Jauhkanlah Kami Dari Yang Jahat

Deliver us from evil

IN November last year, one of the world's leading exorcists quietly slipped into Sydney at the invitation of the Catholic Church.  

"While Twilight and Harry Potter are not in themsevles demonic, they can lead to a fascination in this world," says Bishop Julian Porteious." Picture: Adam Knott Source: The Australian

It was a long journey for Father Jeremy Davies, exorcist for London’s Westminster Archdiocese, but there was important business afoot for the grey-haired 74-year-old. The destination for Davies, co-founder of the International Association of Exorcists in Rome, was Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney, where the tomb of Australia’s only saint lies. Waiting for him were 27 other priests, including Bishop Julian Porteous, the Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, second only to Cardinal George Pell in the Sydney Archdiocese.

Dari Harry Potter ke Yesus Kristus: Pelajaran Buat Katolisisme

Penulis: Joe Egerton Joe Egerton draws on a course he offered at the Mount Street Jesuit Centre to argue that J K Rowling has given Christians a valuable resource to introduce some of the central beliefs of the Catholic faith to a generation that knows the life of Harry Potter far better than it knows the life of Jesus Christ.

The anticipation that preceded the release of the latest Harry Potter film was a reminder that a whole generation in the UK would score higher on questions about J K Rowling’s life of Harry Potter than they would on St Matthew’s life of Jesus Christ.

Bocoran Wikileaks: Vatikan Komit Melaksanan Copenhage Accord Untuk Perubahan Iklim

WikiLeaks cable notes Vatican commitment to accord on climate change
 
WIKILEAKS-VATICAN Dec-9-2010 (630 words) xxxi

The Vatican was committed to getting countries aligned with the Copenhagen Accord on climate change, according to the first Vatican cable to appear on the WikiLeaks website.

The confidential cable claimed a Vatican official at the Secretariat of State would support U.S. government "efforts to have countries associate themselves with the Copenhagen Accord by the January 31 deadline" as well as "encourage other countries discreetly to associate themselves with the Accord as opportunities arise."

Uskup Yang Tidak Disetujui Paus, Menduduki Jabatan Puncak di China

Unapproved bishop elected to top China job

Published Date: December 9, 2010

By ucanews.com reporter, Hong Kong

Bishop John Fang Xingyao of Linyi, new head of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association

A bishop who does not have papal approval was today elected president of the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) while a Vatican-approved bishop became head of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA).

The pope’s letter of 2007 indicates that holding the CCPA position was incompatible to Church doctrine.
Bishop Joseph Ma Yinglin of Kunming, 45, who was ordained in 2006 and still has not received papal approval, was elected BCCCC president by 312 votes for and one abstention on the last day of the Eighth National Congress of Catholic Representatives.

Bocoran Wikileaks: Diplomat AS Terkejut Terpilihnya Benediktus XVI

Pope’s election took US diplomats by surprise

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger prepares for communion at the funeral Mass for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican before the papal conclave (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite/ File) Ref

30 Nov 2010
Source:http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2010/11/30/popes-election-took-us-diplomats-by-surprise/

Pope Benedict’s election to the papacy took American diplomats by surprise, it emerged this week.
They predicted that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger would get a flurry of votes from his fellow cardinals at the beginning of the conclave but that he would be unable to muster the support needed to become Pope.
An April 19 2005 telegram from Rome to Washington signed by Bernt Hardt, says diplomats were “shocked” and “speechless” about the election of Cardinal Ratzinger.

Uskup China Yang Loyal Ke Paus Dipaksa Untuk Menghadiri Pelantikan Uskup Patriotik

Chinese Prelates Forced to Official Church Meeting

Patriotic Association Aims to Elect New Officers

ROME, DEC. 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Several Chinese bishops loyal to Rome have reportedly been forcibly taken to Beijing to participate in the assembly of the Patriotic Association.

According to AsiaNews, dozens of bishops were forced to the capital to participate in the assembly, where a national president of the Patriotic Association and a president of the council of Chinese bishops are to be elected.

The Catholic Patriotic Association is the body through which the Chinese government recognizes religious personnel and registers places of worship. Religious practice is only permitted in China with the oversight of the association.

This explains the difference between the "national" or "official" church, and the faithful who oppose such control and who wish to obey the Pope directly. The latter constitute the non-official, or underground, Church.

AsiaNews reported that various underground bishops claimed illness to avoid attending the assembly. Others are in Beijing, but refusing to concelebrate Masses with official bishops. Still others were physically forced to attend.

Bishop Feng Xinmao of Hengshui was taken by police officers despite members of the faithful and priests who tried to shield him, AsiaNews reported. One parishioner was injured in the exchange. Once in custody, the bishop was kept in isolation and taken Monday to Beijing for the meeting.

UCANews estimates that some 40 bishops and about 300 priests, religious and laity are attending the meeting.

Growing colder

Forcing underground bishops to attend the Beijing meeting shows China taking another step to distance itself from the Vatican.

In late November, the nation took a turn against normalized relations by ordaining a bishop without pontifical mandate.

Kaukus Kongres AS Desak Presiden Obama Untuk Mengingat Tuhan

US Lawmakers Urge President to Remember God

Say Obama Misstated National Motto

WASHINGTON, D.C., DEC. 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- A group of US lawmakers are urging President Barack Obama to remember the nation's religious heritage as expressed in its national motto and foundational documents. 

Congressman Randy Forbes of Virginia, along with 42 bipartisan members of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, sent a letter to the president Monday in which they pointed out that he recently misspoke when he said the national motto is “E Pluribus Unum” (out of many, one), and asked him to publish a correction.

Since 1956, the official national motto of the United States has been “In God We Trust.” The motto also appears in the national anthem, and on the nation's currency.

In a speech given Nov. 10 to students in Jakarta, Indonesia, Obama said that the United States and Indonesia share a similar history: "It is a story written into our national mottos. In the United States, our motto is 'E Pluribus Unum.'"
The members of the Congressional Prayer Caucaus said that it was "unacceptable" for the president to misrepresent the national motto: "The president is the primary representative of our nation to the world, and whether mistake or intention, his actions cast aside an integral part of American society.”

“President [Ronald] Reagan once warned that 'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under,’” the letter added.

The lawmakers also lamented that on various occasions, the president has omitted a reference to the Creator when quoting the Declaration of Independence. Instead of stating that all are "are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights," the lawmakers assert that Obama stated that "each of us are endowed with certain inalienable rights."

The letter said that the "omissions and inaccuracies" misrepresent the United States, and undercuts "important parts of our nation’s history.”

“Trust in God is embedded into the fabric of society and history in the United States," the note concluded. "If we allow these threads to be pulled, we will begin to unravel the very freedoms that birthed America.”

The Congressional Prayer Caucus is a bipartisan group of Members of Congress dedicated to preserving America's religious heritage and protecting religious liberties.

--- --- ---

On the Net:

Full text of the letter: http://www.forbes.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=216891

Amanat Yesus untuk Indonesia

Disampaikan oleh Yesus kepada Vassula di Jakarta tanggal 25 Februari 1995

Amanat Yesus sbb:

Hari ini Aku telah membawa engkau (Vassula) ke sini, ke Indonesia, sebagaimana pula telah Kukumpulkan kalian semua sebagai satu persekutuan. Katakanlah kepada mereka:

Janganlah menganggap bahwa Allah tidak dapat didekati. Allah ada di dekatmu, dan mengasihimu ...Hormatilah nama-Nya.

Kembalilah kepada-Ku dan ubahlah hidupmu, serta hiduplah suci, sebab Kuduslah nama-Ku. Izinkanlah Aku mendandanimu kembali. Untuk ini Aku memerlukan penyerahan menyeluruh dirimu. Satu-satunya perlindunganmu adalah Hati-Ku. Dengarkanlah dan pahamilah: Aku telah bersabda bahwa seluruh daging adalah seperti rumput, dan keindahannya seperti bunga liar di ladang. Namun rumput mengering dan bunga-bunga menjadi layu, sedangkan sabda-Ku tetap abadi, ... dan jiwamu akan tetap hidup.

Biarkan jiwamu dalam keadaan damai dengan Aku pada hari Aku akan menjemputnya, agar engkau mewarisi Kemuliaan-Ku. Janganlah menipu dirimu sendiri sekarang, dan mengatakan: "Jiwa, engkau kini sudah memiliki banyak hal. Ambillah barang-barang yang tersedia. Nikmatilah waktu ini dan berfoya-foyalah dalam kekayaanmu. Nyatalah sudah bahwa warisan itu adalah milikmu." Sadarilah anak-Ku, betapa jiwamu telah kaubiarkan tumbuh liar.

Sadarilah anak-Ku, betapa pedihnya Aku melihat engkau gersang. Aku selalu mengasihimu dengan kasih abadi. Kurangilah kepedihan-Ku. Hapuskanlah kepedihan-Ku dan kembalilah kepada-Ku, yaitu Bapamu, Penciptamu, Penyelamatmu dan Hidupmu. Berdoalah dari dalam hatimu, dan Aku akan mendengarmu. Pengampunan akan diberikan kepadamu bila engkau memintanya!

Indonesia, arahkan langkahmu kepada langkah-Ku, sebab Hari-Ku dekat, dan sewaktu Aku datang, Aku akan datang dengan Api. Maka, izinkanlah Aku untuk menemukan engkau layak bagi Kerajaan-Ku ...Mintalah Berkat-Ku dan Aku akan memberikannya kepadamu. Ayah mana yang akan menolak kesejahteraan anaknya?

Maka, betapa terlebih-lebihnya Aku, Sumber Kasih, akan memberikannya kepada siapapun yang memintanya! Aku berada di dekat kalian hai putri dan putra, dan Aku memberkati kalian, dan menawarkan Damai-Ku kepadamu. Datanglah dan akukanlah dosa-dosamu ke hadapan-Ku, dan Aku akan menanggapi jeritan pertobatanmu.

Vassula, Aku adalah Yahweh, Bapamu yang Terkasih dan Bapa segenap manusia. Pujilah Aku dan ikutilah Aku tanpa menunda. Bangunlah sekarang dan berdoalah Bapa Kami sebagaimana Aku menghormati engkau dengan mengajarkannya kepadamu. Aku mengasihi engkau dengan lemah lembut!

Paus Benediktus XVI: Kondom Dibolehkan Asal...

Paus Benediktus XVI mengeluarkan pernyataan, Sabtu (20/11/2010), mengenai penggunaan kondom. Ini menunjukkan terlihatnya perubahan sikap Gereja Katolik Roma soal penggunaan kondom.

Benediktus menyatakan bahwa penggunaan kondom dibolehkan atas beberapa kasus untuk mencegah penyebaran AIDS. Pernyataan ini dikeluarkan sebagai bentuk pembolehan pihak gereja terutama sikap mereka selama ini yang menentang penggunaan alat kontrasepsi artifisial termasuk kondom.

"Ada banyak kasus khusus di mana penggunaan (kontrasepsi) dibolehkan. Sebagai contoh ketika seorang prostitusi dan ini akan menjadi langkah awal dari sikap moral yaitu tanggung jawab untuk menghidupkan kepedulian bahwa tak semuanya dibolehkan dan tak seorang pun boleh melakukan sesuatu sesuka hati mereka," kata Benediktus.

Analisis Senior Vatikan CNN, John Allen, menyatakan komentar Benediktus ini tak mengubah kebijakan pejabat Vatikan namun ini menunjukkan sikap kepausan yang fleksibel gereja atas kontrasepsi.

"Saya kira apa yang ingin dikatakannya adalah ketika seseorang menggunakan kondom tidak akan mencegah lahirnya kehidupan baru di mana ini selalu jadi perhatian Gereja Katolik Roma namun mencegah penyebaran penyakit lebih baik," jelas Allen. (Widyabuana/Tribunnews)


21 Nov 2010
Source:http://health.kompas.com/index.php/read/2010/11/21/18322522/Paus.Benediktus.XVI.Kondom.Dibolehkan.Asal...-8

Anglicans defect to Rome

 THE Catholic Church will announce this week that 50 Anglican clergy are defecting to Rome following the Church of England's moves to introduce women bishops. Photo: Bishop of Ebbsfleet Andrew Burnham likes pointy hats but not women clergy. Photo: AP

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, will disclose on Friday the Vatican's plan to welcome the departing priests, including five bishops.

Hundreds of Anglican churchgoers will join them in the Ordinariate - a structure introduced by the Pope to provide refuge for those disaffected with the Church of England. The number of departing worshippers is predicted to double as the new arrangement begins to take shape. The Right Reverend Andrew Burnham, the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, said clergy were dismayed at the liberal direction of the Church of England and the way traditionalists had been treated.

''There's only a certain amount of time you can accept being described as the National Front of the Church of England,'' he said. ''We're seen as out of date for not accepting women's ministry as equal, but the debate concentrates on sociology rather than theology.''

The bishop accused the church of repeatedly breaking promises to make proper provision for opponents of the ordination of women.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, complained last year that the Pope's offer to disaffected Anglicans had put him in an ''awkward position''. He went further last month, saying he was ''very taken aback that this large step was put before us without any real consultation''.

The invitation was made last year after secret meetings between the Vatican and some Anglican bishops.

TELEGRAPH

15 Nov 2010
Source:http://www.theage.com.au/world/anglicans-defect-to-rome-20101114-17soh.html

Paus Benediktus XVI: Internet Bikin Kesepian dan Disorientasi

Tak dapat dipungkiri, kaum muda zaman sekarang makin menggilai internet. Menanggapi tren seperti ini, pemimpin agama Katolik, Paus Benediktus XVI, coba memberi wejangan bahwa internet memiliki sisi negatif.

Menurut sang Paus asal Jerman ini, internet tidak membuat orang lebih manusiawi, namun malah menyebabkan pengakses berisiko merasa kesepian dan disorientasi. Risiko ini rentan menghinggapi para anak muda penggemar dunia maya.

"Sejumlah besar kaum muda, melakukan pola komunikasi yang tidak meningkatkan kemanusiaan namun malah melonjakkan risiko perasaan kesendirian dan disorientasi," ucap Paus Benediktus XVI, seperti detikINET kutip dari AFP, Senin (15/11/2010).

Sang Paus menambahkan, sebagian anak muda menjadi seakan mati rasa dengan keberadaan internet. Dia menilai, teknologi adalah sebuah tantangan yang harus ditanggapi dengan pintar.

Pemimpin Vatikan ini memang cukup cemas dengan efek buruk teknologi. Sebelumnya, dia juga pernah menyatakan bahwa teknologi mengaburkan batas antara kebenaran dan ilusi.

Namun demikian, ia bukannya anti sama sekali. Sebagai buktinya, Paus Benediktus XVI tidak segan memanfaatkan Facebook sebagai sarana untuk menarik kaum muda kembali beribadah ke gereja. ( fyk / ash ) 

15 Nov 2010
Source:http://www.detikinet.com/read/2010/11/15/141552/1494593/398/paus-benediktus-xvi-internet-bikin-kesepian-dan-disorientasi

Paus Ajak Kaum Muda Kembali ke Gereja Lewat Facebook

Paus Benediktus XVI menggunakan jejaring sosial Facebook untuk berdakwah. Melalui media yang 'berpenghuni' ratusan juta orang di seluruh dunia itu, Paus mengajak para kawula muda Katolik untuk kembali ke gereja.

Seperti ditulis Reuters, Jumat (22/5/20090), website baru Vatikan yang beralamat di www.pope2you.net menawarkan sebuah layanan yang disebut 'Paus bertemu Anda di Facebook.' Layanan ini memungkinkan masyarakat mengakses ucapan-ucapan dan pesan-pesan Paus lewat iPhone atau Ipod.

Ini merupakan pola komunikasi baru yang dijalankan oleh Vatikan. "Kami tahu bahwa gereja yang tidak berkomunikasi akan berhenti hanya sebagai gereja," kata Sekretaris Departemen Komunikasi Sosial Vatikan, Monsignor Paul Tighe.

Namun layanan Facebook ini tidak menyerupai pada umumnya. Anda tidak akan menerima 'friend request' dari Paus atau menulis di wall-nya.

"Orang-orang muda sekarang tidak menggunakan media tradisional seperti koran dan majalah untuk mencari informasi dan hiburan. Mereka mencari budaya media yang berbeda, dan ini adalah upaya kami untuk meyakinkan mereka bahwa gereja hadir dalam budaya komunikasi baru itu," imbuh Tighe.
( sho / fyk ) 

23 Mei 2010
Source:http://www.detikinet.com/read/2009/05/23/102533/1135891/398/paus-ajak-kaum-muda-kembali-ke-gereja-lewat-facebook

MacKillop, Orang Suci Pertama Australia

Puluhan ribu peziarah memadati Lapangan Santo Petrus, Vatikan, Minggu (17/10), untuk kanonisasi (penetapan oleh gereja Katolik bahwa seseorang menjadi santa/santo) dari orang kudus pertama Australia dan seorang bruder Kanada yang dianggap sebagai ”pekerja mukjizat”.

Empat orang lain, dari Polandia, Italia, dan Spanyol, juga dinyatakan sebagai orang kudus dalam sebuah Misa yang dipersembahkan oleh Paus Benediktus XVI dan hampir 50 kardinal, uskup, dan pastor lainnya itu.

Sorak-sorai terdengar dari tengah massa ketika nama Mary MacKillop diumumkan, bukti bahwa cukup banyak warga Australia yang datang pada upacara di Vatikan itu untuk merayakan biarawati abad ke-19 itu.

Pihak berwenang Vatikan memperkirakan ada sekitar 6.000 peziarah Australia di antara 50.000 massa yang memadati lapangan untuk mengikuti misa kanonisasi itu.

Di Australia, ribuan pengagum MacKillop lainnya berkumpul pada hari Minggu di kapel Sydney di mana dia dimakamkan dan di Katedral Katolik Sydney.

Lahir pada tahun 1842, MacKillop tumbuh besar dalam kemiskinan sebagai anak pertama dari delapan bersaudara, anak keluarga imigran Skotland. Dia pindah ke kota Penola di Australia selatan untuk menjadi seorang guru, mengundang kaum miskin dan Aborigin di daerah itu untuk datang ke kelas gratis di bekas kandang kuda yang dijadikan tempatnya mengajar.

Dia ikut mendirikan ordonya, Kongregasi Biarawati Santo Josef dari Hati Suci, itu dengan tujuan melayani kaum miskin, kaum sakit, dan kaum yang terpinggirkan, terutama melalui pendidikan.

MacKillop memenuhi syarat untuk menjadi orang kudus setelah Vatikan mengesahkan mukjizat kedua yang diyakini karena intersesi (perantaraan)-nya, yaitu mukjizat pada Kathleen Evans, yang sembuh dari kanker paru-paru dan otak tahun 1993.

Dalam sebuah pernyataan hari Minggu, Evans mengatakan, dia terilhami oleh teladan hidup MacKillop. Dia merasa bersyukur atas kesembuhannya dan merasa bersukacita bahwa teladan MacKillop kini diketahui oleh orang lain.

Veronica Hopson (72) adalah mukjizat MacKillop yang pertama, sembuh dari leukemia pada tahun 1961. Setelah hampir setengah abad membisu mengenai kasusnya, dia berbicara pada acara Minggu Malam di stasiun televisi Channel Seven, Australia, ”Saya merasa sangat beruntung bahwa saya mendapat kesempatan untuk menjalani hidup, memiliki sebuah keluarga, memiliki cucu-cucu, jadi itulah sebuah mukjizat.”

Bendera Quebec juga tampil menonjol di Lapangan Santo Petrus mendukung Bruder Andre Bessette, yang menurut legenda menyembuhkan ribuan orang sakit yang berdoa dengannya di tempatnya di Montreal.

Lahir tahun 1845, dia menjadi yatim piatu pada usia 12 tahun. Setelah mengucapkan kaulnya, dia mencurahkan hidupnya untuk membantu orang lain dan memperoleh reputasi sebagai seorang penyembuh. Ketika dia meninggal pada tahun 1937 pada usia 91, sekitar 1 juta orang datang memberi penghormatan.

Menlu Australia Kevin Rudd berada di Roma untuk kanonisasi itu, seperti juga Menlu Kanada Lawrence Cannon.(AP/Reuters/AFP/DI)

18 Okt 2010
Source:http://internasional.kompas.com/read/2010/10/18/07485272/MacKillop..Orang.Suci.Pertama..Australia-8

Komuni Pertama Astronot Buzz Aldrin di Bulan

First Communion on the Moon

As we remember the first men on the moon, let's not forget the first supper on the moon -- the Lord's Supper, served and received by an elder in the Presbyterian Church, Apollo 11 astronaut Eugene 'Buzz' Aldrin.
"This is the (lunar module) pilot," Aldrin said on July 20, 1969. "I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way." Aldrin's way was to serve himself communion, using a kit provided by the pastor of Houston's Webster Presbyterian Church.

Aldrin's brief and private Christian service never caused a flap, but it could have. Aldrin has said that he planned to broadcast the service, but NASA at the last minute asked him not to because of concerns about a lawsuit filed (later dismissed) by atheist Madelyn Murray O'Hare after Apollo 8 astronauts read from Genesis while orbiting the moon at Christmas.

Did NASA do the right thing by making Aldrin keep his religious beliefs to himself?

As an elder in the Presbyterian church, Aldrin had the authority to conduct what is called an "extended serving" of the Lord's Supper. But Aldrin was representing the United States of America that day, and in many ways, all of his fellow earthlings. Should he have even conducted a private religious service?

"In the radio blackout," Aldrin wrote in Guideposts magazine in 1970, "I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the Scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit.'
"I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility. It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion elements."

One small sip for man, one giant leap of faith for mankind.

The small chalice Aldrin used for the wine went back to Webster Church. Each year on the Sunday closest to July 20, the congregation celebrates Lunar Communion. "Communion can be celebrated anywhere," senior pastor Mark Cooper said Sunday. "Even cramped up in a lunar module on the moon."
Aldrin wasn't the only person to bring his faith to the moon that day. The astronauts left behind a tiny silicon chip containing a message of peace from four U.S. presidents and 73 other world leaders. Seven of them made references to God -- the presidents of Brazil, Ireland, South Vietnam and Malagasy, the king of Belgium, Pope Paul VI -- and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, who wrote:
"On this occasion when Mr. Neil Armstrong and Colonel Edwin Aldrin set foot for the first time on the surface of the Moon from the Earth, we pray the Almighty God to guide mankind towards ever increasing success in the establishment of peace and the progress of culture, knowledge and human civilisation."

UPDATE: I asked On Faith panelist Richard Mouw about provisions for self-serve communion. Mouw is president of Fuller Theological Seminary. He also is representing the Presbyterian Church-USA as co-chair of the official Reformed-Catholic Dialogue. Mouw's response:

"For our Reformed theology, communion is something that necessarily takes place in a congregational context, with two requirements. It is tied to--accompanied by-- the preaching of the Word and it requires at least one elder assisting the minister. Two exceptions: chaplains in military and other settings are given a blanket approval to conduct a communion rite without an elder. And a minister and elder may bring the elements to a sick or shut-in person--with the understanding that this is an extension of the congregational rite that has recently taken place. There is simply no provision for a solitary self-serving of communion. It is difficult to think of a theological rationale even as an unusual event."

Source:http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2009/07/first_communion_on_the_moon.html

Mengapa Ilmuwan Menjadi Atheist?

In the early 20th century, studies showed that scientists were less likely than the general population to believe in the existence of God.¹ A survey conducted in 1969 showed that 35% of scientists did not believe that God existed.² In contrast, recent surveys on religious belief have shown that 90 percent of Americans believe in God and 40 percent attend a place of worship weekly.³ Is a lack of belief in God among scientists due to their higher intelligence and knowledge? A recent study was designed to look at differences in belief among scientists (and other academics) and what factors influence those beliefs.

Religion and Academics

Elaine Ecklund, and Christopher Scheitle questioned 2,198 faculty members in the disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, sociology, economics, political science, and psychology from 21 elite U.S. research universities.⁴ Overall, 75% of professors contacted completed the survey. Among the different disciplines, disbelief in the existence of God was not correlated with any particular area of expertise:

Disbelief in God by Academics⁴

Discipline	%
Physics	40.8
Chemistry	26.6
Biology	41.0
Overall	37.6
Sociology	34.0
Economics	31.7
Political Science	27.0
Psychology	33.0
Overall	31.2

In fact, disbelief in the existence of God was nearly as high in the natural science as in the "soft" sciences. Earlier studies had shown a similar trend, with those in the social sciences regularly attended religious services less often than those in the life sciences.² So, it doesn't seem that study in any particular field is associated with a disbelief in God's existence. However, several factors unrelated to areas of expertise and training did correlate with belief in God. It was found those scientists who were immigrants (where belief in God is lower) disbelieved in God to a greater degree than those who were born and raised in the U.S. In addition, the study found that scientists come disproportionately from non-religious or religiously liberal backgrounds compared to the general population, suggesting that at least some part of the difference in religiosity between scientists and the general population probably due to religious upbringing rather than scientific training or institutional pressure to be irreligious. Most interesting was the correlation between marital status and number of children on religiosity. Those who were married (especially with children) attended religious services more often. Those who were cohabiting were more likely than married scientists to believe "There is very little truth in any religion." This could be a reflection of wishful thinking!
Another reason why social scientists are atheists comes from the public perception of the social science profession.⁵ Accordingly, children of liberals, atheists, secular Jews, and other secularists perceive social sciences as more important issues compared with children from religious homes. Therefore, these professions have been abandoned by those brought up with religious backgrounds, leaving mostly secularists and atheists to fill those positions.⁵

Conclusion

It is true that scientists believe less in the existence of God than the general population of the United States. However, the recent study by Ecklund, and Scheitle reveals that the most important factors in belief were related to upbringing and family status, and not area of expertise. The fact that social scientists as well as those in the natural sciences expressed nearly the same disbelief in God suggests that rejection of God's existence is not a result of knowledge in any particular area of expertise. It is likely that those who have rejected religious morality (i.e., those who were cohabiting) wanted to justify their behavior by saying that there was very little truth in any religion. The conclusion by the authors:

"Instead, particular demographic factors, such as age, marital status, and presence of children in the household, seem to explain some of the religious differences among academic scientists... Most important, respondents who were raised in religious homes, especially those raised in homes where religion was important are most likely to be religious at present."

References

1. Leuba, J. 1916. The Belief in God and Immortality: A Psychological, Anthropological, and Statistical Study. Boston: Sherman, French, and Company.
   Leuba, J. 1934. Religious Beliefs of American Scientists. Harper's Magazine 169:291–300.
2. Trow, Martin and Associates. 1969. Carnegie Commission National Survey of Higher Education: Faculty Study [computer file]. Berkeley: University of California at Berkeley, Survey Research Center [producer]. Ann Arbor, MI: University Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor].
3. Gallup, G. Jr. and D. M. Lindsay. 1999. Surveying the Religious Landscape: Trends in U.S. Religious Beliefs. Harrisburg, PA, Morehouse Publishing.
   Hadaway, C. K., P. L. Marler, and M. Chaves. 1993. What the Polls Don't Show: A Closer Look at U.S. Church Attendance. American Sociological Review 58: 741–52.
4. Ecklund, E. H. and C. P. Scheitle. 2007. Religion among Academic Scientists: Distinctions, Disciplines, and Demographics. Social Problems 54: 289–307.
5. Fosse, E. 2010. Why are professor liberal (alternate link)

Source:http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/why_are_scientists_atheists.html#n04
Source:http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/why_are_scientists_atheists.html#n04

Mengapa Albert Einstein Tidak Percaya Kepada Tuhan Yang Personal?

I get a fair amount of e-mail about Albert Einstein's quote¹ on the homepage of Evidence for God from Science, so I thought it would be good to clarify the matter. Atheists object to the use of the quote, since Einstein might best be described as an agnostic.² Einstein himself stated quite clearly that he did not believe in a personal God:

"It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly."³

No personal God

So, the quick answer to the question is that Einstein did not believe in a personal God. It is however, interesting how he arrived at that conclusion. In developing the theory of relativity, Einstein realized that the equations led to the conclusion that the universe had a beginning. He didn't like the idea of a beginning, because he thought one would have to conclude that the universe was created by God. So, he added a cosmological constant to the equation to attempt to get rid of the beginning. He said this was one of the worst mistakes of his life. Of course, the results of Edwin Hubble confirmed that the universe was expanding and had a beginning at some point in the past. So, Einstein became a deist - a believer in an impersonal creator God:

"I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings."⁴

However, it would also seem that Einstein was not an atheist, since he also complained about being put into that camp:

"In view of such harmony in the cosmos which I, with my limited human mind, am able to recognize, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what really makes me angry is that they quote me for the support of such views."⁵
"I'm not an atheist and I don't think I can call myself a pantheist. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangements of the books, but doesn't know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God."⁶

Einstein on Jesus

Albert Einstein received instruction in both Christianity (at a Roman Catholic school) and Judaism (his family of origin). When interviewed by the Saturday Evening Post in 1929, Einstein was asked what he thought of Christianity.

"To what extent are you influenced by Christianity?"
"As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene."
"Have you read Emil Ludwig’s book on Jesus?"
"Emil Ludwig’s Jesus is shallow. Jesus is too colossal for the pen of phrasemongers, however artful. No man can dispose of Christianity with a bon mot!"
"You accept the historical existence of Jesus?"
"Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life."⁷

So, although Einstein was not a Christian, he had a great respect for Jesus, and recognized that He was an amazing figure in history. Personally having grown up as an atheist in a non-religious home, I initially saw Jesus as a brilliant teacher when I read the gospels for the first time at age 32.

Why no personal God?

So, what was the reason Einstein rejected the existence of a personal God? Einstein recognized the remarkable design and order of the cosmos, but could not reconcile those characteristics with the evil and suffering he found in human existence. How could an all-powerful God allow the suffering that exists on earth?

Einstein's error

Einstein's failure to understand the motives of God are the result of his incorrect assumption that God intended this universe as His ultimate perfect creation. Einstein could not get past the moral problems that are present in our universe. He assumed, as most atheists do, that a personal God would only create a universe which is both good morally and perfect physically. However, according to Christianity, the purpose of the universe is not to be morally or physically perfect, but to provide a place where spiritual creatures can choose to love or reject God - to live with Him forever in a new, perfect universe, or reject Him and live apart from Him for eternity. It would not be possible to make this choice in a universe in which all moral choices are restricted to only good choices. Einstein didn't seem to understand that one could not choose between good and bad if bad did not exist. It's amazing that such a brilliant man could not understand such a simple logical principle.

Conclusion

These days, those who fail to understand the purpose of evil not only reject the concept of a personal God, but also reject the concept of God's existence altogether. If you are an agnostic or atheist, my goal for you would be to recognize what Albert Einstein understood about the universe - that its amazing design demands the existence of a creator God. Then, go beyond Einstein's faulty understanding of the purpose of the universe and consider the Christian explanation for the purpose of human life and why evil must exist in this world.

Ilmuwan Terkenal Dunia Yang Percaya Kepada Tuhan

1. Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543)
   Copernicus was the Polish astronomer who put forward the first mathematically based system of planets going around the sun. He attended various European universities, and became a Canon in the Catholic church in 1497. His new system was actually first presented in the Vatican gardens in 1533 before Pope Clement VII who approved, and urged Copernicus to publish it around this time. Copernicus was never under any threat of religious persecution - and was urged to publish both by Catholic Bishop Guise, Cardinal Schonberg, and the Protestant Professor George Rheticus. Copernicus referred sometimes to God in his works, and did not see his system as in conflict with the Bible.
2. Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1627)
   Bacon was a philosopher who is known for establishing the scientific method of inquiry based on experimentation and inductive reasoning. In De Interpretatione Naturae Prooemium, Bacon established his goals as being the discovery of truth, service to his country, and service to the church. Although his work was based upon experimentation and reasoning, he rejected atheism as being the result of insufficient depth of philosophy, stating, "It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion; for while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no further; but when it beholdeth the chain of them confederate, and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity." (Of Atheism)
3. Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
   Kepler was a brilliant mathematician and astronomer. He did early work on light, and established the laws of planetary motion about the sun. He also came close to reaching the Newtonian concept of universal gravity - well before Newton was born! His introduction of the idea of force in astronomy changed it radically in a modern direction. Kepler was an extremely sincere and pious Lutheran, whose works on astronomy contain writings about how space and the heavenly bodies represent the Trinity. Kepler suffered no persecution for his open avowal of the sun-centered system, and, indeed, was allowed as a Protestant to stay in Catholic Graz as a Professor (1595-1600) when other Protestants had been expelled!
4. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
   Galileo is often remembered for his conflict with the Roman Catholic Church. His controversial work on the solar system was published in 1633. It had no proofs of a sun-centered system (Galileo's telescope discoveries did not indicate a moving earth) and his one "proof" based upon the tides was invalid. It ignored the correct elliptical orbits of planets published twenty five years earlier by Kepler. Since his work finished by putting the Pope's favorite argument in the mouth of the simpleton in the dialogue, the Pope (an old friend of Galileo's) was very offended. After the "trial" and being forbidden to teach the sun-centered system, Galileo did his most useful theoretical work, which was on dynamics. Galileo expressly said that the Bible cannot err, and saw his system as an alternate interpretation of the biblical texts.
5. Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
   Descartes was a French mathematician, scientist and philosopher who has been called the father of modern philosophy. His school studies made him dissatisfied with previous philosophy: He had a deep religious faith as a Roman Catholic, which he retained to his dying day, along with a resolute, passionate desire to discover the truth. At the age of 24 he had a dream, and felt the vocational call to seek to bring knowledge together in one system of thought. His system began by asking what could be known if all else were doubted - suggesting the famous "I think therefore I am". Actually, it is often forgotten that the next step for Descartes was to establish the near certainty of the existence of God - for only if God both exists and would not want us to be deceived by our experiences - can we trust our senses and logical thought processes. God is, therefore, central to his whole philosophy. What he really wanted to see was that his philosophy be adopted as standard Roman Catholic teaching. Rene Descartes and Francis Bacon (1561-1626) are generally regarded as the key figures in the development of scientific methodology. Both had systems in which God was important, and both seem more devout than the average for their era.
6. Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
   In optics, mechanics, and mathematics, Newton was a figure of undisputed genius and innovation. In all his science (including chemistry) he saw mathematics and numbers as central. What is less well known is that he was devoutly religious and saw numbers as involved in understanding God's plan for history from the Bible. He did a considerable work on biblical numerology, and, though aspects of his beliefs were not orthodox, he thought theology was very important. In his system of physics, God is essential to the nature and absoluteness of space. In Principia he stated, "The most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion on an intelligent and powerful Being."
7. Robert Boyle (1791-1867)
   One of the founders and key early members of the Royal Society, Boyle gave his name to "Boyle's Law" for gases, and also wrote an important work on chemistry. Encyclopedia Britannica says of him: "By his will he endowed a series of Boyle lectures, or sermons, which still continue, 'for proving the Christian religion against notorious infidels...' As a devout Protestant, Boyle took a special interest in promoting the Christian religion abroad, giving money to translate and publish the New Testament into Irish and Turkish. In 1690 he developed his theological views in The Christian Virtuoso, which he wrote to show that the study of nature was a central religious duty." Boyle wrote against atheists in his day (the notion that atheism is a modern invention is a myth), and was clearly much more devoutly Christian than the average in his era.
8. Michael Faraday (1791-1867)
   Michael Faraday was the son of a blacksmith who became one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century. His work on electricity and magnetism not only revolutionized physics, but led to much of our lifestyles today, which depends on them (including computers and telephone lines and, so, web sites). Faraday was a devoutly Christian member of the Sandemanians, which significantly influenced him and strongly affected the way in which he approached and interpreted nature. Originating from Presbyterians, the Sandemanians rejected the idea of state churches, and tried to go back to a New Testament type of Christianity.
9. Gregor Mendel (1822-1884)
   Mendel was the first to lay the mathematical foundations of genetics, in what came to be called "Mendelianism". He began his research in 1856 (three years before Darwin published his Origin of Species) in the garden of the Monastery in which he was a monk. Mendel was elected Abbot of his Monastery in 1868. His work remained comparatively unknown until the turn of the century, when a new generation of botanists began finding similar results and "rediscovered" him (though their ideas were not identical to his). An interesting point is that the 1860's was notable for formation of the X-Club, which was dedicated to lessening religious influences and propagating an image of "conflict" between science and religion. One sympathizer was Darwin's cousin Francis Galton, whose scientific interest was in genetics (a proponent of eugenics - selective breeding among humans to "improve" the stock). He was writing how the "priestly mind" was not conducive to science while, at around the same time, an Austrian monk was making the breakthrough in genetics. The rediscovery of the work of Mendel came too late to affect Galton's contribution.
10. William Thomson Kelvin (1824-1907)
    Kelvin was foremost among the small group of British scientists who helped to lay the foundations of modern physics. His work covered many areas of physics, and he was said to have more letters after his name than anyone else in the Commonwealth, since he received numerous honorary degrees from European Universities, which recognized the value of his work. He was a very committed Christian, who was certainly more religious than the average for his era. Interestingly, his fellow physicists George Gabriel Stokes (1819-1903) and James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) were also men of deep Christian commitment, in an era when many were nominal, apathetic, or anti-Christian. The Encyclopedia Britannica says "Maxwell is regarded by most modern physicists as the scientist of the 19th century who had the greatest influence on 20th century physics; he is ranked with Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein for the fundamental nature of his contributions." Lord Kelvin was an Old Earth creationist, who estimated the Earth's age to be somewhere between 20 million and 100 million years, with an upper limit at 500 million years based on cooling rates (a low estimate due to his lack of knowledge about radiogenic heating).
11. Max Planck (1858-1947)
    Planck made many contributions to physics, but is best known for quantum theory, which revolutionized our understanding of the atomic and sub-atomic worlds. In his 1937 lecture "Religion and Naturwissenschaft," Planck expressed the view that God is everywhere present, and held that "the holiness of the unintelligible Godhead is conveyed by the holiness of symbols." Atheists, he thought, attach too much importance to what are merely symbols. Planck was a churchwarden from 1920 until his death, and believed in an almighty, all-knowing, beneficent God (though not necessarily a personal one). Both science and religion wage a "tireless battle against skepticism and dogmatism, against unbelief and superstition" with the goal "toward God!"
12. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
    Einstein is probably the best known and most highly revered scientist of the twentieth century, and is associated with major revolutions in our thinking about time, gravity, and the conversion of matter to energy (E=mc²). Although never coming to belief in a personal God, he recognized the impossibility of a non-created universe. The Encyclopedia Britannica says of him: "Firmly denying atheism, Einstein expressed a belief in "Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the harmony of what exists." This actually motivated his interest in science, as he once remarked to a young physicist: "I want to know how God created this world, I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts, the rest are details." Einstein's famous epithet on the "uncertainty principle" was "God does not play dice" - and to him this was a real statement about a God in whom he believed. A famous saying of his was "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind".

Source:http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/sciencefaith.html

Ilmuwan Katolik Terkenal

The names for three different kinds of electrical measure: amps, volts, and coulombs, come from the surnames of three Catholic scientists who were each pioneers in their respected fields. André Marie Ampere was a French mathematician, chemist, and physicist. His experiments quantified the relationship between the electrical current and the magnetic field. It was Ampere’s devotion at daily Mass that inspired a young Frédéric Ozanam to devote himself more earnestly to his Catholic Faith.

Ozanam was going through a period of doubt and, while visiting a church in Paris, he saw the great scientist praying fervently before the altar. He found Ampere there again the next day. Soon he struck up a friendship with the scientist and even lived with his family for over a year. When he was only twenty years old Ozanam founded the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He was beatified by John Paul II in 1997. Alessandro Volta was an Italian physicist who discovered the electric pile. He was expert in the field of electrical pressure. The units of electric potential (volts) and the alternate name of the quantity (voltage) are named after him. Charles Coulomb was a French engineer and physicist who published the laws of electrostatics between 1785 and 1791. His name is associated with the units of electrical quantity or charge. (Most of this information was found in Michael Foley’s book, Why Do Catholics Eat Fish On Friday.)

Source:http://catholicism.org/famous-catholic-scientists.html

Daftar Ilmuwan, Seniman dan Penulis Katolik

With the age-old argument between science and the church regarding the origin of man it is maybe surprising that some of these great scientists were Catholic. The artists and authors may not be as surprising.

The Scientists, Inventors and Pioneers

• Chemist and inventor of Pasteurization, Louis Pasteur was Catholic.
• Inventor of Penicillin, Alexander Fleming was Catholic.
• Physician and astronomer Galileo was famously condemned by the church for his theory that the earth revolved around the sun, but he was a devout Catholic himself.
• Nicholas Copernicus first proposed the theory of the earth revolving around the sun (the Copernican Theory) for which Galileo was condemned, but unlike Galileo, Copernicus taught it as theory not fact so his Catholic status remained untouched.
• Descartes is thought to be the father of modern philosophy and was not just a devout Catholic but was also thought to have proved the existence of God with near certainty.
• Pioneer in radioactivity research, Marie Curie was a lapsed Catholic.

The Authors

A lot of Catholic authors have a poetic sense of the macabre, perhaps brought about by the many interesting and sometimes chilling stories in the bible. Many other authors write less dark works but live lives that are in conflict with the church's teachings.

• Anne Rice shows great duality being both a supernatural horror writer and a practicing Catholic. She converted to Catholicism in 1998.
• Oscar Wilde was both Catholic and homosexual. He had a love hate relationship with his faith throughout his life but returned to it with force on his death bed.
• Playwrite Tennessee Williams was a Catholic/Episcopalian.
• It is a supposition rather than a fact, but Shakespeare scholars believe William Shakespeare was a secret Catholic.
• University professor and author of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes was devoutly Catholic.
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born into an ancient and aristocratic but poor Catholic family.
• Author of Lord of The Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien was Catholic and many feel that his tales of Middle Earth were heavily inspired by his faith.

The Artists

It is perhaps not so surprising when looking at these artists' many religious works that they were Catholic.

Artists Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse were Catholic, as was Salvador Dali, who returned to his Catholic roots in later life.

Painter of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo and painter of The Last Supper (and recent namesake of the controversial Da Vinci Code book) Leonardo da Vinci were Catholic.

Titian, one of the many artists to portray the Virgin and Child, was Catholic.

Goya, painter of many church frescos around Spain, was Catholic.

El Greco, the artist who created many religious paintings and sculptures, was devout Catholic and both loved and was loved by the church.

Another Catholic artist who produced many religious works was Raphael.

Source:http://catholicism.suite101.com/article.cfm/catholic_scientists

Catholic Actors and Singers

Here are some celebrities who are reported to be previous or practising Catholics even though some of their work may seem in conflict with their faith.

The Hollywood Catholics

• Jim Calviezel played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ and is a very devout Catholic.
• Mel Gibson, director of Passion of the Christ, is Traditionalist Catholic- doesn't accept the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
• Nicole Kidman star of the film The Golden Compass, which is said to have a basis in Christianity and which some people are calling anti-Catholic, was raised Catholic and returned to her Catholic roots after divorcing Scientologist Tom Cruise.
• Mary Pickford, producer, actress and star of over one hundred movies between 1909 and 1933 was raised Catholic but converted to Christian Science in later life.
• Bridget Bardot, blonde bombshell and star of And God Created Woman is Catholic and had publically lamented the downward slide of practising Catholics in France.
• Actor and singer Dean Martin was Catholic.
• Carmen Miranda was raised in a strict Roman Catholic household.
• Award winning actor and star of the thriller Silence of the Lambs Sir Anthony Hopkins is Catholic.`
• Star of the Witches of Eastwick, Susan Sarandon was raised in a large Catholic family and attended the Catholic University in Washington DC.
• Ever popular actor Will Smith was born in a Baptist house, went to a Catholic school and is now a Scientologist.
• Alfred Hitchcock was raised a strict Catholic and despite the macabre theme of his movies he did incorporate much religious imagery in them.
• Brooke Shields is a Catholic although she did recently come under some harsh criticism for her choice to have an IVF baby.
• Actor Sean Penn is a Catholic and was raised by a devout Catholic mother and a lapsed Jewish father.
• Star of the film The Devil's Advocate, Al Pacino is Catholic.
• Bill Murray was raised in a Catholic family and his sister, a Dominican Sister, made headlines with her one-woman show on Saint Catherine of Sienna.
• Sophia Lauren was Catholic and caused a scandal in Italy when she married a divorcee.
• Ben Afleck, star of the movie Dogma, was raised by a Protestant father and a Catholic mother.
• Antonio Banderas was raised Catholic but now describes himself as agnostic.
• Director, producer and actor Martin Scorcese once considered entering the priesthood but is now a lapsed Catholic.
• Nicolas Cage, who stars as a Catholic policeman in The Wicker Man, was raised Catholic.
• Sylvester Stallone was raised a Catholic and has recently heavily returned to the faith after a period which he describes as being lost in the temptations of the modern world.
• Bela Lugosi, renowned for his work in horror movies and in particular as Dracula, was raised a Catholic.

The Singing Catholics

• Christina Aguilera was raised Catholic.
• Despite her "Like a Virgin" tour, which enraged several Catholic organisations, Madonna was raised Catholic, though she is now of the Kabbalah faith.
• Cyndi Lauper attended Catholic schools as a child and describes herself as a “recovering Catholic”.
• Bob Geldof is Catholic despite the inconsistencies between Catholocism disagreeing with the use of condoms and the work Bob does in Africa promoting the use of them to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS.
• Bruce Springsteen had a Catholic upbringing.
• Despite being a remarried divorcee Luciano Pavarotti returned to his Catholic roots shortly before he died.
• Celine Dion comes from a large Catholic family.

So it seems that a life of fame and fortune and the temptations they bring do not necessarily preclude a life of faith.

Source:http://www.suite101.com/content/catholic-actors-and-singers-a46743

Yesus 'Terlihat' di Tiang Telepon

TEMPO Interaktif  Tanda-tanda kebesaran Tuhan bisa terlihat di mana saja. Sebuah gambar Yesus Kristus disalib 'terlihat' di sebuah tiang telepon yang tertutup daun anggur di Louisiana, Amerika Serikat. Ket.Gbr:Penampakan Yesus di tiang telepon di Louisiana, Amerika (telegraph.co.uk)

"Gambar itu tertangkap mata saya. Saya berkata dalam hati, gambar di tiang telepon itu benar-benar mirip gambar Yesus yang lagi disalib," kata Rickey Navarre, pengemudi yang melintas Highway 26 kepada stasiun televisi KPLC.

Menurut Navarre, gambar itu adalah sebuah tanda. "Dia mungkin ingin mengatakan kepada kita, saya melihat kamu, saya akan menjawab doa-doamu," kata Navarre.

Setelah berita penampakan ini tersiar, petugas setempat langsung berinisiatif untuk memangkas daun anggur yang menutup tiang telepon tersebut. Pemangkasan ini untuk mencegah sesorang yang nekat naik ke tiang untuk bisa melihat Yesus lebih dekat.

"Kami akan segera memangkas, untuk keamanan kami tidak ingin seseorang memanjat tiang itu," kata manajer perusahaan listrik setempat. Menurut dia, gereja adalah tempat yang tepat untuk mencari Yesus.

TELEGRAPH I PGR

Source:http://www.tempointeraktif.com/hg/oops/2010/09/07/brk,20100907-277012,id.html

Jasad Santo Antonius dari Padua Dipamerkan

Kerangka tubuh dari Fernando Martins de Bulhoes atau yang lebih dikenal sebagai Santo Antonius dari Padua sejak Minggu (14/2/2010) dipamerkan di Basilika Santo Antonius, Padua, di Utara Italia. Ket.Foto: AFP PHOTO / POOL / ANDREA MEROLA

Sejumlah biarawan Fransiskan memanggul peti kaca berisi jasad Santo Antonius dari Padua ke dalam sebuah ruang di Basilika Santo Antonius, Minggu (14/2/2010) waktu setempat.

Sisa jenazah yang diletakkan di dalam peti kaca tersebut akan dipamerkan kepada publik hingga Sabtu (20/2/2010). Terakhir kali jenazah Santo Antonius dari Padua dipamerkan pada tahun 1981. Kala itu peziarah dari penjuru dunia datang dan berdoa di sisi sisa tubuh orang suci itu.

Santo adalah sebutan untuk orang suci dalam tradisi Gereja Katolik. Proses pengukuhannya sebagai santo oleh otoritas Gereja Katolik tercatat paling cepat, yaitu 352 hari setelah kematiannya. Antonius dari Padua lahir pada 15 Agustus 1195 di Lisabon, Portugal, dan wafat pada 23 Juni 1231. Selanjutnya, pada Hari Raya Pentakosta, 30 Mei 1232, Paus Gregorius IX menetapkannya sebagai santo.

Semasa hidupnya, Antonius yang bergabung sebagai biarawan Fransiskan (pengikut Santo Fransiskus dari Asisi) dikenal sebagai pengkhotbah ulung. Menurut legenda, ikan-ikan di danau pun bersembulan keluar untuk mendengar khotbahnya. Sebagai orang suci, Gereja Katolik juga menetapkannya sebagai pelindung barang-barang yang hilang.

PADUA, KOMPAS.com —  15 Februari 2010
Source:http://internasional.kompas.com/read/2010/02/15/09023195/Jasad.Santo.Antonius.dari.Padua.Dipamerkan.

Penyerangan terhadap Gereja di Malaysia Masih Terus Terjadi

Pemerintah Malaysia, Senin (11/1), mempertahankan keputusannya melarang warga non-Muslim menggunakan kata ”Allah”. Kontroversi mengenai penggunaan kata itu terus menyulut konflik berbau agama, dengan dibakarnya lagi sebuah gereja di Negeri Sembilan.

Selama empat hari pecahnya kontroversi mengenai penggunaan kata ”Allah” itu, sembilan gereja telah dibakar di Malaysia.

Pemimpin oposisi Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, Senin (11/1), mengecam penyerangan terhadap gereja-gereja dan warga Kristen di negerinya. Dia menegaskan, penyerangan terhadap gereja tertua di Malaysia, Gereja All Saints di Taiping, merupakan serangan terhadap warisan budaya bangsa Malaysia secara keseluruhan.

Anwar mengingatkan, Malaysia harus bersatu melawan mereka yang mengeksploitasi ras dan agama untuk membakar kebencian demi keuntungan politik. ”Kita harus memperbarui komitmen terhadap pemahaman keagamaan dan kebebasan beragama,” katanya.

Gereja Sidang Injil Borneo di Negara Bagian Negeri Sembilan, di pusat Malaysia, merupakan korban serangan terbaru dari kemarahan sekelompok warga negara itu atas keputusan sebuah pengadilan yang membatalkan pelarangan pemerintah terhadap minoritas Kristen untuk menggunakan kata ”Allah” sebagai terjemahan dari ”God”.

Penyerangan terhadap gereja yang mulai meletus hari Jumat (8/1) menjalarkan ketegangan kepada warga Kristen Malaysia. Warga Kristen Malaysia mengatakan, mereka telah menggunakan kata itu tanpa masalah selama berabad-abad.

Dikatakan bahwa penggunaan kata ”Allah” oleh umat Kristen bisa mengakibatkan kebingungan di kalangan Muslim dan mendorong perpindahan agama yang ilegal di Malaysia.

Sekretaris Jenderal Kementerian Dalam Negeri Malaysia Mahmood Adam secara khusus memberikan penjelasan kepada diplomat-diplomat asing mengenai krisis berbau agama itu. Para diplomat itu mempertanyakan mengapa kata itu dilarang, padahal kata yang sama digunakan secara meluas oleh umat Kristen di Indonesia dan Timur Tengah.

”Mereka tidak memahami situasi di sini. Mereka hanya ingin tahu kenapa itu bisa diizinkan di negara-negara lain dan tidak di sini,” tuturnya kepada wartawan, sambil menambahkan bahwa Muslim di Malaysia berbeda dengan di negara-negara lain.

Ketegangan rasial di Malaysia ini merupakan pukulan besar bagi persatuan yang didorong Perdana Menteri Najib Razak dengan slogan ”Satu Malaysia”.(AP/AFP/OKI)

Kuala Lumpur, Senin -  http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2010/01/12/03280718/penyerangan.terhadap.gereja.masih.terus.terjadi
Selasa, 12 Januari 2010 | 03:28 WIB

Gara-gara Nama "Allah" Beberapa Gereja di Malaysia Terus Diserang

PM Najib: Merusak Keharmonisan Malaysia

Beberapa orang yang merupakan bagian dari kelompok radikal Malaysia memperluas aksi terornya. Minggu (10/1), mereka menyerang Gereja All Saints, gereja Anglikan tertua di Taiping, Perak. Sudah delapan bangunan gereja dirusak sejak kerusuhan pertama Jumat (7/1). Ket.Foto: Petugas polisi Diraja Malaysia memeriksa kerusakan di Gereja All Saints di Taiping, Negara Bagian Perak, yang menjadi sasaran perusakan oleh kelompok ekstrem, Minggu (10/1). Setidaknya delapan gereja dan sebuah biara dilempari bom molotov, menyusul protes atas sengketa peradilan seputar pemakaian kata Allah di kalangan umat Kristen dan Katolik Malaysia.

Selain menjadikan bangunan gereja sasaran teror bom molotov, hari Minggu mereka juga melampiaskan aksinya ke sebuah biara Katolik di Taiping. Sekelompok kecil orang itu melempari biara dengan bom molotov dan mengumpat umat Kristen di Malaysia. Aksi itu membuat para biarawan khawatir.

Aksi kelompok ini sebenarnya sebagai reaksi atas putusan Pengadilan Tinggi (PT) Malaysia pada 31 Desember 2009 yang mengizinkan Kristen dan bukan Islam memakai kata ”Allah” untuk merujuk kepada Allah (God). Pengadilan menetapkan kata ”Allah” bukan monopoli Islam karena sudah muncul sebelum Islam lahir dan bahkan sudah lebih dulu digunakan Kristen di Timur Tengah.

Kelompok radikal itu dipelopori, antara lain, oleh Gerakan Pemuda Muslim Abim. Mereka bersikukuh kata ”Allah” hanya boleh digunakan Islam. Jika agama lain, termasuk Kristen menggunakan kata itu, sama artinya menghasut pemeluk Islam untuk meninggalkan agamanya.

Keputusan PT Malaysia tersebut sekaligus membatalkan larangan pemerintah kepada umat Kristen untuk menggunakan kata ”Allah” menyusul unjuk rasa tahun lalu setelah adanya publikasi kata ”Allah” dalam majalah Katolik, The Herald, edisi Melayu. Pemerintah berpendapat, kata ”Allah” membingungkan dan menyesatkan umat Islam.

Atas larangan pemerintah, pihak gereja Katolik pun menggugat ke pengadilan. Ketika muncul kerusuhan yang cenderung meluas, kalangan pemerintah sepakat untuk mencegah tindakan anarki terhadap kalangan minoritas di Malaysia.

Tidak terpengaruh

Beberapa organisasi massa Islam, termasuk partai oposisi PAS yang bergaris keras, juga sepakat dengan keputusan pengadilan. Mereka menyatakan setuju, semua agama Samawi, di mana saja di seluruh dunia, termasuk Kristen dan Yahudi, berhak menggunakan kata ”Allah”. Mereka mengecam keras aksi itu. Islam tidak menyarankan umatnya menyerang rumah ibadah, termasuk gereja dan pengikutnya. Aksi kekerasan itu, menurut PAS, tak mewakili Islam.

Meski aksi teror terus dilancarkan sekelompok kecil orang itu, umat Kristen di Malaysia tetap membanjiri gereja di seluruh negeri pada hari Minggu. Tak terkecuali di delapan gereja yang telah dirusak atau terbakar oleh bom molotov, antara lain di Gereja God Shepherd Lutheran di Petaling Jaya, Selangor, atau gereja Protestan, Metro Tabernakel, di Kuala Lumpur.

Dalam berbagai khotbah di gereja, pendeta dan pastor menyerukan perdamaian di seluruh Malaysia, negeri yang dihuni oleh multi-etnis itu. Sebanyak 60 persen penduduk Malaysia yang mayoritas dari etnis Melayu memeluk Islam. Selebihnya adalah kelompok minoritas China, India, dan pemeluk bukan Islam.

Khusus untuk umat Kristen di Malaysia, kata pemimpin gereja, mereka sudah menggunakan kata ”Allah” sejak berpuluh-puluh tahun bersamaan dengan masuknya Kristen ke negeri itu. Di pedalaman Serawak dan Sabah misalnya, kata ”Allah” sejak awal digunakan setiap kelompok doa.

Perdana Menteri Malaysia Najib Razak mengecam tindakan sekelompok orang itu. Pemerintah akan mengambil tindakan tegas karena aksi itu merusak keharmonisan masyarakat multi-etnis Malaysia. Najib bahkan sempat mengunjungi gereja yang menjadi sasaran perusakan, gereja Kemah Suci Metro. Dia menyumbang sebesar 500.000 ringgit atau sekitar 147.000 dollar AS. (AP/AFP/REUTERS/CAL)

Senin, 11 Januari 2010 | 04:18 WIB

Kuala Lumpur, Minggu -  http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2010/01/11/04183339/gereja.terus.diserang

Umat Nasrani Malaysia Akhirnya Bebas Gunakan Kata "Allah"

Pengadilan Malaysia memutuskan bahwa umat Nasrani di negara tersebut akhirnya secara konstitusional bisa memakai kata "Allah" sebagai referensi pada Tuhan. Pengadilan Tinggi Kuala Lumpur juga menyatakan larangan pemerintah terhadap non-muslim untuk menggunakan kata tersebut adalah ilegal.

Umat Nasrani di negara tersebut menyambut putusan itu, Kamis (31/12/2009), sebagai kemenangan bagi kebebasan beragama di negara mayoritas muslim itu. Sebelumnya, isu ini telah menjadi momok bagi kelompok-kelompok minoritas.

Pengadilan mengeluarkan putusan ini sebagai tanggapan atas pengaduan dari Gereja Katolik Roma di Malaysia di akhir 2007 setelah pemerintah Malaysia melarang non-muslim untuk menerjemahkan Tuhan sebagai "Allah" dalam literaturnya. Pihak berwajib dahulu bersikeras bahwa "Allah" adalah kata Islam yang seharusnya khusus untuk kaum muslim saja untuk memanggil Tuhannya, dan bahwa penggunaan oleh agama lainnya bisa menimbulkan kerancuan.

Kamis, 31 Desember 2009 | 16:21 WIB
http://internasional.kompas.com/read/2009/12/31/16213534/Umat.Nasrani.Malaysia.Akhirnya.Bebas.Gunakan.Kata.Allah

Pemerintah Malaysia, Gereja Katolik Bertempur di Pengadilan Terkait Kata “Allah”

Pengadilan tinggi Malaysia mulai menggelar dengar pendapat secara resmi, Senin, mengenai penggunaan kata “Allah” oleh Kristiani sebagai terjemahan untuk Tuhan.

Sementara itu, Gereja Katolik di Malaysia tetap bersikeras bahwa kata “Allah” tidak eksklusif hanya untuk Islam dan telah dipakai oleh Kristiani dan Muslim di negara yang menggunakan bahasa Arab sejak berabad-abad lamanya, sebagai bantahan terhadap pendapat Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Kamaluddin yang mengatakan bahwa, kata tersebut eksklusif hanya digunakan untuk agama Islam dan kesuciannya harus dilindungi.

"Di negara kami, jika sesuatu merujuk pada Allah atau sebutan kalimat Allah, itu akan membuat orang berpikir tentang Tuhan bagi Muslim. Kalimat Allah adalah sakral bagi Muslim dan menempati posisi yang tinggi, dan kesuciannya harus dilindungi,” ujarnya pada Senin, menurut sumber lokal.

Lebih lanjut, Kamaluddin menambahkan, Gereja tidak dapat menentang keputusan menteri dalam negeri untuk memaksakan sebuh kondisi atas izin yang diminta oleh surat kabar mingguan Gereja, The Herald.

“Anda hanya bisa menentangnya jika menteri menolak untuk memberi surat izin,” tukasnya.

The Herald telah melayangkan gugatan terhadap pemerintah Malaysia pada Desember 2007 setelah pemerintah mengancam mencabut surat izin percetakan jika surat kabar tersebut tidak menghentikan pengunaan kata “Allah” dalam sesi koran berbahasa Melayu.

Menurut Printing Presses and Publication Act tahun 1984, menteri dalam negeri Malaysia berhak untuk memaksakan larangan dalam kondisi tertentu, dan dalam kasus The Herald, Menteri dalam negeri Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar menurut laporan telah melarang penggunaan kata "Allah" dengan alasan keamanan nasional dan untuk menghindari salah pengertian dan kebingungan di antara umat Muslim.

"Penggunaan kata ‘Allah’ oleh agama lain kemungkinan dapat mengusik sensistifitas dan membuat bingung diantara umat Muslim,” jelas Abdullah Zin, selaku menteri urusan agama Islam, kepada media lokal tahun lalu.

Meskipun begitu, The Herald, tetap mengklaim larangan tersebut inkonstitusional dan melanggar kebebasan beragama.

Pimpinan redaksi surat kabar, Porres Royan, mengatakan pada Senin, bahwa kata “Allah” memiliki peran penting untuk penyembahan dan sebutan iman dalam Komunitas Katolik di negara yang menggunakan Bahasa Melayu.

Royan juga bersikeras bahwa menteri juga telah melakukan tindakan di luar Printing Presses and Publications Act.

“The Act tidak dimaksudkan untuk mengatur kelompok taat beragama manapun dalam memperaktikkan kebiasaan dan mengenalkan kepercayaan mereka termasuk penggunaannya dalam mempublikasikan kepercayaannya,” ujarnya kepada Hakim Pengadilan Tinggi Lau Bee Lan, menurut The Malaysia Star.

"The Herald adalah sebuah surat kabar mingguan Katolik yang dimaksudkan untuk menyebarkan berita dan informasi tentang Gereja Katolik di Malaysia dan tidak diperuntukkan bagi publik, khususnya bagi orang yang beragama Islam,” tambahnya, menurut Sun Daily.

Royan juga menyatakan bahwa dalam penerbitannya tidak berisi materi yang dapat menyebabkan ketakutan atau mengusik sensitifitas bagi agama Islam.

Dengar pendapat dijadwalkan akan dimulai kembal pada Selasa hari ini, tiga bulan setelah pihak berwenang Malaysia menyita 10.000 Alkitab yang diimpor dari Indonesia yang di dalamnnya menggunakan kata “Allah” untuk merujuk pada Tuhan.

Bulan lalu, Federasi Kristiani Malaysia (CFM), sebuah badan perwakilan Kristiani di Malaysia, mendesak agar segera melepaskan Alkitab yang disita tersebut dan juga sebanyak 5.000 Alkitab yang telah disita pada Maret lalu.

Jaringan gereja dan organisasi tersebut juga mengeluarkan kembali sebuah pernyataan yang menguatkan komitmen mereka bahwa Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa nasional, yang mana mereka berhak dan akan terus menggunakan “sepenuhnya” dalam kehidupan dan dalam kesaksian di gereja dan organisasi mereka.

“Dan kami menyerukan kepada Gereja-Gereja untuk waspada dan terus berdoa tanpa henti memohon hikmat atas penyelesaian persoalan ini agar dapat selesai dengan damai demi menjaga persatuan dan kesatuan, keharmonisan serta kedamaian negara dan agar keadilan, Hak Asasi Manusia serta martabat manusia tetap ditegakkan terus,” ungkap pemimpin CFM dalam deklarasi tersebut, yang dikeluarkan pertama kali pada September 1989.

Menurut CIA World Factbook, 60,4 persen dari 25,7 juta penduduk Malaysia adalah Muslim. Sementara itu, sekitar 19,2 persen adalah Budha, dan 9,1 persen adalah Kristiani.

Secara umum, agama Islam memperoleh hak istimewa di Malaysia sebagai agama yang dominan.

Aaron J. Leichman

Koresponden Kristiani Pos

Posted: Dec. 16, 2009 17:44:49 WIB
Sumber: http://www.christianpost.co.id/missions/persecution/20091216/5084/pemerintah-malaysia-gereja-katolik-bertempur-di-pengadilan-terkait-kata-allah/index.html