http://www.800padutch.com/amish.shtml
The Amish group in America is a protestant group with over 200,000 members who descended from European Anabaptists who came to America more than two centuries ago to flee persecution. The Amish are best known for their 19 century way of life and they believed that violent crime conflicted with their calm existence. Their old fashion values don’t correspond to the 21st century lifestyle choices. They consider their religious faith and their traditions are interdependent. The Amish church originated from Switzerland and the people immigrated to Pennsylvania and are known today as Pennsylvania Dutch. The Amish people live among non-Amish in modern rural America. Whilst the Amish are more cut off in some parts, other villages interact daily with the modern world. They also interact with their English neighbours but directly with millions of visitors from American and around the world.
Amish people reject what we, the modern world, the unfamiliar. They want a way of life where their children are appreciated as a blessing, rather than being seen as a burden. In modern America, children are cherished but are expensive.
The Amish are very private people who consider God to have called them to a simpler life, consisting of discipline, dedication, faith and humility. They are bonded together by their confidence in God and believing that God remains aware of their lives, families and communities. They accept that religious faith should be practiced, not shown, and rendered into day to day life rather than decided on complex rituals.
The Amish church service is an act of worship, a conservation of tradition, a regeneration of faith and an confirmation of community. The communities are separated into church regions geographically, which allows services to be held in church members’ residences as opposed to chosen church buildings. Their services are held every other Sunday.
The family is considered imperative in the social unit amongst the Amish; families with seven to ten children are not uncommon. The high birth rate provides Amish growth, as does the fact that four out of five children decide to become baptised and stay in the church. Jobs, friendship, and business chances offer incentives to stay. In Amish family life, there are several generations regularly living under the same roof, and this provides a sense of continuity and contribution in family life. When children become teenagers, they take part in traditional recreation, where others engage in more experienced activities before deciding whether or not they would like to be baptised as adults in the church. In their society, the Amish do not believe in social security and stay away from the use of nursing homes.
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Thursday, 28 April 2011
The American Baptist Church (ABCUSA)
http://www.abc-usa.org/WhoWeAre/OurHistory/tabid/80/Default.aspx
The American Baptist Church (ABCUSA) is a Christian denomination first established in America in the year 1638 by Roger Williams. The origins of the Baptist Church can be seen in late 16th Century English Congregationalism, which rejected the prevalent “parish” structure of the Church of England. A new concept was developed whereby membership to the church was voluntary and, unlike other Christian denominations at the time, baptism was limited to believers.
There are approximately 1.3 million members of the American Baptist Church with five and a half thousand congregations nationwide. Large concentrations of Baptists (also known as ‘Southern Baptists’) can be found in the South region of the United States, with around1302 counties being classed as Baptist. American Baptists and Southern Baptists, among others, have grown apart from the common tradition bought to America by Williams, placing more emphasis on independent worship and stating the importance of each believer to be in a “direct relationship with God”. The ABCUSA also stress the importance of playing “witness to Christ”, stating that it “is an on-going task of every Christian” This message can be seen clearly in the ABCUSA mission statement:
The American Baptist Church (ABCUSA) is a Christian denomination first established in America in the year 1638 by Roger Williams. The origins of the Baptist Church can be seen in late 16th Century English Congregationalism, which rejected the prevalent “parish” structure of the Church of England. A new concept was developed whereby membership to the church was voluntary and, unlike other Christian denominations at the time, baptism was limited to believers.
There are approximately 1.3 million members of the American Baptist Church with five and a half thousand congregations nationwide. Large concentrations of Baptists (also known as ‘Southern Baptists’) can be found in the South region of the United States, with around1302 counties being classed as Baptist. American Baptists and Southern Baptists, among others, have grown apart from the common tradition bought to America by Williams, placing more emphasis on independent worship and stating the importance of each believer to be in a “direct relationship with God”. The ABCUSA also stress the importance of playing “witness to Christ”, stating that it “is an on-going task of every Christian” This message can be seen clearly in the ABCUSA mission statement:
“American Baptists are a Christ-centered, biblically grounded, ethnically diverse people called to radical personal discipleship in Christ Jesus. Our commitment to Jesus propels us to nurture authentic relationships with one another; build healthy churches; transform our communities, our nations and our world; engage every member in hands-on ministry; and speak the prophetic word in love.
As a people of prayer, purpose, and passion, we are in the forefront of creating a community of faith where people of every race, nationality and culture gather as one in worship, service and work.
The heart of the gospel is God's redemptive love. In our life together, the world will see the power of forgiveness to overcome alienation, the strength of love to transform hate, the power of grace to break the bonds of guilt, the triumph of hope over despair, and the victory of faith over doubt.
Through the cross of Christ we embrace the world as neighbour. Our vision for mission energizes a multitude of servant ministries of evangelism, discipleship, leadership, new church development, social justice, healing, peace-making, economic development and education. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we work together in mutual submission, humility, love, and giving that the gospel might be preached and lived in all the world.”
In relation to the American identity, the ABCUSA holds many values that we have become familiar with when studying America. For example, the importance of independence and ideas surrounding family and the community. As well as this, the ABCUSA recognise the significance of the diversity of the American identity, stating "American Baptist Churches celebrates the racial, cultural and theological diversity withnessed within its memership" and that they "support relgious freedom and respect the expressions of faith of others".
The Nation of Islam
http://www.noi.org/
The Nation of Islam is an African-American religious movement was founded in July 1930 by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in Detroit, Michigan. Fard Muhammad's intention was to seek to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of the Black men and women of America by spreading his interpretation of Islam. He is identified as the "Messiah" or "Mahdi" by the NOI and was described as literally God in person by his main student and disciple Elijah Muhammad who in 1934, following Fard Muhammad's death, became the leader of the NOI for the next 41 years. In these years, Muhammad established businesses, large real estate holdings, armed forces and schools in an attempt to spread the word of the Nation of Islam.
Notable members of the Nation of Islam were Civil rights campaigner Malcolm X, who was also a prominent minister of the NOI, boxing champion Muhammad Ali; and more recently rapper Snoop Dogg.
The Nation of Islam is an African-American religious movement was founded in July 1930 by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in Detroit, Michigan. Fard Muhammad's intention was to seek to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of the Black men and women of America by spreading his interpretation of Islam. He is identified as the "Messiah" or "Mahdi" by the NOI and was described as literally God in person by his main student and disciple Elijah Muhammad who in 1934, following Fard Muhammad's death, became the leader of the NOI for the next 41 years. In these years, Muhammad established businesses, large real estate holdings, armed forces and schools in an attempt to spread the word of the Nation of Islam.
Notable members of the Nation of Islam were Civil rights campaigner Malcolm X, who was also a prominent minister of the NOI, boxing champion Muhammad Ali; and more recently rapper Snoop Dogg.
Although not as influential as it was during the Civil Rights movement of the mid-20th century, The Nation of Islam still remains a controversial and fascinating organisation. They preach a theory of Black superiority and have also been accused of anti-semitism. Farrakhan has stated in the past that "White people are potential humans…they haven’t evolved yet." Furthermore, Malcolm X often preached that Black people were genetically superior to Whites and that they were being held down by the dominant notion of White supremacy.
Despite progress made in civil rights over the years, The NOI and its followers still reject an American identity and want to separate completely from the United States, as current leader Louis Farrakhan stated in 1997: "Since we cannot get along with them in peace and equality, we believe our contributions to this land and the suffering forced upon us by white America justifies our demand for complete separation in a state or territory of our own." Rather than their faith defining their identity as an American, the Nation of Islam is unique in that it seeks to distance and separate itself from a country it has become completely disillusioned by.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Westboro Baptist Church
- wwww.godhatesfags.com
The Westboro Baptist Church (led by Fred Phelps) is a splinter group from the Baptist Church, often considered to be a 'hate group'which has protested the Jewish community, homosexuality and US soldiers. Followers interpret the Bible in a very literal sense, the church considers membership in most religious groups, such as the Roman Catholic Church or Islam, as akin to devil worship, and states these other churches to be "Satanic frauds preaching Arminian lies." All non-Christian entities, non-Protestant Christian churches, and all Protestant Christian churches that do not strongly condemn homosexuality are said to be sending their members to Hell.
They’ve gained a notorious reputation thanks to their protests at funerals, including those of soldiers who died while fighting in Iraq and the funeral of a man who was beaten to death because he was gay.
They also attempted to picket at the funeral of nine-year-old Christina Green, who died during the 2011 Tucson shooting when US Representative Gabrielle Giffords was attacked. As a result, the state of Arizona introduced an emergency bill to ban protests within 300 feet of a funeral.
Westboro first gained national notoriety in the late 90's at the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who died after two men lured him from a bar, beat him and tied him to a fence outside in October 1998. Phelps' followers showed up with signs that read "God hates fags" and said Shepard was in hell. The actions of the church have been condemned and counter protested against by many. The church has also been featured on many 'freak show' type television shows, including a series by BBC's Louis Theroux and on an episode of Michael Moores 'The Awful truth' where Moore confronts the church in a humorous/ironic manner-
The church has been involved in countless lawsuits, I have picked the group (despite them being a small church of less than 100) because I feel that the ability for this group to exist on the grounds of constitutional rights (free speech, the separation of church and state) is definitively American. Despite laws being put in place to stop them protesting at funerals directly outside, due to their first amendment rights they can often protest as little as 30 yards away, and have won law suits in favour of their rights: On September 24, 2009, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of Westboro Baptist Church and reversed the lower court's award. It found their picket near the funeral is protected speech because it involves "matters of public concern, including the issues of homosexuals in the military, the sex-abuse scandal within the Catholic Church, and the political and moral conduct of the United States and its citizens", and did not violate the privacy of the service member's family.On March 30, 2010, the appeals court ordered Albert Snyder to pay the church's court costs of over $16,000, a move that Snyder's attorney's referred to as "adding insult to injury".
Westboro Baptist Church vs Free Speech
Groups of this kind of extremism are not found outside of the United States. So called hate groups, religious extremist groups and cults are all a part of American culture, because their laws protect the free speech and rights of all Americans.It is ironic that the law protects these people on the grounds of first right amendments and 'equal' free speech rights for all when they teach a message of inequality and hatred. The group brings up issues of free speech vs privacy, and issues of the separation of church and state.
For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church
The Westboro Baptist Church (led by Fred Phelps) is a splinter group from the Baptist Church, often considered to be a 'hate group'which has protested the Jewish community, homosexuality and US soldiers. Followers interpret the Bible in a very literal sense, the church considers membership in most religious groups, such as the Roman Catholic Church or Islam, as akin to devil worship, and states these other churches to be "Satanic frauds preaching Arminian lies." All non-Christian entities, non-Protestant Christian churches, and all Protestant Christian churches that do not strongly condemn homosexuality are said to be sending their members to Hell.
They’ve gained a notorious reputation thanks to their protests at funerals, including those of soldiers who died while fighting in Iraq and the funeral of a man who was beaten to death because he was gay.
They also attempted to picket at the funeral of nine-year-old Christina Green, who died during the 2011 Tucson shooting when US Representative Gabrielle Giffords was attacked. As a result, the state of Arizona introduced an emergency bill to ban protests within 300 feet of a funeral.
Westboro first gained national notoriety in the late 90's at the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who died after two men lured him from a bar, beat him and tied him to a fence outside in October 1998. Phelps' followers showed up with signs that read "God hates fags" and said Shepard was in hell. The actions of the church have been condemned and counter protested against by many. The church has also been featured on many 'freak show' type television shows, including a series by BBC's Louis Theroux and on an episode of Michael Moores 'The Awful truth' where Moore confronts the church in a humorous/ironic manner-
The church has been involved in countless lawsuits, I have picked the group (despite them being a small church of less than 100) because I feel that the ability for this group to exist on the grounds of constitutional rights (free speech, the separation of church and state) is definitively American. Despite laws being put in place to stop them protesting at funerals directly outside, due to their first amendment rights they can often protest as little as 30 yards away, and have won law suits in favour of their rights: On September 24, 2009, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of Westboro Baptist Church and reversed the lower court's award. It found their picket near the funeral is protected speech because it involves "matters of public concern, including the issues of homosexuals in the military, the sex-abuse scandal within the Catholic Church, and the political and moral conduct of the United States and its citizens", and did not violate the privacy of the service member's family.On March 30, 2010, the appeals court ordered Albert Snyder to pay the church's court costs of over $16,000, a move that Snyder's attorney's referred to as "adding insult to injury".
Westboro Baptist Church vs Free Speech
Groups of this kind of extremism are not found outside of the United States. So called hate groups, religious extremist groups and cults are all a part of American culture, because their laws protect the free speech and rights of all Americans.It is ironic that the law protects these people on the grounds of first right amendments and 'equal' free speech rights for all when they teach a message of inequality and hatred. The group brings up issues of free speech vs privacy, and issues of the separation of church and state.
For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church
Religion in America - The Quakers
The you tube video, link below, gives us an outline of Quakers and their beliefs and history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N8djl4soR8&NR=1
The promise of religious freedom brought many to the shores of America and even the smaller groups have found their place and made their contribution to the American identity. The Society of Friends (The Quakers) came to America in the middle of the seventeenth century. They firstly suffered persecution but later prospered, contributing to society. There were many Quaker activists who furthered the cause of the abolition of slavery. Over the years they have fragmented into divisions, such as Conservative, Pastoral, Evangelical Quakers, etc. They are broadly Christian, but there are different shades of opinion amongst them. They are perhaps best known as being pacifists, although again, they do not all adhere to that.
The following website gives us information about the distribution of the Friends. In 2008 there were 130,000 members. In a 1999 survey, there were 16,167 in Indiana and 15,723 in North Carolina. In Alaska, they formed 51% of the population. There were also 13,436 in Ohio, 12,081 in Pennsylvania and 10,916 in California. There are smaller numbers in several other States. http://www.quakerinfo.com/quak_us.shtml
There have been many famous Quakers, including William Penn (the founder of Pennsylvania), Daniel Boone, Annie Oakley, the singer Joan Baez, James Dean, David Lean, and two presidents, Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon.
This next site gives further information and the names of some more notable Quakers.
http://www.adherents.com/largecom/fam_quaker.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N8djl4soR8&NR=1
The promise of religious freedom brought many to the shores of America and even the smaller groups have found their place and made their contribution to the American identity. The Society of Friends (The Quakers) came to America in the middle of the seventeenth century. They firstly suffered persecution but later prospered, contributing to society. There were many Quaker activists who furthered the cause of the abolition of slavery. Over the years they have fragmented into divisions, such as Conservative, Pastoral, Evangelical Quakers, etc. They are broadly Christian, but there are different shades of opinion amongst them. They are perhaps best known as being pacifists, although again, they do not all adhere to that. The following website gives us information about the distribution of the Friends. In 2008 there were 130,000 members. In a 1999 survey, there were 16,167 in Indiana and 15,723 in North Carolina. In Alaska, they formed 51% of the population. There were also 13,436 in Ohio, 12,081 in Pennsylvania and 10,916 in California. There are smaller numbers in several other States. http://www.quakerinfo.com/quak_us.shtml
There have been many famous Quakers, including William Penn (the founder of Pennsylvania), Daniel Boone, Annie Oakley, the singer Joan Baez, James Dean, David Lean, and two presidents, Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon.
This next site gives further information and the names of some more notable Quakers.
http://www.adherents.com/largecom/fam_quaker.html
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