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This young man was stateless until 6 months ago. Meet Fadi X.(Fadi at La Perouse Beach, Sydney, October 2019. Photo by Joshua Morris.)In 1985, a Syrian soldier named Hasan Moussa was stationed in northern Lebanon. At the village of Darbechtbar, he fell in love—or, convenience—with a Lebanese woman, Hiam Chalouhy. Hasan was Moslem, Hiam Christian.The couple married in 1991, when Fadi was born. It is too bad that Hasan did not register the birth. He did not register the marriage either. In 1992 he disappeared.Baby Fadi was not on any government document. He was not Syrian. He was not Lebanese. He was … stateless.Hiam worked as a cleaner at the Catholic primary school. The nuns let her son attend classes. Unofficially. While Hiam cleaned, she parked Fadi in the school library. He read “anything with a pretty cover”: children’s books in Arabic, French, English; on Saturday mornings he watched television cartoons in French and English.Thanks to a Maronite Christian court, Fadi was registered at high school. The Lebanese University at Tripoli let him enrol in a finance degree: it did not care that he had no paper, so long as he paid 900,000 Lebanese pounds (US$500).Fadi paid his fees by working as a labourer, waiter, handyman. In 2012, aged 21, he had the degrees of Bachelor of Finance and Master in Financial Engineering.Meanwhile in his daily life, at every road-block he was interrogated, arrested, had his teeth punched in. You can imagine the police’s scepticism: Fadi had no surname, no father, no birth date, and “nationality unspecified”. Who was he?Well, for a while he was a business analyst with a software company, which paid him cash.But he couldn’t open a bank account—he could not get a credit card. (Just as well, really.) He could not buy property—marry—legally become a parent. He could not apply for a driver’s licence—or social security—or insurance.When his mother died in 2016, her house went to her brothers. He could not inherit it, because he did not exist.The Lebanese bureaucracy did not acknowledge him as his father’s son. It did not even acknowledge he was Lebanese.For 2 1/2 years, Fadi appealed to every refugee and humanitarian organization he could find. He sent 3000 emails. (Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie did not respond.)Then he found the not-for-profit group, Talent Beyond Boundaries, founded in 2015. After interviews, he was offered a position of management consultant with Accenture, at its Sydney office. He began in March 2019.For the next 4 years, Fadi will be on a temporary visa. Thereafter, he will apply for Australian citizenship; this will enable him to claim his mother’s house, which at present is unoccupied, he holding the keys.Citizenship will finally give him a name.He will choose his mother’s: “Chalouhy. I’ll be accomplishing a lifetime dream of mine … and my mother’s. I will be fulfilled.”Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (Good Weekend), 12th-13th October 2019 How a philanthropist gave a new life to a man without a country

Kind Questioner,As mentioned when answering a similar question, I can only speak for this atheist.(I’m the old guy in the red shirt, that’s my handsome eldest son on my left. It’s 2013 and I’m about to start my life’s dream of an Appalachian Trail thru-hike!)So, what is something this atheist will never understand? There’s so much really…I will certainly never understand string theory.Ten spacetime dimensions? Supersymmetry? T-duality?Add my addiction to “Game of Thrones,” to the list of things that befuddle me:WHY WHY WHY didn’t I stay true to my pledge to never start watching this show I exhaustedly ask myself after a week of up-past-midnight binge watching - during the school year, no less, when I must roust myself at 5am to shepherd these sweet Alaska Native children through the rigors of subjects I scarcely understand myself:In truth, not understanding string theory or possessing so little cinematic self control doesn’t bother me.However, some things I don’t understand are beyond horrific.See this guy? It’s Dr. George Tiller.For a time he was one of but a handful of abortion providers in the United States who performed the procedure late in a pregnancy. Glamour, “Terrifying (and True) Facts About Violence Against Abortion Providers,” Meredith Clark (May 31, 2016).This man shot and killed George Tiller in the foyer of the good doctor’s Lutheran church on May 31, 2009:His name is Scott Roeder.At his trial, Mr. Roeder testified that his anti-abortion beliefs “go hand-in-hand” with his Christian beliefs. Roeder said he was “born again” while watching “The 700 Club,” Los Angeles Times (January 29, 2010).This Christian television program reaches 96% of the homes in the United States, is seen daily by approximately a million viewers, and boasts on its website, “Wherever The 700 Club airs, lives are touched by its programs, testimonies, teachings, and ministry” (www.1.cbn.com). Dr. Tiller’s life was certainly touched by The 700 Club.The avuncular gentleman above is Pat Robertson, multimillionaire son of a quondam United States Senator, and an erstwhile Republican candidate for the presidency in 1988. I’ve delighted in many of Robertson’s quotes over the years; this might be my favorite:“Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians.” CNN - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos (July 9, 2013).Maybe Pat was offended by Gloria Steinem’s “a woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle” aphorism.Who knows?Robertson has a long history of spouting inanities.When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, he claimed that God was no longer protecting the United States from danger because of legalized abortion and gay rights. Media Matters for America (September 13, 2005).I could post silly things Robertson has said all day, it’s quite fun, but back to Scott Roeder.Roeder had many supporters after he shot Dr. Tiller down in front of his fellow worshipers. Like Donald Spitz:That flag he’s holding denotes his support for the “Army of God,” one of many groups that hold to “Dominion Theology,” the concept that Christians must exercise dominion over society by taking control of cultural and political institutions. Southern Poverty Law Center “How Extremist Groups Use Religion to Radicalize,” Daryl Johnson (September 12, 2017).This is an image of one of their early “field manuals.” The script reads “get ready to fight for holiness and righteousness.” History Commons (“Profile: Donald Spitz”).After another anti-abortion activist, John Salvi, killed two women at Massachusetts clinics in December of 1994, Spitz (AOG’s leader) led a prayer vigil outside the prison where Salvi was held, and through a bullhorn shouted: “Thank you for saving the innocent babies from being put to death. We love you John Salvi, we support you.” History Commons (U.S. Domestic Terrorism, Army of God).I won’t ramble on about the AOG - suffice it to say this “army” of Christian people believes murder is justified to further the anti-abortion cause. Jennifer Jefferis has written an excellent book on them, “Armed for Life, Army of God and Anti-Abortion Terror in the United States” (Praeger, 2011):Spiz was, and remains, a supporter of Scott Roeder. After Roeder’s conviction Spitz said: “I believe what [Roeder] did was justified manslaughter to save those unborn children from the baby murderer Dr. Miller.” Business & Financial News, U.S & International Breaking News | Reuters Carey Gilliam (January 29, 2010).As of 2013, Spitz was providing the now-imprisoned Roeder with copies of “A Time To Kill” to send to his many admiring correspondents. The Topeka Capital-Journal, Roxana Hegeman, The Associated Press (January 27, 2013)This is that book’s author, Reverend Michael Bray:Here’s his book if anyone is interested. Ironically, it was published by Advocates for Life Publications. Yeah, I know.Here is another picture of Donald Spitz:Yes, that’s a Bible he is holding. Like Bray, Spitz is a minister. I wonder if he was reading “And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (King James 2000 Bible). Somehow I doubt it.It’s not just fundamentalist Christians that befuddle me sometimes.This is one of millions of statues of the Buddha, born Siddhartha Gautama in then northern India around 623 B.C.E.Somewhere between 200–500 million people follow his teachings. Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network .Buddha offered five “precepts” that, if followed, adherents believe will help them deal with the suffering that is an inevitable part of the human experience. The first and primary precept is to avoid killing or harming living beings. Urban Dharma / Buddhism in America “The Five Precepts,” Dr. Sunthorn Plamintr.This precept is based on the foundational Buddhist virtues of loving-kindness and compassion. Buddhist monks for thousands of years have been tasked with a duty to “relieve suffering and sow the seeds of happiness indiscriminately to all.” A Buddhist Library (“The Buddhist Golden Rule”).The monk below, Ashin Wirathu, apparently does not accept these teachings:Wirathu presides over more than 2,500 ultranationalist monks at the Masoeyein monastery in Mandalay, Myanmar.In 2001 Wirathu joined “969,” described as a “shadowy anti-Muslim movement” by Lindsay Murdoch of the Sydney Morning Herald (April 15, 2013). He was jailed for 25 years in 2003 for instigating anti-Muslim riots, but freed in 2012 under an amnesty deal.These are members of the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority group living in the Rakhine state of Myanmar:Although there have been many misleading statements released , the consensus among reporters and humanitarian groups is that Wirathu’s group is working with the Myanmar military, even as you read this, to purge the country of the Rohingya clan. theguardian.com, “Massacre at Tula Toli,” Oliver Holmes (September 7, 2017); cnn.com, “Bodies of 20 Rohingya Muslims Pulled From River,” Rebecca Wright (August 31, 2017); abc.net.au, “Villagers Slaughtered in Myanmar,” Liam Cochrane (August 31, 2017).I found many other purported pictures of the conflict, but only posted confirmed images.The above examples of religiously motivated hatred and murder are but the tip of the iceberg.Sunni and Shia Muslims, killing each other for fourteen centuries:Protestants and Catholics doing the same, since the Reformation:Serbs, Croats, and Bosnians dividing along strict Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim fault lines in a war that cost 100,000 lives:The Crusades. The Inquisition. And much, much more.Not all, but a ridiculously unacceptable amount of the violence, death, and suffering we inflict on one another is because of religious differences.If someone’s “god” forbids certain behavior (sodomy, abortion, worshiping another god, the list is endless), there has ALWAYS been someone willing to use violence to enforce that god’s proscriptions.All of which leaves this exasperated atheist unable to understand something which to me, seems so clear:I will never understand:a) how people can continue to believe in something that contravenes all observable, physical laws of the universe (“god”); whenb) there is compelling evidence that this belief has, since the dawn of our species’ recorded history, prompted many (not all) humans to kill, torture, and enslave one another.Now, before you think me smug, consider this:There are many religious organizations that provide humanitarian assistance to suffering people who would otherwise go unaided. I applaud that.Many people find comfort and well-being from their religious community, totally unlinked to a belief in “god,” or other religious dogma. I honor that.I mean no insult or disrespect to anyone. This post is simply my honest reply to the Question. Just because I cannot understand something does NOT mean others must agree with me, lest they be considered fools. I have no wish to live in a world where everyone has the same opinions. How dull.I believe society grants an undeserved deference to religious beliefs. To paraphrase Sam Harris…if I asseverated that I was destined to marry Taylor Swift, most people would, with no hesitation, tell me I was a delusional 67-year old man. Yet, many people think it disrespectful to challenge someone’s belief that there exists an invisible, all-powerful being who cares deeply about their daily conduct. That seems odd to me.Thanks for playing Quora with me!Steve Jennette

Is it a sin for a Roman-Catholic to visit a service of a Protestant church?No, in fact it is encouraged by “The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity”,Where I grew up in Sydney, Australia, a place called Coogee, if you weren’t CoE the probability is you were RCC. We didn’t know what a Protestant looked like. Methodists & Presbytereans were around somewhere. Baptists were virtually non-existent so the scenario was meaningless to us.Now the CoE is in schism with the RCC so aren’t considered heretics, Protestants were/are all considered heretics because they teach a different Gospel.Now I don’t recall it ever being considered a sin to associate with non-Catholics or attend their Church for services but it wasn’t encouraged (ie: don’t be unevenly yoked).Funny story though…The Catholic church at Coogee was at the highest point in the suburb & the CoE church was across the road a little lower down. In the 1950s we had a senile old priest and an equally senile Anglican minister who were at war with each otherEach Saturday they would have their cronies take down the names of anyone from their “Church” entered the others “Church” for weddings, baptisms etc. Nothing ever actually happened to the people written in the book that I ever heard of, apparently it was thought that to know the watchers were watching was supposed to cause fear in the hearts of people.Flash forward to the early 1970s. The two senile clergy were retired off or died (I forget which). I got married in RCC Church to a Congregationist from Canberra, sometime later my son was Baptised in the Catholic Church and the priest knew his God-parents were CoE. The later probably wouldn’t have been allowed to participate in the 1950s simply because the God-parents had to promise to bring the child up RCC should something happen to my wife or I. Forgot to mention, my spouse had to make a similar promise should we have children (which was a certainty at the time).Basically, since Pope Paul VI and Vatican 2 and eccumenicalism took the stage the RCC has been pursuing reconciliation with the various factions so there is no sin in attending their service.“There is no ban against a Catholic attending a Protestant service, although a Catholic may not receive “communion” if made available. This is largely a consequence of the invalid ordination of ministers attempting to confect the Sacrament…The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in its 1993 Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism, encourages such participation:In liturgical celebrations taking place in other churches and ecclesial communities, Catholics are encouraged to take part in the psalms, responses, hymns and common actions of the church in which they are guests. If invited by their hosts, they may read a lesson or preach (no. 118)”.Attending a Protestant Service