Religion Dispatches
…way from the hard work of repentance, who tickle our ears with promises of cheap grace, and offer a vision of the cross of Jesus that has nothing to say to the crosses, and lynching trees, of history. But, if we do, we will be settling for the gospel of Caesar, not the good news of Jesus Christ. Perhaps it is time to put down the chalk, stop drawing pyrotechnical conspiracy theories that play into our worst fears and listen, instead, for the diffi…
Read More…half. There were still probably 80 empty seats, and it was clear that some number of attendees had free tickets. The largest financial supporter of the event was a local news/talk radio station and its representatives were the only media allowed in. As I arrived with my Religion Dispatches press badge they stopped me before I even got to the door. I chatted with an AP reporter and he said AP had been trying for weeks to gain media access—but that…
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…nfairness. We have put in our part—we went to the airport, we paid for our ticket, we spent our time, we stood in line—and then the flight was cancelled. So there’s a discrepancy between the inputs and the outputs, there’s a sense of injustice and unfairness—that’s why compensation is so important. That’s also why dissatisfied customers at restaurants want to get their dish for free, or get a free glass of wine, or a free dessert, because that bal…
Read More…istian Reconstructionist Rocky Bayou Christian School (RBCS) in Niceville, Florida to add significantly to their student numbers by attracting students who could not otherwise effort to attend. They also have an entire program to support home schoolers. RBCS uses Rushdoony’s work in their high school classroom and Rushdoony was their first graduation speaker; they teach only young earth creationism and a version of American history that resembles…
Read More…Florida’s permit is the most widely accepted (some 30 states recognize the Florida permit and Florida even issues non-resident permits to non Floridians that are accepted in many states). Florida’s permit is also really easy to get: I called the gun shop up the street that offers the classes and was told you must be 21, have a drivers license, a “clean record,” and take a $49 two-hour course that doesn’t even include any real shooting. Moreover, M…
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…We have an unprecedented access to cheap goods, yet we must recognize that cheap goods are cheaply made. I am not speaking of quality, I am speaking of cheap labor. We must recognize that through the act of shopping, whether it is for an article of clothing, a toy, a pint of strawberries, or even our morning cup of coffee, we participate in a global economy that values profit over people. Disposable goods are made by disposable people, faceless in…
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…most recent Public Policy Polling survey, Gingrich is leading Romney among Florida evangelicals, 37-33%. But the evangelical makeup of the Republican electorate (38%) in Florida is virtually the reverse of South Carolina, where they comprised 65% of voters, and which is why, in part, Romney is headed toward victory here tomorrow. At the Romney rally, the verdict on Gingrich was mixed. Liz Reiman, a Romney voter from Jacksonville, said she had been…
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…y. But as I reported this morning, pastors listed as members of Gingrich’s Florida Faith Leaders Coalition were surprised to learn their names were included as members of the coalition. This could prove damaging to Gingrich as he seeks the support of other religious leaders. Among evangelical voters, who made up 40% of primary voters, Gingrich took 38% to Romney’s 36%. That’s a tiny margin for Gingrich, and smaller than his margin in South Carolin…
Read MoreAt oral argument in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties, Inc. v. Sebelius this morning, the Supreme Court justices spent a great deal of time questioning the lawyers in the case about whether corporations have a religious conscience, and whether Congress intended to protect it when enacting the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). What was most striking, though, was how all three female justices, Sonia So…
Read More…to me it would be a very easy to make hajj from there. I bought an airline ticket and was in contact with the family of one of my graduate school friends. They would pick me up from the airport and host me during my stay and the days of ritual. Nice plan. So I went to the embassy to get the visa and was denied because (as an American) I needed proof that I was Muslim. How do I prove I have been a practicing Muslim for a decade? I went to the famou…
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