Shelby Carter HUMA 2400 Media Review Due: Nov.

26

Concert of Praise celebrates God's word: the Bible

Summary Salt Lake City was chosen as the location for National Bible Week observance 2013. On Saturday night about 3000 people were treated to an interfaith musical performance called Concert of Praise for Gods Word. This concert expressed gratitude to God for his gift of the bible. In attendance were several choirs from local universities, a choir from intercity Baltimore, a popular actress and her husband/producer, a Jewish Cantor, president of the National Bible Association, (Richard Glickstein) and a member of the quorum of the 12 Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder D. Todd Christofferson, (the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) welcomed everyone and gave a short message to the audience. His message was that the bible is relevant to all of us and people who read the bible are the moral fabric of society. The musical performances of the night were centered on bible verses and messages. Preceding the concert was a thunderous applause and standing ovation. The National Bible Week observance in Salt Lake City, National Bible City 2013, will conclude Monday, November 25, 2013 at noon in the State Capitol with bible reading from political, religious, civic and business leaders. Analysis There are many messages conveyed in this article one that really stood out to me was the goodwill and friendship between the church leaders of the many different faiths represented at the event. Another message I noticed was that all the church leaders of the different religions were so grateful for the influence of the Bible and the effect it has on society. I believe the motivation of the author in writing this article was to inform the people of Salt Lake City about this event and spread feelings of cheerfulness and gladness before the holiday season. I believe the objective of the author in writing this article was to explain the highlights of what was sang, spoken and felt by everyone who attended the event. In addition the author was also trying to display the emotions of some of some of the church leaders and the overall spirit of the performance. The intended audience for this article is everyone, especially people who attended the event or performed in it. Reflection/Opinion After reading and reflecting on this article I am of the opinion that it is a well written piece and conveys a good message. It is exciting to read about a performance where many different faiths come together to celebrate their similarities. One concept I have learned while taking this class is that most religions have doctrine that is the same or similar. I have read the article through several times through the course of writing this paper and I cant find anything that I dont approve of or that I find controversial. I too believe that the bible has a wholesome impact on the people of the world and that people who read

the bible regularly and abide by its precepts are some of the most stable and happy people in our society. These opinions might be bias in that I have been raised by parents who uphold the bible as a holy text, and believe it is the word of God. In growing up I have been taught to believe the messages of the Bible are truth. I come from a middle class family like many people. I would say that people who come from similar or completely different backgrounds can all enjoy the same privilege of reading the bible. In other words I believe that I have the same or similar privileges as almost all other people when it comes to the bible. The reason I agree with the idea of a multi-faith event about the bible is because I have read the bible and I am happy when I abide by the promises given. Another reason is because I have seen a change in a persons attitude that takes place after they have read the bible and made changes in their life. Conclusion This article relates to what I have learned in class in a lot of ways. Going back to the first class of the semester, we defined religion as anything that is of value to people. The Bible in many religions is the main scriptural text and is of great value to many people and religious groups. We learned in class that the Jehovahs Witness faith consider themselves a group of Bible students rather than a religious group. Another message in this article that relates to what we have learned in class is the concept of churches being united and focusing on their similarities and not their differences. As I stated in my response to the last journal question I believe that all religions make their own unique contributions to society and these contributions usually influence people for the better. Religious groups promote morals and values that make stable people and a secure society.

Article: Concert of Praise celebrates God's word: the Bible By Joe Walker For the Deseret News Published: Saturday, Nov. 23 2013 11:21 p.m. MST