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‘Do You Want Columbia to be Cursed by God?’ — Alarming Exchanges in Congress and Beyond Highlight the Desperate Need for Religious Literacy

…to (or, at least, close to) the rhetoric of the “Palestinian exception” to free speech. As Palestine Legal and the Center for Constitutional Rights have argued, “decision makers cloak their disfavor for Palestine rights advocacy through reference to ‘balance,’ ‘dialogue,’ and ‘civility,’ terms that echo the talking points of Israel advocacy groups.” Even on a panel focused on the definitions and deployment of terms like antisemitism and Islamophob…

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We Can’t Have Religious Freedom Without Reproductive Freedom

…under the First Amendment. We think it’s time for us all to seek religious freedom for reproductive freedom, and to recognize that persistent efforts to interfere in reproductive decisions is “an infringement of a natural right” in the sense the Virginia Statute warned. Of course, women didn’t share in this natural right at the time—but the right to believe differently than the rich and the powerful as codified in the Statute and the First Amendme…

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When Religion is a Refuge for Scoundrels: ‘Ryan Budget’ Edition

…Benedict XVI’s 2009 encyclical, titled Charity in Truth, which criticized free market fundamentalism.” That encyclical included clear and direct criticism of the free-market fundamentalism at the heart of attempts to dismantle financial reform: The conviction that the economy must be autonomous, that it must be shielded from ‘influences’ of a moral character, has led man to abuse the economic process in a thoroughly destructive way. In the long t…

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How “Gratitude” Underwrites Inequality, Power and Exclusion

…n. Anytime you have a stratified society in which there is a strong divide between elites and masses or between rich and poor, those who find themselves in a disadvantaged position naturally feel resentment. That resentment can be a powerful tool of democratic social change, but it can also be a tool of oppression—depending on where the emotion is directed. Historically, resentment has been the emotion that elites feared the most—because it inspir…

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Russian Attack on LGBTs at UN Rejected; Gay Cake Controversy Rages in N. Ireland; Bishop Calls for Marriage Referendum in Puerto Rico; Global LGBT Recap

…” Allen said. Bakery General Manager Daniel McArthur said the order was refused because it was not in line with the company’s views. “We considered it, looked at it and decided that it was at odds with our beliefs and was in contradiction with what the Bible teaches,” McArthur said.… “This case raises issues of public importance regarding the extent to which suppliers of goods and services can refuse service on grounds of sexual orientation, relig…

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How “Gratitude” Underwrites Inequality, Power, and Exclusion

…n. Anytime you have a stratified society in which there is a strong divide between elites and masses or between rich and poor, those who find themselves in a disadvantaged position naturally feel resentment. That resentment can be a powerful tool of democratic social change, but it can also be a tool of oppression—depending on where the emotion is directed. Historically, resentment has been the emotion that elites feared the most—because it inspir…

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‘Landmark’ Speech From LDS Leader on LGBTQ Rights and Religious Freedom Was More Like a Sunnier Groundhog Day

…ric. Headlines said he called for a “peaceful resolution” to the conflicts between religious freedom and nondiscrimination. Notably, none of these articles mention either Oaks’ advocacy for a less rigid boundary—“a curtain”—between church and state, or his assertion that Employment Division v. Smith, a 30-year-old religious freedom opinion written by no less than ultra-conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, must be overturned. The self-described “mo…

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The Lesser and the Greater Pilgrimage

…exuberance. Sorta like skydiving tandem before following up my lessons for free-fall skydiving. That way I can focus on the details I am trying to learn now and be better prepared. As far as umrah, the lesser pilgrimage, goes; it stands to reason that people can visit the ka’abah any time of the year. And so it is. There are still the same ihram prescriptions. There are still certain rites that should be performed. But unless a journey to Makkah c…

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Searching for Moral High Ground While Houston Drowns: A Perspective on the Lakewood Church Controversy

…istianity function so closely with some of the core American ideals around free-market capitalism, wealth and consumerism. Prosperity gospel, for instance, only makes logical sense in a system of free-market capitalism. Those core American ideals have come under assault in very public ways when measured against the yardstick of liberation theology and faith-based social justice initiatives. By Tuesday afternoon, August 29, news sources were report…

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