"…do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother . Rather be open handed and freely lend him whatever he needs. Deuteronomy 15: 7 "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice.." Deuteronomy 24:17 "Speak up; for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:8 "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts…
The Rev Mark Link, S.J., has written a number of booklets with reflections for mediation. They are filled with stories and metaphors that are both are entertaining and meaningful. They are available from Thomas More publishing (www.thomasmore.com) In one of them, A contemporary walk with Jesus, he refers to William Barclay, the Scottish theologian. Barclay was a Protestant scholar who wrote many books about religion including study guides for the Bible that are well written, interesting and filled with explanations…
Since much of the world’s turmoil is related to religious belief’s, a working idea of some of the non-Christian major religions is helpful. Christianity, with it’s many divisions and sects, has about 2.1 Billion believers world wide, but the other major religions have a comparable number of members world wide as well. What follows is a very brief and sketchy outline which is not intended to be complete. There are roughly 1.4 Billion people who follow the religion of Islam,…
Eighty one years ago, in July 1925, the Scopes trial or "monkey trial" as it was called – dominated the front pages of the nation’s newspapers. In 1859 Charles Darwin had published his work The Origin of Species and in 1871 published The Decent of Man. His assertion that man had descended from a "a hairy tailed quadruped" caused an uproar in scientific and religious circles. Religious groups insisted that Genesis accurately and, for some, literally described the process of…
See the Editorial in the New England Journal of Medcine by physician Dr. Susan Okie "Stem-Cell Politics" New England Journal of Medicine Stem Cell Politics because it worth reading as a rational argment to allow stem cell research. The Bush adminstration’s policy prohibits federal fudning for research using any human embryonic stem-cell except those established before August 2001.The issue is seen as religious moral issue dealing with human life by the Catholic Church and other religions As Dr. Okie’s editorial…
Thomas Merton (1915 – 1968) U.S. religious author, Trappist monk and poet who lived at the Abbey of Gethesemani wrote this prayer that has universal appeal. "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going, I do not see the road ahead of me, I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing…
The Jesuit priest, Mark Link, has written a series of short meditation books with wonderful stories and metaphors. These booklets are available from Thomas More Publishing www.ThomasMore.com. In one of his meditations he refers to Lord George Macleod whom he quotes as saying: "Is there any greater pathos in our world than the number of youth, miles outside our churches, who are longing for a savior, looking pathetically toward …revolutionaries like Che Guevara…Do you know the hush that comes down…
