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Texas Board of Education Sets Sights on Islam

By Lauri Lebo

…l studies texts” across the U.S. and that past social studies textbooks in Texas also have been “tainted” with pro-Islamic, anti-Christian views. The resolution cites examples in past world history books—no longer used in Texas schools—that devoted far more lines of text to Islamic beliefs and practices than to Christian beliefs and practices. The full text of the resolution is here. The Texas Freedom Network has a great critique of the resolution…

Creationist-Leaning Texas Sets Textbook Agenda

By Lauri Lebo

…s the country. Because of its steroid-enhanced textbook purchasing muscle, Texas remains the big dog in the Christian fundamentalist-led fight to sneak Jesus into public school education: Until recently, Texas’s influence was balanced to some degree by the more-liberal pull of California, the nation’s largest textbook market. But its economy is in such shambles that California has put off buying new books until at least 2014. This means that McLer…

Doonesbury Cartoons Cause Controversy, But for Wrong Reasons

By Sarah Posner

…nal probe to rape repeats a troublesome theme that emerged very briefly in Texas, and became the centerpiece of opposition to the Virginia bill last month. When I was reporting a story on the anti-choice movement in Texas last year, several pro-choice activists mentioned to me that the state’s ultrasound law, passed in May 2011, was state-sanctioned rape because it would necessarily require a transvaginal probe, depending on the stage of pregnancy…

Humiliating “Kim Davis Bill” To “Protect” Anti-LGBT County Clerks Passes Texas Senate

By Sunnivie Brydum

…permissible if SB 522 becomes law. The bill also highlights the fact that Texas marital code still only identifies “a man and a woman” as the two parties who may apply for a marriage license. Even for Texas Republicans, this bill is a mean-spirited (though not at all unprecedented) attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage equality in pursuit of accommodating a vocal minority who claim their faith trumps their neighbors’ pursui…

“Traditional values.” Tom DeLay. Jesus loves low, low prices! Just another day in Texas.

By Sarah Posner

…, or other gender identity issues.” Christian is also the president of the Texas Conservative Coalition (its slogan is “winning the fight, building the future,” proving again, I suppose, that conservatives are out to win fights and progressives are out to win something more nebulous by conceding the battle). The TCC is the caucus for conservatives in the Texas legislature, and operates a separate “research center.” Together the TCC and the TCCRI a…

Our Lady of Good Hope and Excellent Behavior: Why this Apparition and Why Now?

By Lisa Bitel

…h to reported apparitions, at least in the U.S. As a diocesan archivist in Sacramento told me, when I telephoned to ask about a vision event in the Mojave Desert, “it’s nothing we’re trained about.” They get a half-dozen letters or emails every year from folks claiming they’ve seen “Christ in a marshmallow,” he added, and as far as he’s concerned, a report of apparitions is a “non-event.” Perhaps Sacramento isn’t keeping up with postings to the Va…

What Netanyahu Learned from Texas

By Sarah Posner

…ot precisely modeled on the Christian nation mythologists who want to turn Texas classrooms into training grounds for “biblical law” enthusiasts. The United States has a Constitution; nothing in it declares America is a Christian nation (or, in the Texas SBOE parlance a “Judeo-Christian nation”). Barton’s claims that the Constitution in fact codifies a “Christian nation” doesn’t make it so. In contrast, though, Israel does not yet have a constitut…

Spiritual Unplugging, Or What to Do When There is Wifi at the Ashram

By Matt Hamilton

…self-interrogation boiled, my hand extended to the right. I reached for my phone, but I found nothing. At first I laughed at my instinct, my muscle memory. The phone, with its glowing screen, gave me solace and control. But I was tied to my cushion for another hour, and in this ashram for another day, so email would have to wait. I panicked. My heart raced. Would my editor be asking for me? Would a reply from that politician’s secretary sit unansw…

Religious Affiliation, ‘Mankind’: India’s Anti-Corruption Activist Leads Second Freedom Struggle

By April L. Bogle

…good move. When I got to the lobby another something told me to dig out my phone and check it for messages. Sure enough, I had one from an unfamiliar number. A woman’s voice said Bedi was still sleeping, exhausted from the previous day’s overseas flight, and needed to reschedule our interview for that afternoon. I called the number back, convinced the opportunity was lost. “I’m here at the hotel now, but I’m booked solid this afternoon—” “Hold on,…

Pop-Culture Angels Are More Than Just Embarrassing Kitsch

By Ed Simon

…y from Victorian sentimentalism. Such angels are on sale at reduced price; cheap wares for cheap faith. It would be an error, however, to fully dismiss pop culture angels. Despite the fact that representations of angels in film and television, comics and music, paperback novels and posters, are filtered through market concerns, such pop culture can still speak to human meaning—and because of that they merit our attention. Besides, the bulk of art…