</b>, author of a bestselling book on Abraham, laments that “suddenly the carefully balanced message of the Abraham story—that God cares for all his children—a tradition that existed for hundreds of years before the religions <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">themselves</i> existed, was put in jeopardy by the inheritors of that tradition [the Jews].” But <u>the question of which community is the true heir of Abraham</u> is hardly the creation of medieval polemic among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It is, in fact, <b>internal to the book of Genesis itself</b>, whose central drama turns on the <b>key question of which son will inherit the covenantal promise</b> made by God to his father.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">As for Abraham’s first two sons, Genesis 17:18–21 records God’s promise that </span><u style="color: #333333;">although <b>Ishmael </b>will become the father of a great and numerous nation, it is with <b>Isaac</b> alone that God will make the covenant.</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> In this theology, the subtlety of which is often missed, </span><u style="color: #333333;">Ishmael is <b>not</b> disowned: rather, he <b>inherits the promise but not the covenant</b>, while Isaac inherits both.</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> A similar dynamic can be seen in the next generation, when it is Isaac’s younger son Jacob who acquires the status of the firstborn and his father’s blessing, not the older brother Esau. The point of such narratives is clear: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Not all biological descendants of Abraham are members of the Abrahamic community.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> It was never the case that “the balanced message of the Abraham story [was] that God cares for all his children,” as </span><b style="color: #333333;">Feiler</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> mistakenly thinks. For in the biblical telling, </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">the fathers of the whole human race are Adam and Noah; Abraham is the father of the Jewish people. All people are created “in the image of God,” as Genesis 1 famously puts it</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, but </span><u style="color: #333333;">not all peoples, not even all monotheists, are descendants of Abraham</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. If the three Abrahamic religions agree on the specialness and preciousness of the human race in the eyes of God, it is </span><b style="color: #333333;">not</b> <u style="color: #333333;">because of Abraham</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">.</span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="tallcap" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">W</span><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">e have seen that the nature of the monotheism of the Abrahamic religious traditions is one that is inextricably involved with the </span><b style="color: #333333;">formation of a distinct community, distinguised in one way or another from the rest of humanity to give testimony to God in distinctive ways</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. Here, </span><b style="color: #333333;">Jaffee</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">’s term, “elective monotheism,” is useful. It reminds us that in Genesis (though not in the Qur’an) the patriarch’s discovery of God or God’s revelation to him is only half the story; the other half involves </span><b style="color: #333333;">the question of inheritance</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">: Which son most fully carries on the father’s promise? In sum, the theme of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b> election or chosenness is an inextricable part of the Abrahamic tradition in both Judaism and Christianity, though Islam takes a somewhat different path</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. We can go further: <u>if the communal dimension is an intrinsic aspect of Abrahamic monotheism in its Jewish and Christian manifestations, then it makes sense that each of the three self-styled Abrahamic traditions would sometimes portray their founder as practicing that tradition.</u> And indeed, in <b>Jewish tradition</b> we meet an Abraham who kept the </span><i style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">mitzvot</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, the commandments of the Torah, before the Torah was given; in <b>Christian tradition</b>, we hear of an Abraham who was pronounced righteous by God as an uncircumcised Gentile without the Torah and its commandments; and in <b>Islam</b>, as we shall soon see, there is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>the Abraham/Ibrahim who was neither a Jew nor a Christian precisely because he lived before there was a Torah or a gospel but who was instead a Muslim prophet whose true followers today are those who follow Muhammad</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">.</span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">The</span><b style="color: #333333;"> connection of Abraham with ongoing communities and their distinctive practices and beliefs</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> is what </span><b style="color: #333333;">makes it possible for Abraham to have become a point of controversy among them</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> and </span><b style="color: #333333;">not simply</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, as many would desire today, </span><b style="color: #333333;">a node of commonality</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. The Jewish Abraham who observes the commandments of the Torah even before it has been given through Moses (which is, importantly, </span><b style="color: #333333;">not the only Jewish view of the matter</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">) originates before </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>the Pauline Abraham </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">who is, to use Paul’s language, </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">reckoned as righteous by faith alone</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, but it is not hard to see how the <u>two images became opposing sides of a continuing and community-defining disputation</u>.</span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In <b>the Qur’an</b>, the Jews and Christians are chided for just that: for arguing anachronistically about Abraham.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">O People of the Book, <u>why do you dispute concerning Abraham</u>, when the Torah and the <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> Gospel were only revealed after him? Do you have no sense?</i></o:p><i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> There, you have disputed concerning what you know; so <u>why do you dispute concerning what</u><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> <u>you do not know? Allah knows and you do not know</u>.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but <u>a hanif [i.e., a true monotheist]</u> and <u>a Muslim</u>. <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> And he was <u>not one of the polytheists</u>.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> Surely, the people who are worthiest of Abraham are those who followed him, together with <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /> this Prophet and the believers. Allah is the guardian of the believers!</i> (Qur’an 3:65–68)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">At first, this passage may seem to prefigure the modern belief in a three-fold confraternity of Abrahamic religions, all of them focused on their mutual founder. A closer look reveals, however, that <b>the passage removes Abraham from Jews and Christians alike</b>, directing these communities, who have so long denied each other’s continuity with him, to see him as <b>something different from themselves and more ancient</b>—as <u>one who was <i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">muslim</i>, submitted to God and untainted by idolatry of any sort</u>. What he prefigures, in short, is not the confraternity of Abrahamic religions but rather the <b>one true Abrahamic religion, Islam</b>, which the Jews and Christians, for all their disputatious prattle about the patriarch, have distorted.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">There is something truly outward-looking and expansive in the story of the man who is promised that he shall be “the father of a multitude of nations,” and the efforts of the three “Abrahamic religions” to associate him exclusively with their own communities cannot altogether obliterate this. But in the case of Jews and Christians, the commonality of the three communities will always be limited by the </span><b style="color: #333333;">focus of the book of Genesis on chosenness or election</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. The very claim that God has graciously singled out </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>a particular people—the people of Israel or the Church—constitutes both a bond and a barrier between these two continuing communities, one that they do not share with Islam.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> But even in the case of Jews and Christians, to speak of the Abrahamic legacy as only a bond, or as only a barrier, is to simplify matters to the point of falsification. In this instance, as in so many others, the challenge before Jews and Christians alike is to uphold with integrity both the connections and the divisions. Since today the pressure to uphold the connections is vastly greater than the pressure to uphold the divisions, this is, alas, no easy task.</span></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<h2 style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-weight: normal; height: 20px; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></h2>
<div id="secondaryContent" style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Jon D. Levenson</b> is the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard Divinity School and the author, most recently, of </i>Resurrection and the Restoration of Israel<i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> and </i>Resurrection: The Power of God for Christians and Jews<i style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">(the latter co-authored with Kevin J. Madigan).</i></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-74688434418429499232013-01-13T21:31:00.001-05:002013-01-13T21:31:10.355-05:00Pisteteutics: Jewish conversion to Christianity: Isaac da Costa— Owlb<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Born on this day in 1798 in Amsterdam, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">poet Isaac da Costa</span><br />
<a href="http://cdn.timesofisrael.com/uploads/2013/01/Da_Costa-64x64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Isaac da Costa (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)" border="0" class="attachment-s64x64 wp-post-image" data-lazy-loaded="true" height="400" src="http://cdn.timesofisrael.com/uploads/2013/01/Da_Costa-64x64.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline-block; font-size: 10px; font: inherit; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Isaac da Costa (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/">Times of Israel</a> (Jan14.2l13)<br />
<br />
Da Costa, a Jew of Sephardic origin, as an adult converted to Christianity<br />
and insisted on a public ceremony of baptism in the Reformed Church (Hervormde Kerk). He was a follower of Groen van Prinsterer and attended the open-house studies that Groen held to advance the movement of renewal in the Reformed Church, in the Dutch State (loyalty to the monarchy and its incubent dynasty, the House of Orange), and in fostering public education for the poor.<br />
<br />
<div class="media" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: Aria, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font: inherit; height: 64px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; width: 64px; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="media" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: Aria, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font: inherit; height: 64px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; width: 64px; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="media" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: Aria, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font: inherit; height: 64px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; width: 64px; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="media" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: Aria, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font: inherit; height: 64px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; width: 64px; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="item-body has-image" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: Aria, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font: inherit; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; width: 231px; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="headline" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1.3em; font-weight: bold; font: inherit; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -4px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: #bd0d1d; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1798:</span> Isaac da Costa</div>
<div class="underline" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #787878; font-size: 1.2em; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Da Costa was a Dutch poet. He was born in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. His father Daniel da Costa was <b>an</b><span class="moreless" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="lesslink" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b> aristocratic Sephardic (Portuguese) Jew </b>was a prominent merchant in the city of Amsterdam and a relative of Uriel Acosta; his mother, Rebecca Ricardo, was a near relative of the English political economist <b>David Ricardo</b>. <u>Aside from his fifty-three longer and shorter poems, Da Costa wrote largely on theological subjects</u>. He also wrote “<b>Israel en de Volken</b>” (2d ed., Haarlem, 1848–49), a survey of the history of the Jews to the nineteenth century, written from the standpoint of the [Reformed] Church [into which he had been baptized as an adult]. The third volume, dealing with the history of the Spanish-Portuguese Jews, is especially noteworthy on account of the mass of new material used. The work was translated into English, under the title “<b>Israel and the Gentiles</b>,” by Ward Kennedy (London, 1850), and into German by “A Friend of God’s Word” (Miss Thumb), published by K. Mann (Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1855).</span></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-15634698252063767252013-01-12T11:38:00.001-05:002013-01-14T20:39:01.444-05:00Pisteutics: Christianity/ies: Demonizing us Christian homos, pretending to defend pastor Louie Giglio, trying to pretend Obama didn't winThe bracketed material below is solely the responsiblity of the writer. I hope to do a bit of further editing, later. I'm tired. (8-)<br />
<br />
— <b>Owlb, refWrite page 2, general editor</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://m.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=39504">Baptist Press release </a>(Jan12,2k13)<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2 style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-top: -10px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
THE GIGLIO IMBROGLIO — </h2>
<h2 style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-top: -10px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The public inauguration of a new Moral McCarthyism</h2>
<h4 style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: -10px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</h4>
<div id="storydateauthor" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Posted on Jan 11, 2013 | by R. Albert Mohler Jr.</div>
<div id="storytext" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<i style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.08em; font-weight: normal;">This article was originally posted Thursday, Jan. 10.</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLZXuI6WEOjBbaJCl96kztQAVT7gqAuJMXY65bqN_7dTcJn47vNenp7o9dkSeoFW1MMCTeR2Oz2JgyI9thyhIy_Vp3D6ttCZfA2-E2y6xvTKC1VafSxZy08hUpujXwc2QXahs/s1600/louie_giglio_dropped_from_inauguration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLZXuI6WEOjBbaJCl96kztQAVT7gqAuJMXY65bqN_7dTcJn47vNenp7o9dkSeoFW1MMCTeR2Oz2JgyI9thyhIy_Vp3D6ttCZfA2-E2y6xvTKC1VafSxZy08hUpujXwc2QXahs/s400/louie_giglio_dropped_from_inauguration.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- A new chapter in <b>America's moral revolution</b> came today as Atlanta pastor <b>Louie Giglio</b> <u>withdrew from giving the benediction at President Obama's second inaugural ceremony</u>. In a statement released to the White House and the Presidential Inaugural Committee, Giglio said he withdrew because of the <b>furor that emerged yesterday (Jan. 9)</b> after <b>a liberal watchdog group </b>revealed that almost 20 years ago he had preached a sermon in which he had stated that homosexuality is a sin and that the "only way out of a homosexual lifestyle ... is through the healing power of Jesus."<br /><br />In other words, a Christian pastor has been<b> effectively disinvited from delivering an inaugural prayer </b>because he believes and teaches [a version of] Christian truth. [I added the bracketed material because I don't accept the author's concept that Pastor Giglio had "Christian truth" in his pocket, nor does Dr Mohler, Jr. Nor do I. A little humility behooves us all to avoid such "God's eye view" statements where no human interpretative activity and responsiblity and sometimes change of our understanding is required of us all. - Owlb]<br /><br />The fact that <b>Giglio was actually disinvited</b> was made clear in a statement from <b>Addie Whisenant</b> of the <b>Presidential Inaugural Committee</b>:<br /><br />"We were not aware of Pastor Giglio's past comments at the time of his selection, and they don't reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this inaugural. Pastor Giglio was asked to deliver the benediction in large part because of his leadership in <b>combating human trafficking around the world</b>. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will <u>ensure their beliefs reflect this administration's vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans</u>."<br /><br />That statement is, in effect, an </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>embarrassed apology</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for having </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">invited Louie Giglio in the first place. Whisenant's statement apologizes for the Presidential Inaugural Committee's failure to make certain that their selection had never, at any time, for any reason, believed that homosexuality is less than a perfectly acceptable lifestyle. The committee then promised to repent and learn from their failure, committing to select a replacement who would "reflect this administration's vision of inclusion and acceptance."</span></div>
<div id="storytext" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: normal;"><br />The imbroglio over Louie Giglio is the clearest evidence of the<b> new Moral McCarthyism</b> of our <b>sexually "tolerant" age</b>. During the infamous McCarthy hearings, witnesses would be asked, "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?"<br /><br />In the version now to be employed by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, the question will be: "Are you <u>now or have you ever been one who believes that homosexuality (or bisexuality, or transsexualism, etc.) is anything less than morally acceptable and worthy of celebration?</u>"<br /><br />Louie Giglio, pastor of Atlanta's Passion City Church, also is founder of the Passion movement that <b>brings tens of thousands of Christian young people together to hear Giglio</b>, along with speakers such as <b>John Piper</b>. They urge a rising generation of young Christians to make a passionate commitment to Christ. In recent years, the movement also has sought to raise awareness and activism among young Christians on the issue of <b>sex trafficking</b>. It was that activism that caught the attention of both President Obama and the Presidential Inaugural Committee.<br /><br />Note carefully that both the White House and the committee were ready to celebrate Giglio's activism on sex trafficking, but all that was swept away by the <b>Moral McCarthyism on the question of homosexuality</b>.<br /><br />Two other dimensions of this story also demand attention. First, we should note that Louie Giglio has not been known lately for taking any stand on the issue of homosexuality. To the contrary, Giglio's own statement withdrawing from the invitation made this clear:<br /><br />"Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration. Clearly, <u>speaking on this issue has not been in the range of my priorities in the past fifteen years</u>. Instead, my aim has been to call people to ultimate significance as we make much of Jesus Christ."<br /><br />A fair-minded reading of that statement indicates that Pastor Giglio has <u>strategically avoided any confrontation with the issue of homosexuality for at least 15 years</u>. The issue "has not been in the range of my priorities," he said. <u>Given the Bible's insistence that sexual morality is inseparable from our "ultimate significance as we make much of Jesus Christ</u>," [but Mohler is defining "sexual morality" ad hoc to fit his own ideology which is total negativity toward homos, like myself; it's a bad morality that has not been submitted to a radically Christian philosophical ethics, but one drummed up out of certain Bible verses which may no longer be applicable; I'm a vowed celibate and anchorite so I am not intimated by Mohler's absolute moral surety, which itself is much like McCarthy's] this must have been a difficult strategy. It is also a strategy that is very attractive to those who want to <u>avoid being castigated as intolerant or homophobic</u>. [that's a prudent tactic for those who haven't clarified changes in their viewpoint, but want to leave room for them to possibly make a change in the future; they are less sure than Mohler, even if they still lean in his direction]. As this controversy makes abundantly clear, it is a failed strategy. Louie Giglio was cast out of <b>the circle of the acceptable</b> simply because a liberal watchdog group found one sermon he preached almost 20 years ago. If a preacher has ever taken a <b>stand on biblical conviction</b>, he <b>risks being exposed decades after the fact</b>. Anyone who teaches at any time, to any degree, that homosexual behavior is a sin is now to be cast out. [Mohler has outed himself regarding his long-time anti-homo "morality," which for others of us is "immorality." We live in a diversity of moral communities, and we hold to irreducibly diverse moralviews. But the line of Mohler's thawt raises my suspicion that he has something else to hide — for instance, I woud ask, about his sermons, were there any that are nowadays justly characterized as racist or misogynist? That prospect is a real possibility, especially for a Southern Baptist leader of many years, cawt in the then-prevalent racism and misogyny of the Old-Time Religion, which isn't good enuff for me. I woudn't like people to do to Mohler what he says others are doing to Pastor Louie Giglio (a Mohler strategy perhaps to protect critics from going after Mohler himself for public sermons imposing other Bible interpretations a long time ago that were hurtful to specific persons and communities, about whom he hasn't acknowledged his past immoral sermons of exclusion and stigmatization and regarding which he hasn't outed himself repentantly. Why? Perhaps: Once he acknowledges his sin, his victims may yet be able to sue him. But I woundn't go digging up such past possibilities — unless some of his past sermons actually hurt a person or a community in a direct harmful way. In any case, it's not my task to engage in such a project; it's the task of Southern Baptists who are honest-to-God studying morals and the science of ethics to examine whether Mohler is really as Lily White as he claims himelf to to be. The real problem in the South and among Southern Baptists is not pastors like Louie Giglio, but seminary presidents like Albert Mohler].<br /><br />Second, we should note that Pastor Giglio's sermon was, as we would expect and hope, filled with grace and the promise of the Gospel. Giglio did not just state that homosexuals are sinners -- he made clear that every single human being is a sinner, in need of the redemption that is found only in Jesus Christ. "We've got to say to the homosexuals, the same thing that I say to you and that you would say to me ... It's not easy to change, but it's possible to change," he preached. [It's possible for every homo to change? I don't believe it! It sounds like superstitution to me, an abuse of the Gospel of grace. Repentance, confession and redemption is fine. But those are not the problems of most of us Christian homos. Most of us get stuck on the desire to be "healed," and most of what we get is not fish, but stone from sermons like Mohler's.] Giglio, says Mohler, 'pointed his congregation, gay and straight, to "the healing power of Jesus." He called his entire congregation to repent and come to Christ by faith.' [With this second move in Mohler's rhetorical strategy, he is preparing to cover his own immoral ass, by putting the former Giglio above his congregants who he graciously calls to repentance, after singling out homos for special mention. [Do you think we homo Christians can be 'healed' at some snap of the fingers, as tho we had been in a trance? Don't offer healing where you can't heal. Yet, good on Giglio, it coud have been worse. But, tell me, how did a young homo in the congregation the day of that sermon by Giglio, as Mohler presents it and apparently quotes it, how did the young homo take this special mention? Was the special mention healing? Did it stir him up and bedevil him or her with confusion as to how to cope with Giglio's simple and woud-be positive solution? Or did the teenager go out from church and kill himself? I know of a young man who got himself drunk after being bedevilled by a Giglio-Mohler sermon and who did go out to kill himself by automobile. It's a lot more difficult and painful for a lonely and horny young homo than for the hotshot business executive who's been holding wages down and skimming money from the corporation with the use of double book-keeping. Repentance doesn't mean the same thing in the two cases. So, Mohler's theological sleight of hand doesn't convince. But, again, I suggest that Mohler isn't really arguing to excuse Giglio, rather Mohler is setting up the argument that is supposed to justify himself down the road when his sermonic sins of exclusion, negativity, and theological incapacity to distinguish between the two kinds of moral cases (which aren't the same) come into public view. And, Mohler, they will come to view.]<br /><br />That is the quintessential Christian Gospel. [I don't think so.] That is undiluted biblical truth. [I don't think so.] Those words are the consensus of the church for over 2,000 years and the firm belief held by the vast majority of Christians around the world today. [So what? Jesus did not condemn homos or place obstacles in the way of our discipleship nor deny us a place in the community devoted to the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth. 2,000 years and a vast majority doesn't make a homophobic morality true. God has been breaking forth more light from His Word these latterdays, light that can give us more information and better attitude by studying the real conditions of homos who are told by Mohler, all of us, that we must give up our entire psychosexual personality structures (which is possible for some after a long time of unpaid labour) but is not possible for most of us. But you'd have to know a lot more about what a homo personality structure is and can be, how it varies, how it changes with the stages of development thru life. Cavinist Evangelicals like Mohler don't want of help open up real moral alternatives for homos who can't or won't change to the degree he demands. What they do to such persons is drive them into the culture of the bars and the baths, the Gay Culture which is quite out in the open. You can find that culture everywhere in North American, including the USA South, but you can't find an open relaxful niche-culture of homo Christians who want to be radical in the practice of their faith in every sphere of life where they live. [When homo Christians come of age and leave our parents to take up our own authority and reesponsiblity for our development and discipleship, we face many dilemmas not faced by non-homos.]<br /><br />The Presidential Inaugural Committee and the White House have now declared historical, biblical Christianity to be out of bounds [no they haven't; please, Rev Mohler, you don't get to define "historical, biblical Christianity"] casting it off the inaugural program as an embarrassment. [The preceding statement is utterly bizarre. The authorities took a man off the programme, not his faith, certainly not Mohler's who has a different tick or two, at least, from Pastor Giglio's]. By its newly articulated standard, any preacher who holds to the faith of the church for the last 2,000 years is persona non grata. [That's not true. Mohler tries to make this entirely his version of an anti-Christian move, but he's jumbling his sense of societal spheres. It's a political event and there's not rule in the first place that persons who are servants of creeds like Mohler's shoud be kept on the program. It's a political decision, and there's no reason why someone in 2013 who in years past gave sermons that remain offensive to groups today (times have changed) are demoted from the political program. Giglio was much more gracious and understanding of the actual political dynamics than Mohler is.] </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By this standard, no Roman Catholic prelate or priest can participate in the ceremony [Mohler can't say that either. There are priests who have qualms about the Pope's and the Magisterium's homophobia.] No evangelical who holds to biblical orthodoxy is welcome [Mohler can't say that either; he doesn't have knowledge regarding that. There are numerous evangelicals who have qualms about Mohler's validations of sermons and his arbitrary definitions of who can be what, and what political authorities must do to be consistent, which they aren't required to be, as pragmatic decision making is integral to politics even when principles are important.] The vast majority of Christians around the world have been disinvited. Mormons and the rabbis of Orthodox Judaism are out. Any Muslim imam who could walk freely in Cairo would be denied a place on the inaugural program. Billy Graham, who participated in at least 10 presidential inaugurations, is welcome no more. <b style="font-style: normal;">Rick Warren</b>, who incited a similar controversy when he prayed at President Obama's first inauguration, is way out of bounds. In the span of just four years, the rules are fully changed. [This is Mohler's paltry attempt to perform a <i>reductio ad absurdam</i>, but it is only he who comes across as absurd. He's got to realize that he and his kind, not evangelicals or conservatives or Republicans, lost the election. Of course, evangelicals have to rebuild to have something worthwhile to say in the new climate; as do the Republicans who threw their chance away with giving a platform to the likes of Newt Gingrich. He set out to undermine Romney because he wasn't of the correct religion, while Gingrich has hopped thru three different religions over the course of his bellicose political career, and thus ensured that Obama woud win. Obama did win, whether Mohler likes it or not. Mohler acts like he has some claim on the political process, but he has excluded himself from it and I can't imagine that the winning forces he is trying to indict will open the door to invite him to come to some dinner and say a prayer. They can't trust him to pray in an appropriate way; so he's managed to get prayer in Jesus' name less appetitive for the diners at such dinners. He's shot himself in the foot.]</span></div>
<div id="storytext" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />The gauntlet was thrown down yesterday, and the ax fell today. <b>Wayne Besen</b>, founder of the activist group <b>Truth Wins Out</b>, told <b>The New York Time</b>s yesterday: "It is imperative that Giglio clarify his remarks and explain whether he has evolved on gay rights, like so many other faith and political leaders. It would be a shame to select a preacher with backward views on LBGT people at a moment when the nation is rapidly moving forward on our issues." [So Wayne Besen thinks he too can dictate to faith leaders what they think regarding Lesbians, bisexuals, Gays, and Transgender people. This is the same perversity that Moholer displays. And backward or forward or a pause are all questionable views about what shoud or shoud not happen in public policy and enforcement. Of course, Obama is far more indebted to LBGT group and must be deferential to its ideologies, than he is or hast to be deferential to Mohler's orientation, whether all the Saints he invokes to justify his canon are really his to assign places in the society.]<br /><br />And there you have it -- anyone who has ever believed that homosexuality is morally problematic in any way must now offer public repentance and evidence of having "evolved" on the question. [That's not true either. Just because Besen is crowing and challenging at the moment doesn't mean determines much of anything; he has some footing among the Democrats apprently, but he doesn't call the shots anymore than does Gingrich; he's a spoiler for people like Giglio and Mohler, just as Gingrich was a spoiler for Romney.] This is the language that President Obama used of his own "evolving" position on same-sex marriage. This is what is now openly demanded of Christians today. If you want to avoid being thrown off the program, you had better learn to evolve fast, and repent in public.<br /><br />This is precisely what biblical Christians cannot do. [There are no 'biblical Christians' alive today, and there haven't been for many centuries. And what is it that they cannot do? Evovle and repent in public, I think that about says it for Mohler, he can't change, and he can't repent in public. He doesn't have the humility.] While seeking to be gentle in spirit and ruthlessly Gospel-centered in speaking of any sin, [yawn, "ruthlessly Gospel-centered in speaking of any sin" is not Gospel-centered] we cannot cease to speak of sin as sin [you never have anything better to do as a Christian, Mr. Mohler?]. To do so is not only to deny the authority of Scripture [he's trying to close a strong note, but we've heard this routine and experienced its viciousness so many times before that we no longer have the Evangelical pavlovian response to this attempt at sanctioning our thawts and our own voices], not only to reject the moral consensus of the saints [of some of the saints, there is no single moral community among Christians and there are several moralviews amongus], but it undermines the Gospel itself [this phrasing is the last refuge of theologian scoundrels]. The Gospel makes no sense and is robbed of its saving power, if sin is denied as sin [but once again, you vain man, you are not the arbiter of what's right and wrong, morally speaking; you're one among many, many and no one much will listen to you if you keep up this pathological line of attack so that you can keep hidden those sermons preached long ago ... or ...].<br /><br />An imbroglio is a painful and embarrassing conflict. The imbroglio surrounding Louie Giglio is not only painful, it is revealing. [Sorry, Mohler, but you are the imbroglion, you sound like a troubled sea]. We now see the new Moral McCarthyism in its undisguised and unvarnished reality [get off that saw, please, your rhetoric is running away with you, look at all those you tried to terminally divide into absolute opposition, and don't you see how you look rather McCarthyist yurself. After all, McCarthy was as much a homphobe as you are]. If you are a Christian, get ready for the question you will now undoubtedly face: "Do you now or have you ever believed that homosexuality is a sin?" [Boring! Few are asking the question, and you have to aggrandize their position by setting up the binomial opposition to it.] There is nowhere to hide. [Your last statement only displays your paranoia at being found out for the sermonic sins you don't want to get out to the public. You're easy to read, but a failure at comunication.]</span></div>
<div id="storytext" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />R. Albert Mohler Jr. is president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-89265602962729711022013-01-10T00:29:00.001-05:002013-01-10T00:48:52.630-05:00Pisteutics: Religions worldwide: Pew's new book,m The Global Religious LandscapeFor me, to lump "atheists" and "agnostics" (already quite a difference, but philosophically articulated in public atheologies constructed like fortresses), whereas "the huge number of people who claim "no connection with any religious tradition" are quite something else again. I find it helpful to understand them as improvisers. You can't expect them to commit to any idea, even of themselves, from day to day. So how coud they be as functionally conclusive as is a committed atheist ?(who simply is not ruled by a mood, a fad. or a conversation 30 minutes ago), or an agnostic who may have developed a whole strategy of thawt, with several conclusions at hand ready to support the main conclusion (usually reasoning epistemologically, rather than ontologicall or deontologically, a system of relatively interdepent conclusions of a durable ractiocination process that are rather firm in his consciousness and which he or she draws upon every time he encounters someone with a somewhat settled god-idea of any kind, including Christian kinds. So the 1.6 billion figure doesn't really have the integrity that some interpreters of the statistics seem to want. There are improvisers ostensibly without traditions, and when radically so, they don't consistently have a personal tradition of themselves, of who they are, either. On the other hand, atheists and agnostics, tho different have in common the possiblity of an identity, based on their personal tradition of who they are and what their conclusion means as more than a electromagnetic spasm in the brain at the moment.<br />
<br />
-- Owlb<br />
<div id="desktop-page-title" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">
<h1 class="page-title" style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', 'Droid Serif', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 1.8em; letter-spacing: -0.03em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px 0px 0.2em; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; width: 440px;">
</h1>
<h1 class="page-title" style="border: 0px; letter-spacing: -0.03em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px 0px 0.2em; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; width: 440px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Proxima Nova, Droid Serif, Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://crcna.org/news-and-views/study-reports-religion-worldwide?utm_source=CRC+News&utm_campaign=d3d2c033ae-CRC+News+%7C+January+9%2C+2013&utm_medium=email">CRC</a> </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">(Jan 10, 2k13)</span></span></span></h1>
<h1 class="page-title" style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', 'Droid Serif', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 1.8em; letter-spacing: -0.03em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px 0px 0.2em; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; width: 440px;">
<u>STUDY REPORTS ON RELIGION </u></h1>
<h1 class="page-title" style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', 'Droid Serif', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 1.8em; letter-spacing: -0.03em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px 0px 0.2em; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; width: 440px;">
<u>W O R L D W I D E</u></h1>
</div>
<div class="region region-content" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">
<div class="clearfix block block-system" id="block-system-main">
<div class="content">
<div about="/news-and-views/study-reports-religion-worldwide" class="node-article node node-article clearfix" id="node-11358" typeof="sioc:Item foaf:Document">
<div class="addthis-widget" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding: 5px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 10px; width: 238px;">
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style ">
<span class="at16nc at300bs at15nc at15t_email at16t_email" style="background-image: url(http://ct1.addthis.com/static/r07/widget010_top.gif); background-position: 0px -272px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; overflow: hidden; width: 16px;"><span class="at_a11y" style="display: inline !important; height: 1px !important; left: -10000px !important; overflow: hidden !important; position: absolute !important; top: auto !important; width: 1px !important;">Share on emailShare on print</span></span><br />
<div class="atclear" style="clear: both;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="content">
<div class="submitted" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
January 8, 2013</div>
<div class="field field-name-field-article-imagefield field-type-image field-label-hidden" style="display: inline; float: left; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px 10px 10px 0px; text-align: center;">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item even">
<div class="file file-image file-image-png" id="file-13887">
<h2 class="element-invisible" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); color: #474747; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', 'Droid Serif', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 1.65em; height: 1px; letter-spacing: -0.03em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute !important;">
<a href="http://crcna.org/sites/default/files/articleimages/placeholder.png" style="-webkit-transition: 0.15s; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://crcna.org/sites/all/modules/contrib/iconizer/files_icons/icon_pic.gif); background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 20px 5px 0px; text-decoration: initial;">placeholder.png</a></h2>
<div class="content">
<img alt="" height="240" src="http://crcna.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/articleimages/placeholder.png" style="border: 1px solid rgb(198, 198, 198); font-family: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: auto;" title="" typeof="foaf:Image" width="320" /><br />
<div class="field field-name-field-photo-credits field-type-text-long field-label-hidden" style="color: grey; font-size: 0.8em; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.3em; width: 200px;">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item even">
The Pew Center on Religion and Public Life</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-name-field-article-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item even">
<div class="large-paragraph" style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">M</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">ore than <b>1.6 billion people worldwide have no connection to a religious tradition</b>. Many of them are <u>atheists</u> or <u>agnostics</u>, although a few have their own <u>spiritual practices</u>, says a new study.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In fact, the number of people unaffiliated with any religion makes them the third largest group in the world, according to the study by the <a href="http://www.pewforum.org/global-religious-landscape.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: 0.15s; border: 0px; color: #990033; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life</a>.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The study uses many demographic sources to give an overview of religious affiliation -- or no affiliation at all -- in more than 230 countries.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Aggregated into the study are numbers for the <b>Christian Reformed Church (CRC)</b> and other Protestant denominations.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The numbers for the CRC and Protestants overall will come later in this story and contain no real surprises.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In fact, there are only a few things that stand out in the report and one involves people who say they are <b>not affiliated with any religion</b>. This finding has been widely reported on the Internet, social media and in the news.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">According to the Pew study, some <b>16 percent of the world’s population</b> say there are <b>not affiliated with any religion</b>. This rivals the number of Catholics across the globe.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But overall, says the study, or </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">84 percent of the world’s population,</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> an estimated 5.8 billion adults and children in more than 230 countries, identify with some faith group.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Some of the findings include:</span></div>
<ul style="border: 0px; line-height: 1; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 20px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Christians number <b>2.2 billion</b>, or about one-in-three people worldwide.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">About<b> half of all Christians are Catholic</b>.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The <b>Orthodox Communion</b>, including the Greek and Russian Orthodox, make up <b>12 percent</b> of Christians.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">People who belong to other traditions that view themselves as Christian (including Christian Scientists, Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses) make up about <b>one percent</b> of the global Christian population.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">An estimated <b>37 percent</b> of Christians belong to the <b>Protestant tradition</b>, broadly defined to include Anglicans as well as independent and non-denominational churches. This includes the CRC.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, here is a statistical look focusing just on the CRC.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But while the Pew study examined demographic data from 2010, here is a <b>snapshot of the CRC’s most recent numbers</b> as reported <a href="http://crcna.org/welcome/membership-statistics" style="-webkit-transition: 0.15s; border: 0px; color: #990033; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">in the denomination’s 2012 Yearbook</a>.</span></div>
<ul style="border: 0px; line-height: 1; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 20px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The CRC had <b>more churches</b> in 2012 than the year before, but it experienced a <b>small drop in total members</b>.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">At the same time, the CRC <b>baptized more children</b> than they did the year before and had<b> more families</b> than in 2011.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Growth through evangelism declined</u> slightly from the previous year.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In all cases, the <u>numbers of growth or decline were not starkly different from the previous year or from 2010</u>, the year that the Pew study examined.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The Yearbook</b>, published annually by the CRC, serves as a denominational directory and as a resource for statistical information.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In addition to the information about classes, congregations, ministers and agencies, it contains a <b>historical sketch of the life of the church during the previous year</b> and obituary information about pastors who died during that year.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Pew study is based on analysis of 2,500 different data sources, including censuses and demographic surveys of children and adults in 232 countries.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 9px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It relies on <b>self-identification</b>, so it includes people who are not regular practitioners or orthodox believers of the religion they claim.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="author-info" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; text-align: right;">
—<br />
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author-ref field-type-entityreference field-label-hidden" style="display: inline; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div class="field-items" style="display: inline; margin: 0px;">
<div class="field-item even" style="display: inline; margin: 0px;">
<div class="textformatter-list" style="display: inline; margin: 0px;">
<a class="node node-6735 entityreference" href="http://crcna.org/author/chris-meehan" style="-webkit-transition: 0.15s; border: 0px; color: #990033; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Chris Meehan</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-64116483039651372522013-01-09T16:26:00.000-05:002013-01-09T16:26:26.658-05:00Thinktank/publicists: Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington DC: Appoints Brit Conservative, Anglican philosoopher as Senior Fellow<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: Helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="backgroundTable" style="background-color: white; height: 100%px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" style="border-collapse: collapse;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="templateContainer" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" style="border-collapse: collapse;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" id="templateFooter" style="background-color: white; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="footerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" style="border-collapse: collapse;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="templateBody" style="width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="bodyContent" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-collapse: collapse;" valign="top"><div style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><a href="http://eppc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=be333e74ea841be93db60da61&id=13ba62e078&e=b06a139453" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #336699;"><strong>Roger Scruton Joins EPPC</strong></span></a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif;">EPPC News</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">January 9, 2013</span></div>
<br /><div style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">
<img align="right" height="200" src="http://www.eppc.org/imgLib/20130108_Scruton150w.jpg" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border-bottom-color: rgb(139, 136, 136); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(139, 136, 136); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(139, 136, 136); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(139, 136, 136); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; display: inline; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; height: 200px; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; margin-left: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; width: 150px;" width="150" /></div>
<div style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; line-height: normal;">We are pleased to announce that the English philosopher <a href="http://eppc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=be333e74ea841be93db60da61&id=8d24a0c09d&e=b06a139453" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Roger Scruton</a></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; line-height: normal;"> has joined EPPC as a Senior Fellow. The author of three dozen books, Mr. Scruton will focus his work at EPPC on such subjects as the need for a new urbanism that emphasizes beauty and the cultural implications of neuroscience.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">“Roger Scruton is a brilliant</span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"> </b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">philosopher and writer on a wide range of subjects connected to EPPC’s mission--from religion to politics to art,” said EPPC President Ed Whelan. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: normal;">“</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">On both sides of the Atlantic, he is respected as a prominent conservative thinker. The scope of Roger’s scholarship is astonishing, and we look forward to working with him.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: normal;">”</span><br /><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: normal;">“</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">I am delighted to join the Ethics and Public Policy Center,</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: normal;">”</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"> said Mr. Scruton. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: normal;">“</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">EPPC scholars think deeply and clearly about how questions of culture and philosophy ought to inform public policy, and they have earned considerable influence both in Washington politics and in the world of ideas.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; line-height: normal;">”</span><br /><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">Mr. Scruton’s latest book, <a href="http://eppc.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=be333e74ea841be93db60da61&id=1a898b868c&e=b06a139453" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><em>Our Church: A Personal History of the Church of England</em></a></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">, will be published in the United States in February.</span><br /><br /><br /><em style="text-align: center;">The work of the Ethics and Public Policy Center is made possible by the generosity of our donors. For more information on ways to support EPPC, click <a href="http://eppc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=be333e74ea841be93db60da61&id=5cecbd453a&e=b06a139453" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" style="border-collapse: collapse;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" id="templateFooter" style="background-color: white; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="footerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="2" id="social" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" valign="middle"><div style="color: #707070; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; text-align: center;">
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-17803166253063168522013-01-09T14:29:00.002-05:002013-01-09T14:36:59.709-05:00Scottish 'Centre for Public Christianity' (SOLAS) submitted policy recommendation to Scottish govt on 'same-sex marriage' 4 months ago<br />
<div id="heading" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; height: 40px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<h2 style="clear: right; display: inline; float: left; font-size: 1.7em; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 10px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 1.7em;">Solas Scotland: </span></h2>
<h2 style="clear: right; display: inline; float: left; font-size: 1.7em; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 10px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 1.7em;">Submission on Same Sex Marriage</span></h2>
</div>
<div class="buttonheading" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Solas (Centre for Public Christianity) </b>has made a submission to the <b>Scottish Government Consultation on Same Sex Marriage</b>. The submission is written by <b>Gordon Wilson</b> the former leader of the <b>Scottish National Party</b> and chairman of Solas, and <b>David Robertson</b>, the director of Solas and minister of <b>St Peter's Free Church</b> in Dundee. Solas is an <b>ecumenical Christian charity</b> whose aim is to <b>promote the positive teaching of Christianity in the public sphere</b>.</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The submission argues that the <b>key issue</b> here is<b> not one of homosexual rights and equality</b>, but rather one of the <b>definition of marriage</b>. </span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It is argued that <b>no government has the right to ‘redefine’ marriage</b> and that indeed to attempt to do so is to <b>destroy marriage</b>. The authors also contend that <b>this attack on marriage is a violation of the human rights</b> of those who have been married under the traditional understanding of marriage and is in <b>violation of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights</b>, and the <b>European Convention of Human Rights</b>.</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The submission expresses concern at the continuing attacks upon the Christian understanding of marriage and the<u> increasing intolerance that these attacks manifest in contemporary secular culture</u>. The <b>Scottish Parliament</b> is urged to reject same sex marriage. The authors argue that <u>if the relationship of Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom is worthy of a referendum, then the relationship of Scotland to that most vital of societal institutions, marriage, is also worthy of a referendum</u>.</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The submission can be found at: <a href="http://solas-cpc.org/SolasResponse.pdf" style="color: #555555; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.solas-cpc.org/SolasResponse.pdf</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Solas CPC</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Dundee, Scotland, UK</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">11th October 2011</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
(c) 2011 Solas - Centre for Public Christianity</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25201928.post-91768435285884853482013-01-09T05:15:00.000-05:002013-01-09T05:15:23.759-05:00Hoping to include our rW2 pisteutics and morals page in unique new Index<br />
<br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>refWrite Index</u></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Index for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #38761d; color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span">refWrite</span></span> blogsystem</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Don't miss:</div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>refWrite Frontpage</b></span> (<a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/">refWrite-experimental</a>) <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW1</b></span>:: featuring hot news on politics (Politicarp), economics (EconoMix), juridics (Lawt) -- usually articles selected from the 24/7 cycle, and often responded to, or analyzed in detail, or commented upon, with verve … <b>latest </b><a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/2013/01/politicsuzbekistan-totalitarian.html">Uzbekisten's totalitarian practices in the schools, in the cotton fields, in the mosques, churches, and knigdom halls</a> ... <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/2013/01/juridicsjapan-constitutional-revision.html">Japan's proposed revision of its postwar Constitution — human rights? anti-War clause?</a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://refwrite-experimental.blogspot.ca/2013/01/politicsuk-david-cameron-wants-to-serve.html">UK Prime Minister David Cameron — long term agenda and some ram-it-thru provisions alientating Conservative Party members</a></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>refWrite page 2</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/">refWrite...page2</a> <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW2</b></span>: pisteutics, Christianity/ies, other faiths worldwide, morals, moralities, moral communities, moralviews, mores, ethics (a science and a modal science that pertains to intimate unions, marriage, family, friendship, and even the moral qualifying factor of labour unions), education and formation (including spiritual formation), psychotherapy, science/s including natural sciences (Owlb) <b> latest </b><a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pisteutics-christianityies-marks-of.html"> Marks of an Ideal Church</a> and <a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pisteutics-christianityies-philippines.html">Philippines overpopulation brings out bad attidue of priests, say RC law scholar</a> and <a href="http://refwritepage2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/pisteutics-christianityies-philippines.html">Church of Scientology, yet another expos´é, yawn</a>.</div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>refWrite page 3</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage3.blogspot.ca/">refWrite...page3</a>) <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW3</b></span>: academics, reformational scholarship, evolution and Intelligent Design (Owlb)</div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>refWrite Backpage</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/">refWrite backpage</a>) <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW4</b></span>: arts, music (Musikos, Country Gal and others), sports (Sportikos), technics (Technowlb) -- includes entertainment, movies (Movie-Man), satire and humour (Saturikos) -- and other newspotters, analysts, and columnists <b>latest </b><a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/2013/01/sports-national-hockey-league-nhl.html">Sports — Hockey (NHL) and sports journos </a> <b>and </b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=29867100#editor/target=post;postID=6980748948178206313">Technics −- hacktivists shock-exploits 2012</a> <b>and</b> Movies (2) <a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/2013/01/movies-life-of-pi-director-ang-lee.html">LIfe of PI</a>, also <a href="http://refwritepage4.blogspot.ca/2013/01/movies-cartoons-animation-genius-max.html">Cartoon animation by pioneer Max Fleischer</a></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>refWrite refBlogger Insert</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage5.blogspot.ca/">refWrite refBloggers Insert</a>) <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW5</b></span>: anti-censorship by govts, Google, Facebook, Pinterest, and the usual culprits; news and advocacy on behalf of freedom of speech, freedom of news media, freedom of artistic and other expression including the key hub-freedom of religion and inter-religions dialogue (insert this page in your own blog!) latest and and</div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>refWrite Calendar</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage6.blogspot.ca/2012/07/january-2013-anno-domini.html">January 2013 anno domini</a>) <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW6</b></span>: a series of monthly blog entries, page by page, month by month, choose a month and <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>scrolldown in the month you are interested in, at the moment </b></span>-- events among reformational community and friends worldwide, also Business & Human Rights events, sports events now and longterm, some entertainment events, some tech events, and lots more ….</div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>refWrite page 7 </b>(<a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/">Christian Medical Observations & Ruminations</a>) <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW7</b></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">: Christian Medical Observations & Ruminations CMO&R latest: <a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/2013/01/sleep-apnea-robs-you-of-proper-rest.html">Sleep apnea</a> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><a href="http://christmor.blogspot.ca/2013/01/north-koreas-deceased-leader-kim-jong.html">North Korea's deceased leader Kim Jong-Il 'died in a fit of rage'</a></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>refWrite page 8</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage8.blogspot.ca/">Christian Labour AdvocateChristian Labour Advocate</a>) <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW8</b></span>: Christian Labour Advocate</div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b>refWrite page 9</b></span> (<a href="http://refwritepage9.blogspot.ca/">Books mostly ...</a>) <span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>rW9</b></span> -- many titles arranged according to blog-entires by topic or news developments in various fields like economics (I keep including new blog entries on new topics and book lists proffered from others -- includes some fiction, some poem books, lots of theology ,,,</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772525823462216671noreply@blogger.com0