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Catholic ‘Soul-Searching’ as Ireland Votes on Marriage; Churches, American Activists Join Kenyan Anti-Gay Group’s ‘Family’ Confab; Indian Mom Seeks Spouse For Gay Son; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…many of Ireland’s social services in the 20th century, most schools are still under its control and almost two-thirds of marriage ceremonies are celebrated in Catholic churches. While the number of Irish people who describe themselves as Catholic has fallen slowly to 84 percent, according to the 2011 census, churches began to empty before the abuse scandals and only around one-third attend church weekly. For the handful of priests who have said t…

Raelians’ “Clitoraid” Met With Suspicion in Burkina Faso

By Joseph Laycock

…rci Bowers has worked with the program extensively. Clitoraid engaged in a number of fund raising projects, including an “Adopt a Clitoris” campaign and a number of partnerships with companies that make vibrators. This funding was used to recruit and fund a team of surgeons (who are not Raelians) and to establish a “pleasure hospital” in Burkina Faso. There is some controversy as to what percentage of women who undergo the surgery will be able to…

What Does Darwin Mean to You?

By Arri Eisen

…swer to the first is easy—overwhelming evidence. Evolution explains a vast number of facts that, in its absence, would be mere curiosities: the pattern of change in the fossil record, the presence of identical, functionless pseudogenes in all primates, the subtle infidelity of songbirds. To the second question, I point out that all conflict with scripture evaporates when Genesis is taken as allegory. The point of the Garden is not that two humans…

Seeing the Future: Can Religion Evolve and Survive in a Changing World?

By Peter Savastano

…ve to change. While we can’t know for certain what shape or form religion will take in the future, I am willing to speculate. Fortunately, there are some trends and patterns that support my speculations so they are not simply spun out of thin air. If the recent surveys, “Faith in Flux: Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U.S.” (2009), and the “2008 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS),” are any indication, the process Arasteh descri…

Hold Your Applause: Potential Changes to Roles of Catholic Women and LGBTQ+ People May Just Be Vatican Breadcrumbing

By Mary E. Hunt

…n Wonderland-reasoning involved (lest anyone suggest the bishops are not still in charge). Or maybe they plan to name those who vote as bishops. Doubtful. Or, maybe this is a one-off thing that opponents will be sure doesn’t happen again after Francis is out of the picture. What’s gained by such a misnomer remains obscure. Despite the enthusiasm of many of my progressive colleagues, I’ve had an uneasy feeling about the whole synod process. Enthusi…

Religion vs. Science: America’s Perilous Fight

By Edward J. Larson

…udicial rulings against teaching it in the public school biology classes, millions of Americans accept young-earth creationism. Books written by Morris, Ham, and their ilk fill shelves at Christian book stores and are widely used in churches and parochial school. Christian radio and television stations reach the uttermost ends of the earth with creationist programming, such as Ken Ham’s popular “Answers in Genesis,” which is heard on over 500 radi…

Global Anti-Gay Forces Plot Against ‘Satanic’ Equality Movement

By Peter Montgomery

…ion, which was passed by the lower house last year. The change in the law will not affect registrars already doing the job but councils will be able to move them to other functions. Gay rights lobby group COC welcomed the change in the legislation which, it said, ‘ends discrimination on the happiest day of your life”. South Africa: Chief Justice Says His Anti-Gay Religious Views Do Not Trump Constitution Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said this wee…

The Rage Behind Outrage

By Becky Garrison

…ke the decision to go in the closet early in their career before they are elected to office. They think this is a strategy that’s going to work because it’s not written about. Once this is film is out there and this is discussed, perhaps politicians will say this is the wrong decision, personally and politically. I really hope that one of the impacts of this film is that in twenty years, the closet will be a minor factor in politics. Outrage is no…

Gaza Play Sparks Mixed Reaction Among Jews

By Benjamin Weiner

…purports to portray a group of Jewish elders trying to determine how they will explain a number of events, all having to do with the State of Israel, to a young daughter; every line begins with the words “tell her.” The culmination is a bloody, vitriolic speech, defending the Gaza war of this past winter. The intended effect is clearly alienation from the speaker: Churchill has allowed the play to be distributed freely, so long as money is gathere…

As Pat Robertson Retires, Here Are 10 of His Most Cringeworthy Moments

By Chrissy Stroop

…ever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, ‘We will serve you if you will get us free from the French.’ True story. And so, the devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal.’ And they kicked the French out. You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other. Desperately poor. That island of Hispaniola is one island. It’s cut down the middle. On the one side is Hait…