Illustration by El Nicklin Religion and spirituality represent a large component of people’s lives as it provides community and meaning to life while others may have distrust in it or not believe in anything.
The Long Beach State Religious Studies Department has seen a decline in religious studies majors amidst the declining rates of religion among younger generations.
One-third of Gen Z consider themselves religiously unaffiliated, making them the least religious generation yet, according to a 2021 American National Family Life Survey. The same study also reported that 18% of Gen Z identify as atheist or agnostic.
Sophia Pandya, the Religious Studies Department chair, said Gen Z is straying away from institutional religions because of discriminatory beliefs against marginalized groups, like the LGBTQ+ community.
“With the rapid social change of the last 15 years or so, it’s considered absolutely acceptable to be gay, trans and nonbinary,” Pandya said. “At the same time, you have religious institutions that are still holding on to the disapproval of those forms of identity.”
The department began to see a steep decline in students in 2007, around the time of the Great Recession, according to Pandya. Compared to the 55 students who applied to the major in fall of 2007, only 18 applied last semester, according to CSULB Institutional Research and Analytics.
“Our numbers are not what they used to be,” Pandya said. “As soon as the recession ended, that’s when our numbers declined and they did not yet increase. This particular semester, our enrollment is not so great.”
The Religious Studies Department currently has 12 students as majors, nine students as minors and 14 as graduate students, according to institutional data. The department is hoping to encourage enrollment by changing its name to the Department of Religion and Global Spiritualities next year.
“I felt strongly that we needed to incorporate the word ‘spirituality’ because that is how many people express their faith these days,” Pandya said. “We have people turning to things like yoga, or even things like
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therapy in ways that we would turn to religion.”
The department also hopes to attract students by hiring a new Jain Studies professor, who will teach concepts like non-violence and yoga in relation to religion.
Professor Kathryn Chew said students who are not religious or spiritual can still benefit from learning different perspectives through religious studies courses.
“All Americans are told to not talk about politics and religion at Thanksgiving but here we are as a department,” Chew said. “We’re not telling people what to believe, we’re just saying this is what’s out there.”
Chew said that many students leave religious studies courses with a greater appreciation for global religions and are able to properly interact with those with different beliefs.
“They can go out there and say ‘I can understand different perspectives that people have and even if I may not share them, I can appreciate them, and see how they intersect with mine,’” Chew said.
Students from the department have pursued careers as lawyers, doctors, teachers, librarians and workers at non-governmental organizations or charities, according to Pandya.
Religious studies master’s student Joshua Duncan said the program taught him to think outside of the box and exposed him to non-mainstream cultures. Duncan said studying religion is beneficial because of its implications on societal issues.
“You can’t discuss Roe v. Wade, or anything associated with that subject, without religion,” Duncan said. “It’s the same thing with the death penalty. It just comes into the picture automatically.”
Master’s student Javier Fernandez said that religious studies courses have made him more globally conscious and empathetic. Despite the declining rates of religion amongst younger generations, Fernandez believes that students will still be interested in the classes.
“I find that people, even if they’re not affiliated with faith, are so interested in learning about religion because it is such a powerful force in our world,” Fernandez said. “It has the potential to incite violence, the potential to divide us and the potential to unite.”
Here at the 49er we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place”. We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.
We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east. We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.
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For years, the commercialization of religious holidays has altered the meaning behind the original celebrations in favor of profit.
Religious holidays are widely celebrated to pay respect to religious figures and events; however, as the world has become more modernized, these religious holidays have transformed to consume traditions far removed from the holiday’s original meaning.
Notably, the U.S. economy is significantly impacted by these days each year.
Christmas is the most celebrated religious holiday in the United States, according to Statista.
Behind all of the presents, food, and festive decor lies the true meaning of Christmas according to religious leaders of the church and the actual definition of the word meaning, “Christian Mass.”
Supply and demand increase during the holiday season, significantly affecting the nation’s economy. In 2020, holiday shopping comprised 19.5% of total annual retail income.
About 22% of Christmas shoppers have said they plan to spend more in 2023 than in 2022.
Easter is the second most celebrated religious holiday in the country.
Originally the celebration came from the Catholic faith, commemorating the day Jesus rose from the dead. But in today’s society, Easter is associated with indulging in assorted candies, coloring eggs and taking pictures with the Easter bunny.
Every year, egg sales are at their second highest in April, behind the holiday season.
Although historically, eggs were eaten during Easter as a symbol of new life and rebirth in congruity with the rising of Jesus, the Easter bunny was simply a fabricated myth. This Easter icon, alongside many others, has been used to up sales during the season.
One lesser-known religious holiday is St. Patricks Day. Many are unaware that the holiday commemorates Saint Patrick’s choosing Christianity over Paganism in Ireland in the 12th century.
Like most things, the holiday became Americanized, turning into what we now know, a day of partying and sprinkling green emerald cheer throughout the country. However, most related symbols, like leprechauns, shamrocks, and corned beef, come from Celtic myths and traditions.
The effects of commercialization have led consumers to only relate these holidays with specific colors, foods, drinks, and decorations.
Year by year, the cost of holidays continues to go up with about a 13.5% increase in sales and prices, and it is only expected to continue to rise in the coming years.
The rise of cost and consumerism surrounding these holidays have gravely affected how individuals celebrate the holidays and continue to change the religious
origins behind the days.
Kathryn Chew, a religious studies professor at CSULB, shared that “in religious studies, it is not our aim to say what religion ought to be, but to analyze how it is.”
“We are not invested in what people believe or do, but that they keep believing and behaving within a religious framework,” she said. “If a profit can be made from it, some enterprising human will figure out how to capitalize on that.”
Chew discussed that humans would take advantage of where a profit can be made, even on a religious holiday. She claimed that people could see the Virgin Mary in a cloud, and then mugs and t-shirts would be sold with that image the next day.
With the way that companies profit off of these religious holidays, the origins get lost in translation. This also causes individuals to spend more and focus on the consumerism behind the day now instead of its head.
“Commercialization of religious holidays is a function of the popularity of a religion in its society. The more popular a religion, the more likely it is to be commercialized,” Chew said.
With how holidays are celebrated in modern times, many individuals lose sight of the significance and meaning behind the holidays they decided to celebrate.
“In addition to the potential for profit, people could use the commercialization of religious holidays for advertising their re-
ligion and creating a brand for it,” Chew said.
Although not a religious holiday, Thanksgiving Day has also become commercialized. A very controversial holiday known to some as a Day of Mourning instead of a Day of Thanks, it has become widely known for its food.
After the shortage in 2022, it is predicted that the price of turkey will go up this year, proving a prime point that the commercialization of holidays has and continues to affect our economy significantly.
Commercialization of religious holidays is a function of the popularity of a religion in its society. The more popular a religion, the more likely it is to be commercialized.
Kathryn Chew Religious studies professor
Beach Hillel, a Jewish student club on campus, celebrated Passover on April 5, a Jewish holiday which observes the liberation of Israelites from Egyptian slavery.
As Passover possesses the theme of Jewish freedom, an increase of antisemitism in the United States has become just as apparent.
One in ten Jewish college students feel they have been excluded in some way on their campus, according to a 2022 study conducted by the American Jewish Committee. A little over 40% of those surveyed in the study also felt there had been an increase of antisemitism in America as a whole.
Blake Dujowich, vice president of Beach Hillel and president of Students Supporting Israel, said antisemitic incidents rose to “an all-time high of 2,717 in the United States last year,” according to the Anti-Defamation League.
“This is the highest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979,” Dujowich said.
This past February, Jaime Tran was arrested for shooting two Jewish men who were leaving different synagogues. Tran, who had an extensive history of hate crimes against Jewish people, was previously arrested by campus police in July of 2022 for having weapons on the CSULB campus.
“There were fliers put around our hallway recently that were racially insensitive and antisemitic. We have to report those things and get it on record with the university police department,” said Terri Armstrong, interim director of the Multi-
cultural Affairs Office.
While there are branches to support Jewish students, some students said not much is being done to raise awareness of these hate crimes from campus administration.
“We have not received much outreach and support from the university administration. We need more and continued education surrounding Jewish ethnic studies and history,” Dujowich said.
Jenna Klinghoffer, a first year Jewish student and Interfaith Center volunteer, said she has yet to see the campus reach out to Beach Hillel in the case of any antisemitic event, such as the recent shooting at a Los Angeles synagogue in February.
“All that happens is the university pres-
While music has been used as a way of worship for over 2000 years, the gospel genre wasn’t fully realized until the early 18th century.
The Bible does reference the use of hymns, or songs of praise, where it states, “When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,” stated in Ephesians 5:19.
There are early traces in Europe, specifically Scotland, of “hymn lining” in the early 17th century, a form of singing where one would sing a solo and a group would follow along, presenting an early variation of what would ultimately become the more traditional gospel music.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the rise of slavery had begun and European settlers of the newfound colonies in North America had started to enslave Africans and use them for cheap labor.
Due to their enslavement, they were often forced to convert to Christianity. Slave owners would even require them to attend
church where they would learn of the faith and would often be led by a preacher singing hymns.
Over time, as they would work under harsh conditions, slaves would begin to sing these variations of the hymns they learned at the services they attended.
The songs that they would make together would become a major factor in the lives of slaves. It became one of their only outlets to allow themselves to cope with the hardships they had to endure and granting them a way to uplift and inspire each other.
The earliest traces of gospel music was in the mid-1700s when writers and members of the Anglican Church, Augustus Toplady and John Newton, developed the earliest versions of gospel-based hymns. The majority of the music written was either interpolated or adopted from African-American gospel music in an effort by Newton to assist in the abolition movement to help end slavery.
In 1874, composer and writer Philip Bliss released a songbook titled, “Gospel Songs: A Choice Collection of Hymns and Tunes.” It was incredibly popular at the time for houses of worship, especially in small rural areas of the country and was
ident sending out an email. I don’t know how much that really does,” Klinghoffer said.
The goal of the Multicultural Affairs Office, Interfaith Center and Beach Hillel is to bring awareness to resources offered for students which support their cultural or religious identities.
“The Interfaith Center is working with Multicultural Affairs to expand our resource options,” said Melanie Edwards, director of Jewish Student Life. “We want this to be a space where students can appreciate that they have the same opportunities offered to them as many other cultural groups receive on campus.”
Hosting events has become Beach Hillel’s biggest way to interact with students.
The club meets with Jewish students along with any visitors to eat a Friday night Shabbat as a group.
ChayaLeah Sufrin, executive director of Beach Hillel, noted the importance of being able to celebrate such a powerful holiday like Passover, despite an increase in hate. Sufrin said the ability to celebrate Passover each year is “our victory.”
“I celebrated Passover as a kid with my grandparents who were Holocaust survivors, and they celebrated with their grandparents, retelling the same story and passing it on,” Sufrin said. “I get to celebrate and remember that we have overcome so much. Our hope as a people is a flame that burns brightly.”
considered a new style of church music.
By the end of the century, gospel music became quite popular, more singers and songwriters created and adapted to the genre like George F. Root, Fanny J. Crosby, and Charles H. Gabriel.
The early 20th century demonstrated the popularity of gospel music closely followed by the rise of black gospel music by singers and artists like Sister Rosetta and quartets like the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi.
The emergence of the Black gospel music genre was much quicker than anything before and is much closer in resem-
blance to what traditional gospel is today. It has become an established genre for mainstream music,not just for houses of worship.
In 1964, the Gospel Music Association would be responsible for many advancements in the industry such as the Dove Awards in 1969 and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1972.
Gospel music has come quite far since its inception with all of its troubled histories. However, just like its music and lyrics, it paints a story that is meant to uplift and just might possibly continue to do so, for centuries to come.
While Christianity has long held unfavorable views of the LGBTQ+ community, many churches, organizations and Christian communities are shifting perspectives and placing an emphasis on inclusivity. Alongside Long Beach’s diverse and vibrant LGBTQ+ community, there are many churches here that are welcoming to LGBT members.
City Church Long Beach prides itself on the values of inclusivity and acceptance. Co-pastor Bill White founded City Church Long Beach after a group of churchgoers and himself personally found themselves rethinking their interpretation of Christianity.
When White’s son came out as gay in 2015, it “shattered the illusion” of what he once believed. Since then, he’s shifted towards post-evangelical Christianity, with an emphasis on values of love and acceptance.
City Church Long Beach describes itself as a “radically welcoming community on a journey towards Jesus.”
White wants the LGBTQ+ community to know that there is a space for them within Christianity.
“We have a very diverse queer community at City Church,” said White. Nearly half of the church’s board members identify as LGBTQ+.
The church also does other work to promote acceptance of different marginal-
BY SOPHIA SIPE Staff WriterIn the heart of Long Beach State’s multicultural center, members of the Musical Meditation Club sit crisscrossed atop a collection of rainbow saddle blankets. Tranquil music quietly filled the spaces between each participant as their eyes creep to a close.
Those who practice have documented the activity as beneficial both internally and externally. Changes in mood regulation, stress management and relationships allow participants to sustainably maintain their mental state.
To the untrained eye, this process may resemble a brief upright nap. The kind that exhausted mothers take throughout the day, or the one that students depend on during a 7 a.m. lecture.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
In lieu of the benefits, students and facilitators at The Beach meet weekly for a Musical Meditation Club both on and off-campus.
“Our club aligns itself with the values of community above all else,” Co-President Ashley Torres said.
“In doing so, we have a space for everyone and anyone who is trying to just meet people, build a consistent meditation practice, need a place to destress, improve their mental health or deepen their practice by learning about where meditation comes from,” Torres said.
With Indian origins as early as 3000 B.C.E, the process of meditation, including
ized identities and communities. In March, they held a sermon discussing disability theology and how to “love disabled people better.”
Besides City Church Long Beach, there are other churches in the Long Beach area that also welcome and accept the LGBTQ+ community.
Christ Chapel of Long Beach describes itself as a place to belong with values that are inclusive, open and affirming. On Christ Chapel’s website, there are several linked resources for the local LGBTQ+ community.
Another church, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach emphasizes its efforts to be inclusive and welcoming of the LGBTQ+ community and their families. On the UUCLB website, it says, “we are one of the few religions that ordains openly LGBTQ+ people and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) also provides assistance in their settlement.”
There are several other churches in Long Beach and the surrounding area that are open and affirming of all sexualities and gender identities. However, White warned that those seeking acceptance
within Christianity must remain cautious.
“Be careful. Welcome is often only skin deep. Trust your instincts and do your research,” said White.
When asked what he would say to individuals in the LGBTQ+ community who are looking to explore Christianity, White gave a reminder of love and acceptance.
“To every queer person, I would look them in the eye and say, you are the beloved of God. Don’t settle for anything for less,” White said.
yoga in conjunction with transcendentalism meditation is said to ease anxiety and encourage enlightenment.
Aside from holding the sessions in group settings, the club also encourages use of music and mantras to navigate different moods.
“Our minds are really powerful and they can start to believe many unhealthy thoughts,” Torres said. “So observing and letting go, or even finding the root cause of those thoughts is incredibly helpful in everyday life,”
In addition to group meditation, the club also hosts various events and workshops led by speakers who discuss college life. They also discuss philosophy and strengthening one’s practice.
“It can be vulnerable but it brings people closer and [they] feel a sense of belonging,” Torres said.
CSULB Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Cecilia Guerrero shares the value of students having a wellness practice as it not only relates to oneself, but also one’s relationships with others.
“Being mindful of your overall well-being, and how to revitalize your overall happiness, is the first step in managing that stress,” Guerrero said. “When we’re selfaware of our wellbeing, we can show up better at school, at work, with friends and family,”
focused breath work, physical awareness and mindfulness — is regarded in Hinduism as a tool to quiet the mind.
According to Mayo Clinic, meditation can also bring on a host of physical benefits like improved sleep quality, decreased blood pressure levels and a reduction in
negative emotions.
Similarly, Bhakti yoga, which consists of various stretches and poses, is viewed as an act of devotion to self-awareness and spirituality.
Derived from the root word “bhaj” meaning to pray or to share, this style of
As students, it can be challenging to create time for self-care. Amidst the fastpaced academic schedule and part-time employment, remember to advocate for the peaceful moments.
“Know it’s ok to step back. Sometimes things might be difficult at the beginning, but [you should] know it will get a little easier in time,” Guerrero said.
Long before X-ray machines and pharmacies, holistic healers used natural and herbal remedies to cure most health issues.
The term holism refers to the theory that all parts of the whole are intimately interconnected. For example, if you are experiencing intense stress and anxiety, your body may show this through physical symptoms such as stomach pain, or fatigue.
Holistic medicine emphasizes the treatment that seeks to address all the dimensions of an individual’s life - the physical, social, psychological and spiritual. The patient-centered approach is a craft, especially when it’s done naturally as opposed to prescribing some pills and calling it a day.
A few benefits of holistic living include an improvement in overall physical health and emotional balance, reduced stress and anxiety levels and an advanced understanding of the world as a whole.
The fundamental of holistic healing is to evaluate each patient as an individual, not just an individual with a disease. Treatment includes healing alternatives such as massage therapy, nutrition, botanical remedies, acupuncture, meditation and breathwork, yoga, homeopathic medicine and more.
Holistic health has been around for almost 5,000 years and continues to evolve into a variety of treatment methods. Many holistic health practices are rooted in specific cultural traditions such as Chinese medicine, Indigenous healing and other healing forms that have existed for centuries.
As holism becomes a popular concept, it may become distorted and dangerous, making it susceptible to criticism. However, if practiced properly and by educated professionals, it could benefit our connection to ourselves and societies.
A study by the World Health Organi-
zation shows a 25% increase in global anxiety and depression since the COVID-19 pandemic. After sitting inside for two years with limited activity, unhealthy eating and lacking socialization, the growth of consumer interest in health and wellness has increased.
With the wellness market increasing, whether it be Gua Sha’s personalized vitamins, articles of “tips for self-care” or other nutrition and beauty products, consumers are increasingly valuing and seeking out product services that address needs such as mindfulness, fitness or nutrition.
A 2020 Future of Wellness survey found around 50% of U.S. consumers now report wellness as a top priority in their day-to-day lives; a significant rise from 42% in 2020.
Being more mindful of wellness than ever before, younger generations are starting to realize that not everybody fits into the same boxes in treatment. This is leading people to seek other treatments besides visiting a physician, such as holistic healers.
McKinsey & Company identifies six dimensions of wellness for consumers including better fitness, health, nutrition, appearance, mindfulness and sleep. It overlaps with concepts of holistic wellness.
Spirituality, within the context of holism, can refer to the focus on taking care of your soul or spirit. Spirituality is one of the main components of holism with an emphasis on the principle of “belonging to a society.”
It may also become dangerous when wellness and healthcare lose authenticity and are exploited for profit. History and traditions get neglected and warped into something that completely loses their original purpose and practice.
Whether you are participating in health and wellness as a fad or because you want to better your body and mind, taking care of all aspects of yourself is important.
BY CHEYENNE ELIZARRARAS Staff Writer
BY ROSAURA MONTES Chief Copy Editor
Long Beach State’s Muslim Student Association is creating a safe space for Muslim and non-Muslim students alike to support those who practice Islam.
Fourth-year health care administration major Rena Youseff joined her high school’s MSA and was part of the board for the last two years she was there. She didn’t plan on joining MSA at CSULB, but found she was lonely on campus during her first semester.
That changed when she attended a meeting during the second semester of her freshman year with one of her friends, fourth-year psychology major Shahera Khalil.
After having a lot of fun during the meeting, they decided to join as members. Youseff later became president of the MSA, with Khalil as external vice president.
“I found my community there [and] my lifelong friends that I met that year,” Youseff said. “We’re still friends to this year. It’s been a great journey so far.”
Youseff is excited to be at school with her community and friends who relate to her religiously. She found a home away from home.
“We have the same goals, we motivate each other to do good,” Youseff said. “It’s very heartwarming and makes me feel complete.”
Muslim chaplain Muzzammil Dadabhoy at the Institute of Knowledge (IOK) in Diamond Bar is hosted by the association and is available for students to meet during
health care administration majoroffice hours via Zoom or in person.
He meets from 12:30 pm to 2:30 p.m. to talk about anything, and stays on campus until 7 p.m.
After office hours, a study circle is held with the chaplain where he gives an Islamic lesson from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. before the general MSA meetings from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The lectures are held at the meeting by the chaplain or a special guest.
"As our chaplain, he's just there for us in every way," Khalil said. "Sometimes he even is the host of the meeting in terms of just leading the talk."
MSA meetings incorporate fun activities by having social events and not just lectures.
“For socials, we do activities surrounding our religion as well to incorporate some fun into learning about Islam,” Youseff said. “Once a month, we go out for a club dinner instead of having a general meeting.”
Khalil’s favorite activity with MSA is
the monthly group dinners. The restaurant location is kept secret until the meeting and about 40 to 50 members join together to share a meal.
The monthly group dinners are a way for MSA to make members feel welcomed.
"We like to switch it up a lot because we don't want to be very intimidating. We want to welcome people into the religion and into MSA because MSA I think has dealt with a lot of negative stigma in the Muslim community because people feel judged," Youseff said. "We're trying to kind of debunk that and try to represent MSA and Islam and present it in a new light."
Another way MSA members have united as a community is by supporting each other during Ramadan, which includes fasting from dawn to dusk, which ends this week.
MSA will celebrate the end of Ramadan at their meeting on April 20th which lands on Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of fasting.
"We have an Eid gift exchange where we choose random names and they give gifts to their chosen people. It's really cute," Khalil said.
This spring 2023 semester was Khalil's return to the CSULB campus and her first time participating in Ramadan during school. It was a struggle for her at first, but seeing her friends go through it helped her.
Members also helped motivate each other during Ramadan by praying together at a mosque. “Encouraging others and being the reason why people are going to the mosque is just another level of good deeds that you gain,” Khalil said.
There are resources at CSULB for Muslim students to perform prayer during school, such as using the Reflection Room at the University Student Union and Muslim Resource Center in FO4-282 located in the Cultural Resource Center. A foot washing station is also available to use prior to prayer at the USU.
Both Youseff and Khalil encourage students that are interested in MSA to attend a meeting to see if they end up enjoying their time there and possibly join.
"There's a beautiful community that comes with MSA," Khalil said. "I'm so happy and so lucky to be a part of it. It would be a blessing to be a part of this community."
We have the same goals, we motivate each other to do good. It’s very heartwarming and makes me feel complete.
“
Rena Youseff Fourth-year
Achieving your highest good or finding peace of mind; these are the goals of Nancy Scott, the owner of Z Fabrique, a shop that specializes in spiritual items.
For 31 years, the store has been an established sanctuary for Scott and those starting their spiritual journey.Scott did not always have her store in mind when she thought of her future. She was raised Catholic and later found that Catholicism wasn’t right for her.
“A lot of it probably goes back to being a child. And asking the question, would my dog go to heaven and being told no at that time,” said Scott. “And I was like, oh, yeah, no, because that’s not heaven. Right? My heaven will always have my pets.”
During her work travels, Scott accumulated items from Mexico and Guatemala.
People started asking if they could buy the things she’d collected, so she opened a store. Scott’s shop evolved from her garage, to swap meets and now a store on Fourth Street.
The store was established in 1990, and during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the shop’s windows were broken in. Two weeks later the store moved to its current location to 191 Argonne Ave.
Regardless of where the shop is located, Scott’s goal has remained the same: to give people a hand when they need it.
“For me, spirituality is being alive. It’s being part of the whole and realizing that if I was to die tomorrow, I’m totally good with it,” said Scott. “This is just a spiritual being having a physical experience here. If that physical goes away, it does not matter. The spiritual is still there.”
People of all cultural backgrounds and religions come to visit Z Fabrique. Some wonder if they must denounce their own religion to participate in spiritual practices, and Scott assures them they don’t. She believes that spirituality and religion can coexist.
Spirituality to her, is supplemental, people only need to do or take what will help them. She doesn’t care about making sales and will only refer people to items that she genuinely thinks will help them.
Crystals are a popular spir-
itual item, their colors, growth and molecular structure results in different properties. Depending on what her customers are looking for assistance with, Scott gives out personal assistance, such as recommending a clear quartz crystal, an amplifier of a person’s feelings.
If they’re looking for stress relief in households or businesses, she may recommend black agate. For students struggling to study for exams or are stressed, Scott would recommend peppermint oil.
Scott switches between being a student and a teacher. Something the internet has brought her is access to further knowledge of spiritual remedies and the ability to connect to others who practice spirituality.
At times when she acts as the teacher, she teaches others to let go of hate. People approach Scott telling her they’ve been cursed and they deserve hate, she asks why they think they are deserving of hate.
She advises people who feel that way to let the hate go, to not try to reverse it. Instead, people should send joy and healing energy to the person they think is harming them.
Healing is a core principle of hers, which is why she encourages those who are starting their spiritual journey to do what will help them.
“If somebody tells them something and it doesn’t sound right. Then it’s not for them and let it go,” said Scott. “It should be about your truth, not someone else’s.”
For some it’s religion, but for Nancy Scott, spirituality is how she achieves her peace of mind.
Religious practice has dropped significantly as newer generations become more attuned to their mental health.
A survey by the Survey Center on American Life found that Gen Z is the least religious generation yet. Over a third of Gen Z identifies as religiously unaffiliated.
However, Gen Z has been shown to have more open discussions on mental health than previous generations. American Psychological Association found that they are more likely to report mental health concerns than any other demographic group.
According to a study done by Ogilvy, 70% of Gen Z agree that their mental health needs the most attention and improvement.
This focus on mental health is one indicator of Gen Z’s decline in religion.
According to Global Center for Religious Research, around one-third of adults in the United States likely have experienced religious trauma at some point in their life.
Studies from National Alliance on Mental Health suggest that religion can often increase depression from guilt, shame, and anxiety from threats of punishment and eternal damnation.
Anika Kim, a fashion merchandising major, said rigid practices of religion, such as praying three times a day, can be a lot.
“Everyone says to do all these things to get into heaven, and I just feel sometimes it can be overwhelming,” Kim said.
Many religions often have strict moral guidelines that followers are expected to abide by. While they offer structure and a moral compass to individuals, they can also lead to stress and anxiety.
“I have to be a different person to be a Christian and that’s so hard,” Kim said.
Teachings of eternal punishment have been shown to increase fear and anxiety amongst followers, especially those at a young age.
According to a study from the University of Pennsylvania, religious trauma often occurs during childhood.
Esther Chan, a neurobiology major, said she grew up in a non-denominational Chinese Christian church and had a lovehate relationship with her religion.
“There are definitely some hard things that come with Christianity that are really hard pills to swallow,” Chan said.
Chan said this could be one of the factors for Gen Z being less religious.
“Parents believe that forcing [their children] to do good moral things is good or forcing them to go to church is good,” Chan said. “A lot of the kids of these parents are now really upset about not having that choice.”
Chloe Paraguya, a psychology major who grew up attending a Catholic school, said religion has positively and negatively
It is likely around one-third of adults in the United States have experienced religious trauma at some point in their life according to the Global Center for Religious Research.
icism, such as “Catholic guilt,” where she has often found that trying to stay aligned with her faith is like putting up a front.
“Catholic guilt gets to me sometimes where I’m like, ‘oh, I shouldn’t be doing this,’” she said. “It just feels like there’s like a cognitive dissonance sometimes when it comes to religion and living out your life.”
Paraguya recalled being taught about hell at only four years old and being scared to death.
She hopes religious practices could move away from emphasizing punishment and focus more on kindness to lessen religion’s adverse effects on mental health.
“We should emphasize the part of a religion where we focus on being kind to each other,” Paraguya said. “Like really living up to the word where it says helping people and giving to people a need instead of focusing on the more damning aspects.”
affected her mental health.
“It’s been instilled in me to turn to a higher power, to God,” Paraguya said. “I definitely think it has helped me through
some rough times where I feel like there’s nothing that’s helping me.”
At the same time, Paraguya said there is still a notable negative side effect to Cathol-
Everyone says to do all these things to get into heaven, and I just feel sometimes it can be overwhelming.
“
Anita Kim Fashion merchandising student
It’s Friday morning and I’m 4 years old, lining up with my classmates to walk three blocks to church.
Little did I know I would be doing this for the next 11 years.
I always thought it was normal, but my school was also right across from a public school. The kids would watch us line up for church on the other side of their school’s fence.
My entire elementary school would walk to church every Friday morning.
Some would point, laugh or just stare as we walked by. This was my first memory of realizing that the world around me was not exactly normal.
Attending Catholic school for most of my childhood gave me a different view of spirituality.
I was raised in a Mexican family that’s practiced Catholicism for decades, so it wasn’t really my decision on what my religion would be. My mother decided to send me to a Catholic school so I could get a good education while also becoming more connected to my faith.
But the exact opposite happened. I came out of school completely disconnected.
Growing up in this kind of environment your beliefs aren’t formed, they are given. When you are so young that you believe everything someone tells you, you never really question what you’re being taught.
In school, we would pray before and after every class period, had church every week and religion class every day. As a kid, I viewed these things more as chores.
I believed in God, but I got bored with all of it, which I felt guilty about. My teachers would always tell us that they became closer to their faith the older they got.
This is what I expected would happen to me. When I entered high school though, that is when my spirituality really came into question.
After all the prayers and visits to church, I still did not feel closer to my faith. I started to form my own beliefs and I started to realize that my beliefs went against my religion.
This is when I began to disassociate from being Catholic.
When I would go to church or have to pray with my class, I would just stand there in silence. I received judgmental looks from my teachers and especially my mother, but it felt right to me.
This was my first step on my own spiritual journey. As I grew older, I desperately wanted the freedom to explore my spirituality in ways that my school and family did not allow.
My high school offered a four-day religious retreat for seniors and it was considered to be a huge step in a student’s spiritual journey.
Those who attended weren’t allowed to share what happened, but they all would rave about how much their views had changed. Friends of mine who were once not secure in their beliefs would come back more faithful than ever.
In my curiosity and confusion about
where I stood, I decided to go.
We stayed at a religious campground for four days. One of the nights we had an activity where we were asked serious questions about our faith.
Everyone around me seemed to have some connection to their faith, a connection that I did not feel. Classmates and teachers around me started crying and hugging each other. I felt weird amongst it all.
At that moment I realized I was not Catholic, but that realization did not bring me the peace I thought it would.
They were right when they said this retreat was a big step in a student’s spiritual journey. It made me understand that mine would be different from everyone else’s.
As an adult, I now have the freedom I wished for while I was younger. No longer being in Catholic school feels good but
strange at the same time.
The one thing about religion is that it is very community-based. Catholicism has always been ingrained within my family’s culture as well as many of my friends from back home.
With all that being said, I realize that I will never fully leave that community.
When I returned home for winter break, one of my friends invited me to a church service with some of our old classmates. I was hesitant but I decided to go anyway to help out.
When we were setting up, it felt nostalgic, almost like no time had passed. We lined up outside the church just like we did in kindergarten but now as adults.
There was some comfort to it all which surprised me. It was weird that something I once fought so hard against would return to me so easily.
I understand now that I never hated my faith, I just hated the people who would use it as a justification to behave or treat others poorly.
When someone asks me what my religion is today, I respond with “I was raised Catholic.”
I still don’t know exactly where I stand spiritually, but everyone is on a different journey. I learned that my journey is to follow the path that I create for myself, not the one that was already paved for me.
It’s Friday morning again and everyone is lining up for church, except this time I’m on the other side of the fence.
As an adult, I now have the freedom I wished for while I was younger.
“
Abigail Wall Staff writer
From acknowledging nature to self-healing, Wicca is a religion involving an eclectic set of beliefs and experiences. It is often misunderstood due to its non-governed nature and association with witchcraft.
Wicca is often associated as a Pagan religion, which takes inspiration from pre-Christian religions. Additionally, its origins are associated with the ideals of Gerald Brosseau Gardner, a British civil servant.
Wiccans hold different types of rituals and vary based on the occasion. The altars are also set up catered to the event, whether it be an initiation or full moon celebration.
Circle-casting is commonly used in rituals, where the altar is usually placed in the middle and those gathered in the circle must not step outside of it.
Wiccans are not satanists nor do they incorporate anything evil within their beliefs or practices.
Though there is much debate, witchcraft and Wicca are not the same thing. Wicca is a religion, while witchcraft is a practice.
“There are many Wiccans who consid-
er themselves to be witches, and there are many witches who do not consider themselves Wiccan,” said Kim Wallace, a Wiccan practitioner of about 40 years.
Wallace considers herself a witch and follows Wiccan beliefs. Most of the work that she does involves hoodoo and high magic. She even involves magic into her cooking.
She incorporates magic into her cooking by acknowledging a personal problem that she might have and then identifying an herb that may help with it. She then remains mindful of it while cooking and eating.
Nature is a very prominent aspect within religion. Wallace explained that when picking plants, one must be very aware and respectful.
Wicca caters to a person, in the sense of using Wicca to help overcome things such as personal problems.
“I use it to help me stay grounded and centered, to try to be a better person,” said Wallace. “It’s been instrumental in helping me control my temper.”
In Wicca, there is a Wiccan rede which mentions “perfect love and perfect trust,” which Wallace acknowledged as one of the tenets of the religion.
“In order to have, or give others, perfect love and perfect trust, you have to be grounded and get rid of that temper,” Wallace said.
With the association of witchcraft, some believe Wicca to be evil or satanic, but as Wallace explained, Wiccans do not
believe in hell and in the religion, there is no Satan.
Wallace mentioned other beliefs in Wicca as well, including reincarnation and past lives, as well as spirits.
One instance in which her belief in spirits was held to be true was when Wallace described a dream in which her grandfather held her son. This was significant because she didn’t have the opportunity to bring her son to her grandfather when he was born, due to her grandfather moving away.
In the dream, her grandfather told her that she needed to let him go. The morning after, Wallace received a call that her grandfather had passed. Wallace explained that she truly believes that her grandfather visited her and said goodbye to her in the dream.
It is experiences like this that make
every religion worth learning about.
Some users on TikTok have been seen posting videos under the hashtag “witchtok,” and with that, viewers might want to try the practices that are being shown.
With witchcraft becoming increasingly popular on platforms like TikTok, it’s important to learn about the religion through someone who actually practices it, as well know the differentiation between Wicca and witchcraft.
It’s essential that thorough research is done before practicing anything, so that you know in advance what is okay and what isn’t.
It is also important to be mindful when practicing any ritual, especially if you don’t know much about it, and to consult with people who are experts in the practices or in the case of Wicca, the religion.
Wicca is a religion that is in tune with nature and promotes beliefs that helps people become overall better humans, contrary to the misconception that it has evil within it.LIZET IBARRA / Daily Forty-Niner The Pentacle represents air, earth, fire, water and spirit, according to Wicca Living, a website by Lisa Chamberlain, who has written books about Wicca.
BY ANTHONY ORRICO Staff Writer
In 1801, Thomas Jefferson sent a letter to a church coalition in Connecticut known as the Danbury Baptists, in which he said there should be a “wall of separation between church and state.”
The Framers of this country went through two founding constitutions (Articles of Confederation) before religion was even mentioned.
Not until the Bill of Rights did the Founding Fathers even address the issue: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
One sentence in the First Amendment, known as the establishment clause, set the framework for separation of church and state in this country.
“I think unequivocally they did not want religion to dominate public and civic life,” said Matt Lesenyie, a professor of political science at CSULB, referring to the Founding Fathers. “The best evidence of that is the breakup with the monarch because we were coming from a system where the king had a divine right.”
The United States has no officially established religion according to the First Amendment. Some politicians claim the country was founded as a Christian nation.
“I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation,” said Sen. John McCain in a 2007 interview.
More recently, some politicians have suggested that if the U.S. is not a Christian nation, it ought to be.
“We need to be the party of nationalism and I’m a Christian, and I say it proudly, we should be Christian nationalists,” said Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green in a 2022 interview.
The real question is: do we have a separation of church and state?
The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade is the most glaring example of the potential influence religion has on U.S. politics. While the Supreme Court’s majority opinion did not explicitly state that the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson had anything to do with religion, abortion rights advocates would argue otherwise.
According to Pew Research, 74 percent of evangelical Christians believe
that abortion should be illegal in all/most cases. In contrast, 84 percent of those unaffiliated with any religion believe abortion should be legal in all/most cases.
Six of the nine Supreme Court Justices identify as Catholic: Roberts, Kavanaugh, Barrett, Thomas, Alito and Sotomayor. Five of those six were appointed by Republican presidents, Sotomayor being the outlier, as she was appointed by President Obama.
“The speed in which they undid this proved it’s just ideological. If you get enough ideologues in there, they’ll all signal to each other the gangs all here,” Lesenyie said.
A case in Texas that could potentially strip FDA approval of a widely used abortion pill is being heard by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. He previously worked for the First Liberty Institute, a conservative Christian legal advocacy group.
The amount of anti-LGTBQ+ legis-
lation being passed all over the country is staggering. As of April 2023, the ACLU reported tracking 451 anti-LGBTQ+ pieces of legislation in 45 states.
While most of these bills do not explicitly mention religion, the majority of the states passing or trying to pass these bills are Republican-controlled states. The religious right has waged a war on LGBTQ+ rights for decades under the guise of religious freedom, as homosexuality is considered immoral in many Christian denominations.
States such as Kentucky and Tennessee have banned gender-affirming care for minors, taking critical health care decisions out of the parents’ hands and putting them into the government’s.
It’s not good enough for some Christians to practice their faith in the privacy of their homes and churches. Many of them feel the need to push their beliefs onto the rest of society.
Religion is a significant part of many people’s lives. Reasonably speaking, it wouldn’t be fair to ask religious individuals to completely disregard their faith in their political decisions. However, this country was founded on the idea of not only freedom of religion but freedom FROM religion.
When the tenets of someone’s religion begin to impact someone else’s freedom, that is a serious problem. It’s unfair and un-American to allow religion to dominate so much of our society and government. Frankly, it’s infuriating to continue justifying bigoted and hateful beliefs by hiding behind the excuse of God.
It has always been a contentious issue in this country. It’s difficult to say whether we even really have it.
any are worried that Muslims can be impacted by the French ban on hijabs for the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics which will be held in Paris.
On Jan. 19, 2022, the French Senate adopted an amendment to their bill on the democratization of sport. The amendment passed on a 160 to 143 vote, prohibiting any symbols with affiliation to religion during game competitions.
So far the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not addressed the issue, but it is known that several athletes have been able to compete with a hijab.
During the 2004 Athens Olympics, women were allowed to compete in headscarves, long sleeves and pants. In the 2012 London Olympics, Muslim women who were boxers were also allowed to
wear their hijabs. In 2016 Ibtihaj Muhammad was the first Muslim American to compete in a hijab at the Rio Olympics.
M“What we can tell you is that the mandate of the IOC is to ensure that there is no discrimination at the Olympic Games,” a representative of the IOC told Around the Rings. “All athletes from the 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team can compete and live together under one roof in the Olympic Village whatever their backgrounds or beliefs are.”
According to The New York Times, France’s soccer federation has banned players from wearing clear religious symbols, and this impacts those who wear hijabs. The government insists in “keeping with the organization’s strict secular values.”
When it comes to teams that are not in a popular or professional level, the law is not strictly enforced. But it impacts those who want to go into the professional world of sports.
In 2022, The New York Times, wrote about a soccer team of women who challenged the hijab ban. One of the members from the team was Karthoum Dembele, a
19-year-old midfielder. She wears a nose ring and had to convince her mother to let her play soccer, but she later realized that the ban would prevent her from competing.
Many other members of Dembele’s group have had no other option but to play in sports where they can wear their hijabs. Several members have experience not being allowed to the field by referees. This has caused many to feel humiliated.
Similarly, women who want to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics may face the same reality as the soccer players. Many, like the “les Hijabeuses” group believe that the ban is discriminatory and violates their rights to their religion.
Naima Muhammad, a healthcare administration major at Long Beach State, said that society believes in having freedom and diversity but that they are selective due to their personal ideas.
“If we have diversity, we have to accept it in the way it is presented.” Muhammad said. “You cannot say you accept diversity and then go, ‘hey you! You’re not allowed to [do that].’”
Hana Nashawati, a nutrition major at CSULB, said that it is not the first time
that hijabs are banned from a place or competition.
She knows that in sports there are specific wear requirements, however those with religious backgrounds are not allowed to wear their own uniforms.
“It’s sad but it is not that surprising,” Nashawati said.
Historically, the French government is known for passing laws that prohibit wearing symbols that have affiliation to religion.
The hijab and headscarf are legal in public spaces, except in government buildings, as they are symbols of religion.
But between 1877 and 1905, France passed the law of “laicité.” The law prohibits public manifestations of religion. In 2004 another law prohibited wearing clothing with religious affiliation in schools.
In 2010 the niqab and the burqa were banned from being worn on the streets. Anyone who wears the niqab or burqa is at risk of being fined €150 (which is $163.50 in the U.S.).
This is not about Fitzwilliam Darcy being proud or Elizabeth Bennet’s judgment against Darcy, but about how Venus Herrera, a fourth-year communications major, and Chang Lo, a fourth-year construction management major, endured hardships and stayed together despite his mother’s pride and prejudice.
After spending the whole day at the Lo’s house, Herrera was invited by his mother to take photos outside. Enthusiasm filled Herrera after the invitation as they had bonded over a variety of activities throughout the day, she thought.
Nonetheless, Herrera overlooked what was about to happen.
In November 2022, Lo’s family met her personally for the first time. Within a day of meeting Herrera, his mother uttered seven words as though she had been acquainted with her for several years.
“You need to lay off the burritos,” commented Lo’s mother to Herrera out of nowhere.
His mother’s exact motive for the micro-aggression was obscure. Both Herrera and Lo were clueless as to why it happened. The unsolicited prejudice lead Herrera to believe it was due to her failure to meet his mother’s standards, and one of those was being Hmong, which couldn’t be more different from her identity.
Herrera practices spiritual individualism, Lo practices animism. She believes in prioritizing herself, but he believes in putting others first. She values self-love,
while he has too much to give, leaving no love for himself.
“His religion is about the family and doing things for your ancestors,” said Herrera. “I don’t believe [in] putting yourself in situations even if they’re for your family or for hurting you because that’s hurting your personal growth.”
Some say opposites repel — a couple who have contradictory traits are bound to drive both away from each other. Herrera and Lo’s divergence is pertinent to the ideology and you must be wondering if that is the case for both.
Herrera’s daily life is fueled by the unearthing of her life’s purpose and that is achieved through self-awareness. She explained that her belief, spiritual individualism, is a form of spiritual thinking that revolves around her relationship with herself. Her actions are done to sustain self-growth.
On the other hand, Lo believes that everything in the world, animate and inanimate, is inhabited by a spirit as each has a role in the interconnected web of life. He said his religion also values their ancestors, who they communicate with and seek strength and guidance from.
Despite the contradistinction between the couple, their relationship is characterized by the idea of opposites attract. It’s their complementary traits that bind them together.
“The way that they love is completely different. I think that he is more of a provider, and she is more like a listener,” said Brianna Ortiz, a friend of Herrera since 2020. “She’s never had that sense of security that he provides for her, and he’s never had someone who really fights for him.”
It was not an easy road for the couple. Ortiz said there was constant “head-butt-
ing” throughout the relationship due to their clashing beliefs.
There is some resemblance between the characters Bennet and Darcy and the couple Herrera and Lo. Darcy is known to lack the ability to deal with other people and his own feelings like how Lo can’t say no to his loved ones, putting himself at the bottom.
Bennet, on the other hand, is a fearless and independent woman who knows her worth like Herrera.
Both meet in the middle to fill each other’s gaps.
Herrera, whose religion teaches her to put herself first, passes the principle onto him and helps him amplify his voice. Meanwhile, Lo, whose religion values love for family, showers her with affection.
Lo sparingly caresses Herrera after he sat and joined the interview.
“On their end, I’m drifting away,” said Lo in regard to standing up to his parents. “In my opinion, [...] I’m not. I feel like I’m just growing as a person.”
When Lo heard about what happened
during the family’s first meeting, he said he brought the matter up to his mother and showed disapproval of what was said to Herrera.
A week after the incident, Herrera received a silver necklace from Lo’s mother as a compromise. However, Lo said his mother refused to apologize and told him that jokes will still be made. Herrera said she started seeing things and immediately thought that the necklace was the source of negative energy which she later found out was cast with black magic. Herrera’s mother cleansed it and stored it in a safe place.
Just like Bennet and Darcy, who ended up together despite their polarity, Herrera and Lo persisted amidst the adversities for it is not their differences nor his mother’s prejudice that would weaken the relationship.
“[These struggles] prove how much we mean to each other to actually work this hard,” said Herrera. “Every day we just choose each other.”
Refraining from food and water for approximately 18 hours a day, every day for a month, could be somewhat difficult for just about anyone, specifically for practicing athletes like Aboubacar Traore and Lassina Traore.
Fasting for Ramadan is a shared experience for those in the Muslim community, but it can affect everyone differently, especially athletes.
The Traores, who are not related, are sophomore forwards for CSULB’s men’s basketball team. Growing up proudly practicing their Muslim faith, they have both participated in Ramadan since they were around 5 years old.
However, the years of practice have not made fasting any easier for them, as they have faced more challenges with fasting while playing basketball.
“I love eating, so when Ramadan comes around, and I start fasting, it really affects my performance,” said Lassina Traore, who was recently named the Big West Newcomer of the Year. “I won’t perform at a high level; it just won’t be the same. I try not to fast on game days or when I know practice will be too hard.”
When Lassina Traore feels he needs to skip a day of fasting, he makes it up on the days following the month of Ramadan. He explained how on the days following Ramadan, one can still fast and catch up with the days they missed, which is what he often finds himself doing.
“I do that because I cannot go a day without eating or drinking, then come perform at a high level. If I know the day will be hard, I won’t even fast,” Lassina Traore said.
On the other hand, Aboubacar Traore, recently named the Big West Hustle Player of the Year, finds the fasting process somewhat easier to accomplish, yet at times difficult when it comes to playing.
“It doesn’t really affect my performance because I’ve been doing it basically my whole life, but sometimes it’s hard because the more you play, the more tired you get, and when you can’t drink water, it gets hard,” Aboubacar Traore said. “If I had to fast during the season, I don’t think I’d be able to play for more than 30 minutes at a time.”
Since the date for Ramadan changes every year due to Muslims following a lunar calendar, the Traores luckily don’t have to fast during game season. They said right now, they are mostly playing pick-up games or just practicing.
Associate Athletics Director Roger Kirk says that among the Muslim student-athletes he has worked around, he notices that they’re able to plan and be aware of how their bodies are going to react to fasting. So there have been no major difficulties with anyone’s overall athletic performance during Ramadan that he’s seen.
“They’re still able to have success in what they’re doing athletically and work
around it,” Kirk said.
Ramadan has not always been bearable for both the Traores; it was something they learned to gradually accomplish throughout their childhood by fasting for only a few days at a time to get familiar with the process.
As they grew older with more of an appreciative understanding of the importance of Ramadan instilled within their religious households, the process got easi-
er and now feels more like a habit once it comes around.
While Aboubacar Traore expresses how some days are easier than others, fasting as a whole is still difficult in the end, particularly as an athlete. “The more you play, the more tired you get and the weaker your body will feel,” he said.
But at the end of the day, it is still very much worth it for the Traores.
“My parents taught us it’s the month
for forgiveness…this is the time to ask God for forgiveness by fasting,” Aboubacar Traore said.
For Lassina Traore, Ramadan is also about seeking forgiveness from God, as well as asking for ease of the stressful obstacles in one’s life.
“It’s about asking God to give you strength to get through any situation in life, to be able to succeed, or realize your dream,” Lassina Traore said.
MARLON VILLA/ Daily Forty-Niner Lassina Traore, Big West newcomer of the year, tries to not fast before basketball games.Student athletes partaking in Ramadan are reminded of the challenges that come with fasting while simultaneously trying to perform at their best.
