Religion's infusion into politics offers opportunities for verbal abuse

Reverend Huckabee who once ran for President of the United States--wikimedia commons

One of the more troublesome aspects of religion, many say, is its infusion into politics, especially of the kind that intimates President Obama is part of a plot that includes radical Muslims to downgrade the United States values so the country can be taken over by evil forces.

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Worship of One God becomes the underlying theme of World Religion Day every January

                                                      Khurshid Khan on World Religion Day

Carol Forsloff-----Every year in January people celebrate World Religion Day.  It is a time for people of all faiths to come together to share ideas and beliefs and to form bonds of friendship.  At Thanksgiving, it is also common for a dinner to be held in commemoration of those bonds and to allow people to express their friendship, while they learn about the beliefs that are shared or are unique for each group.

Shreveport World Religion Day is an occasion that acknowledges the diversity of beliefs by offering a conference and public forum.  As occurs in many cities around the world people of all faiths come together and speak about their respective beliefs by way of forums, workshops, lectures, music and displays.  And in doing so, they not only educate one another, they form lasting bonds in recognition of their ideas that people can be connected through a common thread of love for one's fellow man and one's Creator, however that idea is manifested.

In the world of controversy, disappointment and argument, when there are opportunities for people of different cultures or religions to share, it becomes a time to acknowledge the ways in which people are the same, as opposed to reinforcing differences.  The outcome is one of bringing each person to a different perspective than the narrow view of the world as being one's region or small community and one's particular idea of religion, ethics and God.

That idea of being connected through one God or part of a universal concept of nature is part of poetry, song, book topics and discussion groups.  Sometimes it appears it is an almost yearning to know that other person of a different culture or religion and to become a friend, or at least to be someone who has some notion of understanding and connection with another individual who may not think the same but has that essential goodness that is appealing.

The arguments that come from political, social and religious differences have the effect of making people sad, uncomfortable or even angry.  Psychologists remind us that when we indulge in our differences, or negative thoughts, we can be depressed and that can turn inside to hurt ourselves or outside to hurt others.

World Religion Day is one of those special times when people get to meld, merge, join hands, sing, play, smile, laugh and generally enjoy one another.  As a journalist who has written about those occasions, the joy of having been involved with these remarkable times remains as a positive lifetime experience.

An article in an AkLaTex online site offers these observations from participants:  "I believe that if we can learn to tolerate other people's religions and not feel that we're opposed to them and have to stop other people's religions, then we can live in peace with each other," says Bob Jordan, who sat in on a lecture.

"I really like to see how the different religions are helping to take care of our community and to show compassion in the world," says Pam Carlilse, who sat in on a panel discussion.

Muslim Chaplain Khurshid Khan has been concerned that so many people misunderstand Islam and focus on terrorism, which is contrary to the tenets of his faith.

"Somebody says terrorism, somebody says, "oh,  they're not good people, they don't know who they follow or worship,'" Khan was reported to say. "We worship only one God."

                                                  Jew, Muslim and Catholic

The holding hands of a a Jewish man, Catholic nun, and Muslim  in the joy of understanding is an image we can all enjoy, in reminding us of the good in our world that far surpasses any negative thought or notion we might have toward one another.

Ancient teachings foretell the birth of the Christ

The star that represents a symbol of Christmas

The religions of the world have roots that come from ancient teachings.  Christmas, according to the Christian belief and practice, is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus, the Christ.  The belief in Jesus as the Messiah comes from prophecy, of which there are several,  found in the Old Testament, with the most well-known from the Book of Isaiah.

On Christmas Eve Christians gather in their churches to celebrate the birth of Christ.  And even as they honor the prophecies about Jesus in the Holy Bible, the book Christians turn to for the message of Christ and the references made in the Old Testament, others in the world of faith before the time of Christ are said to have known of His coming.

Some researchers have examined the prophesies as well as the account of Jesus birth and observed that the Magi were Zoroastrian priests whose own writings and observations allowed them to see the astrological signs in the planetary alignments and know that a child of great significance was to be born in Bethlehem.  It is the reason, some say, the wise men brought the gifts they did, to protect, or to embalm or keep safe the child from harm.

Zoroastrians are said to have originated in Persia, or as it is known now as Iran.  The magi were the priests, not kings, as the old Christmas carol recites.  Many religious scholars point to the Zoroastrians, followers of Zarathustra, as the world's first monotheistic religion, thereby preceding the Jews, whom the Western world has considered the first to believe in one God. The Magi were traveling missionaries - their faith called for them to seek "saviors" and to teach that each of us is a potential savior of our world. The word "savior" had a different meaning to the Magi as it does to today's Christians.

But it is in the Book of Isaiah that the reference to the coming of the Messiah and the signs of His coming are prophesied.  And it is this ancient teaching that most of the world's religions look to when examining the birth of Jesus as narrated in the New Testament.  The passage that follows is the one cited the most:

Christians look at Syrian conflict as fulfillment of Biblical prophecy

[caption id="attachment_20064" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cathedrale d'Amiens--Day of Judgment[/caption]

Carol Forsloff---“Only those who know the future and what it holds can live at peace in the midst of a world going mad. And the only way to know the future is to know God and His Word.”  This statement of belief by David Jeremiah represents those who believe in Biblical prophecy, with some of them pointing to the Syrian conflict as one of the signs of the Second Coming and the end of the world.

Time magazine has specifically explored this issue, noting how many Christians maintain that the conflicts in the Middle East represent some of the prophecies in the Bible about the Holy Lands and how the struggles in those lands are documented in scripture and offer vigilant believers early signs that Christ’s kingdom is at hand.

As President Barack Obama assesses the conflict in Syria, and government leaders around the world, together with their constituents, line up on one side or the other to consider a military strike against Syria, whose government is alleged to have carried out chemical weapons attacks against its own people, Evangelical Christians see what is happening as the unfolding of a design that was presented in language both symbolic and spiritual, as a promise of better days to come.

Jan Markell, founder and director of Minnesota-based Olive Tree Ministries, is quoted by OneNewsNow, an online publication as saying that “the Syrians’ use of chemical weapons makes her think about Isaiah 17, which foretells the complete destruction of Damascus, which hasn't happened in thousands of years. “

This quote by Markell and her reflection on it represents the views of many Christian believers, even as others see the Syrian conflict, and the potential for world response that expands to other nations and to an ultimate war that aids no one.  Still those who see signs of the Rapture find it in this quotation from the Book of Isaiah:  “This message came to me concerning Damascus: ‘Look, Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted. Sheep will graze in the streets and lie down unafraid. There will be no one to chase them away. The fortified cities of Israel will also be destroyed, and the power of Damascus will end. The few left in Aram will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 17:1-3