Religion is an important component of culture; as such, it ends up playing a significant role in politics, social issues, and ethical debates. Religion is also, therefore, involved in all sorts of news all around the world. Here you will find not only commentary and news on religion in general, but also commentary and news on specific religions or religious groups (Islam, Catholicism) as well as religious issues (violence, discrimination, sex).
Unitarian-Universalist churches are generally low-key and quiet - they aren't the type to engage in evangelism and other efforts to attract converts. In some ways, this is actually a positive characteristic, but of course a total lack of self-promotion makes it difficult for them to grow and continue to have an influence on society. That's why they are changing tactics.
Gerhard Schröder, the former chancellor of Germany, has published his memoirs and in them he has some very critical things to say about President Bush and, in particular, of Bush's constant references to his religious faith. An agnostic himself, Schröder thinks that basing government policy on what you think God wants is a bad way to govern a nation.
Have you ever listened to Christian or religious music inadvertently? Most music groups that qualify as "Christian" will identify themselves as such. There may be a move towards not doing that, however - towards making explicitly Christian music without letting buyers know that before they get the album. Is that ethical?
Conservative Christians of all types, evangelical as well as Catholic, frequently link their conservative brand of their religion with proper moral behavior. By far the most popular context for this is marriage - they make it sound like a good, solid marriage is only possible when people acknowledge conservative Christianity's claims about the nature and place of marriage.
Christianity is a religion based on orthodoxy. What this means is that "correct beliefs" are emphasized over "correct actions." It doesn't matter how correctly or morally you behave, you're not a true Christian and you won't go to heave unless you believe the right things. By the same reasoning, it doesn't matter how incorrectly or immorally you behave...
Christianity is supposed to preach forgiveness of one's enemies. Jesus, after all, is depicted in the New Testament as teaching his followers to "turn the other cheek" when struck by their enemies. In reality, few Christians actually live by this maxim. Some pay lip service to it, but a great many seem to ignore it completely. Only the Amish sincerely try to live up to it.
It's no surprise that when Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at the U.N., his speech was peppered with religious references. Neither the full text nor extended quotes seem to have been widely distributed in the news, however, so many people may not realize just how similar those references are to religious references that appear in the speeches by Christian politicians.
In Britain a Christian couple wanted to celebrate his birthday by having a nice dinner, a bottle of wine, and share a viewing of Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of Christ. Boy, that sounds like a great birthday celebration to me. I don't think they'll be doing it again, though, because he subsequently tried to strangle her.
Why are there so many stories about children being abused and molested in the context of religious institutions? There can be no simple or easy answer to this, but a major factor which doesn't exist so much with secular institutions is the extraordinary power and authority which religious leaders can have over both children and their families. This makes everything more difficult.
Believing in miracles is dangerous. So is believing biblical accounts of miracles that supposedly occurred in the ancient past - just ask the family of Pastor Franck Kabele in Libreville, Gabon. Kabele believed in miracles, especially the miracles attributed to Jesus. Kabele believed them so much that he tried to imitate the one of Jesus walking on water. It didn't turn out very well for him.
Christians like to claim that religion generally and Christianity in particular are necessary for morality. They also like to claim that so many problems in America today are due to the relative absence of religion in children's lives. All these claims tend to ignore the ways in which religion can be used to corrupt and harm children - like for example religious leaders who molest kids.
Conservative Christians have a long history fighting just about every aspect of modern culture which comes along. Rock music, close dancing, short skirts, Harry Potter... you name it and conservative churches were active in trying to eliminate them. Today one of the most popular targets is rap music and hip-hop culture.
In Johnson City, Texas, four monks from the Christ of the Hills Monastery have been charged with molesting a teenage boy starting in 1993. The monastery's founder, Samuel Greene, is among the four monks charged. Another monk was convicted back in 1999 for "indecency" with a 14-year-old novice monk, so it sounds like there really are some serious problems in this place.
Pentecostal Christianity is the fastest growing denomination in the world - and especially in the southern hemisphere. It will have a significant impact on the shape and direction of world Christianity in the coming decades, and probably not in a good way. Pentecostalism can be regressive, homophobic, anti-science, anti-modern, and in general a detriment to social progress.
It's a well-known fact that the number of people who actually go to church services every week is far, far lower than the number of people who claim in surveys to go to church every week. At most, perhaps 20% of Americans attend weekly services. Church leaders don't like this and are looking for creative ways to get people into church - like offering them free gasoline cards.
Christian discussion about sin usually focuses on either causing specific harm to others or violating specific commands from God. This causes the Christian conception of sin to appear especially narrow, excluding those actions which by themselves appear to have little impact upon others. Perhaps a few Christian leaders are starting to revisit this...
A pastor is supposed to be a spiritual and moral leader for a community. Pastors are, however, human and thus just as capable of all the human evils as everyone else. This should be a completely unremarkable claim, but unfortunately many seem to forget about this an put pastors, ministers, and priests up on pedestals where they do no harm.
A common criticism which atheists and skeptics make about religion and theism is that it amounts to little more than "wishful thinking."
It appears that Zeus was angry and punished another one of those infidel Christians again. We've seen Zeus send lightning to strike churches during services and kill a bunch of children while they were praying. Zeus even hit Jesus with lightning during the filming of Mel Gibson's movie. Twice. Now he's sent more lightning to strike a woman while praying.
Christians often claim that Christianity is a religion of peace. It is also often alleged that Christianity is necessary for proper morality and family values. Why is it, then, that we have so many stories of Christians who claim that they have been told by God to kill others, or Christians who commit violence against family members on account of their Christian beliefs?
Sometimes claims of bigotry are genuine - for example, when we encounter someone arguing that atheists are undeserving of the same legal and political considerations as theists. Sometimes, though, we are just encountering someone who holds a different position on something important to us. How can that qualify as "bigotry"? It does if we are intolerant of differences...
Ava Lowery is a 15-year-old in Alabama who makes videos promoting peace over war. One of her latest, "WWJD," is the song "Jesus loves me, this I know" while images of wounded Iraqi children fade in and out. Her message is that Jesus loves Iraqi children, too. The message she is receiving from some viewers: she should be raped and die for daring to express such an idea.
Hans Missal tried to set his home on fire - with his wife and kids still inside. Why? Well, Missal insists that God commanded him to sacrifice his wife and kids. For some reason, the judge doesn't seem to have believed him.
In Santa Maria del Rio, Mexico, a group of kids were praying in front of a large metal cross when it was struck by lighting. Five were killed and several others received burns.
Christians keep having kids, so they must be having sex - but are they trying to have fun while having sex, too? Some may be and that's why there are companies trying to make a buck by helping them make sex more than just a means for basic procreation.
Those massive churches that attract hundreds, if not thousands, of parishioners can be very popular among the religious - but not always so popular among neighbors. These churches also draw in a lot of traffic, noise, congestion, and they overwhelm the rural or residential areas in which they locate. As a consequence, not everyone wants them around.
Many traditional religions purport to offer believers absolute certainty about the world, the universe, and their place in it. Unfortunately, that often involves also instilling a sense in people that they are somehow superior to others.
Belief in a powerful, evil, supernatural being is important to many religions, but perhaps more important in Christianity than in any other. At the same time, it is questionable whether the figure of Satan makes any sense within the Christian system. Satan was supposedly created by an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent God...
For some reason, at least some adherents of monotheistic religions tend to look down on polytheists and pagans - but why? It seems as though many have the misconception that religion 'evolves upward,' with monotheism being the pinnacle of religious development while paganism lies somewhere down in the dregs of primitive religiosity.
Why do fundamentalists typically have so much difficulty with modern society? Arguably, their most basic conflict lies in their inability to accept the presence, much less the value, of pluralism - the principle that multiple and conflicting opinions and philosophies should exist and should be accorded equal status in the law.
Nonbelievers may often think that religious believers are deluded, but could it be that there really is a close connection between psychiatric delusions and religious beliefs? It is true that people with identifiably mental illnesses can experience, as one of the symptoms 'hyper-religiosity,' so perhaps the line between the two is not as sharp as people normally assume.
It's commonly claimed by Christians that their religion is defined by 'love' - love of one's neighbor and love of God. This emphasis on love is often used to contrast Christianity more favorably against other religions, Islam in particular. What is the value of love, however, when it allows one to say that they just don't care much about the lives of Muslims who live a long way away?
Hinduism has a long history of openness and frankness about not just sex, but sexual pleasure. Today, though, self-appointed morality police are cracking down and insisting that too many expressions of public affection must be banned. Some of this is coming from India's Muslim population, but some is coming from Hindus as well.
It's common for Christians to imagine that their religion is not only rationally superior to all other beliefs, but in fact that their belief is obviously superior, such that no one who gives it a serious look could possibly fail to be convinced. There is no way for people to honestly and sincerely disagree with Christianity.
There are an increasing number of places in America 'marketing' themselves as Christian businesses. They advertise in Christian telephone directories and place prominent Jesus fish in their windows. What does all of this signify? Does it indicate that the businesses are more trustworthy? No, not necessarily.
Ryan Thomas Green murdered a police officer because he believed that the "A" on the man's back was a sign of the Antichrist. A jury in Florida has sentenced him to death - but assuming that Green wasn't actually correct, why wasn't he found insane at the time of the crime?
In northeastern India, a Christian priest is chaining people up and forcing them to listen to him read from the Bible as a '"treatment' for drug addiction. He claims to have had a lot of success with this program, but chances are that he hasn't tried to contrast wit with an alternative, like forcing people to listen to him reading from the Quran or Moby Dick.
Christians are called to be "in the world, but not of it" - many, however, seem to be choosing not to be "in" the world either. What that means is that more and more Christians are culturally segregating themselves from the rest of society. They go to Christian stores, they associate with Christian friends, they go on Christian cruises, and they use Christian media - and nothing else.
More and more companies are introducing religion into the workplace. Sometimes, this simply means having Bible studies or prayers at some point during the day - either organized by employees or even encouraged by management and owners. Other times, this also means incorporating religious and Christian goals into the company's mission statement.
Many people wish to use religion as a way to heal divisions and achieve peace. This should seem like a strange tactic, given how much of a role religion plays in conflict and strife. Religion may have a good influence on relationships among people within the same religious group, but does it really do more good than harm once we move beyond this?
That poverty and hunger are world-wide problems is undeniable. The causes are often pretty clear. So what is to be done about it? Of particular interest is what major religions are trying to do about it. Why do major religious leaders spend more time complaining about other religions or gay marriage than about hungry children?
A hot seller in Sweden are jeans from Cheap Monday, a company whose logo is a smiling skull with an upsidedown cross on it. This isn't just for shock value: the designer is quite open about it being an anti-Christian statement. It's not a Satanist symbol, but a protest against Christianity which, he hopes, will get people to question traditional religious doctrines.
In Italy, Father Enrico Righi attacked Signor Cascioli, author of a book called The Fable of Christ. Cascioli filed suit against Righi and now a judge has ordered Righi to appear in court and prove that Jesus really did exist.
General Motors has an 'Affinity Group' program in which employees can organize for the sake of hosting events and having access to corporate offices to express their concerns. There just a few groups: disabled employees, women, veterans, and so forth. Someone was denied a chance to create one for Christians because groups aren't allowed to advocate religious positions and he sued.
The Christian Right has a lot of experience using religion as a political tactic; recently, the Christian Left has been working to catch up. The most recent example of this is the campaign to ask 'where would Jesus shop' as a criticism of Wal-Mart and their various policies. Conservatives are not happy about this.
At the University of Texas at San Antonio, some atheist students set up a table offering to exchange adult magazines in exchange for Bibles. The program was modeled after one done in Austin, Texas, and this in turn was modeled after police exchange programs offering things like toys in exchange for guns. Some Christians were very unhappy.
Ruth Irene Garrett, the ex-Amish woman whose fascinating book Crossing Over I reviewed a little while ago, has filed a lawsuit against an Amish thrift store for refusing to serve her. She has been excommunicated from the Amish and is shunned by the Amish community; she, however, insists that this doesn't justify ignoring anti-discrimination laws.
Lots of people in the West misunderstand Buddhism, especially it's general lack of any divine figures. They don't realize that, for many, Buddhism is essentially an atheistic religion. People in the West are accustomed to religions all being theistic, so the idea of an atheistic religion is almost incomprehensible.
In a shining example of Christian love, Christian youth pastors Rick and Michele Medina of Klamath Falls, Oregon, have created a board game in which kids can recreate the invasion of Iraq. It comes complete with car bombers, night bombing of cities, and more. I can't think of any better Christian gift for the kids this holiday season.
It's common for Christians to assume that their religion and their theism provide the only motivations for doing good in the world. Many atheists are asked why they don't rape and kills if there is no god and no heaven. Sometimes, this attitude translates into assuming that anyone doing good must be Christian.
It would appear that one of the fundamental and important tenets of Christianity is to help the poor. Jesus is reported to have stressed this numerous times, even to the point of advising a rich young man to sell all he had and donate the proceeds to the poor. Why, then, are American Christians so fat and rich?
It's common for Christian groups at universities around America to host debates on the existence of gods, the truth of Christianity, evolution, etc. What is the purpose of these debates, however? Do they truly intend to educate and convert people? What is the reason that so many people who are already Christians attend these debates? What do they expect to learn?
At Megiddo, Israel, prisoners working to expand a prison came across ancient mosaics that may have been part of the earliest church ever discovered. Some think that the church dates from the 3rd century; others argue, though, that while the building may be that old it probably wasn't used as a church until later.
The Pittsburgh City Council has updated its panhandling laws to prohibit poor and homeless people from begging for money or other assistance near the entrances of "places of worship." I'm sure Jesus would have approved, given how the gospels describe him as having cleansed the Temple. He drove all the homeless, poor, and beggars from his Father's House, right?.
Conservative Christians have recently started investing time and effort to fight the government's power to seize property via eminent domain when done for the purpose of giving the property to private commercial interests. They have feared that churches, being tax exempt, would become easy targets. When they have the opportunity to seize something, though, they are only too happy
Robert Price is a scholar of religion who has argued that the historicity of Jesus is doubtful and should be reconsidered in the light of historical, literary, and archaeological evidence. This is naturally not a popular position among Christians, but dishonest and vituperative attacks made on him are disappointing.
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) is the largest independent polygamous sect in America. They rule Colorado City and nearby Hilldale, but their leader Warren Jeffs has been arrested. This has made people nervous, afraid, and very aggressive towards outsiders. They should be afraid - they have been involved in some nasty business.
International disaster relief is represented today by a red cross and a red crescent, but efforts are underway to use a third symbol that has no religious connotations whatsoever. It's unfortunate that this is necessary since the red cross isn't religious (it's the Swiss flag reversed, designed to signal neutrality), but perhaps it's for the best.
Crusading could be a passionate endeavor for medieval Christians, but the importance of passionate, religious zeal should not cause us to overlook the fact that the Crusades were also a massive, complex undertaking that wouldn't have been possible without a lot of careful, detailed planning.
The Enlightenment was a European phenomenon, but it took radically different forms in different countries. The difference between France and England was especially pronounced and these differences have something to tell us about the mixed legacy of the Enlightenment itself.
It's common when someone says something particularly vile and bigoted that they defend themselves by saying that they are only 'joking' and that those who take offense simply don't have a sense of humor. Occasionally this might be a fair defense, but often it's just an attempt to evade taking responsibility for one's comments and ideas.
The Jesus Seminar is the modern culmination of more than two centuries of academic work on who the 'historical' Jesus really was. Its founder, Robert Funk, died recently - but for some reason, there wasn't much in the news about it. I missed the story entirely and only came across it now, more than a month later, by accident.
People often wonder how and why Hitler could have acquired so much support from the German population. Any reasonable explanation would have to be very complicated, but it is possible to cite one simple reason which has a lot going for it: anti-Communism. Many Germans were frightened of communism and saw Hitler as their Christian salvation.
To what extent is the advance of the West due to Christianity and to what extent has it occurred in spite of Christianity? The relationship between Western history and Christianity is complex, so it is unlikely that any single, simple answer will work, but we can identify areas where Christianity has had a deleterious effect.
Sometimes it seems like every Christian with an internet connection thinks that they are have the skills and knowledge to become evangelists to religious skeptics. I know this isn't literally true, but my email suggests that it almost could be. It might help to have a few questions or points which would get such Christians to stop and reflect on their assumptions, beliefs, and arguments.
The Sony corporation recently launched an advertising campaign which depicted a young man wearing a crown of thorns above the caption "Ten years of passion." It's an obvious reference to the Passion of Jesus and Sony was forced to withdraw the campaign because Christians were offended. But was this justified?
"By the law of England, it is illegal to attack the Christian religion; in practice, however, the law is not put in operation against expensive books or well-to-do authors: it is put in operation only against men who are not rich and not well-educated, and who address themselves chiefly to wage-earners."
Just about every newspaper has a religion section and most news magazines deal with religion on some level or other. Unfortunately, most of those who report on religion in America don't seem to understand what they are talking about. Similar ignorance wouldn't be tolerated on the business or science pages, so why does it occur with religion?
A recently published study claims that there is a strong correlation between social dysfunction and high rates of religiosity. The more people believe that God is on their side and the side of the nation, the worse off that society is when compared to more secular societies.
The Church of England appears desperate for new members and has launched an advertising campaign that raises all sorts of emotional images - but which also have little to say about church. If a church can't be promoted without ignoring that it is a church, what's the point?
In Ramah, Colorado, a coven rented an American Legion Hall for a pagan festival on October 29. This has unleashed controversy in the small town because good, god-fearing Christians can't handle the presence of Wiccans and pagans in their midst - especially Wiccans and pagans who have the temerity to be open and public with their beliefs.
Although the concept of 'seven deadly sins' no longer holds the same authority as it once did, the degree to which many of them have come to be viewed positively is remarkable. Even anger, one of the few which Jesus is recorded as specifically speaking out against, is treated as having positive value by Christians today.
Christianity presents itself as religion which promotes charity, love, and doing good works. For some reason, though, American Christians are starting to limit their 'charity' to only those who are deemed 'worthy' of their compassion. Apparently, being poor is a sign of moral failing and Christians are no longer interested in helping such people.
Most religions tend to accord women a lower social, spiritual, and moral status than men. This is surely just a reflection of common social and political beliefs, but unfortunately religion lends divine or transcendental weight to common human prejudices. Overcoming these prejudices thus requires overcoming traditional religious beliefs as well.
I don't need religion to be moral because I see that religion has little at all do with morality. It is not the source of morality any more than school textbooks are the source of scientific discovery. Rather than a spontaneous creator of morality, as religion claims to be, it can only aspire to be the former's unfortunate cousin: a weak enforcer of doctrine.
Friday, September 16, was a National Day of Prayer for the victims of hurricane Katrina, but it appears that the event was a flop. Many houses of worship didn't participate at all and, among those who did, attendance was quite low. Could this have anything to do with the recognition that "hand that help are better than lips that pray"?
A popular image of the Nazis is that they were fundamentally anti-Christian while devout Christians were anti-Nazi. The truth, however, is far more complicated because there were many issues on which Nazis and religious conservatives found common ground. Like any politician, Hitler was able to use these to his advantage
There are extremists in every religion, every philosophy, and every political group. Their goals and beliefs may vary widely, but there are some commonalities in how they behave, in their attitudes, and in how they approach issues. It's worth understanding more about what makes one an extremist.
Should people be punished for crimes committed by relatives or neighbors? The very idea should be abhorrent to most, but there was a time when this standard was common. Unfortunately, this standard has also remained enshrined in many religions, allowing it to survive, even if tacitly, long past its expiration date.
The people in southern Louisiana need a lot of supplies: food, water, medicine, clothing, etc. People all over the world are donating to help them, but what are the Gideons International doing? Rushing to send them "Personal Witnessing Testaments." They view this as a chance for proselytize, not to help those in need.
Lacking any basic moral decencies, some Christians are arguing that people are looting in New Orleans because the government didn't promote Christianity by teaching them the Ten Commandments in public schools. Apparently, it's not the job of Christian churches to teach such things, so only the government gets blamed.
Many people in society look to religion not only for some sort of eternal salvation, but also for temporal assistance: they believe that without religion, everything from families to whole societies will fall apart. Religion is regarded as the key to social and personal survival. They ignore the fact that even though religion may help at times, it can harm just as much.
In Scottsdale Arizona, Rev. Patrick Shetler has preached the one of the main problems in society is leniency towards criminals, including thieves. Now, he has been arrested and accused of stealing USD $60,000 from his own church. Do you suppose that he'll ask the courts for leniency?
In Edinburgh, Scotland, there is a 'Dungeon' which exhibits gruesome torture devices - many once used by Christians. Members of the London Road Church don't want the Dungeon's entertainment license renewed because displaying former Christian torture devices is "offensive to Christians." Can we get their church shut down because it's "offensive to rational people"?
Many religious apologists try to exclude extremism from their religious traditions, arguing that extremists aren't "true" adherents of their religion because "true" religion is peaceful. This is a serious error because extremists are drawing upon genuine, valid aspects of their religious traditions. They cannot be countered successfully by pretending otherwise.
It's true that there are lots of problems with religions, but it's also true that problems exist with all human belief systems. Why is it, then, that problems sometimes seem to be worse when it comes to religion? It's not that hard to understand: religions demand far more commitment and passion from adherents than just about any other type of system out there.
If you're an atheist who has ever visited Christian chat rooms or discussion forums, you've probably experienced how everyone will suddenly turn on you in order to convince you that you are wrong and must convert. Usually, this isn't done in a friendly, polite, or very civil manner - it's like they are trying to convince a rapist to stop raping women.
India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its parent organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or National Association of Volunteers, have been having problems. The BJP has been acting more like a political party that needs to win elections than an ideological party interested only in advancing an ideological agenda.
Whenever there is news about religious terrorists, we hear from moderate religious leaders trying to argue that terrorism and violence aren't connected with "real" religion. They insist that "real" religion is peaceful. But just how strong is the commitment of these "moderates" to peace?
Terrorism comes in a variety of forms, but these days religious terrorism is the most common and leads to the most destruction. Not all terrorism is equal - there are significant and serious differences between religious and secular terrorism.
In India, women accused of witchcraft commonly have to contend with verbal and physical assaults. Some are even killed. Superstition of witches runs deep, but some manage to use this for their own financial gain - so is religion to blame, or is religion a victim as well?
Metropolitan of Attica Panteleimon has been removed from his post by the Church of Greece's Holy Synod in a unanimous vote. He was already under suspension, but it appears that the scandals he was involved in were just too much to permit his return.
The widest cause of secularization may be the steady change of thinking so that there is the expectation that reason and a consideration of cause and effect will help with explanations. Supernatural power began to be removed from explanations of the process of life or society in the seventeenth century...
What will Christianity look like in 50 or 100 years? Many people are unaware of just how much Christianity has changed over the centuries - they seem to think that what they practice today looks like what has always been practiced - but the future of Christianity may hold some surprises.
Every day, more and more people die from AIDS. This disease cannot be cured and only kept in check with incredibly expensive drugs. The best thing we can do is reduce the spread of AIDS and prevent more deaths in the future. Unfortunately, heavy moralizing from people in America is inhibiting some of the best tactics.
Evidently, hyper-macho behavior and attitudes can be encouraged by threatening a man's masculinity. According to Cornell researchers Robb Willer, when a man's masculinity is threatened, he is more likely overcompensate by: supporting the Iraq war, wanting to buy an SUV, and exhibiting homophobia.
Born Alyssa Rosenbaum in Russian, Ayn Rand once had millions of devoted followers and continues to be a popular philosopher-author. She has not, however, gained much credibility or respect among professional philosophers - and her general influence in society is modest at best. Why?
John Shelby Spong is retired, but he hasn't slowed down. He's still giving speeches and still writing books that causes no end of anxiety and annoyance among religious conservatives. He doesn't get as much attention as conservative religious leaders, but he seems to get enough...
Gerd Lüdemann is a New Testament scholar who is a member of the theological faculty at the University of Göttingen, Germany. His studies led him to ultimately reject his earlier Christian faith and deny the divinity of Jesus; as a consequence, he lost his teaching position.
It's awfully common for people to attribute all their good fortune to God; for some strange reason, though, they don't also blame God for any of their ill fortune. Why does this inconsistency exist? Why praise God for saving a single person in a disaster but not blame God for the dozens or hundreds killed in the same incident?
Many people believe that prayer can help one recover from illness, but serious scientific studies repeatedly fail to find evidence of this. Those studies which do purport to demonstrate such an effect are consistently found to be flawed.
The Unitarian Universalists are a denomination that is so liberal, you don't even need to believe in any gods to be a member. There's a tremendous amount of religious variety in UU churches - some are predominantly pagan, some predominantly humanist. There is a debate, however, over whether the group should head back closer to its Christian origins.
Populism is defined as a concern with the rights of the common people; democracy is a political system in which the people rule. So, populism and democracy should go well together, right? Perhaps not - perhaps the two can actually conflict, which raises interesting questions for American politics.
One of the interesting features of modern American Christianity is how much it has borrowed from American capitalism. More and more, American churches have been explicit in their use of the techniques more commonly associated with big business. Just how "Christian" is that, anyway?
There are two general ways in which a person or a nation can impose their will on others: by convincing them of the rightness of a course of action or through force. On the international scene, "convincing" typically occurs through international institutions; force usually occurs through military intervention.
The International Society of Krishna Consciousness, better known as the Hare Krishnas, have started to pay out a USD $9,.5 million settlement reached over a child-abuse scandal. The organization has filed for bankruptcy and has admitted that the abuse occurred.
Getting people to change their beliefs can be difficult, especially when those beliefs are related to subjects like religion or politics. Sometimes, people will refuse to even reconsider their beliefs or entertain the possibility that they might be mistaken - regardless of what sort of evidence they are faced with. Why is that?
One of the nation's most famous and beloved evangelists, Billy Graham, has what appears to be an antisemitic past. His most recent and ostensibly final Crusade was praised and hyped in the press, but nowhere did you read criticisms of what Graham said in the past - much less his lame excuses today.
A great honor has been bestowed upon this site: we've been added to the Blogroll of Iniquity at Conservatives for American Values. I guess that makes me a Worker of Iniquity, which sounds just great.
Prophecies have always played a critical role in Christianity. Jesus himself was supposed to have fulfilled all sorts of prophecies from the Old Testament. Just how have Christians themselves fared when it comes to prophecies becoming true.
There are a wide variety of Bibles out there - all sorts of translations, purposes, etc. A few Bibles, though, have had some very curious errors in the printing or translation. It would be interesting to own some of these texts.
For the past couple of years, conservative and liberal Anglicans have fought over what should be done about gays in their church. Liberals want to welcome them, even ordain them; conservatives want them to stay in the closet and/or become straight. Conservatives have not gotten their way, but they may have a plan for how to deal with that.
Religion is obviously not quite the same as a worldview, an ideology, or a philosophy; at the same time, though, it also obviously has a lot in common with all of them. What is it that differentiates religion from ideology or philosophy? It's arguable that one of the key features is not so much something in religion as such, but in the attitude that a person has towards their beliefs.
In Romania, a nun was tied to a cross, gagged, and left in a cold room for three days. Maricica Irina Cornici died and now four other nuns along with a priest are in custody, charged with Cornici's death. She had only been there three months and was denied food and drink during her ordeal.
Every so often you'll find a support of church/state separation lamenting that too much effort is expended on "minor" issues. These issues are important to the Christian Right and, instead of fighting them, we should just let them have their way. It won't do any real harm, right? Wrong
A recent case of child abuse during an exorcism has led British authorities to launch a broader investigation of the practices of evangelical African churches all over the UK. There is a concern that their exorcisms may be causing more child abuse than is currently recognized.
Many people insist that tradition should not be lightly overturned in favor of new ideas. That's not unreasonable, but sometimes the defense of tradition can become of sort of fetish that is done for its own sake and becomes "traditionalism."
The conventional wisdom has long been that mainline Protestant denominations which preach a liberal-to-moderate theology (and politics) are on a perpetual decline while conservative evangelical and fundamentalist churches are growing. Recent data suggests, however, that mainline churches are growing again.
Many people argue that marriage is essentially and necessarily a religious rite - they conceive of religion in almost exclusively religious terms and object to the intrusion of the state into a religious matter. Because of religion's traditional role in sanctifying marriages and presiding over wedding ceremonies this is understandable, but it's also incorrect.
The British outlawed suttee (the ancient practice of women leaping into their husband's funeral pyres) in 1829, but it remains a controversial issue. A recently-published guidebook for the tourist spot of Rajasthan appears to glorify suttee and this has human rights advocates outraged.
There have been many complaints about the mishandling of the Koran by American soldiers when interrogating Muslims prisoners. Although deliberate defacement of the book shouldn't be tolerated, this does raise the question of how far the government should go in order to avoid offending religious sensibilities.
There's a new movie out there that challenges commonly held assumptions about Christianity, Jesus Christ, and theism itself. Is it any good? Have you seen it?
Many religious people like to portray themselves as the defenders of moral absolutes and, therefore, of morality itself. In doing so they tend to ignore the history of religion, the history of moral debates, and reality itself - their arguments are self-serving, fallacious, and fatally flawed.
How tolerant should atheists be of liberal religion? It's true that liberal religious believers arrive at conclusions that atheists tend to agree with (tolerance of minorities, religious liberty), but shouldn't the reasoning process and origins of these beliefs matter at least as much as the conclusions?
One of the more curious aspects of Christian history is how, despite it being a religion of "love" and "peace," it has still managed to develop the means for sanctifying violence. Christians can pray to their god one minute and then attack or kill other human beings the next without missing a beat.
The city of Jerusalem is the holiest city for Jews and Christians; it is one of the holiest cities for Muslims. For some reason, in addition to being a major source of religious and political tension, it's also becoming a source of scandals for various clergy.
In Sudan, two bishops have formed the Reformed Episcopal Church of the Sudan after they were deposed by the nation's House of Bishops. The RECS is being funded by the Muslim government, which is very unusual.
Does it matter whether a couple getting married have had sex before or not? Does it matter if they have been living together? For some it does. It seems that there are people who only find enjoyment at weddings and wedding receptions if they know that the couple is choosing to spend time with guests rather than running off and having sex for the first time.
Christians often like to ask "What Would Jesus Do" as a guide for their actions, but they may not like it when others ask that question and expect Christians to live up to that standard. Tax officials in Sierra Leone recently argued that Jesus would pay his taxes and that has Christians outraged.
In Newport, Tennessee, the Hilltop Baptist Church put on their sign the message "No truth, No hope Following a hell-bound pope!" and "False hope in a fake pope." Coming just after the death of Pope John Paul II, many people took offense at this. But why?
Many people have criticized America's Republican Party for abuses of power and a refusal to work sincerely with Democrats. Curiously, something similar has been occurring in South Africa where the African National Congress has behaving in a dictatorial manner.
Remember the deal where you could upload your own images and have stamps made of them? The idea was that people would use pictures of family, but some started using pictures of notorious figures and the program was halted. Well, it's back again and the rules are tighter.
In Charles City, Iowa, a couple married for 40 years has been asked to leave. The reason? Renee Usher used to be Michael Ussher before having a sex change 10 years ago. The church council made the decision to kick the couple out, but that has led to strife because not everyone agrees - not even the pastor.
Many Christians today absolutely hate Karl Marx and his ideas — there are few, if any, historical figures who have become the objects of so much vitriol. Marx's connections to modern communism make this understandable, but if more Christians were to actually read his writings they might find some familiar themes.
Brazil is the world's most populous Catholic nation. Brazil has one of the fastest growing Pentecostal populations in the world. So, what's going on that Buddhism is growing in Brazil as well?
Yale University was founded in 1701 by Congregational ministers. The association was transferred to the United Church of Christ in 1961. Today the Yale chapel serves the local community almost exclusively, not the students on campus, so the administration is severing the affiliation and making the chapel non-denominational (but still Protestant).
Some who visit the Holy Land succumb to the Jerusalem Syndrome, an obsession with religion that causes them to believe they are religious figures themselves. Some who already live there, however, find that the pervasively religious environment actually pushes them away from religion.
Tolerance of compulsory participation in religious ceremonies, particularly those which merge religion with patriotism, seems to be growing. At least that's the impression I get from the recent news that no one is allowed to leave Yankee Stadium during baseball games when the song "God Bless America" is being sung.
There are many horrible, awful events described in the Old Testament. Because they are part of "sacred history," though, religious believers tend not to regard those events are being really so bad. After all, if they were the what God wanted, then they shouldn't be criticized - never mind the suffering that must have occurred if those events were real.
One of the interesting ways in which religious people interpret events around them is how anything that happens is taken as evidence of the truth of what they already believe. It seems that there is no state of affairs that is inconsistent with their faith. If that's the case, though, their beliefs can't be said to be held rationally.
Rick Warren's bestseller The Purpose Driven Life has been attracting a lot of attention recently, but just what is in the book? Does Warren offer sound advice or nonsense?
Many believe that the best antidote to religious extremism is religious moderation. Many believe that religious extremists can be held back by greater action by religious moderates. While it is true that religious moderates aren't themselves the same threat that extremists are, what exactly do they bring that will stop extremism?
Naturally, religious believers say that it makes sense to be religious. When they try to say how and why, though, they don't always come up very sensible explanations. Sometimes, the explanations are so bad that they almost seem designed to refute the original premise.
The Codex Sinaiticus is the world's oldest Bible. It's been around for over 1,600 years and it's pages are scattered in museums around the world. It contains the earliest record of what Christians believed their canonical scriptures to be - and soon all its secrets will be revealed as well as preserved.
All over America, more and more businesses are explicitly identifying themselves as "Christian" businesses. It's sparking a positive reaction among "values shoppers" who think that patronizing a "Christian" business is more moral.
Palestinians evidently want Arab Orthodox Christians to break away from the Greek patriarchy, thus leading to the Arabization to the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem. That would fundamentally alter religious relations there.
Russell Stover Candies is selling chocolate crosses this Easter and some religious leaders are bothered by this. It seems that eating chocolate representations of one of the most gruesome and painful methods of execution in the history of humanity strikes some as... wrong.
The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is one of the holiest sites in Christianity, built over what many believe to have been Christ's tomb. It is also one of the most contested sites in Christianity, with various groups regularly coming to blows over it. Now those conflicts may threaten Easter events.
Every year, a number of people in the Philipines crucify themselves on Good Friday to imitate what they believe Jesus experienced. This year, AWOL police are being given a special offer: if they do the same, they won't be dismissed.
Religions generally encourage commitment to one's community, but do they also discourage respect to other communities - especially when "one's community" is defined very narrowly? That seems to be the case in at least some cases and points to a basic flaw in many religious ideologies.
One of the most common critiques of modernity may be that of alienation: from work, from self, from family, from nature, and from traditional communities. Such critiques are most often delivered from post-modernist perspectives, but arguably this is exactly the sort of critique which conservatism has always been offering.
Christians are having a tough time in the Middle East. It appears that many feel compelled their leave their homes. Between Islamic extremism and the U.S war on terror, Christians are simply being squeezed out.
It's well known that many conservative Christians consider the use of corporal punishment to be valuable and even biblically mandated. What's unusual is for Christians to consider corporal punishment to be required - as in, there is no choice but to hit a child.
Preachers on television often assume the mantle of protectors of the nation's morals, leading with calls to enforce stricter standards of "decency" on what one can watch on television. But what about their own programs? Shouldn't standards of "decency" be applied to them as well?
One of the most notorious serial killers in America has finally been caught, at least according to police in Kansas. What's interesting - and disturbing to many - is the fact that the alleged killer was also a Cub Scout leader and president of his Lutheran Church. At least he wasn't gay, right?
The Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey, is one of the most important architectural monuments in existence. It's been called the 8th wonder of the world for its design and artwork; unfortunately, those charged with taking care of it don't seem to have been doing an adequate job.
Believe it or not, there are still debates going on over the authenticity of the "James Ossuary." The man who "found" it has been indicted for widespread forgery and it looks pretty clear that he forged his as well, but that doesn't seem to matter to the true believers.
Shinto is the dominant, native faith of Japan. Shinto is fundamental to the definition of Japan's history, culture, and national identity. Shinto is also falling by the wayside as something that the Japanese actively believe in or follow in anything more than a very perfunctory manner. What's going on?
The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is one of the holiest sites in Christianity, built over what many believe to have been Christ's tomb. It is also one of the most contested sites in Christianity, with various groups regularly coming to blows over it.
A Utah man already convicted of polygamy is challenging the state's ban on plural marriages. According to Rodney Holm, the ban infringes on his religious rights. Holm is a member of a Mormon sect that continues to practice polygamy as it was originally promoted by Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism.
The Utah Valley State College will be offering a course on The Da Vinci Code - or at least the various religious and historical themes raised in the novel. Given how popular the book is, it makes a lot of sense to try to translate that interest into interest in more scholarly work.
It is being argued by some that in order to win more elections, the Democrats need to get more religion. American values are discussed in religious language and, therefore, Democrats need to bring that language into what they do. They risk, however, becoming just like the GOP if they try.
There are new claims that the Shourd of Turin is really an ancient artifact rather than a medieval forgery. The latest comes from The American Shroud of Turin Association for Research (AMSTAR) who say that the carbon dating test from 1988 was performed on a rewoven patch.
Has Christianity become too "civilized"? Pastor Erwin McManus thinks so, arguing that Christianity should challenge people and make them think differently rather than make them feel secure and comfortable in what they already want to believe or do.
Rolling Stone magazine at first accepted and then rejected an ad from Zondervan touting their new, "hip" Bible translation. Zondervan was evidently relying upon the exposure they would get with this ad and so are disappointed. Was rejecting the ad legitimate?
Is your child misbehaving? Are you having trouble coming up with the proper means of discipline? If you spare the rod, you'll spoil the child - and there exists the perfect "rod" that will keep your child from being spoiled: a 22-inch nylon whipping stick that will put the fear of God into the little blighters.
Apparently, Secretary of State Colin Powell was asked by President Bush for his assessment of situation in Iraq and Powell told him: "We're losing." Bush asked him to leave. Now that he is being replaced with Condoleezza Rice, will Bush ever hear any dissenting views? Will he hear anything critical or skeptical?
Rev. Sun Myung Moon strikes many observers as a bit unstable. Most people in America probably aren't aware of all the bizarre things he says because official transcripts of his speeches leave out the most controversial material. You have to go to unofficial transcripts to find out what he really thinks and believes.
Massive natural disasters like earthquakes and tidal waves were once commonly explained as divine retribution for people's sins. Today science more readily explains such events via natural processes, but people continue to imagine that gods must be involved - and that those affected must deserve it, somehow.
All around the world, museums have been warned to take another look at Bible-era relics because some of the most significant finds during the last few decades have likely been forgeries. Who knows how many experts have been taken in by frauds?
In the "war on terrorism," both sides are accustomed to using religious language that justifies their cause. Both Americans and Muslim extremists act and speak as though they were on a mission from God to cleanse the planet of a godless enemy. Isn't it curious how the two extremes manage to mirror each other so well?
For a long time many believers have recognized that massive natural disasters, like earthquakes, are difficult to reconcile with the existence of a loving God. Earthquakes in particular lead to large numbers of deaths and terrible suffering afterwards. In 1755, the earthquake that leveled Lisbon caused many to reconsider the existence of God. Today, that's a question many seem eager to avoid.
Christians sometimes wonder why atheists don't commit suicide, as if life weren't worth living in the absence of their god and their heaven. They don't commit suicide in order to get to heaven more quickly, though, because suicide is a "sin." But where does it say that suicide is a sin?
Do religions support or oppose the death penalty? The truth is that there is no unified position on capital punishment, even within any religions much less among them. Because of this, there is a lot of confusion and diversity on people's views of capital punishment.
Everyone knows that the Dead Sea Scrolls were written by a community of Essenes living at Qumran... right? Well, maybe not. Recent research suggests a very different story about the scrolls and the community that lived in the area.
Helping to demonstrate just why his diocese is the most "godless" in Britain, Bishop of Manchester Nigel McCulloch has attacked stores that open on Sundays so people can shop. Presumably, if the stores all closed people would be back in the pews, listening to McCulloch preach.
A Birmingham theatre tried to put on a production of Behzti, a play that involved sexual abuse and murder occurring in a Sikh temple. British Sikhs were so outraged at these depictions that they not only protested, but rioted - ultimately forcing the theater to close the play down. Let's hear it for free speech!
Just in time for Christmas, news media are reporting that archaeologists have found the site of Jesus' first miracle: turning water into wine. Anyone who reads the reports closely, however, will notice that there is little support for these claims.
Regions hospital in Minnesota has removed a large cross from its chapel and many Christians are upset. Apparently, they believe that a hospital chapel exists for the exclusive use of Christianity and if people of other faiths want a place to pray or think, they either have to deal with Christian symbols or find someplace else.
Why is it that so many mothers who kill their children - especially those who do it in ways that capture media attention - are also so religious? People like Andrea Yates and Deanna Laney claim that God or Satan or some supernatural being gave them orders that they followed. What role does religion play in their mental illnesses?
Churches in British cities don't see much of an increase in attendance on Christmas - but churches in rural Britain do. Rural increases can be as much as 200%. What accounts for this difference?
In Orlando, Florida, Moe's Southwest Grill has erected a billboard suggesting that God endorses them. The white text ("Welcome to Moe's! - God") on a black field echoes those "inspirational" billboards that were supposed to give people messages from God. For some strange reason, local Christians aren't happy about this one.
Christianity in Ameica is vital, powerful, and constantly renewing itself. Christianity in Europe appears to be moribund and faltering. What's the cause of these differences? Why is America so much more religiously devout than Europe?
Roman Catholics often pray to and venerate the Virgin Mary; Protestants do not. Why, then, did the Amor de Dios United Methodist Church in Little Village, Illinois, introduce a "Virgin of Gauadelupe" statue into their sanctuary, causing many members to leave?
Many people believe that one of the root causes of all the problems in the world is hatred - especially hatred that is motivated by religion. Others, however, disagree and argue that just the opposite is the case: there isn't enough religiously motivated hatred in the world. If there were more, we'd be better off.
The Christian Coalition was set up in America in order to push a Christian agenda that opposed modernity and secularism. Something similar may be in the works in Europe as conservative Christians are finding it more and more difficult to dominate or control public policy in a more united Europe, something they were used to in their home nations.
In California a pastor will go on trial for convincing women in his congregation to have sex with him by using their fear of Satan. Apparently this tactic was relatively successful.
If you were wondering about some of the disadvantages to being religious and attending church, researchers have come upon a new one: breathing church air is bad for your lungs. All of those burning candles and incense make church air worse than the air by a busy road.
During a Wednesday morning Mass in Santa Fe Springs, California, Rev. Ruben Rocha informed a group of children that Santa Claus didn't really exist. Parents, of course, are outraged that a priest chose to tell them the truth and burst their bubble of deception. The irony of the situation, though, doesn't seem to have occurred to anyone there.
One of the reasons why I have such extensive resources on the definition of atheism and the definition of religion is that, wherever I go, I find such extensive misunderstanding about those topics. Why? I'm not sure - but one apparent commonality is that so many don't seem to have done any research on the topics, aside from perhaps a quick glance at a short dictionary.
Ashland University in Ohio was founded by the Brethren Church in 1878 and has always had references to religion in their constitution, but now they are getting more serious. From here on out, all new faculty members will have to be Jewish or Christian. Apparently Buddhists and Muslims can't be trusted to teach things like science or history.
I've written before about the decision of Target to start enforcing their "no solicitation" policy fairly and consistently, even though that means not having Salvation Army bell ringers outside their stores during the holidays. There's little basis for objecting to this decision, but it doesn't stop some from trying.
Most churches don't serve beer, despite the fact that the brewing of beer was once a common pursuit of monks. Well, things are changing at the Canterbury Cathedral where beer will once again be made and made available.
Bill Maher is a well-known comedian whose satirical comments about politics and society have managed to get him in hot water more than once. His comments about religion, though are even harsher and will elicit much more negative reactions from the faithful.
Much of the news about the Anglican Communion these days tends to focus on the controversy over homosexuality and gay bishops, but there is another debate lurking just under the radar: the status of female priests and whether any can become bishops. It's serious enough that some are talking about an Anglican branch that is restricted to male clergy.
In Oklahoma City doctors performed emergency surgery on an infant just moments after being born - if they hadn't, the baby would have died from a rare heart condition. This is the first time an infant has survived this operation, one that usually takes five hours but was performed here in just three minutes. So why are the parents thanking God instead of the doctors?
American Christians tend to be rather selective in the sins they focus on. Abortion is a big deal for conservative Christians, despite not being condemned in the Bible, but gluttony is hardly ever addressed despite having been considered one of the Seven Deadly Sins for centuries.
A few days ago I wrote about the financial problems being experienced by Catholic churches in Germany. At the time I said that "I'd be interested to learn whether the Protestant churches are experiencing the same thing." Happily, a reader from Germany wrote back with some information.
Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is a wildly popular book and many people believe that much of what the book says is true, even though it is classified as a work of fiction. This is unfortunate because there is very little fact and a great deal of fiction in the story - something that even Christian apologists recognize.
Pundits write about how divided America is, politically, even though there is little evidence for this. On the other hand, there is some evidence for the growth of political divisions within American churches - as well has between American churches and their counterparts elsewhere. Could politics become a driving force for religious schisms in various denominations?
The Salvation Army bell ringers are a standard feature in front of many American stores during the holiday season, but not if you shop at Target. Rather than single out the Salvation Army for special treatment, they decided to enforce their "no solicitation" policy fairly and consistently. This, however, has angered more than a few people.
The creators of the National Day of Prayer designed it as a specifically and explicitly Christian day - but as the nation increases in religious diversity, other groups will want to make use of it as well, or at least of the general idea. Wiccans have created a "Witches Days of Prayer," for example.
Apparently God has made his views known about a large cross in Florida that caused a lot of controversy a couple of years ago. A lo, a great wind came down and smote the idolatry that offended the Lord!
Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code has been hugely popular all around the world - in large part because Brown has been able to convince people that what is a work of fiction is actually based upon facts and history. It's not, but he's convinced people of it. Unfortunately for Brown, two others did the same thing a few years ago and they accuse him of plagiarizing their work.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is generally considered the holiest shrine in all of Christendom. That is why it is so ironic that two priests, one Greek Orthodox and one Franciscan, got involved in a brawl outside it after an argument over whether a door should be open or closed during a procession.
A fictional account of conspiracies spanning centuries, The Da Vinci Code does not paint a very flattering picture of the Catholic Church. Because of that, Catholic officials in Lebanon complained - and the government agreed to ban the popular book.
I wrote a couple of days about doubts and questions I had regarding PBS' recent show "The Question of God." Turns out I'm not the only one, especially where the author of the original book is concerned.
You've probably heard about the criminal case against Michael Jackson, accused of sexually abusing a young boy. In a strange twist, the mother of the boy has announced "God hand-picked me and the kids because he knew that we weren't going to fall for any of their money."
Circumcision has long been an accepted practice in Judaism and Christianity, but today it usually isn't done at home with ice and a large knife. A man in Washington has been charged with doing just that to his son, even though there is a long tradition of circumcisions being done privately.
Great evil in the world can lead to great doubts about the existence of an all-good God who upholds the moral order of the universe. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, admits to having had such doubts in the weak of the slaughter of children at Beslan, Russia - and offers a very weak response to those doubt
The conflict within the Anglican Communion over the ordination of gay priests and the appointment of a gay bishop is getting hotter. Recent reports suggest that the U.S. Episcopal Church could be excluded from the Communion entirely.
Many Protestant ministers teach that Christianity and Jesus are the only ways to get to heaven. It's curious, then, that they are so ignorant about other religions. Doesn't it make sense to first learn about a religion before claiming that it is false?
One doesn't normally think of the Amish when it comes to sex scandals, but that's what is going on in Wisconsin: a man has been jailed for raping and molesting his sister for years.
When Christians make decisions about politics and social issues, they typically consult sources of religious inspiration - like the Bible, for example. Many pray for guidance. Others make an active effort to figure out what God or Jesus would have them do. Instead of making their own decisions, they'd rather just follow orders like meek sheep.
The Olympic Village of Athens houses around 15,000 athletes and a fair number of chaplains who are there to minister on behalf of the various religions represented. They are, however, under some restrictions because Greece doesn't allow proselytizing.
There was a time when Christians used theological justifications for treating the mentally ill very, very poorly. For the most part that has ended but there are still places where people haven't gotten the news that mental illness is biological, not a sign of demon possession.
Methamphetamine is a popular drug in part because it doesn't have to be imported (thus eliminating the threat of border patrols) and it doesn't have to be grown (thus eliminating many other means of detection). With the right ingredients and equipment, you can cook it up at home. Or in church, if you prefer.
There have been quite a few attempts to explain why religion exists and why it is able to persist. In recent decades there has been more focus on biological explanations and Richard Dawkins has argued that religion is an evolutionary error in that it's a bad consequence of a necessary and otherwise good adaptation.
It's become conventional wisdom that America is split politically between the religious and the irreligious - but conventional wisdom is wrong. American communities are increasingly polarized and homogeneous along political lines and the same is happening to churches. America is, in fact, split between conservative and modernist religious visions.
Churches commonly ask for money from parishioners and it isn't common for a church member to leave a bequest to their church in a will. It's unusual, however, for a church to pressure an elderly lady who isn't a member to change her will and leave her estate to a church - but that seems to be what happened to one 99-year-old woman in England.
The Unitarian Universalist Church is experiencing something of a division over what direction it should take in the future. Over time it has become much more humanistic and much less supernatural in its orientation. Some say that's a good thing; others lament the distance between the denomination and its Christian roots.
A common criticism of the Christian Right is the arrogance they display when claiming to speak to God, to hear from God, and/or to know exactly what God's will is. Liberals are far more reasonable, right? Maybe not. In fact, it's not that uncommon for religious liberals to make similar claims about knowing God oh so much better than others.
There was a time in America when Sunday was unique among the days of the week: just about everything was closed, people attended church services, and the rest of life simply slowed down to a relaxing crawl for a few hours. Not anymore, though. Today Sunday is pretty much like every other day.
Everyone has heard of the Roman Empire, but how many have heard of the Etruscans? Far fewer - and it's no surprise, considering how little we have left from their civilization. This is unfortunate because they laid the groundwork for the Romans: founding Rome, creating roads, and much more. Today, study of them is growing as fresh artifacts come to light.
An excavation at Jamestown has come across a wine cellar with 11 unbroken bottles of wine that could date back to the 1680s. Unfortunately, all the bottles were empty - the most archeologists will be able to get out is some residue. That's no small matter, but can you imagine what the actual wine might have been like?
Both insiders and outsiders of the Church of England are concerned that it is becoming "top heavy" - too many bishops at the top, too few people in the pews. Thus, there is some indication that they might end up restructuring in the near future.
Will Ethan Azar be circumcised? His mother doesn't want it. His father, who has full custody of the child, wants it. Now Missouri's Supreme Court will have to make a decision about the matter: should a parent be allowed to have this done to a child even if the other parent disagrees?
Most Americans almost automatically celebrate Independence Day every year on the 4th of July. But should they? It might be arguable that many things in the world would have been better had America remained a part of Great Britain, at least for a little while longer.
Jesus wants your kidney! Well, perhaps not. Dave McKay, leader of the Australian group Jesus Christians has admitted that they used the internet to solicit donations of kidneys and parts of livers in order to get around Australian laws prohibiting strangers from donating organs.
Books like the Left Behind series represent a huge boom in the sales of Christian books. One might think that this would mean a similar boom for Christian books stores that sell all kinds of Christian-themed objects, right? Unfortunately, just the opposite is the case.
The conservative voice in America is typically a voice that resonates with Christian beliefs, Christian doctrines, and Christian values. In the controversy over the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Iraq, however, conservatives have conveniently ignored basic Christians principles when voicing their reactions.
More than one person has argued that what is particularly shocking about the abuse of Iraqi prisonersis that Americans "should be better." This is not so much because all humans should be better but instead because Americans in particular have a "duty" to be better than everyone else. What many may not realize is that this attitude has a very specific heritage in American Puritanism.
