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Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Men “Stand Up” for “Religious Freedom”… On a Plane

By Kara Loewentheil

…gested plane aisle isn’t the end of the world (although one can imagine it might be a safety issue in some situations), and the news reports have treated it as a kind of amusing oddity. But what’s interesting here is the pattern of behavior, which replicates the broader social and political movement strategies we’ve seen on a personal scale. First, you try to convince people to do what you want—so, for example, if you’re an ultra-Orthodox man on a…

What the Lost Finale is Really About

By S. Brent Rodriguez Plate

…e, is clearly a redemption figure, and it remains to be seen how much redeeming he can accomplish. In early episodes he was a Jesus figure, not to mention the Psalm 23 quote: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” and the fact that in the numerology of the show Jack is connected with the number 23. Likewise, the “black smoke” character (eventually avatared by John Locke) leaves us wondering about the ancient story of the Golden Bough in whic…

The Religious Implications of Nudity

By Steve A. Wiggins

…fear of being caught naked. It is the plot of many a nightmare. “Would you mind holding this apple a minute, please? I think I hear someone coming.” Our own government has hoisted us on this petard, forcing the issue of embodiment into the open. The small jet made it to LaGuardia safely, every one’s private parts and all. Some of us, however, walked out of that gate like a prisoner on release day. I realize now what some people are forced to exper…

Penn Jillette’s Signs You May Already Be an Atheist

By Steve A. Wiggins

…n produces in a thoughtful, forthright, and outspoken atheist should take a look. If they are honest, they will probably have to admit to a smile or two along the way….

Talking With the “Religious Terrorist” that Turkey Wants Trump to Extradite

By Mark Juergensmeyer

…Do you often wonder,” I said to him, “why, considering all the possible enemies that he might have, Erdogan would target you? Do you sometimes ask yourself, ‘why me?’” Gulen thought for a moment, and then said that he had often asked himself that question, especially in recent months. He had come to the conclusion that he and Erdogan were cut from different cloth. They were both interested in relating religion to public life, but their approaches…

Unified Catholic Opposition to Trump’s “Muslim Ban” is Wishful Thinking

By Patricia Miller

…Party. Not surprisingly, roughly six in ten white Catholics (60%) said the number of immigrants from Muslim countries to the United States was too high in a June 2016 poll from the Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings Institute. This was precisely the margin by which Trump won white Catholic voters. And about half of white Catholics supported banning Syrian refugees or placing a temporary ban in Muslims. As a result of a politically polari…

I Was a Stranger: New York Activists Stage a Lenten Action for Sanctuary

By Kaya Oakes

…re Cordileone, widely known as an ultra-conservative “culture warrior,” promised that immigrants in his diocese would “know their rights” and be “protected.” The Matthew 25 activists in New York hope Dolan will offer the same. One source I spoke to, a housing attorney and lay Catholic, told me she got together with a group before Lent, and says they were “thinking about what it means to repent and follow the gospel.” Trump’s inauguration in Februa…

GOP “Stealthcare” Bill Reveals Catholic Bishops’ Priorities

By Patricia Miller

…nd lacks the imprimatur of the entire conference, the Religious Liberty Committee enjoys high-profile leadership, speaks with the full backing of the bishops’ conference, and has a staff and a dedicated budget. The Knights of Columbus and other right-leaning Catholic groups have contributed some $500,000 to the committee since it was founded in 2011 and Lori assured the bishops that the outside funding would continue. Two of Pope Francis’ appointe…

St. Antoninus: The Patron Saint of Pro-Choice Catholics

By Daniel C. Maguire

…re were other notable theologians who held the same view and allowed for a number of other exceptions. Nor did the hierarchy object. Rather, the humble and very gifted Antoninus was appointed Archbishop of Florence in 1446 before being canonized a saint of the Roman Catholic Church in 1523. There are Catholic parishes named for this pro-choice saint in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Newark, New Jersey. St. Antoninus was not a pro-choice loner in the Roman…

Did You Read About Conservative Judaism’s Anti-Black Antisemitic Smearing of Hebrew Israelites? Neither Did I

By A. E. Brooks-Key

…re not exclusive to Jews of African descent. Asian Jews, Latinx Jews, some Mizrachi Jews, as well as mixed race Ashkenazi Jews all qualify as “Jews of color.” Simply put, the only thing that binds Jews of color together is that they’re not considered White. It tells you nothing about their association with the Jewish people or faith. Much like the equally amorphous “people of color” which in its contemporary use has come to mean everyone not desig…