Religion

Last week, I was privileged to join the La Crescenta branch of Bahá?ís at the home of Lily and Shahrom Moghbel. The Bahá?í religion is considered to be the youngest of the world?s independent religions. Its founder, Bahá?u?lláh, is considered to be the most recent in the line of ?Messengers of God?; they include Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Christ and Muhammad. In other words, religious history throughout the centuries has manifested itself through a series of divine messengers.

LOS ANGELES — Religious hate crimes, including a tagging incident at Glendale’s St. Peter Armenian Church, increased last year throughout Los Angeles County, according to a county report released Thursday. Religion was the basis for third-largest group of hate crimes reported in Los Angeles County in 2008, according to the county’s Commission on Human Relations annual report. Hate crimes based on a person’s race or sexual orientation made up the largest and second-largest groups, respectively.

The Vatican said it has worked out a way for groups of Anglicans who are dissatisfied with their faith to join the Catholic Church. The process will reportedly enable groups of Anglicans (parishioners and even church leaders) to become Catholic and recognize the pope as their leader, yet have parishes that retain Anglican rites. What do you think about this? Do you believe the Anglican church will be strengthened by this union with the Catholic church? And how do you reach out to those who have lost faith in their religion and are looking to other religions for answers?

Center for Spiritual Living La Crescenta Sixth annual Cowboy Church The Center for Spiritual Living presents its sixth annual Cowboy Church featuring Cody Bryant and the Riders of the Purple Sage at 10 a.m. July 5. The concert will be followed by a Western barbecue. This year, the Center welcomes Father Ted Ley of St. Ann’s parish in Los Angeles, who will be participating in the service. Donation for the barbecue is $20 for adults, $12.50 for kids 6 to 12, and $7.50 for kids under 5. For more information and to make reservations, call (818)

Over the last number of years, starting mostly with the rise of Ronald Reagan as president, a new religion, or rather a cult, has risen and overwhelmed our country. The mantra of this religion is ?no taxes,? or ?cut taxes,? or ?no new taxes.? This mantra has been promoted primarily by the so-called ?conservative Republicans? and some Libertarians, but has also been adopted by many in the general public ? the latter having been brainwashed by the endless repetition, and never questioning the real reasons for its promotion.