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Pope’s US Visit Provokes Intense Attention; New Vatican Book on Man-Woman Complementarity & New Int’l Report on Christian Role Models for LGBT Equality; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…exuality is illegal in Uganda and publishable by up to 14 years in jail. A number of laws have attempted to punish homosexuality with more severe consequences including death, but those bills have folded under international pressure. While activists say the foundation of the bill is fundamentally discriminatory, they also say that successful lobbying campaigns have helped introduce possible amendments that strip the bill of its restrictive backbon…

As Gaza Burns, Jews Disagree, Protest & Pray

By Sam Kestenbaum

…ssiles Hamas has fired (2,270)—some reaching as far north as Jerusalem—the number of Hamas’ smuggling tunnels uncovered (31), the number of Israeli soldiers killed in action (29). These numbers will likely change every hour. In the weeks leading up to the Israeli invasion of Gaza and now as increasingly grisly accounts and bloody images emerge of Palestinian homes and hospitals blown apart, American Jews are conflicted—alternately protesting again…

Unnatural Disaster: When Conservative Theology & The Free Market Meet Wildfires

By Paul Harvey

…region. We were instructed to pray for rain, to await salvation via C-130 aircraft with Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems,* to understand that there must be some larger reason God had in mind for all of this, to remember those in need, to volunteer our time and resources, to be thankful for the brave firefighting soldiers on the front of this raging land war, and to be assured that ultimately we would rebuild bigger and better than ever. Thes…

Amway, Religious Right Pyramid Scheme, Returns to the Motherland

By Bill Berkowitz

…announced that it had produced a program titled Is Jesus God? which would air on a number of television stations (mostly religious) across the country. “It is just amazing what God has done in history, and we as Christians need to know this information because our faith is challenged,” said Dr. Jerry Newcombe, senior producer of The Coral Ridge Hour. “But it’s challenged by baseless feelings and opinions, a lot of which is based on people’s desir…

The Sacred and the Dead: Three Ways to American Beauty

By Aaron K. Kerr

…The seducer is about to go to work: “Come all you pretty women, with your hair a hangin down, open up your window cause the Candyman’s in town…” The song is an attempt to tradition a blues idiom, and the realities and truths the blues explore. The Candyman has learned to talk “jive,” the language of duplicity and manipulation. The ethos of the U.S. government, business, and “underground” can be interpreted as an evolving habit and an exercise in s…

Insurance Coverage for Abortion in Health Care Reform Threatened

By Carlton Veazey

…g children. This a largely pro-choice country at heart—even those who have reservations about abortion are firmly and consistently in favor of options that include family planning, contraception, and sexuality education, and in favor of women making decisions with dignity and minimal governmental interference. Insurance coverage for pregnancy termination has had a low profile until now because it was not threatened. Now that it is, it’s critical t…

Gay Chutzpah: An LGBT Synagogue Thrives

By Susan Henking

…est Side magazine and were less surprised. The only one who expressed some reservations was a prominent congregant whom I described as a political leader while he considered himself more of a spiritual leader. But he told me he read the book twice and found no other wrong descriptions. I think he was surprised I had so much to tell about the synagogue’s dynamics and its membership. I continue to meet with close friends on my visits to NY as well a…

By the Way: Fractured Religious Right Endorses McCain

By Randall Balmer

…of discussion, and to no one’s surprise, the group decided to shelve their reservations about John McCain and endorse him in the fall campaign. “The alternative is so bad,” Phyllis Schlafly declared, “we must support John McCain.” The meeting was called by Mathew Staver, dean of the law school at Liberty University. Those in attendance included Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values in Ohio, Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther Ki…

Come Let Us Reason Together: A Response to Critics of Evangelical/Progressive Initiative

By Robert P. Jones

…e, for example, with the sentiments that Sister Joan Chittister, OSB, co-chair of the Network of Spiritual Progressives, expressed in an interview for Progressive & Religious: I don’t want to be a part of anything anymore in my life that makes those boundaries barriers. I don’t want to be defined as right or left. I want to be defined as a Christian with the world in mind. The people who are really leaders are trying to move us all without interne…

How the Catholic Church Changed the Movies

By Patricia Miller

…ad four sub-ratings, from acceptable for all to acceptable for adults with reservations), to “B” (morally objectionable in part), to “C” (condemned). This rating system, which was even more stringent than the Hays Code, “dominated film production during Hollywood’s golden era,” says Black. Movie producers lived in fear of obtaining a “condemned” rating from the Legion and adjusted their output accordingly. This month, Turner Classic Movies will ex…