Roots & Culture
When I was attending U.C. Santa Cruz, Rastafarianism was extremely popular among the student body. All the white kids thought, "Cool! A religion where you're *supposed* to smoke pot." Many students grew make-shift dreadlocks, donned green, yellow and red knit hats, and walked around saying things like, "Jah love, dude." The silliness ended after graduation. The pressing need to earn a living drove Rasta pretenders into the working world.

The pages of Roots and Culture don't even mention marijuana, and while you'll find links to reggae sites, you won't find any references to Bob Marley and his musical progeny. Rather, the site's emphasis is on Ethiopian religion and history. Within the context of Roots doctrine, the term Ethiopian denotes all people of African origin - Africans, African Americans, and in fact all the world's people who, according to scientific evidence, descended from a common African ancestor.

Despite this broad inclusion of the globe's entire populace, much of the site's content focuses on the country of Ethiopia itself, and the religious teaching of Emperor Haile Selassie I. You'll find a quiz about Selassie I that is clearly intended to teach instead of test - if you quickly want an answer to one of the questions, you can activate a nifty drop-down device for immediate results.

Selassie I is portrayed as a visionary who unified Ethiopians worldwide. A section of quotes details the Emperor's wisdom during the politically turbulent times just before World War II. Another section is devoted to Marcus Garvey, a seminal figure in the American Black Renaissance of the 20s and 30s, and the leader of the "Back to Africa" movement. The theme here is on leaders of black unification. Throughout the site, you'll find references to God and the Bible presented in such a way as to suggest that religion cannot be separated from the political realm. To educate people in Ethiopian religious practices, the site includes a page with information on Masqal Baal, the Commemoration Day of the True Cross which is held nationwide across Ethiopia on September 17th.-WKC

A

Alpha Net
Surely everyone will agree that the King James Bible can be a confusing hodgepodge at times. It is obvious that editors were in short supply when the Scripture was initially being put to paper; how else can one explain the organization and presentation of the Good Book? Thankfully the good people at Alpha Net have provided a solution. The essential Biblical tales--Adam and Eve, Noah, and such--are presented in a concise and easily digested format, with verse annotations for those who care. Related links can carry the interested to a range of Bible sites.-SS

B-

Atheist Express
There are too few kick-butt atheists in this world. Some think organized religions deserve to be ridiculed and abused, and who better than a committed non-believer to deliver the punch line? Visitors to this page find news of religion-related court cases, calendars of upcoming atheist conventions, related links, and such - exactly the kind of information one would expect. But something is missing: am I wrong to expect more joy in all of this? Afterall, one would think an atheist page might convey more glee found in announcing, "Hey! We're alone down here!"-SS

C+

Church of the Bunny Bunican West
I've long argued that harsh words and scorn are not the way to confront the dangerous and kooky. Ridicule and sarcasm are far more effective. Take note: The Church of the Bunny offers as plausible an explanation of this world and its workings as any religion I've ever encountered. An extensive site with loads of information on church doctrine and members make this one of the most amusing religious-themed sites on the Web.-SS

A

Jewish Communications Network
The JCN offers a comprehensive guide to all things Jewish. It starts with a nice layout, smooth organization, and spiffy graphics; unfolding into a breadth of diverse, useful content. The site features current events, scoops the dirt on political candidates, provides a calander, and has loads of links links links. For complete coverage and regular updates, this site is tops. -SK

A-

Lift Up Your Hearts
Seeking a little guidance on your Lutheran path? Lift Up Your Hearts is a nice resource to check out. It offers imformation about the Lutheran Evangelical church, links to resources, and interesting essays on prayers and living the Lutheran life. It's not exactly a dazzler of a site, but it performs the task well enough, and has a few techno-gadgets like Tables.-SK

B-

Messiahs Inc
Deciding to fight fire with fire, this site offers an at-times hilarious primer on the evolution of a religious faith. Perhaps starting your own church is the most meaningful exercise of religious freedom; in any case, how can you argue with a Holy book entitled, ""Messiahs, Inc.,"or "How Jeremiah L Hermastone Starts A Church of His Own, 'Beats' the IRS, Patents God, and Has More Sex Than Rush Limbaugh, But Less Than JFK!"I'm not sure if I understand it, but I know this site is good. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates a good rant.-SS

B+

Ogmios
Ogmios is the organization dedicated to opposing the coming reign of the antichrist. Ogmios also refers to the European who will lead this opposition. The Ogmios organization is recruiting individuals of all backgrounds to join the struggle: astrologists, numerologists, writers, scientists, and others. Each has a role to play as the End-Times draw near. Related links provide information on Nostradamus, channeling, ufology, and " the photon belt phenomenon increasingly referred to in the channeled literature."As the twentieth-century draws to a close, it is reassuring to know that the fourteenth century is still very much with us.-SS

B

The Towers of Avalon
This site is a collection of links related to the usual suspects: Pagans, Wiccans, shamans and witches. It is as broad as any I have found on these matters, and should be of use to anyone who cares about such things. I find it interesting how quickly fringe religions - and fringe types in general - latched on to the Internet and WWW. For all the crap out there in cyberspace, it is still the most efficient means by which people can contact each other and add their voice to the noisy din of modern life.-SS

B

The Wyrd Page: Germanic Nordic Heathen Religion
"Oh no, " I thought, "more of those annoying pagan types, the ones that dress up in capes and armor and spend their weekends bashing each other with wooden poles." Admittedly one will find a bit of that here: mention is made of a group which meets to celebrate the major days of yet another pagan sect. But in addition, a great deal of information is available. Book lists, contact groups, and an extensive collection of related links would be of use to anyone researching those Teutonic/Nordic/Northern European faiths.-SS

B