Pay to Pray?

My Gram is a devout Roman Catholic and invests a huge amount of her time and money into her faith. She mails out checks to different convents to support them, and in return the nuns of the convents offer to take prayer requests. I learned of this when she showed me a form letter they mailed her telling her how her money was being put to use and how they had been praying for Anne (my name was written without the "e"” on a fill-in-the blank line) and communicating with my deceased grandfather through prayer. I thought this was really sweet of Gram to ask them to pray for me, but was this for real? Was she getting her money'’s worth? I suppose she thought so and that's what counts, but how would she know if they had actually prayed for me or not? I'm not suggesting that nuns are scamming her because it is a legitimate church, but they didn'’t even take the time to send her a personal letter or to spell my name (or hers for that matter!) correctly. I guess it'’s what you believe in and what makes you happy, but in this day and age, trusting anyone with your money is a risky prospect.

Another example Gram brought to my attention was her local priest. This 55-year old man was getting edgy with the church guild because people weren'’t giving enough money to the church to "“adequately support" it. As it turns out, the priest had two days earlier traveled almost 200 miles to be fitted for two custom suits to be made for him in Italy. This man who took a vow of poverty is bitching at elderly members of his parish with limited funding for not giving enough money to support his expensive taste in clothing. He recently started sending around the collection a second time.

At the very same church, Gram dedicates so much of her time to serving on her church guild and working on fundraising events-- —just to pay the church'’s bills. Bean suppers, used book sales, dances, bake sales, raffles, bingo, yard sales, and all sorts of other events are hosted on a nearly weekly basis. Surely it is common for other churches to struggle to stay afloat as well. It seems ironic that people of so much faith and trust in God have to scramble to keep the church together; even more ironic is that many members toil away at multiple jobs just to put dinner on the table and pay the bills. On the other hand, a priest, who took a vow of poverty, is provided with more than just the essentials by those very same church members.

That is why it is so infuriating to hear of instances of affinity fraud, in which a person tries to relate to others that are members of a specific demographic, often religious groups or the elderly, and get close to members in the group to gain their trust and then their money by scamming them. A local example is back in December when a woman embezzled money from her church's collection plate that was supposed to go toward church humanitarian efforts abroad. Instead, the woman purchased a shore home and a breast enlargement. There are many more instances of this type of dishonesty and greed within some churches related to money issues, even some of our "holiest" can turn out to be immoral. I wonder if they thought about how God might be watching...

A society of surveillance

We are constantly being watched. Everywhere that we go, be it on campus or throughout the world, surveillance is everywhere. From CCTV (the Penn security cameras that are constantly being monitored) to cameras at stoplights that photograph traffic violations, it is impossible to get away with anything these days. It is as if this surveillance by the government with its omnipresence has taken the place of God as the observer of our every move.
It used to be that when one would commit a misdeed that one believed no one bore witness to, he or she still had God to answer to. Now in this ever-increasing world of atheists, the government has stepped up to the plate. By letting us think that we may be constantly watched, they are able to control our movements and keep our behavior in check. We used to have God to answer to in the afterlife. Now we have the justice system to answer to in our current life. This departure from spiritual accountability and shift towards law enforcement accountability creates a society of mindless drones. We obey laws now, not because we think that they are morally right (after all who are we hurting by driving a few miles above the speed limit?) but because we know we are being watched and must act accordingly.
In addition to this superimposition of the moral structure, the idea of our every move being known is very frightening. The government not only sees us when we walk out in public, they have our financial records on file. They know what organizations we give money to and they could even find out what kind of toothpaste we use.
This new and terrifying governmental surveillance that has developed has taken over the role of God. No longer though is he a God of benevolence, but rather a judging, punishing Old Testament God.

Why do people continue to attend?

The following post is written by Kristen (kristenmh1217), but she was having troubles getting it uploaded, so I am posting it for her:

Over the course of the semester we have explored many different definitions of religion. But, we never really talked about exactly what lies beneath the doctrines of various religions. I would like to take this opportunity to talk about what I think those common threads are.

I would like to consider myself a moral person, but I guess the jury is still out on that one. I also never went to church on a consistent basis. Whenever I did go, I always felt that the parables were really just ways to guide moral action. Although I have not read any religious texts, form what I do know, it seems that morality is pretty high on the list of important things to discuss. If this is the case, then do you really need a religion or a church to tell you these things? Morality is reinforced at home, at school, and in many other non-(overtly) religious organizations. To this day I am a Girl Scout and have been taught to be moral, to respect others, to help in my community, and to become a leader. But, again, I never attended church long enough for it to become a large part of my life.

This leads me to my question: If people can teach morality, to the extent that morality can be taught, at places other than the church, then why do people continue to attend? One answer is for the community. But, I have found community through many of my activities that are not associated with church. My other thought is that church and God serve as security blankets for believers. Believing in fate and having faith that someone is looking out for you are panaceas for any worries you may have in life. When you believe you can always say, “It’ll work out, God’s watching."

As a non-believer, that actually sounds kind of nice—honestly believing that someone is looking out for you and planning your life is such a wonderful delusion. But, it is still a delusion. It also leaves the door wide open for a “hands-off” approach to life. If God has a plan, then you never really have to take responsibility for your actions. If you do take responsibility for your actions, the onus is all on you. You can’t blame anyone but yourself, which can be hard sometimes. No one likes to be wrong or to make a mistake, but worse yet is taking responsibility for that action.

Finally, one criticism is that religious people are not prone to thinking for themselves. But, to what extent is anyone truly thinking for themselves? Every day we are influenced by our professors, our parents, our friends, our peers, the shows we watch, the advertisements we are exposed to. The list literally never ends. Honestly, I don’t quite know where I stand on this topic. I know I am not religious, but how should I feel about religious people? One thing I do know is that I really hate the people who are only religious on Sunday’s. Religion is part of an identity, shaping how people view you and how you should behave. Please don’t claim to be religious if you are a slut or a murderer or a liar. I understand no one is perfect, but either do it all the way or don’t do it all. I also know that I feel as if religious people are a little naïve in the way they structure their belief systems about the world. But, then again, so am I and I am definitely not religious.

South Park, Social Commentary

Stan: Oh my God! They killed Kenny!

Kyle: You bastards!

From these now familiar lines, one can guess that the exploits of Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman—four Colorado elementary schoolers—are crude, in-your-face, and highly controversial. It’s Comedy Central’s animated hit South Park, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! But hidden behind the gore, the fart jokes, and the offensive stereotypes, does South Park have a real and meaningful message about society and religion? Hell yes, and it kicks ass dude!

As a cartoon, South Park has a substantial creative and comedic license to function as a brutally honest (or terribly biased, depending on your perspective) media outlet. Only a poorly drawn animation can get away with spoofing sexual abuse in the Catholic church, lambasting the President for poor decisions, criticizing anti-Semitic emotions in The Passion of the Christ, or insulting Muslim terrorist groups as jihad-crazed savages. You definitely won’t find this kind of remorseless commentary on the nightly news. Yet all are topics that have been dealt with by South Park in a serious, and seriously hilarious fashion.

As a recent example, South Park aired an episode (“Trapped in the Closet”) that attacked Scientology as a cultish, false religion based on irrational (and very bizarre) beliefs about ancient alien spirits. In the episode, Stan, falling under Scientology’s spell, is quickly hailed as the prophetic reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard by brainwashed Scientologists and a highly satirized Tom Cruise and John Travolta. When Stan puts all of his heart into improving the religion, Scientology’s president chides him for reasoning that “to really be a church, [they] can't charge money to help [others].” Disillusioned, Stan proclaims bluntly that “Scientology is just a big fat global scam.”

This episode quickly became the center of a media battle and called attention to the limits of tolerance on television. Isaac Hayes, the sultry voice of Chef, one of South Park’s most beloved characters, refused to participate in the episode based on his belief in Scientology. Hayes later quit the show amidst rumors of pressure from super-Scientologist Tom Cruise, who also forced Comedy Central to pull the “Trapped in the Closet” episode after threatening to halt promotion of his upcoming Paramount blockbuster, Mission Impossible 3 (Both Comedy Central and Paramount are subsidiary companies of Viacom). South Park responded by having the Chef character killed as a result of his brainwashing by a pedophilia-loving Super Adventure Club that bore a deliberate resemblance to the Church of Scientology.

While these episodes may appear silly and religiously discriminating, the messages contained within each show are significant. Just how far can we push freedom of speech and freedom of worship? Can Tom Cruise insult antidepression pill users on television based on his religious beliefs but Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park’s creators, not spoof Tom Cruise and his religion based on their beliefs? What is out of bounds when it comes to religion? In resisting Scientology’s pressure, Parker and Stone have taken a stand: freedom of speech must be protected at all costs. Their view is most clear in a recent episode on the Mohammed cartoon controversy in which Kyle tries to convince a Fox executive to air an episode of Family Guy that contains a depiction of Mohammed. Speaking on free speech, Kyle proclaims, “Either it’s all OK, or none of it is…do the right thing.”

It’s lines like these, with real social implications, that are the justification for South Park’s recent Peabody Award. At the ceremony, director Horace Newcomb said that the shows offensiveness “reminds us of the need for being tolerant.” While some might be confused by the strategy to promote tolerance through intolerance, an educated, attentive, and open-minded viewer will likely get the joke—not to mention all of the other valuable social lessons available from four Colorado kids that are wise beyond their years.

An End to Discrimination

I’ve wanted to write this for a long, long time. I only wish more people would listen to and understand what I am saying:

The time to end intolerance toward homosexuals, particularly in their desires to get married—the time to cease this injustice is NOW.

Now I understand how some people can be adverse to the idea of homosexual marriage, running away from something they would rather ignore than understand. Like most, I have my own prejudices; as humans, we all do. But what makes us intelligent is our ability to learn from our mistakes and to strive to come together as a harmonious society that values each of its members. I can’t see anyone who follows these guidelines to civilization able to hold a real objection to homosexuals and homosexual marriage.

As for everyone else, can’t they see the painful discrimination that their outright condemnation or their silent inactivity inflicts on others? The state of affairs reminds me of the discrimination against black Americans in the 1960s. At the time, interracial couples were a mortal sin, just as homosexual couples seem to be now. I remember reading about famous racists in high school, remember the disgust I shared with my classmates at the barbaric side of human nature. I only wish more people would recognize that the condemnation of interracial couples—which was built on a backbone of hate—was soon ruled socially unacceptable. I only wish more people would recognize that the fight against homosexual marriage—built on the same backbone of hate—must now also fall out of social favor.

For starters, I don’t even understand the legitimacy of the opposition’s argument. Is there really a law that states that marriage is only intended between heterosexual couples? So far, all I have seen is legislation aimed at making this the case in a so-called righteous battle to protect the sanctity of marriage. And all I’ve heard is that the Bible traditionally justifies and defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Well, I was also under the impression that we practiced a separation of church and state in this country. The Bible has no place in the American legal scene, and certainly has no place inflicting pain and sorrow on the lives of good human beings.

I just can’t see any benevolent god hating homosexuality so much that he can’t allow love—greatest of the human emotions—to grow and flourish between gay couples. Gays and lesbians are not monsters, they’re human beings—human beings that deserve to be respected. Preventing gay marriage because it would degrade a particular tradition or because it would be “hazardous” to a child are not proper displays of respect. After all, we let children into this world under far more dangerous conditions than two homosexuals could ever pose. Thanks to the anti-abortion folks, children have children. And no one at all (including the same conservative anti-abortionists) seems to support using contraception. Am I really living in a world where poor, underage teens who are not encouraged to use protection breed freely without the option of abortion, but in which homosexuals are not allowed to marry because they are seen as a threat to a newborn child?

I think as a society we should’ve had about enough of this discrimination by now. The time to change America’s stance on gay marriage is NOW!

Stereotypes

When I was in school in England, I went on a school trip to a Buddhist monastery in South London. Following all the stereotypes I had been exposed to I was expecting to see a gathering of bald headed Asian meditating together, with a loud chorus of “ummmm”. I was shocked to find a black dreadlocked male answering the door. I asked him, if I was in the right place, he said yes in a strong Jamaican accent and led us to the temple. In the temple there were a few stereotype monks however majority of them were white middle-aged English men. I took the Rastafarian Buddhist to the side and asked why non Asians where allowed to be monks. He sedately responded, the monastery accepts people of all color, gender and age, and all people deserve to be enlightened.
I walked away that day, having learnt a valuable lesson. It is easy to stereotype especially when ignorant. From that day I decided to always do my research and never go anywhere blind as I would be exposed as being ignorant.

Conflict between hoods

Within Christianity alone there are numerous divisions all differing on fastidious detail on the significance of characters in the bible. There are the Catholics, Baptists and Anglicans, they all represent the same thing but all choose to quarrel over a small issue. The battle between these denominations is quite similar to the Gang battles between the rappers on the coast.
Rappers on the east coast and west cost alike believe they should be accredited for the spread of the hip-hop movement in the late nineties. They refuse to share the spoils as they are bullish and proud. They want to be marked in history as the instigators of hip hop, the people who gave African Americans a voice. At first the battle was vocal, the tension inspired lyrical prowess and wile as representative of each coast belittled the other. The original play on words led to heated physical combat and eventually escalated into assignations, kidnappings and robberies. Most people are ambivalent to who started the movement and I do not think they care. They adulate the individual artists as opposed to their costal affiliation, and look down on the people who enshrouded a period of pride with death and conflict.
Christianity seems to be taking a similar path, because there are so many divisions preaching slightly different things the faith is losing its credit and losing believers. Only unity can manifest success. We all need to put our small differences aside and stick together for the greater good.

Human Identity and Religion: How Much are They Really Intertwined?

"In all of these cultural exchanges, the term religion identifies a layer, dimension, strand, or thread that bestows a certain degree of urgency upon questions of human identity." Chidester

Human identity and religion. A topic that can never be exhausted. And a topic that raises so many questions:

1) To what extent does religion influence the development of one's human identity? In simple terms, it can be broken down into three categories: a lot, somewhat, and not at all. Compare those categories to real life and you have: devout religious people, religious people, and atheists. Yet, like the idea of religion itself, it can't be broken down so simply. To different people religion means and encompasses different things. In the same way how religion effects one's life and to what extent changes person by person.

2) How does religion or the lack there of change one's perception of human identity? Another grey point. There are those who constantly look at life and themselves through the filter of a religious belief and background and of course there are those who take no second thought of religion.

3) What urgency? Can one only truly find themself through a perspective influenced by religion? This one I have no answer for. I'm still trying to figure it out myself...

"now and at the hour of our death..."

In my human development class, we ended the semester with a talk about death and more specifically living wills and advanced directives. The whole class period essentially became a discussion about what our parents wanted if they were faced with an irreversible medical condition and what descisions we wanted to be made if we were faced with the same situation. Eventually, we began to talk about our own personal experiences and if anyone in our families or amongst our friends, young and old, who had recently passed away. The moment that question was asked my friend, who was sitting next to me, began to cry. Concerned, I asked if she wanted to go to the restroom and talk about it; stronlgy she declined and we continued on with the discussion. After class we shared with me that about two years ago a good friend of hers had died from a drunk driver. At that moment I was numb. Not only was death always a sensitive subject with me, but when it came to stories about young people dying for no good reason it hit something deep inside of me. As she continued her story she made a comment that really stuck out to me.
"Sometimes when young people die like that I think God, why are you so stupid? Why them?"
Now although I knew she didn't mean it literally, I could see where she was coming from. For even the most devout Catholic or religious person I think that is always the hardest question to come to terms with. We are told things happen for a reason. We are told that it was just their time. We are told that they are in a better place; they are no longer suffering and instead are sharing in God's happiness. Yet, how much of that do we really believe? How much of it can we really accept?
For me, at this point in my life, it's very grey. I do believe that things happen for a reason and I do believe that they are in a better place, but there are always so many but's and and what if's. It's that idea that you can never really come to terms with everything unless you know why. And can you ever know why? Or do you really need to know why, even if you have conviced yourself that you do? It might just be one of those things that you'll always hold on to, but have learned to live with. Yet, will those questions of -- why me? why them? why now?-- ever really go away? That's where it's grey because in the end you can say that's all in God's will and believe it, but still have that nagging feeling in your heart of why...

F A K E

"Do you want to know Jesus, make cool friends, and have an awesome time? Then come join us for Chrisitan Fellowship at FOCUS!"

The day I went to visit a friend at Villanova I saw a flyer with that slogan on the wall. My initial response: laughter. I'm not going to lie, I laughed for about three minutes straight before I decided to take the flyer off the wall and take it with me. Now that I look back on it I'm not really sure why I had this insane desire to share the flyer with my friends and roommates, but I did. Now, the flyer is posted on my bulletin board in my room and occasionally starts discussion about christian fellowship youth groups and well the simple hilarity of the slogan.

Throughout all of highschool, I constantly had this battle with myself of whether I wanted to join the youth group at my church. It wasn't that I thought that I was too cool to join or that I would be too dorky to be seen with a Life Teen tshirt. I was proud to be Catholic and my faith was and is still a huge part of my life. The real truth was, without sounding like an afterschool special, I didn't feel like i fit in. And, no, it wasn't because I had self-esteem issues, it was more that I couldn't get the idea out of my head that the majority of those involved in Life Teen would raise their hands up in praise to the Lord on Sundays but throughout the rest of the week they were living less than chaste lives. Now, i'm not one to judge considering that I don't live my life any better, but at least I felt that I wasn't being over hypocritical. I mean in so many ways, I did deserve to join Life Teen with a clear concious--I wasn't flaunting my body around like it had no worth and wasn't lying and cheating like the commandments said. But, for some reason I still felt that it wasn't to my benefit to associate myself with people who weren't as deserving. I wasn't trying to put myself up higher than anyone, I just couldn't be around people who were so...fake. I wasn't judging the way they chose to live their lives or even how they spent their Sundays. All I knew was that it was fake; it was fake to act like you were this holy litte child of God in front of the Church and then a day later be doing everything you had just claimed to be against. Because here's the thing, everyone sins and the same goes for me, but like Jesus once said in the bible about the those who would flaunt their sacrifice and devotion to the church. "Don't let your right hand know what you are doing." That was the true way to pray and fast; humbly. In so many ways it's the only way to risk not being fake.

I Heart Grant Potts!

Some of you know this from personal experience, some have experienced this second hand, but you are all aware that Facebook is very addicting. (You should also be aware that there is a Facebook group titled “I Heart Grant Potts.” The group is for people who, ‘heart’ Grant Potts. You should all become members! Now!) Facebook not only allows us to show our appreciation for specific writing seminar professors but also allows us to ‘research’ other interests. When spotting a cute boy in a giant math lecture, all you need is a name. The second that lecture is over you can sprint to the front of DRL to ‘search’. Success! He has been found. Now you know absolutely everything about him. The best part is, you got all of this information with out actually having to muster up the courage to god-forbid talk to the boy, and ask who his is or where he is from. Already knowing his interests makes the first date a little trivial.

Facebook stalking has become all too common with college students. Phone numbers, AIM screen-names, addresses and interests are all posted for the ‘public’ to view. Not to mention many photos of your self so everyone who checks ‘view more photos’ will be able to recognized you walking down Locust. Outside of Facebook being easily creepy, it helps in many ways. Such as, finding lost phone numbers of friends, people in your classes, ideas for blog entries… and showing appreciation for Grant Potts.

Facebook checking, also known as stalking has become a daily ritual for many people. Often an overwhelming feeling of ‘out of the loop-ness’ sets in on innocent bystanders that do not check Facebook every hour. Frequent stalkers often experience Facebook withdrawal. Symptoms increase with exposure. Beware, take in small unscheduled doses and only when absolutely necessary.

The Internet Chapel: True Faith or Bogus Interpretation of Religion?

Sakeen Kashem, a pre-med student at New York University, wakes up at 6AM every morning to begin his prayers. As a Muslim, Kashem’s duty is to pray towards the city of Mecca five times a day. Instead of the usual routine, Kashem uploads his uncle’s website which contains live footage of the Kaaba square and simply sits at his desk for minutes of prayer. The website tricycle.com allows Buddhists to send questions to various “cybermonks” who are willing to share their thoughts in spiritual generosity. The United Church of Christ Prayer Chapel is a quiet place for Internet prayer and meditation where veneration and worship helps are offered. Internet prayer has endured an era of controversy since its popularity began in early 2004. What is usually a united religious group in America has been split on the issue of whether Internet prayers resemble true faith or whether they represent bogus interpretations of religion.

Surely, not attending church and simply viewing Sunday morning proceedings via Internet takes away from the integrity of religion. But, a true religious believer would never allow Internet to be the medium for prayer. A Buddhist monk would never prey with his followers using a Webcam from his room in some apartment in New York. But, a person who is unavailable to attend, or unwilling to be as devout may find it pleasant to access his sermons through their computer. In fact, the Internet allows individuals who normally wouldn’t attend church or give prayers to do exactly that. And, websites such as the United Church of Christ Prayer Chapel allow people who are normally not religious to use faith as a means of healing themselves (chpl.net).

I find it convenient to use the internet for many purposes. As a devout Hindu living in America, I often find it difficult to listen to sermons during religious holidays. Thus, during festivities such as Diwali (festival of lights) and Durga Puja (celebration of the goddess Durga), my family and I gather around the computer and upload the images of a Hindu temple in Calcutta with the audio of the sermon playing in the background. Thus, for people like me and my family, the utilization of the Internet for religious purposes can be quite beneficial. I find it ironic that the scriptures that were written thousands of years ago are being transmitted through technology that has been developed within the last five years. But, the Internet Chapel is certainly important, and cannot be regarded as a bogus interpretation of religion.

Freedom

“We are now in what is known as the ‘bean cycle’. Beans boiled, beans in casserole, beans with strings, beans without strings. Friday, the 21^st of August, 1942.”

In seventh grade I assumed the role of Anne Frank, the central figure of my class play, Diary of a Young Girl. Anne and her family spent more than two years sequestered inside a small annex in Amsterdam, hiding from the Nazis. I tried hard to immerse myself in my character, reading my lines to anyone willing to listen. People said that I resembled Anne, with my large dark eyes and long, wavy brown hair tied in a bow at the nape of my neck. I imagined how restricted and restrained Anne must have felt, locked in the small apartment, fearful of even the smallest sound. At night, as I drifted off to sleep, safely at home in my warm bed, I imagined how my own father must have felt as a Jewish boy growing up in Iraq during the years of the Baath revolution, confined to his immediate neighborhood, without telephones or any contact with the outside world.

My experience as Anne Frank made me so much more aware of the ordinary things that I had previously taken for granted: the freedom to come and go as I pleased, the right to go to religious school, the ability to practice my religion, and the comforts of middle class life. During the Passover holiday, I often find myself reflecting, once again, on these freedoms that we as Americans have come to take for granted. Do we really appreciate everything we have in this great nation that we call home? Some might quickly answer ‘yes’, without giving it much thought. But then, why do we keep asking for more, for posh oversized houses, expensive luxury cars, high-priced clothing, and everything else that we have come to feel we are entitled? Instead, why don’t we take the time to recognize all that we have?

Recently, I visited the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. I’m not a connoisseur of art, and I have never even read the Saturday Evening Post, but something about Norman Rockwell’s art grabbed my heart. It was so human, so real, particularly his series of four paintings, The Four Freedoms. Each of these works, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Fear, and Freedom from Want, depicted a man, a woman, or a child experiencing the type of freedom that the painting was about. These four pieces of art, created in the 1940’s, spoke directly to me about how fortunate we are to be living in America in the 21^st century and about how lucky we are to be free.

There is a terrible war going on in Iraq, and just this morning I heard about another suicide bombing in Israel. Women are being raped and killed in Darfour and other women are being sentenced to long prison terms for having abortions in El Salvador. Every time I open the international section of the newspaper, I read about someone else’s civil rights, another person’s freedoms, being violated in another part of the world. I know this will sound trite and idealistic, but all of this hate is about one person’s intolerance of another’s freedoms.

So what’s my point? Embrace your neighbor’s diversity, don’t push it away. If it doesn’t hurt anyone, why should it be a problem for you? Agree to disagree, and agree to be yourself. Above all, appreciate everything this great country has afforded us, and utilize the freedoms that we have to help those who are less fortunate, those who are not yet free.

In the Name of Cricket

Duke-Carolina.

Yankees-Red Sox.

Harvard-Yale.

In America, these pairs represent the epitome of the term “rivalry.” But, the “rivalry” that these programs endure is cute compared to the rivalry between India and Pakistan in the sport of cricket. The religious hostilities between these two contentious nations are often manifested in the riots that occur while a match is in progress. And even though a match may be deemed a “friendly,” neither side has any plans to make companionship.

Cricket itself is a religion. Crowds of hundreds of thousands gather in stadium chanting their national hymns, hoping for a glorious victory. Men and women from the modern city of Bangalore to the impoverished villages in South India stay up all night in prayer, or wake up before dawn to kneel before the television set. Every miracle is treasured while every failure is accompanied with more prayer for future success. Legends and heroes are born in the wake of a victory, and priests begin to compare them to mythical creatures who overcame all odds to slain a beast. Devout individuals find themselves devoting much of their time reciting large parts of the Bhagavad Gita or the Qu’ran in front of the television screen.

In nations like Pakistan and India, where income is very unevenly distributed, a sport like cricket can cause nations to become united. People who normally depend on their faith in their savior to guide them through their every day lives place their faith in the hands of the “sports gods.” As an Indian suburbanite recently stated in a news article, “Hell, I personally find it easier to contribute $500 to Dish Network in the name of cricket than giving the same amount to the local Islamic Center --- all so that when the call for prayer (aka the toss) occurs, I am there, with hope in my heart and 'chai' in my hand, ready to adore the apparitions on the sacred television monitor.”

Three years ago, I was in my home country to witness the biggest sporting event for Indians in recent times. It was the cricket World Cup, and Pakistan was playing India in the world semifinal. And as expected, the day began with some prayers with the rest of my family. The highs and lows were present, but at the end my nation was triumphant. I found myself jumping in glee with over a billion others around me.

As a sports enthusiast, I love watching Duke match up with North Carolina, or the Red Sox trounce the Yankees in a championship series. And certainly, these games are rivalries to a certain degree. But whenever I turn on ESPN and I hear, “the 122^nd Anniversary of the greatest rivalry in sports is being renewed in Cambridge, Massachusetts between Harvard and Yale,” I laugh.

And I’m sure the rest of the world does as well.

Hallmark Holiday!

I have never seen so many marsh-mellow bunnies before, oh wait, yes I have, last Easter. The mailroom is packed with boxes and packages of Easter treats. Gifts, candy and cards have taken over family holidays. Making them impersonal, selfish and greedy. Truthfully, I couldn’t tell you the religious heritage of Easter, or what significance it has. All I know about Easter is that I get Chocolate and some people go to church. Easter, along with Valentines Day and Christmas, have become holidays for shopping malls. Storeowners celebrate more for high sales, than the customers celebrate the holiday. They have become excuses to give gifts and eat a good meal (sometimes together, sometimes not). Often religious events and family times like these are taken advantage of. People sleep in late, spoil each other, and over indulge. Losing track of whatever the holiday was supposed to represent…not that they knew to begin with.

(Just to make a generalization because every rant needs one) We all do it! Wake up Christmas morning and run to the living room to count boxes, or see who got the biggest one, what we forget is some people didn’t get gifts. Sometimes the biggest gift others get is a bedtime story and a hug, but a hug is perfect for them because they appreciate it more than some appreciate one hundred large gifts.

Easter morning is followed by a long Easter night, because everyone has eaten so much sugar and chocolate. After we/they are stuffed full and can’t hold one more piece, the thought of not finding every-single-one inspires and challenges the children to continue looking, even if at a slower pace.

Valentines day, is the day you tell someone that you love them. Right? Well, what was wrong with the day before? Why are all the best (a.k.a. the most expensive) restaurants booked solid on Valentines Day? What is wrong with McDonalds? I mean, you took your Girlfriend there the day before and made her pay for her small fries and diet coke. But, today you love her, not that buying her things shows love. Wait a minute, yes it does, if you buy me flowers, and chocolate, and jewelry, pay for a nice dinner and say you love me today, I will know that it’s true every day of the year…Right?

Okay, so I am not going to solve the worlds problems but, just an idea: Next Christmas put a giant empty box with and “I.O.U HUGS” sign in it. A year from today, Eat an Easter dinner together with your family and have chocolate for dessert (after dinner). And, tell someone you love them everyday and take them flowers on October 18th.

Uh Oh A Fourth Scary Movie

It is official: pop culture is unavoidable. Unfortunately I came to this conclusion by voluntarily participating in an act that defines the low brows of American pop culture. That’s right – I went to see Scary Movie 4 this weekend. A fourth scary movie you ask. Is it even possible to further expand on what started out as a pathetic excuse for a movie? Yes it is possible: it is possible due to the nature of our pop culture and it is possible due to the fact that the reality of our postmodern world is just there begging to be mocked.
Although the movie itself was short, and without the guidance of the Wayne’s brothers not as funny as the first two (the third movie is questionably worse), the in-your-face social commentary triggered consensual laughs from the teenage packed audience. How can you not laugh at a scene that places the iPod as the undefeatable enemy out to destroy the world? In fact as the building sized iPod rises from the ground and is eventually planted firmly in the street, a list of play lists are displayed on its screen. One of the playlists is “Amazing ‘80’s” – a genre which most college kids not only can relate to but also have the same title on their playlist selection as well. The collective effervescence that this ridiculous movie generated was the film’s greatest appeal. Everyone can laugh at the fact that our president is an idiot, our technological world may indeed expedite our country’s demise and finally that every other ‘legitimate’ movie recently released in theatres is not that much more credible than Scary Movie 4 (although they may have been allotted more creative titles).
No real thought is needed to understand the broad humor of the movie and all of the blunt parodies that when linked together form what could arguably be deemed a sufficient plot. So if you are feeling particularly down about the lowbrow aspects of American pop culture these days, then why not stop by the theatre and confirm that all of your apprehensions are true?

Easter Sunday With News of a Regular Day

Supermarkets are lined with marshmallow peeps and chocolate eggs. Pastel colors fill the aisles of various stores, while families come together in celebration and head off to church for mass on Easter Sunday. Like many other religious holidays, Easter can be used as a medium to draw attention to religiously motivated current events. Pope Benedict XVI focused on relevant world issues in his first Easter speech prior to mass on the holy Sunday.
This year, Pope Benedict XVI used his time in the spotlight to further urge countries to opt for diplomacy when dealing with the fragile issue of nuclear activity – a clear reference to the recent advancements made in Tehran regarding the production of nuclear reactors. The Pope also expressed his wish for Palestinians and Israelis to further reconcile their differences so that a peaceful two country coexistence may in time develop. It is ironic that on Christianity’s most joyous day of the year, such somber topics were necessarily addressed. We are living in uncertain and scary times – there is no day that we can set aside merely for celebration. Celebration these days is tempered by current issues that are a constant presence in our world. The question “What would Jesus do?” is begged during the bittersweet holiday.
Hopefully the Pope’s message to the Christian community and the rest of the world did not fall on idol ears. We are living in pressing times when it is not enough for people to only hear speeches on the state of current affairs from politicians and anchormen – a religious figure such as the Pope can carry a different and more powerful meaning in his speech.

Fraternity = Religion

The general populace believes fraternities are no-good organizations that are detrimental to society. They have loud parties, get drunk to the point of belligerence and harass people. This is true to some extent. It is a generalization and everyone knows all generalizations are wrong. They practices are performed by a minority of the Greek system and are generally frowned upon by other fraternal members as is deleterious to our reputation.

Fraternities by definition are philanthropic organizations with a goal to better the community in which they reside. The “brothers” share an almost blood based relationship based on sacrifice, trust and shard experience. Certain similarities can be drawn between fraternity and religion to be specific Christianity.

Like Christian church, fraternities have a base of gathering, the chapter house. This is where meetings and social gatherings are conducted. Similar to the bible, there is also a documented history to every fraternity that is held sacred to the members, history that is respected and learned by every member. Rituals of the brotherhood are held in equal reverence for this is another integral part of the organization. There are songs, poems and images that represent the fraternity.

The main difference between fraternities and church is that one does not go to the chapter house in fear of damnation by God; one goes there willingly as part of a benevolent group of men to help better themselves and society



Note: Don’t get me wrong we are a group of young men. We like to have fun, throw parties and provide entertainment to for the entire campus. That is what people expect from us. As well as being a philanthropic organization fraternities have also evolved into a revered social organization, which we are proud of and is unfortunately where we go our bad name.

Why has the bible not been turned into a movie?

Popular novels are being transformed into visual masterpieces on the big screen. Virtuoso directors have taken such masterpieces as “The lord of the rings”, “Harry Potter” and my personal favorite “About a boy” removed the words from the novels and metamorphosed them into collages of images that we adore in the theatre today. How is it that the bible, the greatest “best seller” in the history of time has yet to be made into a movie.

A few directors have ventured to turn some of the more popular stories into film, like the movie about Moses and the story of Jesus. No director however has taken the whole book in its grand form and transformed it into an epic story. This I find quite disturbing. The bible is a great book. From start to finish it is a great read. The parables, the miracles, the killings and scarifies make for great entertainment to any audience.

I mean if a movie about a 10-year-old boy doing magic can gross over 10 million dollars in the theatre. A movie about the ultimate being creating the world we live in today could gross an infinite amount. Heck, I am sure he would even endorse it if you asked him nicely enough, I mean just pray. It is clear that this immaculate movie needs to be created; the question is who is divine enough to do it?

The Future of Facebook: Invasion of Privacy?

I have never really liked the idea of blogging. It has always struck me as rather odd. Why do people feel the need to voice their opinions about pretty lame or trivial things on a website for everyone to read? What’s worse, however, is that a blog is public. Everyone and anyone who wants to read a blog can. At this point, I don’t think I could ever pursue public office because of what I have said on this blog. I do not hold the beliefs that I would have to lie about if I ever wanted to be elected. But, at the same time, I resent that fact. Why should I have to lie about who I am in order to get anywhere in life?

Recently, I read an article online about facebook and blogging. It said that employers were looking at facebook and partially making hiring decisions based on what they saw on facebook. That really offended me. Facebook is a private space for college students to share their likes and dislikes as well as they’re embarrassing photos. After I read that article, I pretty much changed my profile picture and made my albums only available to my friends. It really ticked me off. I am in college. I do some stupid stuff and take pictures of it so that I can laugh at it afterwards with my friends. When I had to dumb-down my facebook profile I was upset. But, I did it anyway. What does that say about me? It says that in about a month I would like to be hired for a summer job in a respectable law firm.

I see this facebook invasion as an invasion of my privacy. It is a community of college students where prospective employers do not belong. In my opinion, they have the interview process and the resume to figure out who I am and how I would fit into their workplace. Students have been the same for all of time. We all go out, have a good time and occasionally get drunk. It is nothing new. So, why should that matter to employers? I don’t think it should. As far as I’m concerned, if they want me for their work environment, my personal life does not matter. It will only start to matter if it interferes with my work, in which case they have the prerogative to fire me. But, until then, leave my personal life, my facebook, and my blogging where it belongs, on the internet and out of the workplace.

Facebook and blogging reveals who a person is. However, they both create a community on the internet, just like a church community or a group of friends. Would an employer go to a church service or to hang out with a prospective employee’s friends? I don’t think so, and if they did, people would be outraged. Students on campuses across the country should be outraged. But, there isn’t any. My generation needs to step up to the plate if we ever want to make a difference. We need to voice our opinions in order to make a difference. It is our voices that will shape this country in the future. We need to start now if we ever want to do anything useful for this country and for ourselves.

To drink or not to drink?

A few nights ago, I went out with a bunch of my friends to a frat party. I had been to many of these events before, so it was nothing new for me. However, my experiences at drinking parties are much different than most other kids. Why? I don’t drink. As a result of this, I get a sober view of what really goes on, what it looks like from the outside. The other night I watched my friends as they got drunk. Towards the beginning, it was fun—we were all dancing and having a good time; it didn’t matter that I wasn’t drunk. Then, everyone started to get really drunk, and I wasn’t so comfortable anymore. I felt responsible for my friends since I went with them and they knew that I wouldn’t drink, so I waited until they wanted to leave. As the party continued, more people filled the room and it got really crowded. That didn’t stop anyone...the more people the better. I watched as people just lost control of themselves, and just did whatever they wanted to do. They looked so stupid to me. Did they realize what they looked like?

I don’t drink for a number of different reasons. Firstly, I don’t trust myself. Who knows what I might do or how I would behave? Truthfully, I’d rather not find out. I also don’t believe that I would like the feeling of not having control over my own decisions. I also don’t want to look ridiculous, and honestly, I don’t know why anyone would. But that’s up to them, not me. People are taking significant risks when they drink excessively, even if they do have someone to “take care” of them.

It amazes me that so many bright and intelligent college kids do this. Interestingly, there are very few people that I have met who don’t drink at all. I also suspect that, had I started drinking, I would have made a whole different group of friends. Why is this the case? There are many people who drink to be social. It loosens them up, makes them talk and have a good time, something they apparently believe that they can’t do while sober. Whenever I meet someone who is drunk for the first time, I haven’t really met them; it practically doesn’t count. They are not all there when they’re drunk.

Many of the kids who drink are almost addicted to it. They need their alcohol, no matter what it takes. It’s like a necessity. Think of the kinds of problems that this could cause. What if alcoholism turns into a lifelong issue, just because that person began drinking a lot to be social in college? Sounds a little pathetic, don’t you think?

I’m not saying not to drink at all. A beer or two never hurt anyone. It’s when people go over the limit that it becomes a problem. The problem is when they drink to the point that they can’t control their own minds and bodies and can’t make rational decisions anymore. Once that happens, who knows what could happen next.

Boardman Lecture

After my psychology class today, I decided to go to the Boardman Lecture that Grant told us about last week. I walked in and there weren't any students there. Granted I was a little early, but there were a handful of adults. I sat waiting and waiting for it to start and more people to come. As time passed, more adults came into the room and only about a couple students. I definately felt out of place. There were professors there from Penn and other Ivy League institutions who all seemed to have a clear understanding of what was about to happen. Finally, after a 20 minute delay, it started. A woman by the name of Dr. Emily Towns was the speaker, and this year's lecture was about the cultural production of evil in the lives of black people and christian ethics. I'm not going to lie; I didn't really understand a lot of what she was saying, although everyone else in the room seemed to have a pretty good idea. But one of the main concepts of the lecture was her belief that our identities are transformed into commodities. To explain this, she used the example of Aunt Jemima. She was a former slave from the south, and producers of pancake flour decided to use her as the coverwoman for their product. Over the years, her image had changed. She went from having a plump face with big eyes to a pleasant looking, old woman wearing pearls. Her transformation had drastically changed, and I believe that that specific example really proved her point. Now that I come to think of it, identities are not just changed to satisify consumer products, but to satisfy everyday situations. Even if I didn't really have a great understanding of all the material being discussed, I was able to take away an important concept, so I feel like my time was well spent today.

Sister Helen and Capital Punishment

The death penalty is wrong. After reading Sister Prejean’s account of her encounters with death row inmates I came to this conclusion. Before I had been somewhat ambivalent - yes on the one hand killing is wrong, but on the other hand is there any other adequate punishment? The decision that her words helped me to find is that a life spent behind bars is punishment enough. Let these prisoners be judged in the afterlife. Do not let the state become the murderer of murderers. She also emphasizes that it is cruel and unusual. When she described how long it takes for some men to die in the electric chair I could not help but cringe. Her vivid description of the smell of singed flesh also resonated deeply in helping to convince me how wrong the capital punishment.

In this book she tells how she was able to let the prisoners sanctity take precedence over her own well-being. Though she did not want to correspond with another prisoner after watching the execution of Pat Sonnier she agreed to. With each prisoner she met, she found humanity in them that made the crimes they had committed baffling to her. As she became their spiritual advisor though, Sister Helen found herself praying for them and realized how wrong it was to murder them. The bible calls for us to forgive. An eye for an eye is not justice; it is revenge. Sister Helen asserts that the state should not be in the business of revenge.

Where's the Outrage?

I was equally appalled by the display on college green earlier this week. Not every woman who has an abortion is a murderer. However, I think that is beside the point. I think it is outrageous, but where is the outrage? Where was the article in the DP? Abortion is a very rocky and sensitive issue with no clear right answer. There is no blanket solution to the abortion issue. But, I think that we need to look more at why no one said anything or voiced their outrage.

I am a strong pro-choice advocate. If I had known that this demonstration was going to happen, I would have gotten involved. I guess that is my fault. If I really cared that much I would have searched out like-minded people and staged my own demonstration. Even if I chose not to do that, the least I could have done was to talk about it. I made a passing, rather sarcastic and biting remark about it to my boyfriend as we passed by the demonstration, but that was all. Such an emotional and provocative display on such a sensitive issue should have sparked more fight in the student body. As an afterthought walking away from the display I noted the weak counter-demonstration for the pro-choice group.

As I walked through this display on a very narrow part of Locust, I wasn’t even handed a flyer or spoken to about the issue. Honestly, I can’t even walk down Locust walk without being accosted by the frat boys and sorority girls touting their next big party. What the hell!? Abortion is much more important than getting wasted on a Saturday night. This is such a big issue that will change the course of women’s rights in this country and we’re the one’s who will decide it. Where is the outrage? Why didn’t I get a flyer, why wasn’t this more than just a one-day demonstration? Even if you don’t like it, the pro-life group at least got you to think about this issue.

Partially, I think this lack of enthusiasm around campus stems from the lack of enthusiasm from the demonstrators. Honestly, they looked bored—like they were holding signs advertising the sale at the discount furniture on the side of road. They should have made their side heard or at least seen, like the pro-life demonstrators did.

However, I think this stems from the general apathetic nature of our campus. We are all so worried about doing well on our next exam or about where the party this weekend is that we forget why we’re here. We are privileged to be here and worked pretty hard to get here. As some of the best educated people in this country, if not the world, we have a responsibility to deal with and engage with these issues. If we won’t, do we really expect the current state of world affairs to get any better?

Give me a break, College Green

Well my last post was about my anger over the prayer tent that was situated on college green last week, so I was glad to see when that got taken down, but then on my way to work this morning, college green struck again. This time, however, it's a display about ten times as in your face as the little prayer tent. There are 700 pink and blue flags on the lawn, each representing a life lost in Philadelphia as a result of abortion, along with pro-life posters and flyers. Now this display didn't leave me any room for indecision, I was mad. Not that I am necessarily strongly for or against abortion, but I am strongly opposed to those to protest against how a woman treats her body. This display is an insensitive, flashy demonstration about a very sensitive, personal issue. Abortion is obviously a very controversial topic these days, and there are definitely very strong feelings on either side. But that doesn't mean it isn't still a sensitive issue. There is no black and white in abortion, each woman has a unique situation and the right to choose what she does with her body. These 700 flags make it seem that every abortion is the same and every woman who chooses an abortion is a murderer. I believe in the right to choose, but I also believe that both pro-life and pro-choice sides should respect one another and not pull these kinds of demonstrations which look down upon anyone. Since when did college green become the new soap box?

bloggggger

After reading the blog describing how the hit TV show “Buffy” was religious, I couldn’t help but notice how many TV shows these days could also be considered religious. By religious, though, I mean not in terms of content, but in terms of how viewers react to these TV shows. With hit TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, and of course the OC among many others, the obsession of these shows leads to ritualistic, and sometimes religious, styles of viewing. Unlike guys who sit down, maybe crack a beer open, and watch a ball game, these avid TV show watchers put a little more thought into their viewing experience. Everyone has their own styles. Some order Chinese food rather than Pizza Hut, some watch with a large group others with just a few close friends so not to get distracted, some watch it live others prefer to TV-O it and watch it later without commercials. Different strokes for different folks, but whichever way you look at it, these ways of viewing are highly ritualistic and as a result can be considered religious. Although this idea seems ridiculously far fetched—labeling ditzy teen girls whos only goal in life is to grow up like Marissa Cooper as “religious”- it really can be looked at as religious when looked at in the right context.

Feeling Helpless

The recent publication of demeaning portrayals of Muhammad in Danish papers has caused noticeable riots across the world in many Muslim neighborhoods. While at first this may seem like an unnecessary reaction to such a trivial publication, it is a retaliation that symbolizes the feeling of helplessness within many Muslim communities built over time.

First, let’s understand that the violent protests since the publication of this caricature were not the initial response by any community. In addition to the beginning of boycotting Danish products in the Middle East, a small minority of Danish Muslims initially and peacefully protested the paper.

As Juan Cole (http://www.juancole.com/2006/02/fact-file-on-reaction-to-danish.html), a professor at the University of Michigan notes, “the controversy began in Denmark itself among the 180,000 Danish Muslims. It was taken up by the ambassadors of Muslim states in Copenhagen. Then the Egyptian foreign minister began making a big deal of it, as did Islamist parties in Turkey and Pakistan. The crisis has unfolded along precisely the sort of networks one would have expected, and become intertwined with all the post-colonial crises of the region, from the foreign military occupation of Iraq to the new instability in Syria and Lebanon.”

As Cole notes, the crisis was seemingly a result of a plethora of activity against the Muslim community and region. The Danish government in Copenhagen ignored the words of the Muslim ambassadors in Denmark and released no official comment or apology to the public afterwards. And even though freedom of speech is seemingly tolerated in most parts of the civilized world, the Muslim community rightfully felt that the belittling caricature crossed the line.

I am not a big promoter of violence as vengeance in any way. But, I am cognizant of the origins of such a harsh retaliation, for the Muslim community has received no support at all, especially from the Western world. The community feels ostracized and helpless, while being taken advantage of in the Middle East. The protests and riots by the Muslim community are nothing new, and should not be discussed. What should be discussed more often is the modern world’s indifference to the thoughts posed by the Muslim community.

Would negative portrayals of the Jewish community in fundamentalist Islamic papers yield the same reaction as the Danish newspaper did? Probably not. The Jewish community fortunately has support with the presence of the Western world behind them.

Genocide in Darfur--Everyone's Problem

In Darfur, Sudan, at this very moment, tens of thousands of people are being torchered and murdered by Arab terror seekers known as the janjaweed. Millions have been brutalized by this oppressive regime; countless women have been raped, more than 200,000 people have been killed, and two million civilians have been forced to run from their own homes. (New York Times Magazine, April 2, 2006) Through the news media, we are privy to the details of these atrocoities almost as soon as they happen, yet the world community does not appear to be doing enough. It almost seems as though the world powers are simply observing this problem from afar, expressing their displeasure, but reluctant to intervene. This is not enough. I feel strongly that it is our duty as human beings to assist this persecuted population, however we can. It is not our concern that they live a different lifestyle thousands of miles away, that they dress differently, or do not share our American democratic beliefs and values. They are humans and deserve to be treated as such.

The concept of social consciousness and responsibility is equally important to me as a person and as a member of the Jewish faith. Judaism takes this concept so seriously that it is actually not optional, it is a commandment. First, we believe that every person on the face of the Earth is created in Tzelem Elokim, or in the Image of G-d, "and G-d created the man in His own image, in the image of G-d" (Genesis 1:27). No matter what religion, race, color, or ethnicity an individual may be, every single one of us is created in G-d's image. Therefore, it doesn't matter who is being oppressed and hurt, we are all responsible to reach out and help.

Second, is the notion that we are all responsible for each other, "Don't stand by your neighbors blood" (Leviticus 19:16) and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). We believe that the world was created for all of and therefore we have the awesome responsibility of maintaining it. If there is a problem, if somebody is in trouble, it is my problem too, and I am obligated to do my share.

These two separate ideas taken together are the foundation for what is known in Hebrew as Tikun Olam. Basically, the Jewish people are not only encouraged, but are commmanded, to have the social responsibility to make the world a better place, and to correct what needs to be corrected. This directive is not only to take care of other Jews, but to take care of and help anyone in the entire world when the need arises.

Abdul Rahman

This case is so shocking and I've been wanting to write a blog entry on it for a while, but I've felt torn about the whole situation. Here is a general MSNBC article

Just to recap, Abdul Rahman is a man from Afghanistan who was recently jailed for rejecting Islam and converting to Christianity, an action that could be punishable by death according to the Afghan constitution, which is based on Islamic law. The United States and several other countries has been trying to reason with Afghanistan, explaining that freedom of worship is part of a democracy and arguing that this right is indeed supported by the Afghan constitution. That is the story in a nutshell, though the legal matters are quite complex and it'’s a little difficult to understand exactly what is going on, what Rahman'’s rights are, and what the proper course of action should be.

This can be looked at many ways. Some may see it as a clear human rights violation or a cause for protest against capital punishment. Others may consider the sovereignty of Afghanistan and believe that other countries need to tread lightly because this is a very sensitive issue and that there should be minimal interference.

It is hard to know what would be the right thing to do in such a situation as this one. Certainly as a U.S. citizen, I feel that all people should be entitled to religious freedom and tolerance, but should we really be imposing our own beliefs onto other countries and how they handle these matters? We can encourage Afghanistan to uphold human rights and democratic ideals, but we need to know our place. Clearly, Abdul Rahman knew that Christianity was not the "“religion of choice" in Afghanistan and he must have known that there could be serious ramifications for his conversion from Islam to Christianity, but if he was just following what he believed, he may have felt it was a choice worth risking his life over.

Luckily, after intense pressure from the Western world, Rahman was released from jail. Very soon after, Italy offered him asylum and he is reportedly living there now in an undisclosed location where he claims he still fears for the safety of his family that remains in Afghanistan.

Although I know this sort of occurrence is all too common, this highly publicized case really reminded me to what lengths some people will go in devotion to their religion, even when it may put their life in at risk.