Why » Religion

Why is Apollo the sun god?

Hari — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:36:54 +0000

Apollo is one of many famous Greek gods because of his power and good looks. Apollo is also the son of Zeus, who is known to be the most powerful Titan or god. Apollo’s mother is said to be Leto.

Greek mythology actually doesn’t describe Apollo as the god of the sun. There isn’t much correlation about Apollo with the sun in most writings about Greek gods and goddesses. It was said that it was actually a religious belief in Greece that associated Apollo with the sun. This belief continued on and eventually made Apollo as the god of light or of the sun. Back in those times, Zeus was associated with the sky and the universe, Hera claimed the air, which left the sun to Apollo.

In the Greek mythology, many thought of Helios as the obvious god of the sun because “helios” is the Greek translation for “sun.” But instead of an association with the sun, Helios became known to be associated with chariots and horses. Apollo, meanwhile, is connected to a lot of things other than the sun. He is considered a very handsome man with various great talents. Because of his mental abilities, Apollo also became known as the god of prophecy and intellectual pursuits. Many writings also depicted Apollo as good with music and even taught other people how to play musical instruments. Healing is another one of his great powers. Apollo is also considered a good archer. But besides having great powers on his own, Apollo also shared his healing powers to his son named Asclepius. It was said that Asclepius took advantage of his powers in the wrong way wherein he tried to raise people from the dead. This situation caused anger from Apollo’s father, Zeus, who later punished Apollo’s son for his actions. Because of this, Apollo had a great fight with his own father.

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Why is Xmas called Xmas?

Hari — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:03:52 +0000

“Xmas” refers to an abbreviated version of the word “Christmas.” Christmas is a huge celebration among the Christian world because it involves the birth of Jesus Christ. But since many people have encountered the term “Xmas” substituting for the more common “Christmas,” many people wonder how this all started.

If the record books are to be checked, the “X” in “Xmas” pertains to a Greek letter called “chi.” This particular letter is the first of the ancient Greek alphabet, and its translation is said to be “Christ.” The “mas” in “Xmas,” meanwhile, has more Latin origins, and it pertains to the English word “mass.” This is why some people in the past and even today use “Xmas” instead of “Christmas” to pertain to the supposed birthday celebration of Jesus Christ.

But aside from the record books, there have been disagreements among different groups of Christians regarding the use of “Xmas” instead of “Christmas.” For some people, “Xmas” was used to remove “Christmas” associated with Christian activities during this particular season. This is especially applicable to some industries and businesses who are only involved in the merrymaking and gift-giving part of the season. In order to entice non-Christians to celebrate along with everybody else, the word “Christ” was supposedly removed and changed to “X,” resulting in the term “Xmas.” Other people even consider it a blasphemy and a great sin to use “Xmas.” For Christians, Christmas is supposed to be the holiest of all celebrations, and replacing Christ with an “X” is supposedly not right.

Over the years, the debate among many Christians on whether to use “Xmas” instead of “Christmas” continues. For some people, what matters most is that the Christmas celebration is actually centered on thanksgiving to God and prayer for all blessings received rather than on partying, drinking, and spending too much on gifts.

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Why is Hinduism important?

Hari — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:55:18 +0000

Hinduism is not just a religion but a form of “Dharma.” It is common to call this religion as “Hindu Dharma” rather than Hinduism. This religion resides from the essence of the verses that constitute “Vedas.” Vedas are the recitals of the Lord Himself done for the welfare and liberation of mankind. Hindu Dharma mainly concentrates on the growth and development of the human soul and imparts diverse teachings that focus ultimately towards the union of the human soul and the eternal soul (GOD) or all-pervading soul. The various “Sastras” or science forms that are discussed in Vedas are meant only to keep our mind and body healthy in order to carry out our journey to eternity hassle free. According to the Hindu Dharma, the main aim of the human should be to attain liberation of his soul. The word “liberation” here gives the meaning of getting ourselves free from the good and bad deeds and to come out from the cycles of rebirth.

Hinduism teaches that real happiness lies in liberating our soul thus avoiding the soul’s birth and death repeatedly. The period between birth and death and the place as well as the time our stay in this world is called “Midhya.” This Midhya, according to the Hindu Dharma, is represented by a materialistic life and is governed by “Maya.” This world is considered as Midhya and is not permanent for our stay. We need to be born and then die repeatedly, and the happy and sad moments that we undergo here in between these two events are not real and permanent. Hindu Dharma says that real happiness is felt by the soul and not by the body. The same soul has several bodies worn in each of its births. So the happiness felt by the soul is real happiness as opposed to the happiness felt by the body, as the body itself is perishing one day. The soul can be happy only when “it” is devoid of sensual pleasures, hatred, and desire. Hindu Dharma finds various ways to have control over the sensual pleasures and ultimately to remove them. It also finds methods to decrease desire and have only sacred desires that can ultimately purify you. These methods are given in the form of traditions, customs, religious practices, rituals, and so on. Following some or all of these procedures can make the human soul evolve.

Hinduism also greatly stresses devotion and knowledge which are the weapons for being liberated easily. Many sacred scriptures of Hinduism explain various regulations in the form of stories and real incidents of the past to exemplify the teachings of Vedas and make us follow the principles described in Vedas very effectively.

The scientific facts that have been revealed now are focusing back into the Hindu religion. The way of living and the health standards that we understand through science today were given long ago which were proved now in science as well. This makes us understand that religion is science and vice versa. Science is revealing many things which were already said in Vedas. It might take a few million years to prove many things that were said in the Vedas. Understanding Hinduism properly will reveal various mysteries and reasons for its significance.

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Why is Poseidon the god of the sea?

Hari — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:18:43 +0000

Poseidon is one of many famous gods and goddesses in Greek mythology. Most people know him as the god of the sea, and, true enough, most images of Poseidon involve seeing him holding a fish trident at sea with sometimes other items such as sea shells. His home is said to be located on the floor of the ocean surrounded by lots of gems and corals. Through time, writings about Poseidon associated him and his power with the sea.

But aside from Poseidon’s direct association with the sea, some people also point out that he actually started out as the lord of earthquakes. With his great power, Poseidon was known to be able to shake the entire planet. With this power, Poseidon eventually became more closely referred to as the ruler of the sea. With the power to shake the Earth from underneath, he is able to move the oceans and the seas to whatever height and direction he pleases.

Through the book called The Iliad, Poseidon was also mentioned as having received the opportunity to be the god of the sea. His two other brothers, Zeus and Hades, were given the sky and the underworld respectively. With this allocation, Poseidon was able to thrive living in the water and was considered a great creator of many sea creatures. But aside from sea creatures, Poseidon was also known to have created horses. Many of these horses were depicted as running close to the waves of the sea, Poseidon’s home. These horses were also able to walk through the sea as indicated in some books about Poseidon. Along with horses and chariots that could run on the water, Poseidon was also associated with other sea creatures like dolphins. As a sea god, Poseidon was able to meet a sea goddess named Amphitrite, who later became his wife.

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Why do Hasidic women wear wigs?

Hari — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:50:14 +0000

The Jewish written law is otherwise called the Torah. This book comprises the five first books belonging to the Hebrew Bible. This book is commonly known by the non-Jews as the Old Testament. According to a passage that is mentioned in the Torah, married Jewish women must cover their heads. At the time of the Torah, married women had to do this. Some people have an opinion that this practice is related to the laws of modesty in dressing. But this law mentioned in the Torah is meant only for married women while dressing modestly is required of all women. This practice is not considered to have any relationship with humility. Covering the hair is a tradition from this law as per the religious hierarchy.

The various religious communities consider the covering of the hair in each of their communities in different manners like wearing scarves, hats, and wigs. The Hasidic group of women prefer to wear wigs as they feel that the real hair will not appear or slip away from the wig. Some people also go further shaving their heads under the wigs. The Jewish women wear the wigs as they appear more beautiful than their real hair. Wearing wigs is generally accepted as it is not a commandment, and Jewish women prefer to practice it. So it is not a problem for those women who have chosen to follow this tradition.

The women prefer to cover their heads by the wigs as the wigs can comfortably cover their heads for a long time if the hair is cut a little bit underneath. The women then need to wear the wigs to cover their hair. But it is also followed for modesty purposes, and some women prefer to wear a snood. This is a type of hat that can give space for some hair to exist underneath. The hair for women is a symbol for sex; therefore, covering the hair to remain modest is the major reason for Hasidic women to wear wigs. The modesty is also followed by Hasidic men as they do not go out without wearing a shirt, and the Hasidic women do not wear shorts.

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Why do churches split?

erwin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 18:19:35 +0000

At some point in people’s lives, one may get to experience his/her own church splitting. Churches splitting is not actually a new occurrence for most people and, in fact, the churches that exist today are basically products of splits that resulted in the past. New churches that split in today’s modern age have basically similar patterns to what has happened in the past.

A particular church may split because of politics in running the said church. This church may be likened to any organization or group with a bunch of leaders and followers. When the leaders themselves argue over something, then it may cause friction among its members and may eventually lead to a split. For example, in the case of management of funds, all the people in charge may have different views on how to use the funds for various church activities. One may prioritize the basic needs of the church in terms of spending while others may prefer to do more charitable activities outside of the church. When conflict arises, then some people may eventually leave the church and may even create their own fellowship group or organization.

Churches also split because of changes in the overall vision or goal of the church. If a particular church started small and only hoped to expand its focus for a certain cause, some members may not like it if there will be changes in terms of the church’s direction. In this case, other people may feel unhappy or dissatisfied with the change and will seek to fulfill their needs through other means.

Overall, organizations like churches basically split because different people have different minds, and they also have different opinions. Others also respond to comments and criticism better than others. So when a balance is not reached, there will be friction, and this friction may become unbearable making people think that splitting is the only option left.

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Why do priests wear collars?

Hari — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:58:48 +0000

The collar that is worn by the priest is called a “Roman collar.” This collar for the priest indicates that he is ordained under the leadership of his bishop. The priestly consecration to the Lord is symbolized by the Roman collar. A wedding ring generally identifies a husband and wife separately, but it distinctly represents the union between the couple. In the same way, the Roman collar indicates the uniqueness of priests. They gain their association with their Divine Master, and the bishops and priests will thereafter be acknowledged with a free consent for the ordained ministry which has recognized them.

In a materialistic and secular society where the signs of traditional and cultural values are diminishing, it becomes essential for the priest to be recognized just by sight. The clothing may not be the exact reflection of the dedication and devotion that he has, but this external sign of a priest will play a role in identifying him as the member of the public ministry. The priest should also be recognized by his behavior as well as his attire which is perceived positively and effectively by people who are religious. The identity of the priest as belonging to God and to the Church can be obtained by the way he is dressed.

This attire must be unique from all other people and generally different from the attire of a layman. Due to this reason, it is compulsory for the priest to wear priestly clothing as per the regulations released by the Episcopal conference and as per the local customs. If the priests do not wear their Roman collar, which signifies their official clothing, it shows a weak sense of his personal identity. The priests are looked upon as spiritual people who are expected to give support to the laymen and give them strength. When the priests do not wear their dress code and try to mingle with the public, the people do not feel that priests are special.

The collar represents a priestly consecration to the Lord. When the priest wears the collar but is seen wearing colorful, expensive clothing, he is perceived as not giving much importance to the principle denying self and living in poverty. The law of the Church requires the cleric to wear the corresponding clothing. If the life style of a priest and his attire is same as that of other people, then their mission on behalf of Jesus Christ is not fulfilled. The collar will help others know that modesty in dressing is necessary. When the priests are working with young women, the collar for them identifies their vocation.

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Why do atheists not believe in god?

Hari — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:33 +0000

There are many religions all over the world. There are several beliefs and traditions. It is really difficult to consider one single religion as true and correct. Similarly, it is also difficult to consider one God as true. Several religious beliefs worship several Gods. Sometimes atheists say that they are confused about the reliability of any one God. Atheists think that all these religions and Gods are wrong and not true. Atheists also believe that the religious principles exist only to frighten people and not to show them any path of life. According to them all the Gods are unreal as every devotee of every religion speaks high of their God. All Gods cannot be true and great. So, atheists think that God does not exist.

There are some situations where an ardent follower of a religious group after few years stops believing the God though he was worshipping Him for so many years. When people see their expectations declined and when something very bad and serious happens to the health of our beloved in spite of our repeated prayers, the person can stop believing in God. This happens when the follower thinks that God exists only to fulfill our wishes and for nothing else. If his wishes are not fulfilled for long time then the person might stop believing in God.

Atheists also say that God does not exist because if He had existed then there would not be any suffering on earth. Some atheists do not believe in God just because religion stands basically on belief though there is a religion which stands not just on belief but on evidences. As God exist depending on the belief that He exists, some atheists do not encourage any religious activity. The religion which provides evidence for the existence of God has to be patiently studied like all other sciences and understood properly in order to believe in God which is not easy for atheists to do. Hence, atheists do not believe in God.

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Why do dates for Easter change?

Hari — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:51:14 +0000

Easter is celebrated on the primary Sunday that follows the day of full moon which occurs first when the spring has started. It is observed that Easter as per the above mentioned calculation can come some day between 22nd of March and 25th of April. It is also seen that the Easter that is celebrated by the churches that are orthodox in the Eastern side is different from the one celebrated by the western churches.

The calculations are different based on some reasons. One of the reasons is that some churches decided to consider Easter in relation with Passover followed by Jews. The death of Jesus, His burial and rejection took place after the Passover. So, the Fathers in the church wanted the Easter to be celebrated just after the Passover. As the calendar for the Jews is dependent on solar cycle and lunar cycle, the day of celebration of the festival will change from one year to next year.

The Sunday that comes after the full moon that is named as Paschal which is observed just after the spring equinox, is also said to be calculated as Easter prior to 325AD. The day of full moon that is named as Paschal is normally calculated based on the historical events and not lunar events. The astronomers have already evaluated the dates when the full moon days will fall in the years to come. These calculations are utilized by the churches in the west to prepare a table which consists of dates of full moon associated with Ecclesiastical events. These days are considered as sacred days in the calendar associated with Ecclesiastical events.

This calendar was first formed in the year 1583AD. From then onwards, the full moon days were established well and were used for calculating the dates for Easter celebration. As per the Ecclesiastical calculations in the prepared tables, full moon named as Paschal is observed as the first full moon date after March 20. March 20th is seen as the day of vernal equinox in 325 A.D. Therefore, western churches celebrate Easter on the initial Sunday that comes following the full moon day named as paschal. But the full moon which is named as paschal can differ from the usual full moon by about one day or two days. The full moon day named as Paschal can occur between March, 21st and April, 18th. Hence, Easter can occur between 22nd of March and 25th of April.

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Why do mission trips?

Hari — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:19:47 +0000

In the chapters of Bible, it is observed in the Mathews book that Jesus Christ orders his people to go all over the world and gain the followers for His path from various nations. This procedure is known as Great Commission. Most of the Christians or rather all of them take the word of Jesus Christ to be very significant. They work very hard to distribute the Love, mercy and grace provided by the Jesus Christ to all the people in the world. This is done by the followers of Jesus in order to just follow what is said by the Lord.

The mission trip is done not just to spend a vacation but, in offering some important information to the poor people. The mission trips also help the long term missionaries to enhance their activities. The sole aim of the mission trip is to help in spreading the gospel. The above mentioned activities are part of the mission trips and just not the entire theme behind the trips. The mission trip mainly involves spreading the glory of Lord. It can be said that mission trips involve doing or joining in what the Lord is doing for us.

The mission trip might include making a hole in the center of serengeti, building a church, knocking at the doors of people to spread the gospel, pray for the whole night and do sacrifices in the lives and many more. It is not that mission trips always deliver our wisdom in front of every one. The mission is to show some obedience towards the Lord. The programs and agendas should not be the important point behind the mission trips. Keeping the God as the central point is very important in a mission trip. The Christians who really want to help people do it in the form of missionaries and show their love towards the Lord in the form of service to the humanity. Service to mankind must be the motto behind mission trips.

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