Clipmarks | Religious Clips

The "Cult" in Culture...is Necessary

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:31:52 GMT

clipped by: keith0718

It is the religious impulse which supplies the cohesive force which unifies a society and a culture... A society which has lost its religion becomes sooner or later a society which has lost its culture.

Religious Stupidity

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:35:40 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Now we find out that albinos in Burundi are being killed for their body parts to help people find gold. No doubt, strange behavior. But most religions hold fantastical beliefs that are completely divorced from reality. The major difference being they usually don't result in the death of innocents.

Clip Source: scienceblogs.com

Witch doctors kill

Ignorance leads to evil: albinos are being butchered for their body parts in Burundi. Witch doctors are spreading the claim that their body parts are valuable in attracting gold, so stupid and greedy people are killing them and selling off bits and pieces.

Officials have gathered all the albinos in the country into a walled safehouse to protect them, which seems like a short term solution. I say since their number came up in the genetic lottery as cursed in Burundi, offer them asylum and bring them to Minnesota, where their paleness won't be at all exceptional.

Say…wasn't an African witch doctor one of Sarah Palin's heroes? Let's be sure not to bring them to Alaska, then.

the enlighted being according to Einstein

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:14:22 GMT

clipped by: mooney

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Einstein published a paper in Nature in 1940 entitled "Science and Religion"^[61] in which he said that: "a person who is religiously enlightened appears to me to be one who has, to the best of his ability, liberated himself from the fetters of his selfish desires and is preoccupied with thoughts, feelings and aspirations to which he clings because of their super-personal value … regardless of whether any attempt is made to unite this content with a Divine Being, for otherwise it would not be possible to count Buddha and Spinoza as religious personalities.

Accordingly a religious person is devout in the sense that he has no doubt of the significance of those super-personal objects and goals which neither require nor are capable of rational foundation … In this sense religion is the age-old endeavour of mankind to become clearly and completely conscious of these values and goals, and constantly to strengthen their effects."

ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN ACRE-ISRAEL

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:55:40 GMT

clipped by: klippety
clipper's remarks: Mobs of angry orthodox prohibit Palestinians from exercising everyday life

Clip Source: www.csmonitor.com

Riots fracture rare Jewish-Arab ties in mixed Israeli town

Israeli President Shimon Peres led a reconciliation effort Monday after four days of ethnic violence.

Acre, Israel - After four days of ethnic rioting that has torn apart one of the few Israeli cities where Arabs and Jews live and socialize together, Israeli President Shimon Peres brought together political and religious leaders of both communities in an effort to restore a sense of calm and coexistence.

Since last Wednesday, dozens have been injured on both sides, Arab houses torched, and Jewish businesses vandalized. Now Acre (pronounced AH'-koh), a city of 50,000, is patrolled by paramilitary policemen with M-16s and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told them to show "zero tolerance" toward rioters. Streets remained calm since Sunday.

"shining example of coexistence," when Tawfiq Jamal, an Arab, drove into a Jewish area at the start of Yom Kippur, setting off a mob that accused him of desecrating the holiday.

Banned From The Bible

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:53:40 GMT

clipped by: sahara

Clip Source: www.prnewswire.com

The Stories That Were Deleted From Biblical History

BANNED FROM THE BIBLE examines the stories in some of these books, how they were rediscovered and what they might mean to us today. Included are:

The Life of Adam and Eve: A more detailed story of creation than what is found in Genesis, this book includes jealous angels, a more devious serpent, and more information about Eve's fall from grace from her point of view.

* The Book of Jubilees

* The Book of Enoch

* The Infancy Gospel of Thomas

* The Protovangelion of James

* The Gospel of Mary

* The Gospel of Nicodemus

* The Apocalypse of Peter

These books are just a sampling of the hundreds that were never included in the Holy Bible. Perhaps there are more to be found. Whether one believes these alternative stories or not, they do provide an interesting perspective of the religious culture and propensities of the time.

BANNED FROM THE BIBLE features commentary from Bible experts and historians

Clip Source: video.google.com

[Video]

Tags: religion, society, bible, culture

Sarah Palin’s Religious Ties Now Up for Discussion

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:39:49 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.northstarwriters.com

The GOP vice-presidential candidate has resurrected talk about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.

“I don’t know why that association isn’t discussed more, because those were appalling things that that pastor had said about our country,” Palin told New York Times columnist William Kristol.

What’s sauce for the gander applies to the goose, too. Palin and her religious associations are now fair game. Some of Palin’s religious affiliations are eyebrow-raising, too.

Wasilla Assembly of God, which is part of the Assemblies of God, an international association of Pentecostal churches. The AOG endorses Christian Zionism, the belief that Jesus can return to Earth only when Israel takes complete control of all the lands around Jerusalem and Palestine.

this year Palin has been blessed, in rituals held at public events, on at least five different occasions, by current or former Wasilla Assembly of God pastors.

Tags: palin, religion, extremist

The lie of the anti-religious agnostic

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:10:20 GMT

clipped by: keith0718

Clip Source: townhall.com

Maher’s stance in the film alternates between feigned investigative neutrality and unconcealed anti-religious bigotry. At times he says he is an agnostic, who simply holds the rational position that he doesn’t know what comes after death. But if you don’t know whether there is an afterlife, and even if you have no reason to believe in one, it hardly makes sense to attack those who hold a different view.

The World's Oldest Temple - 12,000 year-old Gobekli Tepe

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:51:24 GMT

clipped by: invictus
clipper's remarks: From Archaeology Magazine's November/December 2008 issue...

The press here is fond of calling the site "the Turkish Stonehenge," but the comparison hardly does justice to this 25-acre arrangement of at least seven stone circles. The first structures at Göbekli Tepe were built as early as 10,000 B.C., predating their famous British counterpart by about 7,000 years.

Clip Source: www.archaeology.org

The oldest man-made place of worship yet discovered, Göbekli Tepe is "one of the most important monuments in the world," says Hassan Karabulut, associate curator of the nearby Urfa Museum. He and archaeologist Zerrin Ekdogan of the Turkish Ministry of Culture guide me around the site. Their enthusiasm for the ancient temple is palpable.

Before the discovery of Göbekli Tepe, archaeologists believed that societies in the early Neolithic were organized into small bands of hunter-gatherers and that the first complex religious practices were developed by groups that had already mastered agriculture. Scholars thought that the earliest monumental architecture was possible only after agriculture provided Neolithic people with food surpluses, freeing them from a constant focus on day-to-day survival. A site of unbelievable artistry and intricate detail, Göbekli Tepe has turned this theory on its head.

Tags: gobekli tepe, turkey, prehistory, neolithic, archaeology, science

Atheist Politicians

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:52:40 GMT

clipped by: JohnWaterman
clipper's remarks: I am by no means a Tory but good for them.

Clip Source: scienceblogs.com

This is just the craziest thing I ever heard. Politics where you can actually have politicians who don't believe in god, and where you can talk about removing the privileged status of religion from the legislative body, and where all the major political parties have organized representation by freethinkers? Yeah, and they also have gumdrop trees and rivers of chocolate and beer volcanoes, too, I bet. Where is this magical place? Middle Earth, maybe? Nah, it's called England

Many leading Conservative thinkers have not required religious belief or superstition to define their lives or their political views

The creation of the Conservative Humanist Association means that all three major UK political Parties now have associations aligned with the British Humanist Association. We hope that all UK political parties will now recognise that the majority of our people want a more secular political system

Can you imagine a statement like that from either of our major American political parties?

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Gay Marriage

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:14:11 GMT

clipped by: Andrea in MT
clipper's remarks: Thanks for the contributions, but is money enough?

Clip Source: mc379.mail.yahoo.com

Will A Wealthy Social Conservative Have His Way With California Voters Again?
Howard F. Ahmanson Jr. has put $900,000 of his own money into passing California's gay marriage ban, but it's not the first time the flush ascetic has injected his religious views into politics. From stemming affirmative action to stoking unrest within the Episcopal Church, Ahmanson has been one of the most influential political donors in the country. Read more>

"Yeah, I have worked with closeted actors, and I can understand why certain actors are reticent to reveal their sexuality in public for fear of everything you can think of -- pigeonholing themselves into a certain kind of character, blah, blah, blah -- but it’s always nice to not have to work around secrets."

Tags: gay, marriage

British life and culture

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:46:55 GMT

clipped by: teacherina
clipper's remarks: Very useful resources for teachers

Clip Source: projectbritain.com

England / Scotland / Wales

Great Britain / Britain

London

United Kingdom

British Culture
Alphabetical list of topics covered in our website

The Making of the UK
What's in a name?, the different countries, history, flag, economy

Daily Life and Everyday needs
Houses, Leisure, Sports, Work, Family, Shops, Food and Drink, Clothes, Music, Travel, Money, Cost of Living .....

Education
The different schools, curriculum, uniform ......

Britain Today
The People, Teenagers, Population, Religion, Migration, Social Class, Stereotypes, Language, Regions of Britain, Economy, Etiquette and Manners, Superstitions ...

Climate / Weather

How Britain is governed
Parliament, Government, Prime Minister

The British Royal Family
The Queen - her role, Family, Castles, Guards, Royal Ceremonies....

Symbols of the UK and Great Britain
Flag, landmarks, National Days, Patron Saints, Emblems, Costume, Coat of Arms, Motto ...

Festivals / Holidays
Special Days, Events, Religious Holidays, Bank Holidays,

Glossary of British Words

ltCobalt Clip

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:42:30 GMT

clipped by: ltCobalt
clipper's remarks: Beer

Clip Source: www.qualityhealth.com

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall…

Beer has served many roles since it was first brewed nearly 7,000 years ago. It's been featured in religious ceremonies, praised in literature, and prized for its medicinal properties. What the ancients suspected about the health benefits of beer, modern-day science continues to prove.

1. Cuts cancer risk.

2. Promotes strong bones.

3. Increases mental capacity.

Violence & Religion

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:12:06 GMT

clipped by: keith0718

Clip Source: www.latimes.com

Perhaps Maher's greatest misunderstanding of religion is his central indictment: that religion is responsible for the world's violence. It is not. Violence is a product of human nature. Before monotheism, the Assyrians were not kind; the Romans were bloodthirsty beyond the imagination of religious regimes. When religion became less potent in people's lives after the French Revolution, instead of making the world less violent, it became far more violent: World War I and WWII, communism, Nazism -- all shed blood on an unprecedented scale. None were religious regimes or religious wars.

Hanged for being a Christian in Iran

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:29:10 GMT

clipped by: sunstreak509

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

A month ago, the Iranian parliament voted in favour of a draft bill, entitled "Islamic Penal Code", which would codify the death penalty for any male Iranian who leaves his Islamic faith. Women would get life imprisonment. The majority in favour of the new law was overwhelming: 196 votes for, with just seven against.

Imposing the death penalty for changing religion blatantly violates one of the most fundamental of all human rights. The right to freedom of religion is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and in the European Convention of Human Rights. It is even enshrined as Article 23 of Iran's own constitution, which states that no one may be molested simply for his beliefs.

Tags: religious, christianity, iram, islam

Ambaji pilgrims pledge before Goddess to fight female foeticide

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:13:42 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.indianexpress.com

Pilgrims at the famous Ambaji temple in Banaskantha district found a new way to check the dwindling female sex ratio in the state - ‘Sankalp Patras’. The Ambaji Temple Committee members made the devotees sign the ‘Sankalp Patras’ to curb sex discrimination and female foeticide, along with a pledge to save the girl child. A total of five lakh ‘Sankalp Patras’ were signed.

“While the idea has been implemented for the first time at any religious place, the chances of its success are quite high as people have willingly taken a pledge before the goddess and are most likely to abide by it.

Patel said: “We have plans to extend the experiment to other religious destinations in the area as well. This is for the first time that such an experiment has been undertaken at a religious place in the state. However, with the active participation of future devotees, the awareness campaign is bound to be effective.”

Tags: goddess, faith, babies, female, religion, infanticide