Confronting and Participating in Crass Christmas Commercialism
Paul Simon, Rev. J. M. Gates, and the meaning of Christmas.
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Country Music Minus the Culture Wars: A Lesson from a Legend
In recent years, country songwriters have seemed to be virtually required to produce jingoistic populist anthems. But the association of country and the political right is only a recent invention.
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Closing with Gospel in Morocco
Although I have become more cynical about the power of simply listening to music in the decade since I found the CD, I still had high hopes for the festival. As a festival for music, it was beautiful, but as a venue for intercultural understanding, I believe it missed the mark more than it hit it.
Read MoreEuthanasia Billboards, Post-Rapture Pet Care, Can You Tell a Burqa from a Hijab?
The week in religion, poetically.
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Hip-Hop Religion and Spiritual Sampling in a “Post-Racial” Age
A new book by an iconic rapper, the Wu Tang Clan’s RZA, told in the voice of a street sage, tells the story of his ascent from the mean streets of Brooklyn to the pinnacle of success, and shows him to be the quintessential postmodern American spiritual seeker.
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Lady Gaga’s Secret Religion
Is Lady Gaga (the self-proclaimed “fame monster” so well known for her enticing pop music, outrageous fashion, and elaborately staged spectacles) involved in a pseudo-religious conspiracy of global moment? The answer is “yes”—but not for the reasons that…
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Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam
The author discusses his journey through a Muslim subculture, the connection between Nietzsche and Hendrix, and how heavy metal might end the war on terror…
Read MoreA Sacred Encounter with Erykah Badu’s Controversial Nude Video
A new video by Erykah Badu, for which she has been cited for disorderly conduct, shows the singer stripping nude in the Dallas area in which JFK was killed.
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Come Out From Among Them
The queer legacy of Christian music, whether it’s gospel or contemporary, runs deep. But when a gay musician like Jennifer Knapp comes out publicly does she sacrifice her career?
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Arizona is the Hispanic Alabama
Arizona’s Republican governor and many conservatives may not be aware of the extent to which immigration cuts across religious groups—liberal and conservative. If draconian measures like SB 1070 take hold and opposition gains steam, Republicans may see their 2010 and 2012 hopes evaporate in the summer sun.
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