Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #9: The Incarnation of God

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #9: The Incarnation of God: "After viewing 'The Nativity Story', analyzing your chosen Christmas carol, and reading Philippians 2:1-7, reflect on the meaning of Christma..."

In Philippians 2:1-7, Jesus is described as the messiah, the deliverer of the Jews. He is the son of God, coming to redeem those who repent their sins.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

The christmas carol I chose was "O Little Town of Bethlehem". In this particular verse, Jesus is described to be of holy birth, worthy of praises to God and peace to earth. This description is same throughout the Nativity Story and in the passage of Philippians 2:1-7. They all describe him as the one who will cast their sins and abide with them. This verse emphasizes the importance of Jesus's birth, for he is the Messiah, and how he will cast all of their sins. It also says that he will bring joy to the world and great tidings to all.

Mary played an essential role in Jesus's birth. She gave up her dignity in order to conceive Jesus Christ, whilst being alienated and judged by almost everyone around her. Though still a virgin, she gave birth to the Messiah. Joseph, Mary's husband had to withstand all the gossip about his new wife. Though he was not the biological father of Jesus, being the good man he was, still took care of Mary and Jesus. He did anything to protect and care for them. The shepherds were necessary for their part in the story to show how Jesus was all-loving and humane, unlike the common misconception others had of the coming Messiah. They were poor and lower-class, and not people who would normally be the first to see the king of all kings. The Persian astrologers were necessary to depict the greatness and importance of Jesus. They also were the ones to give Jesus the three gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

I think that Jesus came down to earth in the form of a poor carpenter's newborn baby in order to show the humility of God and his servitude to all his children. Also, I think he came down as a baby in order to live among his people and befriend people personally and intimately.

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #8 Islam: Two Perspectives

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #8 Islam: Two Perspectives: "Find where Islamic religious beliefs intersect with current events. Research a Western news source on the story and summarize the article fr..."

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-07-29/us/florida.burn.quran.day_1_american-muslims-religion-cair-spokesman-ibrahim-hooper?_s=PM:US

This article is from a western perspective on the controversial issue of a planning of a Qu'ran burning. A Christian church in Florida, against the religion of Islam, planned to "take a stand" and commemorate those who died in the crash of 9/11 by encouraging fellow Christians to burn the Qu'ran. The church's pastor, Terry Jones, even goes on to say that Islam is the religion of the devil. Many people were outraged, some even forming protest groups do denounce the burning.

http://www.irna.ir/ENNewsShow.aspx?NID=267639

This article is from a Muslim country point of view on the Qu'ran burning. In this article, they say basically the same thing as the other article. They describe the plan, in which a US pastor plans to burn the Holy Qu'ran on the anniversary of 9/11. They also show the reaction of a Muslim politician, who says he is "deeply disturbed" by the event.

The difference between these two articles is that in the Muslim perspective article, they directly say "the burning is not only an insult to the Holy Quran, but a crime against humanity because Holy Quran is the verbal book of divine guidance and direction for mankind". On the other hand, the western perspective article just hints the wrongness of the planned event.