Published February 25, 2006

IN THEORY

What is Humanity's Greatest Threat?

Q: This week, Oakseed Ministries -- a Virginia-based group that helps other ministries in their efforts to serve the third world -- launched an international art contest called "Compassion for the Starving Child," designed to promote more awareness among children of international hunger, which organizers say is among the greatest crises on our planet. Bono, of U2, might agree, as he promotes his "One" campaign to deal with extreme poverty. Others have taken a slightly different perspective on poverty.

Mother Teresa once said that "the most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved." What, in your opinion, is the greatest crisis on our planet, and what is faith's/religion's role in solving it?

A: The greatest crisis facing our planet is the loss of community and the rise of the self as the new god. Because in the self we find an ego expressing itself through pride, envy, lust, gluttony, greed, laziness and anger. Each of these seven expressions brings about the problems that our planet faces, from poverty to global warming, from loneliness to war, from hatred to nuclear annihilation.

All true religions should bring the person to understand him or herself as part of a community, and therein, serving the spiritual and physical needs of that collective. In this model, the self - ego - cannot find opportunity to survive above the goals of the community.

In this vein, I'm pleased that today, as this column is being read, that over a million young people are participating in World Vision's 30-Hour Famine this weekend. The purpose is to bring attention and funds to the starving children of the world -- 29,000 of whom are dying each day because of hunger. More than 50 Armenian youth -- all great grandchildren of genocide survivors -- are participating in this planned Famine here in Glendale. It's a strict fast they adhere to -- no food or drink -- to collect much needed funds to feed the children in Darfur, Sudan, who have fallen victim of genocide. In this way, the Church is faithful to its mission to help the individual lose the self (ego) and strive for the greater purpose: the service of humanity.

FATHER VAZKEN MOVSESIAN

Armenian Church

Youth Ministries

Fair and Balanced Religion Coverage

Published February 18, 2006

IN THEORY

Fair and Balanced Religion Coverage

Q: A panel of Washington journalists was to convene this week to discuss coverage of religion in the media. The goal was to have a conversation about the pitfalls and the positives that coverage of faith issues brings. What do you think are some of the pros and cons of general coverage of religion in the media? What does it do well? What can it do better?

A: This is certainly an appropriate time to have such discussion. There is a religious dimension to just about everything in the news these days and if there isn't, it seems that there's someone ready to put a sacred twist on the profane.

When it comes to reporting stories, I feel an extra effort is made to emphasize the religious component to the story, perhaps because of the incongruity between bad news and the supposed good nature of the religious. For instance, a sexual molester is a bad person, whether he be a priest, a rabbi, a contractor, a plumber, a lawyer or an architect. His crime against the victim and against society is neither augmented nor diminished by his vocation. Yet, the religious twist is always an added feature, which makes for good copy.

I'm pleased that this discussion will be criticizing, and therefore evaluating media perceptions. Criticism -- and even more self-criticism -- brings evaluation and change for the better. It is part of the evolutionary process, in this case the evolution of journalism in a very spiritually-conscious era.

The next challenge will be for a little self-criticism and self-evaluation by religions and the institutions that represent them.

FR. VAZKEN MOVSESIAN

Armenian Church

Youth Ministries

A Matter of Freedom of Conscience

A Matter of Freedom of Conscience

Q: Anger over a depiction of the Muslim prophet Muhammad has turned into protests after a Danish cartoon's depiction of the prophet. How do you feel about depictions of deities in Western media, and the media's right to present them? Is there a line to be drawn when it comes to depictions of deities?

A: The anger demonstrated over the cartoon does seem out of proportion for us. After all, we live in a society where the sacred no longer exists. Everything is up for grabs, including deities and of course, life itself.

The concept of free speech guarantees a public critique of government. It has a place within free society and certainly in ours. Editorial criticism is the foundation of progress. Cartoonist Thomas Nast brought down Boss Tweed and Tammy Hall with witty caricatures. Tragically, we shelter filth and profanity under the same free speech guarantees and expect it to all come out clean in the wash, but it doesn't.

These Muslims are saying that the sacred should remain untouchable. When publishers and media owners are more interested in shock and disrespect, it is the right of the consumer to boycott and protest. The rioting is that protest taken to an extreme. Of course, it would be nice if they were consistent in their protest - say when a person is beheaded or terrorized - to protest the disrespect of human life. But it's always easier to love a god that we don't see rather than the brothers and sisters we do see.

As tempers flare up, we need to keep focused to a few inescapable realities; namely, we live on this planet together. The survival of our species depends on our ability to live together. Sure we're free to write, say, or draw anything, but that doesn't make it right, especially when there is disrespect for another person's beliefs.

Approach one another with love and respect and see if the world can be a better place.

FR. VAZKEN MOVSESIAN

Armenian Church Youth

Ministries

Ministering to the Military

Published February 4, 2006 - Glendale News Press - Los Angeles Time

IN THEORY

Ministering to the Military

Q: The number of mainline military Protestant chaplains has reportedly decreased recently as evangelical Christians have enlisted in the chaplaincy. Critics have reportedly complained that some evangelical chaplains are preaching to service men and women that the only way to salvation is through Jesus -- a claim new chaplains say is only natural, adding that restricting the impulse to preach about Jesus would be a restriction of religious freedom. Are you concerned about how service men and women are being ministered to, and do you think the influx of evangelical ministers, if it's disproportional to other faiths, could be detrimental?

A: Of all the people to play head-games with, soldiers might be considered the easiest targets. As the saying goes, there are no atheists in foxholes.

Thoughts of God and salvation are very comforting to most humans and are craved even more when stress levels are high.

We can only imagine the added stress on the lives of our soldiers. They have been separated from family and friends, living on foreign soil. They witness carnage daily and face the reality that life can be over any minute. And so, if a minister is able to offer these young men and women a bit of comfort or stability or a ray of hope, more power to them.

The success these chaplains have is not based only on their message, rather it is a combination of factors, and the chaplain's ability to lead by example weighs in the heaviest. That is, if the chaplain is offering serenity and a helping hand, our soldiers find a home in that faith.

Religion at its best should be all about making sense of the senseless -- bringing order to chaos. I can't think of a more appropriate place to begin than on the battle fields, whether in Iraq, on our streets or in our lives.

FR. VAZKEN MOVSESIAN

Armenian Church Youth

Ministries