Final Farewells!!!

This will be my final post in the blog for now (who knows maybe I will carry it on in the future!). I just want to thank everybody for taking the time to read these posts and I hope I brought to your attention things that you may have not heard about before.

I think the main issue that has arisen from this blog is that everybody has freedom of choice and expression and ought to be allowed to practice whatever religion they want. However, for me when this expression starts to endanger that particular person, their family or their community around them, this is the point when the religion turns extreme and we should actively intervene. I think that educating people can help with this. The issue in one of my comments of this blog was raised which was what if a person has been educated and informed but still chooses to practice in extreme ways, then what can we do? I would say further education and perhaps letting the government intervene to stop that extremity spreading. I believe that governments should get involved if it is starting to effect that particular population!!



Russell Brand is a genius interviewing
 extreme groups



I also (as a treat!) would like to post this clip. It is very entertaining and for your own enjoyment, but also shows that what I am posting about is very relevant to today (as you can see the clip is dated 16th November 2012). I think exposure on shows such as Russell Brand's is a good way to expose these extreme religions, as well as being genius comedy by Russell Brand! Other interviewers can be strong and belittle extremists (I have shown this in some clips I have linked to), which in my opinion only furthers their quest to get more people to join (as they can see the power that they have on provoking deep feelings), yet in this clip Brand condemns the group but also very cleverly engages in dialogue with them!

Anyway, thank you again and maybe I will see you soon!!!

Scary Scientology?!

Tom Cruise and Scientology 

This next post may perhaps be my post controversial as it concerns the movement known as Scientology. Until I started writing this blog I had read and knew very little about Scientology, other than the fact it involved Tom Cruise and other such famous celebrities. In this clip you can witness the very man himself talking about Scientology and how he effectively says that it is the only thing that can really help the world!

However, I wanted some more concrete answers into what the religion actually was (as I knew that there are so many rumours that go around about the religion). Therefore, I looked to what I deemed a more reliable resource for my initial answers. This online article   from The Telegraph Newspaper answers the basic questions such as - what is this religion supposedly about?! 

Having read this article a few things struck me about it. It states that members are more highly looked upon if they donate one billion dollars towards the church each year as it shows “commitment” to the church. For me this seemed a bit far-fetched. It immediately threw up the question of how can money show commitment? Money is a materialistic thing. Maybe I am mistaken but it's a bit like “give us your money and you’re in attitude”. Surely prayer, attendance at religious events and charity in the name of religion is a more outward and practical way of showing commitment. What also struck me as extreme and potentially dangerous is the fact that some members could be regarded upon more highly that others because of their financial well-being. The fundamental reason for religions is to make everyone equal in some sort of way so reading this really did alarm me. 

I then read this article which as you can see involves Scientologists believing that humans were brought to earth in a spaceship. Again, I am all for freedom of thinking but surely that is a little far-fetched??

There’s obviously a lot of material on this church, all of which I cannot fit into this one blog post! Yet, from the initial research I have done it seems that if Scientology is not monitored closely it could be endangering some people. People can believe what they like and if they want to believe in Scientology and spaceships then fine but I worry that with a church that requires vast donations from people puts the members at a high risk! How do you think we can stop or inform people of this danger?! 

Aggressive Attacks - A Case Study

In this blog I have mainly looked at religious groups as a whole. I would now like to dedicate this post to looking at just one case study that was recently in the news. 

Gary Smith -
the teacher that was beat up for teaching R.S .

Before I begin to write I want to strongly emphasise that this is of course, a case study and does not reflect the views of any mainstream religion. I am writing this post so that I can show what certain individuals will do in the name of ‘religion’ (this also is applicable for some of my other posts). 

So, now that is out the way I will begin blogging! The post is regarding a religious studies teacher, named Gary Smith who was beaten up by four men with extreme Muslim beliefs – they beat him up because he was teaching about Islam and other religions to the niece of one of the men. More details of the attack can be found at this article. 

This article also gives details as to the fact that the men believed that a non-Muslim cannot teach Islam (which is part of the curriculum) because they do not know the ‘true’ religion (mainly because he is an outsider). The men also carried out the attack because the man was teaching students about other religions other than Islam. For them this was unacceptable as Islam should be the only religion that students learn about and thus they believed that they were carrying out the attack in the name of Allah. 

For me this situation is striking – Islam is completely against this type of attack and killing and this is clearly outlined within the Qur’an. Islam promotes harmony and peace between different nations. Therefore, it is such a shame that certain individuals partake in such activities. They are completely going against the nature of the religion. Websites such as this one promote and encourage peace and harmony amongst Islam and it is such a shame that such attacks can lessen the effect and hard work of Muslims that try and show Islam for what it really is. 

Islam is really against this type of attack

This sort of attack is also detrimental to the religion because people may read the article and believe that this behaviour is warranted by Islam, which of course, is incorrect. 

I also find it harrowing that people would beat a man up for merely educating in to prevent this very attack as religious education is supposed to inform pupils of other religions so that they can live in harmony. 

It is extremely upsetting to find that some individuals go to extreme lengths to beat others up and even attempt to kill them in the name of their religion. How do you think that we can prevent this type of behaviour?  

Church of Euthanasia?!?!

Whilst browsing through different webpages on religions I came across something that I felt compelled to do more research into and write my next post on - the Church of Euthanasia. 

The very name of the “church” struck me - church and euthanasia are for me two words that do not go together! Churches are supposed to be against Euthanasia and very pro-life, so how can there possibly be a church surrounding Euthanasia. (All other Christian groups oppose the fact that the group uses the word "church" to define itself and that is why I will use the term 'group' or put speech marks around the word church in this blog - this article highlights how Christian groups need to unite against Euthanasia ) The very name was so controversial and I had a feeling that their website was not going to be anything less. 

The "church" protesting their beliefs. 

As you can see from this webpage  the church supports voluntary euthanasia   and suicide because they believe that the world is overpopulated. Although throughout the website it stresses that to be a part of this church you do not have to immediately kill yourself, the whole concept of the church just feels wrong. However, any group that even promotes some sort of ending of life in this way is highly dangerous. I think this sect really needs to look at its responsibilities to society. If an unstable person were to look to this group for guidance they may find it easier to justify the ending of their own life, when really what they need is professional support such as counselling and guidance to get them through that period of time in their life. 

However, I can understand the viewpoint of overpopulation. Yet, there are definitely alternatives that we can do as a population to address the situation rather than simply promoting Euthanasia. Everyone within the world has a right to life and to have children. 

I honestly find it sickening that the website gives advice out to people on the most successful ways for them to kill themselves. I know that there is freedom of speech, but for me this group is abusing this right. Don’t you think that it would be better for this group to be banned by the government to ensure that damage is not done to vulnerable people, particularly youngsters? 

Mad Moonies!!!

In September of this year, Sun Myung Moon, the self-appointed founder and leader of the ‘Unification Church’  (more commonly known as the ‘Moonies’) died. I remembered reading about this and that is why I have decided to write about the Moonies for my next blog.

The cult became notorious in the 1970’s and was known to be very alluring, powerful and brainwashed many youngsters, with it encouraging many to completely leave their families and immerse themselves within the doctrine that Moon taught. In this clip from a documentary from the 1990’s we can see how desperate a family are to see their daughter and sister, but sadly the young girl is very disinterested. It is very difficult to understand how the ‘Moonies’ coaxed in young people as of course much of it would have been done in private.Perhaps Moonie knew that young people are more vulnerable and looking for something to fulfil their life. This article  is extremely interesting as it is from a former Moonie. It shows how the members were made to see Moon as the Messiah. The insider shows how we need to expose such a group as its links are dangerous and detrimental to health – for example encouraging its people to work for 21 hours in a day for the church!

A stadium full of Moonies getting married

Another key aspect of the Church is its highly bizarre weddings where Moonie matched people by picking people out of a line and then having people have their wedding ceremony with up to 3000 other couples – in this youtube clip    you will be able to see how the weddings and the consummation of marriage are very strange!

For me, this kind of behaviour leads onto something deeper. It is not right that any type of group can encourage cutting off ties from family or friends – the very people that helped shape your life up until that point. Personally, if a religious group cannot accept your personality and personal relationships then I believe one must take a good look at whether that religion is really healthy and of benefit. This extreme group raises the question of whether governments should intervene. How can it allow a self-appointed leader to brainwash its vulnerable young people?

Jewish Women and the Burka

Orthodox Jewish women are known for wearing modest clothes, but this will not be the main focus of this post. The phenomenon  that has recently arisen in Israel will be.... 

Jewish women completely covered up so that they cannot see

Certain sects of ultra-orthodox Jewish women, wear burkas, completely cover their bodies and behave in extreme ways to protect their modesty. The behaviour of these women has been condemned by the majority of ultra-orthodox sects as this type of modesty is not outlined in the Torah. This article how women are CHOOSING this type of lifestyle, with one man eventually divorcing his wife because she would not stop wearing the burka and multiple layers of clothes 

As you can hear in this youtube clip the “trend” was started by Rabbanit Keren. The women go to extreme lengths to conceal their bodies and their faces, wearing many layers so no man can even see their body shape through the burka, with them often needing aides to help them walk because they are so covered up that they cannot see!!

For me, the behaviour of these women is saddening. Covering up your entire body and face is completely unnecessary in Judaism. Yes, “mainstream” Judaism does believe in modesty with many Orthodox Jewish women dressing appropriately so men do not see them as sexual objects, but the behaviour of Rabbanit Keren goes above and beyond what needs to be abided by. 

Personally, I can see where Orthodox Jewish women are coming from with dressing modestly. Going around in a mini skirt and barely there tank top is hardly asking a male “come and get to know my personality” and can be provocative. However, the extremes of wearing 6 layers of clothes and completely covering the face and body are too much for me. It's upsetting that these women don’t trust the men around them that they go to these extreme lengths. Judaism is all about inner beauty and getting to know a person. Dressing in this way is insulting to me as a Jewish woman. Wearing all these layers of clothes literally turns a man into a complete sexual object.  Surely men can contain themselves to some degree without women needing to go to such extreme lengths?!  How is a man supposed to get to know a woman if he can’t even her eyes?