Religion Dispatches
…not Lincoln and King, like he did on the National Mall, but Moses. Beck’s latest venture is sure to draw a variety of Christian Zionists, his own supporters, and assorted end-timers, who all may get more of a show than they bargained for. Beck’s statement, “I’ve been asked to stand in Jerusalem” suggests that he may be conflating his role with that of the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3: “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will…
Read More…, but not too much. Already Iowa voters are turning on Newt Gingrich — the latest viral video is an Iowan, angry about Gingrich’s criticism of Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan (something Gingrich has since spinelessly walked back from). The voter tells Gingrich, “Why don’t you get out before you make a bigger fool of yourself?” That’s obviously never been a consideration for Gingrich. Speaking of not being able to stop himself, Gingrich plans more repent…
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…ianity in the face of the new atheism—though he is not a Christian. In his latest book, Why Marx was Right, he is advocating the creed he has always signed up to, Marxism. But he fails to convince that he really believes it. The book is structured around ten conventional objections to Marxism: that it has lost its relevance, that it is violent, that it overvalues economics, that it is impossibly perfectionist, that it neglects identity politics, a…
Read More…ing short of the n-word, will be suspended as they try to figure out their latest spin on this blockbuster story. My guess is that they will credit the troop effort, and ignore that this was a decision on the part of the commander in chief to make the hard decision to go forward and commit troops to the operation. The crowds singing patriotic songs in front of the White House, Ground Zero and other sites are a spectacle, celebration, and cipher to…
Read More…have never been passed in the first place, one based on intelligent design-promoter Discovery Institute’s sample “Academic Freedom” bills, which paves the way for sneaking creationism into science class. While lawmakers have denied the law has anything to do with inserting creationism into science class, I’ve written about how members of Louisiana school boards interpret the law here. Admittedly, Kopplin and other supporters of the Constitution in…
Read More…will stand up and call the people of God out into the street to oppose the latest iteration of Pharaoh.* In the meantime, the people are doing a pretty good job of getting ready to leave Egypt all on their own, and we’re stuck wondering why it is nobody thinks we’re relevant anymore. *Harold Meyerson calls Scott Walker “the cheddarhead pharaoh.” Update: No sooner have I spoken than a religious voice weighs in – on the side of the unions. Jerome Li…
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…RD blog, here’s a list from S. Brent Plate to accompany his article on the latest take on religion from angst- and doubt-filled indie rockers. Negative/Mystical Theology Arcade Fire, “Black Mirror” (from Neon Bible) Vic Chesnutt, “Flirted With You All My Life” (from At the Cut) Salome, “The Witness” (from Terminal) Arcade Fire, “City with No Children” (from The Suburbs) Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse featuring David Lynch, “Dark Night of the Soul”…
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…applying to many more straights than gays. (Indeed, to more teenagers: the latest surveys show that 55% of teens have had oral sex, including over 87% of non-virgins.) Then again, in America, these “neutral” sodomy laws were almost always prosecuted against gays only, and since the medieval period there has never been any doubt as to who the real Sodomites are, notwithstanding the broader definition. Jordan goes further, arguing persuasively that…
Read More…st Church says it will picket Elizabeth Edwards’ funeral. According to the latest WikiLeaks dump, Saudi Arabian King Abdullah once criticized the mutaween, who enforce Islamic behavior in his country, for treating people like donkeys. He said they take a stick and hit you with it, saying “Come donkey, it’s time to pray.” A new survey of Muslims around the world reveals mixed feelings about Hamas and Hezbollah but an outright rejection of al Qaeda…
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…ax cuts has only heightened such appeals. One satirical headline read: “In Latest Compromise with GOP, Obama Agrees He is A Muslim.” Ironically, it is the Republicans who help us realize that while we may believe that civility is important, in politics, as in life, it must not be allowed to displace a party’s fidelity to its ideals. Integrity and fortitude are crucial if a party is to engage in principled compromises—rather than to simply be compr…
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