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Is It OK To Use a Cellphone in Church? Pew Surveys the New Etiquette

By Michael Schulson

…with you?”), and about their feelings toward the behavior of their fellow citizens (for example, “How often do you encounter people using their cellphone in a loud or annoying manner in public?”). For those of us who enjoy thinking about religion, custom, technology, and culture, the report offers two insights–one about religious services, and one about the difficulties of studying etiquette through surveys. It’s “Generally Not OK,” But… One part…

Vatican Considers ‘Disordered’ Language; HBO Doc on LGBT Persecution in Russia; Nigerian Bishop Shifts on Anti-Gay Law; Arson at ‘Open Mosque’ in South Africa; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…did in ancient times — only with teenagers recording the beatings on their iPhones. In the 12th century, Aceh was among the first places of Asia to absorb Islam from seafaring Arabs. Today, the far-flung province remains proudly orthodox. It’s the only territory in Indonesia that enforces Shariah law, which forbids alcohol, premarital romance and women in tight jeans…. Many among the current crop of leaders trace their roots to Free Aceh Movement,…

Will Catholic Voters Support LGBT Rights in Washington State?

By Joanna Brooks

…on marriage for LGBT people? My faith blossomed in the 1960s after Vatican II. I had always been a very pious child, and my faith became about service to others and seeing everyone as a child of God. The civil rights movement also made an impact on my faith. When our bishops sent out a letter in February 2012 to the churches asking us to work to get the referendum on the ballot, I thought, this isn’t Catholic, this isn’t Christian. I called my leg…

A Tale of Religious Tolerance… On Reddit

By Joanna Piacenza

…nity site. The image, of a young Sikh woman playing with her phone while waiting in line, included the caption “i’m not sure what to conclude from this.” No, “european_douchebag” wasn’t questioning which game the woman was playing on her phone, he was referencing the abundance of facial hair on the young woman’s face—a nod towards her Sikh beliefs of not altering her body image. Unaware that others around him might practice faiths besides his own,…

Global LGBT Recap: Nigeria Jails Gays, Russian Orthodox Spox Calls for Criminalization Referendum

By Peter Montgomery

…president of Africa’s most populous country, disappointed human rights activists and drew international condemnation for signing a harsh anti-gay law that calls for long jail sentences for people who join in a same-sex union, participate in a gay organization, or display same-sex affection. A presidential spokesman defended the signing, saying “”More than 90 percent of Nigerians are opposed to same-sex marriage. So, the law is in line with our c…

Holey Holey Holey: The Problem with a New Study Valuing Religion at $1.2 Trillion Per Year

By Michael Schulson

According to a new study, the economic value of religion in America is $1.16 trillion per year, or a little less than the GDP of Russia. The estimate comes to us from a father and daughter team, Brian and Melissa Grim. Brian is an associate scholar at Georgetown and the founder and director of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation, which aims to “[educate] the global business community about how religious freedom is good for business.” Me…

Does Record Number of Religious “Nones” Mean Decline of Religiosity?

By Elizabeth Drescher

…fore airbags and de rigueur seat belt wearing, I had a bit of a phobia of riding long distances in cars, particularly across bridges. My dad eventually cured me of this by introducing a compulsive distraction: counting. Rather than focusing on how fast we seemed to be going or how high over a rushing river we seemed to be slung, I counted red cars, blue cars, white cars; trucks, station wagons, sedans; light posts, fence posts, sign posts; and so…

South Asian Religious Leaders Challenged to Take on Stigma and Discrimination: Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…ón published an op ed piece on the London School of Economics’ European Politics and Policy blog arguing that western nations should reconsider their strategy of promoting gay rights abroad. He argues that while there have been notable successes, a strategy of “shaming” states that discriminate against LGBT people could be self-defeating and generate greater resistance to equality. He argues that western nations should put a greater focus on stren…

How to Choose a Tour Company for Your Hajj

By Amina Wadud

Yesterday I sat for three hours waiting to get my meningitis shot. That and the flu vaccination I got later at the supermarket are required by the Saudi government before the visa application. It was one of the most exciting moments since I connected with the particular tour company to organize my trip for hajj! Why was I so excited? Maybe having a needle or two stuck in the arm made the proposal for this once-in-a-lifetime trip more of a reality…

Who Is “Sam Bacile?”

By Sarah Posner

…om Jewish donors to make his obviously lowest-of-low budget, amateurish anti-Islam film. But before the July 2012 upload of the film trailer to YouTube, under the user name Sam Bacile, you’d be hard pressed to find evidence of the existence a California real estate developer online. What’s more, if whoever made the film actually spent $5 million on it, the expenditure hardly shows in the content, acting, or production values. Amateurish doesn’t ev…