Toronto to unveil Museum of Islamic Culture

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/09/09/toronto-set-to-unveil-first-museum-of-islamic-culture-in-north-america/


Toronto is bringing in a new Museum for Islamic culture that looks to be quite extravagant.  No doubt a little education on Muslims will do good for all people.  And when this much effort is put into making Islamic awareness known, well I would say its a huge success.

Museum satire taken seriously

http://www.snopes.com/politics/satire/museum.asp



During the government shutdown in 2013 the National Report published an article about Obama claiming to keep open the International Museum of Muslim Culture by using his own money.  The National Report is a political satire company that created this article as satire against claims of Obamas roots in Islam.  Nonetheless people sharing in social media thought the article was true.  Even fox news did a segment on the piece.  Just goes to show how willing we are to affirm our claims we will grab an article without checking the source and put it on a major news station.  The Museum is a private museum too so it doesn't run on government spending.

British Muslim woman launches anti ISIS culture drive

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/art-and-culture/2014/09/24/-MakingAStand-British-Muslim-women-launch-anti-ISIS-culture-drive.html


#MakingAStand is a growing trend in social media that calls for all woman emphasizing Muslim woman to stand in support against ISIS and Islamic extremism.  With a good number of British Muslim woman joining ISIS, this fight against shows the pure and rational side to Islam that is allied with non Muslims.

Muslim Tradition Needs telescopes.

http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-08/news/mn-2147_1_muslim-tradition

The muslim tradition of spotting the new moon with the naked eye is now undergoing some modern changes.  Saudi Arabian theologians have permitted the use of telescopes for this tradition.

German Citizenship stirs Muslim debate

http://articles.latimes.com/2006/apr/09/world/fg-test9


All over Europe and in this case particular, German Muslims are feeling they are being targeted by some social stereotypes.  In a continent weary about terrorist attacks, an uneasy tension is evident among Muslims in Europe.  The Hesse exam that is soon to be put in place asks questions about German history and culture to be taken by incoming citizens.  10 of these questions are particularly aimed for identifying Muslim Extremists.  Some claim these tests to be anti Islamic.  But one thing is for certain is that these test are used to identify an extremist of all faiths and religions.

Challenge with fasting Athletes

http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/10/local/me-63723


Two Muslim teenagers have talked more about their struggles with the fasting during the month of ramadan and their athletic lives.  Exercising more than four hours a day with no food and water is quite an ordeal to bear through.  But Muslim teens all across California have shown the importance of Ramadan over their daily struggles.

European court of human rights upholds Frances ban on

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/02/world/europe/france-european-rights-court-upholds-french-ban-on-veils.html


Three years ago France banned the headdress that is custom to women in Islamic culture.  Well as of recently the European court of human rights has upheld their ban.  The union said the ban is a legitimate attempt to preserve the norms of Frances diverse society.  So once again a different country is facing criticism for its regulations against Muslim customs.

China battles Islamic Orthodoxy

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/08/world/asia/uighurs-veils-a-protest-against-chinas-curbs.html


In recent events the Chinese government is having increasing problems with the Islamic traditions.  China is seeing these non integrated Muslims as a threat to the society.  They are putting limits on the Muslims in china and in recent events kept them from fasting during the month of Ramadan.  But the biggest battle is for the female dress code.  While Chinese officials are not in support of the tradition female garbs, they are meeting heavy resistance.  Only time will tell how this event unwinds.

Style for the women

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/17/fashion/muslim-women-hijab-style-traditional-garment-fashion.html?_r=0

An Islamic woman Ascia Farraj is adding a new look to the traditional Muslim woman garb.  She has been posting her new fashion styles online and is encouraging others to do the same.  Her new outfits remain respectful house more style and emotion than your typical all black garb.  Ascia is showing you can respect your religion while still being present in modern times.

Christians in end of sex trafficking

http://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/breakpoint/why-christians-need-to-take-the-lead-to-end-sex-trafficking.html


The article begins by telling of Cook County, Illinois, Sheriff Thomas Dart and his work with sex trafficking.  Dart has made a lot of big steps in changing the lives of those getting out of this trafficking.  The article calls for christians to aid in the pursuit of bringing these women out of their forced lives.  I salute these folks who give their time to this noble cause.  Who better to bring these women back than followers of christ devoted to the well being of all human beings.  This cause looks noble and could go far changing thousands of lives.  I hope this calling gets as many answers as it needs.

Religious Freedoms

http://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/breakpoint/why-restricting-religious-freedom-endangers-all-freedoms.html


The article above talks about the power that freedom of religion has.  In the authors eyes freedom of religion is the root to all our freedoms.  They claim christianity and its respects to the idea that all man is equal is what influenced the West's style of thinking.  Now Christianity was highly present in the foundation of the US and ill admit a lot of our founding fathers were christian as well.  But the idea of freedom and equality wasn't a Christian idea.  Any man being oppressed will fight for freedom whether his faith calls for it or not.  Christians need to take an ego check before they claim their faith to being the root of all our freedoms today.

State Bans on Same Sex Marriage

http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2014/november/for-first-time-state-bans-same-sex-marriage-upheld-sixth-ci.html


In a 2-1 split decision hailed by the National Organization for Marriage as a "tremendous victory," the Sixth Circuit ruled that states do have the authority to set rules for marriage in several areas. All six statutory and constitutional provisions were upheld relating to: same-sex marriage bans, refusing recognition of out-of-state marriages, denying adoption, and not allowing two same-gender spouses on birth and death certificates.

The previous passage was taken from the article.  What has given states the power to allow gay marriage has also given them the ability to forbid it.  This article just goes to show how far the US is from actually coming to a concrete solution on gay marriage.  For now it will continue to be a state issue.  In my honest belief I think christians are wrong in the condemning of gay marriage.  As a christian I understand the biblical text going against it, but I think they should have every right to be married.  For it should not be any mans decision to say two men can't share a life together.  

Vatican on Assisted Suicide

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/vatican-official-condemns-brittany-maynard-s-physician-assisted-suicide.html


The Vatican has denounced the recent physician-assisted suicide of Brittany Maynard. The 29-year-old terminally ill cancer victim died last week.  Father Ignacio Caracco said  "This woman [took her own life] thinking she would die with dignity, but this is the error, suicide is not a good thing, it is a bad thing because it is saying no to life and to everything it means with respect to our mission in the world and towards those around us."  Now while I respect the catholic church and agree with most of its beliefs I am appalled at the fathers words.  Who is he to claim this woman's decision wrong.  If she is terminally ill and bedridden how is she to supposed to fill gods supposed mission?  It was her decision to end her own life on her own terms without having to endear pain with no hope of pulling through.   While I understand suicide is wrong, assisted suicide is an entirely different matter.  Its time the vatican really think before it takes a jab at a mourning family.  

Faith Online

http://www.christianheadlines.com/news/online-offline-faith-go-hand-in-hand.html

There is no doubt the internet is the future, but did you expect to find it influencing people faith?  As resent news shows faith discussion and sharing is increasing online.  46% say they saw someone sharing something about their faith on social media.  Even those who claim no denominational identity have reported discussion on their ideas.  It only goes to show the power that is in the internet.  Religious discussion and works are being pioneered by the connections the internet opens.  With the vast growth of the sharing of ideas through the internet, religion is among the many.  

George Bush speaks on his faith during his presidency

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/george-w-bush-i-read-the-bible-every-day-during-my-presidency.html

Hobby Lobby President Steve Green has reportedly sought the help of former President George W. Bush with the Green family’s Bible museum project.  At a conference to promote the $800 museum, Green and Bush spoke about the Bible. Bush tells how he read the bible every day during his term.  Bush made his faith present in his term and that always concerned me a little, but I can't deny a man of good faith is respectful leader.   

International Day of the Bible

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/first-international-day-of-the-bible-to-launch-nov-24.html


Have you felt like the bible doesn't get enough recognition?  Well you need not worry any more!  The National Bible Association is sponsoring the first official "International Day of the Bible".   The holiday is simply to spread the word of the bible in however you please.  There is no specific way to do it you are just encouraged to spread the word and give recognition to god.  I think its nice that christians have a holiday to spread just the word.  Most holidays associated with the christian faith rarely teach us anything new expect for the lessons we all are taught as kids.  International bible day could be a good way to teach other christian ideals.  I for one look forward to this day, it could have a lot of potential for the spreading of christian morals.

Billy Graham hits 96

http://www.christianpost.com/news/billy-graham-celebrates-96th-birthday-with-new-film-announcment-i-know-im-going-to-heaven-im-looking-forward-to-it-129341/

The well known preacher Billy Graham is reaching his 96th birthday and he is still going strong in his participation in ministry.  He also has a film coming out "my hope with Billy Graham" as a last big message from the renown preacher.  His fellowship continues to grow in others hands but he has made it clear he will stay involved till his last days.  Say what you will about the christian faith but this mans years of devotion and unwavering faith is nothing short of an inspiration.

Pope Speaks on Evolution

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2014/10/28/god-is-not-a-magician-with-a-magic-wand-says-pope/


If you have been watching the news lately you have probably picked up that the new catholic pope is making some big splashes with his modern day preachings.  His latest headliner states that god is not some magician with a magic wand.  He tells how the long fight between Evolution and faith is ridiculous, and that one doesn't prove the other wrong but in fact they coincide.  The pope says that god created the world, but it acts within the natural laws that god put forth.  Evolution calls for creation so god created the universe and enacted evolution within it.  I love this new pope.  He is finally bringing down the walls between religion and science.  We live in the modern day where science is irrefutable and religion always seemed ridiculous for denying it.  I adamantly believe this pope is saving the catholic faith by bringing it into the new times.  Instead of religion taking a step away from progress, it can walk right along with it.

The Invention of Jewish People

The book The invention of Jewish People is a study of the historiography of the jewish people by Shlomo Sand.  This book was in the best seller list in Israel for nineteen weeks.  It has been translated into more languages than any other israeli history book.  It has also received a lot of criticism for being a far cry from a 'real' work of scholarship and being plodding and dull for contradicting current DNA studies and test results, and more.  Although it has much criticism to it you cannot deny that its wide success doesn't show some merit to the book.

A Jewish Misconception

Have you ever heard of jewish people having horns?  Well apparently there is actually a negative stereotype that jews had horns.  The idea that Jews have horns is based on a simple misreading of a Biblical verse. While this misconception has often been used by anti-Semites to link Jews to devils, its origins and use by artists like Michelangelo in his famous sculpture of Moses are far less hostile. It grows out of a poor translation of Exodus 34:30, which describes Moses as having an aura of light. The Hebrew word for the aura can be misunderstood as having horns.

Influential Jews

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/story-jews/explore-the-diaspora/10-influential-jewish-american-artists/

http://listverse.com/2008/10/21/top-10-most-influential-jews-in-history/

In the articles above it tells of some very influential jews.  I was actually surprised by the amount of culture today founded on the making of this religion.  Jewish culture is center in many innovative designs, artistic pieces, and scholarly growth.

What the Media Doesn't Say

http://www.mintpressnews.com/what-the-medias-getting-wrong-about-israel-and-palestine-and-why-it-matters/193607/


The article above describes the conflicts in the middle east over the past years.  As we all know there has never been much peace in the middle east.  Now as the Israeli, palestinian crisis grows this article shows some shocking facts about the conflict.  As a supporter of Israel it doesn't come as a shock that our media ignores the crimes done by Israel.  We want to keep public approval strong for our aid so a lot of the bad facts about Israel are swept under the rug.  But the truth is is that both sides are doing heinous acts against one another.  Our media likes to say that palestine is the culprit for all the evil war crimes but  According to the Palestinian Ministry of Information’s latest report on civilian casualties, one Palestinian child has been killed by Israel every three days for the last 13 years.  This just goes to show that the blame does not fall on one side.  War is hardly ever right versus wrong and it certainly isn't the case here.  Brutality is evident in every war, so I just encourage that you take a closer look when you see todays media.  

Shanghai's Upbringing

Shanghai actually has had a lot of help in its road to prosperity from jews. for instance, the son of Sun Yat-sen and eventually the premier of the Nationalist Party,  argued that “Jews were wealthy and talented; if we could make a favorable impression on them and obtain their support, it would be a great help to us.”  Even though communist took over after this civil conflict, they still had an interest in jewish potential.  The economic boomed in 1978 were accompanied by a deliberate study by Chinese elites of perceived Jewish financial practices.  The article continues to go on describing how jewish influenced really helped shanghai's growth.  This article shows that jews know really do know their stuff!

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/118477/shanghai-one-greatest-jewish-cities-ever-constructed

Superman is Jewish

As it turns out, superman has a lot of jewish background to him.  His creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were the children of Jewish immigrants. The comic book industry, where they spent a significant portion of their young careers, was created in New York by Jews like Max Ginsburg, Bob Kahn, and Jacob Kurtzberg, who hid their ethnicity behind names like Gaines, Kane, and Kirby.  People find superman jewish in the connection they make with other jewish characteristics.  They find him like moses in the fact that he wasn't raised by his real family, like moses wasn't raised by jews, but yet they gain powers to help those in need. Also presented as evidence are the similarities between the S symbol on Superman’s chest and the Hebrew character Lamedh.  You can also connect Superman’s code of ethics—“Truth, Justice, and the American Way”—to the Mishnaic values of “truth, peace, and justice.”   These connections don't necessarily prove that superman is a jew.  Non of the movies or comics say he is jewish, but it is just a hidden background that people often prescribe to the hero.  Either way I can see the connection in the ways he acts.  Its also not unheard of for writers to attribute their personal beliefs to their characters.  But either way I never would have made the connection.  I think its interesting that such a popular hero had such a religious background in his creation.   

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/16/superman-is-jewish-the-hebrew-roots-of-america-s-greatest-superhero.html

The Jewish Calendar

We are coming up on the new year for jewish culture and this year will start with the high holidays.  The high holidays are two different holidays over the course of 10 days. The first is Rosh Hashanah, a two-day celebration of the Jewish new year. Eight days after that, we have Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah starts on the night of Wednesday September 24 this year, and Yom Kippur starts Friday night October 3.  
Jewish religion actually follows a separate lunar calendar, thats why holidays like hanukkah change on our regular calendar.  The Jewish calendar is also different in that each day is defined to start at sunset, rather than at midnight. That’s why Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur start at night.
I often wondered how and why the jewish holidays shift so dramatically each year, turns out they have an entirely different calendar.  And by the look of it we are coming up on the biggest jewish holidays of the year!  

Why Jewish men don't shave their beards

The Torah actually forbids destruction of the beard and the talmud defines destruction as shaving with a razor.  Others like Maimonides say the reason for this forbiddance is because shaving was a practice of idol-worshipers. In addition, Kabbalah attaches great importance to the beard, teaching that the “thirteen locks” of the beard are representative of God’s thirteen supernal attributes of mercy. Growing a beard makes one a beneficiary of the bounty which originates from God’s compassion.

I never thought a beard was that important to people, apparently cultures respect it very highly and forbid the destruction of it.  Although this is a practice usually held by more traditionalist jews it is interesting to learn that so much of how jews dress and act is all in accordance with god, even their beards.

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/494236/jewish/Why-dont-chassidic-men-shave.htm

Rabbi Announces who the messiah is

Rabbi Announces Who the Messiah is

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23877


The article above tells how one of the nations most prominent rabbi's Yitzhak Kaduri supposedly had written down the name of the messiah before his death which he requested to remain sealed until may of 2013.  In this note he claimed the messiah to be jesus.  Obviously this claim has been widely criticized.  Even his son says the note is forgery and not his fathers actual handwriting.  But all his family will admit that Yitzhak, during the last year of his life, was frequently mentioning the coming of the messiah.  A few months before his death Yitzhak said the messiah had come to him and gave a message at his synagogue on how to identify the messiah.  The details of this are in the article.