Religion Dispatches
…e ourselves, collectively and incrementally. And yeah, I realize that sounds like a boring movie—the kind I might leave playing on Netflix in a separate tab as I catch up on email. Also on The Cubit: Put your money where you mind is Follow The Cubit, RD‘s religion and science portal, on Twitter @TheCubit…
Read More…“This referendum does not seek to change Bahamian society or our traditional values – instead it seeks to change the Constitution so that it more clearly reflects those values, and our shared belief in fairness.” Bermuda: Anti Marriage Equality Group Granted Charitable Status An anti-marriage equality group led by religious leaders, Preserve Marriage, was granted charitable status even though its application had been challenged by those who argue…
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…ue, as Graham maintains, that Samaritan’s Purse will treat all patients equally, valid concerns about how the organization interacts with patients remain. Graham, who has consistently been one of the Christian Right’s staunchest supporters of both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, may not have been primarily motivated by the possibility of courting culture war controversy when he chose to bring Samaritan’s Purse to New York. But it’s cle…
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…by proclaiming same-sex sexual orientation and transgender identities “mental illnesses” and recommending psychological “rehabilitation.” The Jakarta Post reported on Friday that government officials have not responded to requests from Human Rights Watch to discuss their findings. Australia: Christian lobby group shutting down; ex-gay movement promotes celibacy Salt Shakers, a Melbourne-based Christian lobbying group that is shutting down at the e…
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…the working class. Jesus and his followers are emphatically described as Galilean (the authors repeatedly call Jesus “the Nazarene” to clarify this distinction) and as practicing a pious communal religion and traditional family values. Jews who don’t follow Jesus are not associated with this conservative religion of the northern region of Galilee, but with the money-obsessed, Temple-based religion of the southern region of Judea (the area surroun…
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…same this-worldly consequences and conflicts as the belief that one can walk through walls. We fall for the trap of Bannon’s brand of Satanic power if we believe that the statements about Muslims in New Jersey or illegal immigrants throwing the popular vote are merely matters of belief. Rather, these are claims about objective reality in the world which can be confirmed or denied, proven to be accurate or lies….
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…lige. As long as one or both of them professed Christian faith, I was generally willing. Still am. I’ve found that couples I marry may go on to become church members: a win-win for everyone. Even if they don’t, I count it a privilege to know them. I’ve noticed fewer non-member couples are approaching me about weddings these days. I believe the celebrant trend—whether Uncle Harry with his resonant voice, or the professional handing out business car…
Read More…nspiracy theories rely on what historian Richard Hofstadter called “political paranoia.” They are intensely rationalistic and appear compelling as they operate in opposition to prevailing views. They are hostile to authority and expertise, though they mimic mainstream knowledge as they renounce it. Stigmatization is taken as evidence for truth. And there are some people for whom this contrarian character is a key part of the appeal. For a believer…
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…macy and white nationalism at the root of Confederate civil religion. The rally also set up a situation where President Trump’s refusal to directly condemn white supremacism could be read as tacit support for swastika-flag-bearing celebrants of Hitler and his ill-fated Reich calling for the end of the United States. “No condemnation at all,” the neo-Nazi Daily Stormer said of Trump’s reaction, adding, “God bless him.” Many of the rally’s architect…
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…ships are not sinful. That’s the move I want to make there. Yes, there’s real value to this “love the sinner” notion, but we need to use it carefully if we’re going to avoid turning it into a slogan we use to protect ourselves from criticism that we have fallen short with respect to love. That reminds me of Walter Wink, who said that our fight is against powers and principalities. Same with King, who didn’t see the people acting in what he conside…
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