Christianity Today

Christianity Today is a magazine about Christianity and its relevance to the modern world. It explores the faith of individuals and their interpretations on the important issues occuring in this current period of time. It also has sections and columns that involve entertainment and business.

Judaism in Hip Hop

Matisyahu is the latest hip hop artist to enter the world of music. His lyrics include ideas of the judaic religion along with modern day issues and life situations. He is a hasidic jew that started as a not religious individual. As a youth he was a troubled teen. However, through religion and music he found his savior. Now he conveys his messages thru his music. Besides a good tempo beat and a unique ability to create significant metaphors, Matisyahu is considered a top lyricist among his competition. He also sings in a reggae form in which he also combines hyperbole's and similes about the jewish religion.

This is my Kami at home. It is more like my parents' kami because I was not the one who put it together. As you can see it has the Mary and baby Jesus, 3 cups with different contents, and more memorobilia of catholic items. The three cups contain rice grains, beans, and loose change. The rice grains and the beans represent the need to have food and that we may prosper and not have to famine. The loose change represents a money blessing, in hopes that money will come to our family. It is actually sanctioned in a corner in the kitchen within my home.

I think that the key beliefs to judaism are as follows:
There is one god
All people are created equal
The torah is the holy book to which jews must conduct their lives by

In other words, judaism follows one god. this god created people and because they were created by the same god they are all equal amongst eachother. The torah is the holy book that inspires them to be spiritual. It teaches them the ethics behind judaism and also how they must act in front of other people.

Orthodox Judaism is a good example of how these concepts are put forth in modern judaic relgions. Orthodox jews are very strict when it comes to oral and written passages from the torah. The words of god are interpreted very strictly and literally. It is the main reason that orthodox jews are different form traditional jewish persons.

Ghandi is the New Face on the C Note

This is an image of the indian currency. As you can see, Ghandi is the face on the bill, or Rupee.

This is the inside of a Jain temple. As you can see from the picture, there is a lot of detail in the way that they walls are carved. The images carved into the stones are symbolic reminders that jain followers must follow a path inorder to reach their ultimate goal of salvation.

Wu Wei and Tao

The beliefs of Wu Wei and Tao are a way of living. It is to live life simple and quiet. To inhabit oneself without the artificial luxuries that society has created over time. Pride, self satisfaction, and glory are all feelings that one has grown to accomadate. Athletes pride themselves with the amount of points that they can attain in games and how many games they have actually won. Individuals reach satisfaction when they accomplish goals that they had set. Yet Wu Wei and Tao do not believe in such feelings. It is nothing more than illusion that can disappear in any given moment. Happiness is forever as long as there is nothing in the way that is negative or can result in a negative outcome.