Latest news with #Christianity
Bangkok Post
2 hours ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Why tourists baulk
Why tourists baulk Re: "Israeli market poised to contract amid war", (Business, June 21). Thailand has been frequently in the news of late regarding its tourism drop-off. The stated reasons are only part of the story. Setting aside food and some hotel prices, Thailand has one of the world's lowest inflation rates, but you may not know this as a tourist, as its currency is strong. China's outbound tourism is down just about everywhere, while many Europeans are staying home due to their ongoing wars, poor economies, and inept politicians. Japan is "in just now" in part due to its depreciating currency of late, despite, in my opinion, rather difficult-to-navigate public transport, bland food (fish and mostly white rice), and no garbage bins. Paul A Renaud Who comes next? Re: "Don't rush censure bid, BJT told", (BP, June 26). I, too, feel that PM Paetongtarn gravely lacks the expertise necessary to lead us, but before we kick her out, who's a better alternative? We should ensure we're not jumping from the frying pan into the fire. For example, 99 leading Thai economists, including former central bank governors, wrote an open letter opposing her 10,000-baht digital wallet handout, citing issues like the recovering economy and a fiscal multiplier below one. Poor results from the first two tranches of the handout supported the opponents' arguments. Who would have the vision and expertise to do better than Ms Paetongtarn, and what would they have done with the funds? Being constructive in our criticism would be very persuasive in convincing MPs that Ms Paetongtarn could have done much, much better and should exit the stage. Burin Kantabutra Calm before creed Re: "Analysis: US military pulled back into Middle East wars", (World, June 22). Like Hamas, Iran's disdain for peaceful coexistence with Israel needs to be contained. But when US President Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth boastfully proclaims regarding his country's allegedly pre-emptive attack on Iran that "We give glory to God" (Pentagon briefing, June 22), he sounds as nutty as Iran's theocratic leaders in same vein as thuggish as Zionists claiming Israel has a divine right to all of Palestine, and too disturbingly like Osama bin Laden following his vile terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on Sept 11, 2001. Pope Leo XIV's prompt response urging peaceful resolution and respectful tolerance sounds more like what Christianity and its fellow Abrahamic religions should aspire to, rather than their habitual warmongering lust of many centuries for violence and suppression. Felix Qui Rainbow overkill Re: "Gender recognition law next big step", "Srettha bangs drum for LGBTQ+ rights", & "Thailand records 4.24% drop in foreign visitors", (BP, June 25). You know, as an older gay man, when I picked up a copy of the Bangkok Post which had been closed in haste and placed back on the newspaper rack at a popular straight expat pub where I read the Post everyday over a beer, I couldn't help but notice that on page one there was a big "gay" news story, and then on page 2 there were more "gay" news stories... ...as in gay, gay, gay, and by the way, did I mention the word "gay"? I noticed that families are starting to choose other countries instead of Thailand. My tourist neighbourhood has few tourists of any sexual orientation, and is now on the brink of financial collapse as tourism crashes despite a month-long LGBTQ+ push. ...my, what a "dimming rainbow"?
Buzz Feed
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
SCOTUS Backs Parents In Religious LGBTQ+ Book Case
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Friday that a group of religious parents can opt their children out of elementary school curriculum that involves books with LGBTQ+ themes. In Mahmoud v. Taylor, a group of parents of a number of religions, including Catholics and Muslims, sued the Montgomery County, Maryland, public school board after the district removed a policy that allowed those with religious objections to pull their children out of class whenever a book with LGBTQ+ characters would be used for teaching. The parents argued the new policy violated their religious freedom to teach their own values to their children. In an opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court ruled that the parents were entitled to a preliminary injunction against the policy. 'The parents are likely to succeed on their claim that the Board's policies unconstitutionally burden their religious exercise,' the majority wrote. 'The Court has long recognized the rights of parents to direct 'the religious upbringing' of their children.' The court also said the lower court's finding that the parents' arguments were 'threadbare' was incorrect. In a fiery dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor argued that for poorer school districts, it may be too costly to engage in lawsuits over opt-outs or spend funds tracking student absences. 'Schools may instead censor their curricula, stripping material that risks generating religious objections,' she wrote. 'The Court's ruling, in effect, thus hands a subset of parents the right to veto curricular choices long left to locally elected school boards.' 'In a time of ever-increasing polarization in our country, exemptions that would require schools to allow children to refuse exposure to materials and curriculum about people from various backgrounds is divisive and harmful,' Deborah Jeon, the legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland said in April before the court heard oral arguments. The conservative justices didn't see it that way. 'They're not asking you to change what's taught in the classroom,' Justice Brett Kavanaugh said during arguments. 'They're only seeking to be able to walk out … so the parents don't have their children exposed to these things that are contrary to their own beliefs.' The decision is likely to have reverberations throughout the country. The Supreme Court has, in recent years, sided with plaintiffs who allege that antidiscrimination statutes are violations of their religious freedom, including a high school football coach who was fired for praying on the field and a website designer who didn't want to be forced to make wedding websites for same-sex couples. GOP-led states have been fighting to bring Christianity into public school classrooms by introducing bills to require displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms and pushing Bible-based curricula for students as well. It's also another victory for right-wing culture warriors who, for the past several years, have been leading the movement to remove books from classrooms and reshape what and how schoolchildren are learning. Under the guise of parental rights, Republicans and conservative activists have pushed laws that ban books that deal with LGBTQ+ themes and censor what teachers can say about sexual orientation and gender identity. HuffPost.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vatican unveils last of restored Raphael Rooms after 10-year cleaning
The best things come to those who wait - and that's certainly the case for the Room of Constantine. Taking a decade to complete, it's the last and most important of the restored Raphael Rooms at the Vatican Museums. The hall, which was painted by Raphael Sanzio and his students in the 1500s, is dedicated to the 4th century Roman emperor Constantine whose embrace of Christianity helped spread the faith throughout the Roman Empire. (AP Video by Silvia Stellacci)
American Press
11 hours ago
- American Press
Mary Richardson: Exploring the beauty of our planet
1/5 Swipe or click to see more Oslo, Norway (Mary Richardson / Special to the American Press) 2/5 Swipe or click to see more Lisbon, Portugal (Mary Richardson / Special to the American Press) 3/5 Swipe or click to see more Panajachel, Guatemala (Mary Richardson / Special to the American Press) 4/5 Swipe or click to see more Giza, Egypt (Mary Richardson / Special to the American Press) 5/5 Swipe or click to see more Kirkenes, Norway (Mary Richardson / Special to the American Press) Mary Richardson is not just a tourist. She's an explorer who seeks to immerse herself in new environments, embracing diversity and forging genuine relationships with the locals. 'I consider Lake Charles my community — my church is here, my friends are here, half of my family is here. But I also feel a broader connection with humanity,' she said. Richardson, who shares her travel experiences several times a year through her writings in the American Press , said she travels not only for the beauty she finds when she arrives at the destination but also out of sheer curiosity. 'There's a sense of awe with our planet,' she said. 'I'm a history major and Joe (her husband) has an undergraduate degree in history and it's one thing to read about a country, it's another thing to see it. In Egypt, we were climbing up the Step Pyramid near Cairo and it's 5,000 years old! It's only been 2,000 years since the beginning of Christianity and that had already been there for 3,000 years. There's this sense of timing; you're only a piece of dust in it.' When Joe and Mary were courting, Richardson said the couple never had big plans to see the world. That came later. 'We had a Pinto with a stick shift and we would pull a boat,' she said with a laugh. 'That's how we traveled. We would go camping in national parks and state parks.' He's from Kentucky, she's from Minnesota. They met and married in Florida and shortly after moved to Nevada for his work as a civil engineer. Eventually, Joe was awarded a Fulbright Professorship — a prestigious opportunity for American faculty members to teach abroad — and the program took their family to United Emirates, Sharjah, Namibia, Singapore, Indonesia, Holland and Dubai. 'We started traveling when he started working in these foreign countries,' she said. 'He went to Rwanda first, 10 years after the genocide, and that's when we started thinking about the world. Then he became a department head in Dubai, then he had a Fulbright to Namibia. That's how I got to see Africa. Very few of the trips have been planned, most came by circumstance where he happened to be. That's where we got a taste of being part of the world as opposed to being part of a small community.' The pair found themselves in Lake Charles in 1986. 'We were passing through back to Gainesville, Fla., where Joe was getting his Ph.D. in civil engineering and we stopped and I had the blackened catfish and I told Joe, 'I'd like to stay here.' That's the truth,' she said. Both found work at McNeese State University — he as an engineering professor and she as the director of the Banners Cultural Series. 'We don't appreciate what we have,' she said. 'This country is a miracle. One of the miracles is our founding fathers. At one time, they were all there together, forming our democracy, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights. Nothing like that has ever happened in Haiti. Haiti has not had good government not one day in its life.' She said travel has given her a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the gifts she's been given. 'It's not due to you; it's chance that you were born here and had these opportunities,' she said. 'In Guatemala, I developed an appreciation for gratitude. You can look at them and say, 'Oh, poor thing. You don't have enough electricity. You don't have carpets on the floors.' They don't care. They're just grateful for what they do have.' She said traveling has deeply changed her view of the world. 'We went by a refugee camp on the border of Ethiopia. People have been there for years and they weren't going to get out. It was a hopeless situation. If I hadn't seen that I would have known about it in my mind, but not know about it in my heart. It hurts. The tragedy at the border has a face. 'Travel broadens you as a person,' she continued. 'I do see myself as a piece of dust in the world as opposed to a little piece of sand in Lake Charles.' When Joe retired she said that's when the travel bug really hit the pair — and, as Johnny Cash sings, the Richardsons have 'been everywhere man.' They've been to five of the seven continents. They haven't been to Australia or Antartica. Joe has been to 48 states, Mary said she's still catching up. Istanbul is top on her bucket list of sites to see. 'Joe has been to Istanbul but I have not,' she said. 'And I've been to Morocco but Joe has not. I want to see Istanbul, that's the kind of architecture that feeds my soul. I'd also like to see Nepal.' Before retirement, the couple planned two trips a year. Now they take about four. 'We're in a travel period of our life,' she said. 'I feel like time is chasing us. We're both healthy right now but he's 80 and I just turned 78. If we're going to do something, we've got to do it now. Age makes you feel vulnerable to chance.' Mary is an adventurous eater, but Joe 'not so much.' 'I've had some really bad meals, though, especially if I can't read a menu,' she said. 'In Singapore, I had my first tuna pizza. I will never forget that because it was not a match made of heaven. That was not a good idea.' Also not a good idea? Shark. 'I tried the shark in Iceland, though I was warned against it,' she said. 'That was doubly unfortunate. First of all, it's something you never want to put in your mouth but second of all, a friend asked us to bring some home and I put some frozen shark in my backpack but the pressure during the flight opened it up and oh boy.' During the pandemic, the couple realized they needed to see more of the United States. 'We went out west and back to the Grand Canyon,' she said. 'Joe had been there many times a nd I had been only once as a child and I think everyone who has been to the Grand Canyon remembers that sense of awe. That gasp. Some of the most beautiful sights in the world are right here in the United States.' Their fall trip this year will cover six national parks. 'We're going to stay at the historic lodges that we looked at in when we were staying in tents,' she said. 'And just because we're staying in these historic lodges, doesn't mean we're staying in luxury.' Traveling is incredibly important for personal growth, cultural understanding and global awareness. It also broadens perspectives, fosters empathy and provides opportunities for learning, skill development and lasting memories, Richardson said. 'I don't know if you become a better person, necessarily. I don't know if you become smarter or wiser. I'm not sure about that. I don't think you can help but become more appreciative and more grateful — not to feel sorry for other people; it's a different kind of gratitude. I don't know how to define it. It's a valuable experience.'
Miami Herald
11 hours ago
- General
- Miami Herald
For 37 years, he made a big impact at this small SoFla church. And drank a lot of coffee
When Hollywood pastor Terry Danger heard a same-sex couple planned to attend his Sunday service for the first time some 15 years ago, he decided to send a clear message. Danger went outside and changed the marquee at St. John's Lutheran Church to read, 'Everyone is welcome.' For long-time congregant and former church council leader Andy Hudson, that small but powerful gesture captured the lead-by-example qualities of Danger, the church's longtime lead pastor who is retiring this month. Hudson credits as him as one of the main reasons he and his wife chose St. John's when they moved to Florida more than 25 years ago. 'I love the fact that they want to participate in life,' Hudson said. 'This is not a come to church on Sunday and then do what you do the rest of the week. It's dude, we're here for all of it.' Danger (pronounced Dang-ger), 78, is retiring this month after 37 years at St. John's. The small church, located in the shadow of I-95 was founded in 1926, making it one of the oldest churches in Broward County. After a hurricane leveled the original building, St. John's members relocated to the current location on Van Buren. Around 1988, St. John's needed renovations and a new pastor willing to put in major work. That's when Danger came into the picture, moving from an inner city church in St. Paul, Minnesota to Hollywood. The church was then gutted and rebuilt to what it is today, including the preschool surrounding the sanctuary. At St. John's, Danger has inspired hundreds over the years to focus on the core tenets of Christianity. 'His message from the pulpit every single week is, what is Christianity about,' said Hudson. 'Jesus said take care of the widows, the orphans, the less fortunate among you. Love each other .. and that's really pretty much the essence of what we believe.' Danger has performed countless baptisms and helped people celebrate all of life's milestones from marriages to funerals. He is renowned for welcoming everyone, even furry friends, to church on Sundays. But Danger is perhaps most admired for his works outside of the church — everything from granting scholarships through Rotary Club of Hollywood to coaching softball at South Broward High School to serving on multiple boards, including the ethics board at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Congregants say he's helped people through their darkest times as a visiting pastor at a drug and alcohol facility. He's sat with people battling serious illness in hospitals and nursing homes, attempting to bring them peace at the end of their lives. He's been known to help friends in the community cut down trees and rebuild parts of their homes after storms. Church where all are welcome On a recent Friday a few weeks before his last service, Danger looked back on his long career as a pastor, which started at a 'little country church' in rural Minnesota 51 years ago. Danger moved to Hollywood in 1987 after the organist from his Minnesota church sold his turkey farm to move to the beach — and invited Danger to become the pastor at St. John's. He and his wife, Jana — a journalist who has worked at various newspapers, including the Miami Herald for over ten years — decided to stay in Hollywood and raise their family. 'He said to them, Well, I actually know a pastor who knows how to work. I'm a country boy. I know how to hammer and nail and do other things,' Danger said. St. John's is a Lutheran church, a group that was the first to split off from the Catholic Church during the Reformation. Many Lutheran churches, including St. John's, are a part of the 'Reconciling in Christ' designation, which means they welcome all people regardless of 'race, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, family status, health, faith tradition or economic circumstance,' according to the church's website. The church has a small group of LGBTQ members including one trans woman. As a minister, Danger has married at least one same-sex couple, which happened to be his own son and his partner. 'All people are welcome into God's community, period. We don't choose and we don't kick them out because they may be different,' Danger said. 'Christ didn't discriminate against the women at the well or the Canaanites or the other people. All people are welcome. And that's been the story of faith forever,' Danger said. Diminishing membership Danger isn't afraid to talk about his opinions on the world — outside of the pulpit, of course. But, his opinions on topics like politics (he doesn't care for President Trump) have caused at least one congregant to leave the church. Though, Danger doesn't see his views as particularly political — he's says worried for the state of the world, especially vulnerable populations like LGBTQ people and the rising cost of housing in Florida. But he said he never lets politics seep into his sermons. In fact, Danger said it's delivering the liturgy that he'll miss the most during retirement. 'I just love it. It's my thing. And maybe the stand up comedian part,' he said. 'I love preaching. That's fine. But my best thing is doing the liturgy and serving Holy Communion. And that just is something special for me, it means something special.' In recent years, St. John's has been struggling with declining membership, Danger said. The congregation has lost almost two-thirds of its membership since the COVID pandemic, from around 120 attendees in its heyday to 30-40 people currently. It's a trend many legacy churches are struggling with, as more modern megachurches continue to drawn in bigger crowds. Danger said he worries about the future of the church after his departure. 'I think people that are here are wonderful, but I'm worried about the church everywhere. I just don't know,' said Danger. 'Regular human beings' Long-time congregant Hudson said that it's the small, intimate moments that he'll miss the most — watching his kids throw the tennis ball with the Hudson family dog, Hemingway (who is also a frequent church-goer) in the church courtyard on Sundays, and attending Christmas pageants and Easter egg hunts with friends. For Hudson, it's his pastor's ability to be himself, flaws and all, that he appreciates as a congregant. 'He and Jana allow themselves to be seen as fallible, vulnerable, regular human beings,' Hudson said. 'He cares about the spiritual community, but he brings that down home Minnesota, salt-of-the-Earth to everything that he does and everything that he is. It's not a facade, it's just who he is.' After his last service on June 29, Danger plans to spend more time with his children and grandchildren as well as his dog, Lucia. He said he might even pick up old hobbies, like sailing or photography. One St. John's tradition that will surely be missed after Danger's retirement is the post-service coffee hour that happens each week. It's a time to bond person to person, cup to cup. 'In a world in which more and more people are alone, it's good to have a time to sit down with somebody and to have some coffee and listen to each other.' It also happens to be one of Danger's favorite ways to spend time with congregants and friends. 'For Lutherans, coffee is the third sacrament,' he said. 'Lutherans have two sacraments, baptism and Holy Communion, but coffee is darn close for a third.' This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
