Y T I N A I T S E I U R S CH IS
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Y E L L A V E H T N I 6 Y T I GE N A P A I T S I R H C
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LETTER EDITOR from the
Growing up I went to a Lutheran school where I had to attend church every Wednesday morning and religion class three times a week. For about 11 years of my life I was heavily involved with the church that I considered my community, but my own rejection of this faith built up in me throughout the years. I remember being told that older members of the church didn’t want women to speak during services without a man present, there were pamphlets passed out to vote yes on Prop 8 to ban gay marriage, and the pressure to not question what I was told. This was enough for me to reject the faith I had known for most of my life because these key moments made me realize what I believed in and what I did not. Though I identify as agnostic now, I understand the need and want for a spiritual connection with something bigger than us. As humans we don’t want to feel alone and we want to find comfort in a community that shares the same beliefs. The Christianity issue is the first of the religious communities we are planning to cover this academic year. This issue starts with our cover story, a photo essay of the churches near the CSUN campus which represent different sects of the Christian faith that give back to the San Fernando Valley community (pages 6-7). We have a feature on the bill that would force priests to report child abuse during confidential conversations (page 10) and how Christianity is decreasing around the world but other religions are starting to rise (page 11). Our playlist is curated with backmasking songs that reveal eerie messages (page 4) and we discuss movies that depict Christianity through humor and drama (page 8).
SUNDIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief
Madison Parsley editor@csun.edu
Managing Visual Editor Joshua Pacheco photo@csun.edu News Editor Gillian Moran-Perez city@csun.edu Assistant News Editor Kimberly Silverio-Bautista city@csun.edu Chief Copy Editor Ivey Mellem copydesk@sundial.csun.edu Copy Editors Munina Lam Sarah Shabbar copydesk@sundial.csun.edu A&E Editor Ivan Salinas ane@csun.edu Assistant A&E Editors Kayla Fernandez Deja Magee Moss ane@csun.edu Opinion Editor Raychel Stewart opinion@csun.edu Sports Editor Bryanna Winner sports_sundial@csun.edu Assistant Sports Editor Andres Soto sports_sundial@csun.edu Photo Editor Logan Bik photo@csun.edu Social Media Manager Natalie Fina sundialsocialmedia@sundial.csun.edu Graphic Designers Ewan McNeil Elaine Sanders Natalie Miranda Illustrator Joelena Despard Audio Editor Pejvauk Shahamat sundialpodcast@gmail.com Video Editors Andrea Esparza Elaine Sanders Noelle Nakamura Assistant Video Editor Brendan Reed-Crabb
Thank you,
Web Developer Rugved Saurabh Darwhekar online@csun.edu
Madison Parsley
Sales Representatives Pathik Patel Kelly Salvador Olivia Vakayil Estefano Vasquez Arlene Yeghiayan
Editor-in-Chief
Sales Support HaoWen Hsueh
“Hollywood’s Take on Christianity” Page 8
CONTENTS
“Unsealing the Sacrament of Confession” Page 10 “The Decline of Christianity” Page 11
Deja Magee
Gillian Moran-Perez
Raychel Stewart
A look at some movies with different and thought-provoking perspectives on the Christian faith.
Distribution Lead Brendan Reed-Crabb Distribution Nicole Benda Emilio Bravo Publisher Arvli Ward arvli.ward@csun.edu General Manager Jody Holcomb jody.doyle@csun.edu
How a bill would force priests to report child abuse during confidential conversations.
A Pew Research Center study shows that Christianity is declining while other religions are becoming more prominent worldwide.
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Christianity in the Valley by Elaine Sanders
Cover photo of the cross in front of First Presbyterian Church of Granada Hills by Elaine Sanders
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RELIGIOUS VIEWS 2.3 billion 1.2 billion 800 million 260 million 4% 3.1% 22.8%
CHRISTIANS GLOBALLY
CATHOLICS GLOBALLY PROTESTANTS GLOBALLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS GLOBALLY
OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION IS AGNOSTIC
OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION IS ATHEIST
OF AMERICANS ARE UNAFFLIATED
RELIGIOUS TYPOLOGIES THESE ARE A LIST OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS THAT MOST AMERICANS IDENTIFY WITH BASED ON THEIR PRACTICES AND BELIEFS, RANKED FROM MOST RELIGIOUS TO LEAST:
HIGHLY RELIGIOUS
39%
17%
SUNDAY STALWARTS: RELIGIOUS TRADITIONALISTS ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH THEIR FAITH AND ENGAGED IN THEIR CONGREGATIONS
12%
GOD-AND-COUNTRY BELIEVERS: SOCIALLY AND POLITICALLY CONSERVATIVE, MOST LIKELY TO VIEW IMMIGRANTS AS HURTING AMERICAN CULTURE
11%
DIVERSITY DEVOUT: TRADITIONALLY RELIGIOUS, BUT MAJORITIES ALSO BELIEVE IN PSYCHICS, REINCARNATION, AND THAT SPIRITUALU ENERGY CAN BE LOCATED IN PHYSICAL OBJECTS
17% SOMEWHAT RELIGIOUS
32% NONRELIGIOUS
29% SUNDIAL
15%
12% 17%
RELAXED RELIGIOUS: SAY IT’S NOT NECESSARY TO BELIEVE IN GOD TO BE A MORAL PERSON. RELIGION IS IMPORTANT TO THEM, BUT FEW ENGAGE IN TRADITIONAL PRACTICES SPIRITUALLY AWAKE: FEW PRACTICE RELIGION IN TRADITIONAL WAYS, BUT MOST BELIEVE IN HEAVEN AND HELL, AND SUBSCRIBE TO NEW AGE BELIEFS RELIGION RESISTERS: MOST THINK ORGANIZED RELIGION DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD: POLITICALLY LIBERAL AND DEMOCRATIC SOLIDLY SECULAR: HOLD VIRTUALLY NO RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND REJECT NEW AGE BELIEFS
OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2019
at a glance
By Gillian Moran-Perez
FAST FACTS ABOUT RELIGION IN THE U.S., THERE HAS BEEN A DECLINE IN PROTESTANTS, CATHOLICS AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE THROUGHOUT RECENT YEARS. MEANWHILE, THERE’S A RISE IN “NONES,” OR NON-RELIGIOUSLY AFFILIATED, ESPECIALLY IN COLLEGE GRADUATES AND YOUNG ADULTS (4 IN 10 MILLENNIALS ARE “NONE”) THE BIBLE IS THE BEST-SELLING BOOK OF ALL TIME WITH AN ESTIMATED
5 billion
COPIES SOLD AND DISTRIBUTED
ATHEISTS AND AGNOSTICS KNOW MORE ABOUT RELIGION THAN MOST OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS, WHILE PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS “NOTHING IN PARTICULAR” ARE AMONG THE LEAST KNOWLEDGEABLE JUST ONE -THIRD OF U.S. CATHOLICS AGREE WITH THEIR CHURCH THAT EUCHARIST IS BODY, BLOOD OF CHRIST 74% OF AMERICANS BELIEVED IN HEAVEN, AND 59% BELIEVED IN HELL
46% 50% 91%
OF U.S. BORN MUSLIM WOMEN WEAR HEAD COVERINGS ALMOST/ALL THE TIME OF U.S. BORN MUSLIMS SAY EATING HALAL FOOD IS ESSENTIAL TO BEING MUSLIM OF U.S. BORN MUSLIMS SAY THERE IS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MUSLIMS
MORE CHRISTIANS FIND MEANING OF LIFE IN FAITH, WHILE ATHEISTS/AGNOSTICS FIND MEANING IN ACTIVITIES, FINANCES AND TRAVEL THE MEDIAN AGE OF MORMONS IS 43; THE MEDIAN AGE OF AMERICANS IS 46 9 OUT OF 10 MORMONS BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS IS A PROPHET OF GOD
WHAT MOST AMERICANS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS
65% 26%
OF AMERICANS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS CHRISTIANS - PROTESTANS AND CATHOLIC OF AMERICANS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS ATHEIST/ AGNOSTIC
CHRISTIANITY, MUSLIM, BUDDHISM, JUDAISM AND HINDU ARE THE MOST POPULAR RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEWS 3
Hotel California
Hell Awaits
Evil Eye
Slayer
The Eagles A ’70s classic that pays homage to the twisted side of Hollywood, it is said that this hit might hold a deeper and darker meaning. If you take the time to listen to the opening verse backwards you will hear the words, “Yes, Satan organized his own religion,” or “Satan, he hears this. He had me believe in him.” It might be silly to believe these hidden messages when the band themselves deny these claims, but strangely, you can make out those spooky messages. How could it be unintentional?
Nightmare/The Dreamtime Motörhead
Ash
The thrash metal band incorporates numerous backmasking messages in their 1985 album, “Hell Awaits.” There is a soft yet unnerving chant saying, “Join us!” 45 times. Another message that was slipped into this song were the words “Welcome back.” Later on, lead singer Tom Araya admitted that they were just playing into the demonic imagery that was painted around the band’s identity, but it was never meant for sincere Satanic rituals.
Ash intentionally inserted secret messages into their songs, one of which is the most vulgar on our playlist and of most backmasking tracks in music history. In the track “Evil Eye” it says: “She’s giving me the evil eye. Suck Satan’s cock.” It is one of the hardest videos to find on the internet to unveil hidden messages in songs, but if you want to hear something creepy you’ll have to look upon yourself.
M I I NAL L B ME SU USIC C M IN
Darkthrone
Formerly known as Black Death, Darkthrone is a band who is notorious for their anti-church lyrics. “Flittermice as Satans Spys” is off of their album “Transilvanian Hunger,” released in 1994. Towards the end of the song, if you play the track backwards you can hear the faint words, “In the name of God, let the churches burn.” In the ‘90s, Norwegian metal scene bands were battling to see who could be the most controversial with dark, satanic lyrics and in the midst of it, Darkthrone has released numerous tracks with eerie messages when played backwards.
Hate Yer State Choking Victim
Choking Victim is an American punk rock band that was together from 19921999. They were known for mixing ska and hardcore punk, but for also writing unapologetic direct lyrics with no warning for listeners. If you played the intro of the track “Hate Yer State” backwards, you will get this message in return: “You think you’re alive motherfucker? You’re just the walking fucking dead. You’re fucking sheep, stepping on my back to stay alive. West Coast, East Coast, you’re all a bunch of fucking fools. You and By Kayla Fernandez the rest of this greedy fucking world. Kill yourself, stay in school, say no to drugs and oh yeah ... hail As Halloween approaches, this is the perfect time to look Satan. Goodnight boys and into songs that reveal an eerie message. Backmasking girls. Pleasant dreams.”
DEM ON I
ES AG SS
Many people have associated Motörhead’s music with the devil and selling your soul. At first, it is quite a laugh because it is simply music, but when this song is played in reverse you might second guess yourself. Played forwards it sounds like an angered growl but reversed it says, “Now tell me about your miserable little lives. I do not subscribe to your superstitious, narrow-minded flights of paranoia. I and people like me will always prevail! You will never stifle our free speech in any country in the world, ’cause we will fight forever.” When the song was released, Motörhead was going through an intense legal battle with their record company and this was supposedly their message to riot.
As Flittermice As Satan’s Spy
is a recording method where a message is first recorded onto a song backwards, and is then meant to be played forward. Below are some tunes that reveal hair rising and demonic subliminal messages, Better by You, whether they were intentional or not.
Better than Me Judas Priest
Judas Priest became a controversial band when two fans committed suicide after supposedly being influenced by the band’s lyrics. The backwards message in “Better by You, Better than Me” continuously repeats, “Do it.” One night in 1985 the two fans, Raymond Belknap and James Vance, went to a church playground and shot themselves. Belknap died instantly and Vance survived the gunshot but died three years later due to complications from the incident. Before Vance’s passing he stated, “We had been programmed. I knew I was going to do it. I was afraid. I didn’t want to die. It’s just as if I had no choice.” The fans’ parents took the band to court, but the case was dismissed as the judge ruled that the band was not liable for the deaths.
Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin
I’m So Tired
Dinner at Deviant’s Palace Cradle of Filth When played normally, this track is a bunch of creepy gibberish and hushed whispers. Once you play the track backwards, you will hear the Lord’s Prayer being recited backwards. If you are unfamiliar with satanic rituals, reciting the Lord’s Prayer backwards is said to summon demons, especially during the witching hour. Even though the band claims not to be demonic, as their music comes across, they have stated in multiple interviews that their main outlet of inspiration stemmed from Gothic poetry, mythology and horror films.
The Beatles
Perhaps one of the most well-known backmasking conspiracy in music history, towards the end of “I’m So Tired” John Lennon is heard speaking some sort of gibberish. But when flipped, some might hear “Paul is a dead man, miss him, miss him, miss him.” This ties into the infamous “Paul is dead” conspiracy. It was theorized that back in 1966 Paul McCartney died in a horrific car crash and the music industry replaced him with a double. Believers of this theory state that the rest of The Beatles snuck clues into their music to tell fans what really happened to McCartney.
The accusations of this timeless classic being a tune dedicated to Satan stems from other things the band has done. For example, guitarist Jimmy Page bought a mansion from the famed Satanist Aleister Crowley, and allegedly, he sold his soul to be successful and achieve fame. If this beloved classic rock track is played backwards you will hear, “Oh here’s to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is Satan. He will give those with him 666. There was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.” Once the band heard this conspiracy they were not amused, because “Stairway to Heaven” was made from their hearts. Page also stated in an interview that he believes slipping hidden messages backwards is not the way to make true music.
Check out the full playlist on Spotify THE SUNDIAL
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CHRISTIANITY IN THE VALLEY By Elaine Sanders
There are dozens of churches located around the San Fernando Valley that represent different sects of the Christian faith. Here is a look at some of the churches that are close to CSUN that give back to the SFV community.
The CENTERchurch located at 10452 Louise Avenue (across from Patrick Henry Middle School) is a diverse community that holds worship and has an after school program where students can stay safe while waiting for their parents to pick them up.
First Presbyterian Church of Granada Hills is located at 10400 Zelzah Avenue and was founded in 1947. They offer both traditional and contemporary services where they explore what it means to be a disciple in the 21st century.
Northridge United Methodist Church is located on the corner of Reseda Boulevard and Superior Street and was founded on April 23, 1968 creating a new denomination. This church is the product of the unification of The Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church.
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church is located on the corner of Reseda Boulevard and Kinzie Street. It is a Catholic parish and school serving as a space for the Catholic community in Northridge.
Northridge New Life Church of the Nazarene is located on the corner of Reseda Boulevard and Chatsworth Street. It was founded in 1928 with a mission to create “Christlike disciples in the Valley� according to their Facebook page.
Mannam Presbyterian Church was built in 1999 under Pastor Yong-Hwan Cho on the corner or Lassen Street and Lindley Avenue. It offers sermons in Korean and ministries in both Korean and English.
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Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church has stood on the corner of Balboa Boulevard and Plummer Street for nearly half a century. The church also has a youth basketball team, volleyball team and an award winning Greek dance program that combines culture and spirituality of the Greek Orthodox Tradition.
Church Everyday is a primarily Korean ministry located at 17037 Devonshire Street. The church was founded in 1999 by Pastor Choi Hong-joo and 30 followers after worshiping in Lacrecionta Piano Academy together.
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Valley Korean United Methodist Church is another church under the denomination United Methodist located at 10408 Balboa Boulevard. It holds sermons in Korean and has a congregation with 530 members.
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Film
&
IDENTITY
HOLLYWOOD’S TAKE ON CHRISTIANITY By Deja Magee
Religulous! 2008 Directed by Larry Charles, the man responsible for the infamous cultural phenomenon “Borat,” and written by and starring Bill Maher, a man laden with controversy, “Religulous” is a 2008 documentary that follows Maher on his quest to find out why people believe what they believe when it comes to their religion. It is a rather funny and thoughtprovoking look into the various religions around the world. Maher goes to religious capitals of the world like Jerusalem, the Vatican and Salt Lake City, while even going to London to mockingly spout his “Scientological beliefs.”
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Se7en 1995
The Ten Commandments 1956 A thrilling and exhilarating version of the biblical story of Moses, “The Ten Commandments” is a 1956 film directed by legendary American filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille. The movie stars Charles Heston as the prodigal main character Moses and Yul Brynner as Moses’ brotherturned-rival, Rameses. The tagline for the movie was “The Greatest Event in Motion Picture History,” and at the time, it was. Filmed on location in Egypt and in Mount Sinai, it had one of the largest sets that had ever been created for a film.
Dogma 1999 The fourth film in Kevin Smith’s cinematic universe, the View Askewniverse, was released in 1999. The film centers around two fallen angels, Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon). Both angels plan to return to heaven through a loophole in Catholic dogma after being sent out by God. With a cast featuring famous faces like Chris Rock, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayek, Alanis Morissette, George Carlin and Jason Lee, it’s easy to see how “Dogma” would be considered a good time for audiences. However, for some moviegoers, this movie left a bad taste in their mouths. Because this movie discussed and used themes of the Catholic faith, the Catholic League — an activist group — called the film “blasphemous” while other groups held protests outside cinemas showing the movie.
Directed by David Fincher, this 1995 crime thriller follows rookie and veteran detectives David Mills (Brad Pitt) and William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) on the trail of a serial killer, self-named “John Doe,” committing murders inspired by the seven deadly sins. From one gruesome murder scene to the next the detectives find themselves reading “Paradise Lost,” uncovering secret messages on paintings and decoding clues. Eventually, John Doe makes the detectives the final target to complete all seven deadly sins which tests the character of the young strong-headed Mills. Dealing with the themes of blasphemy, temptation and evil, this film has given us one of the most memorable phrases in cinema and it is a classic of the psychological thriller genre.
The Exorcist 1973 A classic in the horror genre and the first of many exorcism movies to follow, “The Exorcist” is a 1973 film adapted from William Peter Blatty’s novel of the same name directed by William Friedkin. The movie dives into the stories of actress Chris MacNeil and her daughter Regan, Father Lankester Merrin, and Father Damien Karras. Regan obtains a Ouija board that houses her friend “Captain Howdy,” but as soon as the movie progresses sinister happenings begin to occur. This is another movie that tackles the Catholic faith; however, it faced several controversies. One of them was with the rating system. It was given an X rating because of how audiences had reacted regarding the movie like vomiting and fainting, even going so far as to having a psychiatric journal claim the movie gave members of the audience “cinematic neurosis.” But, once the Motion Picture Association of America realized how many kids were going to view the movie, they changed the rating to R for a more successful run.
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thesundial The submission process begins Tuesday, Oct. 29. We are accepting digital short prose, poetry and stories (1,000 words or less). For visuals we are looking for photography, illustrations, audio and video! Submit to sundial.csun.edu/arts-lit-submit/. Fill out a brief form with your info. Tell us about the story behind the artwork you’re submitting and anything relevant to your artistry! Don’t forget to include links and username handles from the social media or website you’re sharing your work from. If you have any questions, direct them to ane@csun.edu. 1 day ago
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UNSEALING THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION How a bill would force priests to report on child abuse during confidential conversations
Photo illustration of Andres Soto holding a rosary.
By Gillian Moran-Perez / Photo Illustration by Logan Bik On April 2, Senator Jerry Hill brought to the California Senate SB 360, a bill that would take away from clergy members their exemption to refrain from reporting on sexual abuse during a confidential conversation. The bill has gained both support and opposition from sexual abuse victims and the Catholic Church. The supporters all agree on the fact that it’s about time, while clergy members say that it’s a violation of their First Amendment. “It is a violation of religious freedom that is in the constitution, that’s the most important thing. The government should not encroach on the right of the people to worship, that they are free to worship without any interference of the government,” said Deacon Gus Mora from St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Winnetka. He says that the government must respect the principle of separation between church and state, their religious liberty. Clergy members are required to report on child abuse and neglect, among 46 categories of professionals from teachers to psychiatrists, but because of the Sacrament of Confession, where people can confess to priests, they are exempt from sharing anything related to child abuse to the government on account of privacy that the penitential rite grants. Originally, SB 360 was proposed to require clergy members to disclose any child abuse or neglect during confessions, but the bill was later amended in May to require clergy members
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to only disclose on such information that involved other clergy members or coworkers. This bill was proposed in response to recent sexual abuse scandals that came to light. During the hearing in April, Hill said that earlier that week a priest from the Bay area was arrested for 30 accounts of child abuse from 2016 and 2017 and that child abuse within faith organizations is still a huge issue. His bill was proposed in response to the recent child abuse scandals that have gained a lot of attention. Hill said in the hearing, recorded and published on the California State Senate media archives, that “California would not be trailblazing in this measure” before he began listing several states including Indiana, Connecticut, Mississippi and others that already have “similar statutes and operate under the same constitution and the same Bill of Rights that we do.” “It’s time that California puts its children first,” said Hill. Kameron Torres, a sexual abuse victim, followed Hill’s proposal with his testimonies of being sexually abused twice by different men under the Jehovah’s Witnesses group he grew up in. He said the abuse started when he was six and they told him “don’t speak about it, it’s in God’s hands and he’ll take care of it.” Torres said it wasn’t until two years ago that he found out they were part of a cult that hid thousands of accounts of sexual abuse cases but according to him, they still roam free.
“I think it’s time that the universe is telling us to protect our children,” said Torres. He was followed by many supporters from different organizations, including other former Jehovah’s Witnesses abuse victims. One woman, holding back tears, said it was her first time speaking in public about being abused and that it was scary but she supports the bill. In May this year, Pope Francis issued the first law that obligates Roman Catholic officials worldwide to report sexual abuse from clergy members to their superiors as well as any attempts to cover it up. Bishops under the Catholic Church established the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in June 2002, the same year that the Boston Globe published a series of reports revealing hundreds of sexual abuse cases from the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The document contains the Church’s responses to child sexual abuse and a foundation for prevention programs, one of them being the Office of Safeguard the Children and Safeguard the Children Parish Committees. Under these programs, Virtus “Protecting God’s Children” Training was installed that teaches adults who work or volunteer with children different steps to prevent/report on child abuse. Since its beginning, over 329,000 clergy, staff and volunteers have been trained, according to the Virtus Train-
ing website. Deacon Gus is a facilitator for Virtus Training, meaning he leads the three-hour training sessions. He says that more people are talking about the sexual assault cases during the sessions and give their opinions on what the church should do. But he does not believe that the bill is a solution. “The priests will fight tooth and nail to preserve that confidentiality,” said Deacon Gus. He said that if the bill were to pass, people will no longer go to confessions. As a grandfather, he says he’s relieved that this training exists because sexual abuse can happen anywhere. “There are so many people out there who have evil intentions,” said Deacon Gus. He mentioned that the church’s biggest mistake was thinking that sexual abuse could be “cured” by removing a priest from their church and transferring them somewhere else. The bill is currently on hold because Hill believes that it will not carry enough support after the first hearing, according to a press release statement. “This issue remains important to me, and I will continue to champion it in the hope that my colleagues can come together on legislation,” Hill stated. “I strongly believe that for any institution self-policing and self-investigation are not effective ways to combat alleged abuse, as our own state Legislature has found. To be clear, I have placed SB 360 on hold. The bill is on pause, it has not been withdrawn.”
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CHRISTIANITY TO DECLINE RAPIDLY
IN AMERICA BY 2050
by Raychel Stewart / Illustration by Joelena Despard Christianity is decreasing at an alarming rate, according to a new study done by the Pew Research Center, but projections show religious practices around other parts of the world are rising. As of 2010, approximately one third of the global population is affiliated with Christianity, making it the largest religion in the world while Islam came in second. Within the next four decades, the Pew Research Center projects that the Islam population will narrow the margin and almost equal the Christianity population. “Religion is the way that human beings relate to spiritual realities and experience,” said James Finlay, religious studies lecturer at CSUN. “Because these are often the most profound, moving, intimate, and meaningful aspects of human life, religious experience and ideologies energize and motivate people in powerful ways.”
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As of today, over 2.2 million or 31% of the total global population identify with the Christian religion, making it the largest religion in the world, according to Pew-Templeton. However, surveys done in 2018 and 2019 show that Christianity is 12% lower in America than a decade ago. Subsets of Christianity, including Catholicism and Protestantism, are rapidly decreasing as well. The change in religious practice rates comes from switching faith, fertility rates and youth population sizes, according to Pew. Another factor in the decline of Christianity in America stems from people who refer to themselves as “religious nones.” Religious nones do not affiliate themselves with any sort of religion in particular, including agnostics and atheists. Within the past decade, religious nones, agnostics and atheists have risen 9%, totaling to
about 26% of Americans. “Religion and spiritual practice and experience remain important, but traditional religious institutions and forms are less appealing, especially to younger people,” Finlay said. “Because they ‘don’t relate’ in a meaningful way to what people are dealing with in their daily lives.” As the population grows and people change their beliefs, religion is projected to remain a significant role in society. Because religious beliefs are subjective to individuals, the definition of religion, and the practices of religion, can evolve as the world does. “The phenomenon of religion is evolving –– in interesting and important ways,” Finlay said. “It is an exciting time to be a human being, and religion and spirituality remain central to that human experience.”
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SPECIAL TO THE SUNDIAL
Neighborhood
local food guide
Feeling hungry? Get your grub on with these local eateries.
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Chop Stop
Fresh Potato Factory
9225 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, CA 91324
9420 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, CA 91324
Chop Stop has quickly built its reputation in the Northridge community as a restaurant that serves customers food that is fresh, fast and easy. They promise to get your food out to you in four minutes or under and this is something that draws customers back wanting more. Besides their guarantee of getting your order fast, it’s their popular dish like the Santa Fe Chop or the seasonal Roasted Garlic Chop that satisfies the cravings of hungry college students. “We will 100% cater to all kinds of diets, with over 40 kinds of toppings, we want to make sure everyone can enjoy our salads without feeling limited,” says co-owner Riad Sahoum. Chop Shop creates an environment centered around helping its customers. All employees are trained to ensure all of the dishes come out consistent and that customers get exactly what they ordered. “We are all about trying to help our customers from the second they walk in and ease them through the process of ordering,” says Sahoum. Chop Stop understands the frustrations of parking on Reseda. To ease the hassle, Sahoum implemented a curbside pickup for orders placed over the phone and valet parking just behind the store. “We see what’s wrong and we understand because we experience it too, so we try and fix that problem to make it easier for our customers.”
Located on Reseda near Vincennes, Fresh Potato Factory serves healthy plant-based meals close to campus. Owner Shawn Mahdavian, a CSUN Alumni, brought to life a new concept of fresh food. He wanted to eliminate the use of freezers, microwaves and fryers in his restaurant. If the restaurant was going to be called Fresh Potato Factory it had to live up to being fresh. Today, what brings people coming back to Fresh Potato Factory is the use of fresh ingredients in popular dishes like the Veggie Burgers and the Baja Wrap. “It’s the fact that it’s rich in so many nutrients that it makes people crave it,” says Mahdavian. The level of quality of customer service found at Fresh Potato Factory is like no other. They understand that when you go out to eat, you expect good service wherever you go. “We are a restaurant, people come to us when they are hungry and it’s important to take care of them with a level of attention they expect,” Mahdavian says. Besides serving fresh ingredients, Fresh Potato Factory uses only biodegradable utensils, napkins and cups. Their mission is focused on the Northridge community and giving back. “We give back to society,” says Mahdavian. “Whether that’s with a church, a club on campus or a rescue mission, we want to give back to our community.”
Instagram: @chopstop
Instagram: @FreshPotatoFactory