The God of Howard Stern

I've been a Howard Stern fan since the early 1990's, but didn't start listening every day until I lived in North Carolina in 1998. I've hardly missed a show since.

Many people have asked me over the years how I as a christian can be a Howard Stern fan. I have hardly thought the question worth answering because to me it's a loaded question and absurd. Usually people that ask this question have already pronounced a judgement on Howard yet never even heard him on the radio for a full show and they assume you have to agree with everything he says and does in order to be a fan. It comes off as very condescending and judgemental, which is an attitude that alienates many people of faith to later come to revile faith. A more respectful approach is to try to understand the person before casting judgement, yet who really has the right to cast the first stone?

On todays show an interesting discussion on religion occured. Religion is one topic that is brought up fairly often on the show, but today was an especially interesting discussion when a frequent caller by the nickname "King of all Blacks" called in asking Howard about his views on God and religion. This wasn't the first time this caller asked these questions, which is why I found todays discussion very interesting. It was interesting because every time Howard and his crew are asked about their view on God and religion they treat it as if they never discussed it before. You can tell most of them are struggling with the answer and sometimes an answer they give one day is the opposite of an answer they gave two months prior.

For example, in the 1990's the crew on the Howard Stern Show gave little thought to religious matters. For the most part, the main cast of characters often answered they were all atheists because they associated religion with their persecutors and censors. Things started changing a bit in the early 2000's when Howard and Robin Quivers, his sidekick, started going to psychotherapy and working on their depression, anger and narcissistic issues. This process made them a bit more introspective and open in discussing matters of religion. Robin has since stopped going to therapy yet always seeks alternative methods of dealing with the issues in her life (to the point where she once experimented in Wicca, but now is very much involved in promoting veganism), while Howard daily practices Transcendental Meditation and goes to therapy three days a week.

Robin Quivers
What we do know about Howard's religious history is that he grew up in a Jewish-American household in Roosevelt, New York. He was raised in Conservative Judaism, though his parents had some very liberal tendencies. As such he studied the Torah and was Bar Mitzvahd. After this he hardly ever practiced Judaism though still had a certain respect for it in a cultural sense. As a fan of the Beatles, in the early 1970's he began to practice Transcendental Meditation which he has practiced daily ever since. He was encouraged to do this by his mother who was healed of her chronic depression through meditation. Recently Howard even spoke at a rally promoted by the David Lynch Foundation to encourage the practice of Transcendental Meditation in public schools. However Howard has never viewed his meditation as a religious practice, but as a means to relieve the stress in his life. In his early radio career he has admitted that he even lived in a Buddhist Monastery for a year because it provided cheap rent for him. When he was married to his first wife Alison she made sure to raise their three daughters in Reformed Judaism and Howard in recent days has stated that his daughters are very much into practicing Judaism. Howard credits their enthusiasm for the religion to the fact that they grew up in a Reformed tradition, opposed to his upbringing which he found to be too strict, archaic and close-minded causing him to be totally turned-off to religion for the deep scars it left on his psyche. It was his rebellion to such close-mindedness in religion and public policy that inspired him to be more open-minded and honest on the radio. Over the years this approach caused much controversy from conservative and religious groups, giving him more fuel to excel in his novel broadcasting method. Being hated caused him to hate back with a vengeance making him the most successful radio broadcaster in history and the self-proclaimed "King of all Media". His hatred for religion often drew him and his crew to deny God's existence, but in more recent years things have changed. As the years go by it seems some are more open to belief in God and struggling to disassociate God from the religions that seem to only inspire hatred and repression in their view.

When I was living in the South, I had a chance to experience this attitude of right wing religious conservatives toward Howard more than I ever experienced it while living in Boston. These were the days when people like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson were denouncing Howard on their TV shows and rallying to get him off the airwaves by having people send letters of complaints to Congress and radio stations. One of the first places this campaign affected was my hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. The rally became localized, to the point where some churches were preaching really corny sermons titled "What Would Jesus Say To Howard Stern?" In the Spring of 2001 Howard was cancelled unjustly to my dismay when Evangelicals for the most part boycotted the sponsors who advertized on the Howard Stern Show. After this I couldn't wait to move back to Boston, which I did a few months later. This campaign never ended until the FCC was fining Howard to the point of ridiculousness. In 2004 Howard left terrestrial radio for censor-free satellite radio, and today has somewhere between 15-20 million listeners daily making him one of the most influential voices in America.

As I said, the King of all Backs calls in fairly often and he himself believes in God and finds it odd that Howard doesn't fully embrace faith. A few years ago a very serious religious discussion started in which Howard was asked if he believed in God and if he was afraid of dying. He has consistently maintained that he is very afraid of death and often in times of trials and danger finds himself praying to God, though he has always maintained all religions are man-made. Again on March 23, 2009 King of all Blacks called in and asked Howard if he believed in God. This time he responded that because his parents brainwashed him so thoroughly, he does believe in God, even though he knows there is no God. "I know there is no God, but I believe in God", he said. To this his sidekick Artie Lange, who was raised Italian Catholic, responded that he is an atheist too, but what leans his mind towards theism was the question "how did we go from dirt to texting on iPhones or from cavemen to iPhone?" Then Howard admitted that the most convincing argument for God's existence is the argument from design by saying: "Every design has a designer." His analogy to prove this was that he had recently gone to a fashion show with his model wife Beth. He said that seeing the intricate designs of the show make him think how unfathomable it would be to think the designs of fashion would have no designer, let alone the design of the universe. And just when things get too serious, the conversation usually ends and they get to more humorous material. This always leaves the discussion to be probed for another day.

Artie Lange

The next time religious issues came up in a serious discussion was on todays show when the King of all Blacks started asking Howard about his Jewish upbringing and his thoughts on God and religion. Howard responded: "Religion is free entertainment, it gives a sense of community and a sense of hope. Thank God for religion though. Can you imagine if poor people didn't have religion? They would be going down the street killing people." By saying this it seemed Howard was implying that people who aren't poor don't need religion because they are more capable of living happier and more pleasant lives. Then he went on to make a dichotomy between religion and belief in God. "I didn't say I didn't believe in God. I said religion is a bunch of horseshit."

When King of all Blacks asked specifically: "Do you believe in God?" Howard responded: "I don't know. I want to. Who the fuck knows. Here's how I'm playing it - I figure this is it." I wonder if Howard ever heard of Pascal's Wager? For someone who wants to believe in God and is agnostic on the matter, but chooses to live life like there is no God seems to imply that Howard refuses to believe in God because it doesn't fit his morality.

To this Robin responded: "Here's how I figure it. Einstein believed in God and he was the smartest guy around, so I go with him." This was probably the most interesting point in the discussion because for years Robin had always been vocal about her atheism. Now she seems to justify the rationality of faith by invoking the faith of Einstein, who claimed to believe in the God of Spinoza which was a pantheistic God.

At this point Artie, a professional comedian who is currently undergoing treatment for his alcohol and drug addiction, chimed in and talked about his father who was the man he most admired in his life. He explained how his father was always an atheist, but after an accident falling off a ladder he became a quadriplegic. In his fathers last days he explained how a priest came to visit his father and heard his confession. Later that day Artie's father told him that he had made his peace with God and was ready to die. (It's interesting that Artie's autobiography is filled with references to God and his guardian angel and he speaks to his dad as if he is a living spirit). From this Artie once again brought up that the greatest argument for God is the question of where all this began. This time he said: "How did we go from mud to Howard texting a vote on American Idol?"

Fred Norris

Fred Norris is considered by far the smartest guy on the Howard Stern Show, having just about memorized the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica. Howard wanted to hear his opinion on the matter. Fred responded: "A personal God that lives up in the sky that says 'you live, you die' - no. There may be some sort of intelligence out there, though we don't know what it is. This is it. When we die we are food for the plants and the soil. That's what I'm betting on.... There is no happy guy in the sky; there is no evil guy in the sky - depending on which Testament you believe." Robin then asked Fred how he explains the energy of our souls, which can neither be created nor destroyed? Fred didn't deny this, but explained that energy can change into something else. At this point they went to a commercial break and they came back with Fred, who controls the music on the show, playing John Lennon's "God".

Benji Bronk

Two other key members on the show who did not voice their opinions today are writer Benji Bronk and producer Gary Delabate. Gary usually expresses the same opinion as Howard on these matters, but Benji does believe in God and is a semi-practicing Jew though he is considered one of the most crazy and perverse members on staff by the staff themselves. Probably the ones who believe in God the most is prankster Sal Governale who is Italian Catholic and TV producer Scott Depace who is a staunch Republican though liberal on social issues.

What is most interesting and unique about the Howard Stern Show is that it is probably the only open-forum where all manner of diverse thinking, beliefs and lifestyles are discussed and treated with a sense of equality. It invites open and honest discussion and nothing is exempt from humor and criticism, even Howard himself. As far as I know, there is no other forum like this in the world. In many ways, the Howard Stern Show can be considered the equivalent of Mars Hill in Ancient Athens. And this is one of the main reasons I listen to Howard Stern and avoid most other talk radio.

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Brainwashed Liberals Can't Distinguish Science From Myth

Funny thing happened in the news over the past week. Liberals, who often pat themselves on the back for being open minded, revealed how stubborn and brainwashed they really are. Below are three videos on different levels of scientific discussion that were hot news stories over the past few days. Judge for yourself which one makes the most sense.

First, the ladies on The View got into a heated debate on Tuesday about whether or not Darwinism and Creationism should be taught in schools. Elizabeth and Sherri are all for Creationism being taught in public schools, out of respect for both views. Joy Behar, however, wasn't having it. For her Darwinism is a fact and Darwinism equals science because, according to Joy, every scientist in the world equates Darwinism with science. Whoopi and Barbara try to have a balanced view that kind of gets lost in the shuffle. Watch the tempers flare below.



To say Darwinism is a fact of science because every scientist believes in it is a dogmatic statement based on faith. It also goes against the facts. Not every scientist believes in Darwinian evolution. There is scientific dissent from Darwinism. It deserves to be heard. Some names can be found here, though most don't want to expose themselves to the public and face heavy persecution as was described in Ben Stein's documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. It should also be pointed out that the only scientific field which Darwinism has saturated is biology. Other fields such as physics, chemistry, engineering, microbiology, and medicine have scientists with a greater deal of skepticism concerning Darwinian evolution. It is only fair that at least their skepticism should be heard as well in the classrooms instead of teaching Darwinism dogmatically and unquestionably.

In the second video, we have MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews going after Republican Mike Pence on various scientific issues, though mainly evolution. In this clip Chris Matthews shows the same type of brainwashed mentality as that of Joy Behar, arguing in favor of a liberal definition of science that argues in favor of the positions of the majority of scientists as facts and does not allow the skepticism of a great number of scientists to even be considered. Mike Pence holds his ground and tries to open his mind to other valid possibilities, but Chris Matthews won't have it. See the dialogue below.



Did I say dialogue? These aren't dialogues. Liberals make these issues into yelling matches and whoever yells louder wins in their eyes. Dare not to hold your composure however, lest you lose the battle. From the clip above Chris Matthews is using a clever debate tactic in which you bombard your opponent with so many issues to tackle in a small amount of time that they are unable to properly respond giving off the illusion that the opponent is the bigger dimwit of the two. It is a classic dirty trick usually employed by someone who is overly opinionated and can't back up their claims.

We learn two lessons from the two videos above however. First we learn that Darwin-doubters need to be better informed about their position. Second, those that are better informed need to enter the public square and seperate this scientific battle from its politics. Lastly, we need to stop being on the defensive by taking the offensive position in these dialogues. At least maybe this way there will be less yelling.

Amidst all the controversy, there actually was a report done this past week with an expert Darwin-doubter that has more than enough knowledge to take the offensive regarding the issue of how to teach Darwinism in schools in a fair, balanced and respectful way. In the wake of the Texas School Board decision to require students to analyze and evaluate certains aspects of Darwinian evolution, CSC program officer for public policy Casey Luskin appeared on Fox & Friends this morning to discuss common problems regarding evolution still found in biology textbooks. Here is what he had to say.



It is at least refreshing to hear someone get to the heart of the issue and provide scientific evidence that backs up his claim. Does this really have to be so rare in our supposedly scientific age?

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My Pilgrimage To The Tomb of Saint John the Apostle In Ephesus

In the summer of 2001 I had the opportunity to visit the various holy shrines and historic sites of Ephesus with my wife Maria. For centuries pilgrims have made this pilgrimage to one of the richest historic sites of Christianity. Ephesus is most noted for the marvelous Basilika of Saint John the Apostle which was erected in the sixth century by Emperor Justinian over the tomb of the Apostle. However, there are also holy shrines associated with the Virgin Mary who also stayed for a time in Ephesus, as well as the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, the missionary journey of the Apostle Paul, and the Third Ecumenical Synod all took place here among many other things. In time I hope to cover my visit to all these places, but here I would like to concentrate on my arrival in Ephesus and the journey I made to the tomb of Saint John the Theologian. Along with this, I would like to offer some travel tips and warnings to make your trip more enjoyable than mine was.

Maria and I arrived in Ephesus via the Greek island of Samos by ferry. This was the first time either of us ever visited Turkey and a majority Muslim nation, so from the beginning we were a bit nervous (keep in mind this was less than a couple of months before 9/11). While on the ferry a young man approached us and solicited us to stay at a hotel owned by a friend of his just a short walk away from the harbor. Since we had no hotel for the night and planned on staying near the harbor anyway, we took him up on his offer. In our gut, we both kind of knew that we may be making a mistake.

When we arrived at the port of Kusadasi (Ephesus), both of us for the first time experienced culture shock to a certain extent. Even though Kusadasi is a resort town, it had a very different vibe compared to America and Europe. Maybe it just all had to do with the stories about Turkey growing up Greek, and a certain fear as to what may happen to me.

The port town of Kusadasi
As the young man lead us to the hotel up a long busy street on a hill, it appeared that many locals knew the young gentleman leading us. One person selling Turkish carpets hissed at us and with a creepy smile said: "Ah, you go to hotel so and so, huh?" Another from the other side of the street would say with a laugh: "You will like hotel so and so." And on it went until we arrived at the hotel. The only thing we thought about was what we were getting ourselves into.

My biggest fear at the time was Maria. I had known about the dangers of human trafficking and how Turkey was the hotbed of stealing women and forcing them into prostitution following the demise of the Soviet Union. Of course, I never told her about this so she wouldn't be paranoid, but within fifteen minutes of arriving in Turkey I realized I may have to deal with some dangerous stuff.

When we arrived at our hotel we were surprised to be welcomed by a bunch of fairly young guys that owned and ran the hotel, among whom was a blonde surfer-looking dude who greeted us promising us a great time. He told us our rooms would be ready in a few minutes and asked us to enter an empty room that looked like a small private Turkish coffee shop. He offered to get us drinks as we waited, but we were way too creeped out by this time and wondered if we accepted his offer whether or not the drinks would be spiked with something. We accepted nonetheless.

When he got back with soft drinks, we got into a conversation with this blonde-surfer looking dude to find out what was really going on. He informed us that he was from Australia, yet two years earlier travelled to Kusadasi on a vacation and had such a good time here that he decided to move here and never returned to Australia. We informed him in a polite way that we were a bit creeped out by all the gesturing and remarks we got on our walk to the hotel and by the over-excited reactions we got when we arrived. His response was very polite and he informed us that we had nothing to worry about and apologized if they came off to strong. Then he told us how at night the place we were sitting in puts on a great party every night with belly dancers and loud music which we were welcomed to join. With his explanation we were more at ease and wondered whether or not we overreacted. About this time another American couple had arrived and they we were brought to sit in the room with us and they also were a bit creeped out, so we knew we weren't alone.

They finally brought us to our rooms and everything was surprisingly nice and no one ever bothered us again. However I could not help thinking of that scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when Indiana and his female friend were staying in rooms at a palace in India and at night men snuck into their rooms to kill them in their sleep. Culture shock sometimes could bring up the craziest images. Which leads me to my first warning when travelling to Ephesus - be better planned on your accomadations and try not to accept solicitations.

About two miles from Kusadasi is the Basilika of Saint John. To get there we travelled by bus and it was already sort of late in the afternoon. In fact, the Basilika was closed but still access was available. This leads me to my second warning - make sure you check the time when historic sites are open to the public.

I was very excited to finally see the Basilika of Saint John having read about it numerous times and once heard an excellent lecture on the history and architecture of this magnificent Basilika in my Byzantine History class taught by Dr. Nicholas Constas. In its day this was one of the great man-made wonders of the world. Unfortunately in 1330 it was converted into a mosque, then in 1402 the Mongol army completely destroyed it. Today it has been partially restored so visitors can understand the size and scale of this visual wonder. In fact, if it were to be fully restored today as a Basilika, it would be the seventh largest church in the world.

When Maria and I arrived at the Basilika with other tourists, immediately we were singled out and greeted by an older man who did not speak English but asked us to follow him. He lead us to a secret area of the church behind what was once the altar area and kicked away some dirt from an area he obviously kept covered up. Under the dirt were some impressive original mosaics from the ancient church, very small in size and imageless. We thought this was interesting and thanked him. As we were walking out to go view the rest of the structure and the tomb area, he followed us and began demanding us for some money in return for him showing us the mosaics. He also offered us to buy some fake Roman coins with the bust of Emperor Justinian that he tried to convince us were real. It was then that we realized we were dealing with a gypsy. Because we had not yet converted our travellers checks to Turkish lira, we told him to leave us alone because we had no money. This was a mistake because after this he sent a bunch of children to harass us. As I was trying to absorb the environment and atmosphere of this holy shrine and take some photos, they would not leave us alone. Finally I called over the older gypsy and told him to give me one of his fake coins for five American dollars. He took it, but the kids wanted more money. Knowing we were not going to get any peace, we decided to leave and catch the bus back into town.

It was a frustrating first day indeed. These frustrations followed us throughout our two week journey in Turkey. Which leads me to lesson number three - be absolutely sure to never deal with any gypsies in Turkey.

Besides all the negatives, the Basilika itself was amazing. Originally it had been in a cruciform shape with six massive domes. More recently they have uncovered a baptistry and and a small chapel to the side. The tomb of the Apostle is today exposed to the elements, but originally it was located under the main central dome of the church. Unfortunately three relics which were still in the church during Ottoman times are now lost to us - a piece of the True Cross worn by the Apostle John around his neck, a garment of the Apostle made by the Theotokos, and most significantly for biblical scholarship today was the original manuscript of the Apocalypse which was authored by this apostle.


A model of the original Basilika of Saint John in Ephesus


The cruciform plan of the Basilika
When the Apostle John was over one hundred years old, he took seven of his disciples, went outside the town of Ephesus and ordered them to dig a grave in the form of a Cross. After that, John went down into this grave and was buried. Later on, when the faithful opened John's grave, they did not find his body. Tradition holds that he, like the Virgin Mary, was among the first to be raised from the dead.

Each year for about a thousand years from the grave of the holy Apostle John on May 8th there came forth a fine ash-dust, which believers called "manna", and gathered it up after an all-night vigil and were healed of sicknesses by it. Therefore the Church celebrates the memory of the Apostle John the Theologian still on May 8 to commemorate this miracle, even though his main feast is on September 26.


The burial and resurrection of Saint John the Theologian
Many pilgrims of medieval times make note of this extraordinary miracle. Both Augustine and Gregory of Tours make reference to this annual miracle. Anglo-Saxon Willibald, later a bishop and a Saint, visited Ephesus in 724 and marvelled at the miracle of the manna that bubbled from the tomb of the Apostle. Symeon Metaphrastes in the tenth century writes of the festival on May 8th being of such great magnitude that it seemed there were more people in attendance to take part in the miracle and receive a portion of its distribution than there were stars in the sky.

According to one author, the most elaborate description of the miracle dates to 1304 by Catalan Muntaner who arrived in a mercenary force:

"On Saint Stephen’s day, every year, at the hour of Vespers, there comes out of the tomb (which is four-cornered and stands at the foot of the altar and has a beautiful marble slab on the top, full twelve palms long and five broad) and in the middle of the slab there are nine very small holes, and out of these holes, as vespers are being sung on St. Stephen’s day (on which day the Vespers are of St. John), manna like sand comes out of each hole and rises a full palm high from the slab, as a jet of water rises up. And this manna issues out . . . and it lasts all night and then all Saint John’s day until sunset. There is so much of this manna, by the time the sun has set and it has ceased to issue out, that, altogether, there are of it full three cuarteras of Barcelona [about 120 quarts]. And this manna is marvelously good for many things; for instance he who drinks it when he feels fever coming on will never have fever again. Also, if a lady is in travail and cannot bring forth, if she drinks it with water or with wine, she will be delivered at once. And again, if there is a storm at sea and some of the manna is thrown in the sea three times in the name of the Holy Trinity and Our Lady Saint Mary and the Blessed Saint John the Evangelist, at once the storm ceases. And again, he who suffers from gall stones, and drinks it in the said names, recovers at once. And some of this manna is given to all pilgrims who come there; but it only appears once a year."


The tomb of the Apostle John

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Soul's Journey To God - A Challenge

Stephanie Betsa, a Silver Lake College theology student, sitting in the college chapel

[Here is the challenge! I was going to comment on this, but I decided to leave it up to someone else to spot the common errors made in this otherwise very rare article published in a secular newspaper. To help one spot the errors, I highlighted the words, phrases and sentences to pay special attention to. Tell me the error along with an Orthodox response. Please comment! -J.S.]

May 2, 2009

Soul's Journey Toward God

SLC student explains the '3-fold way' of Orthodox Spirituality

by Charlie Mathews
Manitowac Herald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — Stephanie Betsa doesn't believe one has to die and go to heaven before being able to be with God.

"The '3-Fold Way' enables us to have union with God right now here on earth," said Betsa, 42, a freshman at Silver Lake College majoring in theology. "We don't have to wait for heaven … to participate in God's energy."

Betsa was one of several dozen SLC students who recently participated in A Celebration of Ideas at its Generose Enrichment Center.

The academic conference brought together students, faculty and guest speakers celebrating intellectual inquiry across many disciplines.

"Orthodox Spirituality" was the title of Betsa's presentation, discussing the "mystical, other-worldly spirituality of the Eastern Orthodox Church."

Betsa, a custodian at the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan, attends Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church in Milwaukee.

It is an Eastern Orthodox Church, part of the faith tradition that split from the Roman Catholic Church during the so-called "Great Schism" in the 11th century. Its earthly spiritual leader is Patriarch Bartholomew, the archbishop of Constantinople in Turkey.

"We believe that if you are a practicing Orthodox Christian then you're salvation is guaranteed," Betsa said. "Outside the Church, we leave it up to God to decide who goes to heaven … it's not up to us."

She said Orthodox Christians do not believe in purgatory, "but there is hell and that is the absence of God."

Betsa said Orthodox Christians do believe in original sin. She said consequences have resulted from Adam and Eve failing to realize they were made to be in continuous contemplation of God.

"Once we lost that, we have the jumbled brains we have now," including a pre-occupation with secular things, said Betsa, who is taking New Testament and public speaking courses this spring semester.

'Stuck in Catharsis'

Betsa said one's soul is on a journey toward God. The first step towards experiencing unity with the Almighty is purification of the soul.

"I'm stuck in catharsis," Betsa said of the stage where one seeks to overcome worldly passions and reliance on senses in order to achieve inner freedom and humility.

The second stage is "fotisis," or the enlightenment of the soul, including developing holy wisdom, acquiring paranormal abilities, and having visions and experiences of God's divine light.

The third stage is "theosis," which is the soul's deification. "It is the final destination, it defies all human understanding, and includes changes to the mind, soul and body, and one becomes an emissary of the Holy Spirit," Betsa said.

If this sounds mystical, it is. Betsa said the motto of Eastern Orthodox mysticism is "God became human so that humans may become God."

...

"I was hesitant to return to college after 25 years … I was skeptical I could do it," Betsa said. "When I came here to SLC everyone has been very helpful (as) I get back into the swing of things."

It will take her several years to earn her bachelor's degree. After that? "God willing, I would like to become an Orthodox nun, go out and help the homeless. I feel I have a calling to do that."

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The Cross That Appeared in the Sky Over Jerusalem in 351 A.D.

Commemoration of the Precious Cross that appeared in the sky over Jerusalem in 351 A.D. (Feast Day - May 7th)

On this day in the year 351, not long after Saint Cyril of Jerusalem had succeeded Maximus as Archbishop of Jerusalem, during the reign of Constantius, the son of Saint Constantine the Great, on the day of Pentecost, the multi-attested sign of the Cross appeared over Jerusalem.

Saint Cyril, in his letter to the Emperor Constantius, describes the event he witnessed with his own eyes:

"On the nones [or 7th] of May, about the third hour [or nine in the morning], a vast luminous body, in the form of a Cross, appeared in the heavens, just over the holy Golgotha, reaching as far as the holy Mount of Olives [that is, almost two English miles in length], seen not by one or two persons, but clearly and evidently by the whole city. This was not, as may be thought, a momentary transient phenomenon: for it continued several hours visible to our eyes, and brighter than the sun, the light of which would have eclipsed it, had not this been stronger. The whole city, struck with a reverential fear, tempered with joy, ran immediately to the church, young and old, Christians and heathens, citizens and strangers, all with one voice giving praise to our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, the worker of miracles; finding by experience the truth of the Christian doctrine, to which the heavens bear witness." (PG 33:1 16q)

He concludes his letter with wishes that the emperor may always glorify the holy and consubstantial Trinity. Historians of the time, both Orthodox and non-Orthodox, including Sozomen, Theophanes, Eutychius, John of Nice, Glycas, and others quote Saint Cyril concerning this event. Others, such as Socrates, Philostorgius, and the anonymous Chronicle of Alexandria give their own account of this phenomenon. This miracle was regarded by the Christians as the final victory of Orthodoxy over Arianism. Philostorgius and the Chronicle of Alexandria affirm that this Cross of light was encircled with a "large rainbow".

Philostorgius writes:

"It appeared at Jerusalem about the third hour of the day which is called the day of Pentecost. This sign, which was portrayed by no human hand, was seen to stretch from the Mount of Calvary even to the Mount of Olives, and was accompanied by a large iris, like a crown, which surrounded it on all sides. The iris, indeed, signified the mercy of Jesus Christ crucified and taken up into heaven, and the crown denoted the victory of the emperor. Moreover, that splendid and venerable sign did not escape the notice even of the soldiers. But though it was clearly seen by both armies, it frightened above all measure Magnentius and his partisans, who were addicted to superstitious practices ; while, on the other hand, it inspired Constantius and his army with invincible bravery. Magnentius, however, having suffered this defeat from Constantius, afterwards recovered his strength by degrees, and, engaging with him in a second battle, was entirely defeated, and fled away to Lyons with the loss of nearly all his army." (Ecclesiastical History, Book III, Chapter XXVI)

Socrates writes:

"At the time that Cyril administered the church of Jerusalem after Maximus, the sign of the Cross appeared in the heavens. It shone brilliantly, not with divergent rays like a comet, but with the concentration of a great deal of light, apparently dense and yet transparent. Its length was about fifteen stadia (1) from Calvary to the Mount of Olives, and its breadth was in proportion to its length. So extraordinary a phenomenon excited universal terror. Men, women, and children left their houses, the market-place, or their respective employments, and ran to the church, where they sang hymns to Christ together, and voluntarily confessed their belief in God. The intelligence disturbed in no little measure our entire dominions, and this happened rapidly; for, as the custom was, there were travelers from every part of the world, so to speak, who were dwelling at Jerusalem for prayer, or to visit its places of interest, these were spectators of the sign, and divulged the facts to their friends at home. The emperor was made acquainted with the occurrence, partly by numerous reports concerning it which were then current, and partly by a letter from Cyril the bishop. It was said that this prodigy was a fulfillment of an ancient prophecy contained in the Holy Scriptures [Mathew 24:30]. It was the means of the conversion of many pagans and Jews to Christianity." (Ecclesiastical History, Book IV, Chapter V)

Apolytikion in the First Tone
The image of Thy Cross at this time shone brighter than the sun, when Thou didst spread it out from the holy Mount of Olives to Calvary; and in making plain Thy might which is therein, O Savior, Thou didst also thereby strengthen the faithful. Keep us always in peace, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Christ our God, and save us.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Making its rays to shine above in the heavens, the spotless Cross dawned on the earth, bright with splendour; for it had opened Heaven, which was shut of old. Granted the effulgence of its divine operation, we are surely guided to the unwaning resplendence. In battles we possess it as a true weapon of peace and a trophy invincible.

1. According to Herodotus, one stadia is equal to about 600 feet.

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Movie Review: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is a Swedish film directed by Thomas Alfredson and based on a best selling Swedish novel by John Ajvide Lindovist. The title is based on the song by Morrissey "Let The Right One Slip In".

It’s February 1982, in a suburb of Stockholm. It’s a dark, cold, desolate environment, and the individuals who live there, cloaked in loneliness and alcohol, are already on the edge of madness. Oskar is 12 and bullied; he is obsessed by fantasies of violent, bloody revenge. He falls in love with a mysterious girl named Eli who moves in next door; later, he realises she’s a very old vampire trapped in a 12 year old body, responsible for some horrible local murders.

This film came out around the same time of Twilight; critics said see Let The Right One In instead if you're seeking a vampire fix. The vampire is not the sanitised, eroticised creature of recent culture, but rather resembles those in early folkloric tales – she smells and is more animal than ethereal. It is one of the best horror movies of the past few years and ranks high among the greatest and most compelling vampire flicks of all time. Though I didn't watch it till about a month ago when the DVD was released, the actual release took place in 2008 and ranks in my personal top ten list for best films of 2008.

The film is powerful on the atmospheric level. Like 30 Days Of Night released earlier the same year, there is a certain beauty on film when darkness, cold, snow and blood mix. The depressing and lonely environment adds to the creepiness and claustrophobic horror of the scenes depicted.

Most impressive of all is the cast. The relationship between Oskar and Eli elicits very strong emotions; ones that are both disturbing yet sympathetic. Both seem to be so young and innocent and you feel a certain relief that these two lonely isolated children found each other. There is a deep romance and chemistry between them, and you feel the urge to cheer them on in their venture to be together forever against all others. The two young actors are powerfully strange, with a tangible connection; particularly striking is a scene where Oskar refuses to invite the vampire into his flat but she enters anyway and starts bleeding out of her eyes; he then lets her in, literally and metaphor­ically. However there are subtle nuances that reveal something more disturbing and creepy is going on that is difficult to capture upon the first viewing of the film, and it leaves you wondering why does the film evoke such mixed feelings.


As with all the great stories involving vampires, the story juxtaposes selfishness with selflessness. This is the great internal struggle. The compelling love story of Oskar and Eli ultimately is a very selfish relationship, as most love stories are these days. The love they share is very isolated from the world. In their mind they know the love they feel is right, and this justifies the horrible wrongs they commit against everyone else. Inside they feel a deep anger against the world, a world that isolated them and failed to accept them. There is no forgiveness, no mercy, no love and no salvation outside of their relationship to one another.

Lest we think the children are the only victims of this story, we must force ourselves to see the adults are victims as well. They seem to be powerless and lonely themselves, who are alcoholics, unemployed or working minimum wage jobs. Though everyone is the victim of the tale, both the adults and children are presented with a moral choice of victimizing others. It is the children in this story that choose to victimize, though in many ways it also shows how they learn to victimize from the adults. The story ends with a final gruesome battle between the bullies and Eli that depicts a significant baptism scene of Oskar which leaves the viewer with many questions on how to interpret it. Is it a baptism of violence or a baptism of love? Or maybe it just shows a cathartic element to the bloodbath.

It wasn't until I did some research into the book that I fully discovered the disturbing morality of the tale. Shockingly we learn that Eli is not a girl, but a castrated boy (hence the omnisexual name). This is alluded to in the film when the private parts of Eli are quickly shown with scarring and earlier Eli asks Oskar if she will love him even if he finds out she is not a girl. The fact that Oskar's father is a homosexual alludes to the acceptability Oskar shows Eli when he notices Eli is not a she but a he. Furthermore, there is an element of paedophilia to the tale making it sort of a vampiric Lolita story, if you consider the fact that Eli is a decades old man in love with a real 12 year old boy. She seems to learn this from her handler who is clearly a pedophile who she has a sort of love/hate relationship with. Thus, the sexuality of the children is something learned from the adults in their lives. It also shows the manipulation Eli uses with Oskar who sees in him a repacement to her dead handler. Eli sees nothing wrong with genuinely loving Oskar while knowingly using and manipulating him for her own ends. All this adds to the duality and complexity of the film that leaves many layers to think about.

This is an interview with Lina Leandersson, who played the little vampire girl Eli in Let The Right One In. It is in Swedish with English subtitles.

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Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri the Newly-Revealed

The relics of Saint Ephraim were discovered through divine revelation in 1950; 524 years after his death.

Saint Ephraim the Newly-Revealed Wonderworker of Nea Makri
Whose Martyrdom Occurred On May 5th And Relics Were Discovered On January 3

The holy New Martyr and wonderworker Ephraim was born in Greece on September 14, 1384. His father died when the saint was young, and his pious mother was left to care for seven children by herself.

When Ephraim reached the age of fourteen, the all-good God directed his steps to a monastery on the mountain of Amoman near Nea Makri in Attica. The monastery was dedicated to the Annunciation and also to St Paraskeva. Here he took on his shoulders the Cross of Christ, which all His followers must bear (Matt. 16:24).

Being enflamed with love for God, St Ephraim eagerly placed himself under the monastic discipline. For nearly twenty-seven years he imitated the life of the great Fathers and ascetics of the desert. With divine zeal, he followed Christ and turned away from the attractions of this world. By the grace of God, he purified himself from soul-destroying passions and became an abode of the All-Holy Spirit. He was also found worthy to receive the grace of the priesthood, and served at the altar with great reverence and compunction.

On September 14, 1425, the barbarous Turks launched an invasion by sea, destroying the monastery and and looting the surrounding area. St Ephraim was one of the victims of their frenzied hatred. Many of the monks had been tortured and beheaded, but St Ephraim remained calm. This infuriated the Turks, so they imprisoned him in order to torture him and force him to deny Christ.

They locked him in a small cell without food or water, and they beat him every day, hoping to convince him to become a Moslem. For several months, he endured horrible torments. When the Turks realized that the saint remained faithful to Christ, they decided to put him to death. On Tuesday May 5, 1426, they led him from his cell. They turned him upside down and tied him to a mulberry tree, then they beat him and mocked him. "Where is your God," they asked, "and why doesn't he help you?" The saint did not lose courage, but prayed, "O God, do not listen to the words of these men, but may Thy will be done as Thou hast ordained."

The barbarians pulled the saint's beard and tortured him until his strength ebbed. His blood flowed, and his clothes were in tatters. His body was almost naked and covered with many wounds. Still the Hagarenes were not satisfied, but wished to torture him even more. One of them took a flaming stick and plunged it violently into the saint's navel. His screams were heart-rending, so great was his pain. The blood flowed from his stomach, but the Turks did not stop. They repeated the same painful torments many times. His body writhed, and all his limbs were convulsed. Soon, the saint grew too weak to speak, so he prayed silently asking God to forgive his sins. Blood and saliva ran from his mouth, and the ground was soaked with his blood. Then he lapsed into unconsciousness.


Thinking that he had died, the Turks cut the ropes which bound him to the tree, and the saint's body fell to the ground. Their rage was still not diminished, so they continued to kick and beat him. After a while, the saint opened his eyes and prayed, "Lord, I give up my spirit to Thee." About nine o'clock in the morning, the martyr's soul was separated from his body.

These things remained forgotten for nearly 500 years, hidden in the depths of silence and oblivion until January 3, 1950. By then a women's monastery had sprung up on the site of the old monastery. Abbess Makaria (+ April 23, 1999) was wandering through the ruins of the monastery, thinking of the martyrs whose bones had been scattered over that ground, and whose blood had watered the tree of Orthodoxy. She realized that this was a holy place, and she prayed that God would permit her to behold one of the Fathers who had lived there.

After some time, she seemed to sense an inner voice telling her to dig in a certain spot. She indicated the place to a workman whom she had hired to make repairs at the old monastery. The man was unwilling to dig there, for he wanted to dig somewhere else. Because the man was so insistent, Mother Makaria let him go where he wished. She prayed that the man would not be able to dig there, and so he struck rock. Although he tried to dig in three or four places, he met with the same results. Finally, he agreed to dig where the abbess had first indicated.

In the ruins of an old cell, he cleared away the rubble and began to dig in an angry manner. The abbess told him to slow down, for she did not want him to damage the body that she expected to find there. He mocked her because she expected to find the relics of a saint. When he reached the depth of six feet, however, he unearthed the head of the man of God. At that moment an ineffable fragrance filled the air. The workman turned pale and was unable to speak. Mother Makaria told him to go and leave her there by herself. She knelt and reverently kissed the body. As she cleared away more earth, she saw the sleeves of the saint's rasson. The cloth was thick and appeared to have been woven on the loom of an earlier time. She uncovered the rest of the body and began to remove the bones, which appeared to be those of a martyr.


Mother Makaria was still in that holy place when evening fell, so she read the service of Vespers. Suddenly she heard footsteps coming from the grave, moving across the courtyard toward the door of the church. The footsteps were strong and steady, like those of a man of strong character. The nun was afraid to turn around and look, but then she heard a voice say, "How long are you going to leave me here?"

She saw a tall monk with small, round eyes, whose beard reached his chest. In his left hand was a bright light, and he gave a blessing with his right hand. Mother Makaria was filled with joy and her fear disappeared. "Forgive me," she said, "I will take care of you tomorrow as soon as God makes the day dawn." The saint disappeared, and the abbess continued to read Vespers.

In the morning after Matins, Mother Makaria cleaned the bones and placed them in a niche in the altar area of the church, lighting a candle before them. That night St Ephraim appeared to her in a dream. He thanked her for caring for his relics, then he said, "My name is St Ephraim." From his own lips, she heard the story of his life and martyrdom.

Since St Ephraim glorified God in his life and by his death, the Lord granted him the grace of working miracles. Those who venerate his holy relics with faith and love have been healed of all kinds of illnesses and infirmities, and he is quick to answer the prayers of those who call upon him.

As a Saint who helps troubled and despairing youth and protects against suicide, alcoholism, drugs and all sorts of harmful addictions, the following links provide further information here and here. Parents especially, when praying for their children, should often seek the intercessions of this Saint and these two links are meant to encourage this.



This icon of St. Ephraim was the last painted by the famous iconographer, Photios Kontoglou in 1964 (who I believe is also buried at Evangelismos Monastery of St. Ephraim). He had prayed to the Saint to reveal himself so that he could properly depict him, and the above icon is the result. This has become the prototype of all the icons of St. Ephraim.

ΑΠΟΛΥΤΙΚΙΟN Ἦχος α’ Τῆς ἐρήμου πολίτης
Ἐν ὄρει τῶν Ἀμῶμων ὥσπερ ἥλιος ἐλάμψας καί μαρτυρικῶς, Θεοφόρε, πρός Θεόν ἐξεδήμησας, βαρβάρων ὑποστάς ἐπιδρομάς, Ἐφραίμ Μεγαλομάρτυς τοῦ Χριστοῦ , διά τοῦτο ἀναβλύζεις χάριν ἀεί, τοῖς εὐλαβῶς βοῶσι σοι, δόξα τῷ δεδωκότι σοι ἰσχύν, δόξα τῷ σέ θαυμαστώσαντι, δόξα τῷ ἐνεργοῦντι διά Σοῦ, πᾶσιν ἰάματα.

Apolytikion in the First Tone
On Amomon Mountain, you shown forth like the sun, and O God-bearer, you left for God by martyrdom; you endured barbarians’ attacks, Ephraim, O great-martyr of Christ, because of this you ever pour forth grace, to those who piously cry out to you, glory to Him who gave you strength, glory to Him you made you wondrous, glory to Him who grants through you, healings for all!

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Saint Xenia of Kalamata (the newly revealed martyr)

The miraculous icon of St. Xenia of Kalamata in Manhattan, New York

[Below is an account of St. Xenia, whose feast day is celebrated today, that I read by Fr. George Poulos in his book Orthodox Saints vol.2 when I was about sixteen years old. After reading about this newly revealed martyr of Christ, it had always been a desire of mine to visit the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation at 302 West 91st Street in Manhattan where St. Xenia first revealed herself after centuries of anonymity.

When I travelled to Greece in 1992 I had the opportunity to visit the birthplace of my mother in Kalamata with my sister. We travelled to a female monastery near the Cathedral of the Ypapanti (the Presentation of Christ) where the nuns are famous for their silk. To my surprise I noticed that there were icons of St. Xenia everywhere, reminding me of the place of her martyrdom. I never found out if there is actually a church or chapel dedicated to St. Xenia in Kalamata.

It was my desire this past Fall to finally visit the church in Manhattan when I was living there for a few months. Unfortunately when I did visit the church was closed and never visited again. God willing when I soon visit the church and have the opportunity to venerate the miraculous icon of St. Xenia, I will record my experience. -J.S.]

St Xenia of Kalamata
Memory celebrated May 3

One of the sweetest saints in all Orthodoxy remained for seventeen centuries in comparative oblivion unknown, unhonoured, and unsung -- until she chose, at the bidding of God, to reveal herself to a humble priest, in the bustling City of New York.

The name of this Greek girl, who had been sainted but ignored for altogether too many centuries, was Xenia; and the name of the devout Christian to whom she made herself known was the pious Father George Nasis, the highly respected priest of the Greek Archdiocese Annunciation Church in New York City.

Why Xenia remained screened from Greek Orthodoxy for so long a time is attributed to the will of God, the same will that selected a comparatively obscure twentieth-century priest as the herald of the unacknowledged saint. The amazing disclosure would have been more plausible had some archaeologist unearthed St. Xenia's earthly remains, but that was not the choice of the Lord whose acts often puzzle the will of man, but whose truth is borne out in one way or another. The comparative simplicity of the occurrence merely dramatises the way of heaven and the truth of Jesus Christ.

In yet another incredible incident, Father Nasis acquired laurels which he never wished for and which he thereafter chose to minimise rather than exploit. In one of his customary periods of meditation and prayer there appeared before him a very lovely girl who announced herself as Xenia, a martyred saint of the Church. Not only did she reveal herself for the first time in 1700 years, but she bade the good priest to paint her likeness, asking that in the icon her hands appear clasping a Cross.

At First Father Nasis kept the incident to himself, lest he be ridiculed; but finally he could contain himself no longer. He told his superiors about the appearance of St. Xenia with such conviction that scholars went in search of her in ancient manuscripts, even going back to the oldest of calendars in a vain effort to find the name Xenia mentioned. The credibility of the priest was on the wane when at long last St. Xenia was found in an ecclesiastical work entitled "O Megas Synaxaristes," comprising twelve volumes of the history of the saints of Orthodoxy by the scholar and monk, Victor Mattheou. In such a massive work Xenia was not easily found, but in the end Father Nasis was vindicated.

Mattheou's work describes Xenia as having long, golden-blonde hair, blue eyes (as witnessed by Father Nasis), and beautiful features. Moreover, when she was born in 291 AD, to parents named Nicholas and Despina, in the town of Kalamata, Greece, it was determined that she be raised in the faith of Jesus Christ. At maturity her depth of faith outshone her physical beauty, and she was looked upon with great admiration by the Christian community.

The roving eye of Magistrate Domitianos of Kalamata happened to fall on the lovely Xenia who stirred within him more than admiration. It was love at first sight and he soon offered a proposal of marriage. This proposal was rejected, however, because Domitianos had refused to accept Christ and clung to ancient idolatry with a tenacity which Xenia saw as folly and superstition. It was decided that a prison would change her mind. All else having failed, she was jailed on spurious charges with the stipulation that she could be released if she changed her mind.

When months of incarceration and abuse failed to move Xenia, she was put to death. Soon after, she was sainted because of the many miracles attributed to her, and was given a feast day on May 3rd. This date somehow failed to appear on the Greek Orthodox calendar, although it is a matter of record as indicated by the research of the monk Mattheou.

The icon of St. Xenia still adorns the Annunciation Church and has for forty years been the site of miracles, and miracles in this twentieth century have been hard to come by. Father Nasis, who never sought public acclaim and managed to remain his humble self throughout, was a priest of the Annunciation Church for more than thirty years, passing on in 1974. His many writings, and supplications in honour of St. Xenia give testimony to his faith. His discovery remains in his beloved church, and many a gaze will be fixed upon the sweet St. Xenia who was cloaked in anonymity for seventeen centuries, but whose memory will now be honoured for as long as there is Greek Orthodoxy.

from Orthodox Saints, v. 2, by Fr George Poulos, Holy Cross Orthodox Press

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Thousands of Mayans To Convert To Orthodoxy?

[Will Mayan temples soon transform into monastic citadels? Well, probably not since Mayan temples are historical landmarks. But according to a new report by Metropolitan Jonah that I was unaware of, it seems like thousands of Mayans are interested in converting to Orthodoxy. This is great news and deserves greater media attention. Below is the context in which the Metropolitan revealed this amazing news. -J.S.]

His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah chaired the St. Innocent Conference at St. Tikhon University

On Saturday, May 2, the St. Innocent Conference, organized by the Orthodox Church in America, together with Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Humanitarian University, was held in the University building. This year the conference coincided with the arrival in Russia of the Leader of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah.

At the opening of the conference +Jonah, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, outlined the principles of the missionary work of St. Innocent of Moscow, which are of great importance for the history of the Orthodox mission in America.

The Leader of the American Church said that a missionary must be a man of deep prayer, respect for people, and be selfless. "A missionary should be a pilgrim, a wayfarer, who brings the Good News of Jesus Christ to people and reveals the Gospel, the Kingdom of Heaven", noted Metropolitan Jonah. "He must be filled with genuine love for those to whom he is sent".

During the Q & A, Vladyka explained that the Orthodox faith is practiced by a large number of indigenous residents of Alaska, Eskimos and Aleuts. In Nicaragua and El Salvador there is a group of Mayan Indians, who also want to join the Orthodox Church. "I am not talking about individuals; I'm talking about hundreds, even thousands of people", stressed the Leader. "We need missionaries. The Mayan language is as easy for an American as it is for a Russian -- that is, it is very difficult".

"This will require your help", His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah appealed to the students, "you are getting a good theological education, and you will have the opportunity to do missionary work, not only in your community and in your country, but, perhaps, even beyond the ocean".

Later a presentation was made by +Zosima, Bishop of Yakutsk and Lensk. Vladyka explained how St. Innocent translated the Divine Services into the language of the Yakuts. This year marks 150 years since St. Innocent (Veniaminov) served the first Divine Liturgy in the Yakut language.

Upon completion of the conference, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah and Bishop Zosima led evening prayers in the temple of St. Nicholas in Kuznets.
--------------------------------------
Press Service of St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University/Patriarchia.ru

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Egyptian Christians Riot After Swine Flu Cull

Egyptian Christians Riot After Swine Flu Cull

Philippe Naughton

May 1, 2009

Egyptian leaders ordered the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of pigs today to help protect against swine flu, prompting angry protests from the poor Christian farmers who feed their animals with a country's food scraps. The decision was also criticised as a "real mistake" by a senior UN food expert.

The Arab world's most populous nation has been been badly hit by the H5N1 bird flu virus in recent years and the move to cull up to 400,000 pigs - seen by Muslims as unclean animals - was designed to calm fears of an impending pandemic.

But it left Egypt's large Coptic Christian minority up in arms, especially the slum-dwelling "Zebaleen" rubbish collectors who rely on the hogs for their livelihood. Scores of them blocked the streets and stoned the vehicles of Health Ministry workers as they arrived to carry out the government's order at pig farms on the outskirts of Cario this afternoon.

“Our pigs are healthy. They are our capital and they have no diseases,” said Adel Ishak, who feeds his pigs from the rubbish he collects in Manshiet Nasser, northeast of Cairo.

"We remind Hosni Mubarak that we are all Egyptians. Where does he want us to go?” added 46-year-old Gergis Faris, another pig farmer. “We are uneducated people, just living day by day and trying to make a living, and now if our pigs are taken from us without compensation, how are we supposed to live?”

The decison to cull the pigs was announced by Hatem al-Gabali, the Health Minister, after a meeting with President Mubarak. “It has been ordered to immediately begin the slaughter of all herds of pigs in Egypt,” he told reporters.

Mr al-Gabali said slaughterhouses were to begin the culling process immediately at the fastest rate possible. Further precautionary measures such as the launch of an awareness campaign and increasing production of protective masks would also be taken, he said.

Magdy Rady, a Cabinet spokesman, put the number of pigs that could be culled at between 300,000 and 400,000. “If you see the conditions of the swine farms in Egypt, they are not healthy at all. They are hazards in themselves, even without the swine flu. That’s why people are really getting afraid,” he told the Reuters news agency, even before the decision was taken.

Officials said that the farmers would be offered compensation of 1,000 Egyptian pounds (£120) per pig but there seemed to be little confidence that the money would ever materialise.

Mr Ishak said that his community receives 6,000 tonnes of organic rubbish every day, but if the pigs die there will be nowhere to put the waste. “What is the use of compensation? It will feed us only for several months, what then?" he asked.

Egypt has not had any confirmed cases of swine flu yet but government experts fear a pandemic flu strain could spread quickly through the country because most of its roughly 80 million people live in the densely packed Nile Valley, many in crowded slums in and around Cairo.

The World Health Organisation has repeatedly said, however, that the newly mutated H1N1 virus is not found in pigs - although the animals can be the vessels for the "genetic reassortment" that produces new strains - and that pork meat is safe to eat.

Joseph Domenech, chief veterinary office with the UN Food and Agriculture Officer in Rome, said the Egyptian order was "a real mistake".

"There is no reason to do that. It’s not a swine influenza, it’s a human influenza,” he said.

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Jack the Ripper and the Historical Jesus

George Grosz as Jack the Ripper, Self-Portrait with Eva Peters in the Artist's Studio, 1918

["Jack the Ripper was a forgery invented by journalists to link a series of unrelated murders and sell newspapers, according to a new book." So begins a review by the Daily Mail regarding the new book published by Dr. Andrew Cook titled Jack the Ripper: Case Closed.

The reason I found this interesting, besides my fascination with the Jack the Ripper murders, was the content of the book which sounds eerily similar to studies of another historical figure whom some pseudo-historians claim also didn't exist and was a forgery by his inventors. Of course, I'm speaking of Jesus.

I really do not have a strong opinion on whether Jack the Ripper was a historical figure or a forgery by a desperate newspaper company fallen on hard times. I havn't even read the book, as interesting as it seems. What I do know is that others before Cook have closed the case on Jack the Ripper thinking their findings presented undisputable proof, but they didn't. And neither does this one.

Instead I think the author confuses the media hype surrounding the murders, with the actual investigation of the murders themselves. No doubt there were many forgeries to sell newspapers, but this does not discount a single murderer. We know also that the name "Jack the Ripper" was invented by journalists to make the story more interesting and this became standard practice later on ( the Boston Strangler, the Green River Killer, the Axeman of New Orleans, the Beltway Sniper, and the Hillside Strangler, besides the derivative Yorkshire Ripper almost a hundred years later and the unnamed perpetrator of the "Thames Nude Murders" of the 1960s, whom the press dubbed Jack the Stripper).

But when one examines the investigation itself and the most compelling investigations and autopsies, there leaves little doubt that all five murders were done by the same hand. According to police surgeon Dr. Thomas Bond in 1888, who based his assessment on his own examination of the most extensively mutilated victim, Mary Kelly, and the post mortem notes from the four previous murders:

"All five murders no doubt were committed by the same hand. In the first four the throats appear to have been cut from left to right. In the last case, owing to the extensive mutilation it is impossible to say in what direction the fatal cut was made, but arterial blood was found on the wall in splashes close to where the woman's head must have been lying. All the circumstances surrounding the murders lead me to form the opinion that the women must have been lying down when murdered and in every case the throat was first cut."(1)

Dr. Cook's assessments are nothing new and not very compelling. One cannot seriously consider that five or six killers were at work in the same area around the same time using the same methods. In one particular instance two killers would have had to killed in the same area on the same night. Furthermore, why did all of them stop their killing spree after the murder of Mary Kelly? The only thing I would agree with Dr. Cook is that the other six Whitechapel murders were not done by Jack the Ripper.

So just as we have to put up with books published every two years or so that claim Jesus never existed, though the evidence overwhelmingly supports the fact that He did, so also we have to put up with books claiming they closed the case on Jack the Ripper, even though the overwhelming evidence supports the fact that they have not. -J.S.]

---------------------------------
1. Stewart P. Evans & Keith Skinner, The Ultimate Jack The Ripper Sourcebook, p. 399–402.

Jack the Ripper 'was invented to win newspaper war'

May 1, 2009

Daily Mail UK

Jack the Ripper was a forgery invented by journalists to link a series of unrelated murders and sell newspapers, according to a new book.

The unsolved murders of five prostitutes in London's East End in 1888 have spawned innumerable theories over the identity of the 'real' Jack the Ripper - with candidates including artist Walter Sickert, Alice In Wonderland author Lewis Carroll and even Queen Victoria's grandson the Duke of Clarence.

But now historian Dr Andrew Cook claims to have blown all these theories out of the water by dismissing the notion of a brutal, murderous spree by one 'serial killer' altogether.

In his book Jack The Ripper: Case Closed, he argues that the famous letter bragging about the killings - signed 'Jack the Ripper' in the first-ever use of that name - was actually forged by journalists desperate to sell their newspaper.

Dr Cook says streetwalkers Mary Nichols, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Kelly, Elizabeth Stride and Annie Chapman were killed by different men, as were the six other Whitechapel victims often added to the Ripper's toll.

He takes his evidence from police and medical experts at the time who expressed doubts about the single killer theory even as it began to take hold on the public imagination.

The senior Whitechapel policeman at the time of the killings admitted in his retirement speech that he did not believe Mary Kelly was killed by 'Jack the Ripper', Dr Cook points out.

The assistant police surgeon who examined all five victims, Percy Clark, told the East London Observer in 1910: 'I think perhaps one man was responsible for three of them. I would not like to say he did the others.'

However, comments like this were a drop in an ocean as the myth of the lone rogue killer took hold of the Victorian imagination.

Dr Cook shows that the newly-launched Star newspaper was the first to claim that one man was behind three of the 1888 killings.

Even though most experts today agree that two of these - Emma Smith and Martha Tabram - were not carried out by the same man, the Star's prurient accounts of the on-going murders massively boosted its circulation.

The Star only unveiled the notorious letter from 'Jack the Ripper' in the midst of a drastic fall in sales after the exoneration of a bootmaker it had identified as a key suspect.

Handwriting expert Elaine Quigley, recruited by Dr Cook to examine the letter, has identified it as the work of Star journalist Frederick Best.

But the public was convinced, Dr Cook says - and the concept of a lone rogue killer on the loose in the East End backstreets may have helped the real culprits literally get away with murder.

Official police photograph of Mary Kelly's murder scene in 13 Miller's Court.

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The Flying Chihuahua and the Pet Psychic

[This past Friday Oprah briefly featured the story about Tinker Bell, the flying Chihuahua, and how the owners sought help from a pet psychic to find her (which they did).

I can't say I disbelieve in psychics as complete frauds. Of course, some if not most are indeed frauds. My opinion is that there is a demonic element to the power of the psychic that most psychics themselves claim is a gift from God. In a future blog posting I will relate my own experience where I was tempted with a sort of psychic ability that I could have exploited, but chose not to. And this is exactly what psychic powers are - a demonic temptation like any other temptation which can be tapped into if one so chooses. Interesting thing is that no psychics are Orthodox Christians, but they remain outside the Church and have a belief system more aligned with the occultic elemets of the New Age Movement.

Having said this, the claims of pet psychics are ridiculous. I have seen some impressive scientific investigations with regular psychics, but every investigation into pet psychics smack of fraud. Oprah apparently considers their powers "miraculous". We know she thinks this because all weekend she has been promoting the viewing of the video above to all her tweeters on Twitter. Which should not be surprising since Oprah herself is one of the leading promoters of New Age philosophy and its gurus. -J.S]

Saturday, May 2, 2009

'Oprah' Hears Tinker Bell, the Flying Chihuahua's Story

The Detroit News

The story of wind-tossed Tinker Bell, the flying Chihuahua, was retold on "Oprah" Friday, with host Oprah Winfrey interviewing Tinker Bell's owners and the pet psychic who helped find her.

"It was a miracle that we even got her back, Oprah," said Dorothy Utley, 72, of Rochester Hills, with her husband Lavern standing beside her holding Tinker Bell. "She was very tired, hungry and thirsty. She had mud and burrs all over her."

The Chihuahua was blown away last Saturday by a gust of wind at the Dixieland Flea Market in Waterford Township. She was found Monday in a wooded area three-quarters of a mile away.

Winfrey asked pet psychic Lorrie Woolums of Howell, "How did you know where Tinker Bell was?"

"This is what I do full-time," Woolums said, explaining that she got a vision of Tinker Bell's location. "I asked them if they checked the net area behind the Aldi's, and I asked them to check it again. I wanted to make sure that Dorothy and Vern knew that Tinker Bell was OK."

Lavern said the pet psychic "told us to look up instead of down. So I started working my way up. Finally I got toward the top of the woods, and I started calling her and she came running to me."

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Churches Respond To Swine Flu Fear: An Orthodox Response

[Some churches, like in New Zealand, are taking extreme precautions to prevent the spread of the recent Swine Flu bacteria. Their answer was to prohibit the common participation in Communion wafers, the Communion chalice and the shaking of hands.

In response to similar fears over the years, the Orthodox Church has always taken the stand that the Cup of Christ is not a cup that delivers death, but it is the Cup of Life.

On the more practical level, some Liturgists say it is to prevent diseases that hot water became a required ingredient in the Communion Cup and why a cloth was shaken over the Holy Bread and Wine during the reciting of the Creed.

However, for those a bit more skeptical, below is a short article from an M.D. to show the scientific evidence that there is an extremely low probability that harmful bacteria can be transmitted from one person to another when receiving Holy Communion. -J.S.]

CAN YOU GET ILL FROM TAKING THE COMMUNION CUP?

A Physician's opinion

...to the Healing of soul and body...

By Emanuel Kolyvas, M.D.,

The Sign [of the Theotokos], Montreal

Contrary to popular opinion, wine, and other beverages of antiquity produced through fermentation, were probably more important in providing disease-free drinking fluids than in their tendency to intoxicate. Ancient Greeks drank their water mixed with wine, and also used wine to cleanse wounds and soak dressings. More recently, military physicians of the last century observed that during epidemics of cholera, wine drinkers were relatively spared by the disease, and troops were advised to mix wine into the water.

Wine has been shown to be an effective antiseptic even when the alcohol is removed. In fact, 10% alcohol is a poor antiseptic, and alcohol only becomes optimally effective at concentrations of 7;0%. The antiseptic substances in wine are inactive in fresh grapes because these molecules are bound to complex sugars. During fermentation these antiseptic substances are split off from the sugars and in this way become active. These molecules are polyphenols, a class of substances used in hospitals to disinfect surfaces and instruments. The polyphenol of wine has been shown to be some thirty-three times more powerful than the phenol used by Lister when he pioneered antiseptic surgery.

Same year wines can be diluted up to ten times before beginning to show a decrease in their antiseptic effect. The better wines gradually improve with age over the first ten years and can be diluted twenty times without a decrease of the antiseptic effect. This effect then remains more or less constant over the next twenty years and becomes equivalent to a new wine after another twenty-five years. (Modern antiseptics and antibiotics for disinfecting wounds have surpassed wine effectiveness because the active ingredients in wine are rapidly bound and inactivated by proteins in body tissues.)

In preparing communion, the hot water that is added to the wine will increase greatly the antiseptic effect of the polyphenols. Disinfection occurs more rapidly and more effectively at 45 degrees centigrade than at room temperature (22-25 degrees). Another contribution to the antiseptic effect comes from the silver, copper, zinc that make up the chalice itself, ensuring that microbes are unable to survive on its surface.

Throughout the centuries, no disease has ever been transmitted by the taking of Holy Communion. Diseases, such as Hepatitis B, known to be transmitted by shared eating utensils, have never been acquired from the communion spoon. HIV is known not to be transmitted through shared eating utensils, and considering the antiseptic qualities of the Holy Communion received by the faithful, there is no likelihood of acquiring HIV infection through the Common Cup.

reprinted from: Canadian Orthodox Messenger, Spring 1995

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