Of course many of us (as members of the LDS Church) do this as well.
In my heart and mind, this represents religion at its lowest and most divisive. I understand why churches (and members) feel the need to do this — and I know that many are sincere and even humble in their assertions of exclusive truth and authority — but in the end, it just makes me sad.
On a main street in Amsterdam in late 2004, Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh was murdered by a Muslim assailant outraged by Van Gogh’s film depicting Islamic oppression of women. A death-threat letter left stabbed to his chest was addressed to the woman who is the guest: the Somali-born, Muslim-raised critic of Islam, Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Hirsi Ali wrote the screenplay for the film Van Gogh died for. At 22, she had fled an arranged marriage for asylum in the Netherlands. She became a Dutch member of parliament and a scathing critic of Islam, its treatment of women, and the Western multi-culturalism that, she says, tolerates too much.
The text below is from a character in an Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged named John Galt. I don’t totally know how to reconcile it with Christianity (I guess I’m not a fan of ascribing absolutely to any single creed — so maybe I don’t have to) — but I see a lot of truth in this. Let me know what you think.
“For twelve years you’ve been asking “Who is John Galt?” This is John Galt speaking. I’m the man who’s taken away your victims and thus destroyed your world. You’ve heard it said that this is an age of moral crisis and that Man’s sins are destroying the world. But your chief virtue has been sacrifice, and you’ve demanded more sacrifices at every disaster. You’ve sacrificed justice to mercy and happiness to duty. So why should you be afraid of the world around you?
PASADENA, Calif. — Award-winning filmmaker Helen Whitney has one over-arching goal for her four-hour production “The Mormons,” which airs this spring on PBS.
Helen Whitney
“I hope that most of the stereotypes — ideally, all of them — will be blown away,” she told the Deseret Morning News on Saturday. “Because so many of them are just based on ignorance. Ignorance about Mormon history, ignorance about Mormon theology. Ignorance.”
The two-part, four-hour documentary, a presentation of both “American Experience” and “Frontline” — their first co-production — is to air nationally on April 30 and May 1.
After spending three years on the project, Whitney is well aware of the stereotypes and ignorance that’s out there.
“Most of the time when I bring up what I’m doing and I talk about it with people, the first word that comes up is polygamy,” she said. (more…)
This entry is 8th in a series that begins here. For the full effect, click on “Continue Reading” below, find the music player, and play the song while reading the lyrics.
Story Background: Here we see the Wizard’s softer side, and learn that he got swept up (like Glinda) in the glamor of attention. We learn that in his own way, he had (at least in part) noble intentions to help the citizens of Oz. Along w/ the allure of power and security, it’s clear he felt that the ends somewhat justified the means. Thus the deception of the veil.
The program notes also claim, “He holds out the promise to Elphaba that, with him, she can fulfill her subconscious longing to be accepted by a fatherly figure.” I can’t necessarily relate to that part of it, but maybe some of you can. (more…)
This entry is 7th in a series that begins here. For the full effect, click on “Continue Reading” below, find the music player, and play the song while reading the lyrics.
Story Background: Glinda (she got renamed) would like to see Elphaba conform and also realize her dream as expressed in “The Wizard and I.” But when Elphaba discovers that the Wizard is behind the mistreatment of animals, she must change her dream. She takes a stand. This is her moment when she resolves to follow her new conviction based on her inner moral sense and care for Dr. Dillamond, even though it means social rejection. (more…)
It looks like the Catholic church is re-asserting itself as the “one true church”, and categorizing all other churches (Christians or not) as both inferior, and incapable of offering genuine post-mortal salvation to their respective members.
To me, 
Story Background: Here we see the Wizard’s softer side, and learn that he got swept up (like Glinda) in the glamor of attention. We learn that in his own way, he had (at least in part) noble intentions to help the citizens of Oz. Along w/ the allure of power and security, it’s clear he felt that the ends somewhat justified the means. Thus the deception of the veil.