JERUSALEM - An Israeli archaeologist on Tuesday said he has found remnants of the tomb of King Herod, the legendary builder of ancient Jerusalem, on a flattened hilltop in the Judean Desert where the biblical monarch built a palace.
Hebrew University archaeologist Ehud Netzer said the tomb was found at Herodium, a site where he has been exploring since the 1970s.
King Herod, Bible, Jerusalem, Ehud Netzer, Herodium, archaeological digs
Some recent news:
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - A historic Catholic church in New Orleans, a wellspring of jazz and other riches of African-American culture that has fallen on hard times, is facing down a deadline for survival set by its archbishop.
ADVERTISEMENTSt. Augustine Church was packed and rocking with brass bands and tambourine-shaking choir singers at a jazz Mass on Sunday — an expression of members’ hope and nonmembers’ support as the 166-year-old parish scrambles to meet terms set by Archbishop Alfred Hughes for a reprieve from closure.
Damages from Katrina are still a problem in may sections of the southern states. Unless they can raise enough money and membership, the church will have to close, which is a real shame. Even if you aren’t religious, you can appreciate the architecture and historical significance of the church. Unfortunately, lots of church are in similar situations, and many are not even in Katrina-stricken areas. Supporting your local church, whether you are a member or not, it important to helpings churches stay active and beautiful in our communities.
HARTFORD, Conn. — A federal judge has ruled that religion has no place in post offices across the country that are run by churches and other private contractors, citing the separation of church and state in the Constitution.
U.S. District Judge Dominic J. Squatrito, in a case involving a church-run post office in Manchester, ordered the U.S. Postal Service to notify the nearly 5,200 facilities run by contractors that they cannot promote religion through pamphlets, displays or any other materials.
Read more here.
Interesting and sad news I read today:
The Dallas Morning News recently received the Religion Communicators Council award for the nation’s best religion section. It was the 10th time in 11 years that the News had won, and it has reaped similar prizes in annual Religion Newswriters Association contests.
Unfortunately for the News, there’s no chance for another title. In January the newspaper discontinued the section, citing economic concerns.
It isn’t the only publication deciding to drop sections devoted to religion. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently combined religion with its “living” pages, while the Wichita (Kansas) Eagle dropped its religion editor and downsized the beat.
No one has sensed yet that great numbers of religion reporters and editors are losing their jobs, though specialty news beats such as religion, science and education often suffer during times of economic cutbacks.
Read the rest of the story here.
When unexplained violence takes center stage, we tend to turn to modern psychology to explain it.
But there is an alternative explanation, one that has been played out in film, stage and writings since the beginning of history.
Was Cho Seung-Hui schizophrenic … psychotic … manic-depressive? Or were the shooting deaths of 32 people, including Cho himself, at Virginia Tech University part of the ongoing struggle between God and Satan … good against evil … lightness and darkness?
Could Cho have been possessed by the Devil? Could that explain the massacre at Virginia Tech?
Dr. Richard Roberts, president of Oral Roberts University, shouts an unequivocal “Yes!”
“Based on what I’ve seen in the news,” Roberts said in an interview, “there’s no doubt that this act was Satanic in origin.”
Interesting. I’m not saying this is valid or invalid…just interesting. Thoughts?
(thanks to Lyndsey for the link)
Satan, VA Tech, Virginia tech, VA Tech shootings, school shootings
Earlier this week, I wrote a post about one of the professors, and ultimate victims, of the Virginia Tech shootings, who opted to stay behind to hold off the killer rather than fleeing. His actions allowed others to live. As the story unfolds, there are more and more heroes emerging–a boy, shot in the arm, who helped to barricade the door so others wouldn’t get hurt as well. Another student, who used his own shirt to try to stop the bleeding on a wounded student. And still others, who helped carry out the wounded or helped others jump out windows to safety.
What is a hero? We read about these stories, and we see Heroes, the television show, every week, but really: What is a hero?
Were these students and professors heroes, because they made split-second decisions to help others before themselves? What about the English teacher who attempted to connect to the killer earlier in the year through an independent study course? She may have failed at saving him…but was she a hero for trying? What about the countless police officers and EMTs who stormed the building, rescued the wounded, and closed the eyes of the dead–are they heroes?
Yes. Yes to all.
To me, being a hero is doing something that God would want you to do, even though it isn’t the easy path, and without thinking of any reward you may get later in life or in heaven. Being a hero is looking a killer in the face and saying, with your actions, no. No, you are wrong. These people are all heroes.
On a side note, some of you may have read that later this month there will be a day of blogging silence. In other words, bloggers from every network will post an image in honor of the dead, but not allow comments and not write anything.
I will NOT be participating.
It’s my believe that the dead would want to be remembered, but not mourned, especially by people who don’t know them. There’s a difference. It is also my belief that blogging is about all that is good in this world–speaking your opinions, talking to others, sharing ideas. Image if the killer would have had an outlet. Silencing blogging for a day doesn’t make sense to me, at all. Instead, I rejoice in the fact that I don’t have to be silent, not now, and not ever, even long after this blog has disappeared.
SELMER, Tenn. - A preacher’s wife accused of murdering her husband said Wednesday that he punched and kicked her, forced her to have sex and refused to grant her a divorce.
Testifying in her murder trial, Mary Winkler told jurors her husband, Matthew, was a smart and talented man, but could also be mean in both his actions and words.
“I just wanted out,” she said. “He just could be so mean.”
This story makes me really sad…This women felt so cornered and so trapped that killing her husband was her only option. During the trial, she talked about how he forced her to do things she didn’t want to do in the bedroom and kicked her in the face or used a belt when they were fighting. Everything was her fault, from a problem with their children to the rain.
My heart really bleeds for a situation like this.
If you are being abused, verbally or physically, there is help. Use the contact link to the right to email me, and I can and will help you. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
He was sort of like nobody else,” said fellow author Gore Vidal. “Kurt was never dull.”
A self-described religious skeptic and freethinking humanist, Vonnegut used protagonists such as Billy Pilgrim and Eliot Rosewater as transparent vehicles for his points of view.
He lectured regularly, exhorting audiences to think for themselves and delighting in barbed commentary against the institutions he felt were dehumanizing people. READ MORE
Kurt Vonnegut, in my opinion, was one of the best writers in the 20th centruy. If you haven’t read Cat’s Cradle, do so. He died of brain injuries due to a fall at his home, according to his wife. He was 84. RIP.
Jermain Jackson, who is a brother to Michael and Janet, has recently shown interest in supporting Muslim Aid, an organization that gives money to orphanages around the world. Jackson is also known by his Muslim name, Abdul Aziz, and has said that it was his religion that helped him win runner-up votes for staying calm during his participation in Celebrity Big Brother. Hamid Azad, the head of overseas aid, thanked Jackson for his upcoming support during a press conference.
Muslim Aid, Jermain Jackson, Jackson, Muslim, Islam, charity, Big Brother
Today marks the second anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul, and Catholic Church officials have reached a milestone in the fight to make him a saint. Pope Benedict put the late Pope on the fast track for sainthood, which would grant him a waiver for the traditional 5-year waiting period, a waiver which has only been granted once before, to Mother Teresa.
The waiting period is set to help avoid hasty decisions made in the emotional time after a person’s death. However, after his death the call for “Santo Subito” (Sainthood Immediately) was heard throughout the Vatican City.
Yesterday I talked a bit about saints, but what does it actually take to become a saint? Everyone agrees that Pope John Paul led an amazing life and positively influenced a number of people, but to become a saint, one must have performed miracles. The first documented miracle will allow beatification, which allows the person to be called “blessed” and locally honored. The next step is sainthood, which requires another miracle. You can learn more about this story here.
Pope John Paul, pope, Catholic Church, Vatican City, sainthood, saint
“Cases such as the lady who reported seeing an object that looked like a flying roll of toilet paper” are clearly not worth investigating, said Patenet.
But many others involving multiple sightings — in at least one case involving thousands of people across France — and evidence such as burn marks and radar trackings showing flight patterns or accelerations that defy the laws of physics are taken very seriously. Read more…
France has just publicly opened its “secret” UFO files, creating an website database of the stories. The concept is one that has always intrigued me, for multiple reasons.
In terms of religion, though, the possibility of meeting visitors from another world raises real questions about God in our own world. Because the Divine would have had to make the aliens too…right? I think that’s something I’d be itching to ask if I could meet an out-of-this-world creature. Not that I’m trying to prove that there is a God, but it would b neat to see if they even have religion and, if so, if it is similar to ours at all.
In a rerun of an argument that flared during the drafting of the constitution, Ms Merkel has left out any reference to God or Christianity. That is in deference to secular nations or those that stress the separation of church and state.
But the omission has upset several, predominantly Catholic, countries including Poland, which had sought a reference to the EU’s Christian roots. But the Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, has told Ms Merkel that the text is acceptable. He said that while Poland had ” reservations over some parts of the declaration” it would be “the only country in the EU” not to sign up to the declaration were it to refuse.
You can read the full story here.
[tag]European Union, EU, religion, God[/tags]
[Christine] Mize, a 45-year-old graduate student in social work from Murphysboro, said SIUC associate professor Laura Dreuth-Zeman informed her in December she wouldn’t be able to write a term paper about faith-based therapy for women experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder from abortions. Read the rest…
The debate over religion in public schools has been ongoing for a long time now with no clear resolution in site, but it is more rare that you hear about this debate extending to the college world. In any case, I was surprised to read this article. Mize, who’s original idea for a paper topic was turned down, late submitted a different paper that included religious ideas. The paper was accompanied by a legal statement declaring the freedom of religion entitled her to a fair grade. At first, the paper was not graded, but later the professor graded it, probably to avoid what could have been a messy legal value.
I’m torn on how I feel about this case. On one hand, I’m glad Mize stood up for her religious beliefs. There’s not a lot of people willing to do that in the world today. I fully believe that she should have been allowed to do her original faith-based therapy topic. Actually, for a course in social work, that sounds like a very interesting topic about which to read.
However, it kind of sounds like she used her paper to make a statement. Its great to be able to use religious examples in a paper, but as an English major, I know very well how to write a paper, and one of the main things we learn is how to write to a specific audience. The fact of the matter is, in the world of social work, there will be a lot of times when religion just isn’t appropriate at work. In fact, it can get you into some legal trouble in some cases. Mize knew that her religious topics were not appreciated, but she went against the professor and included them in her paper anyway. For that alone, I think it is warranted that she receive a lower grade. It has nothing to do with what she actually believes–it has everything to do with her following directions.
religion, religion in schools, education, Christine Mize, first amendment
With people in the gay community like Elton John vehemently expressing dissatisfaction with organized religion, one is often left to wonder, is there a place in religion for gays who still want to go to church and be a part of an organized community.
The answer is yes. Recently, the Episcopal Church again made a statement to open their arms to the gay community.
“We wish to reaffirm to our lesbian and gay members that they remain a welcome and integral part of the Episcopal Church,” the council said, then offered “prayerful concern” for those who consider gay relationships sinful. “We wish to reaffirm that they too remain a welcome and integral part of the Episcopal Church,” the council said.
You can read the rest of the articles here.
With recently press surrounding gay hatred, like the Grey’s Anatomy fiasco when a leading star Isaiah Washington made gay slurs toward another cast member, this kind of outpouring is important. The church made headlines in the past in 2003 when they consecrated the first openly gay bishop. It has been speculated that a number of ministers, priests, and other religious leaders are secretly homosexual, but for the first time the Episcopal Church took a step towards acceptance. Hopefully other organized religious groups can do the same.
Episcopal Church, gay, gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson, Grey’s Anatomy, Isaiah Washington, gay slurs
Whether you think it is a religious miracle or a medical miracle, the fact is that Yahoo! and other news sources are reporting what is, in fact, a miracle. After six years in a vegetative state, Christa Lilly awoke for three whole days and was able to communicate with friends, family, and reporters. She awakened during this period four other times (the last time being 8 months ago), but always for very brief periods. Lilly has since reentered the coma-like vegetative state, but her family is hopeful. Her first words were “I’m fine.” You can read the whole story here.
Last time I talked about a scientific miracle, when Flora, a reptile who had never been in the pretense of a male, gave birth, I got some backlash for calling it a miracle. Religious values aside, what, then, is a miracle?
According to dictionary.com, a miracle has multiple meanings, the first being “an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.” The second meaning given is “such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.”
Is this awakening a miracle?
Yes, I believe it is. Even if you don’t believe in God, the fact remains the doctors have no idea how this woman has been able to awake after so long as a vegetable. There are multiple theories, but until any of them are proven (if they can be proven), this qualifies as a miracle because it really is an extraordinary event that surpasses all knowledge.
The second point this event must meet to qualify is that it is ascribed to a supernatural cause or considered a work of God.
You may not believe that. Millions of people do not. However, the family firmly believes that God is sending her back to them periodically so that they will not worry about her.
Furthermore, even if doctors ever can proven why she is waking up, that doesn’t mean God isn’t the one causing it. I mean, for example, say there’s a certain medication she’s taking that is causing her brain to stimulate occasionally and wake up. There are dozens of other medications she could probably take that achieve the original effect intended. What made her doctors choose that particular medication? Why was she affects when no other coma patients were? Isn’t is a wonder in itself that her family didn’t give up hope long ago and pull the plug?
If you don’t believe that a higher power caused these turns of evens, then the alternative is to believe that these things just fell into place randomly–and really, can’t you look at that as something beyond human power? If it is caused by something beyond human power, this qualifies as a miracle.
This was a medical miracle, whether on not you believe in God, and my best wishes go out to the Lilly family. Go ahead, rip apart my argument. I dare you!
miracle, medical miracle, coma, God, religion, faith, Christa Lilly, awaking from a coma
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