Religion Dispatches
…he Smithsonian Institution, and other notables were on the board of Keats’ International Association for Divine Taxonomy—his work more often gets called absurd. He takes this as a compliment. “Absurdity is the circus quality of profundity. Where things get deep and disturbing, laughter is the only reflexive response. I see it as a way to accept, and indulge in, mystery as a part of life.” But what he’s raging against most of all is not authority—s…
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…ation of the fear of Islam. Oklahoma’s measure 755, forbidding “the use of international and Shariah law in state courts,” was adopted by a large majority; in North Carolina Renee Ellmers won a seat in the House with a campaign that focused on distant New York City, calling the proposed Park51 community center “a victory mosque”; and in Florida, Tea Party candidate Alan West won in a campaign that included frequent “history lessons,” teaching, amo…
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…illage to lead a vespers service for the local chapter of Pax Christi, the international Catholic peace association on the anniversary of the birth of Dorothy Day, one of the great leaders of the US Catholic peace movement. Word on the street here is that Dolan is a much nicer man than Cardinal Edward Egan, his predecessor as archbishop of New York. And he certainly did smile a lot at the vespers, and sounded convincing when he thanked Pax Christi…
Read More…t the only source for the story was Jordan Sekulow, the ACLJ’s Director of International Operations. “The media didn’t want to report this,” Sekulow asserted, claiming they feared being called Islamophobes or bigots if they reported that the CMSA was hosting terrorist speakers. “When we started talking about this,” said Sekulow, “immediately the left and the kind of pro-Islamic world immediately cries bigot and says, why do you want to investigate…
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…God with a special dignity worthy of respect. Such convictions should find free expression in the United States. On the particular question of Shari’ah, we have good reason to expect the overwhelming majority of American Muslims (as with other Americans) to respect individual rights. Moreover, they will do so, not in opposition to their faith, but as part of their striving to be good Muslims. This is not to suggest that every Muslim or even every…
Read More…relative peak a couple of months ago, leading “ex-gay” organization Exodus International dropped its sponsorship of the annual “Day of Truth” designed to counter the “Day of Silence” observed by gay kids and their allies at schools around the country. At the time, Exodus cited the “Day of Truth” activities as too divisive in an atmosphere where kids were being bullied to death for their sexual orientation. Have no fear, though, because the Focus o…
Read More…to refer members to practitioners of reparative therapy such as Evergreen International. Reparative therapy has been discredited by scientists and professionals and, in some instances—including the electroshock aversion therapy prescribed by BYU-affiliated practitioners in the 1970s—exposed as abusive. 4. Adds the counsel that LGBT members who remain chaste should be “supported” and “encouraged” by Church leaders and be included in every dimensio…
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…a talented platinum-album-selling, award-winning woman who achieved a mass international following through dedication and hard work. Instead, she is a witch. [See also: “Lady Gaga’s Secret Religion.”] Finally, popular culture and the occult associations are a class issue. Jay-Z and Beyonce are a top-earning couple who made $122 million between June 2008 and June 2009. If they keep doing what they’re doing, their great-grandchildren will have old m…
Read More…ous forms of torture on detainees,” in violation of numerous U.S. laws and international conventions. The video, which features religious leaders, focuses attention on Alyssa Petersen, a devout Mormon who served in Iraq and committed suicide after refusing to participate in the torture of naked detainees. Like Peterson, who said she could not be “two people,” one who opposed torture yet one who participated in it, Jim Winkler of the United Methodi…
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…k at it. Once the shocking state of the Greek economy became clear to the international community and representatives from the IMF and the EU had a closer look at the Greek books, the story we’ve all heard in pieces began to emerge. Nationalized industries like the railroads paid employees salaries out of all proportion to their competitors (in reality of course nationalized companies have no competitors—that’s part of the problem), and offered…
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