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Jefferson Bible reveals Founding Father's view of God, faith - Los Angeles Times
Making good on a promise to a friend to summarize his views on Christianity, Thomas Jefferson set to work with scissors, snipping out every miracle and inconsistency he could find in the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Then, relying on a cut-and-paste technique, he reassembled the excerpts into what he believed was a more coherent narrative and pasted them onto blank paper -- alongside translations in French, Greek and Latin.
In a letter sent from Monticello to John Adams in 1813, Jefferson said his "wee little book" of 46 pages was based on a lifetime of inquiry and reflection and contained "the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man."
He called the book "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth." Friends dubbed it the Jefferson Bible. It remains perhaps the most comprehensive expression of what the nation's third president and principal author of the Declaration of Independence found ethically interesting about the Gospels and their depiction of Jesus.
"I have performed the operation for my own use," he continued, "by cutting verse by verse out of the printed book, and arranging the matter, which is evidently his and which is as easily distinguished as diamonds in a dunghill."
The little leather-bound tome, several facsimiles of which are kept at the Huntington Library in San Marino, continues to fascinate scholars exploring the powerful and varied relationships between the Founding Fathers and the most sacred book of the Western World.
The big question now, said Lori Anne Ferrell, a professor of early modern history and literature at Claremont Graduate University, is this:
"Can you imagine the reaction if word got out that a president of the United States cut out Bible passages with scissors, glued them onto paper and said, 'I only believe these parts?' "
"He was a product of his age," said Ferrell, whose upcoming book, "The Bible and the People," includes a chapter on the Jefferson Bible. "Yet, he is the least likely person I'd want to pray with. He was more skeptical about religion than the other Founding Fathers." Making good on a promise to a friend to summarize his views on Christianity, Thomas Jefferson set to work with scissors, snipping out ... more -
Bishops back plea for 'inclusive communion'
Anglican leaders yesterday appealed for "inclusivity" within their communion, at a gathering of 650 Bishops from around the world.
Bishop Duleep de Chickera, from Sri Lanka, said that "there is space equally for anyone and everyone, regardless of colour, ability, gender or sexual orientationtation."
200 conservative Bishops have boycotted the event, and Chickera also appealed directly to them, by adding that "unity in diversity is the cherished Anglican tradition ... United in spite of the fact that we are different, because in Christ we are equal".
The big problem with this statement is that they are arguing over what Christ would have wanted, make a choice boys, you're already about 30 years behind. Anglican leaders yesterday appealed for "inclusivity" within their communion, at a gathering of 650 Bishops from around the world. ... more -
11 Mistakes That We Make As Parents
Parenting is the most important thing that we will ever do. Here are some suggestions for finding success as a parent.
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More religions, more trouble
THE separatist conflict in Indonesia’s Papua region—formerly known as Irian Jaya and once one of the world’s great liberal causes—has become relatively quiet in recent years. Small groups of protesters still occasionally gather to wave the Morning Star independence flag and get arrested for it. But decades of repression by the Indonesian security forces, combined with the granting in 2000 of partial autonomy from Jakarta, have sapped the separatists’ ranks. However, according to a recent report on the region, there is a risk that the separatist conflict may be rekindled or replaced by religious strife because of the arrival of new and more muscular forms of both Islam and Christianity.
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The report, by the International Crisis Group (ICG), a think-tank, says rising religious tension has already come close to triggering violence between Muslims and Christians, as is already common in the nearby, mixed-faith province of Maluku. In Kaimana district, for example, members of the two religions had long lived together harmoniously. But in December locals came close to blows over the erection of an iron tower shaped like a Christmas tree, topped with a Star of David—often used by charismatic Christian groups but best known as a symbol of Judaism.
The new Christian groups have raised Muslims’ hackles by boasting (sometimes falsely) of their conversions of Muslims. Muslims, in turn, have become increasingly vigilant against any perceived threats either to their faith or to Indonesian sovereignty. Some Islamic radicals are prone to conspiracy theories about plots to prise Papua away from Indonesia, often involving America and its majority-Christian regional allies, Australia and the Philippines.
Increased fundamentalism has sharpened each ethnic group’s fear of domination by the other. The Indonesian government has discontinued its programme of transportation to Papua and elsewhere to relieve overcrowding on Java. But migrants are still flooding in. Official figures show that in 2004 Muslims were 23% of the region’s 2m-odd population, up from 6.5% in 1964. In reality the proportion of Muslims is thought to be much higher, probably over half now—but the government has not published accurate updated figures.
Christians believe this is a cover-up to hide the truth: that migration has made Papuans a minority in their homeland. They also fear that the government in Jakarta is increasingly endorsing Islamic orthodoxy at the expense of Indonesia’s non-Muslims. The Muslims, in turn, agree that they are now the majority in Papua—a local Hizb-ut-Tahrir leader recently claimed that Papua is 65% Muslim—but they feel that Papuan autonomy could lead to them being discriminated against or even expelled from the region.
There are some moderating influences: last year, mainstream Muslims set up a new body, the Papuan Muslim Council, to put the case for tolerance. Some of the charismatic Christian groups, far from inciting separatism among ethnic Papuans, argue for accommodation with the Indonesian powers-that-be (render unto Caesar and all that). Even so, argues the ICG, there is a danger that continuing migration, combined with the radicalisation of both main religions, could re-ignite the dormant separatist conflict.
THE separatist conflict in Indonesia’s Papua region—formerly known as Irian Jaya and once one of the world’s great liberal causes—has ... more -
Man Electrocutes Pickle to Demonstrate Power of Christianity
Finally, proof that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. Gentleman proves Christianity is the one true religion by electrocuting a pickle.
Originally posted by Filled with Chocolate Pudding! Finally, proof that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. Gentleman proves Christianity is the one true religion by electr... more -
Man electrocutes gherkin to prove power of Christianity
TOTALLY makes sense. But does it BLEND?
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Nigeria's all-Gay Church
In Nigeria, homosexuality is still both a major religious and social taboo. Nevertheless, the 'House of Rainbow' church is nw defying local prejudices, and contains an entirely gay congregation (though is not exclusively for homsexuals).
Jide Macaulay, the Church's Pastor, speaks of the need to "reconcile sexuality and spirituality" saying that his church's aim is to correct the self-image of gay people, who in Nigeria "are told that they are an abomination", or "children of the devil."
However in contrast to their openness inside the Church, most homosexuals in Nigeria are still forced to keep their sexuality a secret in everyday life, and live in fear of homophobic attacks, as well as the law: in Nigeria, the most liberal punishment for "homosexual acts" is 14 years in prison. This seems lenient however, when you compare it to the north of the country where, under Sharia law, homosexuals can be stoned to death.
Similar divisions to those in the UK and US have arisen in Nigeria's Anglican church, with anti-gay conservatives also threatening to separate in defiance of gay marriages performed by the Church in other countries.
In Nigeria, homosexuality is still both a major religious and social taboo. Nevertheless, the 'House of Rainbow' church is nw defying ... more -
Women who don't submit to husbands are to blame for domestic violence, says Baptis...
One reason that men abuse their wives is because women rebel against their husband's God-given authority, a Southern Baptist scholar said in a Texas church recently.
Bruce Ware, professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, said women desire to have their own way instead of submitting to their husbands because of sin.
"And husbands on their parts, because they're sinners, now respond to that threat to their authority either by being abusive, which is of course one of the ways men can respond when their authority is challenged--or, more commonly, to become passive, acquiescent, and simply not asserting the leadership they ought to as men in their homes and in churches," Ware said from the pulpit of Denton Bible Church in Denton, Texas.
Ware said God created men and women equally in God's image but for different roles.
"He has primary responsibility for the work and the labor and the toil that will provide for the family, that will sustain their family," he said. "He's the one in charge of leadership in the family, and that will become difficult, because of sin."
"...A woman will demonstrate that she is in fact a Christian, that she has submitted to God's ways by affirming and embracing her God-designed identity as--for the most part, generally this is true--as wife and mother, rather than chafing against it, rather than bucking against it, rather than wanting to be a man, wanting to be in a man's position, wanting to teach and exercise authority over men,"
Oh. My. God. (Or not, as the case may be). Like we needed any more reasons to scorn and revile southern American right-wing religious types. Why doesn't this stuff make the headlines more often? How can Christians tell Muslims (and they do, often) that some elements of Islam treat women unfairly? Are enough loons out there taking this crap seriously for it to be a serious social and political issue?
One reason that men abuse their wives is because women rebel against their husband's God-given authority, a Southern Baptist scholar s... more -
Santacruzan 2008 Queen Reyna Elena
In many places in the Philippines, during the month of May, many processions are held in honor of the Virgin Mary. This one is held in Glendale, California. Sometimes, one is reminded only that it is the month of May when one meets such a procession downtown or in a sidestreet of the city. That is the Santa Cruz de Mayo. Many versions of the procession have evolved through the years. And this makes it interesting to find out what it was really like in the time of our grandfathers. In many places in the Philippines, during the month of May, many processions are held in honor of the Virgin Mary. This one is held in... more
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Christian 'I won't marry gays' registrar has illegitimate child
A civil registrar who claimed her Christian belief is so fundamental that she cannot not conduct civil partnerships is an unmarried single mother, it has been revealed.
During an employment tribunal Lillian Ladele, 47, claimed that she was discriminated against by Islington Council on the grounds of her religious belief.
The tribunal's judgement read:
"Ms Ladele is a Christian. Her unchallenged evidence was that she holds the orthodox Christian view that marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life to the exclusion of all others and that marriage is the God-ordained place for sexual relations.
"She could not reconcile her faith with taking an active part in enabling same-sex unions to be formed.
But she has now told the Daily Mail that she gave birth to an illegitimate son when she was 20. "I would never claim to be perfect," she said.
The revelation has led to accusations that she was not properly cross-examined at the tribunal about the nature of her religious faith.
The Christian Institute financed Ms Ladele's case. The tribunal ruled that she was unlawfully discriminated against because of her religion.
Can people like Ms Ladele claim to be devoutly Christian-living in one part of their life, while acting in a way that's contrary to their supposed beliefs in another? Is this hypocrisy of the highest order, or a different set of issues entirely?
A civil registrar who claimed her Christian belief is so fundamental that she cannot not conduct civil partnerships is an unmarried si... more -
Christians outraged over Koran delivery in Houston
A Christian community in Houston is outraged by the delivery of English translations of the Koran being delivered to people's doors. The Korans were delivered along with a flyer that read, “Please accept this gift from your Muslim neighbors.”
While I'm not a fan of proselytizing in any religion, I find it particularly sad that none of the people quoted seemed to recognize that Christian evangelism can be equally offensive to those of other faiths. A Christian community in Houston is outraged by the delivery of English translations of the Koran being delivered to people's doors. T... more -
Gay Bishop heckled during sermon
Gene Robinson, the world's only openly gay Bishop, has had a sermon he was giving in London interrupted by an anti-gay protester.
The heckler's outburst forced the Bishop to pause in mid sentence, as he branded him a "heretic", and urged him to "repent". A hymn was sung as the man was 'escorted' from the building by church heavies (just kidding).
This incident highlights the massive controversy stirred up in the Anglican communion over issues such as homosexuality, which have lead to criticism of the Archbishop of Canterbury's handling of ultra conservative groups, which Bishop Robinson has called "appeasment".
The national director of the "traditionalist Christian voice" in the UK had earlier expressed dismay at the Bishop being allowed to preach, saying that homosexuality was "something that God himself called an abomination". Gene Robinson, the world's only openly gay Bishop, has had a sermon he was giving in London interrupted by an anti-gay protester. ... more -
Serenity prayer stirs up doubt - who wrote it?
Generations of recovering alcoholics, soldiers, weary parents, exploited workers and just about anybody feeling beaten down by life have found solace in a short prayer:
"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next."
Now the Serenity Prayer is about to endure a controversy over its authorship that is likely to be anything but serene.
For more than 70 years, the composer of the prayer was thought to be the Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, one of modern Christianity’s towering figures. Niebuhr, who died in 1971, said he was quite sure he had written it, and his wife, Ursula, also a prominent theologian, dated its composition to the early 1940s.
His daughter Elisabeth Sifton, a book editor and publisher, wrote a book about the prayer in 2003 in which she described her father first using it in 1943 in an “ordinary Sunday service” at a church in the bucolic Massachusetts town of Heath, where the Niebuhr family spent summers.
Now, a law librarian at Yale, using new databases of archival documents, has found newspaper clippings and a book from as far back as 1936 that quote close versions of the prayer. The quotations are from civic leaders all over the United States — a Y.W.C.A. leader in Syracuse, a public school counselor in Oklahoma City — and are always, interestingly, by women.
Some refer to the prayer as if it were a proverb, while others appear to claim it as their own poetry. None attribute the prayer to a particular source. And they never mention Reinhold Niebuhr.
An article about the mystery of the prayer, by Fred R. Shapiro, associate library director and lecturer at Yale Law School, will be published next week in the Yale Alumni Magazine, an independent bimonthly publication. It will be followed by a rebuttal from Ms. Sifton.
Mr. Shapiro, who edited “The Yale Book of Quotations,” said in an interview, “Reinhold Niebuhr was a very honest person who was very forthright and modest about his role in the Serenity Prayer. My interpretation would be that he probably unconsciously adapted it from something that he had heard or read.”
In his quotation avocation, Mr. Shapiro says he has debunked claims about the provenance of other famous sayings, including Murphy’s Law (“Anything that can go wrong will”) and P. T. Barnum’s (“There’s a sucker born every minute”). Generations of recovering alcoholics, soldiers, weary parents, exploited workers and just about anybody feeling beaten down by life ha... more -
The Pope in pictures: Australian visit
Some images from the BBC showing the Pope onboard his plane, dubbed inventively 'shepherd one', and his touchdown onto Australian soil. Some images from the BBC showing the Pope onboard his plane, dubbed inventively 'shepherd one', and his touchdown onto Australian soil... more
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We Are Not Born Gay, Sweedish Twin study Shows
Identical twins develop when one fertilized egg separates into two individuals. As such, identical twins have nearly identical DNA. Researchers study the concordance of a trait in identical twins to see whether or not a trait is genetically-linked. In a concordant pair of twins, both show the same characteristic.
Twin studies that have been conducted to date actually demonstrate that homosexuality is not genetic. As Dr. Neil Whitehead notes, “In a nutshell, if you take pairs of identical twins in which one twin is homosexual, the identical co-twin is usually not homosexual. That means, given that identical twins are always genetically identical, homosexuality cannot be genetically dictated. No-one is born gay
In general, twin studies show that when one male identical twin is gay-identified, the other will be gay-identified one time in nine, or only 11% of the time. The percentages are similar for female homosexuality. If homosexual behavior, attractions and identity were completely genetic, the similarity would be closer to 100%. What this tells us is that same-sex attracted twins are not born that way. Thus, within a pair of identical twins – where one twin has same-sex attractions – the other will have opposite-sex attractions eight out of nine times.
So what about this 2008 Swedish twin study ?
The study of twins and homosexuality was touted in a press release as “the largest in the world so far.” The authors said that “more than 7,600 Swedish twins….responded to a 2005-2006 survey of health, behaviour, and sexuality.” I
In their analysis:
Only 7 pairs of male identical twins were found where both had any same-sex partner in their lifetime;
Only 26 pairs of female identical twins were found where both had any same-sex partner in their lifetime;
Only 64 pairs of identical male twins were found where only 1 of the pair had any same-sex partners;
And only 188 pairs of identical female twins were found where only 1 of the pair had any same-sex partners. (10)
Significantly, their data show a very low number of identical twin pairs who had both engaged in same-sex behaviors. The data also show a very low concordance rate (where both twins show the same trait) – less then 10% for the males and slightly over 12% for the females. Again, the study points to what we already know: there is a low concordance rate for homosexuality among identical twins, and the main factors in homosexuality are not genetic.
Click on the link for more details
Identical twins develop when one fertilized egg separates into two individuals. As such, identical twins have nearly identical DNA. Re... more -
Protest disrupts gay bishop's sermon
Openly gay US bishop Gene Robinson was forced to halt a sermon at a west London church after being heckled today.
As Bishop Robinson began his sermon a member of the congregation repeatedly called him a "heretic" and said "repent, repent, repent".
He began his sermon by saying how sad it was that the Anglican Communion was tearing itself apart.
But he was stopped when the man in the congregation shouted that the schism was the bishop's fault.
The man's protest was followed by slow hand-clapping by members of the congregation (were they there just to harrass him?), and Bishop Robinson halted his sermon while a hymn was sung and the protester was escorted from the church in Putney, south west London.
The man was taken outside and left on a motorbike (evidence of him being masculine and terribly heterosexual, no doubt), but no further action was taken against him by police officers present.
Bishop Robinson said: "I think God wants us to be bold, I think God wants us to take risks, I don't think God wants us to be afraid."
I wonder what hymn they chose while they were trying to quell the protest... Is there one called 'shut up your gay-hating, you hypocritical so-called followers of goodness and love' I wonder?
Openly gay US bishop Gene Robinson was forced to halt a sermon at a west London church after being heckled today. ... more -
Ian McKellen attacks "homophobic" Anglican church
Sir Ian McKellen, best known for playing the staff-wielding wizard Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films, has today spoken out at what he called the Anglican church's "problem with homphobia".
That's putting it mildly Ian.
The actor, who is a founding member of the gay rights group Stonewall, listed the church, along with the armed forces and schools, as institutions with outdated attitudes towards homosexuality.
Rather than having a purely scriptural objection, he believes Anglicans start out with an agenda against gay people, and then "root around in the Bible" for passages which could be interpreted as condemning homosexuality.
McKellen, himself an atheist, made the comments alongside Gene Robinson, the first openly gay person to be ordained as a Bishop. Sir Ian McKellen, best known for playing the staff-wielding wizard Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films, has today spoken out at wha... more -
The Psychology of Trolls
Hello Everyone, this is a topic of great concern to me and to many others. The number of trolls making into the Current stream. They comes in all shapes and sizes, but the vast majority of them, in my experience, are bigoted and hateful posters.
Here is an interesting article on the psychology of trolls, and it warns us not to feed them or they will keep coming back and continue to agitate and ignite controversy.
Here is a recent exchange I have had with a troll, and I have decided to block the troll from emailing me further. I have not purposefully engaged with this troll, the troll emailed me in response to another post I did on a thread involving homosexuality.
I am providing an excerpt from that exchange, but you can see two things from this exchange.
1. that the person in question is a troll
2. that I was foolish in taking the bait to make the exchange
3. that nothing was accomplished other than to motivate me to post this thread
Hopefully you will all learn something from this post, or you will share your wisdom and insight in the psychology of trolls and what strategies to use with them
CURRENT EMAIL EXCHANGE BELOW:
Hello Everyone, this is a topic of great concern to me and to many others. The number of trolls making into the Current stream. They c... more -
U.S. Census Bureau won't count same-sex marraiges
In 2010 when the United States fulfills it's constitutional duty to count every citizen in the United States and collect other data as it relates to public policy; the census will not count the thousands of same-sex marriages in California or Massachusetts:
"The U.S. Census Bureau, reacting to the federal Defense of Marriage Act and other mandates, plans to edit the 2010 census responses of same-sex couples who marry legally in California, Massachusetts or any other state. They will be reported as "unmarried partners," rather than married spouses, in census tabulations - a policy that will likely draw the ire of gay rights groups."
"This has been a question we've been looking at for quite a long time," said Martin O'Connell, chief of the Census Bureau's Fertility and Family Statistics Branch. "It's not something the bureau could arbitrarily or casually decide to change on a whim, because our data is used by virtually every federal agency."
Critics argue that the Census decision is political, unjustified and poor public policy. They believe the census should collect accurate information about American families, rather than create government sanctioned closets. In 2010 when the United States fulfills it's constitutional duty to count every citizen in the United States and collect other data as... more -
Bible Publishers Sued for Anti-Gay References
A Michigan man is seeking $70 million from two Christian publishers for emotional distress and mental instability he received during the past 20 years from versions of the Bible that refer to homosexuality as a sin.
Bradley LaShawn Fowler, a gay man, claims his constitutional rights were infringed upon by Zondervan Publishing Co. and Thomas Nelson Publishing, both of which, he claims, deliberately caused homosexuals to suffer by misinterpretation of the Bible.
Fowler, 39, is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and another $10 million from Thomas Nelson.
According to a USA Today report, Fowler’s two separate suits against the publishers claim the intent of the Bible revisions that refer to homosexuals as sinners reflect an individual opinion or a group's conclusion.
Fowler says the deliberate changes made to first Corinthians, chapter six, verse nine caused him "or anyone who is a homosexual to endure verbal abuse, discrimination, episodes of hate, and physical violence ... including murder."
Fowler, who is representing himself in both lawsuits, claims the publishers are misinterpreting the Bible by specifically using the word homosexuals, which made him an outcast from his family and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of demoralization, chaos and bewilderment.
“These are opinions based on the publishers and they are being embedded in the religious structure as a way of life," he tells a local NBC TV station affiliate in Grand Rapids. A Michigan man is seeking $70 million from two Christian publishers for emotional distress and mental instability he received during ... more
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