In defense of Florida university's 'Jesus stomping' exercise

Florida Atlantic University is in crisis after a student was instructed to write the word “Jesus” on a piece of paper and stomp on it. One Mormon student refused to participate in the classroom activity, citing his Christian faith, and now he is rallying opposition nationwide. On Monday’s "The O’Reilly Factor," Bill O’Reilly told Mary Katherine Ham and me he sees this case as part of an ongoing hostility to Christianity and conservatives on college campuses.

I disagree.

Bill asked me if I would defend the classroom exercise if the students had to stomp on the name “Mohammed.” My answer is yes, absolutely. To my mind, there is no other intellectually honest answer for any American who believes in First Amendment rights.

The intent of the FAU classroom exercise is to promote critical thinking and draw attention to the sensitivity surrounding symbols in religion and politics. The best colleges encourage their students to question authority and challenge institutions – be it government, in business or in matters of religious faith. That is the best way to teach young people to avoid politically correct thinking.

It is worth noting that the instructor got the idea for this class exercise from a textbook on intercultural communication. According to book, the exercise is intended to show students the power of symbols. But the student took the class activity as an assault on his religious beliefs. As a fellow Christian who believes that Jesus Christ is my lord and savior, I strongly disagree with the young man.

In this Easter season, it is important to recall that a mob called on the government to crucify Jesus, and they did it. That was far worse than stepping on a piece of paper with his name on it. Yet the power of Christ crucified, his death and resurrection, has inspired people and saved lives across the centuries.

Stepping on a piece of paper, burning a flag or an effigy amount to symbolic acts. And the Supreme Court has ruled that even in the case of the flag, our national symbol, there is Constitutional protection.

When some Muslims rioted because a minister threatened to burn the Koran in anger at Islam, I saw it as an over-reaction to one provocative act. I have the same thought about the situation at FAU.

The university is embarrassed by the episode and has now issued an apology. It is posted on the front page of their main website: “This exercise will not be used again," they said in their statement. "The University holds dear its core values. We sincerely apologize for any offense this caused. Florida Atlantic University respects all religions and welcomes people of all faiths, backgrounds and beliefs."

"The course is taught by a non-tenured instructor on an annual appointment," according to the statement. "Contrary to some media reports, no students were forced to take part in the exercise; the instructor told all of the students in the class that they could choose whether or not to participate."

Moreover, the university denies that the student was suspended because of this episode:

In a statement to Fox News, they said: “While we do not comment on personnel matters, and while student privacy laws prevent us from commenting on any specific student at the University, we can confirm that no student has been expelled, suspended or disciplined by the University as a result of any activity that took place during this class.”

Click here for the full story from Fox News Radio.

As Mary Katharine Ham, my debating partner on "The O'Reilly Factor," correctly noted during the segment, Americans have a right to say they don’t like stepping on Jesus’ name. But stopping the academic exercise is wrong.

The reaction against FAU and the teacher strikes me as an attempt to shut down free speech and silence educators who use provocative teaching methods.

Look on the Internet and you will see people calling for the teacher to be fired.

That disturbs me. What these critics want is to suppress free speech. That’s not Christian. That’s not American.

Juan Williams is a Fox News political analyst. He is the author of several books including "Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It" and "Muzzled: The Assault on Honest Debate."

Juan Williams

View the original article here

In defense of Florida university's 'Jesus stomping' exercise

Florida Atlantic University is in crisis after a student was instructed to write the word “Jesus” on a piece of paper and stomp on it. One Mormon student refused to participate in the classroom activity, citing his Christian faith, and now he is rallying opposition nationwide. On Monday’s "The O’Reilly Factor," Bill O’Reilly told Mary Katherine Ham and me he sees this case as part of an ongoing hostility to Christianity and conservatives on college campuses.

I disagree.

Bill asked me if I would defend the classroom exercise if the students had to stomp on the name “Mohammed.” My answer is yes, absolutely. To my mind, there is no other intellectually honest answer for any American who believes in First Amendment rights.

The intent of the FAU classroom exercise is to promote critical thinking and draw attention to the sensitivity surrounding symbols in religion and politics. The best colleges encourage their students to question authority and challenge institutions – be it government, in business or in matters of religious faith. That is the best way to teach young people to avoid politically correct thinking.

It is worth noting that the instructor got the idea for this class exercise from a textbook on intercultural communication. According to book, the exercise is intended to show students the power of symbols. But the student took the class activity as an assault on his religious beliefs. As a fellow Christian who believes that Jesus Christ is my lord and savior, I strongly disagree with the young man.

In this Easter season, it is important to recall that a mob called on the government to crucify Jesus, and they did it. That was far worse than stepping on a piece of paper with his name on it. Yet the power of Christ crucified, his death and resurrection, has inspired people and saved lives across the centuries.

Stepping on a piece of paper, burning a flag or an effigy amount to symbolic acts. And the Supreme Court has ruled that even in the case of the flag, our national symbol, there is Constitutional protection.

When some Muslims rioted because a minister threatened to burn the Koran in anger at Islam, I saw it as an over-reaction to one provocative act. I have the same thought about the situation at FAU.

The university is embarrassed by the episode and has now issued an apology. It is posted on the front page of their main website: “This exercise will not be used again," they said in their statement. "The University holds dear its core values. We sincerely apologize for any offense this caused. Florida Atlantic University respects all religions and welcomes people of all faiths, backgrounds and beliefs."

"The course is taught by a non-tenured instructor on an annual appointment," according to the statement. "Contrary to some media reports, no students were forced to take part in the exercise; the instructor told all of the students in the class that they could choose whether or not to participate."

Moreover, the university denies that the student was suspended because of this episode:

In a statement to Fox News, they said: “While we do not comment on personnel matters, and while student privacy laws prevent us from commenting on any specific student at the University, we can confirm that no student has been expelled, suspended or disciplined by the University as a result of any activity that took place during this class.”

Click here for the full story from Fox News Radio.

As Mary Katharine Ham, my debating partner on "The O'Reilly Factor," correctly noted during the segment, Americans have a right to say they don’t like stepping on Jesus’ name. But stopping the academic exercise is wrong.

The reaction against FAU and the teacher strikes me as an attempt to shut down free speech and silence educators who use provocative teaching methods.

Look on the Internet and you will see people calling for the teacher to be fired.

That disturbs me. What these critics want is to suppress free speech. That’s not Christian. That’s not American.

Juan Williams is a Fox News political analyst. He is the author of several books including "Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It" and "Muzzled: The Assault on Honest Debate."

Juan Williams

View the original article here

Shape-shifting Jesus described in ancient Egyptian text

A newly deciphered Egyptian text, dating back almost 1,200 years, tells part of the crucifixion story of Jesus with apocryphal plot twists, some of which have never been seen before.

Written in the Coptic language, the ancient text tells of Pontius Pilate, the judge who authorized Jesus' crucifixion, having dinner with Jesus before his crucifixion and offering to sacrifice his own son in the place of Jesus. It also explains why Judas used a kiss, specifically, to betray Jesus — because Jesus had the ability to change shape, according to the text — and it puts the day of the arrest of Jesus on Tuesday evening rather than Thursday evening, something that contravenes the Easter timeline.

The discovery of the text doesn't mean these events happened, but rather that some people living at the time appear to have believed in them, said Roelof van den Broek, of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, who published the translation in the book "Pseudo-Cyril of Jerusalem on the Life and the Passion of Christ" (Brill, 2013).

Copies of the text are found in two manuscripts, one in the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City and the other at the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania. Most of the translation comes from the New York text, because the relevant text in the Pennsylvania manuscript is mostly illegible. [Image Gallery: 2 Ancient Curses Deciphered]

Pontius Pilate has dinner with Jesus
While apocryphal stories about Pilate are known from ancient times, van den Broek wrote in an email to LiveScience that he has never seen this one before, with Pilate offering to sacrifice his own son in the place of Jesus.

"Without further ado, Pilate prepared a table and he ate with Jesus on the fifth day of the week. And Jesus blessed Pilate and his whole house," reads part of the text in translation. Pilate later tells Jesus, "well then, behold, the night has come, rise and withdraw, and when the morning comes and they accuse me because of you, I shall give them the only son I have so that they can kill him in your place." [Who Was Jesus, the Man?]

In the text, Jesus comforts him, saying, "Oh Pilate, you have been deemed worthy of a great grace because you have shown a good disposition to me." Jesus also showed Pilate that he can escape if he chose to. "Pilate, then, looked at Jesus and, behold, he became incorporeal: He did not see him for a long time ..." the text read.

Pilate and his wife both have visions that night that show an eagle (representing Jesus) being killed.

In the Coptic and Ethiopian churches, Pilate is regarded as a saint, which explains the sympathetic portrayal in the text, van den Broek writes.

The reason for Judas using a kiss
In the canonical bible the apostle Judas betrays Jesus in exchange for money by using a kiss to identify him leading to Jesus' arrest. This apocryphal tale explains that the reason Judas used a kiss, specifically, is because Jesus had the ability to change shape.

"Then the Jews said to Judas: How shall we arrest him [Jesus], for he does not have a single shape but his appearance changes. Sometimes he is ruddy, sometimes he is white, sometimes he is red, sometimes he is wheat coloured, sometimes he is pallid like ascetics, sometimes he is a youth, sometimes an old man ..." This leads Judas to suggest using a kiss as a means to identify him. If Judas had given the arresters a description of Jesus he could have changed shape. By kissing Jesus Judas tells the people exactly who he is. [Religious Mysteries: 8 Alleged Relics of Jesus]

This understanding of Judas' kiss goes way back. "This explanation of Judas' kiss is first found in Origen [a theologian who lived A.D. 185-254]," van den Broek writes. In his work, Contra Celsum the ancient writerOrigen, stated that "to those who saw him [Jesus] he did not appear alike to all."

St. Cyril impersonation
The text is written in the name of St. Cyril of Jerusalem who lived during the fourth century. In the story Cyril tells the Easter story as part of a homily (a type of sermon). A number of texts in ancient times claim to be homilies by St. Cyril and they were probably not given by the saint in real life, van den Broek explained in his book.

Near the beginning of the text, Cyril, or the person writing in his name, claims that a book has been found in Jerusalem showing the writings of the apostles on the life and crucifixion of Jesus. "Listen to me, oh my honored children, and let me tell you something of what we found written in the house of Mary ..." reads part of the text.

Again, it's unlikely that such a book was found in real life. Van den Broek said that a claim like this would have been used by the writer "to enhance the credibility of the peculiar views and uncanonical facts he is about to present by ascribing them to an apostolic source," adding that examples of this plot device can be found "frequently" in Coptic literature.

Arrest on Tuesday
Van den Broek says that he is surprised that the writer of the text moved the date of Jesus' Last Supper, with the apostles, and arrest to Tuesday. In fact, in this text, Jesus' actual Last Supper appears to be with Pontius Pilate. In between his arrest and supper with Pilate, he is brought before Caiaphas and Herod.

In the canonical texts, the last supper and arrest of Jesus happens on Thursday evening and present-day Christians mark this event with Maundy Thursday services. It "remains remarkable that Pseudo-Cyril relates the story of Jesus' arrest on Tuesday evening as if the canonical story about his arrest on Thursday evening (which was commemorated each year in the services of Holy Week) did not exist!" writes van den Broek in the email.

A gift to a monastery ... and then to New York
About 1,200 years ago the New York text was in the library of the Monastery of St. Michael in the Egyptian desert near present-day al-Hamuli in the western part of the Faiyum. The text says, in translation, that it was a gift from "archpriest Father Paul," who, "has provided for this book by his own labors."

The monastery appears to have ceased operations around the early 10th century, and the text was rediscovered in the spring of 1910. In December 1911, it was purchased, along with other texts, by American financier J.P. Morgan. His collections would later be given to the public and are part of the present-day Morgan Library and Museum in New York City. The manuscript is currently displayed as part of the museum's exhibition "Treasures from the Vault" running through May 5.

Who believed it?
Van den Broek writes in the email that "in Egypt, the Bible had already become canonized in the fourth/fifth century, but apocryphal stories and books remained popular among the Egyptian Christians, especially among monks."

Whereas the people of the monastery would have believed the newly translated text, "in particular the more simple monks," he's not convinced that the writer of the text believed everything he was writing down, van den Broek said.

"I find it difficult to believe that he really did, but some details, for instance the meal with Jesus, he may have believed to have really happened," van den Broek writes. "The people of that time, even if they were well-educated, did not have a critical historical attitude. Miracles were quite possible, and why should an old story not be true?"

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Is Jesus social-media savvy? (Or Yahweh? Or Buddha?)

If you had to guess who has the biggest footprint on Facebook would you guess one of the Justins — Timberlake or Bieber? Perhaps Kim Kardashian or President Barack Obama?

Guess again.

Celebrities may have more followers, but with 1.3 billion impressions every 30 days and over 16.5 million fans, Jesus Daily claims to be the most engaged Facebook page in the world. The site’s success is indicative of the way religion has moved beyond the churches and synagogues onto the web, where faith can touch us not just on the weekend but every day.

Even Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI took to Twitter at age 85, quickly building up more than 1.6 million followers before signing off the social network on Feb. 28 following his almost unprecedented resignation, sending a final thankful tweet:

@Pontifex: “May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives.”

As the cardinals gather in the Vatican to elect the next Bishop of Rome on March 12, the fate of that Twitter account is unclear; the tweets on the @Pontifex account have been deleted and the name that appears alongside the handle reads “Sede Vacante,” Latin for “empty chair.” The Vatican has said it will leave the account untouched until Benedict’s successor is picked and decides if he, too, wants to use Twitter.

He’s likely to say #yes. The number of religious leaders using social media implies that Jesus, Yahweh and even Buddha have indeed inspired followers to find faith online.

“There are ways of being tech savvy, and some [religious leaders] are developing sustained, interpersonal relationships and making a difference in people’s lives through the context of digital ministry,” Elizabeth Drescher, author of “Click 2 Save: The Digital Ministry Bible” and religion and pastoral ministries professor at Santa Clara University, told FoxNews.com.

And expect religion to get even tech savvier, Drescher said: Our expectation that everything be instantaneous, accessible and on-demand means these figures and organizations need to become more mobile.

Another religious leader with a large following on Twitter is the Dalai Lama who on his @DalaiLama verified account has more than 6 million followers. The Dalai Lama mainly tweets instructive inspirations, such as his most recent message on March 7:

@DalaiLama: “Education is the way to achieve far-reaching results, it is the proper way to promote compassion and tolerance in society.”

These messages are what Fr. Jonathan Morris, a Catholic priest and Fox News contributor, likens to a delicious appetizer. 

“If you’re hungry, and I believe everyone is hungry for God, and you taste a really good appetizer, then you’re going to want to taste the next course because [social media] doesn’t replace the Bible, sacraments, or church,” Morris told FoxNews.com.

Just as St. Paul was willing to travel in order to spread the message of the gospel, Morris -- who uses Twitter and Facebook, and hosts a SirusXM Catholic radio channel -- sees social media not just as an opportunity, but an obligation to reach out to people who may not be coming into his pews on Sundays, as well as a means to keep in touch with parishioners.

Similarly, the leaders of America’s fastest and largest growing church according to Church Growth Today, Lakewood Church, Joel and Victoria Olsteen use several dozen social media platforms combined (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) as tools for ministry and communication.

Lakewood Church spokeswoman Andrea Davis explains to FoxNews.com that such forums offer the opportunity to connect with people in real-time: “Waiting until tomorrow to interact with people about a service or an event that is happening today is too late.”

In a single month Joel Olsteen, who now has about 1.4 million Twitter followers and whom Nielsen Media Research says is the most watched inspirational figure in America, will tweet approximately 224 times resulting in potentially over 413 million impressions. “As Christians, social media gives us the opportunity to cast a wider net, to let our lights shine more than ever before,” Davis said.

The Internet then becomes a place of prayer and worship.

Chabad Rabbi Uriel Vigler of the Chabad Israel Center in New York’s Upper East Side said social media has also been invaluable for education. He uploads weekly “two-minute Torah” video lessons, but people of other religions can also find apps for Buddhist meditation, Ignation contemplation and even a compass to point them in the direction of Mecca at times of prayer.

In Benedict’s message for the 2013 world day of social communications, the pope recognizes that social media is penetrating people’s lives and providing new spaces for evangelization.

“The Church sees that and embraces it as a means to dialogue and to the free and easy exchange of ideas,” Mary Nolan, a spokeswoman for Vatican news outlet L’Osservatore Romano, told FoxNews.com.

Nolan said the fact people can find a Torah lecture or a papal encyclical online shows how social media can help nourish faith.

“The idea is to be present when [people wonder about God] and help them from there," she said.

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