Social Media Ethics; Raising Children in Two Faiths

>>> COMING UP, A LUCKY SEVERSON REPORT ABOUT THE EXPERIMENTS OF FACEBOOK AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA ON CHANGING USERS' CHOICES, OR MOODS.

>>> ALSO, BETTY ROLLIN ON INTERFAITH COUPLES RAISING THEIR CHILDREN IN TWO RELIGIONS.

>>> PLUS, KIM LAWTON ON EASTERN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS CELEBRATING THAT'S WHY WE'RE YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY.

>> WELCOME.

I'M BOB ABERNETHY.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

>>> FAITH GROUPS AROUND THE WORLD THIS WEEK EXPRESSED OUTRAGE AND GRIEF AFTER THE ATTACK ON THE PARIS OFFICE OF THE SATIRICAL NEWSPAPER "CHARLIE HEBDO."

THE PAPER HAD BEEN TARGETED IN THE PAST FOR PRINTING CARICATURES OF THE PROPHET MOHAMMED.

THE MUSLIM PUBLIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE ATTACK, SAYING IT STOOD IN CONTRADICTION TO HOW MOHAMMED RESPONDED TO INSULTS.

INTERFAITH GROUPS URGED THE PUBLIC NOT TO RETALIATE AGAINST MUSLIMS.

AT A VATICAN CHAPEL MASS, POPE FRANCIS DENOUNCED THE ATTACKS AS HUMAN CRUELTY.

HE PRAYED FOR THE VICTIMS AND ASKED GOD TO "CHANGE THE HEARTS" OF THE PERPETRATORS.

>>> THE POPE IS MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR HIS VISIT TO SRI LANKA AND THE PHILIPPINES NEXT WEEK, WHERE INTERFAITH RELATIONS AND RECOVERY FROM DISASTERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MAJOR THEMES.

THIS WEEK FRANCIS NAMED 20 NEW CARDINALS FROM 18 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, MANY OF THEM IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD.

NO ONE WAS FROM THE U.S.

OBSERVERS SAID THE APPOINTMENTS REFLECTED THE POPE'S EMBRACE OF THE CHURCH'S SHIFTING DEMOGRAPHICS AND HIS DESIRE FOR A "CHURCH FOR THE POOR."

>>> SEVERE WINTER WEATHER ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST IS ADDING TO THE SUFFERING OF MILLIONS OF SYRIAN AND IRAQI REFUGEES.

MANY REFUGEES IN LEBANON, JORDAN, SYRIA AND NORTHERN IRAQ HAVE INADEQUATE SHELTER AND FEW SOURCES OF HEAT.

ONE HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL SAID ICE, SNOW AND FRIGID TEMPERATURES HAVE CREATED A "CATASTROPHIC" SITUATION.

>>> WE HAVE A LUCKY SEVERSON STORY TODAY ON THE CONTROVERSY OVER SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIMENTS.

SHOULD FACEBOOK, FOR INSTANCE, SEE IF IT CAN MAKE USERS HAPPY OR SAD?

LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A CONTROVERSY ABOUT JUST THAT.

FACEBOOK AND OTHERS TRYING TO AFFECT PEOPLE'S CHOICES AND MOODS, IN SOME CASES THEIR VOTING OR DATING.

ARE THE ETHICS OF SOCIAL MEDIA KEEPING UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY?

>> WHEN YOU START EXPERIMENTING ON PEOPLE, YOU START MANIPULATING THEIR ENVIRONMENT TO SEE HOW THEY REACT, YOU'RE TURNING THEM INTO YOUR LAB RATS.

>> THE OUTRAGE THAT GREETED THAT PARTICULAR EXPERIMENT FAR OUTSTRIPPED ITS PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS.

>> WHY THE CONTROVERSY BLEW UP AT THE TIME AND IN THE WAY THAT IT DID IS THAT WE'RE NOT SURE WE TRUST FACEBOOK.

>> Reporter: THERE WERE TREMORS OF ETHICAL OUTRAGE WHEN A MAJOR SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL REVEALED THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA SITE FACEBOOK HAD CONDUCTED EXPERIMENTS, ALTERING WHAT CUSTOMERS SEE ON THEIR OWN PAGES.

THE OUTRAGE WAS VOICED ACROSS ALL FORMS OF MEDIA, BOTH TRADITIONAL ONES AND DIGITAL OUTLETS LIKE YOUTUBE.

>> A LOT OF USERS SOMEWHAT UNDERSTANDABLY THOUGHT IT WAS CREEPY THAT FACEBOOK WAS INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO MANIPULATE THEIR EMOTIONS.

>> Reporter: SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE GROWN SO FAST OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE BIGGEST OF THEM ALL, OF COURSE IS FACEBOOK WITH 1.5 BILLION USERS WORLDWIDE, 130 MILLION IN THIS COUNTRY.

WHAT IT KNOWS ABOUT ITS USERS AND WHAT IT DOES WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE IS TROUBLING AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

FACEBOOK WANTED TO FIND OUT IF EMOTIONS ARE CONTAGIOUS.

SO THE COMPANY EDITED THE INFORMATION THAT IT SENDS TO CUSTOMERS' PAGES -- THEIR SO-CALLED "NEWSFEED" -- FOR 700,000 PEOPLE WHO WERE ITS UNKNOWING TEST SUBJECTS.

TO SEE WHETHER A POSITIVE, UPBEAT MOOD COULD BE CONTAGIOUS, FACEBOOK FILTERED OUT INFORMATION THAT SEEMED SAD OR NEGATIVE, WHETHER IT ORIGINATED FROM FACEBOOK FRIENDS OR FROM THE NEWS IN GENERAL.

AND THEY ALSO FILTERED OUT POSITIVE MESSAGES WHEN TRYING TO SET A MORE NEGATIVE MOOD.

THIS IS JAMES GRIMMELMAN, PROFESSOR OF LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.

>> THE FACEBOOK EXPERIMENT WAS EXPLICITLY DESIGNED TO MEASURE WHETHER FACEBOOK COULD MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY OR SAD.

>> Reporter: HAPPIER MESSAGES CAUSED USERS TO POST HAPPIER UPDATES THEMSELVES.

SADDER POSTS PROMPTED SADDER UPDATES AND FEWER UPDATES.

UNSURPRISING, YOU MIGHT THINK.

SO WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?

>> NOW IMAGINE, THEY LOOK AT YOUR POSTS TO SEE WHETHER YOU USE ANGRY WORDS OR SUPPORTIVE WORDS IN RESPONDING TO OTHER PEOPLE'S POSTS.

THEY COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT THINGS REALLY PUSH YOUR BUTTONS AND PUSH THEM HARD.

>> Reporter: DANAH BOYD IS FOUNDER OF THE DATA & SOCIETY RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

>> WHERE THE DISCOMFORT LIES IS WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT WE CAN AFFECT A POPULATION, BY CHOICE, WITH THE KIND OF SERVICES THAT THEY USE, WITH OR WITHOUT THEM KNOWING ABOUT IT?

>> Reporter: CHRISTIAN RUDDER IS THE PRESIDENT OF OKCUPID, AN ONLINE DATING SERVICE.

HE DOESN'T THINK FACEBOOK HAS DONE ANY HARM.

>> I JUST DON'T SEE WHAT FACEBOOK DOES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT FOX OR MSNBC DOES.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS EVEN TRADITIONAL AND REPUTABLE MEDIA LIKE "THE NEW YORK TIMES" TINKER WITH THEIR CONTENT ALL THE TIME TO ATTRACT READERS.

>> THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NEWS YOU MIGHT LIKE, BASICALLY THE EXACT SAME THING THAT YOU SEE FROM YOUR FRIENDS.

THEY TINKER WITH IT ALL THE TIME, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY PUBLISH THE RESULTS.

>> Reporter: CHRISTIAN RUDDER TINKERS WITH HIS SERVICE, LIKE THE EXPERIMENT WHEN OKCUPID TOLD INDIVIDUALS THEY WERE A GOOD MATCH WHEN IN FACT THEY WEREN'T, SOMETHING THE SERVICE'S OWN BLOG ADMITTED WAS A FORM OF HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION.

>> WE DIDN'T LIKE ACTUALLY MAKE ANYONE GO ON A DATE.

WE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE ANYONE TALK.

WE JUST THREW YOU UP THERE, SAID HEY, MAYBE YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS PERSON.

IF SHE CLICKS ON YOU, SEES YOUR PICTURE, SEES THE WORDS THAT YOU'VE WRITTEN, WHICH WE HAVEN'T CHANGED, THEN MAYBE YOU GO OUT ON A DATE OR SOMETHING.

I MEAN, THE WHOLE IDEA OF WHAT WE DID GOT SO OVERBLOWN.

>> Reporter: AND GUESS WHAT?

MISMATCHES CONNECTED.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY STAYED CONNECTED.

RUDDER SAYS THEY DON'T KEEP TRACK OF HOW LONG MATCHES WORK.

BUT SOME LEGAL EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT, LIKE PROFESSOR GRIMMELMAN, ARE DISTURBED BY THE POTENTIAL OF SUCH MANIPULATION.

>> BOTH THE FACEBOOK AND OKCUPID EXPERIMENTS SHOW YOU THE DIRECTIONS IN WHICH THESE THINGS COULD RAPIDLY GET QUITE WORRISOME.

>> Reporter: CHRISTIAN RUDDER IS NOT WORRIED.

SAYS HE THINKS THE CRITICAL RESPONSE WAS EXCESSIVE, IN PART BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DON'T YET FULLY UNDERSTAND THE INTERNET AND BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES LIKE HIS OWN AND FACEBOOK ARE NOT INTERESTED IN PERSONAL INFORMATION.

>> NOBODY LOOKS AT ANY INDIVIDUAL USER'S BEHAVIOR.

YOU LOOK AT THINGS IN THE AGGREGATE, LIKE WHAT ARE MEN INTO?

WHAT DO WOMEN WANT FROM PROFILES?

WHAT DO WOMEN 18 TO 24 CLICK ON?

>> Reporter: FOR ETHICAL GUIDANCE, SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES LIKE FACEBOOK USE WHAT ARE CALLED INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARDS, IRBs, USUALLY AT WELL-KNOWN UNIVERSITIES, TO OVERSEE THEIR RESEARCH PROJECTS.

FACEBOOK WAS USING CORNELL FOR ITS "EMOTIONAL CONTAGION" STUDY, BUT CORNELL LATER SAID IT ONLY RECEIVED DETAILS OF THE STUDY AFTER IT WAS TOO FAR ALONG.

DANAH BOYD SAYS IRBs CAN BE HELPFUL, BUT THEY'RE NOT PERFECT.

>> ANYBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY WORKED WITH AN INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD IN A UNIVERSITY SETTING KNOWS THAT THEY'RE A NIGHTMARE AT BEST, BUT THE VALUES AND GOALS AND EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THERE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> Reporter: SHE SAYS REGULATION WON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THAT THE SOLUTION BEGINS WITH GREATER ETHICAL EDUCATION IN A TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD THAT HAS BEEN MOVING SO FAST ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS HAVEN'T CAUGHT UP.

>> I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW YOU GET ENGINEERS TO BE THINKING ABOUT ETHICAL DECISIONS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE TRAINING ENGINEERS FROM THE GET-GO TO REALLY THINK ABOUT ETHICS.

>> Reporter: THIS IS NOT THE FIRST EXPERIMENT FACEBOOK HAS CONDUCTED.

IN 2010, IT DIVIDED 61 MILLION AMERICAN USERS INTO THREE GROUPS AND SHOWED THEM EACH A DIFFERENT NONPARTISAN GET-OUT-THE-VOTE MESSAGE.

TURNS OUT SOME MESSAGES DID INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT.

>> THEY COULD DO IT IN A WAY THAT WOULD POSSIBLY SWING AN ELECTION, AND UNLIKE BLANKETING AN AREA WITH ADS THIS WOULD BE INVISIBLE.

>> USERS AGREE TO FACEBOOK'S RESEARCH WHEN THEY SIGN THE TERMS OF SERVICE.

THEY CANNOT JOIN UNTIL THEY DO.

BUT THE TERMS OF SERVICE OR CONSENT FORM IS 9,000 WORDS LONG.

AND ONLY USES THE WORD RESEARCH TWICE.

>> I THINK THAT ONE'S ABOUT A 40-MINUTE READ.

AND IT REQUIRES A LEVEL OF LEGAL KNOWLEDGE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT A LOT OF THESE TERMS OF ART EVEN MEAN.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE JOINED INTO A SITE LIKE FACEBOOK THEY'RE NOT THINKING, "HMMM, DO I LIKE OR NOT LIKE FACEBOOK?

DO I LIKE OR NOT LIKE THEIR TERMS?"

THEY'RE THINKING, "MY FRIENDS ARE THERE, AND I WANT TO HANG OUT WITH MY FRIENDS."

>> Reporter: YOU DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TO GIVE THEIR EXPLICIT PERMISSION?

>> I DON'T THINK -- I PERSONALLY DO NOT THINK SO.

>> Reporter: BUT CALLS FOR GREATER SAFEGUARDS CONTINUE, AND IT MAY BE THAT GENERAL UNEASE ABOUT THE POWER OF BIG SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES WILL END UP HAVING GREATER IMPACT THAN THE FINDINGS OF ANY SPECIFIC EXPERIMENT, INCLUDING THE "EMOTIONAL CONTAGION" STUDY.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE STUDY ITSELF.

I THINK IT'S ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT SURROUND IT AND THE UNCERTAINTY AND DISTRUST AND DISCOMFORT BY THIS WHOLE BIG DATA PHENOMENON.

>> Reporter: FACEBOOK EVENTUALLY APOLOGIZED -- NOT FOR THE RESEARCH STUDY ITSELF, WHICH CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER SHERYL SANDBERG SAID IS ONGOING, BUT FOR THE WAY NEWS ABOUT THE STUDY WAS COMMUNICATED.

THE COMPANY HAS ALSO AGREED TO START A STRONGER INTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS.

FOR "RELIGION AND ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY," I'M LUCKY SEVERSON REPORTING.

♪♪ >>> NOW, COUPLES IN INTERFAITH MARRIAGES, AND THE RELIGIONS OF THEIR CHILDREN.

IT USED TO BE THAT HUSBANDS AND WIVES OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS CHOSE ONE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

BUT BETTY ROLLIN HAS FOUND AN INTERFAITH COUPLE ON LONG ISLAND THAT IS RAISING THEIR CHILDREN AS JEWS AND CATHOLICS, WITH THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE ONE OR BOTH OR NONE, LATER ON.

MEET STEVEN AND AMY SCHOMBS OF EASTPORT, NEW YORK, AND THE ORGANIZATION HELPING THEM AND OTHERS LIKE THEM, THE INTERFAITH COMMUNITY.

>> I WAS RAISED AS A CONSERVATIVE, IN A CONSERVATIVE JEWISH HOME.

STEVEN, WHEN I MET HIM WAS THE 7:00 P.M. HEAD USHER AT CHURCH AND WE WERE SORT OF IN THE SAME PLACE SPIRITUALLY, BUT JUST HAPPEN TO BE IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS.

WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME CONTEMPLATING OUR DECISION TO GET MARRIED AND WE TALKED WITH A RABBI, WE TALKED WITH A PRIEST AND WE ACTUALLY GOT MARRIED IN A TEMPLE WITH A BISHOP'S DISPENSATION AND THAT MADE US BOTH FEEL GOOD.

>> Reporter: AMY AND STEVEN SCHOMBS LIVE IN EAST NORTHPORT, NEW YORK.

THEY'VE BEEN MARRIED 18 YEARS NOW AND HAVE 4 CHILDREN.

>> WE BOTH WANTED TO KEEP OUR OWN RELIGIONS AND OUR OWN IDENTITY FOR OURSELVES, SO WE KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING THAT WE DIDN'T WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE JUST ONE OF OUR FAITHS.

>> Reporter: YOU WERE BOTH COMFORTABLE WITH THAT?

>> WE WERE.

WE WERE.

>> WE WERE GOING TO TEACH THEM BOTH AND THEN WHEN THEY WERE ADULTS LEAVE IT UP TO THEM TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

>> Reporter: BUT THE PROCESS WASN'T AS EASY AS THEY THOUGHT.

>> THE HARDEST PART WAS BEFORE WE FOUND A COMMUNITY THAT WOULD ACCEPT US AS TWO DIFFERENT RELIGIONS BECAUSE WHEN WE WOULD GO TO TEMPLE TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS, STEVEN WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE.

WHEN I WOULD GO TO CHURCH, I WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE.

EVERYONE WOULD KNEEL.

AS A JEWISH WOMAN, I DON'T KNEEL.

SO WE WERE NEVER FULLY COMFORTABLE WHERE WE WERE.

AND WE REALLY WANTED A PLACE THAT WE COULD WORSHIP BECAUSE WORSHIPPING WAS IMPORTANT TO BOTH OF US.

>> Reporter: THEY FOUND WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR IN AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE INTERFAITH COMMUNITY FOUNDED BY SHEILA GORDON ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO, WHO, HERSELF, IS IN AN INTERFAITH MARRIAGE.

>> OUR ORGANIZATION REALLY IS TRYING TO HELP FAMILIES, AND CHILDREN, ADAPT IN A WORLD THAT IS CHANGING VERY RAPIDLY.

WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW PEOPLE CAN BRING TWO RELIGIONS TO ONE FAMILY.

>> Reporter: THE INTERFAITH COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS ABOUT 500 MEMBERS AND OPERATES MOSTLY IN THE NEW YORK AREA, TRIES TO EDUCATE BOTH PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

THEY CELEBRATE BOTH JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS.

THEY HOLD CLASSES AND RUN FIELD TRIPS SUPERVISED BY CHRISTIAN AND JEWISH EDUCATORS.

ON THIS DAY, A GROUP OF 12 AND 13-YEAR-OLDS WENT ON A RETREAT AND VISITED BOTH JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN PLACES OF WORSHIP.

AMONG OTHER SITES THEY VISITED WAS THE FAMOUS CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE IN NEW YORK CITY WHERE THEY PARTICIPATED IN A PRAYER SERVICE.

>> SEAT THE AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER.

>> Reporter: LATER ON, THEY GATHERED TO REFLECT ON WHAT THEY SAW AT A JEWISH SABBATH SERVICE.

>> AS YOU WERE FOLLOWING THE TORAH PEOPLE WOULD STOP YOU AND SHAKE YOUR HAND.

YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHO THAT PERSON WAS BUT THEY MADE YOU FEEL WELCOMED.

>> THE PRAYER SHAWL THAT PEOPLE WEAR HAVE SOME THINGS ON THE BOTTOM, THEY'RE KNOTS, STRINGS, CALLED TZIT TZIT AND IT'S USED AS A REMINDER FOR HOW TO BE OUR BEST SELVES.

>> Reporter: AND HOW ARE THESE KIDS DEALING WITH THEIR TWO RELIGIONS?

>> I LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT BOTH IN PRESENT DAY AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BOTH AND HOW THEY CAME TO BE.

IT'S HARD TO BALANCE TIME FOR EACH OF THEM AND KNOW EACH OF THEM AND ALL THE PRAYERS AND STUFF.

>> THE MORE RELIGION YOU PRACTICE, THE MORE YOU'RE CLOSER TO GOD.

SO, THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS PRETTY COOL ABOUT IT.

>> WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT RELIGION I AM, I'M LIKE, "OH, I'M JEWISH AND CATHOLIC."

AND THEY'RE LIKE, "AWESOME, YOU GET DOUBLE THE PRESENTS THEN."

AND I FEEL LIKE NO ONE ACTUALLY SEES PAST THE FACT THAT I MAYBE GET DOUBLE.

LIKE, NO ONE THINKS REALLY FURTHER THAN THAT.

LIKE, "OH, YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE MORE RELIGION.

YOU GET TO LEARN MORE."

>> Reporter: SO YOU DON'T FEEL ANY PRESSURE THAT YOU HAVE TO DECIDE AT SOME POINT?

>> I FEEL A LITTLE PRESSURE BECAUSE IF YOU DO CHOOSE, I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE LETTING ONE PARENT DOWN AND THE OTHER ONE, LIKE YOU'RE JUST LIKE IN THEIR FAVOR.

BUT I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA CHOOSE.

>> Reporter: GUILT ABOUT LETTING ONE PARENT DOWN IS ONLY ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF EMBRACING TWO RELIGIONS THAT TROUBLES RABBI REEVE BRENNER.

>> THE CHILD IS BEING EDUCATED TO BELIEVE JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH, RESURRECTION, VIRGIN BIRTH, SIN TRANSMITTED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, A GOD THAT DIES, BELIEVE IN HIM AND YOU GET THE NEXT WORLD.

AND THEN YOU'RE TOLD THE REST OF THE WEEK THAT'S NOT WHAT JEWS BELIEVE.

IF THAT'S NOT CONFUSION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

>> Reporter: AMY SCHOMBS HAS ANOTHER VIEW.

>> AREN'T ALL THE VALUES THAT WE HOPE TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN IN, THE SAME REGARDLESS WHETHER THEY ARE JEWISH, CATHOLIC, MUSLIM?

WHATEVER IT IS, WE HOPE TO RAISE GOOD CHILDREN AND GOOD PEOPLE AND WHAT A WORLD WE WOULD HAVE IF EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD OTHER RELIGIONS.

>> Reporter: EVEN WITH HIS DOUBTS, WITH THE HOPE OF KEEPING SOME JUDAISM ALIVE, RABBI BRENNER HAS OFFICIATED AT INTERFAITH WEDDINGS FOR MANY YEARS.

>> IF SOME HUMAN BEING CAN BRING THEMSELVES TO AGREE TO WANT TO BRING UP JEWISH CHILDREN, WHETHER THEY'VE CONVERTED OR NOT, WE SHOULD BE MARRYING THEM, INTERFAITH MARRYING THEM, AND OUTREACH IN EVERY WHICH WAY WE CAN.

>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO A RECENT PEW POLL ABOUT JEWS IN AMERICA, INTERFAITH MARRIAGE RATES HAVE RISEN DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.

AMONG JEWS WHO HAVE MARRIED SINCE THE YEAR 2000, NEARLY 6 OUT OF 10 HAVE A NON-JEWISH SPOUSE.

20% OF THEIR CHILDREN ARE BEING RAISED JEWISH, 25% PARTLY JEWISH, AND ONE-THIRD ARE NOT BEING RAISED JEWISH AT ALL.

AND JEWS WHO ARE THE CHILDREN OF INTERFAITH MARRIAGES ARE MORE LIKELY TO INTERMARRY AS THEIR PARENTS DID.

>> Reporter: WHICH RELIGION DO MOST CHILDREN EVENTUALLY CHOOSE, IF THEY DO CHOOSE?

>> THE GREATER NUMBERS SEEM TO BE TO CHOOSE, IF THEY CHOOSE, IS TO CHOOSE JUDAISM.+d AND I HAVE THEORIES ABOUT WHY THAT HAPPENS.

BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PATTERN IS.

>> Reporter: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THEORY?

>> ONE IS OF COURSE THE JEWS ARE A SMALL POPULATION, SO THERE'S A STRONGER FEELING THAT YOU'RE PRESERVING SOMETHING THAT WOULDN'T BE PRESERVED OTHERWISE.

♪♪ >> Reporter: IN THE SCHOMBS FAMILY, IAN, THE ELDEST OF THE FOUR CHILDREN, HAS CHOSEN JUDAISM AND HAS BEGUN TO PREPARE FOR HIS BAR MITZVAH.

>> I FELT WHEN I WENT TO A REAL CHURCH AND A REAL TEMPLE THAT I JUST FELT THAT I FIT IN MORE WITH THE JEWISH TEMPLE AND EVEN DURING SERVICES I JUST FEEL MORE CONNECTED.

>> Reporter: AND HOW DOES IAN'S CATHOLIC FATHER FEEL ABOUT HIS SON CHOOSING JUDAISM?

>> I FEEL OKAY WITH IT.

AFTER ALL I MARRIED MY WIFE, WHO'S JEWISH, AND SHE MARRIED ME, WHO'S CATHOLIC WE RESPECT EACH OTHER'S RELIGION AND I FEEL LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'M PART JEWISH JUST BECAUSE OUR FAMILY DOES THESE THINGS TOGETHER AND I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT THERE IS A WRONG WAY TO DO IT.

>> Reporter: HAILEY, 7, IS THE YOUNGEST OF THE SCHOMBS CHILDREN.

>> I THINK I WILL STAY BOTH RELIGIONS.

>> Reporter: WHY DO YOU THINK SO?

>> THEY ARE BOTH REALLY FUN AND IT'S JUST REALLY HARD TO CHOOSE.

>> Reporter: EVAN IS 9.

>> I THINK I WILL PROBABLY STAY BOTH BECAUSE WHEN I'M OLDER I THINK I WANT MY KIDS TO FEEL THE SAME WAY I DO, LIKE CELEBRATING BOTH HOLIDAYS.

>> I THINK THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY EASY AS AN INTERFAITH COUPLE TO MAKE A DECISION NOT TO DO ANYTHING AS WE RAISED OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE ALL THESE HURDLES THAT WE HAD TO OVERCOME, BUT FOR BOTH OF US, WE FELT THAT RELIGION WAS IMPORTANT.

WE BOTH FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A PLACE IN YOUR HEART TO GO TO IN TIMES OF SORROW, OR IN TIMES WHEN YOU FELT YOU NEED PRAYER.

>> Reporter: AS MORE AND MORE FAMILIES CHOOSE TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN IN TWO FAITHS, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS MAY BECOME MORE ACCEPTING OF THIS CHOICE AND BE MORE WELCOMING TO FAMILIES WHO HAVE TWO RELIGIONS RATHER THAN ONE.

FOR "RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY," I'M BETTY ROLLIN IN BROOKEVILLE, NEW YORK.

>>> ON OUR CALENDAR, COPTIC, ARMENIAN AND SOME EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS THIS PAST WEEK.

ON JANUARY 6, AND THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY, MANY OTHER CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY, WHICH MARKS THE MANIFESTATION OR REVELATION OF JESUS.

IN WESTERN CHURCHES, THE HOLIDAY TENDS TO FOCUS ON THE VISIT OF THE MAGI TO THE BABY JESUS.

BUT IN EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES, EPIPHANY OR THEOPHANY AS IT IS ALSO CALLED, FOCUSES ON JESUS' BAPTISM.

KIM LAWTON HAS MORE ABOUT ORTHODOX EPIPHANY CELEBRATIONS FROM HER VISIT TO THE JORDAN RIVER LAST YEAR.

>> Reporter: EPIPHANY OR THEOPHANY IS A MAJOR FEAST DAY FOR EASTERN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS.

>> EPIPHANY OR THEOPHANY BASICALLY MEANS APPEARANCE OR REVELATION.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE EPIPHANY OR THEOPHANY OF CHRIST AT THE JORDAN RIVER, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF CHRIST.

CHRIST HAS COME TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH US.

CHRIST HAS COME TO REVEAL THE HOLY TRINITY TO US.

>> Reporter: FATHER THOMAS FITZGERALD TEACHES CHURCH HISTORY AT HOLY CROSS GREEK ORTHODOX SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY IN BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

HE SAYS EPIPHANY CELEBRATIONS ARE ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL AT THE JORDAN RIVER BETWEEN ISRAEL AND JORDAN, THE PLACE WHERE THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS WAS BAPTIZED.

>> TO THIS VERY DAY, BELIEVERS WILL GO THERE AS A KIND OF PILGRIMAGE TO ENTER INTO THE WATER, TO BE BLESSED WITH THE WATER, TO SPRINKLE THE WATER ON THEMSELVES AND IN SOME SENSE TO BE REMINDED, TO BE REMINDED OF THEIR OWN BAPTISM, TO BE REMINDED OF THE DAY WHEN THEY WERE UNITED WITH CHRIST THROUGH THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM.

♪♪ >> Reporter: ON EPIPHANY, ORTHODOX CHURCHES AROUND THE WORLD HOLD A SPECIAL WORSHIP SERVICE.

>> IT'S A TIME WHEN THE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE LITURGY.

IT'S ALSO A TIME WHEN THE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE GREAT BLESSING OF WATER, AS PART OF THE LITURGICAL CELEBRATION THE CHURCH HAS, IN A VERY POWERFUL PRAYER SERVICE, WHICH BLESSES THE WATER AND REMEMBERS THE BAPTISM OF JESUS.

AS PART OF THAT EVENT, THE PRIEST WILL PUT A CROSS IN THE WATER AND THEN SPRINKLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION WITH HOLY WATER AFTERWARDS.

>> Reporter: FOR EASTERN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS, THEOPHANY IS PARTICULARLY A TIME TO CELEBRATE THE TRINITY, THE BELIEF THAT GOD IS THREE ENTITIES -- FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT.

THEY TAKE THIS FROM THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS OF JESUS' BAPTISM.

>> WHEN JESUS GOES INTO THE WATER TO BE BAPTIZED, THERE'S THE VOICE OF THE FATHER FROM HEAVEN DECLARING THAT THIS IS THE BELOVED SON, AND THE SPIRIT APPEARS IN THE FORM OF A DOVE.

SO WE LOOK BACK UPON THIS IMPORTANT EVENT AS AN EXPRESSION OF GOD'S REVELATION.

GOD REVEALS HIMSELF AS FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT.

>> Reporter: SOME ORTHODOX CHURCHES STILL INCLUDE DOVES AS PART OF THE SERVICE.

♪♪ ANOTHER COMMON TRADITION IS TO HOLD AT LEAST SOME PART OF THE EPIPHANY SERVICE OUTSIDE.

>> IN MANY PLACES THAT ARE CLOSE TO LAKES OR RIVERS OR STREAMS OR EVEN OCEANS, THE PRACTICE IS TO GO TO THAT PLACE AND ALSO HAVE A BLESSING OF THOSE WATERS, AS A KIND OF REMINDER TO US THAT CHRIST WAS BAPTIZED IN THE WATER, BUT ALSO AS A REMINDER THAT THE CREATION IS VALUABLE, THE CREATION IS GOOD.

IT'S THROUGH THE MIDST OF THE CREATION THAT WE DRAW OURSELVES CLOSER TO GOD.

>> Reporter: SOMETIMES, A CROSS IS THROWN IN THE WATER BY THE PRIEST AND THEN RETRIEVED BY THE FAITHFUL.

IN CERTAIN PLACES, THIS CAN BE A CHILLY ENDEAVOR.

FITZGERALD SAYS FOR HIM, AND FOR MILLIONS OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS, CELEBRATING THAT JESUS WAS BAPTIZED JUST AS THEY WERE BAPTIZED, IS A PROFOUND REMINDER THAT HE CAME TO IDENTIFY WITH ALL PEOPLE.

>> HE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF WITH THE POOR, THE NEEDY, THE SICK, THE AFFLICTED, THOSE WHO ARE LIVING ON THE BOUNDARIES OF SOCIETY.

AND HE'S COME IN SOME SENSE TO BE THE, BE THE LORD OF ALL, NOT SIMPLY THE LORD OF THE WEALTHY, THE RICH, THE, THE PRIVILEGED BUT TO BE THE LORD OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO TURN THEIR LIVES OVER TO CHRIST, TO THE LORD, AND BE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.

>> Reporter: I'M KIM LAWTON AT THE JORDAN RIVER IN JORDAN.

>>> FOR THE CHURCHES THAT CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS THIS PAST WEEK, EPIPHANY FALLS ON JANUARY 19.

>>> FINALLY, PROMINENT AMERICAN MUSLIM LEADER MAHER HATHOUT DIED FROM LIVER CANCER THIS WEEK.

CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE FATHER OF U.S. MUSLIM IDENTITY, HATHOUT ACTIVELY WORKED TO PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND INTERFAITH RELATIONS.

HE CO-FOUNDED THE MUSLIM PUBLIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL.

HE WAS 79 YEARS OLD.

>>> AND LEGENDARY GOSPEL PIONEER ANDRAE CROUCH DIED THURSDAY AT THE AGE OF 72.

DESCRIBED BY BILLY GRAHAM AS "ONE OF THE GREATEST HYMN WRITERS OF THIS CENTURY," CROUCH WROTE MANY CHURCH STANDARDS INCLUDING, "SOON AND VERY SOON", "MY TRIBUTE TO GOD BE THE GLORY," AND "THE BLOOD WILL NEVER LOSE ITS POWER."

HE WORKED WITH STARS FROM ELVIS PRESLEY TO MICHAEL JACKSON AND MADONNA AND WON SEVEN GRAMMY AWARDS.

HE WAS ALSO A PASTOR AND SAID HIS FIRST PRIORITY WAS ALWAYS BRINGING PRAISE TO GOD.

>>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR NOW.

I'M BOB ABERNETHY.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK AND WATCH US ANYTIME ON THE PBS APP FOR iPHONES AND iPADS.

THERE IS ALSO MUCH MORE ON OUR WEBSITE, INCLUDING INTERVIEWS ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND FAITH WITH THE DIRECTOR AND LEAD ACTOR OF SELMA, THE FILM OPENING NATIONWIDE THIS WEEKEND.

YOU CAN ALSO LISTEN TO OR WATCH EVERY PROGRAM.

JOIN US AT PBS.ORG.

AS WE LEAVE YOU, MORE MUSIC FROM ANDRE CROUCH.

♪ NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO GOD WILL ALWAYS BE THERE ♪ ♪ NO MATTER YOU'VE DONE NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH ♪ ♪ I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS FOR I'LL BE WITH YOU ♪ ♪ ALWAYS ALWAYS ♪'RE YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY.