NPR has a very interesting piece on the Shia-Sunni split.
The division in Islam between the Shia minority and the Sunni majority seems to be deepening, not just in Iran and Iraq, but across the Middle East. The split occurred soon after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, nearly 1,400 years ago.
Catch up on your Ismlamic history and find out why Shiites are looking for a coming messiah.
I have the pics from yesterday’s service online. Check them out by clicking the photo.
Brian had a another great message yesterday on community and how vital everyone’s role is to the church as a whole. We’re each vitally important and if one part is missing the entire body doesn’t function as it should. To illustrate the point, everyone in the room was given a piece of paper at the beginning of the service. We were told to color on it, draw on it or decorate it however we saw fit. Brian’s main point came from Col 1:15-18.
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. – Col. 1:15-18
He pointed out that if we as a church work together like we should, then Christ should be the first thing people see. Not a shoulder or an arm or a foot. The head should be exactly what they see first.
As he concluded his message we were all told to bring our pieces of paper to the front and stick them on a board that had a grid pre-printed on it.
As the pieces came together we started seeing the image of Christ appear — just as it’s supposed to happen in the church.
There were all sorts of colors and pictures drawn. Everyone was unique. But in the end it was Christ that shown through.
And while it was not planned, one piece ended up missing.
It was obvious that there was a gaping hole there. It challenged me to be sure I don’t leave a gaping hole in the church by my unwillingness to serve or my desire for myself.
I’ll post some pictures a little later as well as the podcast from the message but I wanted to be sure and share the lesson before I headed into the office this morning.
I’ve been sitting on this since Friday morning. I’m glad to finally get to post it.
NPR has two stories on faith and religion in the White House.
The first talks about the role religion will play in the race.
The second talks about the hurdle former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney may face as a Mormon.
Here are some poll results from NPR’s website:
Public Opinion Polls Weigh Faith and Politics
Los Angeles Times / Bloomberg
June 2006
Percentage of 1,321 respondents who said they could NOT vote for the following presidential candidates because of religion:
* A Mormon candidate: 37%
* A Jewish candidate: 15%
* A Muslim candidate: 54%
* An evangelical Christian candidate: 21%
* A Catholic candidate: 10%
December 2006
Percentage of 1,489 registered voters surveyed who could NOT vote for one of the following, even if they were presidential candidates nominated by the respondents’ party and even they and the respondents were in general agreement on most issues:
* A Mormon: 14%
* A 72-year-old: 14%
* A woman: 4%
* An African-American: 3%
Newsweek
December 2006
Percentage of 864 registered voters surveyed who would NOT vote for the following for president even if they were qualified for the job and nominated by the respondent’s party:
* A Mormon: 25%
* An African-American: 3%
* A woman: 8%
NBC News/Wall Street Journal
December 2006
Percentage of 1,006 adults who said they were very uncomfortable or have some reservations about voting for a presidential candidate who is:
* Mormon: 53%
* Jewish: 19%
* An evangelical Christian: 54%
ABC News/Washington Post
December 2006
Percentage of 1,005 adults who said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for president who is:
* Mormon: 35%
Fox News/Opinion Dynamics
December 2006
Percentage of 900 registered voters who said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for president who is:
* Mormon: 32%
* Protestant: 6%
* Roman Catholic: 10%
* Jewish: 10%
* A member of the Christian Coalition: 24%
* Muslim: 45%
* An atheist: 50%
* A Scientologist: 53%
Percentage of 900 registered voters who said they be less likely to vote for Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon: 24%
Source: Compiled by NPR from searches of the iPOLL Databank provided by the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, University of Connecticut.
Oh and Barack Obama announced his campaign for President today. I’m excited to see what happens. He reminds me of a black Jed Bartlett. I hate that I have to point out his race but at the same time I’m really excited to think that America may finally approve of someone other than a white man in the White House.
I posted on Obama’s faith back in October after I read a transcript of a speech he gave earlier in the year. Seems even more pertinent now.
I still love this quote:“I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God’s will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.”
Brian Bailey’s book “The Blogging Church” has been released and the publishers have put together an interesting video to promote the video with an interview from Bailey and co-author Terry Storch.
One year has passed since nine churches in central and western Alabama were set on fire by three college-age students. Members continue to meet for worship as they begin rebuilding their churches — with a little help from volunteers. Listen to the full report from NPR.
