Interview: Christian formation, No longer your grandmother’s Sunday school

is the result of several questions, answers, and responses over a period of separate days. The title for this piece on “Sunday School,” suggested by Sharon, says a great deal about where 2009 brings us in formation of members of The Episcopal Church in the United States, part of the worldwide Anglican communion of 77 million. Her title for the interview is contained in this email response by her:

 

As far as title (suggested by me), “Sunday School with Sharon” (you reply that it) is rather demeaning to the ministry of Christian formation and I prefer you not use it. A title such as “Christian Formation: No Longer Your Grandmother’s Sunday school” if you need to use the term Sunday school (which is not used in the Episcopal Church very often anymore). It is LIFE LONG formation and education into living out one’s baptismal promises.

 

Christian formation is life long, so it includes all ages. This is occurring across denominational lines, and is not new to Christianity. It is reclaiming the understanding of how Christians were “formed” in the early Church.

Sunday school is no longer seen as a separate component of education just for children. We like to use the term, “Christian formation” to describe the continual lifelong process of deepening one’s understanding of his or her faith.

In the Episcopal Church it involves all aspects of our life together – worship, service to others, mission, pastoral care, evangelism, fellowship, AND education. Education is comprised of learning and reflecting, integrating holistically all of our experiences with God’s Word, connecting faith and daily life.

 

The term “Sunday school” originated with Robert Raikes, a devout Anglican layman, (1736-1811) who started a movement of prison reform and education of offenders and poor children. The purpose of the school was to teach poor children (in “Soot Alley”) the rudiments of learning on Sunday, their free day. Of course the Bible was their textbook, and from the movement the idea of Sunday schools spread to the Baptist, Congregational, and Methodist churches throughout England. In 1803 the London Sunday School Union was created. It was also brought to America, and in 1824 the American Sunday School Union was formed in Philadelphia. It was, and is still today, characterized by strong missionary and evangelistic zeal. There continues to be a Unified Lessons Series curriculum, though this is not usually used in Episcopal Churches. 

 

The Episcopal Church does not have a “mandatory” or endorsed curriculum for all to use. Holy Scripture (The Old and New Testaments) and “The Book of Common Prayer” ground us in study. We are the curriculum – individually and our congregations together in all that we say and do as well as what is implicitly stated in how we shape our environment and provide hospitality.

And remember, Christian Formation is not just about memorizing doctrine, Bible verses, a Catechism, and certain prayers. It is about developing a relationship with God, and living out Jesus’ commandments in the world, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, and with all your mind, and all your strength …You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12: 30-31)

 Episcopalians are called to live out The Baptismal Covenant and, what many consider the foundation of our lives together and which guides us to live out our ministry in the world.

All churches are called to use this as a foundation for our life together, including our educational programs.

 

This Covenant takes seriously our call to be Christ’s ministers in the world at the moment of our Baptism. We understand that we are not empty vessels to be filled with knowledge, but are known by God and already have a relationship with God, no matter what age.

By virtue of our Baptism, in the Episcopal Church, we believe we are full members of the Body of Christ. God was present with us at birth, and at Baptism we are filled with the Holy Spirit, that continues to remain with us, being “marked as Christ’s own forever” with the sign of the Cross on our forehead, one of the outward and visible signs, with water that is exhibited at Baptism – no matter what age we are.

 

An excellent example of how this is experienced in a church setting with children is through a program called Godly Play (www.godlyplay.org).

This Montessori-approach to children’s formation was developed by The Rev. Dr. Jerome Berryman, understanding that children have a desire to learn liturgical language while exploring their relationship with God and Jesus on their own terms. While learning the lessons of the Old and New Testaments, children learn to fall in love with God all over again and again.

The program is child-centered and is story-based, using beautiful materials and open-ended wondering questions to allow the child to place themselves in the various stories of God’s people. It is a program used in a growing number of churches of many denominations.

 

But Christian formation is not just for children. It is a lifelong process in which all of us are continually learning and growing in our relationship with God.

At the Episcopal Church’s triennial gathering this July in Anaheim, one of the pieces of legislation will include a Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation. Patterned after The Children’s Charter for the Church passed in 1998,  this document will highlight the importance of education and formation for all ages.

There is a hunger in Episcopal Churches to better understand how to read scripture and apply it to today’s world. There is a hunger to learn spiritual practices to keep one grounded in the midst of a busy lifestyle. There is a desire for intergenerational methods of engaging each other, understanding that elders have much wisdom to share, children are often prophets calling us to see God in the world, and all ages in between make up the whole people of God.

Many adults in our society today were not brought up in a religious tradition, or had a bad experience as a child with the institutional church. So when their own children start asking existential questions about God, Jesus, and the meaning of life, they turn back to the Church for assistance.

While many are looking for “education” for their children, they too are hungry for a deeper spiritual life and connection to the holy.

Our world today is very fragmented, and our lives are like a gerbil running on a wheel. The Church provides a community of faith in which one can slow down, be renewed, and fed.

And the Episcopal Church is open to all people. Our doors are open to any seeker. As many would say, you do not need to leave your questions at the door before you enter. We embrace Scripture, the Traditions of the past, as well as Reason—our ability to make up our own minds and personal decisions as to where we believe God is calling us.

 

My title is as the Christian Formation Specialist for Church Publishing Incorporated (CPI) (www.churchpublishing.org), the publisher for the Episcopal Church.

CPI publishes books on prayer, faith in the world, and other topics of interest to those lay and ordained. We publish “The Book of Common Prayer,” various Episcopal hymnals, and many resources.

(I) also work closely with one of its divisions, Morehouse Education Resources, which publishes curricula and educational materials for The Episcopal Church and other denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church.

These include the original lectionary-based curriculum, Living the Good News, as well as Godly Play books and materials, All Things New, and many more. Confirm not Conform a groundbreaking confirmation program for youth that was developed by St. John’s Episcopal Church in Oakland, CA is also part of their resources. 

Some basic questions of Sharon:

Morehouse Education Resources  is a division of Church Publishing Incorporated, located in Denver. Church Publishing’s main office is in New York City, along with its parent company the Church Pension Fund, which serves all (7,500) Episcopal congregations in the United States and beyond (many countries in the Caribbean and Latin America): and  Church Publishing publishes all liturgical materials as stipulated by General Convention.

 

We also are partners with The Godly Play Foundation  and the founders of Confirm not Conform -– both are used in the San Francisco Bay area.

These two programs exemplify the ‘cutting edge’ in the area of Christian formation and education in the Episcopal Church (and beyond).

 

Morehouse Education Resources publishes curricula and sacramental resources used by many denominations. I participate with APCE, the Association of Presbyterian Christian Educators, the National Association for Episcopal Christian Education Directors  as well as many educators from the United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), and Roman Catholic Church.

 

ulia McCray-Goldsmith, Director of Ministry Development, Episcopal Diocese of California (located in San Francisco); Melissa Neofes Mischak, Director of Christian Formation, Christ Episcopal Church (Alameda, CA); Carol Campbell, Resource Center Director, Episcopal Dioceses of El Camino Real and California (located in Sunnyvale); Wendy Cliff, Director of Christian Formation, St. Paul’s’ Episcopal Church, Oakland, CA; and The Rev. Beth Foote, Rector, Holy Trinity, Menlo Park, CA

 

7,500 Episcopal churches (a membership of over 2 million) and many from other denominations.

 

I participate with APCE, the Association of Presbyterian Christian Educators as well as many folks from the United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), and Roman Catholic Church. Morehouse Education Resources publishes curricula and sacramental resources used by many denominations.

 

Note: Sharon says she:

travels extensively, offering workshops and consultations to congregations in need of training and program planning support.

produces a free, monthly e-newsletter, Living IN-Formation as well as maintains an on-line Resource Room of support materials for the Christian educator.

Readers may write Sharon: Sharon Ely Pearson, Christian Formation Specialist Church Publishing Incorporated/Morehouse Education Resources Mailing address:17 Pumpkin Lane – Norwalk, CT 06851

 

(1) Godly Play class. Photo courtesy Church Publishing. (2) Sharon Ely Pearson. Photo courtesy of Church Publishing.

 

Peter Menkin, an aspiring poet, lives in Mill Valley, CA USA (north of San Francisco).

My blog:

http://www.petermenkin.blogspot.com

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A Christian Nanny – Find Christian Nannies Now!

Are you contemplating utilizing the web for seeking and locating ? Finding a nanny in your proximity through the use of web-based nanny-matching companies can simplify the nanny seeking and screening process. A program designed to locate professional nannies is a useful function of many web-based nanny sites which can locate suitable candidates to care for your children consistent with your job requirements. When looking for work, the safest and most reliable way for nannies to find a great family is to become a member of an online family – nanny coordinating firm.

Many households who want to locate a Christian nanny are not always aware of the great convenience of utilizing a high standard online nanny placement service. When starting to look for someone to mind their children, people sometimes have the tendency to imagine that the most desirable childcare specialists are already taken! Many times this is untrue. An organization which seeks to match nannies and families nationwide can be a very useful and reliable way of finding an independent nanny in your locale. With the majority of sites that authorize the sharing of a useful amount of information on nannies, you will be able to do a search, free of charge, to be able to look at the included nannies.

Ordinarily, a nanny is in the age between 18 and 50, and many hold a degree in early childhood development. Some of the candidates will perhaps already have considerable training in looking after infants and very young children and others will be fairly new to the job. However, the majority of them choose to work with children because they consider their job useful – particularly the interaction with the children. When checking out the possibilities, pay attention not only to their work background, but in addition their personality and general bearing.

A firm that specializes in placing nannies will be able to assist you in one of the most significant aspects of engaging a nanny – the verification of a nanny’s reliability. Checking into a nanny’s past is a crucial step in order to make sure there’s no chance of engaging a nanny without knowing of past troubles. Make sure this service is available online. To make sure the information is all true, you must not forget to explain to the candidates that you need references from other families.

When trying to find don’t forget that once you decide to take the step to hire a helper there are some important topics to be considered, such as – how to interview a nanny, the nanny’s salary and the nanny’s contract as well as carefully defining the nanny’s duties so no misunderstanding will ensue.

If you wish to a Christian nanny

Visit: online-nanny.com

What kind of Christian are you?

In the Bible, it was recorded in the book of the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ that the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians in a place called Antioch. Looking back in time, wherever people have been referred to as Christians, emphasis is usually made to their manner of life. In contemporary times, there seems to be a deviation in that when a person claims to be a Christian, it is often more of what they profess and not necessarily whether or not their way of life is in conformity with the tenets of the faith. The reason for this is because, a vast number of people do not know exactly what Christianity entails. To some, it means attending church services, getting baptised and engaging in other activities, all of which are external.

It is possible for an individual to carry out goodly exercises in the name of God, such as would endear him towards men as a child of God. Inasmuch as it is expected for anyone who is godly to do good works, the motive for doing it is no less important. This reality is revealed in the thirteenth chapter of the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians [in the Bible] and connote that even when a person does good works on the outside, he or she may not be in good standing with God. That is, being a Christian involves our motives and actions, both of them complementing each other every single time.

To be a Christian is more than just a simple decision to do the right thing or to live responsibly. It does go beyond religion in that there is no single correct interpretation of any part of the scriptures and also, God deals with us on a general as well as on a personal level. Christianity in the real sense is not about right or wrong, it’s not about good or bad, neither is it about what you believe per se. The reason is that right, wrong, good and bad are all relative terms. What one person calls good may be seen as bad by some other individual. It all comes down to the standard you’re working with.

To live as a Christian, it is expected of you to deal with the issues of life working with the Word of God as your standard. This means that whatever is said in the Holy Bible to be good, you affirm to be good and whatever is taken as bad, you hold the same position on that particular issue irrespective of what you feel and you don’t just do this as a onetime thing but consistently to the point that it becomes to you, a way of life. When this happens, the ‘Word of God’ becomes the measure of all things as against ‘man’. The truth of man may not necessarily be in harmony with the Word of God which is Truth. The truth of man is simply generalisation. The problem about that is that there will always be exceptions which inadvertently infer that every truth of man is relative to some extent. On the other hand, the Word of God as Truth is not relative but absolute; a reality which encapsulates the superiority of the Word of God over every ideology of man.

When your conduct is patterned after the Word of God, that is when you consistently obey the commandments of God which is clearly delineated in the Bible, you become a Christian by lifestyle and can be referred to as a ‘Practical Christian’. If you claim to be a Christian and your lifestyle is in contrast with biblical injunctions, you are merely a ‘Nominal Christian’. Christianity simply put is ‘accepting the Word of God as Truth and living by it’.

A ‘Practical Christian’ is actually a bona fide Christian and not a person who calls himself one but acts differently. For instance, if you say you are a vegetarian, your choice of food will either validate that or refute such declaration. So, it not so much what you call yourself but rather what people will call you when you are thoroughly examined as was the case in Antioch.

A good way to understand who a Christian really is can be derived from the definition of business. It is said that a business is an activity but not all activities can be said to be a business. This therefore brought about the need to identify the features of business in order to distinguish it from other activities. One cardinal feature of business is that the activity must be consistent, which means that a one-off activity will not constitute business. Judging by that definition, a Christian can be said to be ‘any individual who is consistently obedient to Christ in all things’. Obedience to God must not be partial but in every area of life.

The big question to ask is; what kind of Christian am I? Am I a nominal Christian, sporting myself in various fruitless religious exercises or a practical Christian who lives a life that is pleasing to God? Being sincere about your answer can actually go a long way in correcting the errors in your life and help you get on the right track. If you’re not a Christian, it is possible for you to give your life to God through Jesus Christ and become a child of God. What kind of Christian you choose to be is entirely up to you. I urge you to take God seriously and become a practical Christian no matter how much you have to give up to make that happen because in the end, one thing is certain, you will be glad you did.

Uzo Nnamdi is a Christian who is committed to teaching the Word of God and Leadership.

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Preachings of Hinduism are Superior than Christianity

 

 

Christianity a religion with staunch followers accross the globe who take pride in Calling themselves as christians . They will do whatever it takes to Spread the message of Christianty , even murders are made for the sake of planting the cross accross Asia which is still not a strong hold of Christianty .

Christianity tells that all other reliigions are Satans and only christianity preaches good things .

It made us Observe that there are Certain preachings of christianity are highly inconsistent with that above claim .

 

To Start it off , Christianity threatens that those who did not follow Jesus will go to Hell .

Hinduism is always open to other religions , the fact that in Six Indian states Hindus are Minorities is tetimony the fact of openess and Co-Operation

In the Hinduism God can expand and appear in the localized form of the Deity in the temple, whereas the Christianity  condemn Deity worship.   

 Hinduism says that all is God, while Christianity say God is far away and takes great endeavor and approval through the church to reach God.  

Hinduism says that one can take many lifetimes to attain the spiritual dimension or reach God, while others says there is but one life to reach perfection or go to eternal hell     

Hinduism says that a person can ask many and any questions to understand spiritual truths, while Christianity curb many questions regarding its dogma, and say you are a doubting person if you ask too many questions.

Hinduism explain that one’s situations in life are due to karma for which a person has to take responsibility, while the Christainty have little philosophy to clarify one’s good or bad circumstances in life.   

Hindu  knowledge is often in harmony with science, whereas the Christianity is contrary to science, keeping their own dogma no matter what.              

 Vedic tradition says you were born divine and must merely awaken to that divinity, while western religions say we were born sinners or “in sin” and must work to be rectified and saved from our sins. 

Vedic followers accept responsibility for their actions as part of their own karma, while the Christians  say it is the devil that tempts them to do evil things. Or even if they succumb to their temptations they are saved by the blood of Jesus. 

 Hinduism believes that hellish punishment can exist after death if one is too evil, but that it is temporary after one becomes rehabilitated. However, in Christianity they feel a person has but one chance to reach heaven or hell, and that is also eternal with no chance of rehabilitation. This seems to give a harsh view of God and fly in the face of any idea that God is merciful and full of unconditional love.

 

“I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.”

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.”

“Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel.”

 So they sent twelve thousand warriors to Jabesh-gilead with orders to kill everyone there, including women and children.  “This is what you are to do,” they said. “Completely destroy all the males and every woman who is not a virgin.”  Among the residents of Jabesh-gilead they found four hundred young virgins who had never slept with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.

The Israelite assembly sent a peace delegation to the little remnant of Benjamin who were living at the rock of Rimmon. Then the men of Benjamin returned to their homes, and the four hundred women of Jabesh-gilead who were spared were given to them as wives.  But there were not enough women for all of them.  The people felt sorry for Benjamin because the LORD had left this gap in the tribes of Israel.  So the Israelite leaders asked, “How can we find wives for the few who remain, since all the women of the tribe of Benjamin are dead?  There must be heirs for the survivors so that an entire tribe of Israel will not be lost forever.  But we cannot give them our own daughters in marriage because we have sworn with a solemn oath that anyone who does this will fall under God’s curse.”

 

Then they thought of the annual festival of the LORD held in Shiloh, between Lebonah and Bethel, along the east side of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem.  They told the men of Benjamin who still needed wives, “Go and hide in the vineyards.  When the women of Shiloh come out for their dances, rush out from the vineyards, and each of you can take one of them home to be your wife!  And when their fathers and brothers come to us in protest, we will tell them, ‘Please be understanding.  Let them have your daughters, for we didn’t find enough wives for them when we destroyed Jabesh-gilead. And you are not guilty of breaking the vow since you did not give your daughters in marriage to them.’”  So the men of Benjamin did as they were told.  They kidnapped the women who took part in the celebration and carried them off to the land of their own inheritance.  Then they rebuilt their towns and lived in them.  So the assembly of Israel departed by tribes and families, and they returned to their own homes.

 Obviously these women were repeatedly raped.  These sick people killed and raped an entire town and then wanted more virgins, so they hid beside the road to kidnap and rape some more.  How can anyone see this as anything but evil?

 

 ”When you go out to war against your enemies and the LORD, your God, delivers them into your hand, so that you take captives, if you see a comely woman among the captives and become so enamored of her that you wish to have her as wife, you may take her home to your house.  But before she may live there, she must shave her head and pare her nails and lay aside her captive’s garb.  After she has mourned her father and mother for a full month, you may have relations with her, and you shall be her husband and she shall be your wife.  However, if later on you lose your liking for her, you shall give her her freedom, if she wishes it; but you shall not sell her or enslave her, since she was married to you under compulsion.” 

 As you approach a town to attack it, first offer its people terms for peace.  If they accept your terms and open the gates to you, then all the people inside will serve you in forced labor.  But if they refuse to make peace and prepare to fight, you must attack the town.  When the LORD your God hands it over to you, kill every man in the town.  But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder.  You may enjoy the spoils of your enemies that the LORD your God has given you.

“they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them? Therefore I will give their wives to others…”

“I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the light of this sun.”

 

16. ”Behold, I am against you, says the Lord of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will let nations look on your nakedness and kingdoms on your shame. I will throw filth at you….”

“I myself will lift up your skirts over your face and your shame will be seen.”

18. ”the Lord will smite with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.”

28. ”When men fight with one another, and the wife of one draws near to rescue her husband from the hand of him who is beating him, and puts out her hand and seizes him by the private parts, then you shall cut off her hand; your eye shall have no pity.”

30. ”But if the thing is true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young woman, then you shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones…”

If a man is caught in the act of raping a young woman who is not engaged, he must pay fifty pieces of silver to her father.  Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he will never be allowed to divorce her.

 When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are.  If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again.  But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her.  And if the slave girl’s owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but he must treat her as his daughter.  If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing or fail to sleep with her as his wife.  If he fails in any of these three ways, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment.   

If within the city a man comes upon a maiden who is betrothed, and has relations with her, you shall bring them both out of the gate of the city and there stone them to death: the girl because she did not cry out for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbors wife.

It is clear that God doesn’t give a damn about the rape victim.  He is only concerned about the violation of another mans “property”.

 Thus says the Lord: ‘I will bring evil upon you out of your own house.  I will take your wives [plural] while you live to see it, and will give them to your neighbor.  He shall lie with your wives in broad daylight.  You have done this deed in secret, but I will bring it about in the presence of all Israel, and with the sun looking down.’

 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”  Nathan answered David: “The Lord on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die.  But since you have utterly spurned the Lord by this deed, the child born to you must surely die.”  [The child dies seven days later.]

 This has got to be one of the sickest quotes of the Bible.  God himself brings the completely innocent rape victims to the rapist.  What kind of pathetic loser would do something so evil?  And then he kills a child!  This is sick, really sick!

So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight. When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. He said to her, ‘Get up; let’s go.’ But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.”

Famous Quotes about women :-

Bible’s Apocrypha states: “Of woman came the beginning of sin/ And thanks to her, we all must die.”

As the The witch hunts were an eruption of orthodox Christianity’s vilification of women, “the weaker vessel” in St. Peter’s words.

wrote: “Every woman should be filled with shame by the thought that she is a woman.”

And  debated whether woman were really human beings at all.

 has ruled out all forms of feminist theology of the liturgy in Catholicism, saying that God must always be recognized as .

Two Important Sections of Hinduism Vaishnavism and Shaivism both worship Lakshmi with Vishnu and Parvati with Shiva respectively as beings on an equal level of magnitude (the male and female aspects of God)

Shiva and Vishnu are also described as possessing feminine qualities represented through their Ardhanarishvara and Mohiniforms respectively

A Rig Veda hymn says:

Rig Veda, Book 10. HYMN CLIX. Saci Paulomi.

I am the banner and the head, a mighty arbitress am I: I am victorious, and my Lord shall be submissive to my will.

Rig Veda 10.105.8 compares existence of multiple wives with multiple worldly miseries. [

Rig Veda 10.101.11 states that a man with two wives is pressed from both sides and weeps like a horse that neighs when pressed from both sides by spokes while driving a chariot.

Rig Veda 10.101.11 state that two wives make life aimless.

Atharva Veda 3.18.2 prays that may a woman never face threat of another co-wife.

 Manusamhita and the Arthashastra state that, if a husband is impotent, a traitor, has become an ascetic or an outcast, or is missing for a prescribed number of years, then the wife can leave him without blame and marry again. The Arthashastra also declares that in other circumstances, divorce can take place only by mutual consent. Manu discusses situations where the wife wishes to return to her first husband, whether she has simply deserted him or married another.

If a husband dies, a wife may marry another husband.

"If a husband deserts his wife, she may marry another." (Manu, chapter IX, verse 77).

"A woman's body," says Manu the lawgiver, "must not be struck hard, even with a flower, because it is sacred." It is for this reason that the Hindus do not allow capital punishment for women.

Motherhood is considered the greatest glory of Hindu women. The Taittiriya Upanishad teaches, "Matridevo bhava" - "Let your mother be the god to you."

Hindu tradition recognizes mother and motherhood as even superior to heaven. The epic Mahabharata says, "While a father is superior to ten learned priests well-versed in the Vedas, a mother is superior to ten such fathers, or the entire world."

Numerous case of Svayamvara, that is, of ladies selecting their own husbands, is mentioned in the Mahabharata and other works. There is sufficient evidence to show, that widow marriage was allowed, and that the Sati was unknown in the Vedic period.

"Rise up woman," so runs a text of the Rig Veda (X, 18.8) "thou art lying by one whose life is gone, come to the world of the living, away from thy husband, and become the wife of him who holds thy hand and is willing to marry thee."

3/56. Where women are honoured, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honoured, no sacred rite yields rewards.

9/26. Those wives or striyah who bears children, who secure many blessings, who are worthy of worship and who irradiate (their) dwellings by prosperity, there is no difference between them and goddesses of fortune.

2/ 138. Way must be made for a man in a carriage, for one who is above ninety years old, for one diseased, for the carrier of a burden, for a woman, for a Snataka(educated), for the king, and for a bridegroom.

3/114. Without hesitation he may give food, even before his guests, to the following persons, (viz.) tonewly-married women, to infants, to the sick, and to pregnant women.

 

3/60. In that family, where the husband is pleased with his wife and the wife with her husband, happiness will assuredly be lasting.

3/62. If the wife is radiant with happiness, the whole house is heaven; but if she is destitute of happiness, all will appear hell.

3/59. Hence men, who seek (their own) welfare, should always honour women on holidays and festivals with (gifts of) ornaments, clothes, and (dainty) food.

3/55. Women must be honoured and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands, and brothers-in-law, who desire (their own) welfare.

9/13. Drinking (spirituous liquor), associating with wicked people, separation from the husband, rambling abroad, sleeping (at unseasonable hours), and dwelling in other men's houses, are the six causes of the ruin of women.

If women are not happy in family that family is perished.

3/57. Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers.

3/58. The houses, on which female relations, not being duly honoured, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic.

Women are the source of happiness in a family.

9/28. Offspring's, the due performance on religious rites, faithful service, highest conjugal happiness and heavenly bliss for the ancestors and oneself, depend on one's wife alone.

4/180. With his father and his mother, with female relatives, with a brother, with his son and his wife, with his daughter and with his servants, let him not have quarrels.

No one should leave their wives.

8/389. Neither a mother, nor a father, nor a wife, nor a son shall be cast off; he who casts them off, unless guilty of a crime causing loss of caste, shall be fined six hundred (panas).

9/130. A son is even (as) oneself, (such) a daughter is equal to a son; how can another (heir) take the estate, while such (an appointed daughter who is even) oneself, lives?

9/131. But whatever may be the separate property of the mother, that is the share of the unmarried daughter alone; and the son of an (appointed) daughter shall take the whole estate of (his maternal grandfather) who leaves no son.

9/192. But when the mother has died, all the uterine brothers and the uterine sisters shall equally divide the mother's estate.

9/212. His uterine brothers, having assembled together, shall equally divide it, and those brothers who were reunited (with him) and the uterine sisters.

Remarriage allowed in Manu smriti.

9/176. If she be (still) a virgin, or one who returned (to her first husband) after leaving him, she is worthy to again perform with her second (or first deserted) husband the (nuptial) ceremony.

 

9/90. Three years let a damsel wait, though she is marriageable; but after that time let her choose for herself a bridegroom of her choice.

9/89. (But) the maiden, though marriageable, should rather stop in (the father's) house until death, than that he should ever give her to a man destitute of good qualities.

Care of alone women prescribed by government in Manu smriti and any one depending on women is consider as sinner.

8/28. In like manner care must be taken of barren women, of those who have no sons, of those whose family is extinct, of wives and widows faithful to their lords, and of women afflicted with diseases.

8/29. A righteous king must punish like thieves those relatives who appropriate the property of such females during their lifetime.

3/52. But those (male) relations, who, in their folly, live on the separate property of women, (e.g. appropriate) the beasts of burden, carriages, and clothes of women, commit sin and will sink into hell.

8/367. But if any man through insolence forcibly contaminates a maiden, two of his fingers shall be instantly cut off, and he shall pay a fine of six hundred (panas).

8/323. For stealing men of noble family and especially women and the most precious gems, (the offender) deserves corporal (or capital) punishment.

8/352. Men who commit adultery with the wives of others, the king shall cause to be marked by punishments which cause terror, and afterwards banish.

9/232. Forgers of royal edicts, those who corrupt his ministers, those who slay women, infants, or Brahmanas, and those who serve his enemies, the king shall put to death.

 

 9/96. To be mothers were women created, and to be fathers men; religious rites, therefore, are ordained in the Veda to be performed (by the husband) together with the wife.

4/149. She must not seek to separate herself from her father, husband, or sons; by leaving them she would make both (her own and her husband's) families contemptible

O queen, the slayer of foes, organize the band of the army of women, that may bewilder the hearts of the forces of the enemy, remain aloof from sin, convey him to thy Soldiers, burn down the foes, whereby they may abide in utter darkness with hearts full of grief.

Hindu drama called Shakuntala know that Shakuntala pleaded her own case and claimed her rights in the court of King Dushyanata. Similar instance are mentioned in the 10th book of the Rig Veda. As early as 2000 B.C. Hindu women were allowed to go to the battlefields to fight against enemies. Her husband in search of robbers sent Sarama, one of the most powerful women of her day. She discovered their hiding place and then destroyed them.

The Status and respect given by Vedas to Women are unparallel and unknown even in modern days

:-
"Elisha left Jericho to go to Bethel and on the way some boys came out of a town and made fun of him. "Get out of here, Baldy!" they shouted.Elisha turned around, glared at them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys to pieces.

"Samar'ia shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword, their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open
 

They attacked Midian just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men.  All five of the Midianite kings – Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba – died in the battle.  They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.  Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.  They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.  After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals, they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the people went to meet them outside the camp.  But Moses was furious with all the military commanders who had returned from the battle.  "Why have you let all the women live?" he demanded.  "These are the very ones who followed Balaam's advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the LORD at Mount Peor.  They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the LORD's people.  Now kill all the boys and all the women who have slept with a man.  Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.

Clearly Moses and God approves of rape of virgins.

 "Behold the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger...Whoever is found will be thrust through and whoever is caught will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed in pieces before their eyes, their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished."

 

"But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy [1] of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them, ”

The story is that God killed SEVENTY people for looking inside the Ark of the Covenant.

 

The escaped Israelites had been complaining to Moses about the lack of water, sustenence and food in the desert that they have been led to by Moses.

16 Moses commands that 250 of them must come to the tent and present incense at the altar. They do so.

21God says, “Stand back from these people, and I will destroy them immediately.”

Moses then asks an important moral question:
22 ”But Moses and Aaron bowed down and said, “O, God, you are the source of all life. When one man sins, do you get angry with the whole community?”
31-34 ”the ground under Dathan and Abiram split open and swallowed them and their families, together with all of Korah’s followers and their possessions. The earth closed over them, and they vanished. All the people of Israel who were there fled when they heard their cry. They shouted, “Run! The earth might swallow us too!
35 Then the Lord sent a fire that blazed out and burnt up the 250 men who had presented the incense.”

41 ”The next day the whole community complained against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have killed some of the Lords people” … then the Lord appears with his customary cloud over the tent.

45 God speaks to Moses, “Stand back from these people, and I will destroy them on the spot!”

So what is happening here is that after 250 people are killed, the entire community complain. And you would expect that too, if 250 people in any community were killed. God’s repeated punishment for complaining is again, destruction of the complainers. 

Mass murder? Killing people for complaining? Death by earth, fire and plague? What is going on? Even Satanism doesn’t contain text like this!

48 ”This stopped the plague, and he was left standing between the living and the dead. The number of people who died was 14 700″ and it notes that this doesn’t count those who died in the previous incident, making the total killed:

250 killed for complaining and then bringing incense when told to.
14 700 killed for complaining about the 250 who were killed.

Hinduism cannot preach such Barbarism and Cannibalism . We are Much civilized than these People .

 

(

Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” 

Uplift the fallen and forlorn’ is the slogan of Vedic religion. Vedic philosophy urges upon reformative and constructive approach.

{ta dovaa AvaihtaM dovaa {nnayaqaa pauna: |
{taagaScaÚuYaM dovaa dovaa jaIvayaqaa pauna: ||
à Pgvaod 10ó137ó1

Ye enlightened men,
Uplift once more
The fallen and forlorn Lowly and forlorn
Ye illustrious men,
Raise him who has sinned
And degraded himself,
Restore him to life again.

5/51. He who permits (the slaughter of an animal), he who cuts it up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells (meat), he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, (must all be considered as) the slayers (of the animal).

5/52. There is no greater sinner than that (man) who, though not worshipping the gods or the manes, seeks to increase (the bulk of) his own flesh by the flesh of other (beings).

5/53. He who during a hundred years annually offers ashwamedha, and he who entirely abstains from meat, obtain the same reward for their meritorious (conduct).

5/54. By subsisting on pure fruit and roots, and by eating food fit for ascetics (in the forest), one does not gain (so great) a reward as by entirely avoiding (the use of) flesh.

4/ 67. Let him not travel with untrained beasts of burden, or with (animals) that are tormented by hunger or disease, or whose horns, eyes, and hoofs have been injured, or whose tails have been disfigured.

2/159. Created beings must be instructed in (what concerns) their welfare without giving them pain, and sweet and gentle speech must be used by (a teacher) who desires (to abide by) the sacred law.

6/ 60. By the restraint of his senses, by the destruction of love and hatred, and by the abstention from injuring the creatures, he becomes fit for immortality.

According to Vedas, war with an enemy is normally to be started when he first attacks or intends to attack. It is not to be fought out simply to acquire the territory of any other country. At times of internal disturbances, the army is also required to suppress revolt etc. Army is intended for the help of the King under the eventualities.  

O brave warriors, rise with your banners and prepare yourself for (battle) to protect the territorial boundaries of the country. O snake like swift warriors, O demons like men and other people, chase the enemy who attempts to attack.

O warriors, you cannot be conquered by any one, you can not be killed or subdued by any one; but you do not trouble any one nor plunder any area. You are assigned to protect the Kingdom.

As you can see from the above facts that preachings of christianity are much worse than that of Satanic cult .

Be a Proud Hindu !!!!!

Be ashamed to be …. (You know Who)

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How a generation making a difference in Christian higher education

Today fewer divinity students are interested in traditional church roles such as senior pastor. Instead they gravitate toward service work through organizations involved in an array of causes such as disaster relief, says Michael Palmer, dean of the divinity school at Regent University. He commissioned a task force to engage in a yearlong study of the trend after he began noticing more interest among his students and alumni in service work. The findings, presented this summer, were stunning, he says.

Well under half of Regent’s divinity students aspired to traditional church roles. Regent already incorporates the theme of service work into some of its coursework, and the 6,000-student university in Virginia Beach, Va., offers service opportunities through organizations domestically and internationally.

Now, after the findings, Regent will revamp its offerings, adding academic programs, internships and missions trips that reflect the things students want to do, Palmer says. “For a seminary that’s supposed to be preparing pastors, that’s stunning,” he says of the findings. “Compassion ministries, these not-for-profit organizations that are service-oriented, that is who the minister of the 21st century is.”

Organizations such as the International Justice Mission and World Vision ACT:S are spreading across campuses. Events such as the Urbana and Passion conferences are attracting thousands of college-age youth.

A Faith and International Development Conference held in February and organized by students at Calvin College featured speakers that included Ron Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action. Azusa Pacific University has a department of global studies that sends students abroad on semester-long trips.

Fuller Theological Seminary has a School of Intercultural Studies and Indiana Wesleyan University offers an academic major in international and community development. Liberty University and Lee University also offer programs encouraging service work.

Technology and improved communications have led the way. Students today easily can reach across the globe through blogs, Skype and YouTube. They can observe the world as never before as it grows more multicultural. They want to be involved in this, and they feel their faith should be, too.

Religious leaders in developing nations also feel empowered to speak out and are doing so through better communications, better education and diminishing language barriers. Many students were raised in suburban communities.

They feel perhaps protected, and when they hear of problems through speakers at school or the media they want to be engaged in addressing those concerns. If you are looking for Christian schools in USA you can visit Christian Schools.

Directory

.

I have researched on Christian Schools in United States and find a good Christian School Directory, you can also visit the site
http://www.christianschools.com/

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Announce Your Engagement In A Different Way

Soon to be husbands and wives will really look forward to the days that they will exchange wedding vows. They will be more than willing to let every one know that they will be tying the knot soon. Generally speaking, wedding days are what most couples have been eagerly waiting to happen. Thus, every couple would certainly want their wedding day to be unique and to stand out from the many. This is the reason why there have been a lot of revisions made in the wedding program. And this does not exempt the revision on how every couple should announce that wedding bells are soon to be heard. However, figuring out the proper way of doing it is not easy. But don’t worry; I will help you get through with it. Continue reading this article and discover unique ways on how to say announce your engagement.

Surprise Everyone

Invite your family, relatives and friends on a date. Don’t squeal anything. Do not even give them any idea that something big will happen. Pretend like what you will have is just a normal family gathering. They should only have a clue once they arrive at the restaurant. Surely, they will ask you what is going on. To answer their question, you and your wife or groom to be must enter the function hall together wearing semi formal attire with a beautiful song playing a long. Walk together towards the stage set up in front and reveal to every body that you are getting married. You can be more artistic on the way you can reveal it.

Use Unique Invites

You can send invitations that are shaped as a “half heart” to your friends. The person that must do this for you should be trusted that he or she will not tell who is sending out those invites. The heart may give them the idea of what is the event all about but they can never be really sure. Put in the invitation the date, time, the venue, and put emphasis that it is very important that they should bring the half hearts with them. Do not write anything that will give your guest an idea of what is going to happen. Once your entire guest has arrived, ask the emcee to welcome your guest and instruct them to find the other half of their “half heart” invites. Since all your guests are just your closest friends and relatives, it will not be very hard for them to find the other half of their hearts. Once they are all able to find their partner, announce to everybody that you finally found the other piece of your heart,., and you are getting married. This will surely surprise everyone.

Declaring your intentions of getting married is one way of telling everyone that you are very excited about it. There are some couples who would choose to start with their wedding preparations without announcing their engagement. But what they fail to realize is that they are missing out the most exciting prelude to their wedding day.

 

Make your wedding an experience to remember. Visit http://www.christianweddingsongs.net/ for more christian music wedding songs that you can use on the most memorable event of your life.

2011 International Christian Recovery Coalition Projects

 

 

Announces

 

Recent Developments as of February 11, 2011

 

 

The International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com) was founded in July 2009. Its headquarters office is in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii; and its Southern California office co-located with New Life Spirit Recovery, Inc., in Huntington Beach, California.

The year 2010 was marked by fact gathering; Coalition growing; the videotaping and publication of the “Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery” class by Dick B. and Ken B. on four DVD’s (www.DickB.com/IFCR-Class.shtml); publication of The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed, 2010 (www.dickb.com/Christian-Recov-Guide.shtml); and numerous conferences, speaking engagements, meetings, and individual talks.

The year 2011 has so far been marked by several major projects enabled by the continuing growth of the International Christian Recovery Coalition and some powerful spokespeople that have emerged—fully qualified to talk on the Coalition’s mission and on the history of the Christian recovery movement.

            :

: Establishment of “Christian Recovery Resource Centers” worldwide—an effort involving lots of informing, contacting, and orienting. And, since January 1, 2011, ten “Christian Recovery Resource Centers” have been established—with more on the way very soon. They are:

 

Manna House Ministries, with James Moody, Jamestown, Tennessee;

Rock Recovery Ministries, ABC Sober Living, and Soldedad House, with David Powers, San Diego, California

New Life Spirit Recovery, Inc.–treatment, counseling, counselor certification training, and a church, with Dr. Robert Tucker, Huntington Beach, California

Golden Hills Community Church Recovery Fellowship, with David Sadler, Antioch, California

Rocking A Ministry, with Bruce Aspgren, Caldwell, Texas

Christian Recovery Resource Center Satellite Office, Wally Lowe, Vero Beach, Florida
7835 1st Street SW. Vero Beach, FL 32968

Paul Popiel, A.A. believer, Pacifica, California
504 Manor Drive, Pacifica, CA 94044
(650) 359-6794

Maui Christian Recovery Resource Center Main Office, Dick B. and Ken B., Kihei, Hawaii
PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837
Cell: (808) 276-4945

Christian Community Missions, Chaplain/Pastor Leonard Grubb, Painesville, Ohio
773 Mentor Avenue, Painesville, Ohio
Cell: (216) 496-0406

Mark Galligan, A.A. Christian Believer, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
13 Telford Road, Collingwood, Ontario, CA L9Y 5H5
O: (705) 445 9135
H: (416) 453 6250
MagicJack: (716) 240 5243
Skype: mark.galligan1

This means that just since January 1, 2011, we have been blessed to see Christian Recovery Coalition Centers established in (1) Canada; (2) Texas; (3) Florida; (4) Ohio; (5) Hawaii;

(6) Tennessee; and (7) California.

 

And if you look at the spread of International Christian Recovery Coalition leaders, advisors, and participants featured on the Coalition Web site, you will see that many more are in line for possible centers and are also available Christian sources to whom a newcomer or concerned person can turn in almost every state to learn who to see, where to go, what’s available, and how to start if God’s help is the objective.

Publication of The Dick B. Handbook for Christian Recovery Resource Centers http://bit.ly.erD3tW

: The International Christian Recovery Coalition Speakers Bureau: underway now

: Dick B. is giving away his (except for the cost of shipping and packing)! While supplies last, Dick B. will be shipping one [ case(s) of a number of his titles to Coalition Participants anywhere in the 50 States of the U.S. via U.S. Postal Service Media Mail for only ! Recipients are free to use each case to distribute books free individually, to distribute cases free to groups or fellowships or recovery programs, to provide books free to study groups, to lodge books free in archives and churches and centers, to raise funds for their respective Christian recovery outreach projects, and for meetings and conferences.

This free distribution project begins today, February 10; and those that want to be sure of obtaining cases will need to complete their requests by the end of this quarter (March 31, 2011).
Those desiring one or more free cases of new Dick B. books need only start the process by emailing Dick B. at DickB@dickb.com; phoning Dick B. at (808) 276 4945; or writing to Dick B., PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837.

Once these 350 or so cases are gone, that will be the end of this free distribution project. So make your offer as early as possible.

 

Dick B. is a writer, historian, retired attorney, Bible student, CDAAC, and an active and recovered A.A. fellowship member. He has published 42 titles and over 500 articles on the history and biblical roots of Alcoholics Anonymous

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