Collide Issue 17 by Kaitlin Schluter

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For students, by students | December 2013 | Issue 17

YOUNG LOVE THE DANGERS OF TYING THE KNOT TOO YOUNG

DISNEY PSYCH The Magic Kingdom’s Secret Formula to Timeless Classics

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[letter from the editor]

Happy Holidays, Christmas, Hanukkah or what have you.

n what most of America generically calls the holiday season (or the time when no one is in school and it’s freezing), we are inundated with commercialism and consumerism, begging us to buy the newest this and the latest that. From Christmas gifts to New Year’s resolutions, December revolves around the new, shiny and polished next-best-thing. I always look forward to the family traditions and the people I will see during the holidays now, but I can honestly admit that this was not always the case. I remember a time when it was about gifts and accumulating the most, in general. Age has worked its magic, and proabably a bit of God’s grace too, because this year I am not concerned about what gifts have my name on them. Instead, I am primarily just excited to be in the presence of family, reading for fun by the fire and thinking without distraction. While daydreaming about our absurdly long break, I realized that we had to come up with material for our final issue of Collide for this semester. It turns out that the holiday season provided the perfect platform for Issue 17. Although this was not a themed issue, a significant theme emerged. The concept of religion seemed to be at the heart of several articles written for this issue. Deep issues came out of originally lighthearted ideas, and I implore you to engage those ideas with us. During this holiday season, what are we actually celebrating? What religious doctrine will you engage with most this De-

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cember? Are you a consumer or a Christian first? Has consumerism taken control of how we view our Christmas breaks? It’s certainly taken over Thanksgiving (Page 10), since shoppers hardly had time to digest before they could trample down aisles of stores opening as early as 6 p.m. on Grey Thursday, appropriately named after the state of pathetic tendencies of consumerist America. Not that it’s not fun. Check out some easy DIY crafts to have some homemade gifts to share this Christmas (Page 12). Did you

Arielle Dreher Editor-In-Chief

ask for a puppy for Christmas? If so, I don’t blame you, but check your priorities when it comes to getting the puppy gifts this Christmas (Page 5). If your New Year’s resolution revolves around getting “in shape,” make sure you aren’t being bought by another marketing ploy to stay skinny (Page 28). As a small investigation on one corporation shows (Page 7), consumerism plays by its own rules most of the time — ignoring what we would value as ethics. It may run off our human urge to want and

want and want, but it never lets us be in control. The media has a way of controlling audiences and usually giving them what they want. Disney proved to be a great example of this (Page 20). Beyond the glitz of the holidays, this season revolves around religious tradition. We tried to cover some bigger bases in this issue revolving around that issue. The writers wanted to see how other faith groups view the “holidays.” It turns out Hanukkah includes gift-giving too (Page 10). Beyond religious traditions, how do religions deal with the world’s complications? Scott Jacob looked at young Christian marriage (Page 24) in an attempt to reveal the significance and importance behind marriage. Is being a Christian prescriptive to behavior, in regards to holy traditions and unions? Katelyn Montalvo reviewed the “radical” changes in terms of social justice issues that the new pope has made in the past year (Page 30). Don’t forget the POV featuring guest writer Austin Sill, who willingly discloses how valuable doubt is in his faith. After all, do our religious tendencies breed a need for certainty in a practical or simply a pathetically human way? As first semester winds down, I hope that this entire month off will give you time to think, pray, reflect, cherish, laugh, eat and ponder. In a world that screams you don’t have it all together until you have X,Y and Z, I find peace in the doubt that Christianity provides. On another note, Happy Christmas, Harry.

Editor-in-Chief Arielle Dreher

adreher09@apu.edu

Art Director Sarah Ottavis

sottavis09@apu.edu

Online Editor Ashley Cameron

acameron10@apu.edu

Copy Editor C. Amaris Felton cfelton09@apu.edu

Publicist Chelsey Barmore

cbarmore10@apu.edu

Busness Manager Erin Lee collideads@gmail.com

Faculty Advisers Kyle Huckins khuckins@apu.edu

Tim Posada

tposada@apu.edu

Contributing Writers

Katelyn Montalvo, Melissa Quintero, Scott Jacob, Emily Leyva, Moriah Larson , Marisa San Miguel, Brooke Seipel, Caitlin Trude

Located between the Caf and Cougars’ Den Café. On Facebook, Instagram or on Twitter @apucollide.

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Mission Statement

Collide is a publication of The Clause, a multi-media student voice of undergraduate Azusa Pacific University. Our stories seek to bring people together on our pages where our ideas collide and stories impact readers. We provide narratives, inquiries and dialogue in a Christian academic setting that values individual’s stories as well as community concerns. Our writers are student-journalists interested in crafting articles that connect with readers and challenge them to grow as people and reporters. www.theclause.org/collide • 1

CONTENTS 24

Sochi Bound

check out the Winter Olympics on pg. 14

Read More 14

Get your paws off my cash: How much are we spending on our pets?

Liberal son of the church: Find out what the new pope is not doing.

4 4

2 • collide • december 2013

Russia 2014: Crowds get ready for the Winter Olympics.

Nifty Gifting: Get some nifty gifty ideas for that hard to shop for brother–in–law. Tis the season to be crafty: A few Do It Yourself crafts to do for this Christmas season.

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Features

Threads

10 All of God’s

4 It’s Tradition:

children

12 Tis the Season to be Crafy

[Venture] A Cheap Laugh... By Caitlin Trude

Christmas in Normway

4 The List: Nifty Gifting

14 Russia 2014:

Sochi Bound

20 The Psychology of Disney

24 Saying “I do” too young?

28 The Skinny

on the Healthy Marketing Craze

30 Liberal Son of the Church

32 From Plague to

Peace: A New Vision of Doubt

Shorts 5

Get Your Paws Off My Cash

Grey Thursday

“Dove” Even Go There

4 Numbers: Beautiful Dreamer

5 Uncommon

Reads: Books you should pick up this winter

5 Blonde Hair Don’t Care: Facts about Blondes

9 Coffee and

Converation with Adam Hollick

ON THE COVER: Photos by Sarah Ottavis Models: Davian Nestor and Alia Hartwig

It is hard to have fun on a college student’s budget. We have all tried it and we have all resorted to the cheap, mundane, stay at home ideas again and again. Sometimes staying in is great, but other times there are those nights you just need to get out. At Upright Citizens Brigade, or UCB, it’s possible to get out on a budget and who said nobody likes a cheap laugh? UCB, located in the heart of Hollywood at 5919 Franklin Ave, is a comedy theatre that has shows every night of the week. The theatre offers both sketch comedy and improv shows, all of which range between $10 and free. That’s right, free. Typically, shows earlier in the evening are free, shows late at night on the weekends at $10 and every show in-between costs $5. The price, however, does not reflect the quality of comedy you’ll

Visit theclause.org/collide to read more.

[Digest] Death Toll Increases By Brooke Seipel The Philippines was the target of one of the strongest storms ever recorded when Typhoon Haiyan struck the central islands two weeks ago. With wind gusts up to 200 mph, the low-lying island regions were entirely flattened by the storm and more than one million homes were destroyed. On Friday, Major Reynaldo Balido, a spokesman for the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council confirmed that the death toll was at approximately 5,209. “It’s hard to speculate if the death toll will increase significantly,” Balido said, who also confirmed that the islands affected by Haiyan were undergoing their third round of distributing relief. Haiyan swept through the islands of Yolanda, located

Visit theclause.org/collide to read more. www.theclause.org/collide • 3

threads

IT’S TRADITION Christmas in Norway, especially since the advent of electricity, is a festival of light — a promise of longer days and the return of the sun. Norwegians need a boost during those weeks when high noon feels like twilight and it's dark by 4 p.m.

BEAUTIFUL DREAMER

Each year more than 3 billion Christmas cards are sent in the U.S. alone.

In an average lifetime, an adult has spent 6 years dreaming

NIFTY GIFTING Still scrambling to get all the loved ones a gift? Want to avoid the long lines in the department stores? Looking for something a little more original than a Target gift card? When it comes to the art of creative gift-giving, the following list proves that there’s something to satisfy everyone on the –Caitlin Trude

Gone are the days of stolen sodas from the work lounge refrigerator! For Amazon’s price of $16.98 Dad can enjoy a cold beverage either in his man cave or at the office by asimply plugging the USB cable into a computer to cool the canned drink. Powered by the computer, the mini USB fridge keeps beverages cold for the

Gone are the days of stolen sodas from the work lounge refrigerator! For Amazon’s price of $16.98 Dad can enjoy a cold beverage either in his man cave or at the office by simply plugging the USB cable into a computer to cool the canned drink. Powered by the computer, the mini USB fridge keeps beverages cold for the

These shoes were made for walking – all the way to Mount Doom. For $31.89, Firebox is selling these one-size-fits-all Shire slippers that exude both comfort and style and yes, look like little hobbit feet. After all, one does not simply attend the premiere of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” without the appropriate footwear.

Adults have about 4 dreams a night

30 The longest dreams (3045 minutes) occur in the morning

percent of childhood dreams are nightmares

–Emily Leyva The Hyper Dog Ball Launcher may be more of a gift for dog owners than the dog, as it allows pet owners to launch tennis balls up to 200 feet without wearing out arm muscles. Either way, Sparky will be more than happy to go long. Play fetch for days at Ama4 • collide • december 2013

Not everyone can sling a sword like Tom Cruise in “The Last Samurai,” but with the Samurai Umbrella, brothers and boyfriends alike can get one step closer. Firebox’s umbrella-sword hybrid includes a shoulder strap, nylon sleeve, carefully crafted hilt and samu-

Channel that inner photographer/coffee drinking hipster – or just drink the coffee. Photojojo’s camera lens travel mug sells between $24-$30 in black and white, but sells for less on other retail sites. Just don’t get this lens mixed up with the actual Nikon lens...

You cannot snore and dream at the same time.

UNCOMMON READS

BLONDE HAIR DON’T CARE Just two percent of the world is naturally blonde.

Blonde beards grow faster than dark beards.

ISHMAEL (1992) Daniel Quinn The origin of life, the consequences it has on human ideologies and their relationship with the Earth, and what the future of human existence will look like are all issues that pass through the conversation between a grown man and a telepathic Gorilla.

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES (1993) Jeffery Eugenides When five suburban girls in Detroit kill themselves, neighborhood boys try to piece together the reasoning, in the process learning more about what the girls had taught them during their subtle cries for help. He needs to write one more sentene right here.

* Check out excerpts from these books at theclause.org/collide

In the ancient Rome, women tried to died their hair blonde with pigeon dung (poop.)

Princess Diana spend almost $6, 284. 80 a year to have her hair bleached.

Northern Europe has the most blondes.

DOGS: ARIELLE DREHER; MOUSE CHARACTERS: ILLUSTRATIONS BY EVA WILHITE; MAP: GETTY IMAGES

Most natural blonde babies lose their natrual hair blonde once pubety sets in.

FOOD CRAVING

Aztec and Mayan kings used chocolate as a form of currency.

LOVE POEMS (1924) Pablo Neruda Neruda’s poetry simply cannot be restricted to a short synopsis; the words will speak life into a seemingly withered day, allow you to see the emphatic wings of a hummingbird, or provide a glimpse into the fragmented world of a revolution that surrounds him. –Scott Jacob

Get your paws off my cash BY MELISSA QUINTERO

ccording to the American Pet Products Association, in 2013 Americans spent approximately $55.53 billion on pets alone. Another study by Generousgiving.org found that a little more than $60 billion a year is donated to religious nonprofit organizations—about $40 billion of that figure goes to churches in America. It makes you wonder what Americans are spending their income on. Of course pets bring us joy and good company, but are some products really necessary? Pet cellphones that attach to a dog’s collar are some of the more outrageous inventions. With this device a dog can be reached at a specific phone number, in case he gets lost and you want to know where he is. Bark once for if you’re at the park or twice for the nearest fire hydrant, Fido! These cellphones are available with built in GPS systems so you can track your dog as well. Other similar inventions include dog treadmills, goldfish walkers, bird leashes, dog hot tubs, dog

Puppies lounge about and nap on one another.

diapers, strollers for pets and cat and dog translators. Although it sounds far-fetched, these inventions can be found on Amazon or other pet websites. The Finance Geek website reports that the annual cost of maintaining a pet is $700-$1,000, and that is only including the necessities, such as food, water, shelter, hygiene and vet check-ups. Apart from bringing us happiness, pets can also be extremely helpful. Some examples include guard dogs or service animals for the visually impaired. Pets can also help increase exercise in one’s life, provide companionship and some studies have even proven pets to be stress relievers.

By no means should we get rid of pets all over the world, but pet owners should be more aware of where their money is going. It is important to invest in a pet, but the idea is to do so wisely. Does a dog really care about what color nail polish it has on or the Halloween costume it will wear? Pet spending can be a controversial topic, and many people make the common consumer mistake of overspending on their pets. The temptation to shop in general is overwhelming, but don’t be that person who buys more things than they know what to do with. Let’s face it, a majority of things like pet toys or dishware usually end up in the yard sale anyway. www.theclause.org/collide • 5

shorts

Grey Thursday BY ASHLEY CAMERON

efore the turkey is cold and the leftovers are safely stored in Tupperware, bargain seekers line up outside retail stores, preparing to fight for the best deals available. While Thanksgiving used to be a day devoted to rest, relaxation and family, in the past decade, it has become synonymous with a day for Christmas shopping. During the 2012 Thanksgiving weekend, the National Retail Federation (NRF) survey showed that spending reached $59.1 billion across the country. This year, the craziness of early morning Black Friday shopping was pushed back to the late evening of “Grey Thursday.” The NRF estimated that 140 million people shopped online or in-stores during Thanksgiving weekend this year. For this year’s Grey Thursday, the standard opening time was 8 p.m. for the main retailers such as Macy’s, J.C. Penney, Kohl’s and Target. In an effort to beat out competitors, stores such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart opened their doors at 6 p.m. “Shopping over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend has become a much-anticipated tradition enjoyed with friends and family,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief customer officer. “As many customers are eager to get a jumpstart on their shopping, we are opening our stores at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day as a convenience to our customers who want to make Kohl’s their first stop.” Nicole Mueller, who has worked at Kohl’s for almost a year, attributes the change to competition. The retail chains need to have the best sales and the most shoppers knocking on their doors Thursday evening. “[Kohl’s] is trying to be competitive,” Mueller said. “If we want to compete in the market, we have to [open early].” Every store strives to have the best deal on an iPad, the biggest markdowns on the trending clothes and now the earliest start to the Christmas season. 6 • collide • december 2013

“Last year it was midnight or 11 p.m., now this year it is 8 p.m.. It is going to keep going until it ends up on Wednesday,” Mueller said. “Most people don’t recognize it [Thanksgiving] as a holiday. They are just camping out in tents outside of Best Buy. I think that’s sad.” Mueller also noted that working on Thanksgiving Day was not a big deal to her or her coworkers. She said most people she knows don’t do much on Thanksgiving so they might as well work. The sign-up sheet for working Thursday evening was fairly long. Mueller’s statements align with what Target said during last year’s Black Friday sales event. Tina Schiel, executive vice president of Target Stores, made a statement for the press regarding the

earlier opening time: “When we made the decision to open our doors at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving, the first thing we did was reach out to all of our store leaders and ask them to have discussions with their team members and seek volunteers wanting to work. We had so many team members who wanted to work on Thursday that hundreds of our stores are now keeping lists of volunteers who want to work if shifts open up. Across the company, only one-third of Target’s store team members are scheduled to work on Thanksgiving, and we continue to hear from store after store that there were more volunteers than shifts to fill. Even if employees don’t mind the time-and-a-half holiday pay and customers don’t mind the crazy crowds, the

‘Dove’ Even Go There, A Pain in Unilever’s ‘Axe’ BY MORIAH LARSON

man with a chiseled body and pronounced features dashes across the damp sand, gliding toward the infinite shoreline. However, this is not a part of a daily exercise routine. Instead this exhilarating sprint involves being pursued due to his adequate scent. In a perfectly orchestrated trip, he stumbles – falling victim to the women chasing him down. He eventually gets up, flashes a blinding smile, then

thanks Axe for allowing this to happen. A woman enters into a room with nothing but a few chairs strategically facing opposite directions. She takes her place on the white leather seat, and without prior knowledge of the activity, begins answering questions from a forensic artist about her appearance. After the man obtains the description she offers, he draws another image of the woman – except this time it is according to a stranger’s opinion. Once the

two extremely different pictures are revealed to her, the scene fades and the line, “You’re more beautiful than you think,” is shown alongside the iconic Dove logo. To the average consumer, Dove and Axe have nothing in common. But upon investigation it is clear that the brands share a substantial (and ironic) similarity – both are owned by the multinational consumer goods company Unilever. From its promotion of skin-lightening creams to advertising Ben & Jerry’s – just for consumers to turn around and purchase its SlimFast products – Unilever is no stranger to corporate controversy. While the messages of Dove and Axe accurately adhere to their mission statements which seek to “improve customers’ quality of life in terms of hygiene and self-esteem,” Dr. Bala Musa, professor and chair of communication studies at APU, believes Unilever’s conflicting depictions of men and women pose a concerning ethical dilemma. “The company is presenting a double image,” Musa said. “Meaning if it’s going to bring them profit, they don’t mind acting against the perceived impression they have already given.” Though the marketing behind the two brands undoubtedly involves boosting self-esteem, Unilever’s overall delivery generates a vast divergence between the company’s principles. “Society as a whole is becoming better at holding corporations accountable for their actions,” Musa said. “I think there will be an inwww.theclause.org/collide • 7

creased backlash from people who feel that organizations are not living up to their ethical principles or acting in ways that are socially responsible.” First, there is the Axe agenda, which operates under the premise that its products will “keep guys one step ahead in the mating game.” Not only do its commercials feature scantily clad women nearly throwing themselves at the stereotypical “Axe guy,” but they also imply rather inappropriate and sexual scenarios. For a brand so closely associated with cleanliness, who knew its marketing could be so dirty? “I think this whole ‘sex sells’ scheme is one that companies need to walk away from,” Musa said. “Because in this case, we are seeing an organization playing on both sides of the fence, which I wouldn’t consider ethical at all.” Then there is Dove’s “real beauty” campaign which, according to Unilever’s website, began out of concern for women with low self-esteem. One of the brand’s surveys, for example, found that 75 percent of teenage girls felt “depressed, guilty or shameful”

after spending just three minutes leafing through a fashion magazine. In response, Dove started displaying women of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities as a way to redefine what “being beautiful” truly entails. “The Dove campaign shows that it values women, their dignity, their self-worth and that women should be

changes have been made to Unilever’s advertising techniques, prompting the question: What should the product conglomerate do? “Ultimately, a company needs to have reputable standards, as opposed to housing separate norms,” said Musa. “Nothing in its campaign needs to be exploitative or dehumanizing of

“I think there will be an increased backlash from people who feel that organizations are not living up to their ethical principles or acting in ways that are socially responsible.” –Dr. Bala Musa

proud of their appearance, no matter what they look like,” Musa said. “Yet, the opposite campaign, Axe, conveys contradictory standards, which is why I think there needs to be a certain level of consistency in [Unilever’s] mission, vision and message they’re communicating.” Although this corporate paradox came to light back in 2007, minimal

people. So in that way, I think [Unilever] will find being ethically and socially responsible, both monetarily and morally rewarding for its business.” Whether its clashing messages are intentional or merely an “axe”-ident, Unilever must be held accountable for what it “doves” as a company, or in this case… doesn’t.

HISTORY LESSON A typical pencil can draw a line 35 miles long or write about 45,000 words.

Sarah Ottavis and Kelli Hoffman celebrate the coming of the finish line.

Most ball-point pens will draw a line 4,000 to 7,500 feet long. Plant growers mark their plant labels with pencil because it is the one marking that won't fade in sunlight. A good-size tree will make about 300,000 pencils.

8 • collide • december 2013

Rowing is the only sport where competitors cross the fnish line backwards. The origin of rowing stems back to old England. In times of old, when there were very few bridges over the River Thames and they were separated by long distances, the only possible means of reaching the opposite shore was to use a rowing boat. As it could be a tedious journey from one shore to the other, passengers started to place bets on who would be first. These bets frequently brought great winnings, therefore with time they became increasingly more popular and official races were organised. -Sarah Ottavis

Coffee & Conversation

Adam Hollick puts a smile on for the crowd.

BY MELISSA QUINTERO

ROWING: SARAH OTTAVIS; COFFE AND CONVERSATION: ADAM HOLLICK

enior commercial music major Adam Hollick has a unique talent that is not common among APU students. He recently took on the strenuous task of opera singing and works each day to perfect his skills. The fascinating world of opera has kindled a passion within the young musician that he never knew existed. Staff writer Melissa Quintero sat down with Hollick to find out about his remarkable journey as a performer and follower of Christ. Melissa: What is your talent? Adam: I claimed to be a commercial music major three years ago along the way because I knew that I loved to sing but I wasn't sure in what arena. I was still trying to figure out where I wanted to go with that and what my talents were. That’s when opera just kind of happened, so really as of now, it’s been my thing. M: How long have you been singing? A: I started singing in general around the seventh grade and really started exploring it in high school. I sang for kicks and giggles in my earlier life but never anything serious. M: How were you introduced to opera and why did you choose to practice it? A: I was not interested in opera at all; I’ve only been singing opera for a year and a half now. What happened was at the end of every year each music major, depending on your instrument, has to perform in front of a panel of judges. Afterwards the judges rate you and give you constructive criticism as they examine your progress from the time before. In my jury two years ago, the director of opera was sitting in on my performance, and after I was done, she came up to me and asked if I had ever considered singing for the opera program. She said I had a voice for opera, and I thought she was absolutely nuts. My perception of opera was that it’s just too big of a task, you have to be training out of the womb in order to do it, so I thought there was no way I could sing opera. I turned to my teacher and asked what he thought about it, and he

Adam Hollick thought I should do it. This came as a complete shock to me. I had just finished the academic year and now they laid this on me. He encouraged me to try it and finally, after some considerable thought, I gave in. My reasoning was, why not? I mean, I’m still trying to find where I fit in and so I gave it a good old college try. After that, I don’t know what happened, but I absolutely fell in love with it. I stayed in the program and continued to expand the music that I was listening to. M: How long did it take you to master the art of singing opera? A: I have not to this day mastered it, and I don’t know when that day is going to come. Surely when the day comes that I’ve mastered this incredibly difficult art, I will give you a call. However, I fear it may be a life’s work for me. Once I found out about opera, I basically gave my whole self to it. This is what I’m gonna train for because this is what I’m deeply passionate about. It consumes all my time, my thoughts and my practice. It’s been

a year and a half and it is still quite the journey to continue to work day in and day out, trying to hone this craft. M: What would you want to pursue as a career, whether that be in opera or music in general? A: Well, I am still figuring that out, but I know that I love to sing and that I have a passion for opera. I would like to perform opera and oratorio as much as I possibly can. I’m finding out what a solo career looks like and it’s a lot of traveling, it also has the potential to be a lonely life, but honestly, each singer is different...I’m trying to figure out what that would look like for me, but another thing that I recently became interested in was teaching, to direct an opera program like my teacher does and to teach other young artists specifically at the college level. I think it would be great to show others how to sing healthily and sing in a way that would result in a long career. My desire to master this art and sing beautifully has inspired me to pass that on as well. www.theclause.org/collide • 9

All T

he glittering glow of softly lit lights. Humble heads bent down in prayer and worship. An exchange of presents between loved ones and fond memories of laughter, love, family and friends. While this may sound like a Christmas Hallmark commercial, it is also a picturesque image which many Jews participate in during their celebration of Hanukkah. According to a Gallup poll, 95 percent of the U.S. celebrates Christmas. Though the Yuletide season is technically a Christian holiday, it is still celebrated by non-Christians and is becoming an American pastime, with only 51 percent 10 • collide • december 2013

God’s children By Emily Leyva of Americans describing the holiday as a religious celebration. The Pew Research Center has estimated that nearly 5.3 million Americans identify themselves as Jewish, representing only 2.2 percent of the adult population. From that number, only 4.2 million Jews consider themselves to be religious. So what does this small population of individuals do while the rest of America is decorating trees and hanging up stockings? The customs and values of Christ-

mas and Hanukkah celebrators may not be as unrelated as they appear. In Hebrew, Hanukkah translates as “dedication.” Also known as the Festival of Lights, which symbolizes the lighting of the menorah, Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt. Around 168 B.C., the Syrian Empire sought to destroy Judaism and Israel, in hopes of uniting the land to worship the same god and share the same customs. The Syrian ruler destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem, erected a false idol and outlawed all Jewish practices. Though some Jews submitted to the new rulings, Mattathias Maccabee, a member of the priestly class, and his sons fought back. Soon, other farmers joined the Maccabees and retaliated against the Syrian Army. In three years, the simple farmers overthrew the massive and wellequipped army, marched back to Jerusalem and reclaimed the Temple despite the overwhelming odds against them.

HANUKKAH: ILLUSTRATION BY DAVE GRANLUND

The Temple that was previously defiled by the Syrians, was restored, rebuilt and rededicated (Hanukkah) along with the original 7-branch menorah and eight days of celebration and praise to the proper Jewish God. Hanukkah’s eight-day celebration is inspired by another Jewish holiday. The battle against the Syrians began just after the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Typically, around this time, the Jews celebrated their fall harvest day know as Sukkot. Immediately following the liberation of the Temple, the Jews continued to celebrate Sukkot, which was an eight-day celebration. The dedication of the Temple and eight-day celebration of Sukkot were combined, and Hanukkah was born. Much like the stories and legends that circulate around Christmas, Hanukkah also has its own myths, particularly speculating the reasons for an eight day celebration. Erick Mack, a member and officer of the board at the Congregation Etz Hadar in Redlands, said: “The myth that every Jewish child learns is that it’s as if they fought the siege from inside the temple. The myth is they were down to their last container of oil, just enough for one day, but somehow the lamp stayed lit for eight days and that’s considered a great miracle.” During Hanukkah, certain artifacts are brought out especially for the holiday.The dreidel, for example, a small four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side, and the Hanukkah menorah, a sacred candelabrum, which consists of nine candles and branches instead of the usual seven are both used for Hanukkah festivities. Much of the activity of Hanukkah takes place at home with the lighting the menorah as the central event. One candle is added on each day of the holiday until all the candles are lit by the the eighth day. For Misha Goetz, a religious Jew and former student at APU, watching the candles burn represented a magnificent and beautiful glow. “[It is] something that will stick with me,” Goetz said. In contrast to the Christmas feast of turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing, Jews enjoy a different pallet of food. Potato pancakes (latkes) and jelly-filled donuts (sufganiyots) are popular dishes to share during the celebration, with a variety of techniques, flavors and tex-

tures used to make them delectable. The goodies are normally fried in oil, to commemorate the legendary oil in the Temple of Jerusalem. Though the original celebration did not include presents, Hanukkah was heavily influenced by Christmas, which usually takes place around the same time of year and later evolved into a gift-giving holiday, a tradition which Jews embrace

5) Maoz Tzur. This medieval song further thanks God for his miracles and continues the themes in prayers two and four. Despite the religious differences between the Jewish and Christian holidays, there are a lot of elements, customs and values that are surprisingly similar. For Erick Mack, his recollections of Hanukkah and the celebration of it are no dif-

Also known as the Festival of Lights, which symbolizes the lighting of the menorah, Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt. today. “Getting one present every night for eight nights was always a blast!” Goetz said. Unlike Christmas, Hanukkah falls on different dates every year. The first night of Hanukkah this year fell on Nov. 27, the night before Thanksgiving, which, according to the Hebrew calendar (an evolving lunar calendar), will not happen again for another 79,000 years. On each night, the candles of the menorah are lit, corresponding to the day of celebration. These are followed by five prayers, which, according to Dr. Ron Wolfson, professor of education at American Jewish University and the president of Synagogue 3000, are: 1) Mitzvah berakhah: “lehadlik ner shel Hanukkah” (lighting the Hanukkah lights), which defines the act as a religious experience and an intent to encounter God. 2) Berakhah of praise: "sheh'asah nissim la'avoteinu" (who created miracles for our ancestors). This prayer thanks and remembers God for the reclamation of the Temple and for his wondrous miracles. 3) Final berakhah (and only on the first night): "shehecheyanu" (who has given us life). This blessing is said to acknowledge the commencement of a holy time for growth and development. 4) Haneirot Hallalu. This is a relatively short story retelling the events of the origination of Hanukkah.

ferent or less valuable than any Christmas celebration and can even resemble a Christian’s childhood memories. “[Hanukkah] evokes a lot of memories when I was a kid and getting presents. One grandmother made potato pancakes that were fluffy, one made them crispy and a little greasy, my mother made potato pancakes that were somewhere in between. So... it was family," Mack saidwith a cheerful smile. Despite the religious connotations of Hanukkah and Christmas, Jews and Christians alike can be easily distracted by the commercialism of the season and can sometimes forget the true meaning of the holidays. “I think everyone gets lost in the commercialism. Even I get hooked, you know… Lands End, LL Bean, they have deals! And they’re enticing!” Mack said. But with the holidays and conflicting ideologies that can create tension, there is an attempt to reconcile and understand the differences between the religions. And for Mack, keeping the congregation doors open for all to enter represents an open heart and a shared sense of family and community that can be exercised on Christmas, Hanukkah or any other time of the year for that matter. “We hope that reaching out will help to break down barriers, stigmas or misconceptions,” Mack said. “One of the most important things we need to remember is that we are all God’s children.” www.theclause.org/collide • 11

Tis

‘

the season to be crafty

DIY ON-CAMPUS CHRISTMAS CHEER By Brooke Seipel

f Pinterest could take a lie-detector test, it would not pass. Those who have tried a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) project know that results rarely come out looking like the sample. One out of five DIY projects end as DIE projects (named after the phrase repeated by frustrated craftspeople as they crumble, smash and cry over their failed attempts at being crafty). If this sounds familiar, the following DIY projects might be for you. As someone who is not remotely crafty, I thought it would be best to tackle projects that people are familiar with and would consider “easy”. These crafts can make for gifts, party favors, snacks and decorations for the holidays. 12 • collide • december 2013

DIY

A. REINDEER MARSHMALLOW POPS MATERIALS Regular marshmallows Lollipop sticks Semi-sweet chocolate chips Pretzels (regular snack pretzels not sticks) Something to make a nose (red hots, red sprinkles, can be anything of your choice) Foil or wax paper A medium-sized saucepan A glass bowl (big enough that it can be set over the saucepan without falling in) STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS 1. Line a pan with foil or wax paper for your finished product to harden on. 2. Place the marshmallows sideways onto the lollipop sticks. 3. Melt the chocolate chips. This can be done either in the microwave or in a glass bowl over boiling water. 4. Stir continuously until the chocolate is completely melted and remove the chocolate from the heat. 5. Take the marshmallow pops and dip them in the chocolate so that there is no white showing on the marshmallow. 6. Take two whole pretzels and stick them on the back of the pop as antlers. 7. Lay the lollipop stick flat with the pretzel side down so it can set. 8. Use the red candy of your choice for the nose and place it on the front of the reindeer as a nose (you can make eyes if you like by adding white candies such as white-chocolate chips or mints). 9. After doing this for all of your pops, place them in the fridge to let the chocolate harden. 10. When you’re done, wrap them as presents, put them out for guests, or eat them because you deserve it after all your hard work.

DIY PROJECTS: BROOKE SEIPEL

B. CHOCOLATE COVERED PEPPERMINT PRETZELS

3. Using either a kitchen utensil or your own hands, crush the candy canes into small pieces. The pieces should be small enough to be sprinkled onto the pretzels but not too powdery. 4. Melt the chocolate chips. (Use the same method from the previous project.) 5. Dip your pretzels into the chocolate, covering about 3/4 of the pretzel. 6. Set the pretzel on the foil or wax paper. Sprinkle the candy cane pieces over the chocolate-covered pretzel. 7. After repeating this for the desired

For colored ornaments 1. Take out your ornaments and your paint. 2. The ornament will most likely have a removable top piece that is used for hanging. Take this piece off so that you can pour paint into the ornament. 3. Pour a generous amount of paint into the opening of the ornament. 4. Shake the ornament vigorously until the entire inside of the ornament is covered in paint (add more paint if needed). Be careful to cover the opening at the top of the ornament paint can come flying out (learned that one the hard way). 5. Let them dry overnight and they’re ready to hang on the tree or give as gifts. For glitter ornaments 1. Add a small drop of dish soap and some water into your ornament. 2. Swirl the soap and water around the inside of the ornament so that the walls of the ornament get soapy. 3. Pour out the soap and water. It shouldn’t be sudsy if you added the right amount of water and soap, but if it is, just wash it out again. 4. Pour glitter into the ornament. 5. Shake the ornament until glitter covers the entire inside. The soap makes it stick to the walls. 6. Let the ornament dry overnight. 7. Hang your disco ball of an ornament and have a dance party.

PROJECT RECAPS

MATERIALS Large pretzel sticks (tip: pick a bag toward the back of the shelf at the grocery store to get fewer broken pretzels) Semi-sweet chocolate chips Candy canes Foil or wax paper Sandwich bags

number of pretzels, place in the fridge 8. to harden. Substitute pretzels with Oreos, Candy Canes or another treat as well to create other chocolate-dipped holiday creations.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS 1. Line a pan with foil or wax paper to set your finished product on to harden. 2. Take several candy canes and place them in a sandwich bag. Layer the baggies to make sure nothing gets out and you won’t make a mess (like I did).

Materials: Clear glass ball ornaments Acrylic paint colors of your choice Glitter (if desired) Dish soap (if you go the glitter route) * These supplies can be found at Target, Wal-Mart or your local craft store.

C. ORNAMENTS

1. The reindeer lollipops were kind of difficult. Mine turned out looking more like bulls than reindeer. 2. The chocolate-covered pretzels, Oreos and candy canes were a mess to make. I had chocolate everywhere, but that’s what made this one fun. I also don’t think it’s possible to mess them up. They all taste good when they’re assembled and if you wrap them nicely, they could make for a cute gift as well. 3. The ornaments were so easy, they were elementary. Perhaps that is why I feel like what I produced weren’t good enough to be presents. Writing something on the ornaments in Sharpie or paint pen could add flair and make the crafts gift-worthy. If nothing else, you can always put them on your own tree.

DISCLAIMER: While shopping for the

project supplies, I noticed every single thing I made was on sale and cheaper than the total cost of making the crafts myself. Sorry DIY, next time I might buy. www.theclause.org/collide • 13

The Akhun Tower overlooks Sochi, Russia where the 2014 winter games will be held.

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RUSSIA

2014 By Arielle Dreher

Photos courtesy of International Olympic Committee

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People on the streets get ready for the 2014 Winter Olympics by cheering and waving flags.

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ussia is likely to have been in your news feed lately with hot headlines featuring infamous NSA document leaker Edward Snowden who is currently vacationing in Moscow, anti-gay propaganda and Syria. It seems almost ironic that a previously dormant behemoth of a country like Russia, that faded with the collapse of the Berlin Wall, will launch into the spotlight again starting in February when Sochi hosts the XXII Olympic Games. These are the first Winter Games to be held in Russia. Sochi is situated on the coast of the Black Sea, as close to the continent of Europe as possible. Besides location, what does it mean to Russia and the world that Sochi will host the XXII Olympic Winter Games? Sochi has a population of 400,000 people and is situated in Krasnodar, which is the third most populated federal subject in Russia. It is a coastal town situated on the eastern side of the Black Sea and the most southwestern part of Russia. The Games in Sochi will cost an estimated $51 billion, the most expensive Olympics to date. Russia is spending millions of dollars on the infrastructure as well as a road to get from Sochi to the “mountain sports cluster” in Krasnya Polyana, which needed to be paved for spectators and athletes to get up to the mountains for the snow sports. Sochi is traditionally a beach resort town, and to prevent a shortage of snow, The Guardian reported that Olympic organizers will begin stockpiling snow in February as well as utilizing snow machines. Construction has limited local residents access to resources since an all-hands effort has been implemented for preparations for the Games. Besides the local residents, national issues have been in the news lately regarding Russia as a host. Melissa Samarin, a recent graduate from the University of Oxford with a Master’s in Russian and Eastern European Studies, has studied and kept up with the political and social movements in Russia. “Sochi is really far south, and it’s considered warm for Russia,” Sa-

marin said. Sochi is located nearer Europe than Moscow, specifically close to parts of old Soviet nations that have experienced turmoil in the past including Chechnya, a republic of Russia, and Georgia, the country. The Caucasus Mountains, the mountain range that separates Russia from Georgia and provides a natural split between Europe and Asia, are a pocket of unrest and have been for years due to bad governance and power consolidation issues Samarin said. In the past Russia and Georgia have gone to war over these regions on the

border, and conflicts have persisted due to religious and cultural intolerance. Samarin also mentioned that initially the Olympic committee was concerned about Sochi as a location, but tensions have significantly eased since 2008, although the conflicts are far from resolved.

Russia’s International Relations

The Russian government had recently banned gay propaganda, and there is speculation about whether or not gay contestants or fans will be welcome in Sochi. President Putin calmed nerves by issuing a statement declaring that all gay participants and onlookers will be accepted. “There is a law in Russia that you are not allowed to protest based on individual identity; you can’t stage a public protest on individual identity or gender,” Samarin said. “Putin said, ‘We will let them [gays] in,’ but there is still speculation about how that will be handled.” Initially, the Russian government announced that the use of social media would be prohibited during the games, but that has since been repealed. Journalists are allowed to use their smartphones, but taking videos is still strictly forbidden. Regardless of Russia’s appearance in controversial news topics lately, there is and always has been tension between the United States and Russia. Regardless of past tensions, the Olympic Games should not affect U.S.-Russia relations unless something unprecedented happens, Samarin said.

The local music group joins in on the celebration.

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The Olympic Stadium being built for the Sochi 2014 games.

Sochi

OLYMPIC HISTORY Because of it’s location, Sochi is a lot warmer than most people think.

.Sochi The first Olympic Winter Games was the so-called "Winter Sports Week" in the French town of Chamonix. It took place in 1924 and saw 16 nations taking part. These Games were not very lucrative for the organizers, but they helped to spread the word - public opinion about the Winter Olympics was very positive. There will be about 80 countries taking part in the Sochi Games, which means a record number of 5500 Olympic athletes and team members. Roughly 3 million TV viewers around the world will tune in to watch the Games in Sochi.

“It is a good thing that Russia is holding it [the Olympics] because they are trying to be a part of the international community, but on the other hand, it is speculative because Putin has been muddling in a lot,” Samarin said. Commentators have said that the Winter Games might be a distraction from controversial dealings Russia has 18 • collide • december 2013

in other countries, and in her past experience, Russia is a fairly unpredictable country Samarin said. “Objectively speaking, when Olympics time comes, right before there will probably be some outbursts...but once they start, they should go smoothly,” Samarin said. The past historical facts about the

relationship between Russia and the U.S. typically revolve around a conversation about the Cold War, but there is more to the story than that. There seems to still be an underlying competition between the U.S. and Russia today, even if it is nonviolent in nature. Dr. Dave Lambert, a professor of U.S. history at APU, said that lately, Russia has been on a roll with its foreign policy, and the Olympics are a part of that. Russia is flexing its diplomatic muscle of late vis-à-vis the U.S. Lambert said. In international diplomacy, Russia’s stance on most things are of importance to the U.S. “They [Russia] are important because the security council of the U.N. has five permanent members, and they are on it,” Lambert said. “If any one of them says no, then it doesn’t happen.” Lambert also said that usually China or Russia are on the opposite side of the U.S. in the U.N. negotiations on security.

Syria and other conflicts

A direct point of contention currently revolves around Syria. Most of Syria’s arsenal is out of Russian supplies. Russia also has a port in Syria, and the U.S. has been upset with the former about that too, Lambert said. Regardless, Russia has supported Syria before the U.S. even got involved asking Syria to kindly dismantle its nuclear and chemical weapons. After Albania respectfully declined to be the host country for dismantling the weapons, the US and Russia had to make a plan, to be approved by the

Swimmers hold the torch to celebrate the upcoming olympics.

U.N. The new location for dismantling the weapons is not yet determined. The conflict in Syria directly affects U.S.-Russia relations, and according to the BBC, agreements about the removal of chemical weapons from Syria were reached back in September between the U.S. and Russia, in compliance with the U.N. Security Council. There have been uprisings in Syria since 2011 by military groups seeking to get President Bashar al-Assad out of office. The U.S. pushed for a resolution “carrying the threat of military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s armed forces,” and Russia opposed this for a while. After months of discussion, Syria is set to comply with the U.N. resolution and remove all chemical weapons in the first half of 2014.

Meanwhile in Chechnya, Russia, some 12 hours east of Sochi, Chechnyans are training and sending men to help in the Syrian rebellion, aiding different groups to topple President Bashar al-Assad. Thus, the stubborn relationship between the U.S. and Russia continues. Add to the Middle East drama the fact that Russia granted asylum to the infamous Snowden, and you get a slightly touchy relationship between the two world powers. “There is still a feeling that we sort of trust them but we really don’t, and they sort of trust us but really don’t,” Lambert said. Of course, there are some people who believe that between Snowden and Syria, the U.S. should boycott the Olympics. U.S. Senator Lindsey

Graham, R-S.C., made a statement to NBC News saying that “playing host of the games gives Russia a propaganda platform to promote itself at a time when, he contends, the Russians are responsible for enabling Iran’s nuclear program, threatening Israel and supporting Bashar Assad in Syria.” U.S. House Speaker John Boehner later called him dead wrong, not that it matters anyway since the U.S. Olympic Committee decides whether or not the U.S. participates, not the government. Despite the political history between the U.S. and Russia, we should probably be aware of the political ironies of the XXII Winter Olympics and then sit back and enjoy the powder, tricks, and speed of the Winter Games. Bring it, Sochi. www.theclause.org/collide • 19

The Psychology of

By Brooke Seipel

Disney

20 • collide • december 2013

illustrations by Lexi Harris and Evan Black

nce upon a dream we just couldn’t wait to be king, see a whole new world and go the distance. We believed that a happy little thought could make us fly, “hakuna matata” was our motto and we painted with all the colors of the wind. Despite ditching Peter and growing up, we’ve remained loyal to the studio we grew up watching. It doesn’t matter how old or young an audience is, Disney manages to reach it. The company has a secret– call it “magic” if you wish–that powers the psychological draw to Disney for audiences of all ages.

Part One: The Formula

Disney’s Frozen was estimated to earn $200 million at the U.S. box office on Thanksgiving weekend, which is slightly less than Tangled made in November 2010. When set side by side, the leads of Frozen, Anna and Elsa, seem identical to Rapunzel, the heroine of Tangled. Not only do they look alike, but they also carry the same spunky, take-charge attitudes leading them to desert social norms and save the day. Sound familiar? It’s the same as Mulan, Ariel, Aurora, Pocahontas, Tiana, Cinderella, Belle and others. Alter this formula slightly and you get: Hercules, Aladdin, Fox and the Hound, Toy Story (1-3), The Lion King, Robin Hood and many more. Emma Coats, a director and storyboard artist for Disney Pixar studios, recently tweeted fans the guidelines for script writing which includes creating a character liked for grit more than actual successes and asking what the stakes for the character are and why the audience should root for it. According to Coats, any Disney story can fit into this particular formula: Everyday ____, one day ____, because

of that _____, until finally ____. Apply Tangled, Hercules and Sleeping Beauty to this formula, and they all fit the bill. While other studios also use this formula, Disney’s cartoons strictly adhere to it. The formula works because it’s timeless. Since Disney movies don’t use pop-culture references, they’re not confined to a certain era and can be enjoyed 50 years later. Whether you’re watching these movies in the ‘90s or 2020, it’s natural to still want the villain to go down, the lead character to get the girl (or guy) and to hold our breath during underwater scenes and get anxious hoping they’ll make it out in time, even though Spoiler, they always do. Dr. Daniel Pawley, APU communication studies professor, explained that the appeal of Disney’s timelessness relates to the culture and psychology of their fans. “The Disney universe (films, theme parks, products, etc.) promotes a powerful myth that transcends age, race, gender and culture,” Pawley

deep eyes and long faces; animals are friendly, humorous and talkative. Characters are purposely designed this way because their looks have a psychological appeal that the audience might not realize. Design can be affected by the desire to illustrate a visual development that reflects a character’s personality. However, it is also largely affected by the way different facial types attract or repel audiences. Dr. Ronald Riggio, a psychologist who has studied nonverbal communication and facial expression, said that facial features have everything to do with both physical attractiveness and emotional appeal. “Facial features are important in sexual attractiveness; men prefer female faces to be highly ‘feminized,’ which includes more childlike, or ‘baby-faced,’ features, such as larger than average size[d] eyes and lips,” Riggio said. “This is likely because baby-faced features suggest youth and female fertility… in males, faces with wider jaws are more attractive

“Facial features are important in sexual attractiveness; men prefer female faces to be highly ‘feminized,’ which includes more childlike, or ‘baby-faced,’ features, such as larger than average size[d] eyes and lips.” –Dr. Ronald Riggio

said. “It's a myth we might think of as ‘sentimental modernism’ in which nostalgic sentiment persuades people to become and remain fans... Disney makes us feel good, secure, happy and more so than almost any other cultural product it is the reservoir of positive emotions.”

Part Two: The Animation

It is easy to look at Disney animation and see the similarities in character design. Princesses have large eyes, small noses and impossibly pinched waists; villains are dark with

because wide jaws suggest strength and masculinity.” Animation also includes the setup of scenes, movement and setting. One technique that continually slips by audiences is repetitive slapstick scenes, dance numbers, facial expressions, movements and settings that are used to move the story along.

Part Three: Music

Disney movies aren’t the same without a few short sing-along-songs for the audience. The studio can’t quite take credit for this idea; you www.theclause.org/collide • 21

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may have noticed that there is music in every movie. If music wasn’t in movies, imagine how awkward some scenes would be; montages just wouldn’t work. However, unlike other studios, Disney has its own specific uses of music for viewers. Psychologist Peggy Orenstein explains that the studio uses songs to break the tension after a serious moment. “Under the Sea” comes just after Ariel’s statue of Eric is destroyed and “Hakuna Matata” comes after Timone and Pumba find a forlorn Simba on the brink of death. In other instances, songs tell the audience what the character wants or what they are thinking about. “Something There” from Beauty and the Beast illustrates the changes in Belle and the Beast’s relationship, while “Someday My Prince Will Come” works better than Snow White saying, “I really want a boyfriend.” Music also serves as a way for audiences to emotionally connect with the film. Dr. Stuart Fischoff, a psychologist, has studied media psychology and explained the importance of how music in film relates to the emotional meaning for listeners. Music helps viewers to understand the character, their mood and the gravity of situations in films. All of this, Fischoff explains, evokes an emotional response. By associating the music with audiences’ feelings, Disney manages to pull people back to their movies both old and new. Pawley explains this emotional connection as a relation to the brain’s processing of emotion. “Many parts of the brain respond to Disney-relevant stimuli, but it's most likely that a product like Disney causes deep resonance within the brain's limbic system (and particularly within the small part known as the amygdala), which is the center of emotion in the brain,” Pawley said.

Part Four: Other Patterns

What’s with the dead parents, villains and animal sidekicks in Disney movies? Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Lilo and Stich, Cinderella, Tangled, Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, and dozens more have main characters that are missing one or both parents and/or suffering under malicious guardians. According to Disney studios, the strength and power shown by mother characters hold back characters from

finding their own self-sufficiency. By removing parental figures in its movies, Disney eliminates the possibility for a character to run to their parents for help. This parentless feature has been influential in children’s development by encouraging them to rely on themselves. Animal sidekicks aren’t as significant as dead parents; however, they serve as an interesting cheat to characters. Because it is important for the characters to be self-sufficient, the help they get can’t come from someone too strong. Animals are a way for main characters to receive the help a main character needs without it looking like they’re weak. As for villains, there are several kinds: status-seekers, wealth-seekers, throne-seekers, revenge-seekers and evil-seekers. Characters that come to mind in each of these categories include: Scar, Ursula, Maleficent and Mother Gothel. Dr. Orenstein’s psychological analyses of Disney villains show that they ultimately transmit critical messages about the American view on crime. Disney often depicts crime as individualized, unconnected to social conditions with villains embodying a sense of total and utter evil. Most villains have no redeemable characteristics as to keep them separated from any emotional attachment. While villains’ motives vary, they always serve as a form of indoctrination to teach children values in society. Villains serve as an audience attachment to Disney for a number of reasons, mainly in how they teach us values, but also in our desire to always see good triumph over evil. Pawley explains how this balance affects fans. “There is often a very prominent basic desire among Disney fans to know that good always triumphs over evil, and because of that we can be optimistic about our lives and world,” Pawley said. Whatever the psychology may be, Disney looks like it will continue to make timeless movies that are audience favorites. And knowing this generation, the next time a new Disney movie comes out, we will momentarily leave our provincial life and become a part of their world. Disney, you’ll forever be in our hearts.

Which Disney character are you? 1. In your free time you would

probably: a. Go out and see the world b. Work a couple extra hours to save up c. Plan how you are going to overthrow your brother d. You don’t have free time you have a lot of work to do

If you could do whatever job, you’d like to be: a. A flight attendant b. A waitress/waiter c. A king d. A housewife

3. You mostly hang out with:

a. Your close friends b. Your co-workers c. Your possy of hilarious followers d. Your animal friends

4. In school, you’re the kind of

student that: a. Studies abroad b. Works hard to get straight A’s c. Cheats on tests d. Stays organized

5. Your sidekick would be: a. I am the sidekick b. A firefly c. Some hyenas d. Mice

6. You like to listen to:

a. The Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack b. Jazz c. Tribal d. Classical

7. Your hobbies include: a. Knitting b. Cooking c. Murder d. Cleaning

8. In a significant other you like: a. An adventurer b. Someone supportive c. You fly solo d. Prince Charming

9. You would like to visit: a. The Middle East b. New Orleans c. Africa d. Europe

10. Your favorite color is: a. Purple b. Green c. Red d. Blue

If you answered Mostly A’s you’re Carpet from Aladdin If you answered Mostly B’s you’re Princess Tiana from Princess and the Frog If you answered Mostly C’s you’re Scar from The Lion King If you answered Mostly D’s you’re Cinderella from Cinderella

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Models: Alia Hartwig and Davian Nestor

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Saying “I do” Too Soon

Christians weigh in on the touchy topic of getting married young By

ot Sa

tta

vis

www.theclause.org/collide • 25

olden rays drift toward the freshly cut green grass, on which pearl white chairs elegantly gleam and sparkle, eagerly awaiting close friends, family and a culmination of life’s experience. The audience files in, each person dressed in a firmly pressed suit or dress, the smell of a hot iron escaping rich threads intermingling amongst piquant perfumes. Familiar and intimate music plays as the bride takes her last steps toward her fiancé, and the first nervous steps toward her husband. The romanticization of this scene begins at a very young age for most; the anticipation of a magnificent covenant is a foundation seen within the Christian value system. In the midst of delicate white linens and complex wedding plans, a question arises: Is there an unnecessary pressure put on Christian youth to get married? Yet before this exploration goes any further, there must be delineation between the social controversies of marriage and the issue of youth marriages. A thorough discussion regarding the biblical interpretations of marriage is increasingly necessary in the Christian community, but what will be discussed here is our perception of marriage in the traditionally accepted sense. A 2008 Barna study with a base of 3,792 adults put the Christian divorce rate at 33 percent, a higher rate than atheists (30 percent), yet lower than persons affiliated with religions outside Christianity (38 percent). It is natural to look through these numbers with a sense of skepticism due to the small control group, yet the numbers shed light on the issue of divorce within the church. No longer can Christians blame failed marriages on a lack of religious morals; in actuality this study increases the immediacy of an in-depth personal analysis of the Christian marriage system. Mark 10:6-9 says: "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.'” The book of Mark does not minimize the gravity of the covenant, as 26 • collide • december 2013

he compares the vow between each individual with a literal integration of flesh. A greater commitment among two is scarce, and because that is the case, one must ask if there is an age of maturity required for a couple to be earnestly prepared for such an endeavor. Scott Sinner, senior pastor at Green Valley Community Church in Placerville, Calif., commented on the difficulties a young couple may face. “Some of the risks include maturity, such as not having enough life experience of knowing how to navigate through the inevitable relational issues,” Sinner said. “In addition to this, financial pressure is a major issue. Most young adults are still trying to nail down a career type of job to make ends meet.” While financial circumstances should not ultimately deter a loving relationship, reality sets in when there is little food left in the cupboard and bills begin to pile up on the counter. Matt and Bri Cook, both 21 yearsold, are newlyweds and APU seniors. “The two biggest obstacles have been finances and lack of time together with our busy schedules,” Matt Cook said regarding his recent marriage. “We had to be creative with our scheduling and quickly learned how to budget our time well. As far as finances, God has always been faithful in his provisions for us.” With Matt working more than 25 hours a week on top of his undergraduate studies, and Bri holding down a teaching job on top of her own set of classes, the two take solace in their weekend downtime. “The main reason we got married was because we're best friends and we love each other, and we knew that our marriage would be a good Christian witness in today's world,” Cook said. “We knew we wanted to get married and since we were able to figure out finances, we did not see the point in waiting.” The couple dated for seven months before Matt proposed to Bri in Yosemite National Park, and they were married five months after. Underneath the luxuries of financial success and the wealth of free time, there must be an honest love for one another. Yet a certain level of financial competency and future plans must be taken into account before

Underneath the luxuries of financial success and a wealth of free time, there must be an honest love for one another. making a lifelong commitment. Regardless of what stance a church takes on the issue, there needs to be a welcoming environment that will foster growth in a marriage. Counseling, communication programs and serving opportunities need to be available for married couples in an attempt to show them their strengths and weaknesses, while at the same time bringing them closer to God as a couple. An unpopular topic amongst eager Christian couples is the issue of premarital sex and the role this plays

in a couple’s decision to get married young. This is undoubtedly present within the young coupled Christian community. “Within the church it would be Paul's words that encourage youth marriage: ‘better to marry than burn with desire,’” Sinner said. “I understand what Paul meant and agree to an extent, but this teaching has been used without regards to what marriage is and has caused other kinds of problems.” When sexual desires are viewed as explicit carnal sins and are treated harshly within the church (outside of the bond of marriage), it is to be expected that two young practicing Christians will marry in order to be viewed favorably by their peers and family members. No simple solution to this layer of the issue has been foreseen, but what could make a big difference is a more centralized focus on sexual education within the church. “There is a[n] unnecessary stigma of shame that comes from within Christianity in regards to sexual desires,” Sacramento State senior Ste-

ven Vance said. “I’m sure the church doesn’t want to condone aimless sexual indulgence but there at least needs to be a honest discussion without extreme judgment.” Vance is a former Catholic who left the church due to a pervasive enforcement of guilt upon sins. “I honestly don’t want to look down on young marriages, but it seems like there are so many who aren’t ready for that massive commitment. It’s meant to be for your whole life and that’s what i think people fail to understand fully.” However, where there are warnings, struggles and doubt there is also hope, love and deeply profound promises. It is not constructive to wholeheartedly vilify young marriages or to shame the way in which churches have gone about promoting matrimony. On the contrary, a challenge to such an ancient, powerful institution shows that there is room to grow, and through that space the church has opportunity. “Open discussion is the first practical step towards ending sexual demonization,” Vance said. “Classes, small

groups, and a deeper look at Scripture are all vital to a better understanding. But above all there needs to be mutual respect between clergy and churchgoers when talking through this sensitive issue.” Tim Fulton, a pastor and marriage counselor at Green Valley Community Church, gives this advice to young men and women seriously contemplating taking the next step towards marriage: “Take your time. In relationships, there is always enough time to do things right. Get your own stuff together. Get to know each other's family. Listen to people who have your best interests in mind.” Marriage can not be used as a safety net for individuals who are uncertain of their future, or hope that permanently having a companion in their life will eventually fix their damages and baggage. Finding that balance may very well take longer than many budget for. “If your paths don't match, you may just want to stay supportive friends,” Fulton said. “You want someone who is going in the same direction as you and who has the same vision of life.” www.theclause.org/collide • 27

28 • collide • december 2013

n r’s resolutio a e Y w e N f rt o ated equal might be pa re s c d n re e a tr ts g n ie Dieti t not all d making, bu

The

Skinny on healthy marketing By Caitlin Trude

RUNNNIG: SARAH OTTAVIS

ike seasonal fashion trends, a number of trendy diet programs and other weight-loss quick fixes have come and gone over the past few decades. The classic advice to eat well, exercise and get a good night’s rest isn’t necessarily cutting it for many people who are trying out some of the popular health fads of 2013 which have included juicing, the Paleo diet and forgoing gluten. “This [the dieting craze] is not a new trend, although it may be increasing in intensity as the population expands, lives longer and, for various reasons, gains more weight,” APU business professor Robert J. Skalnik said. “Most knowledgeable observers would agree that obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. So it's not really surprising that various weight loss products, services, and systems – some of which may be illegitimate – have proliferated.” According to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (a government organization), approximately half the U.S. population is expected to be obese by 2030 if current diet habits continue. While some consumers choose the diet and exercise route, other consumers may be more susceptible to investing in weight-loss programs and supplements such as herbal weight-loss tea, body wraps and metabolism-boosting pills. An ABC news report from May 2012 revealed that the annual revenue of the U.S. weight-loss industry is $20 billion. The weight-loss industry includes dieting book sales and programs, weightloss drugs and supplements, as well as weight-loss surgeries. This revenue is brought in by approximately 108 million dieters in the U.S., 85 percent of whom are women. With 30 years of experience in the marketing field, Skalnik revealed some of the techniques that many of the health marketers will use to entice potential customers to buy into their products and services. “Many ‘health care’ marketers have

been successful in tapping into our insecurities. The messages they provide, with accompanying images, are compelling: lose weight, feel better, be more attractive and have more fun,” Skalnik said. “The problem is that the magic formulas being promoted seldom work, at least not over the long term.” Skalnik attributes Americans’ susceptibility to the dieting frenzy to the need for immediate gratification. Products and programs that guarantee losing 30 pounds in 30 days or significantly decreasing one’s body fat percentage can be found everywhere, but it is important for consumers to research the science behind these programs before partaking in them. According to APU nutrition professor and registered dietician April Vincent, the seemingly current attraction toward healthy living marketing is not a recent occurrence, but has been a continual, evolving trend over the past several decades. “Diet trends are always changing,” Vincent said. “In the ‘90s everyone was following a low-fat diet...today many people are hearing about gluten-free or Paleo diets and wondering if they are good diets to follow.” Vincent, who is also a certified diabetes educator, emphasizes the fact that when it comes to dieting, results will vary from person to person. Although eliminating gluten has been popularized by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Miley Cyrus, these results may not be typical. “A gluten-free diet is really important for people who suffer from Celiac disease or who are gluten-sensitive. These individuals have an immune reaction to gluten found in wheat, barley and rye,” Vincent said. “However, there is no conclusive evidence that a gluten-free diet is beneficial for the rest of the population.” The Paleo diet (short for “Paleolithic”) entails eating from a strict animal and plant-based diet. While experts still disagree about the diet’s effectiveness and implications, proponent Dr. Loren

Cordain praises its ability to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. However, Vincent says that this model of eating is not necessarily the best dieting method either. “The Paleo diet is designed to mimic the caveman's lifestyle. Unfortunately cavemen only lived 30-40 years. Diet trends will come and go. Your best bet for health is to find a lifestyle that is healthy and that you can live with for the long term,” Vincent said. Vincent admitted that she found herself caught up in various health fads early in her college career. “I was more prone to falling for health fads before I studied dietetics. In college I tried a few bizarre diets (like the cabbage soup diet), but I never had long-term success,” she said. “Luckily, I have learned long-term healthy food and exercise habits that have helped me to maintain a healthy body weight. These are the principles I strive to teach my patients,” she said. Like Vincent, Catherine Heinlein, who works as an assistant professor in APU’s School of Nursing also cautions her students to be wary of dieting advertisements. “I always tell my students, ‘If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,’” she said. In June 2013, a story published by news. com.au (a branch of the news organization News Corps Australia) revealed that the Raspberry Ketone Diet was found to have used fake endorsements from British celebrities Adele, Victoria Beckham and even Duchess Kate Middleton in order to appeal to customers, particularly women. Two of the companies behind the scam were SlimTone Plus and Slimzene, the distributors of “all-natural” weight-loss products. “The consumer is the one who needs to be self-informed; they need to know how to do their own research to determine whether a product is safe,” Heinlein said. “The smart person knows that in most studies they will say, ‘The results of this study are inconclusive.’” Heinlein’s advice to those seeking to live healthier lifestyles is to maintain a balanced diet with a variety of food options that is controlled in terms of calorie intake. Ultimately, the best way of leading a healthy lifestyle or successful dieting does not involve quick solutions for long-term problems. Exhibiting proper eating habits and regular exercise will always reign as the most effective ways of maintaining optimal health, but for those intent on starting a new supplement or program, be sure to consult a doctor prior to or at least do your own research first. www.theclause.org/collide • 29

Despite Western conservative backlash, Pope Francis aligns more with mainstream Catholicism than the public perceives

Libsonerofathel By Katelyn Montalvo

id-November on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” Sarah Palin commented on the pope’s liberal agenda, which the media has chalked up to include issues such as homosexuality, contraception and divorce, insinuating that the pope leans to the left in these concerns. “He's had some statements that to me sound kind of liberal, [and that] has taken me aback, [and] has kind of surprised me,” Palin said. However, she also admitted, “Unless I really dig deep into what his messaging is, and do my own homework, I’m not going to just trust what I hear in the media.” Pope Francis is arguably set on reforming the Catholic Church, but not exactly in ways that popular media have proposed. These rumors seemed to spark from a Vatican questionnaire sent out in ear30 • collide • december 2013

church

ly October regarding issues of the family. The questionnaire was distributed to bishops worldwide, asking the opinion of the church laity. The survey is meant to help prepare for next October’s “extraordinary synod,” a gathering of select bishops called by the pope, to discuss the topic “Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization.” “‘New Evangelization’ refers to the Catholic Church’s obligation to preach the Word of God, especially to Catholics who no longer live in conformity with Reason or Revelation, as evidenced by the sorts of questions in the survey,” explained Dr. Edmund Mazza, professor of history and political science at APU, who was in Rome during the 2012 synod. The Vatican questionnaire highlights issues such as marriage accord-

ing to natural law, cohabitation before marriage, divorce, same-sex unions, the education of children in nontraditional marriages and the relationship between the family and the person. The fact that it begs these questions to the Catholic laity is significant. According to Father Mike Grieco, associate pastor of St. Frances of Rome Church in Azusa, Pope Francis is trying to understand how to minister to different kinds of people through the survey results. “He’s a pastor, not a church bureaucrat,” Grieco said. “The Catholic Church is a huge institution that has the tendency to be cold, impersonal and at times judgmental, but Pope Francis is directing our focus back to our pastoral roots: compassion, respect, love, kindness, and I am encouraged by his example.” Father Grieco used a poignant metaphor to describe how he interprets the pope’s purposes behind the survey and said, “He wants us [priests and bishops] to smell like the sheep. As shepherds, we are to roam among the sheep or the people.” Grieco finds the essential message of the survey to be: “How do we minister to the poorest of the poor?” This was an important issue that

POPE: ILLUSTATION BY LUIS ESCOBAR

LOVE St. Francis of Assisi struggled with his whole life. As a wealthy “capitalist” who tried giving away his family’s wealth to the poor, St. Francis is said to have received a message from Jesus to “reform my church.” According to Dr. Mazza, St. Francis of Assisi preached about the necessity of repentance and conforming our will to God’s will. St. Francis of Assisi also emphasized the necessity of praying for and helping the materially and spiritually poor Mazza said. Pope Francis, formerly known as Cardinal Bergolio, chose the name Francis intentionally, so as to reform the Catholic Church in the same way. “He chose that name on purpose to show solidarity with the poor,” Grieco said. “The vestments he chooses to wear are very simple. He chose to live in a simple guesthouse, rather than the Vatican. These are bold statements.” Pope Francis is of the Jesuit order, which comes with certain stereotypes, such as the idea that Jesuits are usually well-educated and tend to be more liberal in their thinking. However, Pope Francis himself declared he was “a son of the Church,” and it is unlikely that he will attempt to alter Catholic doctrine in any large way. It seems instead that the new pope recognizes the disjunction between Church teaching and the beliefs of Catholic laity, specifically regarding issues of divorce, contraception and homosexuality. The Catholic Church’s Catechism teaches that divorce is “immoral” and “a grave offense against natural law.” However, a 2012 Pew Research poll discovered that only 19 percent of Catholics believe divorce to be morally wrong, 32 percent believe it to be morally acceptable and 45 percent believe it not to be a moral issue at all. Much of the same may be said on the issue of contraception in the same poll. Only 15 percent of Catholics see it as morally wrong, 41 percent think it is morally acceptable, and 36 percent do not see it as a moral issue at all. Regarding homosexuality, the Catholic Catechism clearly states, “Homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” However, in comparing Pew Research polls in 2003 and 2013, it is evident that a drastic change has occurred with regard to popular opinion. In 2003, 51 percent of Catholics opposed same-sex marriage and 38 percent were in favor. In 2013, a similar poll resulted in 37

percent in opposition and 54 percent in favor of same-sex marriage. Remaining percentages include those who held no opinion. “The overwhelming majority of Catholics today, as most people in the West, follow along with popular culture and the media and the press, not with the Pope, the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” APU history professor Dr. Mazza said. The Catholic Church is now dealing with a different question than they were in older times Mazza said. The Church is trying to figure out how to get the message of the Gospel out to people who have dismissed it as irrational or backward. Pope Francis is trying to answer this question.

they teach doctrine.” The reform Pope Francis is bringing to the Catholic Church is evidenced by his actions, which are not quite what popular media have portrayed. In an interview conducted on the Pope’s return flight from Rio last July, the Pope pondered, “If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge him?” Many have taken this statement to mean that Pope Francis is in favor of the ordination of homosexuals to the clergy. However, in 2010 when Pope Francis was still Cardinal Bergolio, he declared a fight against legalizing gay marriage in Argentina, claiming it was the work of the devil. While there may not be reform in the arena of social issues, such as gay

Since becoming pope, he has noticeably downplayed his stance on issues of orthodoxy. Instead, he has gained public favor by loving people through action.

“He has avoided being drawn into a caricature of an old celibate guy imposing rules by avoiding declarations against sins that are already well catalogued in the Catechism,” Mazza said. “The Pope wants to demonstrate that there is no contradiction between love and truth.” A simple Google image search of the new pope will bring up pictures of Pope Francis washing the feet of prisoners and kissing young children, the disabled and the disfigured. He has visited immigrant refugee camps and invited the homeless to dine in Vatican City. “I like that he’s challenging all these stereotypes. There are a lot of misconceptions about the church,” senior Amanda Eckersall said. A conservative Catholic, graphic design major and religious studies minor, Eckersall finds the new pope to be witty, humble and engaging. Regarding the rumored changes that might occur resulting from the Vatican questionnaire, however, Eckersall takes a firm stance. “Why would you be Catholic if you don’t agree with Catholic teachings?” Eckersall asks. “The pope should align himself with 2,000 years of tradition, and the Church needs to make sure

marriage any time soon within the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has lived up to his name regarding reform between economic classes. On Oct. 22, Pope Francis suspended German Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of Limburg for his extravagant lifestyle (when his bishop’s residence costs rose to over 30 million Euros). “Initial results suggest his approach is working,” Mazza said. Researcher Massimo Introvigne reported in an article for The Guardian that a survey of 250 Italian Catholic priests showed that 51 percent reported a rise in church attendance since Pope Francis received his current position. Further, Global Language Monitor reported “Pope Francis” to be the mostused name on the Internet in 2013. Whether or not you agree with Pope Francis and the Church’s doctrinal position, it’s interesting to see the new pope gain followers by not appealing to people’s opinions on issues. Since becoming pope, he has noticeably downplayed his stance on issues of orthodoxy. Instead, he has gained public favor by loving people through action. Afterall, St. Francis of Assisi is rumored to have coined the phrase, “Preach at all times and when necessary, use words.” www.theclause.org/collide • 31

[POV]

from plague to peace

“Doubt does not in itself signify lack of faith. It may mean the opposite—that our faith is alive and growing.” – Bishop Kallistos Ware

By Austin Sill

he most salient feature of my experience at APU is that it has been marked by so much doubt. I have found this is to be a common struggle for APU students. Many of us entered into this academy having been raised in specific traditions and churches which have, as long as we’ve known, sought to maintain a sense of security and certainty in our so-called “faith journey.” Thus, after studying church history, theology and Christian living in a more analytical sense, free from the biases of our denomination and from the watchful eyes of our preachers, we are struck with the despondent realization that many of our deeply held beliefs are more like assumptions, and all that we were once sure of may not, in fact, be the whole truth. While studying abroad in Oxford, I happened upon a book by philosopher and author Peter Rollins called insurrection. I had, for some time, felt the first stirrings of uncertainty. Having been raised in evangelical culture my whole life, I was beginning to question the establishment and the systematic approaches toward theology and Christian living. I was growing weary of formulas for a good Christian life and apologetics which sought to prove a God we confess to be unfathomable. I was standing at the edge of a cliff of doubt, and Rollins gave me a push. The plummet led to darkness. It was wretched and terrifying. All I had known was being put under question. I fell deeper and deeper into this pit of existential angst, just waiting to hit the bottom so I could crawl out of this desolate stage of doubt. Then it hit me, I had not entered another “stage”; this was not a “season of faith,” rather I was undergoing an intensely deep transforma32 • collide • december 2013

tion. I realized that I would never reach the end of this trench of mystery, for the pit had no end. It was God. The plunge into the mystery of God introduced me to a remarkably life-changing view of doubt. In his book, Rollins argues that belief is a basic human condition. Look around you — everyone

wants to believe. There are, according to Adherants.com, around 4,200 religions in the world. The Pew Research Center for the Study of Global Christianity found that there are approximately 41,000 different Christian denominations, not to mention the less-recognized religious followings such as the Powerball lottery (with the current catchphrase, “believe in something bigger”). Belief is fashioned in our search for meaning. It is a self-centered endeavor. Yes, you heard me right. Your belief in God, my belief in God, is largely self-centered. It offers us a sense of security, belonging, certainty and comfort. Why else do we become so obsessed with a desire to “feel God” or to “be fed” in our spiritual walks. We expect something to come out of our belief. We don’t go to church to bring something to God; we go in hopes that God will give something to us, be it a feeling, a friend or a sense of purpose. Doubt, on the other hand, is divine. In my understanding, doubt within Christianity can be defined loosely in

two major ways: as a sense of intellectual uncertainty applied to theology and as the felt absence of God. This doubt, though somewhat irksome, has the potential to bring us to a deeper understanding of God, and further, to bring us to the center of the crucified life where we can heed the command, “take up your cross daily.” This uncertainty, when applied to theology, is not intellectual weakness. Rather, it is an act of worship. As my journey progressed, I was led into the heart of a tradition that is continuing to help me understand this: Eastern Orthodoxy which teaches that the fullest understanding of God is found in the depths of mystery and darkness – in unknowing. One of the church fathers, St. Gregory of Nyssa, writes, “Emptied of all knowledge, man is joined with the highest part of himself…with the One who is altogether unknowable; and in knowing nothing, he knows in a manner which surpasses understanding.” Doubt also brings us into the heart of the crucifixion. When we recognize and embrace the felt absence of God, we take part in one of the most sacred moments of history. We take on the cross with Christ and with him we cry, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” This may seem like a hopeless theology, but have faith, for there is hope in the resurrection. Faith is the answer to doubt. If we run from doubt, we run from faith. Enter into the cloud of God’s mystery with fear and trembling, have faith and you just might come to find, that within God’s darkness, in fear can trust be found. Yet remember, as Flannery O’Connor puts it, “Don’t expect faith to clear things up for you. It’s trust, not certainty…” Austin Sill is a senior English major who enjoys literature, film and writing, preferably paired with a strong cappuccino or smooth ale.

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