The Quotation of the Week (September 15 - 21, 2019)

A quotation of Pope Francis on 'using God and religion
for violence and oppression,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Design: Jerome D'Costa

World-Renowned and Beloved Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking Dies

British Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking

Photo courtesy: www.hawking.org.uk/

British astrophysicist, author, and professor of Mathematics at the Cambridge University died on March 14 at home (Cambridge, England) at the age of 76.

In spite of suffering from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- a type of motor neuron disease and its related difficulties from the age of 21, he has been active in teaching, writing, and moving with the help of a motorized wheelchair and electronic machines and computers.

His contributions are in the fields of singularities in gravitational collapse, black hole mechanics, vanishing of blackholes, rise of galaxies, and wave function of the universe.

Because of his profound contributions, he has received 13 honorary degrees, CBE award (1982), Companion of Honour (1989), and the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009). 

To know more on him, please read the following:

Stephen Hawking's Death, Biography, and Appreciation of His Work:

• Stephen Hawking Dead at 76
• Stephen Hawking, Science's brightest star, dies aged 76 (March 14, 2018)
• 'Mind over matter': Obituary by Roger Penrose (March 14, 2018)
• Stephen Hawking: Messenger from the Universe (March 16, 2018)
• Stephen Hawking
• Stephen Hawking Biography
• Stephen Hawking (Official Website) [Biography, Lectures, Publications, Books, Images, Films, TV Series, and Videos)
• Stephen Hawking -- Home (Facebook)
• What has Stephen Hawking done for science? (Jan. 8, 2012)
• 10 Major Accomplishments of Stephen Hawking (Dec. 22, 2015)
• These are the discoveries that made Stephen Hawking famous (Jan. 7, 2016)
• Sense of Humor 'as vast as the universe': Tributes flood in as world remembers Stephen Hawking (March 14, 2018)
• Church leaders praise Hawking for contribution of science, dialogue (March 14, 2018)
• The legacy of Stephen Hawking -- a Catholic scientist reflects (March 15, 2018)

His Membership with the Pontifical Academy of Sciences :

• Pope sees physicist Hawking at evolution gathering [Pope Benedict XVI] (Oct. 31, 2008)
• Why famed atheist Stephen Hawking is on a pontifical academy (Dec. 2, 2016)
• Stephen Hawking was a longtime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (March 14, 2018)
• British Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, Member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Dies at 76 (March 15, 2018)
• Stephen Hawking and the Vatican (March 17, 2018)
• Stephen Hawking speaks on the origin of the universe at the Vatican (Nov. 15, 2016)
• Stephen Hawking and other experts weigh in on limits of artificial intelligence at the Vatican (Dec. 4, 2016)

His Comments on Religion and God:

• Stephen Hawking touches on God and science (June 15, 2006)
• The Origin of the Universe [Full text of a lecture by Stephen Hawking]
• Stephen Hawking on Religion: 'Science Will Win' (June 7, 2010)
• Stephen Hawking Settles the God Question Once and For All (Sept. 2, 2010)
• Stephen Hawking says universe not created by God (Sept. 2, 2010)
• Stephen Hawking: God didn't create universe (Sept. 2, 2010)
• Stephen Hawking: 'Science Makes God Unnecessary' (Sept. 7, 2010)
• Stephen Hawking: 'There is no heaven; it's a fairy story' (May 15, 2011)
• Big Bang Didn't Need God, Stephen Hawking Says (April 17, 2013)
• Stephen Hawking Says 'There Is No God,' Confirms He's An Atheist (Aug. 25, 2014)
• Stephen Hawking makes it clear: There is no God (Sept. 26, 2014)
• Stephen Hawking's Three Arguments Against God (Oct. 5, 2014)
• Stephen Hawking tries to teach Pope origins of universe in awkward meeting of minds (Nov. 28, 2016)
• Stephen Hawking on God, artificial intelligence and mankind's future (March 14, 2018)
• Did Stephen Hawking Believe in God? What Physicist Said About the Creation of the Universe (March 14, 2018)
• Stephen Hawking Was An Atheist: Here's What He Said About God, Heaven and His Own Death (March 14, 2018)
• A Brief History of Stephen Hawking's Atheism (March 14, 2018)
• Here's Why Stephen Hawking Says There Is No God (March 15, 2018)
• Stephen Hawking was an Atheist. Here's What He Said About God, Heaven and His Own Death (March 14, 2018)
• God Did Not Exist -- Stephen Hawking (Video)
• Stephen Hawking on God and Life (Video)
• 'I'm not afraid': What Stephen Hawking said about God, his atheism -- and his own death (March 18, 2018)

Miscellaneous Quotes of Stephen Hawking:

• Stephen Hawking Quotes
• Top 10 Stephen Hawking Quotes
• 11 Incredible Stephen Hawking Quotes
• Top 13 Stephen Hawking Quotes to Inspire You to Think Bigger
• 20 Inspirational Quotes of Stephen Hawking Everyone Should Read
• 'Remember to Look Up at the Stars.' Read Some of Stephen Hawking's Most Memorable Quotes
• Stephen Hawking in His Own Words
• 98 Inspirational Quotes by Stephen Hawking Which Will Change The Way You See The World
• Top 121 Stephen Hawking Inspirational or Motivational Quotes

Books by Stephen Hawking:

• Stephen Hawking (official website)
• More Stephen Hawking Books
• Free Online Books by Stephen Hawking

Cartoons on Stephen Hawking:

• Cartoons on Stephen Hawking

Photos of Stephen Hawking:

• Photos/Images of Stephen Hawking

Videos of Stephen Hawking:

• Videos of Stephen Hawking (youtube.com)
• Videos of Stephen Hawking on God (youtube.com)
• Stephen Hawking on What Existed Before the Big Bang (youtube.com)
• Stephen Hawking explains black holes in 90 seconds (youtube.com)
• Stephen Hawking: Questioning the universe (TED Talk: Feb., 2008)
• Watch Stephen Hawking explain what he thinks came before the Big Bang (March 3, 2018)
• Sir Stephen Hawking's last speech on stage (2018)

Movie on Stephen Hawking:

• Stephen Hawking Movie

(Updated on March 28, 2018)

How Some People Use Religion for Their Own Interests

Sept. 11, 2017 issue of the Outlook magazine from India

Image courtesy: www.outlookindia.com

The Outlook magazine, published from New Delhi, India, in its September 11, 2017 issue details ungodly deeds of some Indian male and female charlatans using religion for money, sex and power disregarding the sense of decency, morality, and rule of law.

The magazine's cover story deals with items headlined as follows: Goddamn!, Tantric Rites In The Bed, The Unascetic Swami Of Pelf, Bleeding Plots Narrate It All, Shootout At Puttaparthi, A Scary Cort Of Bliss, Thirst Beneath The Red Lips, A Hypnotic Tale, Middlemen In God's Market, Convicted By People's Court, and The Dera Sultanates.

To read them all, you may visit: Outlook

A Commentary of Father William Grimm, M.M., on "'Ours is a religion of peace': The Stark reality is that most religions are not"

Father William Grimm, M.M.

Photo courtesy: www.ucanews.com/

 Father William Grimm, M.M., publisher of the UCANews -- an independent Catholic news agency in Asia, on November 20, wrote a commentary on 'Ours is a religion of peace.' 

In this write-up he demonstrates that this is mostly a programmed response which can be heard from adherents of any religion when faced with the question of religion-based violence around. 

In reality, Father Grimm says, most religions do not prove to be religions of peace. He shows how western Christianity, in the past, in the name of Jesus' love and peace, used the religion as an instrument of persecution and violence within the Churches and without, for example, inquisition, religious wars between Churches, and crusades.   

He says, now some Muslims are using Islam to justify their acts of injustice and violence. 

Father Grimm predicts: "If, as seems likely, history will repeat itself, we are facing a century of increasing violence by Muslim fanatics mainly within the Muslim world. That violence will likely produce such overwhelming revulsion that more and more people will renounce the religion and become a force to defang it. That has happened before; it happened to Western Christianity."

To read the full commentary of Father William Grimm, M.M., please click on the following: 
'Ours is a religion of peace'

To read some news items dealing with religion-based violence, please click on Fundamentalism in Asia

To read read on an appeal of a Muslim to fellow Muslims, please read the following: Let There Be More Exemplary Muslims -- An Honest Muslim's Powerful Statement

Gretta Vosper: A Preacher of God Turns Into an Atheist, Wants to Remain a Pastor in the United Church of Canada

Pastor Gretta Vosper in front of her "The Legacy Wall" a few years ago

 Photo courtesy: Gretta Vosper website

Pastor Gretta Vosper in front of her church at West Hill of  Scarborough in Toronto

Photo courtesy: Canadian Press

What? A preacher of God who is a religious pastor is an atheist -- a non-believer of God and the Bible?

Yes. According to a Canadian Press report, Gretta Vosper, 57, is a female minister of the United Church of Canada at West Hill area of Scarborough, Toronto, and she has turned into an atheist and vows to fight the Church review whether she is fit to remain as a minister. 

Ordained in 1993, she became engaged in this particular church in 1997. Later she became an atheist -- a non-believer of God and the Bible.

Pastor Vosper says that the idea of an interventionist, supernatural being, on which so much church doctrine is based, belongs to an outdated world view. According to her, how you live is more important tha what you believe in.

"I don't believe in ... the god, called God. Using the word gets in the way of sharing what I want to share," she says.

"Is the Bible really the word of God? Was Jesus a person?" she asks. Then she replies, "It's mythology. We build a faith tradition upon it, which shifted to find belief more important than how we lived."

The United Church authority is actively reviewing her case, but she is determined to remain as its pastor as before.

For more on the topic, please read the following:

• Unprecedented United Church probe could lead to removal of non-believing Toronto minister
• Atheist Minister Continues Fight to Remain Ordained in United Church of Canada
• Atheist minister praises the glory of good at Scarborough church
• Colby Cosh: The heretical minister to help her flock evolve out of the need for church
• How do you solve a problem like Gretta Vosper, atheist clergywoman?
• Gretta Vosper: minister, author, atheist (Pastor Vosper's website)
• United Church of Canada

The Quotation of the Week (April 26 - May 2, 2015)

A quotation of Charles Caleb Colton on 'religion,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Doodle (Going to the church: June 23,1994) © Jerome D'Costa

Canadians Being Ambivalent About Religion

A map of Canada

 Map courtesy: Shutterstock.com

A recent Angus Reid Institute survey shows that Canadians "are increasingly becoming ambivalent about religion or rejecting it outright, but people across the religion spectrum admire the Pope," reports The Catholic Register of Toronto.

The online survey of 3,041 Canadians shows that 30% are inclined to embrace religion, 26% inclined to reject religion, but the largest group of 44% are ambivalent about religion.

For more on this, you may read the full report in The Catholic Register. 

The Quotation of the Week (March 15 - 21, 2015)

A quotation of Hosea Ballou on a 'persecuting religion,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A designed concrete wall in Toronto: November 11, 2013) © Jerome D'Costa

Pot Smokers Seek Canadian Government Recognition of Their "Church"

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If approved, this is how a pot-smokers' "church" service may look like
Graphics (Toronto: August 6, 2010) © Joachim Romeo D'Costa

If you want to smoke pot or weed (cannabis, marijuana, ganja, bhang, charas or hashish, or whatever name they come in) unfettered, join the Church of the Universe. That's what two members of this Church are trying to say by challenging the Canadian government over their religious rights granted in the Charter of Rights.

The 24-Hours reports, in 2006, two pot smokers -- Peter Styrsky (53) and Shahrooz Kharaghani (31), both minister-members of the Beaches Mission of God-Assembly under the Church of the Universe in Toronto -- were charged for selling marijuana to two undercover policemen. Through their lawyer Paul Lewin, they are asking the court to grant them an exemption from Canada's existing marijuana laws because their religious rights are granted in the Canadian Charter of Rights. They claim that the present marijuana laws infringe upon their religious rights of freely able to buy, sell and smoke pots which is part of their religion. According to their claim, this Church has 2,000 members. Two German Shepherd dogs also have memberships in this Church.

Mr. Lewin told the court, "They [his two clients] do find God through cannabis. Canada has a long history of religious tolerance." He also listed the Church's good works, among whom are holding of Sunday services (worship) and donating hemp (fibre derived from cannabis plants) clothes and food to needy people.

These accused claim that the weed is the holy sacrament of this Church and it is the "tree of life." The weed also allows its members to effectively connect to God. Members of this Church call each other "Brother."

Prosecuting government lawyers -- Nicholas Devlin and Donna Polgar -- in their arguments said that the pot smokers' claim of being a being a religion is not a religion, their Church in not a Church. These two lawyers wrote in their court submission: " It cheapens and demeans freedom of religion to extend the right, enshrined to shield those who have suffered many of the most vicious acts of intolerance and oppression throughout history, to lifestyle choices, when even (they) don't take seriously," reports the Toronto Sun. They also questioned this Church's theology and worship practices.

The government lawyers described Mr. Styrsky, a former Roman Catholic, as "an intelligent man who found a way to transform his affinity for marijuana into a booming business that could cure his financial woes and end his work-time tedium."

Mr. Devlin told the court that if those two pot-smokers are granted Charter Rights, "the very next day anyone could light up a marijuana cigarette on the courthouse steps and say it's for religious use." He also reminded the court that if their rights of free pot use are granted, this will prompt many others to found similar so-called churches.

Still the hearing in the court is going on.

Pot Smoking Linked to Religion

In the history we can see use of drugs in different religions. For centuries, cannabis sativa (also called, hemp, ganja or bhang) is being used as a narcotic in India. Only government-approved shops can sell bhang. These drugs are used in the worship of Lord Shiva. That's why one can see many Hindu sadhus (ascetics or holy men) using these smokes in their akharas (dens). In the name of Christian religion, some people are using pots, too.

Risks from Pot Smoking

Experts say that heavy pot smoking makes people less likely to succeed in academic studies and different professions. Smokers also face heightened health risks like respiratory diseases and cognitive impairment.

In spite of all this, marijuana use is on the increase among younger Canadians. An increasing number of people are out there growing marijuana illegally in their own home basements and other properties. It's a big business now.

The Fallout from the Holy Communion Affair

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Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Photo Courtesy: http://scrapetv.com/

The Telegraph-Journal of St. John, New Brunswick, in its July 8 report mentioned that Prime Minister Stephen Harper had pocketed the holy communion he was given when he attended the funeral Mass in honour of late Governor-General Romeo LeBlanc in Memramcook. The report triggered a lot of hullabaloo in the Canadian media, blogs and a certain quarter of the Canadian Catholic Church.

Mr. Stephen Harper later denounced the original report as a "low-point" in Canadian journalism giving the impression to the public that he had dishonoured the Catholic faith and committed a sacrilege against the holy communion, considered the holiest of the holies in the belief system of the Catholic Church, reports The Toronto Star.

On July 28, the Telegraph-Journal made a front-page apology by saying: "...the Telegraph-Journal published a story about the funeral mass celebrating the life of former Governor-General Romeo LeBlanc that was inaccurate and should not have been published. We pride ourselves in maintaining the high standards of journalism and ethical reporting, and regret this was not followed in this case."

This daily also said: "The Telegraph-Journal sincerely apologizes to the Prime Minister for the harm that this inaccurate story has caused. We also apologize to reporters Rob Linke and Adam Huras and to our readers for our failure to meet our own standards of responsible journalism and accuracy in reporting."

The paper apologized to the two reporters because their original report did not contain the controversial item of pocketing the holy communion. Some editor later inserted this piece into the news before publication.

The paper's apology was followed by an unexpected fallout. Shawna Richer, editor, and James Irving, publisher, were removed from their positions.

It is reported that Prime Minister Stephen Harper accepted the newspaper's public apology.

The Holy Communion, Stephen Harper and the Hullabaloo

_Cartoon Courtesy: National Post (July 9, 2009)

The headlines in some Canadian newspapers of July 9 were:

"The faux pas, the spin and the holy host" -- The Toronto Star

"Harper consumed communion host, spokesman says" -- The Globe and Mail

"Did Harper Pocket Wafer? PMO Says No" -- National Post

"Harper ate Catholic host, aide says" -- The Toronto Sun

All this hullabaloo is about whether Canada's Evangelical Protestant Prime Minister Stephen Harper, given holy communion in hand in a Catholic funeral Mass, consumed it or put it in his pocket.

It was July 3, Friday. Prime Minister Stephen Harper went to Memramcook in New Brunswick, for attending the funeral service of the former Governor-General Romeo LeBlanc in a Roman Catholic church. During communion service, Archbishop Andre Richard of Moncton came to the front bench to give communion to the notables present there. At the time, Stephen Harper reached out to take the host in his right hand and the Archbishop gave him one. A video footage shows him receiving the communion in right hand but fails to show what he did with it.

Since the Prime Minister did not place the communion in his mouth immediately after taking it from the archbishop, all kinds of speculations began to circulate about what he did with it. Someone said that, instead of placing it in his mouth, he put it in his pocket. Some Catholics took offense at this and began to express their dissatisfaction at the Prime Minister. After this event, the Prime Minister flew to Italy for the G-8 (Group of Eight) summit and was not available for immediate comment on the allegation.

Vicar general and chancellor Monsignor Brian Henneberry of the Diocese of St. John, New Brunswick, told the local Telegraph-Journal: "It's worse than a faux pas, it's a scandal from Catholic point of view."

The Prime Minister's press secretary Dimitri Soudas said that "it's totally absurd" to think Prime Minister pocketed the wafer. "The Priest offered the host to the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister accepted the host and he consumed it."

The Senate Speaker Noel Kinsella, who is a Catholic, said in a statement: "I would like to state that I personally witnessed Prime Minister Harper consume the host that was given him by Archhishop Andre Richard. Sitting only a few seats behind him, I had a full view of the proceedings and clearly saw the Prime Minister accept the host after Archbishop Richard offered it. The Prime Minister consumed it," reports The Toronto Star.

Archbishop Andre Richard in a telephone interview on May 9 said that it is considered "sacrilegious" for non-believers to take part in the rite, but only if it is done to disrespect. "In the context, it's obvious that no disrespect was meant. I'm quite sure," reports the cbc.ca. "I'm sure he [Harper] didn't mean any desecration or nothing of the sort. Somehow, the gesture was misunderstood. I think he should have been briefed by the protocol of what has to be done in a Catholic ceremony," he said.

The Prime Minister, after attending the G-8 summit, is supposed to meet with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on July 11.

The Mass and Holy Communion: A Very Serious Matter

In the Catholic Church, it is taught that the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist was instituted by Jesus Christ himself in the Last Supper to unite us to himself and to prove his love for us. He also did it to increase grace in our soul and to give us pledge of eternal life and of a glorious resurrection.

In the Last Supper he said to his disciples present: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and as I live through the Father, so he who eats me, he also shall live through me." (John 6:57-58). He also said: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day," (John 6:55).

The holy eucharist is the communion, host, or white round wafer that is consecrated by the priest during the Mass. According to the teaching of the Church and strong belief of the Catholics, this consecrated eucharist or communion turns into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. That means, Jesus Christ is really present in the eucharist. That is why the eucharist or communion is considered as the holiest of the holies. So, when a Catholic receives the communion, Christ comes to his or her soul and he or she unites with Christ.
This may sound absurd to a non-Catholic person, but that is what a Catholic believes and practises.

The priest, who consecrates the host or communion in the Mass, must be in a state of grace or holiness and have the right intention. If a priest is in a state of sin, his consecration of the eucharist will be valid, but he himself will commit another sin by unworthily doing the consecration. If a priest is in a state of mortal or serious sin (e.g. embezzling or squandering away a large amount of money, pedophilia, sexual relations with an adult -- male or female etc.), he commits another mortal sin every time he says Mass and consecrates the eucharist.

The same is true of the person who receives holy communion from any priest. The communicant (receiver of the communion) must also be in a state of grace during the reception of the eucharist. Otherwise, he or she commits another sin by receiving communion unworthily.

The Catholic Church also has the Sacrament of Penance or Confession -- presently called the Sacrament of Reconciliation -- to get remission of one's sin. To be worthy to be in a state of grace, the priest as well as any other Catholic can take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Differences Between Catholics and Protestants

Although Catholics and Protestants are Christians, there are certian glaring differences between them regarding religious beliefs and practices. The eucharist or communion is one of them.

The Communion Incident with the Prime Minister: Being Too Much Judgmental Is Dangerous

The communion incident got so much publicity because certain Catholics, including some priests, got offended at the "sacrilege" or "desecration" of the holy eucharist and lodged complaints and passed judgmental opinions. I think that this was too premature before hearing from Prime Minister Stephen Harper himself.

The judgmental opinion is uncalled for because the matter needs to be looked into from different angles -- the angle of Archbishop Andre Richard, the angle of Stephen Harper, the angle of the person who "saw" him pocketing the holy communion, and the angle of the persons who saw him "consuming the communion."

Archbishop Andre Richard himself went to the front bench to distribute communion. He knew who Stephen Harper was. Why did he give the communion to the Prime Minister who is a Protestant and who does not have the same belief and practices regarding the holy communion?

Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not go to Archbishop Richard to receive the communion. He, being an evangelical Christian, perhaps took time in consuming the communion. Since he does not look at the communion at the same level as the Catholics, what can we do if he did not behave like the Catholics?

The person, who saw the Prime Minister to pocket the communion, might have been biased and upset already because holy communion was give to a Protestant. This person should have been upset with Archbishop Richard and not the Prime Minister.

Among those, who saw Prime Minister to consume the communion, was Senator Noel Kinsella, who is also a Catholic. Is he telling a lie?

Let's See What Jesus Did

The Scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. They mentioned that Moses had given the law to stone such persons to death. They asked Jesus' opinion about it. Jesus told them that the person, who is sinless, should stone the woman first. At this the Scribes and Pharisees one by one left the place. Jesus asked the woman whether the men condemned her. When she said that no one did, then Jesus said: "Neither do I condemn you; go, do not sin again." (John 8: 3-11)

In another instance, Jesus also said: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged...Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7: 1-3)

We should learn from Jesus about being judgmental about others.

If a Catholic priest offers Mass and consecrates the host most unworthily and if a Catholic receives holy communion most unworthily, it is much more sacrilegious, desecrating and scandalous than a non-Catholic receiving holy communion. We should be very careful in jumping into the bandwagon of judging (finding faults with) others so easily.

Learn from Bangladesh Catholic Church

The Canadian Catholic Church may learn something on this matter from the Bangladesh Catholic Church. In Bangladesh, when non-Catholics (Protestants, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists) are invited or are present in a Catholic Mass (e.g. during the visit of Pope John Paul II in November, 1986; funeral of a bishop or priest; wedding and the like), a priest, just before the distribution of the holy communion, announces publicly that only the Catholics can receive the host.

What's your opinion on this?

The Poem of the Month (April, 2009): RELIGION & INJUSTICE

Religion and Injustice

By Jerome D'Costa

In the name of religion --
There can also be the most naked display of power and arrogance.
Lawlessness
Revenge
Murder
Injustice
-- all these follow automatically.



Religion does not guide him,
But religion becomes the vehicle of injustice in the hands of the perpetrator.
Negativity dominates, positivity recedes to the background.

The victim: the weak, the voiceless, the powerless.

________________________________________________________
If you want, you may watch this gruesome video to see how religion is used to perpetrate injustice. (Warning: sensitive and weak-hearted persons should not see this video)