Apologia Report 2:6
March 17, 1997

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
"Frontman for REM Sings Praises of Qi Gong" by Kimberly Kindy -- nationally famous "alternative-rock musician turns to alternative-medicine." Notes that Qi Gong fans include Goldie Hawn and Julia Roberts. "Qi Gong uses breathing, movement and meditation to cleanse and circulate the blood and 'vital life energy,' called Qi (chee)." Brief. Orange County Register, Feb 14 '97, p5 (Metro).

 ASTROLOGY
"Astrology's Rising Market Stars Chart Rough Times Ahead" -- yet another look at the occult's influence on economic forecasting and the Wall Street crowd. The "stars" mentioned in the story are Arch Crawford, Henry Weingarten, and Yvonne Morabito, but has the strongest focus on Crawford - taking him quite seriously. After all, "Crawford's performance ranks sixth out of roughly 100 market timing newsletters." Los Angeles Times, Feb 9 '97, pD2.

 AUM SHINRI KYO
Watching the NuRel-L discussion list on the Internet I noticed that Ted Daniels, director of the Millennium Watch Institute, has placed large files "about Aum Shinri Kyo on [his] web site [http://www.channel1.com/] which describes some investigative journalism into Soka Gakkai in relation to Aum." The post was dated Feb 18 '97.

 CULTURE
"Interview with a Vampirette" -- peeks at a fringe group within the Gothic Death Rock scene known as "practicing vampires." Love is expressed by drinking each other's blood. The column heading is "Subcultures." Brief. New York Times Magazine, Feb 9 '97, p17.

 DOOR MAGAZINE
"A Place Where Very Little Is Held Sacred" by Peter Carlson -- defines the more sacrilegious editorial philosophy of the serial's new leadership under the Trinity Foundation's Ole Anthony and ends up becoming an advertisement - 800-number and all. Los Angeles Times, Jan 26 '97, pE2.

FEMINISM
Dictionary of Feminist Theologies, Letty M. Russell and J. Shannon Clarkson (Westminister John Knox, 1996) -- a work of "sheer range ... [by] some of the most distinguished names in theology. ... [T]he language of the whole Dictionary is not as confidently theological as one might wish - no doubt revealing the discomfort of many women with the traditions in which they stand, and to which they want to be loyal, but which, at some level, they deeply distrust." Briefly reviewed (more pro than con) in Expository Times, Feb '97, p154.

 ISLAM
History of Islamic Philosophy, Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Oliver Leaman, eds. (Routledge, 1996) -- "will go a long way towards dispelling any notion that might still linger in Western minds that the practice of philosophy came to an end in the Islamic world.... It will I suspect," says reviewer James Thrower, "rightly become the standard work on philosophy in the Muslim world for many years to come." Expository Times, Jan '97, p120.

 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
"Ex-JWs Summoned by Norwegian Police" -- "In a bold move aimed at suppressing dissident Jehovah's Witnesses, the Watchtower Society's New York headquarters has filed charges with the police against ex-members Kent Steinhaug and Jan Haugland of Norway. Steinhaug reported for questioning this morning to the police station in Skein, his home town. Both men are accused of violating copyright laws by posting copies of a secret Witness elder's manual on the Internet." Comments from the Friends (Press Release), Mar 4 '96.

 LOCAL CHURCH, WITNESS LEE
Judging from the "Response from Our Readers" column, the Local Church's efforts to gain an apologetic influence are not being taken very seriously. With no criticism offered, or at least printed, from readers, there seems to be a lack of serious dialog necessary for the Local Church movement to BE well understood. Affirmation & Critique, Jan '97, p2.

 LUCAS, GEORGE
"The Force Is Back" by Bruce Handy -- notes that Lucas was "reading a lot of Joseph Campbell" which enabled him to write the screenplay for Star Wars almost as if it were an "'academic' exercise in refashioning ancient myths for modern audiences." Time, Feb 10 '97, p68.

 MORMONISM
"Scholarly & Historical Information Exchange for Latter-Day
Saints (Shields)" -- "a site for responses to issues raised by critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." From a Web site  announcement in Mormon-Index, Mar 3 '97.

Mormon discussion lists on the Internet:
** - LDS Philosophy
Philosophy of Religion from a Mormon perspective
http://www.nd.edu/~rpotter/ldsphil.html
Admin Email: listserv@vma.cc.nd.edu
** - Mormon History
[no description provided]
Admin Email: majordomo@sara.zia.com
** - Polygamy
Discussion of Polygamy, particularly as it is practiced by adherents to the Mormon faiths [sic].
Admin Email: majordomo@lofthouse.com
** - Studies in Antiquities & Mormonism
Focus on Book of Mormon and Church History prior to 1845.
Archaeology, History, and related approaches, but not too much scriptural interpretation.
Admin Email: pacal@bingvmb.cc.binghamton.edu
(All the above announcements are reproduced here as published by Mormon-Index, Mar 3 '97.)

 NATION OF ISLAM
Little X, by Sonsyrea Tate (HarperSanFrancisco, 1996) -- "offers the first inside-out view of what it is like to grow up in the Nation of Islam." Tate counsels would-be NOI members that joining "the Nation" to get away from "the exploitation outside" is only "trading one form of exploitation for another." Reviewed in Philadelphia Inquirer, Mar 4 '97, Lifestyle (n.p.).

"Former N.A.A.C.P. Leader to Join Nation of Islam" -- Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., former head of the NAACP and presently "a minister in the United Church of Christ," lost his NAACP job "for committing $330,000 without board approval to settle sexual harassment complaints against him." New York Times, Feb 25 '97, pA10.

 O'HAIR, MADALYN MURRAY
"Where's Madalyn?" by David Van Biema -- while you may know O'Hair has mysteriously disappeared, you may not have expected this magazine to turn up with five full pages of investigative reporting about it. Time, Feb 10 '97, p56.

 RELIGIOUS PLURALISM
"No Religion Has a Monopoly on God's Truth, Clerics Assert" by Larry B. Stammer -- reporting on Ronald F. Thiemann, dean of the Divinity School of Harvard University, and Rabbi A. James Rudin, national director of interreligious affairs for the American Jewish Committee in New York, featured seminar speakers at a Fuller seminary during the last week of January which focused on an anticipated "theology of pluralism." Notes that there was opposition to the views of the speakers, but does not indicate the official viewpoint of the school or why the seminar was held at Fuller. Los Angeles Times, Feb 1 '97, pB8.

 ROMAN CATHOLICISM
"If It's of the Virgin Mary, You Can Find It in Dayton" by Gustav Niebuhr -- more on "the world's largest library devoted to the Virgin Mary." I must say, I am surprised that any library is getting the press that this one has to date. The Marian Library at the University of Dayton holds 90,000 volumes in over 50 languages. Check out <http://www.udayton.edu/mary/> to learn more. New York Times, Jan 31 '97, pA10.

 SCIENTOLOGY
"Does Germany Have Something Against These Guys?" by Bruce W. Nelan -- introduces the row between the German government and Hollywood figures Travolta and Cruise. Time, Feb 10 '97, p42.

 SIKHISM
"Canada's Torn Sikhs: In a Holy Place, Holy Rage" by Anthony DePalma -- describes violent internal conflict over Western influence. Offers the profile, "Sikhism is a religion that arose in the Punjab region of India from the teachings of a 15th-century guru named Nanak, who laid down its tenets of equality, monotheism and self-restraint." New York Times, Feb 20 '97, pA4.

 SUFISM
"Generations of Spiritual Pilgrims Plant Seeds of Sufism Across U.S." (Washington Post story) -- "Ages-old tradition rooted in Islam seems to be gaining a foothold in America. Whirling dervishes are just one among many schools of the religion." Quotes a sheik in Vermont, "We are very consciously creating a Sufi culture in North America." The only Sufi school of thought described is that of the Mevlevis. Los Angeles Times, Feb 8 '97, pB8.