Let's put politics aside here for a few minutes and talk about how the religion card plays into abortion. Why is it that some Christians are pro-life while others are pro-choice on this controversial hot topic?

How people see the world has a huge influence on their reaction to different aspects of their religion. Because of this, people belonging to the same religious tradition can vary widely in their views and practices. Christians are no different in this area than are followers of any other religious tradition.

The most common argument heard from pro-life Christians is that abortion is murder. The most common counter to that argument from both Christian and non-Christian pro-choice supporters is that a developing fetus does not yet have life and therefore can not be murdered.

The passages that pro-life Christians use to support their ideas are interpreted differently by pro-choice Christians.

Psalm 139:13-16, NRSV, "For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are all your works; that I may know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them yet existed."

Pro-life Christians may interpret this scripture to mean that life starts at conception because God sees a life as existing before birth. If life were to begin at birth, then the idea that God knew and had written all the days of a person's life before that person was born is irrational. A life can not be planned before it exists. Therefore, life begins before birth and abortion is murder.

Pro-choice Christians who do not oppose abortion interpret this scripture as having nothing at all to so with life at conception or abortion. Rather, they may see it as expression the intimacy that they have with God because He formed them and knows them completely.

This difference in interpretation is one of the main reasons that Christians are split on this issue. There are many other arguments that play into this issue, this is just one of many.

Where do you stand on the issue of abortion and why? Is it a religious reason, or maybe some other factor that shaped your views on this subject? Tell us what you think by using the comment feature below!

The week of December 26th through January 1st is the time when Kwanzaa is traditionally celebrated. Never heard of it? Heard of it, but aren't sure what it is? Read this article about one man's own personal experience with the holiday!

Merry Christmas! Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. In our society however, this holiday has become quite secularized with images of Santa, Christmas trees, and presents. It seems fitting that on Christmas Day we should take a look at the story from the Christian perspective and try to understand why this holiday is so important to Christians. This is the account of the birth of Jesus from the book of Matthew as it is found in the New Living Translation on the Bible.

Matthew 1:18 - 2:12 "Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiance, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly. As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet: "Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us)." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him." Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. "Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?" he asked them. "In Bethlehem," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote: 'O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.' " 7 Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star. Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!" After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod."

Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, is it to you a religious holiday, or something else? How do celebrate this day? Use the comment feature below to tell us your views on Christmas!

Since Christmas is right around the corner, it seems appropriate to discuss this article written by Chloe Breyer, posted by Slate Magazine on Thursday, December 22, 2005.

Chloe Breyer is an Episcopal priest who has taken some heat for her controversial views on the conception of Jesus. In this article she points to scriptural passages that she links to the possibility that Jesus could have had a biological earthly father. This is an interesting article to read and it is sure to stir up some opinions. Following the article on the same page, is a criticism of Breyer's article. Be sure to read that as well!

Tell us what you think about this article and Breyer's ideas by using the comment feature below.

All quote have been taken from this New York Times article published on December 21, 2005.

The fight for equal rights for women has been an on-going battle in the western world for decades now. For the women of Saudi Arabia however, that fight has been greatly overlooked until recently.

Two women were elected to the 12-member board of directors of the Jidda Chamber of Commerce, the first time that women were elected to, or even permitted to run for, such a visible post in the kingdom.

There is more. Until a few years ago, Saudi women were completely excluded from the public sphere. Now their photographs appear in newspapers, heads covered, and they have their own picture identification cards rather than being disembodied names on their husbands' or fathers' cards.

In addition, the first university courses for women studying architecture or law have begun. Divorce is easier to obtain, and women no longer need a front man to register a company. Individually, such changes may seem minor. But taken together, they represent a real shift.

"We came from below zero," said Ms. Sharif, 37, who is pregnant with her seventh child and whose eldest is in the first class of female architecture students. "Now we have reason to be optimistic."

The changes, rapid and radical by Saudi standards, are noticeable to anyone who has not been here in some years. Of the dozen women interviewed for this article, most agreed to meet male journalists without being accompanied by a male relative, a rarity a decade ago. Several even agreed to have their photographs taken although the others declined, saying their parents or husbands would object.

The shifts, which are largely limited to the well off and well educated, have a number of sources. One is the double shock produced here by the fact that most of the Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi and the subsequent wave of terrorism by Al Qaeda that struck this country. Suddenly, the ruling family had reason to push back against some of the more reactionary practices imposed by the powerful clergy.

The women leading the movement for more rights are not presenting themselves as secular feminists. Rather, they are citing Koranic scripture for their demands, hoping to beat the clerics at their own game. When Saudi clerics say women should not drive, these women say the Prophet Muhammad spoke approvingly of a day when women could travel alone. They say women played crucial roles in the days of the prophet and that his wife, Khadija, was an important merchant.

"We have been insufficiently educated in our own religion," said Ghada Angawi, a personal coach for businesswomen, who considers the Koran a vital weapon in the fight for women's equality.

We can all hope that these changing ideas continue to change and that Saudi women will someday be able to enjoy the freedoms that are afforded to women in the western world.

Use the comment feature below to tell us what you think about these changes in women's rights in Saudi Arabia.

All quote have been taken from this CNN article posted at 12:40 pm EST on Tuesday, December 20, 2005.

For decades, the debate over evolution has been a sore spot for many religious groups. More recently, the concept of Intelligent Design, ID, has managed to make its way into realm of discussion in the scientific community.

In an opinion issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John Jones ruled that teaching "intelligent design" would violate the Constitutional separation of church and state. "We have concluded that it is not [science], and moreover that ID cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents," Jones writes in his 139 page opinion posted on the court's Web site.

"To be sure, Darwin's theory of evolution is imperfect. However, the fact that a scientific theory cannot yet render an explanation on every point should not be used as a pretext to thrust an untestable alternative hypothesis grounded in religion into the science classroom or to misrepresent well-established scientific propositions," Jones writes.

Intelligent design claims the complexity of some systems of nature cannot be explained by evolution but must be attributed to a designer or supernatural being. The Dover Area School District, about 25 miles from the state capital, sought to become the first in the nation to require high school science teachers to teach the concept of intelligent design as an alternative to Darwin's theory of evolution.

Jones presided over a six-week trial that ended last month. His decision applies only to the Pennsylvania school district. His decision would block the school district's plan "requiring teachers to denigrate or disparage the scientific theory of evolution, and from requiring teachers to refer to a religious, alternative theory known as ID."

Jones says in his ruling that he did not doubt that intelligent design advocates "have bona fide and deeply held beliefs which drive their scholarly endeavors," but he also said scientific experts testified that Darwin's theory "in no way conflicts with, nor does it deny, the existence of a divine creator.

This decision comes as a blow to the heart for many concerned Christian parents who want their children to learn an alternative theory to evolution. As it has for so long, this debate will continue in the weeks, months, and years to come.

Use the comment feature below to voice your opinion about this decision!

If we want to understand the current religiously motivated conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and Jammu, we must take a look back to the forming of these two countries. In 1947, the Indian sub-continent gained it's independence from Great Britain. Because of the large concentration on Muslims in the north-west and east, the land was divided into three sections, West Pakistan, East Pakistan, and India. East and West Pakistan were considered one country with one government, but were located on the opposite sides of India. In 1971, East Pakistan became Bangladesh and formed it's own government.

The dividing lines between India and Pakistan were drawn along the borders of religious communities. East and West Pakistan were predominately Muslim areas while India was predominately Hindu. The problem arose with the areas of Kashmir and Jammu. These two were both Muslim communities that were included in the Hindu country of India. Almost immediately following the division of the countries, Pakistan invaded Kashmir and Jammu. India retaliated and eventually a line was drawn allowing occupation of half of each city to each country.

Ever since the division, both sides have been the perpetrators and victims of religious and politically motivated violence. Radicals from both countries are seeking to control the lands of Kashmir and Jammu, and drive out anyone with opposing religious views.

Both of these countries have nuclear capabilities and the consequences of an all out war could be Earth-shattering, literally! This is an area of the world that we need to be informed about. The religious conflict in the Indian sub-continent could mean world-wide catastrophe.

Our primary purpose is to analyze how the major news of today and religion cross paths. Whether you're religious or not, the affect of religion is far too important to ignore. From the Middle East conflicts to terrorism, abortion, gay marriages, cloning and so many other issues, religion plays a major role in our lives today.

This is a place to broaden your understanding, ask questions, and explore the world of religion. Here you'll find brief explanations of different faiths, informative articles about religious events in the news, and much more! If you have questions concerning a religion or religiously motivated event, or if you have an article that you've written that you would like to see posted on this page, submit those here. Get involved, ask questions, bring your own perspectives! Let's learn from each other and see where that leads us.