Ramadan is a 30-day period of fasting for Muslims.  They abstain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset.  The reason is similar to fasting during Lent or Yom Kippur: to bring themselves closer to Allah by getting rid of less important things and focusing on more important things like reading the Quran.  The only times to eat are in the early morning and at night.  Young children and people who might be negatively affected by not eating are exempt from fasting.

Tradition states that Ramadan was when Muhammad the prophet received the first texts from the Quran, a very momentous event for Islam.  It also marks the anniversary of the Battle of Badr, a decisive victory for the Muslims against the idol-worshippers.

The day after Ramadan is Eid ul-Fitr. The holiday celebrates the end of the fasting period by eating a good meal and wearing new clothes. For 2010, Ramadan starts on August 11, and Eid ul-Fitr is on September 10.  Each year the month moves forward eleven or twelve days because the Islamic calendar is that much shorter. So in 2011, Ramadan will start on August 1.

So there you have it: a history lesson and a cultural experience all rolled into one post.  And maybe next year the holiday will show up on more and more calendars.

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Read on:

Funmuch.com – Ramadan

BBC – An Idiot’s Guide to Ramadan

Ramadan Awareness Campaign – Ramadan FAQ

“The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, known as the E.L.C.A., with 4.6 million members, is now the largest Protestant church in the United States to permit noncelibate gay ministers to serve in the ranks of its clergy — an issue that has caused wrenching divisions for it as well as for many other denominations.”¹

On Sunday,  St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco was the first to give rite of reception to seven gay pastorssince the watershed vote last year permitting noncelibate gay minsters to be ordained.  Two more rite of reception services are scheduled: one in St. Paul, MN area in September and another in Chicago, IL.

Here are some additional background facts:

• Since ECLA’s inception in 1988, gay pastors were allowed as long as they abstained from sexual relations.
• A resolution to allow gay minister in committed relationships serve the church was passed back in 2007 (vote of 538-431), and the policy officially passed in 2009 (vote of 559 to 441).
• Protestantism “is one of the four major divisions within Christianity (or five, if Anglicanism is considered separately) together with the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Roman Catholic Church.”²
• Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a 16th century German reformer, who was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic church with The Edict of Worms (1521), as a result of his differing view on Justification–justification by grace through faith and not through works (Roman Catholics hold the position of ”faith formed by love”, or “faith and works”).³

Read on:

Reuters.com – Lutherans to allow pastors in gay relationships (from 2007)

FoxNews.com – Gay Lutheran Pastors to Join Church Roster

Haibao, the Expo 2010 mascot

The Shanghai World Expo is in full gear right now, about halfway through its 184-day run.  Yes, you read that right – 184 days!  Ticket sales will likely exceed $1 billion USD, yet few Americans are probably even aware of its existence.  Here’s a quick education:

China put in the bid to host the 2010 World Expo in Nov 1999 and won the bid in Dec 2002.  Besides being the most expensive Expo in the history of world’s fairs (estimates vary, but it’s safe to say the costs range from $44-55 billion),¹ Shanghai also boasts the largest World’s Fair site to date (roughly 2 square miles).

192 countries (of 195 in the world, depending how you count) and 50 international organizations have confirmed their participation in the world expo that showcases the latest advances of architecture and engineering worldwide. Over 50 incumbent heads of state or government are scheduled to visit.

More facts:

• Duration: May 1 to Oct 31, 2010
• Where: On both banks of the Huangpu River in the city of Shanghai
• Theme: “Better City, Better Life” — to promote better living in future urban environments and sustainable living.
• Expected Visitors: 70+ million (which would make it the most visited in history) – 95% expected to come from within China
• Live shows: 20,000 scheduled
• Ticket price: 160 RMB / $24 USD

The purpose of expos has since evolved from its inception in 1851 to be more future oriented with themes focused on issues of humankind, intent on cross-cultural exchange of solutions. Technology and inventions remain an important aspect of Expos but are no longer the primary purpose.

Shanghai was a popular choice this time around because it is one of the largest ports in the world, the largest center of commerce and finance in mainland China, and considered the “next great world city” of the 21st Century.

Expos are linked to our past and future, and now that you know the biggest one ever is occurring right now, you’ll have something to share at the dinner table.

Read on:

Expo2010

Wikipedia – Expo 2010

CSMonitor.com – China’s Shanghai Expo 2010 – by the numbers

• Pamplona’s bull run starts off its San Fermín festival at 8 am every July 7th and another run is made each morning at the same time for a week.
• Six bulls and six steers are released on the street, and they run down an 825-meter stretch, which takes about three minutes.
• You must be over 18 to participate.
• Since 1924, 15 people have died in the event.¹

Video of Day 1′s running from 2009 can be seen below.

Read on:

Spanish-Fiestas.com – Pamplona Bull Run Map

Wikipedia – The festival of San Fermín

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

In a letter to his wife Abigail, John Adams wrote that many people will remember the United States’ independence “with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.” While John Adams was correct about the festivities, he declared that this day of celebration is to be recognized on July 2. So why was he off by two days?

July 2nd was the day that Congress decided in a document called the Lee Resolution that they were independent from Great Britain. July 4th was the day that more formal Declaration of Independence was signed. The much shorter Lee Resolution, while similar in purpose, starts out like this:

Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

Quote this document all you want; you now know something that your history buff friends probably don’t know about.

Read on:

AmericanHeritage.com – Making Sense of the Fourth of July

The Text of the Declaration of Independence on the Los Angeles Times website

OurDocuments.gov – Lee’s Resolution transcript

• Mildred and Richard Loving were married in June of 1958 in Washington, D.C.  However, when the couple returned to their home in Virginia, they were arrested, under the Racial Integrity Act of 1924, because Mildred was African-American and Richard was Caucasian.
• The couple fled to Washington, D.C. where they filed charges against Virginia.  The Supreme Court voted unanimously that the Virginia law was unconstitutional and made mixed marriages legal.  However, the last anti-miscegenation law was not removed from the law books until 2000 when Alabama removed their law.
• The holiday was started by Ken Tanabe who is of Japanese and Belgian descent.  He found the Loving v. Virginia case online and realized that no one else knew about this landmark decision.  Tanabe went on to organize the holiday to commemorate the court case and celebrate mixed marriages.
• Today, the holiday is celebrated in various cities like New York City and in countries around the world.

Read on:

Loving Day official website

The Loving v. Virginia case on FindLaw

You can find the original post here.

It is important to know that flag wavers take their respect of the flag very seriously. Most of us know the basics, but if you don’t know what to do if you want to hang your silly Chicago Cubs “W” flag next to the American Flag, you should read this little refresher on flag etiquette. The rules are spelled out in the U.S. Flag Code.

• When hanging from your house, a balcony, or a window, the blue field should always be at the peak of the staff. When displayed over a street, the blue field should face north or east.
• If displayed with another flag, the U.S. flag should always be on top.
• When raising the flag, do it briskly. When lowering it, do it slowly and reverently.
• Never let the flag touch the ground. After lowering it, fold it neatly and ceremoniously. For a good diagram, look here: http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html
• You may fly the flag in the rain if it is made of all-weather material.
• You should not fly the flag after dark unless there is a light shining on it.
• The flag should be displayed at half staff on days of national mourning. Briskly hoist it to the peak for an instant and then lower it halfway. When lowering it at sundown, raise it to the peak and then lower it ceremoniously.
• On Memorial Day, the flag is displayed at half staff until noon, and then at full staff until sunset.
• The flag should never be used as advertising, costume, or decoration.
• When too worn to be used anymore as a flag, make sure to dispose of it properly. The American Legion and/or the Scouts usually have days in which they burn retired US flags in a dignified manner.

Read on:

USHistory.org – Flag Rules and Regulations

USFlag.org – History of Flag Day