In class, we discussed the trend of an increasingly politically conservative attendance in America’s pews. As religious involvement has softened, those who have have remained headstrong in the practice of their official religion are often more conservative, and have a tendency to use the word of God as a justification for their political beliefs on controversial issues such as abortion.

Pope Francis seems to be an exception to this trend. Although the same is not necessarily the case for all Catholic congregations, Francis has consistently spoken against hateful, exclusive rhetoric, and has taken up a more liberal agenda. He has articulated concerns over President’s Trump behavior and platform, and has instead encouraged the world to be loving and accepting of all. Francis has recently released a new letter, which was read at the U.S. Regional World Meeting of Popular Movements in Modesto, California, encouraging people to be activists against populism. He said that the resolution of current and pressing issues in our world is dependent upon “people’s involvement and participation”. He noted that xenophobia is a danger to the success of our society, insinuating that we must hold our institutions accountable for loving behavior and practices.

Although Francis did not directly mention President Trump, his words are clearly motivated by Trump’s agenda. Francis said that we should not condone leaders that rely on “fear, insecurity, quarrels, and even people’s justified indignation, in order to shift the responsibility for all these ills on to a ‘non-neighbor.'” On the day of the inauguration, Francis spoke of Hitler’s strategies of manipulating a crowd, and again in this letter, he is seemingly warning our population to stay smart, active, and true to our values.

Francis has also recently alluded to the events in Standing Rock in regards to the Dakota Access Pipeline, defending a “right to prior and informed consent” as to what happens to one’s land. Francis also has also protested against “social walls” and “false prophets”. By doing this, he has reminded us that Christianity promotes values of peace, love and inclusion to all. Although he is not taking a direct political stand with a named platform, he has vocalized his values and his interpretation of God’s word in order to encourage good will in his following.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/02/17/in-a-new-letter-pope-francis-tells-activists-to-stand-up-to-populists/?utm_term=.3e95f1163b66

According to the Huffington Post, due the conformation of Betsy DeVos as the new Secretary of Education, the Council for National Policy (CNP) released a document recommending DeVos to promote “Judeo-Christian principles” in American public schools. This basically means that public schools would put the Ten commandments on the walls, implementing bible study, and teaching US and world history “from the Judeo-Christian perspective” for middle school and high school history. This a violation of separation of church and state, but that is not the issue that I have with the CNP’s recommendation. Religion is a big part of many peoples lives and I understand that they want their children to learn about it, but my problem is that it can’t just be taught with a Judeo-Christian lens. If the CNP wants to put religion into schools then they should have to put all religion into schools. Children in America should be taught all religions on an equal playing field so they can be informed and make the decision of which one they want to identify with on their own. If DeVos goes through with the CNP’s suggestion then it would put a bias on the children of which religion they join because they only learned about one in school. The CNP are also wanting to tell history from the Judeo-Christian perspective which isn’t as objective as normal history classes. Overall, I would welcome the idea of teaching world religions to the younger generation but to promote tolerance of each others religions, not just telling the story from one side.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lets-be-clear-conservatives-want-religion-on-classroom_us_58a9b56ce4b0fa149f9ac774

While religion at the Grammys is no new concept, this year’s award ceremony echoed important political messages within the religiously based performances. First, in Beyonce’s performance, she embodied a variety of different eastern and western religions from Hinduism to Catholicism. Beyonce performed with her very obviously pregnant belly, which personified her as a “divine mother” figure. Next, A Tribe Called Quest’s performance held much more political undertones, as it was a directed response to Trump’s travel ban.  Lyrics in his song thanked Trump for his “unsuccessful attempt at the Muslim Ban” while women in hijabs performed, knocking down a staged construction wall. Lastly, Chance the Rapper preformed with the Christian artist, Chris Tomlin. Together they performed the song “How Great is Our God”. Religion at the Grammys this year showed up in diverse and unexpected ways. The religious performances and speeches proved that religion in American society is seen as creating social cohesion, but also conflict as McGuire has discussed in previous chapters.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673313/Beyonce-Chance-the-Rapper-A-Tribe-Called-Quest-bring-religion-to-Grammys.html

According to an article in The New York Times by Laurie Goodstein, 4,248 adults were surveyed by the Pew Research Center to see how Americans rated other religions practiced in the United States. The Americans surveyed were not asked why they have the views they have, and apparently there was a bit of a survey error that was not stated. Why would this topic be explored? Does it not cause more of a divide between people and religious groups? It is interesting to see what people think of other religions within their country. After the recent election, Muslims in America said they felt particularly discriminated toward, and Muslims ranked at the bottom of the poll with Atheists.

The whole idea of liking certain religions over others reminds me a lot of Florence from the presentation by group did last week. Florence only wants her religion to be practiced around her, and she wants it done her way.  This article also ties in with the presentation from Monday that spoke about the shared parish. I find it interesting to see how people feel about other religious groups, especially after the recent election. I feel that it can cause some conflict but at the same time I believe it is an interesting sociological study.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/us/poll-religion.html?_r=0

The article I chose for this week does not relate to a topic discussed in class, but serves as a reminder that climate change is the most pressing issue that humans of faith and no faith need to acknowledge and address.

This article speaks about religious involvement within the environmental movement. I for one did not know that certain religious leaders speak out about this issue because I had never seen it. The article stated that climate change wasn’t just an economic, science, and political issue, but an issue of our morals and our spiritual commitment. Pope Francis actually called on all people to take care of creation because it has been entrusted to them by God. He went on to make several other points such as an economy of excess has created an economy of exclusion because it is the poor who suffer most from lack of water, food and economic opportunity. So climate change isn’t just about the weather changing, but it is about how we see ourselves as active participants in nature and if that relationship is a positive one. It is also an issue about how we care for other people. I hope more religious leaders encourage people to engage in living more sustainable.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-steffen/religion-and-climate-change_b_8900316.html

Pakistan has recently taken a legal stand against Valentine’s Day, prohibiting its celebration as a means of protecting Islamic values. The idea is that Valentine’s Day is a symbol of “Western vulgarity and promiscuity that Islamist clerics often rail against”. Thus, banning Valentine’s Day is the Pakistani government preventing promiscuous behavior that deters the nation from Middle Eastern customs.

Pakistan is becoming “both more Western and more Islamic at the same time”. As religions and cultures continue to globalize, Western behavior, wardrobe, and customs have become more wildly practiced in Pakistan. In conjunction with political heat, traditional Islamic practices have become more highly prioritized, by both the Muslim democracy and civilians.

This ban has created a cultural divide in Pakistan today. Although some agree with the concept of the Valentine’s Day ban, they argue that it is acting as a big blow to business. One man  argued that life is short, and that he shouldn’t be prevented from giving his wife a gift that would make her smile. Another man said, “With all the problems Pakistan has, why shouldn’t we have one day for happiness?” Simultaneously, other civilians are celebrating the loss of a symbol of Western infiltration, and the ability to get back to their roots.

This article reminded me of Monday’s presentation on the Euro-Catholic and Latino-Catholic community sharing a warship place. Sometimes, people practice the same religion, and even have similar values, but struggle to see eye-to-eye because of cultural differences. Although most people in Pakistan have similar religious values, how people choose to practice their religion within their personal culture can be unique.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistan-court-ban-of-valentines-day-celebrations-raises-many-contradictions/2017/02/14/02f790e0-f2be-11e6-9fb1-2d8f3fc9c0ed_story.html?utm_term=.04092745be47

At the Grammys last Sunday, a couple of Christian artists walked away with some Grammy awards. (Neffinger, www.christianheadlines.com) Chance the Rapper walked away with Best New Artist, gospel singer Kirk Franklin walked away with Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance/Song, and gospel singers Joey and Rory Feek walked away with Best Roots Gospel Album. (Neffinger, www.christianheadlines.com) The couple’s album was actually one that was recorded before Joey’s death, who lost a battle with cancer. (Neffinger, www.christianheadlines.com) Also, Chance the Rapper apparently even praised God in his acceptance speech. (Neffinger, www.christianheadlines.com) This is all just one example of how religion can reveal itself in everyday public life and in entertainment. Religiosity and even spirituality can be seen in public life in a couple of ways. Sometimes, football players pray at games. After tragedies, makeshift memorials are made with flowers, candles, and other things. It also depends on the person or group of people. Some people will show their religiosity or spirituality more regularly in everyday life than others will. Some pray more, some have home alters, some will have little display at work, some wear cross necklaces, and some just feel a connection to a higher power when they go certain places. It’s all these little things that can be seen in daily life that remind us that religion can still be part of our lives in other ways besides just going once a week to a religious service.

In an article written for Religious News Service on Monday February 13th, Erin McFarlan Miller, points to the heavily religious symbolism present in many of the performances held at the 59th annual Grammys, especially looking at the performance made by Beyonce. In a political climate that is strife with arguments from opposing sides of religious freedom and discrimination in regards to Trump’s failed “un-official” Muslim ban, many highly recognized people are speaking out along with the rest of the angered public. Beyonce’s performance utilized what can be interpreted as borrowing from many different religions and displaying different religious and cultural interpretations of divine beings. McFarlan Miller quotes professor Elizabeth McAlister, stating “…the singer was ‘performing brilliantly the image of the powerful divine mother, and that image can be found in the Virgin Mary, the Afro-Creole goddesses and the Hindu goddesses.'”(McFarlan Miller). In doing this, one can interpret Beyonce’s intentions of bringing to light figures from different religions, focusing on a divine motherhood, and especially drawing on her own Creole roots. McFarlan Miller continues to quote McAlister, stating, “The professor described it as ‘a performance of religious Creolization in action, in movement,’ describing the way colonized peoples have continued to practice indigenous religions ‘under the cover of Catholicism’ by blending the traditions.”(McFarlan Miller). The embrace of  one’s culture and religious symbolism seems like a way to combat and resist the rising religious and political tensions of America.

It is no secret that mental health issues do not discriminate. They can effect any one at anytime. What happens then, when many people of your faith believe that depression is caused by God or Allah being upset with you. It’s extremely hard to get treatment when even the therapist that is supposed to help feels the same way that everyone else does. This has been very common for people of Islamic faith to face these issues of blaming themselves for having mental health problems. According to BBC news, “This stigma does involve the idea that maybe if you need treatment, there might be something wrong with your faith identity in the first place.” Due to this stigma, people are often under referred to seek help. Even when they do seek help there is an issue in how the therapists go about trying to help. There is issue with the therapists leaving out faith when trying to help someone, when faith is a huge part of their daily lives. According to Dr Ghazala Mir, “Not only is there under-referral but the outcomes for people who do actually get referred are not as good as the general population.” This is believed to be because of the absence of faith in therapy sessions. The movement of including faith has slowly started to pick up because for many Muslim people, faith is their world and it influences every decision that they make. This story reminded me of the Sacred Stories, Spiritual Tribes were religion plays a role in everyday life and how other people have to respect that in order to understand where a person is coming from.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-38932954