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Blasphemy and Betrayal: The Murder of Salman Taseer

By Anna Bigelow

…the public eye in recent weeks. The governor was one of the few government officials willing to speak out forcefully and publicly; not only about the trumped up case against Aasia Bibi (who was accused by neighbors with whom she was involved in other disputes at the time of the accusation) but also about the need to reform the blasphemy laws instituted during the military dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq from 1977-1988. The blasphemy laws (Penal…

Attacks on Science: Predictions for the New Year

By Lauri Lebo

…culum. Because they are not subject to the same formal adoption process as official textbooks, supplemental materials used in local school districts could rely on some seriously dubious source matter. (Discovery Institute material, perhaps?) Expect the battles over this issue to take place in Texas and Louisiana. Because of financial constraints, the Texas Board of Education has decided to delay the adoption process of new science textbooks, which…

Crowdsourced Catholicism: New iPhone App Lets Users Forgive Sins

By Vincent Gonzalez

…ew of the entire system as I documented it on the 28th. At that point, only 12 of the 26 available countries had any users, and the 69 Saints in those countries had only shared 24 of their confessions. Even Mikhail1981, the Holy Father of the Church, had only three confessions visible and had not yet offered his first official edict. For better and worse, as of my survey, it seemed the trolls had not yet discovered Penance. Still uncomplicated by…

Was a Teacher Disciplined for Refusing to Apologize for Teaching Science?

By Lauri Lebo

…the child and parents, must the teacher coddle such ignorance? Because it’s a simple fact that the realities of science contradict a literal belief in the Bible. And not just on the subject of evolution. Heliocentrism, for instance? “He has fixed the earth firm, immovable.” (1 Chronicles 16:30) “Thou hast fixed the earth immovable and firm …” (Psalm 93:1) “Thou didst fix the earth on its foundation so that it never can be shaken.” (Psalm 104:5) “……

What’s Ahead in the World of Mormonism for 2011

By Joanna Brooks

…ate Senator Russell Pearce (R-AZ), author of the infamous anti-immigrant SB 1070, is a Mormon grizzly bear, challenged by Latino Mormons and ultimately by the Church’s own recent statements in support of compassionate immigration reform. Gayle Ruzicka of the ultra-conservative Eagle Forum is a Mormon grizzly bear. The political legacy of Cleon Skousen has proved itself to be a Mormon grizzly bear. In 2011, Mormons will continue to wrestle public a…

The Book of Mormon, Dark Skin, and Racist Theology

By Joanna Brooks

…gressive Christians have not expunged from their New Testaments verses like 1 Corinthians 14:34, used to justify the silencing of women. Which means that Mormons, just like other contemporary people of faith, are learning to temper a fundamentalist, literalist interpretation of scripture with more important doctrinal values and knowledge gleaned from experience and spiritual seeking. And just like other contemporary people of faith, Mormons are co…

Controversial LDS Conference Talk Edited for Publication

By Joanna Brooks

…over matters of rank, authority, and theology. Those who have watched LDS official discourse on homosexuality evolve since the 1980s felt that Elder Packer’s talk on Sunday represented something of a throwback, a departure from a slow movement towards acknowledging the feelings and experiences of LGBT people and those who love and serve them. The editing of Elder Packer’s talk appears to represent an effort to bring his message into harmony with…

Could The “Grand Old Party” Now Be The “Gay Old Party”?

By Candace Chellew-Hodge

…“be entitled to the same government benefits as married couples of the opposite sex.” Only 38 percent opposed. It’s instructive to note that of the 1,007 adults interviewed for the poll last month 74 percent professed to be religious—36 percent of them “born-again Evangelicals.” The religious right has been counted out of the political landscape before and they have roared back stronger than ever in the past, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see them…

Possible Heir to Dalai Lama Cleared of Corruption Charges

By Tsering Namgyal

…is that the controversy has raised the profile of Karmapa, albeit to an unwelcome level. It has also formally instantiated him into the politics of India, China and Tibet, something, which the Karmapas in the past have avoided. His predecessor the 16th Karmapa, who passed away in 1981, preferred to remain that way. However, given the prospective role—which actually now looks more and more like an obligation—that this Karmapa could play going forwa…

Teaching the Dalai Lama’s Monks: Better Religion Through Science

By Arri Eisen

…sterners, it is relatively common for Tibetans to become monks (even today, 1 in 10 Tibetans do). We just completed our second year of a five-year pilot with 91 monks and nuns. The project is designed for monks and nuns to learn science and for us to learn Buddhism and Tibetan culture, but also for us to simultaneously build the capacity for the Tibetans eventually to take over the science teaching and learning. If you’re like many of my administr…