Religion

Pope reaffirms ban on female ordination; Catholic women divided

Debrah MiszakLansing Diocese director of consecrated vocations Dawn Hausmann with an image of Pope John Paul II. Considered a saint by the church, he established the “theology of the body,” which states that people have different roles to play in the world according to their biological sex. As American women grapple with their role in society during  a Democratic primary which has featured a record number of female candidates, American Catholic women are struggling with their position in the church. In February, the Vatican released a document summarizing the 2019 Amazon synod — a meeting of bishops and stakeholders in that region. The document did not provide a final answer on the synod’s hottest topics: the ordination of women to serve as deacons and the ordination of mature, married men to the priesthood.

Religion

Less religion, more astrology – part II: The stars say you’re a loser

For young people struggling to embrace their identity, online astrology forums can be a safe space. The use of social media has taken astrology to new heights. Quizzes, guides and other articles written around the Zodiac signs tend to be a running theme on young media sites like Buzzfeed, babe and Refinery29, which are widely circulated on social media platforms.

Facebook groups are popular for users interested in a particular topic, and some of the more dedicated groups can foster a sense of community. Enter “the stars say you’re a loser,” one of the largest and most active astrology communities on Facebook. With 7,000+ members and thousands more added each month, it’s hard to believe that it has only been around for a year.

News

Cynthia’s near-death experience: Q&A

Cynthia Lawson clinically died of a heart attack – vitals stopped, and doctors thought she was a gonner – until she came back to life, with a story to tell. In the cold moments when she flat-lined, Cynthia says she left her body and entered a dark tunnel, where she met angels, who shared a message with her. She also encountered an all-consuming bright light while she was dying. Near-death experience commonalities: 

Did this really Did this really happen? Her story is known as a near-death experience and has been widely reported throughout the country regardless of religious background, ethnicity, age or gender.

Article

Opinion: The immorality of politicians politicizing religion

Last week, President Donald Trump came through on one of his campaign promises, to end the great, great “War on Christmas,” which is the latest example of fusing Church and State, which I believe is morally unacceptable. Since my first name is Christian, MSU’s School of Journalism gave me the forum to speak on the intersection of Christianity and politics. Not really, but I wanted to point that out. To be serious, a person’s religious and political identities, does not change the way I perceive them. You could hail Satan while marrying Hillary Clinton’s photo — but as long as you are a good and accepting person who does not hurt anyone and has an expansive, open mind — I could care less about your beliefs.

Article

Muslim twin sisters speak out against stereotype surrounding the hijab

Twin sisters Sara Bazzi and Sahar Babbagh are Muslim American women who live in Dearborn, Mich., raised with the same morals and values, but made different choices in regard to wearing a hijab, a headdress common for women of Islam to wear as a sign of modesty. 

Sahar wears a hijab while Sara, on the other hand, chooses not to wear a hijab. “It really just depends on the person,” Bazzi, a nurse, said, “There was no pressure from anyone around us to wear [the hijab]. Even raising my daughter, my husband and I agree that when she is older it will be her decision. It truly is a personal preference.”

Both Sara and Sahar were raised wearing hijabs and as they got older Sara decided, in her teens, she didn’t want to wear hers anymore. Islam is second largest religion in the world, with nearly 23 percent of the global population identifying as Muslim.

News

Amid racial tensions, black students find refuge in religious groups

Q&A: Student organization doubles as a safe haven for minority students at MSU

The Black Lives Matter movement was born out of the outpouring of grief and frustration following the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012 – a young, unarmed black man who was shot while walking in a gated neighborhood – and the subsequent acquittal of the man who killed him. In the five years since Martin’s death, the Black Lives Matter movement has gained momentum, driven by the killings of Sandra Bland, Mike Brown, Eric Garner, Philando Castile and other black people at the hands of the police. The movement has grown into an international network of more than 30 chapters. College campuses across the country have used various platforms to respond to and/or participate in efforts led by Black Lives Matter. At Michigan State University, a student-run Christian organization encourages students to use religious faith as a tool to combat racial tension.

2017 JRN 400 Projects
A portrait of a First Cannabis Church of Logic and Reason card next to a cup of coffee, part of the church’s pay-it-forward campaign to fight stigma against marijuana users.

Fight for Cannabis Church “almost like a battlefield”

Listen to this story as an audio feature. Rev. Jeremy Hall led services every month until things went up in smoke in September. New legislation brought confusion and concern to his parishioners, and continuing services could put everyone in legal trouble. Hall is the leader of the First Cannabis Church of Logic and Reason in Lansing, Mich. The church that views the drug spiritually but is viewed with uncertainty by city officials — that’s where Hall’s worries began.

Article

Muslim Student Association hosts Islam Awareness Week

In the wake of escalating tension and prejudice throughout the country, MSU’s Muslim Student Association hosted an Islam Awareness Week to promote understanding of the religion to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Anti-Muslim assaults and hate crimes have reached peak levels, exceeding 2001’s rate, according to new data from the Pew Research Center. The FBI reported 127 assaults in 2016 as compared to 93 during the year of 9/11. Across the board, vandalism and intimidation against Muslims is also increasing. Islam Awareness Week spanned six days in early October and featured presentations from an imam, seminars about different branches of Muslims worldwide, and a talk on ISIS and how it perverts the Quran.