Monday, January 30, 2012

Polytheism and Monotheism

Polytheism and Monotheism are very different and alike at the same time. For example both types of religions involve people praying to God(s) when they are in need. For example when people were first settling in to the world and starting civilization religion had just started. People basically lived off of the necessities of life. Rain as their source for watering their crops and rivers for water. So if there was not a lot of rain then one would pray to the rain God for it to rain. And if it did rain then they would thank the God.
When Monotheism emerged the average lifestyle for the planet was different. The basic necessities of life were mostly available. Soon people only needed one God. A all overseeing God who took care of everything else. Soon Judaism, Islam and Christianity emerged.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Ancient Religion

Religion started when mankind started. When people were making art they were making religion. It was very different then religion is now. Now most mainstream religions have one God. (Christianity, Islam and Judaism) But a few thousand years ago most religions had many Gods. Mostly Gods would adress common problems people faced those few millennia ago. For example sometimes it would not rain enough or the harvest did not provide enough food. Then people would pray to their rain or harvest God and if it did rain or they received more food they would thank the God who helped them. Now most religions only need one God since rain and food aren't major issues facing the majority of the worlds population today. These days we have one God to adress all our problems.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Brother Ali

Brother Ali (Originally named Jason Newman) is an underground rapper who raps about corruption and faults in the U.S. government and how unfair it is to be poor or a minority in America. Although he is white he has claimed that he feels most at home when he is around African Americans. He received some criticism when he first began his career. His stage name Brother Ali is a common reference in religious communities especially muslim ones. Brother Ali most likely chose this name because he converted to Islam right before he started his rapping career. To him converting to a new faith probably meant a fresh start. He would leaves his old life behind him where he was made fun of for having the condition of albinism. When he was a child, growing up in Madison Wisconsin he was made fun of by his white class mates. When starting his career he was surrounded by lots of different cultures and races giving a start to where no one would judge him on who he was. His conversion helped him rebuild and restart his life as a person.

Monday, January 23, 2012

The Polygamists-National Geographic

For the Polygamist Community in Colorado religion shapes the world in a very hostile way. They have been separated from the outside world by their leader Joe Jessop who has 5 wives, 46 children and 269 grandchildren. Reading newspapers is frowned upon so there is now way to find out what is happening in the world. This specific branch of Mormonism discourages mingling with the outside worlds affairs to keep the sanctity of the covenant pure and untouched. With out the understanding of what the world is really this religion makes everywhere but their small ranch in Colorado seem like a different universe.