Religion

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    altmuslim

  • Fort Hood killings: Fort Hood has enough victims already

    editor@altmuslim.com
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:45 am
    After an American soldier's tragic outburst of violence at Fort Hood, Texas – the army's largest US post, with some 40,000 troops – dominates the headlines, a fear-mongering hysteria concerning his supposed religious motivations is taking priority over questions regarding his mental health. Although the facts, and clues about motive, are still being uncovered, we know that the alleged shooter, 39-year-old Major Nidal Malik Hasan, is an American-born medical doctor and licensed psychiatrist, who also happens to be a Muslim born to Palestinian immigrant parents. When Hasan's Arabic name was…

  • Islam and scholarship: Religion and the crisis of authority

    editor@altmuslim.com
    4 Nov 2009 | 9:08 am
    In the post-enlightenment era, the term religion refers to beliefs outside the realm of reason, science and politics. It is a form of ethics without foundations in philosophy or political theory. Religion, like tribal and national identity, is a resource for political legitimacy. Just as the idea of national interest legitimizes war and discriminatory policies between citizens and non-citizens; religion too is deployed in the interest of partisan politics in many societies in developed as well as developing nations. Therefore as in the past, religion is still a source of identity, boundaries,…

  • Kashmir: Faith after the quake

    editor@altmuslim.com
    2 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am
    Four years ago last month, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake devastated Kashmir. More than 80,000 people died. 3.5 million were displaced. 9,000 schools were destroyed. I recently went near the epicenter of the earthquake, to a small town called Patika, northeast of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. I was visiting several of the schools rebuilt by Greg Mortenson's Central Asia Institute. (Mortenson is author of the best-selling book "Three Cups of Tea"). My guide was Shaukat Ali, a 29-year-old math and science teacher at the Gundi Piran girl's school in Patika. He described…

  • Imam Luqman Abdullah killing: Condemn that which is condemnable

    editor@altmuslim.com
    30 Oct 2009 | 6:59 am
    We must condemn that which is condemnable. In the Qu'ran, Allah commands Muslims to speak the truth, even if it is against themselves. On October 28, Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah was fatally shot and killed during an FBI raid in Dearborn, Michigan. Along with 10 other men, he was suspected of charges that included conspiracy to sell stolen goods, illegal possession and sale of firearms and altering numbers on license plates. They are suspected of these acts and, in both American law and Islamic law, suspicion is not enough to convict a person. Unfortunately, none will be privy to the…

  • Hizb-ut-Tahrir and the media: Gotcha Islamism

    editor@altmuslim.com
    28 Oct 2009 | 12:37 am
    For an organization that lacks any institutional support in the Muslim world, the pro-Caliphate group Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HT) still manages to get its point across. Shunned from mosques and banned in several countries – usually for alleged anti-Semitism or annoying autocratic rulers - the group has relied in the past on relative secrecy (a counterintuitive strategy for a group seeking mass acceptance), the Internet and new media, or infiltrating existing media and civic groups to find a wider voice. As an example, when pollster Dalia Mogahed recently appeared on the show Muslimah Dilemma, a…
 
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    American Buddhist Net

  • Texas Gov. Rick Perry Gives Remarks on Fort Hood Shooting Tragedy -- FOX News

    ABN
    6 Nov 2009 | 6:16 pm
    At around 17 seconds he says there were three shooters. ABN

  • Five held in China for dressing up like women to loot men

    Robyn
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:42 pm
    Shanghai Police have detained five Filipino men who allegedly disguised themselves as women to rob other men in bars, a media report said Friday. Police said the suspects are aged between 26 and 30, and look quite like women when they make an effort, the China Daily reported. LINK TO ORIGINAL

  • Buddhist Monks Attack Christian Church in Colombo

    Robyn
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:38 pm
    Protesters of Jathika Hela Urumaya party (JHU) including Buddhist monks attacked a Christian church over the death of two women at a religious event. Protesters stoned and throw petrol bombs at the church. The Pastor of the church said to media that protestor had threat to kill him if he is not shutting down the church. LINK TO ORIGINAL

  • Sri Lanka: Crime and religious values

    Robyn
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:34 pm
    The plethora of villainous and murderous conflicts and disastrous eruptions and disruptions raging all over the world would inevitably signify the general perception that religion in this age of technological advancement has failed to achieve its purpose to tame the animalistic impulses in man. Wherever we turn to in this wide world, we incessantly see and hear of fraud, conflict, thuggery, blatant brutality and beastly murder taking place in increasing numbers and spreading all over in turbulent waves. However, in our country, we see and hear everywhere at meetings, gatherings and numerous…

  • Gautam Buddha's ashes in Darjeeling

    Robyn
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:31 pm
    DARJEELING: It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the people of the Hills, especially the Buddhists. The ashes of Gautam Buddha have been brought to Darjeeling from Bodh Gaya and will be on display for the people from Saturday to Monday at the Gorkha Ranga Manch, near Mall Road. The Dharma Chakra Committee (DCC) of Darjeeling brought the casket containing the ashes of Buddha to the Druk-Sa-Ngag Choeling monastery near Dali on Friday. The ashes of his first disciples -- Sariputra and Maha Mogallana -- have also been brought. LINK TO ORIGINAL
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    Beliefnet: Beliefnet Top Features

  • Man in the Mirror

    6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm
    From Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story behind the Song

  • Rosy Apple Dumplings

    6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    Give a special treat to your own little dumplings

  • We Have It All

    5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm
    From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings

  • Watch Trailer: 'Avatar'

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:14 am
    In this James Cameron sci-fi film, humans and an alien species, the Na'vi, are at war on the planet of Pandora over the its valuable resources. A former Marine is made into an Avatar (genetically created Na'vi-human hybrid) to infiltrate the Na'vi. The film stars Sam Worthington, Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver and will be released on December 16, 2009.

  • Watch Trailer: 'The Messenger'

    5 Nov 2009 | 9:31 am
    Two officers assigned to the Army's Casualty Notification service, played by Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson, are tasked with notifying the family members of fallen soldiers. They must stay emotionally detached, but one of them has a problem doing so. The film releases November 13, 2009.
 
 
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    Catholic News Service

  • Hitching a REALLY first-class ride

    When you’re preparing for a visit by the pope, sometimes even mundane tasks like checking the logistics at an airport take on larger-than-life aspects.For Msgr. David Malloy, general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, that meant hitching a ride on Air Force One from Washington to New York ...

  • Souvenirs at the ready for pope’s visit

    When Pope Benedict XVI comes to town April 15, very few people will get the chance to be up close and personal with him. But that has not stopped hundreds of snapshots from circulating around Washington that show people posing happily alongside the pope before he even sets foot in this country. At closer ...

  • Papal parties and more details about his visit to the U.S.

    VATICAN CITY -- Yes, at least one rendition of "Happy Birthday" and a formal celebration of Pope Benedict XVI's 81st birthday April 16 are part of the program for the pope's trip to the United States. More solemnly, but still personally, the schedule also includes a public acknowledgement April 19 of the ...

  • Prayers for the papal trip from across the ocean

    ROME -- Pope Benedict XVI joined members of the Rome-based Sant'Egidio Community for an afternoon prayer service today. Although the visit marked the 40th anniversary of the community -- committed to serving the poor, to dialogue and to peacemaking -- it also focused on the example of Christians who gave ...

  • Charlton Heston’s other ‘holy’ roles

    Just about everyone familiar with cinema knows that Charlton Heston, who died April 5 at age 84, played Moses in the 1956 Hollywood classic "The Ten Commandments." But it would take a real film buff to remember the other "holy" roles Heston played, including St. Thomas More in a 1988 TV ...
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    Catholic Exchange

  • Infinitely Valuable

    Stacy Peterson
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:03 pm
    I pressed, “send” and off soared the email to my daughter’s swim coach.  I had written, “ One of your best attributes is, that you have the ability to make everybody feel special… like THEY’RE the bestest ever!  The great thing is, it’s true.  Each of us IS infinitely valuable; ergo the Cross.” Coach was preparing for the Masters National Swim Meet, therefore I prefaced my text with:  “You don’t need to reply.”  Yet, within an hour, my Inbox revealed this answer, “ Wow — that’s awesome!  You’re right!  That puts everything into…

  • Pope’s Spiritual Generosity Misunderstood

    Russell Shaw
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm
    For me at least, the most dismaying thing about criticism of Pope Benedict’s plan for easing the way for Anglicans who seek to enter the Roman Catholic Church is the critics’ apparent indifference to the spiritual welfare of these Anglicans. As a consequence, a compassionate gesture by Rome is smeared as something sinister. Clueless as usual where Catholicism is concerned, the secular media have tended to treat Benedict XVI’s action in political terms, as a power grab. This interpretation ignores the fact that the Anglican traditionalists most likely to take advantage of the new…

  • Christmas Tree Returns in Kentucky

    Catholic League
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments as follows: On November 3, we noted that the “War on Christmas” had begun. One piece of evidence that was offered was the decision to have a “Holiday Tree,” instead of a “Christmas Tree,” in Frankfort, Kentucky. But after getting pounded by outraged Christians, Gov. Steve Beshear has reversed himself: both he, and the state government, have now chosen to call the Christmas Tree the “Christmas Tree.” Christians have every right to be insulted when agents of government refuse to acknowledge their holiday, and it matters not a whit…

  • USCCB Condemnation Tears Facade off “Phony” Abortion Compromise for Health Bill

    Kathleen Gilbert
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    sound condemnation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has helped dash the chances that the latest purported “compromise” on abortion in the health care overhaul proposed by Democrats could be smuggled through as a legitimately pro-life option. The amendment in question, proposed by Democratic Rep. Brad Ellsworth this week, purports to remove “federal funding for abortion” in H.R. 3962 by hiring contractors to issue checks for abortion - essentially putting one more procedural step between abortion and those who pay for them through the government…

  • Purify Me, Lord!

    Mark Shea
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Psalm 26:2 “Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind.” Harry Houdini, among his many other amazing feats, included in his act the opportunity for a strong man from the audience to punch him in the stomach as hard as possible.  Houdini’s stomach muscles were amazingly strong and the audience was always impressed to see Houdini withstand the hardest pummeling that could be delivered.  One strong but not terribly bright man was so impressed that he went backstage to see Houdini after his performance and, as Houdini rose from his chair to greet him, the man…
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    About Catholicism

  • Forum Friday: Same-Sex "Marriage" and the Law, Part II

    6 Nov 2009 | 3:43 am
    "Ask, and ye shall receive." That's certainly an appropriate verse to describe your response to last week's Forum Friday post. (If you haven't read the post, please take a moment to do so.) The discussion was very fruitful, at times heated, yet, for the most part, civil, and I'd like to thank "Fallbride1" for starting it. It will all be quite useful as I prepare my blog post on the Catholic stance toward moral and social questions in the realm of politics. Rather than move on to a new discussion this week, however, I'd like to extend this one just a bit. Last week, I asked you to address two…

  • Reader Question: The Sign of Peace and Hygiene

    4 Nov 2009 | 11:54 pm
    On our Questions About Catholicism form, reader Noreen Glennon asks: Why does the priest wash his hands before the consecration, and then go and shake everybody's hands before giving out Communion? Is this not unhygienic? This is a question I have been asked many times, and it is likely to be asked even more frequently as concerns about swine flu grow. The question is based on two common but false assumptions: first, that the priest is washing his hands for sanitary reasons; and second, that the priest is supposed to be exchanging the Sign of Peace with the congregation. Read more...Reader…

  • Why Richard Dawkins Cannot Stomach the Eucharist

    4 Nov 2009 | 4:15 am
    During P.Z. Myers' extended publicity stunt last summer, many Catholics (and even quite a few non-Catholics) asked why he was so intent on desecrating a Host. If it is, as he claims, just a "frackin' cracker," then what's the big deal? How is he hurt by the Catholic belief that is something more? Don't atheists like Myers always say that one of their major problems with Christians is that they refuse to live and let live? If they don't like Christian arguments against atheism, why intentionally provoke Christians? Many of Myers' defenders claimed that he took his action in defense of a…

  • The Intellectual Deficiencies of Richard Dawkins

    3 Nov 2009 | 3:34 am
    I have remarked in the past on the seeming inability of otherwise intelligent atheists "to make basic intellectual distinctions that would help them understand what Christians believe, even if they cannot give consent to such belief." Sometimes, however, I think that I give too much credit to such atheists by assuming that they wish to understand. There are different kinds of inabilities, after all; not all can be chalked up to intellectual deficiencies. Sometimes the inability to make intellectual distinctions consists of a lack of imagination—a particularly common problem among those…

  • Pope Benedict's Prayer Intentions for November 2009

    3 Nov 2009 | 1:41 am
    Each month, Pope Benedict XVI announces his special prayer intentions—particular things that he wishes all Catholics to pray for that month. (When, for instance, we pray the rosary and say the prayers at the end for the intentions of the Holy Father, these are the intentions for which we're praying.) Pope Benedict offers two intentions every month, one general, and one for a particular Catholic missionary activity. Read more...Pope Benedict's Prayer Intentions for November 2009 originally appeared on About.com Catholicism on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 09:41:40.Permalink | Comment |…
 
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    The Change Revolution

  • Sharing Your Story Through The Media

    Phil
    6 Nov 2009 | 12:02 am
    Throughout the history of the Church, pastors, leaders, and communicators have struggled against the various cultures in which they found themselves. For the early church, it was the brutal Roman occupation. For Europe during the 17th century, it was the Protestant versus Catholic conflict. For the German church of the 1940's it was Nazi oppression. Today it's repression in places like the Middle East and China, or post-modernism worldwide. In every case, any believer who attempted to present the their message in a relevant way knew they had to recognize and understand the cultural framework…

  • Hollywood Continues it's Fear of Islam

    Phil
    5 Nov 2009 | 8:33 am
    When the upcoming movie "2012" - about the destruction of the world hits theaters, the things you won't see destroyed are Muslim sites, especially the site of the Hajj, the focus of the most important pilgramage in Islam. As director Roland Emmerich said in an interview: "We have to all, in the western world, think about this. You can actually let Christian symbols fall apart, but if you would do this with [an] Arab symbol, you would have ... a fatwa, and that sounds a little bit like what the state of this world is. So it's just something which I kind of didn't [think] was [an] important…

  • The Update on Social Networking Statistics - You Need to Watch This

    Phil
    4 Nov 2009 | 5:58 pm

  • Gut Check: The Value of "Leemers"

    Phil
    4 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am
    I've been told that "Leemers" is a term used by naval aviators to describe a gut feeling that something is wrong, even if there's no definitive proof. Some have assumed it came from the world "leery" but I have no idea. What I DO know is that it's a brilliant concept and something we need to consider in our work. How often have you had a "gut check" about something, but dismissed it because you had no proof? Call it a hunch, the voice of God, a check in your spirit, or just a suspicion, but I would suggest you start checking it out. Of course, don't let these things paralyze you or control…

  • What If U2 Had Been Born in Orange County?

    Phil
    2 Nov 2009 | 4:46 pm
    Had a great night Saturday at the Act One Program reception for writer Steve Turner. Steve wrote the classic book "Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts." I love the book and used it as a reference in my Ph.D. dissertation. If you're serious about engaging the culture, you need to read it and share it's message. In our conversation, Steve brought up a brilliant point - If the rock band U2 had been born in Orange County, California, would they have become just another church worship band? In Ireland, there wasn't a sophisticated Christian music industry so the only alternative for U2…
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    Christ and Pop Culture

  • Portal at #1? Sounds about right.

    Richard Clark
    5 Nov 2009 | 11:40 am
    Man, this is fun: The 20 Best Video Games of the Decade (2000-2009) – I’ve played 11, and beat seven. You? Posts like this one:The Problem of Choice Poll Results: Video Games, FTW! Why Video Games are Fun to Play

  • R.I.P. Christian Media

    Richard Clark
    5 Nov 2009 | 11:15 am
    Collide Magazine’s web site (to say nothing of the magazine itself) is on a roll these days (and no, not just because of this). Phil Cooke on the implications of the Christian Media Bubble bursting. Posts like this one:Nothing to Say? Then Stop Using Media Have the Days of Christian Media Come and Gone? Just Sayin’

  • The medium is not the message… except when it is.

    Richard Clark
    5 Nov 2009 | 11:13 am
    Neutral On Neutrality – Scott McClellan juxtaposes two oft-claimed opinions on ministry, media and culture… and finds that they just don’t add up. Posts like this one:Fake Realism Don’t Blame the Technology Give it Time.

  • Mainly they’re just making us run into poles alot.

    Richard Clark
    5 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am
    Are iPhones Making Us Unkind? Posts like this one:Not what we’ve been led to think… Making Meaning The Cost Of A Download

  • I’m not sure we could find 20 more.

    Richard Clark
    5 Nov 2009 | 8:35 am
    The 20 Best TV Shows of the Decade (2000-2009) – I’ve watched 12 of these at some point, regularly watch/watched 9, and hate 1. You? Posts like this one:How Hulu Changed My Life Podcast #7: One Incredibly Long and Boring Night Netflix on your Xbox 360: New ways to watch
 
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    Christian Newswire: All Releases

  • Catholic Advocacy Organizations Unite to Ask Catholic Politicians to Reject H.R. 3962

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pm
    Contact: Dr. Deal Hudson, Executive Director, Catholic Advocate, hudsondeal@gmail.com; Lisa Correnti, Founder, OneNationUnderGod.org, ltcorrenti@onenationundergod.org MEDIA ADVISORY, Nov. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- Tomorrow's vote on healthcare reform is a defining moment for our Church and country. For our nation it will determine whether or not we will take a final step toward the culture of death that began with Roe v Wade in 1973. For our Church this vote represents a moment when politic Source: OneNationUnderGod.org

  • Was Fort Hood Attack a Hate Crime

    6 Nov 2009 | 11:45 am
    Contact: Misty Allmond, 936-560-3900, visionamerica1@yahoo.com MEDIA ADVISORY, Nov. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- Referring to the man being held in connection with the deaths of 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas yesterday, Scarborough observed: "We know that Dr. Hasan is a devout Muslim who once told a fellow officer that 'Muslims have a right to stand up against the U.S. military.' Clearly, yesterday's rampage was not motivated by love. Given Hasan's worldview, it's probable that he was moti Source: Allmond

  • Father Norman Weslin and Four Pro-Lifers Still in Jail -- See Second Video of Protests and Arrests

    6 Nov 2009 | 11:31 am
    Five pro-life advocates still incarcerated after being arrested at Pelosi's office for tearing up the "Health Care" bill.  They are: Father Norman Weslin, Missy Smith, Joan McKee, Ronald Brock, and William Kee. Hearing to be held at 2:00 P.M., 500 Indiana Ave Northwest. Contact: Randall Terry, 904 687 9804 WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- At 2:00 P.M., Friday, November 6,  these five pro-life advocates will appear in Court after being held overnight on charges Source: Society for Truth and Justice

  • 'The River Within,' the Newest Film from Cloud Ten Pictures, to be Released nationwide on DVD November 10, 2009

    6 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am
    "In Everyone's Life, the Truth Will Surface" Contact: Cloud Ten Pictures Inc., 888-684-5561 MEDIA ADVISORY, Nov. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- Cloud Ten Pictures Inc., the Christian film production and distribution house behind such hits as the LEFT BEHIND and APOCALYPSE film series, will release its latest feature film, THE RIVER WITHIN, to stores nationwide on November 10, 2009. Cloud Ten is also releasing the inspirational film via its CHURCH CINEMAS PROGRAM (see www.cloudtenpictures.com Source: Cloud Ten pictures

  • Christian Clubs Gain Equal Access to Public Schools

    6 Nov 2009 | 10:58 am
    Contact: Liberty Counsel Public Relations Department, 800-671-1776 ORLANDO, FL, Nov. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- Liberty Counsel has recently cleared the way for numerous Good News Clubs to use public school facilities for after-school programs. The Clubs, sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), are designed to teach good character and Christian values to children ages 5-12. Supreme Court precedent requires that schools grant CEF the same access to school facilities as Source: Liberty Counsel
 
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    Company of Prayer

  • Lord, lead those seeking healing to the place they can find it

    Company of Prayer
    5 Nov 2009 | 8:05 pm
    Abigail Van Buren once wrote that, ‘a church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.’ As important as history and tradition is to our Church, our faith is not a museum exhibit filled with long-dead specimens, stuffed and propped up to show what the ‘real thing’ looks like. Our Church is and must be alive and real, and that means filled with fragile, weak and sinful humans. – Steve Givens Living Faith

  • That we give each other the space to enjoy our morning routines, I pray

    Company of Prayer
    4 Nov 2009 | 8:05 pm
    One man’s rut is another man’s ritual. We need to honor and respect all the ruts, routines and rituals that people employ as they travel down the road of life. The ruts give them comfort, the routines keep them young and the rituals remind them that they are not alone. – Dwight CurryHow We Behave at the Feast

  • Lord, we need your presence every day

    Company of Prayer
    3 Nov 2009 | 8:05 pm
    People never crumble in a day. It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to grey. Daddies never crumble in a day. Families never crumble in a day. It’s a slow fade. – Casting Crowns Slow Fade

  • When all seems futile, remind us Lord, that we have you

    Company of Prayer
    2 Nov 2009 | 8:05 pm
    Almost two out of every three small-business owners are concerned their companies will fail by 2011, according to an online survey. – Jan Norman on Small Business OCRegister.com

  • Let us be reminded of and act on the obvious, however difficult

    Company of Prayer
    1 Nov 2009 | 8:05 pm
    Use your authority for the sake of serving others. Leadership is for service. – Douglas J. Rumford TouchPoints for Leaders
 
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    RELIGION

  • Ohl is candidate for next provisional Episcopal bishop of Fort Worth

    Sam Hodges/Reporter
    3 Nov 2009 | 12:48 pm
    The Fort Worth churches that have remained loyal to the Episcopal Church are scheduled to choose a new provisional bishop, and the designated choice is the Rev. C. Wallis Ohl, retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas, Details in the press release below: Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth to elect next provisional bishop at annual convention The Rt. Rev. C. Wallis Ohl, retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas, is the candidate for the next provisional bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. Delegates to the 27th Annual Diocesan Convention November 13 and…

  • SMU to hold `service of thanksgiving' for the Rev. Cecil Williams

    Sam Hodges/Reporter
    3 Nov 2009 | 12:14 pm
    The Rev. Cecil Williams, a 2009 Southern Methodist University distinguished alumnus award recipient, will be honored at an SMU/Perkins School of Theology chapel service Thursday. The service will be at Perkins Chapel, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Dr. Tyrone Gordon, senior pastor of St. Luke Community United Methodist Church, will preach. Williams is well-known in San Francisco for his long tenure as pastor of Glide Memorial UMC there. For more information on Williams, click here.

  • TEXAS FAITH: How can we have a real interfaith dialogue?

    William McKenzie/Editorial Columnist
    3 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm
    We had a meeting of Texas Faith panelists last week, and the discussion was so good that some of us stayed around for an extra hour. The after-conversation that Joe Clifford, Lillian Pinkus, Amy Martin, Ric Dexter and I had led to this topic for the week: In a world filled with too much religious tension, we often hear calls for more interfaith dialogue. Unfortunately, such discussions can lead to people suggesting that all religions are the same, which they are not. Or they can lead to one group shouting down the other. Neither is satisfactory nor gets us very far. So, here's the question…

  • Donald Miller, author of `Blue Like Jazz,' to speak at First United Methodist of Fort Worth

    Sam Hodges/Reporter
    2 Nov 2009 | 4:02 pm
    Donald Miller's event at First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth is this Sunday. Best known for "Blue Like Jazz," Miller is the author of a number of books, including the new "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years." Click here for more info.

  • Dallas Holocaust Museum and SMU join in lecture series

    Sam Hodges/Reporter
    30 Oct 2009 | 1:41 pm
    The series "Holocaust Legacies: Shoah as Turning Point" resumes Thursday at Southern Methodist University. Below you'll find a press release from the Dallas Holocaust Museum, co-sponsor, and below that is a schedule that SMU's Perkins School of Theology sent along: The Dallas Holocaust Museum and local universities in the Dallas area are sponsoring two lectures on Thursday, Nov. 5, as part of their continuing series entitled "Holocaust Legacies: Shoah as Turning Point." The series is free and open to the public. At noon on Nov. 5, Professor Jenia Turner of the Dedman School of Law at Southern…
 
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    Frederica Here and Now

  • War and Brother-Keeping

    4 Nov 2009 | 3:21 pm
    Frederica examines the concept of non-violent resistance. Should we refuse to exercise any earthly power?

  • St. Nectarios Education Fund

    28 Oct 2009 | 1:59 pm
    Frederica interviews Fr. Evan Armatas, priest at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, about the St. Nectarios Education Fund.

  • Science and the Orthodox Church

    21 Oct 2009 | 4:47 pm
    Frederica interviews Daniel Buxhoeveden, an Orthodox scientist who just recently received a Templeton grant to establish an Institute for Science and the Orthodox Church. Please note that Frederica experienced technical difficulties while recording this episode. We apologize in advance for its poor audio quality.

  • No Makeup

    9 Oct 2009 | 5:59 pm
    Frederica explains why she doesn't wear makeup and then plays a song on the subject written and performed by her son David.

  • Listening Skills

    1 Oct 2009 | 1:36 pm
    Frederica is interviewed by her friend Katherine Mowers about how to really listen to other people.
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    World news: Religion | guardian.co.uk

  • Face to faith: The Religious Experience Research Centre's evidence of everyday divinity is a joy, says Roger Tagholm

    6 Nov 2009 | 4:05 pm
    The Religious Experience Research Centre's evidence of everyday divinity is a joy, says Roger TagholmAbout three times a month a letter or email arrives at the library of the University of Wales at Lampeter. So far, so unremarkable, you might think – until you know their contentsThe library is home to the Religious Experience Research Centre (RERC), which today celebrates its 40th anniversary with an Open Day at Harris Manchester College in Oxford, its former home. The letters and emails are from members of the public who believe they have had a "spiritual or religious experience or felt a…

  • Tensions of faith and nation: US military denies letting in extremists

    Daniel Nasaw
    6 Nov 2009 | 10:56 am
    Pentagon insists need for religious tolerance and diversity far outweighs concerns about Islamists joining the ranksThe US military has a long tradition of religious tolerance but military officials bristled today at suggestions that this has aided infiltrators."What our policies are and what we try to practise very earnestly is inclusion and diversity," said Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Les' Melnyk. "We need troops that reflect the diversity of America and we show the diversity of America to the world when we deploy."Only 3,526 of America's 1.4 million active duty military personnel…

  • For secular and Catholic France, a shock to the system: the rise of the evangelicals

    Lizzy Davies
    6 Nov 2009 | 10:51 am
    Church insists it is not like the US right, but many fear growth of a political forceAs the piano strikes up, the congregation sways, palms to the ceiling, fists in the air, murmurs of hallelujah punctuating the music. Pastor Franck Lefillatre, besuited and bathed in the spotlight on his podium, intones into a microphone."Let out the words that are in your heart," he urges. His whispers crescendo to booming rhetoric. Behind him, emblazoned in gold lettering, are the words: "Jesus Christ: the same yesterday, today, eternally."As evangelical services go, this gathering on a rainy Sunday…

  • We're doomed without a green religion | Andrew Brown

    Andrew Brown
    6 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am
    Arguments about climate change show up the incoherence of any purely individual moralityThe justification for burning heretics was perfectly simple: dissent threatened the survival of society. Nothing was worse than anarchy. This is a viewpoint most people in the West today find pretty much incomprehensible. It is a self-evident truth to them that morality must be a matter of individual choice. And if you believe that, the arguments around the Tim Nicholson case are very difficult to resolve. If there is a moral imperative to preserve the human race, or as much of it as possible, collective…

  • Theo Hobson | Fireworks for Liberty

    Theo Hobson
    6 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am
    Why can't we have a day on which we feel mildly proud of our national tradition of liberty?Over the last decade, astute commentators and politicians have pointed out that it might be a good idea to have some sort of Britishness day, on which to celebrate common values, to display modest pride in what unites us. Such a festival seems to foster patriotism in America, France and elsewhere. It also fosters historical awareness in the young.Why can't we have a day on which we feel mildly proud of our national tradition of liberty? The richness of our history holds us back. The problem is that you…
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    GO Connect - Experience the Mission

  • Thank You!!!!

    6 Nov 2009 | 10:38 am
    As we move to the new look and feel of our website, thank you for hanging in there with us.  If you see anything that needs to be fixed, please let David know.  We appreciate your support and encouragement.

  • GO Connect to Impact the World

    3 Nov 2009 | 10:28 am
    We are a group of people dedicated to raising the banner of the Great Commission in hopes that every single believer in Jesus Christ will know their place.  Whether that is a goer, a sender, a giver, a prayer, or whatever they are called to.  Even acting like a missionary in their own neighborhood.  For years God has been drawing His followers into His mission.  We thought wouldn't it be good if there was a place for these different networks to be listed.  So GO Connect started there and grew.  For information about who we are and what we do, click here.

  • Neighborhood Missions Network

    3 Nov 2009 | 10:13 am
    Every neighborhood and culture of the world is different. In the same way, every neighborhood missionary has different skills, gifts, and passions. There is no one program or system could possibility be prescriptive to work in every situation. There are, however, some basic ideas that can be used to help every Christian in the world be a missionary in their own neighborhood culture. As overseas missionaries arrive on their foreign field, there are certain basic principles that they use to be as successful as possible. We have narrowed these down to three ideas that neighborhood missionaries…

  • Missions Resources & Networking

    3 Nov 2009 | 10:08 am
    It all began in the early 80's, through the persistent and visionary efforts of ministries like ACMC, the US Center for World Mission, The Perspectives Study Program, Caleb Project and others. City after city began seeing mission mobilizers rising up to serve the Body of Christ through Missions Roundtables, Concerts of Prayer, Perspectives classes, Citywide Missions Events and Missions Resource Centers. And a number of these mobilization/networking efforts have been quite successful, with churches awakening to the missionary task and coming together for fellowship, training and encouragement…

  • Mission Plunge Information

    29 Sep 2009 | 3:16 pm
    GO Connect mobilizes small groups, youth groups, and families to serve in 3 to 4 day missional experiences.  In one Mission Plunge, 22 students "became homeless".  They learned what it felt like to be treated like a homeless person and what it was like to sleep outdoors on the ground.  Imagine with me what it would look like if 1,000 youth groups were transformed to serve and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. For More Information about this valuable resource, click here.
 
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    Iconia

  • Leo Frank Trending

    Menachem Wecker
    2 Nov 2009 | 5:01 am
    A bit surprised to see that Leo Frank is trending on Google. Don’t know who he is? Wiki. And here’s where you can find info on Jason Robert Brown’s great album for Parade.

  • Hyman Bloom’s Unreal Rabbis

    Menachem Wecker
    29 Oct 2009 | 5:10 am
    My column appears in The Jewish Press.

  • My review of Simeon Solomon

    Menachem Wecker
    20 Oct 2009 | 4:35 pm
    My review of Pre-Raphaelite painter Simeon Solomon appears on MyJewishLearning.com with the subheading, “This painter of biblical scenes, who died in shame and obscurity, is undergoing a revival.”

  • Interview: Matt Poulton, founder & director of social marketing, Latterdailyart.com

    Menachem Wecker
    20 Oct 2009 | 10:14 am
    I first connected with Matt Poulton, founder and director of social marketing at www.Latterdailyart.com, on Twitter (his handle: @latterdailyart. You can read more about Latterdaily art on this page. Poulton stresses something that should be obvious, but I’ve added it just in case, “The answers I give below are my personal thoughts, beliefs, and feelings and do not in any way represent those of other LDS artists or the LDS Church in any way.” MW: What was the inspiration for creating Latterdailyart.com? MP: The inspiration to build and launch Latterdailyart.com is two-fold.

  • News roundup 10/16 a new da Vinci, Obama curator

    Menachem Wecker
    16 Oct 2009 | 4:26 pm
    A “ghost of a fingerprint” is apparently da Vinci’s. WaPo’s Blake Gopnik likes the Obamas’ WH art selections so much he practically awards a Nobel; not so Terry Teachout. I’m with TT (and TG). RIP Warhol photographer Nat Finkelstein (a Jew? no word from Wikipedia, yes according to this book), born in Brooklyn in 1933. NBC’s artist in residence program: probably bad for art and for residents. Surprisingly, this comparison of Ed Ruscha and Giorgione actually might work. Though Giorgione never looked like a “Jehovah Witness leaflet.” $16.3 to…
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    ILLUMINED HEART

  • Living in the Ruins of Christendom - Part 2

    2 Nov 2009 | 9:19 am
    Dr. H. Tristram Engelehardt, Jr. concludes his fascinating interview about life in a “neo-pagan” culture with “competing moral alternatives”.

  • Living in the Ruins of Christendom - Part 1

    26 Oct 2009 | 11:23 am
    Medical doctor (M.D.) and doctor of Philosophy (PhD.), author and university professor, Dr (Herman) Tristram Engelhardt, Jr. explains why our culture is post-Christian and post-metaphysical, how it got that way, and what the implications and challenges are for the Orthodox family.

  • Church Scandals And The Canons

    16 Oct 2009 | 9:01 am
    Fr. Alexander Rentel, Orthodox canonist and Assistant Professor of Canon Law and Byzantine Studies at St Vladamir's Orthodox Theological seminary, speaks with Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen about scandals in church history, the role the canons play, and what laity can do about their resolution.

  • Turn, Turn, Turn

    9 Oct 2009 | 5:34 am
    Chris Hillman, Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer and original member of the legendary sixties band The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and The Desert Rose Band, reminisces with Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen about his 40 years in the music business and the spiritual journey that led him to the Greek Orthodox Church.

  • Baptist Missionary Confronts Long-held Evangelical Tenets - Part 2

    2 Oct 2009 | 10:21 am
    Listen to part 2 of Kevin's interview with Fr. James Early
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    Irshad Manji blog and official website

  • The Fort Hood shooting

    irshad
    5 Nov 2009 | 4:43 pm
    I’ve just posted this note to my Facebook group… All: You’ve probably heard about the shooting at Fort Hood, Texas - America’s biggest military base. The main suspect has a Muslim name. Does this matter? If he did it in the name of Islam, then religion is a motivation. In that case, his Muslim identity is relevant. But if he did it out of other motives - say, mental illness - then his Muslim ID means nothing. That’s my take. Yours? Join the discussion on my Facebook page.

  • A Catholic and his conscience

    irshad
    29 Oct 2009 | 11:52 am
    Jon O’Brien of Catholics for Choice Friends and foes: What do you do when you’re knee-deep in book-writing deadlines, you want to keep your blog fresh and dynamic, and you believe that new voices deserve to be heard on the very themes for which your audience turns to you in the first place? Hell, you share your platform with guest boggers! With that in mind, let me intro you to Janice Formichella.  An activist for Afghan women, among others, Janice stood out the moment I came to know of her. Propelled by struggles with her own religion, she read of my book, The Trouble with Islam…

  • “Hear my plea or deliver my death”

    irshad
    23 Oct 2009 | 1:20 pm
    Jila Baniyaghoob (Courtesy: IWMF) Every year, the International Women’s Media Foundation selects four journalists from around the world who exemplify moral courage — speaking truth to power in their own societies for a  greater good.  And every year, the foundation organizes a gala to celebrate these death-defying reporters.  Most of them are able to attend, and some of the biggest names in American media serve as the award presenters. So it came as something of a shock, and a distinctly high honor, to have been asked to present a Courage in Journalism Award at this year’s gathering.

  • CNN interviews Irshad about banning burqas

    irshad
    18 Oct 2009 | 12:38 pm
    Embedded video from <a href=”http://www.cnn.com/video”>CNN Video</a>

  • Islam’s reformers are such punks

    irshad
    17 Oct 2009 | 11:22 pm
    Now in theaters… This weekend, an intriguing documentary opened on the big screen in Toronto — and it takes the movement for Muslim reform another step forward. “Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam” is based on the book by Michael Muhammad Knight and directed by the award-winning Omar Majeed, who happens serve on the board of my charitable foundation, Project Ijtihad. Rock on, I say. Because, at rock bottom, Islamic punk is about more than smashing guitars and stereotypes; it’s about internal spiritual reform. Reading a recent New York Times story about the…
 
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    L.A. Times - Religious News

  • A story of shock, chaos and bravery unfolds in Ft. Hood shooting

    7 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Eyewitnesses say the gunman sat and appeared to pray before calmly firing on his comrades. Officials say he got 100 rounds off before civilian officers brought him down in a firefight. In the end, the shooting rampage at Ft. Hood came down to a gunfight between two civilian base police officers toting standard sidearms and a 39-year-old psychiatrist armed with .357 Magnum and a pistol equipped with laser sighting and extra bullets, officials said.

  • American Muslims express fear, frustration after Ft. Hood shootings

    7 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    The news that the suspect is one of their own brings up familiar feelings. Besides fears of retribution, they're tired of sensing pressure to apologize for someone else's 'maniacal brutality.' The news made Nihad Awad sick to his stomach.

  • Messages from the past become easy to read

    2 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    USC researchers are producing crisp images of inscriptions and artifacts from biblical Israel and other Near Eastern locales and putting the pictures online. Four thousand years ago, a government bureaucrat in Mesopotamia jotted down a tally of slave laborers on a clay tablet.

  • L.A. rabbis in Israel seek to model tolerance

    31 Oct 2009 | 12:00 am
    The 18 rabbis visit Israel on a trip intended to show that different factions of Judaism can coexist. Their message is exemplified by their behavior at the Western Wall. The Western Wall is a unifying spiritual magnet for Jews the world over. It is also a place of contention over a rule by its Orthodox custodians that forbids women from standing beside men while praying there.

  • A vibrant hub of Jewish life in the Valley

    30 Oct 2009 | 12:00 am
    The area where the attack occurred is 'like a small Israel,' with kosher restaurants, grocery stores and day schools. Each Saturday morning without fail, Orthodox Jewish families in North Hollywood emerge from their homes and slowly make their way to the many synagogues along the area's leafy streets and boulevards.
 
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    LDS News/Around the Church

  • Perpetual Education Fund Benefits Returned Missionaries in Zambia

    5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm
    The Perpetual Education Fund was taken to young adults of the Church's Lusaka Zambia District for the first time with a recent visit by Elder James C. Von Stetten and Sister Aleta Maureen Von Stetten, area missionaries for the PEF in the Africa Southeast Area.

  • Reaching Out Around the World

    5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm
    Latter-day Saints believe that giving service to others is a lifestyle based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, who "went about doing good." The desire to serve others crosses cultural boundaries and has been manifested in recent months with stories featured on international Church Web sites.

  • Missionaries Focus on Helping Others

    5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm
    Mission Victoria is what they call it, and their title, elder, is a bit deceiving for the youthful group of 20-something-year-old missionaries in town. "People think we get paid to do this," said Elder Colton Tidwell, 20, who's been in Victoria for a little more than a month. "They don't realize that we pay to do this."

  • Church Members Are Joyful over News of Temple in Sapporo, Japan

    5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm
    Members on Kyushu were blessed when the Fukuoka Japan Temple was dedicated in June 2000. It is about 650 miles south of Tokyo. And now, members on the third major Japanese island—Hokkaido, to the north—are thrilled that President Thomas S. Monson announced in October general conference that a temple will be built in Sapporo, about 500 miles north of Tokyo.

  • Mary N. Cook Teaches the Need for Personal Integrity

    5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm
    "Relationships are a very important part of our mortal life," taught Mary N. Cook, the first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, at a BYU-Hawaii devotional on November 3. Sister Cook focused on four relationship questions based on weaving our personal tapestries into the lives of others. She spoke specifically of integrity and the need to remain "the same 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
 
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    NPR Topics: Religion

  • Shooting Spotlights Muslims In Military

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:18 pm
    The shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, has raised questions about the experience of Muslims who serve in the military. Rafael LanTigua, a lieutenant in the Army National Guard and a Muslim chaplain candidate, says Muslims have served in the armed forces since the Revolutionary War.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

  • Muslims Worry About Backlash From Post Shooting

    6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    Muslims say what the alleged shooter did at Fort Hood was a brutal, personal act that could not have been committed in the name of Islam.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

  • Texas Polygamist Guilty In Sex Assault On Child

    5 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm
    Raymond Jessop, 38, was convicted on charges related to his "spiritual marriage" to an underage girl. It was the first criminal trial to follow last year's raid on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' ranch in Eldorado.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

  • Malaysia Refuses To Release Confiscated Bibles

    4 Nov 2009 | 3:12 pm
    The Indonesian-language Bibles, which are still with customs, use the word "Allah" to refer to God, a banned translation in Christian texts in the Muslim-majority country. Church officials say the word "Allah" has been used for centuries to refer generally to God. They are challenging the ban in court.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

  • 'Genesis': R. Crumb Illustrates The Bible

    2 Nov 2009 | 11:21 am
    Underground comic legend R. Crumb has put the entire text of the best known book of the Bible into a graphic work. In The Book of Genesis Illustrated, he depicts it all, from the creation of the world to the death of Joseph.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us
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    Front Page Stories

  • Troubling portrait emerges of Fort Hood shooter

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm
    His name appears on radical Internet postings. A fellow officer says he fought his deployment to Iraq and argued with soldiers who supported U.S. wars.

  • Democrats mandate - coverage or taxes

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm
    The ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee believes the individual mandate included in Democrats' healthcare bill is an unconstitutional overreach of government.

  • Committee ousts cap and trade

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm
    Despite a Republican boycott in the Senate, cap and trade legislation has been voted out of committee.

  • Pro-life proposal a sham?

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm
    A spokesman for National Right to Life says the latest attempt by House Democrats to obscure federal abortion funding in their healthcare bill is a "political fig leaf made out of cellophane." VOTE IN RELATED POLL

  • Fort Hood shooter's hints to rampage

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm
    A senior Army strategist and Pentagon advisor says the Army Major who went on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood yesterday provided some telltale signs that should have been acted upon by the chain of command.
 
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    proverbs31-woman.com

  • Looking forward…

    proverbs31
    28 Oct 2009 | 2:30 pm
    Proverbs 31:31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. My husband and I have been house hunting for most of this year.  We wanted to buy a place in the country with some land – not too much but not too little. We didn’t want to be close up against neighbours and wanted some peace and quiet.  Our children have left the nest and we are empty-nesters now, enjoying our pre-retirement stage.  We’re free to do what we want in the evenings and weekends and just do nothing if that suits us. Not that either of us are the type to…

  • Permission for time out

    proverbs31
    7 Sep 2009 | 3:44 pm
    This year has been very different to the past years of our lives.  We’ve gone through tremendous upheaval and change which began almost 12 months ago when we lost our darling Miriam. If anyone had told us at the beginning of September last year that nearly every member of our immediate family would be moving house this year and that we would be missing a member of our family too, we just would not have believed them. It’s been a long slow year – one where I’ve been anxious to get back to some sort of normality and yet when opportunities arise, particularly through my…

  • Growth and Healing

    proverbs31
    9 Jul 2009 | 11:53 pm
    I manage a forum for women interested in being Proverbs 31 women and I had shared with them there about the loss of our daughter some months ago.  One of the women had commented she didn’t know how she’d cope with something like that. My response to her astounded me even – it was like God was speaking to us through my fingers.  I hope what I share below will help you too. It hasn’t been easy by any means and we’re only 9 months down the track.  Two weeks ago (almost) my cousin lost his son in a car accident.  My cousin is not a Christian and now I feel that…

  • Mothers and the Proverbs 31 Woman

    proverbs31
    30 Apr 2009 | 12:48 am
    The Proverbs 31 woman was a wife, mother and business woman. It’s important to remember those three aspects – all knitted into one. Today women struggle to manage all their various roles and the many hats they wear, daughter, sister, auntie, wife, mother, friend, lover, worker, nurse, house duties and so on. Just where do we become ‘me’? I believe as we grow older we begin to learn more about ourselves but in our younger adult years while coping with a family and work, and being a good wife we can often feel lost from who we really are. Don’t despair, others have…

  • Showing Love is not subservient

    proverbs31
    4 Apr 2009 | 7:18 pm
    I hope you’ve seen my Proverbs 31 Woman presentation set to music?  I have it linked on the site here or you can see it at youtube. I had an interesting comment placed at youtube which basically said the writer felt that the Proverbs 31 verses were not positive but saying that women were servants. This morning I got up before my husband because I was going out on a photoshoot (my latest passion and favourite hobby) and I set about getting ready, switched on the urn for a cuppa and made myself breakfast. Once the urn heated I asked my husband would he like a coffee and then made it for…
 
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    Reasoning with the Critics

  • A Call for Submissions – The Academic Kind

    Timothy Berman
    28 Oct 2009 | 5:58 pm
    Off and on, there is the venture over to the Mormon Apologetic Discussion Board where the participation is robust, various topics explored, and questions postulated with diverse answers. One particular posting caught the interest of the more creative and authorian side. Claremont Graduate University is having a submission call for Academic papers that deal with [...]

  • No Sense of Morality and Ethics!!!

    Timothy Berman
    27 Oct 2009 | 9:07 pm
    Appalling, disgusting, depraved, and simply down right inhumane. This is exactly how I would describe the recent Associated Press news of a 15 year old girl who was recently gang raped while approximately 20 people stood by watching. This is not tragic, it is despicable, especially since it was held on school grounds. The question [...]

  • Moroni – Hanegraaff’s Strawman Mirage

    Timothy Berman
    24 Oct 2009 | 10:30 am
    As you read, it is crucial to keep in mind the Apostle Paul’s instruction to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Of course, in order to do so, it is imperative to know the truth, and as such be equipped to distinguish fact from fiction. The quote is taken from Hank Hanegraaff’s booklet – The [...]

  • The Christian Mirage of CRI – Introduction

    Timothy Berman
    24 Oct 2009 | 12:26 am
    booklet written by Hank Hanegraaff of the Christian Research Institute, and host of the Bible Answer man. This booklet is entitled The Mormon Mirage: Seeing through the illusions of Mainstream Mormonism claims to be written for the sole purpose of providing simple information as to how mainstream evangelical Christians today may be able to [...]

  • If only Infomercials were actually this entertaining.

    Timothy Berman
    23 Oct 2009 | 9:31 pm
    This video says it all – the guy who produced this video ought to work in some major advertising firm for some big name consumer products. Posted in Op-Ed Commentary
 
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    Religion News Blog

  • Prosecutor not malicious in Satanic sex abuse case, Canada’s Supreme Court says

    Religion News Blog
    6 Nov 2009 | 11:33 am
    The Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday that a Crown prosecutor was not acting maliciously when he prosecuted 12 members of a Saskatchewan family in the early 1990s after three foster children accused them of sexual abuse and bizarre satanic ritual abuse.In 1993, criminal charges against all but one member of the Klassen family were stayed and the children later admitted they had made up the story.

  • Supreme Court upholds cult AUM Shinrikyo members’ death sentences

    Religion News Blog
    6 Nov 2009 | 6:03 am
    Two former members of the cult AUM Shinrikyo, Toru Toyoda (41) and Kenichi Hirose (45), had their death sentences upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday for their involvement in the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system that killed 12 people and hospitalized thousands.

  • Jury takes 14 minutes to convict self-proclaimed pot pastor

    Religion News Blog
    6 Nov 2009 | 3:09 am
    Steven Swallick says he runs a ministry about marijuana. He says he mixed the marijuana with other ingredients to create anointing oil, a recipe he says he got out of the Bible. But the jury didn't have to address the religious issue, just whether he grew it, possessed it and stole electricity to do it.

  • Fort Hood shooting: imam says Nalid Malik Husan ‘didn’t seem like an extremist’

    Religion News Blog
    6 Nov 2009 | 2:49 am
    An American imam who once led the mosque attended by Nalid Malik Hasan, the man suspected of shooting 13 people dead at the Fort Hood military base in Texas, has said the army major did not seem to be an extremist. But a former aremy colleague quoted Hasan as saying Muslims should "rise up" and attack Americans in retaliation for the US war in Iraq.

  • Polygamist Sect Leader Convicted of Sexual Assault

    Religion News Blog
    6 Nov 2009 | 1:22 am
    Raymond M. Jessop, one of the leaders of a polygamist sect was convicted Thursday night of sexually assaulting an under-age girl whom the church elders had assigned to him as one of his nine wives. The state used birth records, a marriage certificate and FLDS church records to show Jessop, already married, took the girl as a spiritual wife in 2004 when she was 16. [video]
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    Irtiqa

  • Robert Boyle - a gullible fool?

    4 Nov 2009 | 8:51 pm
    Was Robert Boyle (1627-91) a great scientist or a gullible fool (not because of his religious beliefs)? I did not know that his first biographer, Thomas Birch, destroyed all the papers that he thought may impact Boyle's reputation as a great scientist. Well, here is a review of a new biography, Boyle: Between God and Science, by Michael Hunter:What on earth are we to make of Boyle? For the simple

  • NYT on Darwin & Evolution in the Muslim World conference

    3 Nov 2009 | 8:51 am
    Today's Science Times has a nice article that brings up our last month's conference on Darwin & Evolution in the Muslim World at Hampshire College. Just in case you didn't see all the the participants, here is the group picture again and read the full NYT article, Creationism, Without a Young Earth, Emerges in the Islamic World. From left to rightBack: Amina Steinfels, Sarah Bean, Anila Asghar,

  • Is Darwin a problem for Hollywood?

    2 Nov 2009 | 7:29 pm
    Darwin biopic, Creation, had a hard time landing distributor in the US. The likely explanation is that Hollywood is squeamish about the topic and does not want to offend religious sensibilities of the US movie going audience. I'm not sure if I buy all of this explanation. Among other things, Hollywood thrives on controversy. For example, US distributors have been picking up gay-friendly films for

  • Tropical diseases in the Muslim world

    1 Nov 2009 | 7:01 pm
    It seems that neglected tropical diseases extract a heavy toll on many of the Muslim countries. In fact, members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) account for "40% of the global burden of intestinal helminth infections". Here is an editorial from the Public Library of Science (PLoS) with a very descriptive title, The neglected tropical diseases and their devastating health and

  • More on KAUST

    31 Oct 2009 | 10:05 am
    Science (Oct 16) has a good piece on King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST). It considers it as one of the most ambitious experiments in higher education and, if successful, can start transforming education in the Middle East. It also raises concerns about the intrusion of "corporate culture" in a university setting since the oil company Aramco is playing a dominant role in the
 
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    Small Group Help Blog

  • Five Reasons To Be In A Small Group For Life

    25 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm
    At the Group Life Conference this year Andy Stanley shared five reasons that he will be in a small group for life. Here they are: 1. It’s the easiest place to invite un-churched people to, especially if they are not ready for the whole Sunday morning experience. 2. It’s often one of the only contexts for pastors or church staff to enga [...]

  • Group Life Conference - Henry Cloud - Saftey In Small Groups

    23 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm
    The Uptight Church RequirementsYou have to be spiritualIf you show your flaws you've lost your walkIn this group you look good but your get worse over timeRecovery Group RequirementsYou have to be screwed upIf you show your flaws you're in denialIn this group you look a mess but heal over timeWays people grow in small groups1. By sufferinga. 1Peter 4 protect yourself by sufferingb. A safe group is not a comfortable group.2. By getting to the drivers underneath our li [...]

  • Group Life - Heather Zempel - Messy Small Groups

    23 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm
    Small groups are great until the people show up! Community is messyMesses of Biblical proportionsGod createsAdam and eve mess things upCain and Abel kill and messNoah drunk and naked messIsaac and JacobJacob and Joseph and BrothersMosesDavidThe list goes on and onThe church at Corintho Egoso Law suitso Incesto DrunkennessDespite all the mess, the gospel is a gospel of hope and redemption for the messy community we create in our churches.Pig Farms STINKHow do you stop [...]

  • Group Life Conference - Mindy Caliguire

    22 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm
    Matthew 16:24-26 - one of Jesus' provocative questions, What good would it be to gain the whole world but lose your own soul?The most critical quality of a group leader - leading from a healthy soul.Symptoms of a diminishing soul:IsolationApathyInsomniaSelfishnessAnger/bitternessBeing busySecret sinsCritical attitudeFearA healthy soul displays:JoyConfidenceSafetyPurpose< [...]

  • Group Life Conference - David Johnson

    22 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm
     Environments of Grace = Life TransformationThis is HUGE for our churches.  Especially for churches that want to reach people that are far from god.  We will often use this phrase in our church: NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED.We even had it on a sign at the front door for a couple of years.  When people know they are accepted for who they [...]
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    The Christian Post RSS Feed

  • Clashes Erupt After Murder of Christian Man in Egypt

    25 Oct 2009 | 9:26 am
    Clashes broke out in a southern Egyptian village Saturday after Muslim youth began throwing stones at Coptic Christian churches and homes in the area in response to the extended detention four Muslim murder suspects.

  • Kenya Still Urgently in Need Despite Return of Rains

    25 Oct 2009 | 8:44 am
    Though weather officials in Kenya expect this season’s rainfall not to fail as it has the past three years, those working to provide relief in the country are reminding the global community that millions of hungry people still need food aid. Furthermore, the heavier rainfall may actually do more harm than good.

  • Orthodox Group: We Can Keep Anglicans Together

    24 Oct 2009 | 3:51 pm
    The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans believes it could be the key to preventing a split in the Church of England. FCA Chairman the Rt. Rev. Paul Perkin said the organization could be the "glue" needed to hold the Church together.

  • Christian Women Challenged to Contend for New Level of Faith

    24 Oct 2009 | 3:36 pm
    Thousands of women from around the world were challenged to upgrade their faith as they face battles and see the world shaken.

  • Church Registration in Vietnam Inches Along

    24 Oct 2009 | 1:47 pm
    The operating license is the first one granted since five were granted two years ago. The last of those five churches, the Christian Fellowship Church, was finally allowed to hold its organizing assembly in late September.
 
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    The Christian Pulse

  • God Can Do It!

    Kathy Carlton Willis
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    By Kathy Carlton Willis I was reminded this week just how big our God is. I knew, I just KNEW that God had something around the corner for us. I had guesses as to how He might take care of us and show us a glimpse of His love. But I didn’t REALLY know. In fact, [...]

  • Stop the Cycle of Shame

    Julie Morris
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    By Julie Morris, RN “Congratulations!” she said cheerfully, not realizing that her words would send me spiraling into shame. She continued, loud enough for the other nurses and even some of the patients in the ICU to hear, “Congratulations on your pregnancy!” Suddenly seeing the horrified look on my face, she changed her tone and said quietly, [...]

  • Rain, Rain, Go Away

    admin
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    By Brenda W. McIntyre     Do you remember the children’s rhyme ‘rain, rain, go away, come again another day?’ I’ll bet I uttered that rhyme under my breath at least a hundred times lately as the rain drenched the area where I live. Georgia experienced heavy downpours and flash flooding for several days straight. Governor Sonny Perdue [...]

  • The Greatest Organizer

    Virginia Smith
    5 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    By Virginia Smith Thank goodness for electronic calendars. Back when I worked in the corporate world I learned to rely on my computer to organize my day, and that’s a time management technique I’ve kept in my career as a writer. Each morning I turn on my computer and examine my schedule, so I know what’s [...]

  • Try Dying

    admin
    5 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    Written By James Scott Bell Reviewed By Nike Chillemi Try Dying is the first novel in the Ty Buchanan legal thriller series. If this is going to be the measure of the series, I can’t wait to read the next book. Ty Buchanan is preparing a case involving repressed memories that might make him a partner in his [...]
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    Tricycle

  • A Handful of Knowledge

    Philip Ryan
    6 Nov 2009 | 5:29 am
    There aren’t that many fundamental, or root, principles of dharma. The Buddha said that his teaching is “a single handful.” A passage in the Samyutta-nikaya makes that clear. While walking through the forest, the Buddha picked up a handful of fallen leaves and asked the monks who were present to decide which was the greater [...]

  • The Joy of Effort

    Philip Ryan
    5 Nov 2009 | 5:40 am
    While it’s true that both repetition and relaxation can bring results in meditation, when either is pursued to the exclusion of the other, it leads to a dead end. If, however, you can integrate them both into the greater skill of learning how to apply whatever level of effort the practice requires at any given [...]

  • His Holiness the 17th Karmapa to speak at TEDIndia

    Rachel Hiles
    4 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm
    This weekend the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, will join the ranks of previous TED speakers Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Jane Goodall when he presents at this year’s TED conference. The annual invitation-only TED events bring together over 1,000 delegates from 35 countries around the world to present on “ideas worth spreading.” [...]

  • U.S. Army’s first Buddhist Chaplain sent to Iraq

    Aaron Lackowski
    4 Nov 2009 | 10:55 am
    Fox News reports that the first Buddhist Chaplain in the history of the United States Army will be deployed to Iraq in December. Chaplain Thomas Dyer, who used to be a Southern Baptist minister, feels that his diverse religious background will help make Christian U.S. soldiers more comfortable with his presence: It has made me kind [...]

  • Cloudspotting

    Philip Ryan
    4 Nov 2009 | 4:47 am
    Although cloudspotting is an activity best undertaken with time on your hands, it is something that everyone can enjoy. Clouds are the most egalitarian of nature’s displays, since each one of us has a good view of them, so it really doesn’t matter where you are. A little elevation never goes amiss, of course, but [...]
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    Global Sikh News

  • Jagdish Tytler’s UK visit blocked over 1984 Sikh massacre

    A Kaur
    6 Nov 2009 | 7:44 am
    New Delhi, India: Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was dropped from the Indian delegation for the launch of the Commonwealth Games baton relay in London last week, Sikh groups said, after a British MP asked Scotland Yard to arrest him for his role in the 1984 Sikh massacre. However, Indian diplomats said they had no knowledge of the reported plans by Tytler to visit Britain. Rob Marris, MP and chair of the British parliament’s all-party group on Sikhs, said he objected to Tytler’s planned Oct 29 entry to Britain in an emergency meeting with Ivan Lewis, Junior Foreign Office Minister…

  • Indian Sikhs defy advice and pray in Pakistan

    A Kaur
    6 Nov 2009 | 7:42 am
    Lahore, Pakistan: Indian authorities urged the faithful to shun the annual pilgrimage to the neighbouring country, fearing for their safety as deadly attacks by Islamist extremists have risen sharply in Pakistan, killing more than 340 people since October. Tensions between India and Pakistan, nuclear-armed powers that have fought three wars since independence, have further increased since last year’s Mumbai attacks, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistani militants. But for defiant Sikhs, seeing the sites where their most revered spiritual leader, Guru Nanak, once stood was worth the risk.

  • Martyr’s descendant to trace kin of other Sikh war veterans

    A Kaur
    4 Nov 2009 | 12:58 pm
    Amritsar, Punjab: A Professor in a US university, Rajinder Singh Ranu, also a descendant of a martyr of the famous Saragarhi battle, has set out on a mission to trace the kins of other 20 martyrs of the historic battle. He has instituted a permanent Saragarhi Shahidan Scholarship fund at Khalsa College and sought contributions from Punjabis for perpetuating the memories of the brave hearts who made the land and its people proud. His maternal grandfather, Nand Singh, a sepoy in the British Indian Army, was one of the martyrs out of the 21 who had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. All…

  • Ragi Darshan Twitters and get caught in his own web

    A Kaur
    4 Nov 2009 | 7:03 am
    New York, USA: Prof. Darshan Singh Ragi has recently surrounded himself in controversy after narrating a fictitious story which he falsely claimed appeared in Dasam Granth. While doing kirtan on 23rd August at Rochester, New York, Ragi said, “Guru Gobind Singh went to the den of a prostitute in the middle of the night. He removed his robe and sat on the bed of that prostitute who offered herself to him. Guru Gobind Singh got into dilemma that if he does not oblige her then she will create alarm and defame him but if he does develop conjugal relationship with her then the one who will be…

  • Sikh devotees throng Golden Temple on Gurpurab

    A Kaur
    3 Nov 2009 | 12:24 am
    Amritsar, Punjab: A sea of devotees thronged the Golden Temple to participate in the Guru Nanak Dev birth anniversary celebrations where, they also witnessed ‘deepmala’, ‘aatishbazi’ and ‘jalau’- a splendid show of rare Sikh artifacts. The celebrations virtually took off with the “Parkash” of Guru Granth Sahib at 1 am. Lakhs of devotees prayed before the “Guru” in the sanctum sanctorum. The celebrations continued till late in the night with the “sangat” reciting “baani” in the Parkarma. One of the biggest attractions for visiting devotees was “jalau”, the…
 
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    WorldWide Religious News

  • "State Department Praises Jordan, Qatar for Progress on Religious Freedom"

    4 Nov 2009 | 9:27 am
    ("FOXNews", October 26, 2009) Assistant Secretary Michael Posner cited two egregious acts of religious intolerance -- one in the U.S., the other in Germany -- while noting progress made in countries like Qatar and Egypt, where religious persecution is widespread.

  • "Foreign missionary restrained from preaching"

    4 Nov 2009 | 9:26 am
    ("TNN", November 4, 2009) Thiruvananthapuram, India - Invoking visa norms, Kerala police on Monday restrained Ghana-based Christian missionary Bernard Blessing from religious preaching at a gospel convention organised by Pentecostal Church in Thiruvanantapuram.

  • "Vandals must apologise to church"

    4 Nov 2009 | 9:26 am
    (BBC, November 4, 2009) Devon, UK - Charges have been dropped against three teenagers who daubed graffiti on an ancient parish church on Dartmoor.

  • "Nun found slain in N.M. once ministered in Boston"

    4 Nov 2009 | 9:26 am
    By Peter Schworm ("Boston Globe", November 3, 2009) Gallup, USA - Drawn to the church from a young age, Sister Marguerite Bartz served her first mission in Boston, where the Texas native ministered to a largely Spanish-speaking parish in Dorchester. Her four years here decades ago, far from her home and family, confirmed her calling, and began a lifetime dedicated to others.

  • "Christ Embassy Pastor Kidnapped"

    4 Nov 2009 | 9:26 am
    By Akeem Oguntayo ("Daily Champion", November 4, 2009) Benin City, Nigeria — A pastor with Christ Embassy Church, Edo State, and Sen. Francis Okpozo's wife Anna was on Tuesday abducted by unknown gunmen in Benin City, the state capital. She was said to have been kidnapped from her residence,10, Abu Street, a few minutes after she had a prayer session with her family members.
 
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    Yahoo! News: Religion News

  • Fort Hood suspect said his goodbyes before rampage (AP)

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:45 pm
    AP - As if going off to war, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan cleaned out his apartment, gave leftover frozen broccoli to one neighbor and called another to thank him for his friendship — common courtesies and routines of the departing soldier. Instead, authorities say, he went on the killing spree that left 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, dead.

  • Teen charged with killing nun in Navajo, NM (AP)

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:17 pm
    AP - A teenager was charged Friday with killing a nun after allegedly breaking into her trailer home on the Navajo Indian reservation in search of cash or valuable items.

  • Some Muslims fear backlash after Fort Hood shooting (Reuters)

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pm
    Reuters - Arab and Muslim Americans on Friday braced for the possibility of verbal or physical attacks after an Army psychiatrist of Arab descent allegedly killed 13 during a shooting rampage at a military base in Texas.

  • Correction: Black Muslims story (AP)

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:07 pm
    AP - In an Oct. 30 story about African-American Muslims, The Associated Press reported erroneously that a 2007 Pew survey estimated that 35 percent of the nation's Muslims were African-American. The survey estimated that 20 percent were African-American.

  • 'Islam not responsible' for Fort Hood massacre: US imam (AFP)

    6 Nov 2009 | 12:37 pm
    AFP - Islam is "not responsible" for the bloodbath at an army base in Texas where Muslim-American army Major Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly gunned down 13 people, the prayer leader at the mosque where the officer regularly worshipped said Friday.
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    Unique Muslimah

  • 30 Days of Gratitude: Day 5

    Unique Muslimah
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:44 pm
      30 Days of Gratitude: Day 5, originally uploaded by Unique-Muslimah. I am grateful that I do not live in a war-torn country, with the sounds of gun-fire a daily frightening nightmare. I’m grateful that I’m living a relatively peaceful life; I wake up without fear of a threat or of hunger. Fireworks always remind me that I [...]

  • 30 Days of Gratitude: Day 4

    Unique Muslimah
    4 Nov 2009 | 3:58 am
      30 Days of Gratitude: Day 4, originally uploaded by Unique-Muslimah. I am grateful that these roses unexpectedly bloomed in my garden yesterday, although it’s a bitterly cold November. They have never bloomed during winter before. Nature can surprise you like that. It leaves you feeling all warm and colourful inside as you marvel at its beauty [...]
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    The Christian Pulse

  • God Can Do It!

    Kathy Carlton Willis
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    By Kathy Carlton Willis I was reminded this week just how big our God is. I knew, I just KNEW that God had something around the corner for us. I had guesses as to how He might take care of us and show us a glimpse of His love. But I didn’t REALLY know. In fact, [...]

  • Stop the Cycle of Shame

    Julie Morris
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    By Julie Morris, RN “Congratulations!” she said cheerfully, not realizing that her words would send me spiraling into shame. She continued, loud enough for the other nurses and even some of the patients in the ICU to hear, “Congratulations on your pregnancy!” Suddenly seeing the horrified look on my face, she changed her tone and said quietly, [...]

  • Rain, Rain, Go Away

    admin
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    By Brenda W. McIntyre     Do you remember the children’s rhyme ‘rain, rain, go away, come again another day?’ I’ll bet I uttered that rhyme under my breath at least a hundred times lately as the rain drenched the area where I live. Georgia experienced heavy downpours and flash flooding for several days straight. Governor Sonny Perdue [...]

  • The Greatest Organizer

    Virginia Smith
    5 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    By Virginia Smith Thank goodness for electronic calendars. Back when I worked in the corporate world I learned to rely on my computer to organize my day, and that’s a time management technique I’ve kept in my career as a writer. Each morning I turn on my computer and examine my schedule, so I know what’s [...]

  • Try Dying

    admin
    5 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am
    Written By James Scott Bell Reviewed By Nike Chillemi Try Dying is the first novel in the Ty Buchanan legal thriller series. If this is going to be the measure of the series, I can’t wait to read the next book. Ty Buchanan is preparing a case involving repressed memories that might make him a partner in his [...]
 
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    Faith Central - Times Online - WBLG

  • Texas and the death penalty

    Bess Twiston-Davies
    5 Nov 2009 | 9:40 am
    Bess  writes: A fascinating post from Wayne Slater on Dallas News about the death penalty and Texas. Did you know that more than 400 people have been executed since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in Texas in 1976? Slater writers “Ours is the busiest death chamber in the nation” and quotes polls suggesting nearly 75 per of Texas 24,326,974 citizens back capital punishment.Slater has interviewed various faith leaders on for their views – is it always “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” – what about the role of mercy?  Does the death penalty act as a…

  • Do we have souls?

    Bess Twiston-Davies
    2 Nov 2009 | 4:42 am
      Bess writes:  A nice cheery post on ‘death’ to mark today, the Christian feast of All Souls. I wanted to flag up two things, first, the trend in Taiwan for ‘living funerals’, celebrations – that can take the form of parties, concerts, or simply speeches - given by someone who is ill and facing death.   “I don’t know how many days I have left so I want to hold a ’living funeral’ for myself, to announce my last wish of donating my body for medical studies,” explains David Tseng, 25, who is in the terminal stages of a genetic muscular disease.

  • Is Hallowe'en spiritually harmless??

    Bess Twiston-Davies
    31 Oct 2009 | 7:26 am
    Bess writes: Is Hallowe’en spiritually harmless? What do you think? If your answer is “yes” you are out of touch with the Vatican, which according to this report from our correspondents in Rome and in Spain has decried the celebration as having “an undercurrent of occultism” that is “absolutely anti-Christian.” A report in the Vatican mouthpiece, L’Osservatore Romano contains a stern injunction to parents, to “try and direct the meaning of the feast towards wholesomeness and beauty rather than terror, fear and death.” November 1st in the Roman Catholic calendar is…

  • Polygamy and whipping for errant husbands

    Bess Twiston-Davies
    31 Oct 2009 | 7:00 am
    Bess writes: Forget the virgin for your second wife – marry a single mum. That’s the message the Islamic party in Malaysia has given this week. Wan Ubaidah Omar, the cabinet minister in charge of  women, family and health for the state of north Kelantan, said: "Muslim men usually like young girls or virgins as their additional wives, so I suggest instead of taking these young virgin girls, why don't they marry the single mothers as their second or third wife?" she said. "This will ease the burden of the single mothers as the men can help them to take care of…

  • Which country has the highest level of religious illiteracy?

    Bess Twiston-Davies
    21 Oct 2009 | 6:05 am
    Half of American high school students think Sodom and Gomorrah are a couple, In France, students wonder about the “weird” dove that appears so frequently in Renaissance paintings  - according to this National Post report on public ignorance of the Christian faith. Not that Britain is much better – only 48 per cent of those surveyed in a recent  Reader’s Digest Poll knew Easter was associated with the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And in a 2003 Mori poll, only 55 per cent of Britons could correctly name one of the four Gospels.Perhaps my favourite example of…
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    www.markdroberts.com

  • Could Virtual Church Enhance Physical Church? Surprising Confirmation from the Pew Research Center

    Mark D. Roberts
    6 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Part 8 of series: The Challenge and Opportunity of Virtual Church Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series The Pew Internet and American Life Project, a project of the Pew Research Center, has just released the results of a fascinating and timely study on the Internet and its effects on American social life. This study, called “Social Isolation and New Technology,” suggests that fears of the Internet taking away from face-to-face socializing are unfounded. In fact, according to the Pew press release: “People who use modern information and communication…

  • Michael Lindsay at Laity Lodge

    Mark D. Roberts
    5 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Laity Lodge was honored to have as Dr. Michael Lindsay as a speaker at our recent Leaders’ Retreat. Michael is a professor of sociology at Rice University and an award-winning author. His recent book, Faith in the Halls of Power, has been highly acclaimed as a groundbreaking study of Christians who are leaders in business, government, and education. Michael gave three stirring messages at the retreat: • The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: When Faith and Power Meet • Ties that Bind: Leadership and the Common Good • Faithful Leadership: The Perils and Possibilities of Privilege and…

  • Is Virtual Church Enough? A Theological Response

    Mark D. Roberts
    4 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Part 7 of series: The Challenge and Opportunity of Virtual Church Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series In my last post in this series I offered an existential response to the question: Is virtual church enough? I suggested that when you take away the physical aspect of church, something essential is missing. I supported this contention more intuitively and emotionally than theologically. Now I’d like to muster some theological support. I would begin by pointing to some of the most formative truths of the Christian faith. God created the physical world and called it good.

  • Is Virtual Church Enough? An Existential Response, Section 2

    Mark D. Roberts
    3 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Part 6 of series: The Challenge and Opportunity of Virtual Church Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series In my last post, I suggested that, though virtual church has many benefits, a personal cannot experience everything church is supposed to be without being physically present with other Christians. Thus the potential for church to be fully real is there for physical church, but not for virtual church. No matter how wonderful and authentic a virtual church experience might be, it is never able completely to be church. I’m not quite sure if Douglas Estes, who makes a strong,…

  • Is Virtual Church Enough? An Existential Response, Section 1

    Mark D. Roberts
    2 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Part 5 of series: The Challenge and Opportunity of Virtual Church Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series In my last post in this series I made what I consider to be the strongest case for virtual church. It is based on the fact that millions of people spend a substantial chunk of their lives in Internet-based virtual worlds. If Christians want to reach these people with the love and truth of Christ, then we need to be substantially present in these worlds. We need, in a nutshell, virtual church. Yet is virtual church enough? Can it satisfy the biblical and theological…
 
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    Real Live Preacher

  • Our life with Shelby

    rlp
    5 Nov 2009 | 4:43 pm
    My daughter Shelby turns 17 this month. We have been through some hard times with her over the last few years. Shelby has read this and is fine with me telling you about what has happened. The name of her second grade teacher has been changed in this account. My wife says that our middle daughter Shelby came into this world anxious and has been anxious ever since. She was a colicky baby who cried constantly. As a small child she was fearful of many things and hesitant to try anything new. She was most comfortable when she was alone and often played by herself. She spent hours in her room…

  • Naked as the day we were born

    rlp
    4 Nov 2009 | 6:17 am
    I had a vision the other day that came to me in the form of a daydream. I was sitting in the library staring off into space when suddenly I imagined myself in a huge room with a crowd of people. We were all waiting for God to show up. Some people were standing around in groups, talking. Others were sitting down. A few were asleep. Suddenly God appeared and things got very quiet, which was understandable because God was about 30 feet tall. A man near the back was the last one to notice. He was telling a joke to his buddy when he realized he was the only one talking. He looked around, saw God,…

  • Google Voice

    rlp
    28 Oct 2009 | 5:12 am
    Anyone want to send me a google voice invite? Someone sent one. Thanks! rlp

  • Generate Magazine

    rlp
    27 Oct 2009 | 1:53 am
    Leave it to Paul Soupiset and his emergent friends to go retro on us. Yeah, they're going back to the magazine, like my daughter is fallen in love with vinyl records. She keeps buying them and wanting me to listen to them. Like I didn't live through the whole album thing the first time around. And I've lived through the magazine thing too. And was settling into the idea that maybe magazines were done. Not when the entire freakin magazine is one stunning work of art. Do you like pretty things? I mean do you like to go to museums and look at beautiful art? Well, you should lay your hand on this…

  • Turtles work continues

    rlp
    20 Oct 2009 | 7:40 pm
    I continue to labor with my deadline of this coming Monday for the manuscript for "Turtles all the Way Down." I won't get much writing done here during this time. Most of the essays are edited and ready to go. I'm working over some new content that has never been published or posted online. The foreward by Keith Snyder is so cool that I just finished writing a foreward to his foreward. I'm working on some new content that will be included...hopefully...if I can get some things finished. Writing writing writing writing editing and more writing for me this week. I have uncovered about 20 very…
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    Hindu Press International » Hindu Press International

  • Getting Married, A Costly Affair This Season

    Satyanatha
    6 Nov 2009 | 3:03 pm
    Source: epaper.timesofindia.comNEW DELHI, INDIA, November 01, 2009: Delhi’s great winter wedding season has begun. But tying the knot will be more expensive this season. Few auspicious dates have led to a desperate rush for venues and sub-vendors, and consequently, higher costs.Astrologers say between November and February, the winter wedding season, there are only 24 auspicious days as per the Hindu calendar. In comparison, there were 50 such dates for the same period last season. “Planet Jupiter is weak till March 13 next year. Also Mars, which is considered auspicious for any…

  • North India’s Little-Known Garhmukteshwar Ganga Festival

    Satyanatha
    6 Nov 2009 | 3:02 pm
    Source: epaper.hindustantimes.comGARHMUKTESHWAR, INDIA, November 3, 2009: Aside from the Kumbh Mela, the Hindu religious gathering that takes place once in 12 years, the 10-day annual Garhmukteshwar Ganga Fair on the banks of the Ganga is the largest festival in North India in terms of attendance. The official number of visitors to the annual fair is close to 3 million.But unlike the Kumbh, which receives around US$850,000 from the government and gets twenty million visitors for two months, the Garh fair is still awaiting recognition. The place has considerable religious importance of the…

  • European Court of Human Rights Rules Against Crucifixes in Italian Schools

    Satyanatha
    6 Nov 2009 | 3:01 pm
    Source: news.bbc.co.ukSTRASBOURG, GERMANY, November 6, 2009: In a case brought by an Italian mother who wanted to give her children a secular education, The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the use of crucifixes in Italian classrooms.The Vatican said it was shocked by the ruling, calling it “wrong and myopic” to exclude the crucifix from education, and the ruling has sparked anger in the largely Catholic country. The Strasbourg court found that, “The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities……

  • Daily Inspiration

    Satyanatha
    6 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm
    Source: www.hinduismtoday.comO God of mercy who performs the dance of illimitable happiness in the hall of inconceivable intelligence! The Rig and the other Vedas are thundering forth in words, announcing to us that all are thy slaves, all things belong to thee, all actions are thine, that thou pervades everywhere, that this is thy nature. Such is the teaching of those who, though they never speak, broke silence for our sake.    Saint Tayumanavar

  • Ministers of Himalayan States Sign Declaration on Sustainable Himalayan Development

    Satyanatha
    5 Nov 2009 | 3:03 pm
    Source: nvonews.comINDIA, October 29, 2009: In a bid to protect the Himalayas from global warming, Chief Ministers of five Himalayan states signed the Shimla Declaration concluding day of a two-day meet.Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim issued a detailed action plan.Experts from the five Himalayan states discussed in detail the impact of climatic change in Himalayan region and its bearing on people living in the zone. Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, gave a clarion call to all the Himalayan States of the country to come…
 
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    Iskcon Universe

  • The Astrology of Bhagavad Gita

    admin
    5 Nov 2009 | 2:45 am
    By Patita Pavana das Have you ever found yourself in awe when strolling at night in the silvery moonlight? The Bhagavad Gita As It Is tells that we are witnessing nothing less than Lord Krishna's wondrous eye literally imparting individuality and nourishment-the "juice of life"-to all things that live.
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    Velveteen Rabbi

  • This week's portion: aftermath

    Rachel Barenblat
    4 Nov 2009 | 4:21 am
    AFTERMATH (VAYERA) The oaks touch branches like a gaggle of old women taking comfort in fingers brushing as they stand and sway. A man sits in the entrance of his tent. Heat shimmers though beneath the trees if he holds still, it's not so bad. Hours later, the rug is littered with tufts of flatbread tipped with labneh and zaatar and shreds of meat left behind. Outside the door, brass basins for the washing of feet shimmer, their water cloudy from recent use. Behind the tent, in the grove a woman leans against a tree and blinks away tears but doesn't speak. This week we're in…

  • Reaching a different readership

    Rachel Barenblat
    3 Nov 2009 | 7:45 am
    A few weeks ago I participated in a rabbinic conference call with Judge Goldstone, of the Goldstone Report, and shared a transcript of that call along with some reflections here on this blog (A conference call with Judge Goldstone.) That post got linked pretty widely, and Mohamed Nanabhay, Head of Online at Al-Jazeera English, contacted me to ask whether I would consider writing something for them about the report and its reception in my community. The Israeli government and the American government have done their best to quash the Goldstone report. Many Jewish organizations have joined them.

  • The view from week 35

    Rachel Barenblat
    2 Nov 2009 | 5:45 am
    Pregnancy, 36 weeks. (I'm not quite there, but I'm close.) I haven't written much at Velveteen Rabbi about being pregnant, aside from that initial announcement post this summer and a handful of offhand mentions this fall. Those of you who don't know me in person (which is most of you!) could be forgiven for imagining that perhaps the pregnancy hasn't loomed large in my consciousness. Maybe the reason I'm not writing about it is that it's just not a big deal? That's an erroneous assumption, of course. If anything, pregnancy is such a big deal that I find…

  • The year as spiritual practice

    Rachel Barenblat
    1 Nov 2009 | 12:27 pm
    Part 2 of a series of blog posts arising out of final reflections on the class Moadim l'Simcha, "Seasons of Our Rejoicing," which I recently completed. Part 1 can be found here. It might be argued that the spiritual year is the “spiritual practice” par excellence of Judaism. Assess this statement. What does it mean 'tzu loyfn mit der tzeit,' to "run" (or live) with the times? Each year is one long spiritual practice, with inevitable energetic ebbs and flows. We have times of great activity and energy: preparing for Pesach in our homes, preparing for the…

  • Reclaiming Zuleikha

    Rachel Barenblat
    30 Oct 2009 | 2:15 pm
    Some of you may remember that back in August I was part of a Retreat for Emerging Jewish and Muslim Leaders. I blogged very briefly from the retreat, and later wrote an essay about the experience, which was published at Zeek: Allah is the Light: Prayer in Ramadan and Elul. The story we studied that week was the story of Joseph / Yusuf, as he appears in both the Torah (and later Jewish texts) and Qur'an (and later Muslim texts.) One of the most fascinating differences between "our" version of the story and "their" version of the story is the figure of Potiphar's…
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    Jade Mountains - Practice Within the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives

  • Endure - Joyfully

    Rev. Mugo
    6 Nov 2009 | 11:46 am
    It was November 6Th, 1996. Around 2.00 pm. I leaned over the railing outside my Masters house watching the golden leaves fall from the Lindon Tree in the garden at Shasta Abbey. I was commenting to the monk beside me that I felt no sadness. There was a sort of joy, almost elation in the air. How could this be? My Master had just died. Breathed her last. He commented something to the effect that it was like another leaf falling from a tree. Then I went indoors and got on.... And that's what I've been doing ever since. There is that which endures, joyfully.

  • From The Dharmapada

    Rev. Mugo
    3 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pm
    Cultivate the company of those who support your aspiration for energetic practise of the Teachings. The beauty of pure conduct conditions whole-hearted well-being giving rise to complete freedom from remorse. The Dharmapada This verse is from the 2009 Buddhist Calendar on the November page. The calendar can be downloaded from Urban Dharma. I guess the 2010 one will be available shortly.... You might want to put aside some time to explore Urban Dharma. Kusala Bhikshu has amassed a huge amount of teaching on this site - a real treasure house to be sure. And, as all Buddhist do, please express…

  • Life Passes....

    Rev. Mugo
    2 Nov 2009 | 12:25 pm
    With all this wind and rain and blowing and rushing waters the fleeting nature of existence seems to be up and around calling for attention. The full moon is out this evening, but not in sight where I am. There is something special about this autumn moon. Here is a scrap of teaching that comes to mind. Life passes as quickly as a flash of lightening. Quickly the body passes away, in a moment life is gone... And a quote by the Venerable Bede. The present life of man, O king, seems to me, in comparison of that time which is unknown to us, like to the swift flight of a sparrow through the room…

  • Snow Storms - How To Walk In Them

    Rev. Mugo
    1 Nov 2009 | 1:42 pm
    This morning I was sitting in on a tea and talk at one of our temples. It was a delight to be there and especially wonderful to meet a long-time and loyal reader. One of the questions on the table was about how to deal with the snow storm of distractions that come at you in life. At work for example. The Reverend launched into several great responses. All the while I was thinking, Snow storm, snow storm? - looking out the window at the leaves being blown around wildly in the high winds. - Snow storm/leaf storm. How does one behave in a snow storm? And just as I'd got my head straight on the…

  • Comments?

    Rev. Mugo
    31 Oct 2009 | 1:38 pm
    I'm spending time answering comments this evening, to the sounds of fireworks cracking and crashing in the night.
 
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    On Faith

  • Islam and the Fort Hood shootings

    Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham
    What effect will the Fort Hood shootings have on the American public's perception of Islam?...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

  • End-of-life care

    Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham
    Proposed health-care reform legislation includes a provision that allows Medicare to pay for "end-of-life" counseling for seniors and their families who request it. The provision -- which Sarah Palin erroneously described as "death panels" for seniors -- nearly derailed President Obama's health-care initiative. Some Republicans still argue that the provision would ration health care for the elderly. Does end-of-life care prolong life or does it prolong suffering? Should it be a part of health-care reform?...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

  • Good without God?

    David Waters
    Is there good without God? Can people be good without God? How can people be good, in the moral and ethical sense, without being grounded in some sort of belief in a being which is greater than they are? Where do concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, come from if not from religion? From where do you get your sense of good and evil, right and wrong?...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

  • Rome's Anglican annex

    Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham
    The Vatican is making it easier for Anglicans -- priests, members and parishes -- to convert to Catholicism. Some say this is further recognition of the substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between the Catholic and Anglican traditions; others see it as poaching that could further divide the Anglican Communion. What do you think?...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

  • A crime to hate?

    Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham
    Congress has voted to expand federal hate crimes laws to add "sexual orientation" to a list that already includes "race, color, religion or national origin." Is this necessary? Should there be special laws against crimes motivated by intolerance, bigotry or hatred? Isn't a crime a crime? (Cover photo: Judy Shepard, whose son Matthew was killed because he was gay, stands next to a photograph of the fence where he was slain. AP)...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.
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    Sufi News and Sufism World Report

  • A Lesson We Need

    Marina Montanaro
    5 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm
    By NYOC Staff, *The New York Open Center and The Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society present: Islam, Sufism and the Heart of Compassion* - New York Open Center - New York, NY, USATuesday, November 3, 2009The New York Open Center and The Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society present: Islam, Sufism and the Heart of Compassion - Living the Teachings of Muhyiddin Ibn 'ArabiA Conference - Friday-Saturday, November 6-7 - In New York City.Presenters: William C. Chittick, Stephen Hirtenstein, Salman Bashier, Sachiko Murata, Mohamed Haj Yousef.Cosponsors: Riverside Church, WBAI-FM & The Middle East Institute at…

  • Allah Into Your Heart

    Marina Montanaro
    4 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm
    By Sarthak Gupta, *He created a new genre to sing about the Prophet, Islam* - Top News - IndiaMonday, November 2, 2009Sion (Mumbai): “You are never alone / Just look into your heart and / Allah is always there...” This is not a translation of Urdu ghazal or Sufi poetry, but the lyrics of one of Zain Bhikha’s nasheeds, or spiritual songs, performed at the Islamic Peace Conference on Sunday.This South African singer and songwriter, who has been performing nasheeds around the globe for 15 years, has created a new genre of halal (approved by Islam) music that consists of vocals and soft…

  • ‘Guru Nanak Jayanti’

    Marina Montanaro
    3 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm
    By ANI, *Guru Nanak Jayanti being celebrated today* - Trak.in News - IndiaMonday, November 2, 2009New Delhi: ‘Guru Nanak Jayanti’, the birthday of Guru Nanak Devji, is being celebrated today with religious zeal and gaiety across the country.Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh greeted the nation on the occasion.Ansari said that Guru Nanak Devji, the founder of Sikhism, is an apostle of universal love, piety and spiritual faith. His divine teachings guide us on the path of social harmony and unity.In his message, Dr. Singh said that the teachings of Guru Nanak…

  • Time And Patience

    Marina Montanaro
    2 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm
    By Lisa Curtis, *Secretary Clinton's Visit to Pakistan: Into the Crucible* - The Heritage Foundation - USAThursday, October 29, 2009U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Pakistan comes as the country faces a wave of terrorist attacks and a surge in anti-American sentiment fueled by sensitive language contained in recently enacted U.S. aid legislation for Pakistan.In the wake of a major bombing that killed over 100 in the northwest city of Peshawar on the day of her arrival, Clinton sought to convey a message of support for Pakistan as it battles extremists while also signaling…

  • Through The Arts

    Marina Montanaro
    1 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm
    By Meredith S. Steuer, *Middle Ground* - The Harvard Crimson - Cambridge, MA, USAFriday, October 30, 2009Parting the curtains of “In the Courtyard of the Beloved,” the viewer enters a sacred alcove of bright colors, intricate geometric decorations, and minarets.The installation—part of the new exhibition at the Peabody Museum, “Sacred Spaces: Reflections on a Sufi Path”—sweeps the viewer away from the gallery, flies him across oceans, pulls him through the crowded streets of Delhi, and finally ushers him into a Sufi shrine.There, the digital still images and audio recordings bring…
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    Inspirations and Creative Thoughts

  • Lama'at (Divine Flashes) | Fakhruddin 'Iraqi

    6 Nov 2009 | 9:30 am
    Bismi'Llahi al WadoodIn the Name of The Beloved1.Holy, holy!Veils hide His Reality,so none but Godknows who He is.Take what you wantfor God is there;Say what you will about Himfor He embraces all.He Himself spoke the TruthHe Himself listened.He Himself showed HimselfHe Himself saw.His loveliness ownsa hundred thousand faces;gaze upon a different fair onein every atom;for He needs must showto

  • Now I blush

    4 Nov 2009 | 6:21 am
    Beloved, I sought Youhere and there,asked for news of Youfrom all I met;Then saw Youthroughmyselfand found we were one.Now I blush to think I eversearched for signs of You.- Fakhruddin Iraqi, may God be well pleased with himfrom his marvelous work, Lama'at, Divine Flashes (credit)Translation by William C. Chittick and Peter Lamborn Wilson

  • Imam Ali's Letter to his Sons | from Nahj al Balagha

    2 Nov 2009 | 9:43 am
    Realize this truth, my son, that the Lord who owns and holds the treasures of Paradise and the earth has given you permission to ask and beg for them and He has promised to grant your prayers. He has told you to pray for His Favors that they may be granted to you and to ask for His Blessings that they may be bestowed upon you. He has not appointed guards to prevent your prayers reaching Him. Nor

  • adab of giving counsel, dispensing advice

    1 Nov 2009 | 5:14 pm
    1.Religion is good counselGiving good and true advice and counseling are part of wholesome actions ('amal salih). By the saying of the Prophet, "To give counseling is part of Deen (religious ways)" - is a God given duty, specially for the saints and friends of God to offer beautiful advice and counseling to all. The Quran describe true counseling as one of the most wholesome action that is not

  • TOLERANT WAY OF TRUTH

    1 Nov 2009 | 8:07 am
    1.Waman ahsanu deenan mimman aslama wajhahu lillahi wahuwa muhsinun waittabaAAa millata Ibraheema haneefan? Waittakhatha Allahu Ibraheema khaleelan.Who is better in faith than the one who surrenders his entire being to God, and be of ihsan (excellence), and follows the creed of Abraham who turned away from all that was false? For God took Abraham as a friend. - The Final Testament (Chapter of
 
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    La Shawn Barber's Corner

  • Christian Thinking Bad Thoughts II

    La Shawn
    6 Nov 2009 | 6:44 am
    “…I saw that baby trying to get away from the probe that the doctor was using…I just wanted to make it stop…I could see it twisting and just saw it crumble…I will never do this again.” Christians, pray that the Spirit of God convicts more Planned Parenthood workers and infuses them with the courage to expose the abortion mill’s practices. Related post: Christian Thinking Bad Thoughts

  • Photo of Nidal Malik Hasan

    La Shawn
    5 Nov 2009 | 3:51 pm
    11/6/09: Let’s see. He’s a Muslim, and he shouted “Allahu Akbar!” before the slaughter. I wonder what that’s about. ————————————————————————————– Update: Thought I was being gutsy posting an unconfirmed photo of the killer, but MSNBC’s just published it. Later…CBS will have a live-feed of the press conference at Fort Hood, which hasn’t started yet (7:31 p.m. ET). News people…

  • Shedding of Innocent Blood

    La Shawn
    5 Nov 2009 | 6:46 am
    Some pro-lifers oppose publishing photos of aborted babies. I’m not too wild about it, myself. But… I think people who believe women have a right to kill their unborn babies, and pregnant women considering it, should know what it looks like. They should fully understand that this is no ordinary “medical” procedure. A tiny, developing human being is violently torn from the mother’s womb. All in the name of convenience. Does he feel pain? Does he cry? Graphic image warning: Here’s the blood.

  • Stuck in London, Need Cash

    La Shawn
    5 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am
    You’ve probably heard about this phishing scam on the news, or you may have fallen for it. A scammer sends an innocuous looking e-mail. You open it, click on a link, and the scammer steals your password. No attachment downloading required. The scammer pretends to be you and sends an e-mail to your contacts. You’re in a foreign country, and you’ve lost your wallet and need cash fast. Someone hacked into an LBC reader’s e-mail account and sent this to his contacts: “My Predicament!! Thursday, November 5, 2009 7:32 AM From: This sender is DomainKeys verified…

  • Maine Voters Repeal Homosexual ‘Marriage’

    La Shawn
    4 Nov 2009 | 4:13 am
    I can’t believe it. The people of Maine came through. They rejected homosexual “marriage” in their state. But that doesn’t mean the fight’s over. There’s something about that “will of the people” jazz some politicians just don’t like. Fundamentally. For example, 54 percent of voting Californian’s barred their government from hiring, contracting, and admitting on the basis of race. Thirteen years later, the California legislature drafted a bill bringing back set-aside contracting for minority businesses. Last summer, Republican…
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    Evangelical Outpost

  • A Word from our Higher Powers: The MLA Seventh Edition

    Hayden Butler
    5 Nov 2009 | 3:26 pm
    There is hardly a student in the United States whose work remains wholly untouched by the influence of the Modern Language Association. Whether a fledgling upstart or a seasoned scholar, anyone doing academic work in the humanities has been guided through the massive collaborative effort of the MLA. Opinions about the MLA are as diverse as the organization itself, ranging from perceptions of it as a benevolent body to polemics seizing upon it as an intellectual monopoly. It is impossible deny that the MLA’s contributions to modern academe are both palpable and far-reaching.

  • Is Christianity a Metanarrative?

    David Nilsen
    3 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pm
    Lyotard famously summed up postmodern philosophy as “incredulity toward metanarratives.” Despite the varying strands of postmodernism that have emerged in recent decades, one unifying factor is a suspicion of the “metanarrative.” This leads naturally to the question, “What is a metanarrative?” And for the Christian, “Is Christianity a metanarrative?” Many evangelical leaders have argued that Christians must reject postmodernism precisely because Christianity is a metanarrative. If postmodernism rejects metanarratives, then it obviously rejects Christianity. According to James…

  • The Problematic Suppositions of Wired

    Jennifer D Gaertner
    3 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am
    Amy Wallace’s essay “An Epidemic of Fear,” published in this month’s issue of Wired, is both perceptive and worrying. Wired’s articles often comment on the growing debates between social groups and professional communities. This month’s feature focuses on the conflict between anti-vaccination proponents—mainly parents—and the scientific community that contends they are necessary. Wallace’s essay, while offering some sympathy to parents, argues heavily in support of the scientific community. Unfortunately, her view also creates worries about parental rights. Consider…

  • Design Intervention: Mel McGowan on Redeeming Space

    Rachel Motte
    2 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am
    Suburbia has failed, and has rendered our attempts to return to the paradise from which our first parents were cast ineffective.  The vision of combining the archetypal garden and city into one space have resulted not in the enhanced communities and relationships designers hoped for, but rather in the ugly, unsustainable suburban sprawl that millions leave each morning as they begin their long commutes.  These suburban landscapes cater to a demographic - married couples with children - that is quickly shrinking, and are adding to the transportation and energy problems consumers love to…

  • Where the Heart Is: Marilynne Robinson’s Home

    Lauren Myracle
    29 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am
    Marilynne Robinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gilead, returns to Gilead, Iowa in her latest novel, Home (2008). Though the events of Home run concurrent with Gilead, Home stands wonderfully in its own right. The narrative voice belongs to tenderhearted Glory Boughton, thirty-eight, who has recently returned to the family home in Gilead to care for her ailing father. As its title suggests, Home is deeply concerned with the emotional and spiritual complexity of homecomings; the central and most conflicted being that of Glory’s beloved brother Jack, the family reprobate and…
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    www.markdroberts.com

  • Could Virtual Church Enhance Physical Church? Surprising Confirmation from the Pew Research Center

    Mark D. Roberts
    6 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Part 8 of series: The Challenge and Opportunity of Virtual Church Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series The Pew Internet and American Life Project, a project of the Pew Research Center, has just released the results of a fascinating and timely study on the Internet and its effects on American social life. This study, called “Social Isolation and New Technology,” suggests that fears of the Internet taking away from face-to-face socializing are unfounded. In fact, according to the Pew press release: “People who use modern information and communication…

  • Michael Lindsay at Laity Lodge

    Mark D. Roberts
    5 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Laity Lodge was honored to have as Dr. Michael Lindsay as a speaker at our recent Leaders’ Retreat. Michael is a professor of sociology at Rice University and an award-winning author. His recent book, Faith in the Halls of Power, has been highly acclaimed as a groundbreaking study of Christians who are leaders in business, government, and education. Michael gave three stirring messages at the retreat: • The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: When Faith and Power Meet • Ties that Bind: Leadership and the Common Good • Faithful Leadership: The Perils and Possibilities of Privilege and…

  • Is Virtual Church Enough? A Theological Response

    Mark D. Roberts
    4 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Part 7 of series: The Challenge and Opportunity of Virtual Church Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series In my last post in this series I offered an existential response to the question: Is virtual church enough? I suggested that when you take away the physical aspect of church, something essential is missing. I supported this contention more intuitively and emotionally than theologically. Now I’d like to muster some theological support. I would begin by pointing to some of the most formative truths of the Christian faith. God created the physical world and called it good.

  • Is Virtual Church Enough? An Existential Response, Section 2

    Mark D. Roberts
    3 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Part 6 of series: The Challenge and Opportunity of Virtual Church Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series In my last post, I suggested that, though virtual church has many benefits, a personal cannot experience everything church is supposed to be without being physically present with other Christians. Thus the potential for church to be fully real is there for physical church, but not for virtual church. No matter how wonderful and authentic a virtual church experience might be, it is never able completely to be church. I’m not quite sure if Douglas Estes, who makes a strong,…

  • Is Virtual Church Enough? An Existential Response, Section 1

    Mark D. Roberts
    2 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Part 5 of series: The Challenge and Opportunity of Virtual Church Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series In my last post in this series I made what I consider to be the strongest case for virtual church. It is based on the fact that millions of people spend a substantial chunk of their lives in Internet-based virtual worlds. If Christians want to reach these people with the love and truth of Christ, then we need to be substantially present in these worlds. We need, in a nutshell, virtual church. Yet is virtual church enough? Can it satisfy the biblical and theological…
 
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    bendaniel.org

  • Book Review: “Patience with God: Faith for Those who Don’t like Religion (or Atheism)” by Frank Schaeffer.

    Ben
    19 Oct 2009 | 3:30 pm
    I should begin my review of Frank Schaeffer’s latest book, Patience With God: Faith for People Who Don’t Like Religion (or Atheism)(Da Capo Press, $25.00, hardcover), with a disclaimer: I have an indirect financial interest in Mr. Schaeffer’s success as a writer. Frank Schaeffer wrote a beautifully-crafted, thoughtful, and gracious foreword for my forthcoming, yet-to-be-named book on American Christianity’s response to undocumented (or “illegal”) immigration. His name will appear next to mine on the cover of my book because my publisher, Westminster John Knox Press, hopes Frank…

  • Obama Wins the Nobel Peace Prize. How Should We Respond?

    Ben
    9 Oct 2009 | 10:29 pm
    For those who seem so distraught over the fact that Barack Obama is now a Nobel Laureate I have an history lesson. When, on December 10, 1964, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, he began his speech with the following words: I accept the Nobel Prize for Peace at a moment when 22 million Negroes of the United States of America are engaged in a creative battle to end the long night of racial injustice. I accept this award on behalf of a civil rights movement which is moving with determination and a majestic scorn for risk and danger to establish a reign of freedom…

  • Blog Returning Soon; My Name Dropped on Maddow; GObama!

    Ben
    9 Oct 2009 | 4:03 pm
    I’ve finished my book (which doesn’t yet have a title), and I’ll be back on my blog soon. Meanwhile, check out this clip from a recent Rachel Maddow Show on which my named is dropped (it’s about 5:45 into the clip): Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy Thanks to Jeff Sharlet for the name drop! By the way, his book is excellent. Go buy it. And congratulations to President Obama for winning the Peace Prize. Regardless of political persuasion and regardless of how much we think he may or may not deserve the prize, now is a time to…

  • Me On Rachel Maddow (sort of)

    Ben
    25 Aug 2009 | 10:21 pm
    I just found out that on July 16th I was quoted by Jeff Sharlet on the Rachel Maddow Show. He didn’t say my name, and the quote wasn’t exact, but hey, thanks Jeff! The quote in question comes from a piece I wrote for Beliefnet. Beliefnet shelved the piece, but I’m glad to see its having an impact anyway. More importantly, my thanks to Jeff Sharlet and to Rachael Maddow for covering the story of the misogyny in the Family/Fellowship. Watch the whole thing or catch the quote at four minutes and fifty seconds into the video. v> Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and…

  • Torture and Public Morality

    Ben
    29 Jun 2009 | 9:42 pm
    A note to my readers: At the end of last week I accepted an offer from Westminster John Knox, a division of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, to publish a book I am writing about immigration and the church. I’ve been working on the book for several months now (I expect to be just about half done with my first draft by the end of this week), which is why my blogging has been somewhat sporadic of late. But now that my book has a publisher I am officially setting aside my blog until the Fall, when I have promised my editor a completed manuscript. Look for my book in the Fall of…
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    Evolving Beings

  • The Web of Ideas and the Future of the World

    Guest Author
    5 Nov 2009 | 9:38 pm
    This article is written for Evolving Beings by guest author Gilbert Ross of Soul Hiker. The power of ideas that change the world around us is increasing and the rate at which they are influencing us is...

  • Evolving Being In Action: Marcomé

    Evita
    1 Nov 2009 | 8:38 am
    A new month is upon us and I am delighted to share with you and introduce you to November’s Evolving Being in Action. This month the spotlight goes to Marcomé. I learned about Marcomé when I first came across her...

  • Choice Point 2012 - Boston 2009 Conference - Alberto Villoldo

    Evita
    31 Oct 2009 | 7:37 pm
    This is the third and final part of the 3 part series of highlights from the Choice Point 2012 Conference that took place in Boston, Massachusetts on Saturday October 24, 2009. If you missed the introduction, where I gave a...

  • Choice Point 2012 - Boston 2009 Conference - Bruce Lipton

    Evita
    30 Oct 2009 | 4:21 pm
    This is part 2, of the 3 part series of highlights from the Choice Point 2012 conference that took place in Boston, Massachusetts on Saturday October 24, 2009. If you missed the introduction, where I gave a short overview of...

  • Choice Point 2012 - Boston 2009 Conference - Gregg Braden

    Evita
    29 Oct 2009 | 1:23 pm
    On Saturday October 24, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts - three exemplary beings got together to spread a message of hope, love and guidance. The event that they got together for was called “Choice Point 2012“. The three beings are...
 
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    Episcopal Cafe

  • Entrepreneurial spirits offer solutions to the religious

    John B. Chilton
    6 Nov 2009 | 7:30 pm
    The swine flu scare has religions rethinking religious practices. Entrepreneurs see a market: A company called Purity Communion Solutions was founded in 2007 to market "germ-free products that take the worry out of contracting germs while receiving communion, and ultimately increasing communion participation and church attendance." Purity Communion Solutions already has 375,000 client churches, church supply houses and the like, and its Web site features all sorts of information about the H1N1 virus, as well as products that aim to keep you in church, and keep you healthy. They include an…

  • Execution and resurrection in Texas

    Andrew Gerns
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm
    Unless Governor Rick Perry changes his mind and either issues a stay or commutes the sentence, 32-year-old Khristian Oliver, will be executed by the State of Texas sometime this evening. Maybe by the time you read this. Oliver was convicted of the 1998 murder of Joe Collins who interrupted Oliver and three others who were robbing Collins' house. He is the son of artist Kermit Oliver. Biblical themes have long been the domain of Khristian's father, Kermit Oliver, a well-known painter and the first African-American artist represented by a major Houston gallery. Kermit often used his family as…

  • The consecration invitation: lost in the mail?

    John B. Chilton
    6 Nov 2009 | 2:47 pm
    The Porvoo churches may be in full communion, but they are suffering something approaching a full communications breakdown. Or so it would seem. Blame the UK postal strikes? Wednesday I posted a story that I titled "ABC issues slap in face". The post was based on the report in a Swedish newspaper that no members of the Anglican churches of the Porvoo Agreement had accepted invitations to attend the upcoming consecration of Eva Brunne, a partnered lesbian, elected to Bishop of Stockholm. There have been several incremental developments to the story. The original post as written together with…

  • The Church of Uganda response to bill is wait and see

    Andrew Gerns
    6 Nov 2009 | 11:50 am
    The Church of Uganda has said that they are studying the proposed legislation before their country's legislature and therefore will take no position on it right now. Except to say that they are opposed to the death penalty, the majority of their statement focuses on their belief that all homosexuality is immoral, the need for homosexual persons to repent, and reports being "appalled" over rumors of "homosexual recruiting" going on in schools, with no further explanation as to what that means. While hauling out the phrase in Lambeth 1.10 about homosexuality and incompatibility with scripture,…

  • Will global Anglicans condemn Ugandan bill?

    Andrew Gerns
    6 Nov 2009 | 8:30 am
    Pat Ashworth summarizes the response of Anglican groups and others to the proposed anti-gay legislation now being proposed in Uganda, noting that in 2007 the Archbishop of Canterbury criticized an Anglican bishop who supported a Nigerian version of this type of law. Ashworth reports in the Church Times: The Church of the Province of Uganda has been firm in its stand against homosexuality, which it described in a paper published in 2005: “Homosexuality, bestiality, incest, paedophilia, fornication, adultery, polygamy/polygyny and polyandry are all manifestations of a perverted sexual…
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    Search the Scriptures

  • Leviticus - Part Three

    1 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm
    Dr. Constantinou continues her discussion of Leviticus, touching a bit on the forthcoming Temple.

  • Leviticus - Part Two

    25 Oct 2009 | 9:21 pm
    Dr. Constantinou continues her brief discussion of the Old Testament book of Leviticus.

  • Leviticus - Part One

    18 Oct 2009 | 3:10 pm
    Dr. Constantinou continues her introduction to the Bible with her first lesson on the book of Leviticus.

  • Exodus - Part Twelve

    10 Oct 2009 | 5:18 pm
    Dr. Constantinou concludes her series on Exodus by discussing the unique aspects of the application of the Law of Moses.

  • Exodus - Part Eleven

    4 Oct 2009 | 6:59 pm
    Dr. Constantinou continues her series on Exodus, this time explicating the story of the Ten Commandments.
 
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    Speaking the Truth in Love

  • Anger and Wrath in Human Life

    4 Nov 2009 | 7:47 am
    Following his two part series on the Wrath of God, Fr. Tom turns his attention to our own anger and wrath and how that differs from God's.

  • The Wrath Of God - Part 2

    25 Oct 2009 | 3:03 pm
    Fr. Thomas continues to get listener feedback on his teaching on God's wrath. In this follow-up lesson, he explores further how the Scriptures and the Fathers express this difficult concept as compared to the hellenistic and platonic views sometimes expressed through history.

  • The Wrath Of God

    6 Oct 2009 | 11:05 am
    Fr. Tom Hopko addresses an issue that he gets the most email about - how are we to understand the wrath of God and how does it relate to our salvation?

  • The Protecting Veil Of The Holy Theotokos

    1 Oct 2009 | 7:28 am
    Whether you celebrate it on October 1 or on October 28 (traditions differ), you will enjoy Fr. Thomas' account of how the Mother of God protected a Constantinople church from an invading army, and how that inspires our own worship.

  • A Reflection on the Past 50 Years of the Orthodox Church

    18 Sep 2009 | 3:47 pm
    Sitting in his study, Fr. Tom reflects on the past 50 years of the Orthodox Church. August marked the 46th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
 
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    Priests in Crisis

  • A Special Request from Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

    admin
    27 Oct 2009 | 1:48 pm
    WDTPRSers UNITE! Pray for the souls of priests. First, remember that you can gain indulgences on All Souls and the days following. Second, 5 November is a first Thursday.  You can gain a plenary indulgence during this year for Priests. Third, would it not be a good idea in this Year for Priests, during the week after All Souls, [...]

  • Priest in Fashion Crisis

    admin
    15 Oct 2009 | 5:50 pm
    Dear Priests in Crisis readers, Please help Father Cory Sticha get a decent biretta and vestments to go along with it.  To restore a sense of the sacred in his neck of the woods (Montana), please consider helping Father buy a chalice and other altar ware worthy of Our Lord.  If we all pitch in, we [...]

  • Fr Joe Jenkins Could Use Your Prayers

    admin
    13 Oct 2009 | 2:58 pm
    I thought you'd like to know that Priest blogger, Fr Joe Jenkins of Father Joe's Blog received some bad news about his cardiac C-T scan. Please go over to his site and leave a word of support and encouragement:

  • RIP Fr. Dennis Rocheford

    admin
    12 Sep 2009 | 2:32 pm
    Priest jumps off bridge in Rhode Island In our grief, it is comforting to think that a loved one’s soul is automatically in heaven.  That judgment is God’s alone.  Let’s do Father Rocheford the long-term favor of continuing to pray for his soul and ours. Video of Father’s Funeral Mass Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory Father’s [...]

  • Please Remember Fr. Tim Vakoc’s Family on September 11

    admin
    10 Sep 2009 | 4:17 pm
    http://www.priestsincrisis.com/blog/general-topics/september-11-the-cross-at-ground-zero-and-fr-timothy-vakoc/ Help Priests in Crisis by sharing this post: Related posts In Memoriam Fr. Timothy Vakoc January 8, 1960 to June 20, 2009 (1) September 11: The Cross at Ground Zero and Fr. Timothy Vakoc (4)
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    Jewish Treats

  • The Torah Service

    6 Nov 2009 | 9:04 am
    The Torah Service is central to the Saturday morning synagogue service and has much ceremony and fanfare.It begins with the opening of the aron ha’kodesh (holy ark - the cabinet housing the Torah scrolls). The Torah scroll is brought to the bimah (central table where the Torah is read) in a procession, while prayers are recited by the chazzan (prayer leader) and by the congregation.On a typical Shabbat, the Torah portion is divided into seven parts. Seven people are called, one at a time, to the bimah for an aliyah (literally: going up). They recite the blessings before and after the…

  • Divided by Seven

    6 Nov 2009 | 9:04 am
    To familiarize yourself with the weekly Torah portion, read one of the seven aliyot each day.

  • Sabbath Prayers: The Blessings Over The Torah

    6 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am
    On Shabbat morning, seven different people are called to recite the blessings over the reading of the Torah. Each person is referred to as the oleh, "he who has come up." The blessings begin with Barchu, a call to the congregation:Barchu et Ah'doh'nai ham’vorach.Bless God, the Blessed One.To which the congregation responds first and then the oleh:Ba'ruch Ah'doh'nai ham'vorach l'olam va'ed.Blessed is God, the Blessed One, for ever and ever.The oleh then recites the blessing:Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Melech ha’o’lam, asher ba'char banoo mee'kohl ha'ameem,…

  • Salt and Hospitality

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:41 am
    The region of the Dead Sea (a.k.a. Yam Ha'melach - The Sea of Salt) was once the home of Sodom and Gomorrah, famous for their destruction by fire and brimstone, as recorded in Genesis 19. While it is well-known that these cities were “evil,” not many people are familiar with their peculiar wickedness.Based on the midrash (legends), “inhospitable” would be an understatement for the people of Sodom. Visitors, especially those who were of no benefit to the city, were not welcome. The rabbis describe the guest “accommodations” provided to those seeking overnight hospitality: If a…

  • Open Door Policy

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:40 am
    If you hear of a friend in need of hospitality (perhaps due to apartment renovations), don't hesitate to offer assistance.
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    Holy Weblog!

  • Not averse to a little attention.

    Holy Weblog
    22 Oct 2009 | 4:53 pm
    Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy Random posts ...But Google Maps is probably trying.Somehow it figures it’d be in Texas.Support your local blogging journalist.Praise God and pass the bailout.

  • 13 fun facts about the Rev. Wiley Drake, fundamentalist gadfly and hurler of curses!

    Holy Weblog
    11 Jun 2009 | 2:23 am
    The Rev. Wiley Drake, a Southern California preacher and Baptist gadfly, has a long history of drawing attention. He prays for Barack Obama's death, rejoices in Dr. Tiller's slaying and battles illegal immigration. But he has a soft spot for the homeless, too.

  • Ew.

    Holy Weblog
    10 Jun 2009 | 1:49 am
    By Flickr user trappedinabay. Possibly related posts ...Here’s hoping there are copy editors in heaven.

  • Pat Robertson + ’sex with ducks’ remark = YouTube satire waiting to happen.

    Holy Weblog
    9 Jun 2009 | 1:45 pm
    Will hate crime legislation protect people who have sex with ducks? That’s one of Pat Robertson’s biggest fears. America’s favorite loopy televangelist (OK, one of many) has drawn fire for that gem of a remark. Enter Garfunkel and Oates and their “Sex With Ducks” parody. CNN’s Jeannie Moos reports: Embedded video from CNN Video Find the full [...]

  • Our Lady of the Pancakes.

    Holy Weblog
    4 May 2009 | 12:29 pm
    Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy Possibly related posts ...Dad sees hope in his boy’s hospital room.Song in the key of Christ?Jesus Christ, ubiquitous superstar.Was Charlotte hospital touched by an angel?
 
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    Missionary Confidential

  • From the Missionary Blogosphere

    C. Holland
    19 Oct 2009 | 4:08 am
    From the Missionary BlogosphereNew Post from: Missionary Confidential Some missionary blog posts worth reading: Karl Dahlfred asks if Long-Term Missionaries are obsolete. Mentanna reflects on the costs of obedience to God’s call to missions affecting those around you, especially children. Kevin asks if the multi-site church concept is uniquely American. Grady Bauer gives some good direction for those who would like to be foreign missionaries but cannot physically go. Ernest Goodman discusses the pros and cons of supporting a national church planters. If you enjoyed this post, make sure…

  • The Best of Intentions: Missionary Superhero

    C. Holland
    8 Oct 2009 | 9:01 am
    The Best of Intentions: Missionary SuperheroNew Post from: Missionary Confidential One of our supporting churches recently had a missions focus week, and it’s always an encouragement to us in the field to hear such things.  It’s really nice to hear from a group after a while and be reminded that there are so many lifting us up in prayer, which is the most important support for a missionary, in my opinion.  If your church supports a missionary, I would encourage you to get their contact details and send a quick “hello” with a reminder that you’re praying for them.  Seriously.  It…

  • Was, Not Am: What’s Wrong With Lifelong Missions?

    C. Holland
    30 Sep 2009 | 9:17 am
    Was, Not Am: What’s Wrong With Lifelong Missions?New Post from: Missionary Confidential As we went around the circle in the Bible study, introducing ourselves to the visiting mission team, one of our members made sure to interject that she had been a missionary forty years ago for two years.  To be honest, it didn’t make a lot of sense to the situation; perhaps she thought that, since the team was on mission, they would be interested in this fact about her.  But it made me reflect on other church situations, especially in the States, when people talked about a visiting pastor or a new…

  • Short-Term Missions Done Right

    C. Holland
    25 Sep 2009 | 9:33 am
    Short-Term Missions Done RightNew Post from: Missionary Confidential We’re in the middle of hosting a short-term mission team to our field, so I’ve been too tied up to post much.  Regular posting should resume soon, but I have to say it’s gone amazingly well.  With all the horror stories and issues discussed both on this and other blogs, this team’s trip is the opposite.  I’ve been reflecting on some of the reasons why this is: Prior Relationship: Not only is this group from one of our many supporting churches, we know the pastor (who is on this trip) from our…

  • Cultural Whiplash

    C. Holland
    10 Sep 2009 | 12:14 am
    Cultural WhiplashNew Post from: Missionary Confidential Mentanna over at “Musings From a French-Fried Texan” continues her assimilation back into her home country with a fascinating post entitled “Whiplash”. I can relate on a small scale as we’ve just recently hosted several sets of American friends in our home. It took me by surprise that their American behaviour shocked me so much as it definitely would not have several years ago. Favourite quote: “this kind of encounter would never have taken place in france. as a matter of fact, it often takes about 6…
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    Mormanity - A Mormon Blog (But Not Just for Mormons)

  • The Miracle of the Pamphlet

    Mormanity
    2 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm
    My missionary son and his companion recently experienced one of the many tiny miracles that occur when we seek to share the Gospel with others. Here's a condensed version of his story from a while ago, minus some identifying information:A few weeks ago, the elders in a neighboring area . . . contacted a girl. They set up a time for her to come to the chapel and start meeting with them. After they parted ways, [she] decided she'd probably just forget about them and stand them up.A day or so later, [my companion] and I went out in the afternoon to go contacting while holding a big sign we made…

  • Facing Loss and Pain without Complaint: Richard G. Scott's Personal Perspective

    Mormanity
    25 Oct 2009 | 7:18 pm
    While visiting my parents in Salt Lake City today, we had a beautiful Priesthood lesson based on Elder Richard G. Scott's General Conference sermon from April 2009, "Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need." I was touched by the deeply personal thoughts Elder Scott conveyed as he contemplated the passing away of his wife and also of two of his young children. These closing words from his talk touched me deeply in our class today. Now I would like to speak of the special meaning the temple has for me. Part of this message is going to be sensitive, so I will appreciate…

  • A Salute to Singapore

    Mormanity
    21 Oct 2009 | 7:34 am
    I'm so impressed with the nation of Singapore. The remarkably harmonious diversity of races, cultures and religions in this land is a testament to what can be achieved. Had the incredible privilege of being a speaker at their large Innovation and Enterprise Week held at Biopolis, the massive research center dealing with life sciences. Met so many amazing people from Singapore and other nations and really fell in love with this country and its generous and gracious people. Singapore is one of the most innovative nations in the world--in fact, it's ranked #1 in several rating systems--and has…

  • A Barbaric Practice: Honor Chillings

    Mormanity
    19 Oct 2009 | 3:46 pm
    Religion can be such a powerful force for good, but some, in misguided zeal, corrupt their religion and use it as an excuse to hurt others. Occasionally we hear about the horrors of honor killings, but a much more widespread barbaric practice among many faiths is honor chillings--cold treatment due to religious differences. Parents chilling their children, husbands chilling their wives, former best friends chilling each other--all because they are angry that someone has changed their religious views. Many LDS converts have been chilled by those who despise their new religion. But too many LDS…

  • Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Speaks Out on the Book of Mormon and the Failed Attempts of Critics to Explain It Away

    Mormanity
    13 Oct 2009 | 5:34 am
    If you missed the General Conference talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the Twelve Apostles and the former President of Brigham Young University, you really should see it. He makes an important point about the last hours of Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, as they were in prison and about to be killed. They faced the likelihood of death from a hate-filled mob, stirred up and led by religious zealots. For comfort and strength, they turned to the ancient writings of Moroni in Ether, chapter 12, in the Book of Mormon. Hyrum read some of that text to Joseph, including these verses:37.
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    About.com: Alternative Religions

  • Phony Occult Order Lures Teens For Sex

    28 Oct 2009 | 3:10 pm
    It's interesting how different writers can portray the same incident. The San Antonio Express reports on a man "accused of creating a 'secret society' to lure teenage girls into having sex with him". Meanwhile, KENS5 reports that sex was being used to bait students into the occult order. That is to say, the implication is the students were being pressured into occultism, rather than being pressured into sex with a mature adult. The San Antonio Express's version rings much more true. Unfortunately, this isn't a unique incident. While most occult organizations are entirely consensual and…

  • Police Suspect "Ritual"

    28 Oct 2009 | 2:44 pm
    Apparently, the body of a 2-year-old washed up in Connecticut. The really notable detail of the story, however, is that as far as anyone knew, the girl had already been buried in a cemetery after dying of natural causes, Fox News reports. What's up with that? No one seems to know. But that didn't stop local police from labeling it "as a ritualistic sort of thing," and naming religions like Palo Mayombe and Santeria. Unfortunately, the police don't seem to be releasing any details that would actually suggest why those religions would be suspected. I understand that police investigations often…

  • Oscar Winner Publicly Leaves Scientology

    26 Oct 2009 | 11:41 am
    Paul Haggis, an Oscar-winning movie writer, has publicly left the Church of Scientology and made his resignation letter public, which can be read here. I highlight this letter because of its focus and rationality. Haggis can admit to the positive aspects Scientology brought to his life while still denouncing the organization. Moreover, his denouncement is specific. He cites two specific issues rather than hurling random insults. Also, both issues are fairly verifiable. Often, complaints against the Church of Scientology involve matters completely within the Church, and the evidence is…

  • Competing for Your Soul: Advertising Religion

    25 Oct 2009 | 1:20 pm
    Travel the New York subways, and you may come across advertisements encouraging atheism. When I traveled to Washington DC earlier this year, buses sported ads for whyIslam.org. The Church of Latter Day Saints have been running TV advertisements for years and the Church of Scientology kicked off an aggressive ad campaign several months ago. Are we really so sure we want to peddle our spiritual beliefs like any other commodity? Religion is an issue many of us feel strongly about. For many people, it is an issue of knowing the truth and feeling a moral obligation to share it with less…

  • Quest For Quick Fixes Can Kill

    25 Oct 2009 | 12:53 pm
    In a fast food world, we have come to expect that everything can be accomplished quickly and effortlessly, and spirituality has not escaped this mindset. People flock to New Age shops and gurus looking for ways to fix their lives, often willing to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get someone else to address the clients' own personal problems. The result can become a cultlike situation, with believers blindly following the "expert" without any critical thinking, whether in expert be a book author or an event host. Earlier this month, three people died in Arizona during a sweat…
 
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    Daily Word of God

  • Daily Word for Sat 11/7/2009 "Let Him Touch You"

    Pastor Jeff
    7 Nov 2009 | 12:17 am
    Today's Message: "And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."  Luke 8:48There's just something about a touch -- both given and received.Note the next time you are in the presence of a newborn baby.Everyone wants to touch it. Men will rub the soft cheeks with the back of a finger. Women will touch the child with the front of a finger. All make comments about how soft the newborn skin is. That feel is the closest to perfection man will ever know on earth! We all like to be touched. The human touch is more than a…

  • Links for 2009-11-06 [del.icio.us]

    7 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Daily Word of God: Daily Word for Fri 11/6/2009 "What will You do When You find Jesus?" Today's Message: "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, "For we are also His offspring." Acts 17:26-28 There he was,…

  • Links for 2009-11-05 [del.icio.us]

    6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Bible Study - Book of Daniel - Daniel 3:28-30 - Bible Study Book of Daniel Book of Daniel Bible Study New Lessons Monday through Friday. Book of Daniel DBS AoG #034 Daniel 3:28-30 Today's Lesson: Daniel 3:28-30 "Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks…

  • Links for 2009-11-04 [del.icio.us]

    5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Bible Study - Book of Daniel - Daniel 3:26-27 - Bible Study Book of Daniel Book of Daniel Bible Study New Lessons Monday through Friday. Book of Daniel DBS AoG #033 Daniel 3:26-27 Today's Lesson: Daniel 3:26-27 "Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here. ” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on…

  • Links for 2009-11-03 [del.icio.us]

    4 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Armor of God - Introduction - Bible Study Armor of God The Armor of God New Lesson every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Armor of God JJL DBS AOG #001 Introduction Welcome, my Name is Pastor Jeff Lilley, of JJLMinistries.org - I Pray you get as much wisdom, knowledge and fulfillment from this Bible Study as I did in putting it together. Lets begin our Journey where each of us can ask questions and comment on answers without the fear of ridicule or being accused of Lack of Faith. Today's Lesson: Introduction Did you know that you are in a battle right now while you are reading these…
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    Blogging Theologically

  • The Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent: Temptation

    Aaron Armstrong
    6 Nov 2009 | 7:12 pm
    Genesis 3:15 — “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” [ESV] On reading to you these words, I may address you in the language of the holy angels to the shepherds, that were watching their flocks by night: “Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy.” For this is the first promise that was made of a Savior to the apostate race of Adam. We generally look for Christ only in the New Testament; but Christianity, in one sense, is very near as old as the creation. It is…

  • The Gospel-less “Gospel”

    Aaron Armstrong
    6 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    You may have seen this video making the rounds this week, an eight minute film produced by Christianity Today and The Global Conversation: The video is exceptional, disturbing and incredibly convicting. Watch the last couple of minutes, starting at 6:14, or read the transcript to see what I mean: more about “The Prosperity Gospel“, posted with vodpod   Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah (a pastor who preaches the prosperity “gospel”): “We were born in poverty. We suffered; we struggled; we almost didn’t get food to eat. We struggled for food. We struggled for…

  • By Grace Alone: My Story

    Aaron Armstrong
    5 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I tend to shy away from talking about it too much because people might think I’m nuts. Then, I remembered that I worship Jesus and most people think I’m nuts anyway. So, for better or for worse, here’s my story: A Bit of History I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, or one that really practiced any sort of religious belief (unless watching Star Trek religiously counts). From what I recall, the only time someone said “God” or “Jesus” was when someone was exasperated. I learned a couple years ago that…

  • Who Would You Be?

    Aaron Armstrong
    4 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    A couple nights ago, Emily and I were watching the Vintage Jesus DVDs and we came to this question: Who would you be if Jesus hadn’t saved you? It was really interesting for us to sit back and consider this: Who would I be if Jesus hadn’t saved me? What kind of husband would I be? What kind of father? Would I be any of these things? The truth is, I know exactly what kind of guy I’d be. Jesus saved me from being a lying, adulterous little boy trying to fit into grown-up man pants that I could never wear. From being a sad, pathetic excuse for a man who could never live up to…

  • Book Review: “Fundamentalism” and the Word of God

    Aaron Armstrong
    3 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    Title: “Fundamentalism” and the Word of God Author: J. I. Packer Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. There are certain books that have a very short shelf-life, either because they’re highly topical or they make pop-culture references that no one will get in 15 minutes.   This is not one of those books. “Fundamentalism” and the Word of God was first published 51 years in the midst of the British ”Fundamentalism” controversy of the 1950s—a controversy centering around the authority of Scripture. At roughly the mid-point of the 20th…
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    Pastor Jeff Flowers | CincyMissionary.com

  • On Tentmaking…

    Jeff Flowers
    5 Nov 2009 | 2:32 pm
    This Saturday I start training for my new job at Apple, Inc.  I’ll be working part-time as a specialist in the Apple Store at Kenwood Mall in Cincinnati. I’m excited about it for several reasons. First, we’ve been praying about a part-time job to help make ends meet while we’re establishing a church plant. I’ve had a couple of opportunities come my way, but Apple was the best fit. The pay is great, the hours are flexible and quite honestly, Apple is a cool place to work. Second, I’m really looking at it as a “tentmaking” opportunity.  In Acts…

  • Improvement

    Jeff Flowers
    28 Oct 2009 | 9:37 pm
    Today, I had a really enjoyable conversation with my friend, Shawn, from Texas today. We talked about a lot of things; ministry, life, following Jesus… Then, he asked me a question that is still ringing in my ear. He was curious to know why so many Christians think that church is just about self-improvement. “Where did we ever get that idea?” There is a scene in Luke 18 where a self-improvement junkie comes to Jesus seeking approval.  Of course, Jesus sees right through the young man and tells him that he’s still lacking — something a self-improvement junkie…

  • The Bridge :: Connecting the City to Christ

    Jeff Flowers
    28 Oct 2009 | 8:19 pm
    I’d like to give you an update on how things are going at The Bridge and what’s coming up soon. We have been working hard over the past few weeks to forge a simple, straightforward strategic plan for 2010.  We really feel like we have a solid plan to plant 2 more churches in Cincinnati by the fall of 2010 and now working hard to secure partnerships and funding.  One of the most important things we’ve done is that we’ve discovered a church-planting model that really encapsulates our mission and vision. We’ve adapted the City-Parish Model (see Trinity Grace…

  • The Law of Letting Go

    Jeff Flowers
    27 Oct 2009 | 8:13 am
    I have a hard time letting go of things. I have a hard time letting go of people. I have a hard time letting go of money. I have a hard time letting go of bad memories. I have a hard time letting go of bad feelings. I have a hard time letting go of fast food. I have a hard time letting go of harsh words. I have a hard time letting go of bad habits. I have a hard time letting go of the wheel of life. I have a hard time letting go of my agenda. I have a hard time letting go of my pride. I have a hard time letting go of my personal opinions. I have a hard time letting go of my sin. I have a hard…

  • The Hard Things

    Jeff Flowers
    26 Oct 2009 | 8:41 am
    Why do I have such an aversion to serving others? I’m I that selfish? I’m I lazy? I’m I a poor leader? This weekend, I picked up a book entitled, The Swordless Samurai by Kitami Masao. It chronicles the leadership wisdom of one of Japan’s sixteenth century samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi, aka, the Monkey King. As an atypical samurai, Hideyoshi’s philosophy of leadership was rooted in the notion of serving others, not in being served. He also taught that the highest sentiment that inspires true leaders to devote themselves to serving others is gratitude. Throughout the…
 
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    Jesus or Squirrel?

  • New Church Growth Concept- Invite Dogs to the Service

    6 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am
    USA TodayEvery week, Covenant Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles holds "Canines at Covenant," a service for dogs and their owners, featuring dog treats, dog beds, prayers for pets and even special music, such as "GoD and DoG" (see video below)."I don't have any kids, so my pets have always been my children, so it does mean a lot," Emma Sczesniak told the Associated Press. Accompanied by her Dachshund-terrier mix and black Lab, she said that though she'd fallen away from church, the dog-friendly service "might push me into it."Laura Hobgood-Oster, a religion professor at Southwestern…

  • Send a Buffalo to India for Christmas! Wait. What?

    5 Nov 2009 | 11:06 am
    According to Christian Today:British families have helped send buffaloes to impoverished families in India by meeting Operation Mobilisation’s challenge to spend less at Christmas.The ‘Just Christmas’ campaign is the brainchild of an Edinburgh church and was first launched nationwide by OM in 2008 to great success. OM said several buffaloes had already been sent following the recent launch of this year's campaign.The campaign encourages individuals, families and whole churches to rediscover the true spirit of Christmas by replacing gifts with practical acts of kindness and pooling the…

  • Ringo Starr Competing with Jesus' Popularity

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:49 am
    RESEARCHERS at Duke University, North Carolina, have spotted Ringo Starr’s face into water droplets hitting a leaf.James Dacey, a reporter for Physics World, writes:“Bizarrely, everybody’s favourite mop-topped Liverpudlian seems to reveal himself in the high-speed photo images of water-droplets being ejected from the leaf surface.”Stay tuned. I'm sure Jesus will turn up again to even the score.

  • How to Know if Jesus Wants your Truck

    4 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pm
    JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Jim Stevens said he's not particularly religious and is clueless about why an image resembling Jesus Christ keeps appearing on his pickup. Stevens, of Jonesborough, said nearly every morning, an image that looks to him like the face of Jesus Christ has appeared in the condensation on the driver's side window of his Isuzu truck. A Johnson City Press photo of the truck showed a facial image.Stevens said when he first saw the image, he figured it would evaporate and not return. But it kept reappearing for two weeks now.Stevens said folks at the grocery store he goes to…

  • Publishing for Prudes and Protestants

    2 Nov 2009 | 8:36 am
    One Christian publisher has created the following list of terms that are forbidden to be used in a Christian, romance novel. (Thanks to Jason Boyett who posted these on his blog.) Apparently we are never to refer to our undergarments, Mike, or Catholic neighbors.I'm considering taping the list to my kids' bedroom doors as a guideline for their language/behavior as well. That will work, right?Terms that cannot be used in a Christian novel:ArousalBastardBet/bettingBishopBraBreast (except for breast cancer if necessary)Buttocks or butt (alternatively, you can say derriere or backside)CrapDamn…
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    Leaving Religion

  • When Things Come Together

    leavingreligion
    31 Oct 2009 | 1:21 pm
    I’ve been working very hard on some projects, and the months of hard work is beginning to pay off.  I’m getting some traction, getting some interest and seeing this happen makes all the late nights and hard work really pay off.  The other night, I got to thinking… when I was a Christian… everything coming together, as it is now, would have been attributed… NOT to my hard work, but to God. Because, things don’t just happen… they happen because I prayed to God about it,  asked Jesus for His hand in it.  Because, under no circumstances should it be…

  • Sunday Morning Verse – 10/25/09

    leavingreligion
    25 Oct 2009 | 10:56 am
    2 Corinthians 12:9 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. This verse brings up a point I’ve been making a lot lately when discussing Christianity with others.  Mainly that to be a good Christian, many believe they need to have lots of problems and be weak.  This somehow makes people feel that they have something for God to fix, and that by having problems, they are being tested.  Imagine the power you have over people…

  • Sunday Morning Verse – 9/27/09

    leavingreligion
    27 Sep 2009 | 10:58 am
    2 Peter 3:9 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. See… when you don’t see the Lord’s promises fulfilled in your life before you die… it’s because the Lord is slow to fulfill his promises.  It’s not because he doesn’t exist, or doesn’t care… he’s just slow.  He’s being patient towards you.

  • Tithing Kiosk… Ummm…

    leavingreligion
    23 Sep 2009 | 7:30 pm
    The “Giving Kiosk” is a product that makes me go, “Why the hell didn’t I think of that!?”  Not really, because I could never live with myself… but seriously… it’s a little crazy.  I just can’t imagine walking into church where there is a flashing kiosk asking me for my money. Although, thinking about it more, at least one of the main things the church really wants is now front and center.  They definitely aren’t hiding what they want with one of these cool things out front. Why GivingKIOSK? Too many Church organizations do not…

  • The Fake Steve Jobs Points Out That Jesus Didn’t Always Tell The Truth Either

    leavingreligion
    21 Sep 2009 | 2:35 pm
    As you’re coming to find out, I love The Fake Steve Jobs blog.  In his most recent post, he points out that even Jesus himself didn’t always tell the truth.  He also points out that those who wrote the gospel contradict each other… and concludes that one of them must be lying: You go through the whole New Testament and you’ll find case after case where Jesus kind of holds back a little bit, or stops short, and maybe it’s not outright lying but it ain’t the truth, either. Same with the guys who wrote the gospels. How else can you explain the fact that they…
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    Killing the Buddha

  • Morman Make Out

    KtBniks
    6 Nov 2009 | 6:29 pm
    This needs no introduction, except to say press play, go do something for thirty seconds, and then return to quiver in the mixture of mirth and horror.

  • Wives Birthing Wives Birthing Wives

    Mary Valle
    6 Nov 2009 | 8:36 am

  • You Had to Be There

    KtBniks
    5 Nov 2009 | 8:37 pm
    Just one of the people you missed if you missed tonight’s reading.

  • 11/18 in NYC: Examine Your Life with Astra and Sunaura Taylor

    KtBniks
    5 Nov 2009 | 12:45 pm
    Come join us for an evening’s stroll in the world of ideas! Wednesday, November 18th, 2009, 6:30 – 9:00 pm Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture 53 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, New York $10 donation at-the-door appreciated Cash bar What happens when you take today’s leading philosophers out of their books and lecture halls and into the streets? That’s what filmmaker Astra [...]

  • Frank Schaeffer tonight: KtB then Rachel Maddow

    KtBniks
    5 Nov 2009 | 12:31 pm
    We just heard from Frank Schaeffer, who is reading in just a few hours at Lolita Bar at a special KtB event that all you New Yorkers should really come to. He called to say that right after reading with us, he’s off to be on Rachel Maddow’s show! So that’s the kind of company [...]
 
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    creativecommons.org

  • Purpose: The Ultimate Competitive Advantage

    Mike Holmes
    6 Nov 2009 | 8:10 am
    Purpose is a necessity—knowing one’s purpose even more. Those people and organizations that do seem to go further and accomplish more than those that don’t. But what is purpose? It’s defined as: “The object toward which one strives or for which something exists.” We’re all guided by it. Everyone one of us. The Bible says, “The noble-hearted man has noble purposes, and by these he will be guided.” [1] Without it, we’re like children “tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine.” [2] In other…

  • What Andrew Carnegie Could Teach Christian Entrepreneurs

    Mike Holmes
    5 Nov 2009 | 7:22 am
    I’m reading Carnegie by Peter Krass. It’s an excellent biography of Andrew Carnegie, the man who created his fortune in the steel industry and gave it all away at the end of his life. I must admit, I’ve always enjoyed reading about great leaders (especially business leaders). I love reading about their triumphs, failures, strengths, weaknesses, wisdom, folly, and their overall contradictions–and Carnegie is no different. To be honest, though he had good business practices he had questionable ones too: He made his first fortune through insider trading He saw his…

  • Sales and Evengelism: One in the same? You tell me.

    Mike Holmes
    4 Nov 2009 | 6:47 am
    “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’” [1] I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of years–having done both. But it was a recent discussion on LinkedIn that got me thinking about it again. The discussion was entitled, “How do good sales…

  • Leadership Lessons from King Hezekiah

    Mike Holmes
    3 Nov 2009 | 8:18 am
    Hezekiah was a bad man! Taking the throne at age 25 he instituted reforms that made people’s head spin! He was awesome. But what made him stand out in my mind apart from the other “good”  kings like Asa, Jehosophat, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jehoash, Jothan, and Jehu is that he went further than them in instituting reform. He broke down the pagan shrines which many failed to touch. And he broke up the bronze serpent Moses had made because the people worshipped it. Think about that last one for a second: he broke the serpent Moses made! Moses! The man who led them out of Egypt,…

  • Why the Bible Would Revolutionize the Business World

    Mike Holmes
    31 Oct 2009 | 9:05 am
    The Bureau of Economic Analysis recently announced that our economy might be growing again–for the first time since the second quarter of 2008. Although its too early to tell its a glimmer of hope  for those of us ravaged by the economy. With every downturn in the market people come back up  more humble–willing to assess mistakes, see where they fell, and the government institutes laws to police any abuse. It’s all cyclical. Because I believe, with all my heart, that the Bible has the answers to ALL of life’s problems…the business world needs to take a greater…
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    Michael Sullivant & Radius

  • The Romance of Romans-Part 85

    5 Nov 2009 | 7:06 am
    Romans Chapter 12 cont'dGod has given to all of us a sphere of life and ministry in which to function for which we also have been given the corresponding necessary amount of faith. Our physical body is one and yet it has many members, each having a different function. So the body of Christ is one and we, each of us, are one of its many members. But even though we have various roles to play, we are organically joined both to him and to one another.Comments:Toward A More Healthy CommunityIn his book, Connecting, Dr. Larry Crabb distills years of counseling experience, biblical research,…

  • The Romance of Romans-Part 84

    24 Oct 2009 | 5:32 am
    Romans Chapter 12 cont'd By the spiritual authority that God has vested in me, I challenge every person among you, not to think more highly of yourself than you should.We all need to receive "reality checks."God has given to all of us a sphere of life and ministry in which to function for which we also have been given the corresponding necessary amount of faith.Our physical body is one and yet it has many members, each having a different function. So the body of Christ is one and we, each of us, are one of its many members.But even though we have various roles to play, we are organically…

  • My Article on Prophetic Ministry from a 2004 Publication

    22 Oct 2009 | 4:58 am
    Thought you might enjoy this article from the past that is now available online:http://www.pneumafoundation.org/article.jsp?article=/MSullivant-ProphecyInTheChurchToday.xml

  • The Romance of Romans-Part 83

    3 Oct 2009 | 5:37 am
    Romans Chapter 12 cont'dIn thinking about the first "reformational" point for the western church in the 21st century, A More Holistic Spirituality, I don't think we could improve upon the way that Eugene Peterson translates these first two verses in The Message. (I have already commented extensively on these verses and this first point in my previous blogs on Chapter 12.)"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is…

  • The Romance of Romans-Part 82

    27 Sep 2009 | 6:53 am
    Romans Chapter 12 cont'd I have "camped out" in Romans 12 for many years and have become convinced that it holds out to us a very relevant message and clear challenge for the expression of our faith here in the western world in 21st century. I believe that there are seed thoughts that can lead us into a needed "rebranding" of what it means and looks like for communities of people to genuinely follow Jesus Christ...a new reformation...if you will. Romans 12 is the beginning of the practical and logical response to who Jesus is and what he has done for the cosmos and all humanity...our part of…
 
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    ReligionDispatches - Stories

  • Politics, Not Religion, At Heart of Health Care Reform Wrangle on Abortion

    Sarah Posner
    6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Despite repeated compromises from pro-choice Democrats, anti-choice Dems threaten to kill health care reform unless all their demands are met.  

  • A Daily Utopia: Creating Our Moral Values Every Day

    Anna Peterson
    5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm
    The author of a new book talks to RD about the radical that lies beneath our everyday practices, whether ethics requires religion, and the “education of desire.”

  • Compelled by Faith: When Prayer is Not Good For You

    Mandy Van Deven
    5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Abby Sher collected thumbtacks and paper clips, traced the patterns on her wallpaper, and prayed fervidly to avert disaster. In another era she might have been just another pious eccentric; today she’s a recovering obsessive-compulsive who has renounced (most of) her faith.

  • Beautiful Dreamers: A Documentary Asks “What is God”?

    Nathan Schneider
    5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Peter Rodger traveled through twenty-three countries in three years asking the same question to everyone he met, and filming, gorgeously, the results. Turns out the question—“What is God?”—reveals more than a person’s faith.

  • American Fever: A Tale of Romance and Pestilence

    Michael A. Elliott
    4 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    An online novel about a flu pandemic blurs the boundaries between real “flu-blogging” and the dystopic world of its blogger protagonist. And it exposes the cultural anxiety, both religious and secular, that disease unleashes.
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    creativecommons.org

  • Purpose: The Ultimate Competitive Advantage

    Mike Holmes
    6 Nov 2009 | 8:10 am
    Purpose is a necessity—knowing one’s purpose even more. Those people and organizations that do seem to go further and accomplish more than those that don’t. But what is purpose? It’s defined as: “The object toward which one strives or for which something exists.” We’re all guided by it. Everyone one of us. The Bible says, “The noble-hearted man has noble purposes, and by these he will be guided.” [1] Without it, we’re like children “tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine.” [2] In other…

  • What Andrew Carnegie Could Teach Christian Entrepreneurs

    Mike Holmes
    5 Nov 2009 | 7:22 am
    I’m reading Carnegie by Peter Krass. It’s an excellent biography of Andrew Carnegie, the man who created his fortune in the steel industry and gave it all away at the end of his life. I must admit, I’ve always enjoyed reading about great leaders (especially business leaders). I love reading about their triumphs, failures, strengths, weaknesses, wisdom, folly, and their overall contradictions–and Carnegie is no different. To be honest, though he had good business practices he had questionable ones too: He made his first fortune through insider trading He saw his…

  • Sales and Evengelism: One in the same? You tell me.

    Mike Holmes
    4 Nov 2009 | 6:47 am
    “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’” [1] I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of years–having done both. But it was a recent discussion on LinkedIn that got me thinking about it again. The discussion was entitled, “How do good sales…

  • Leadership Lessons from King Hezekiah

    Mike Holmes
    3 Nov 2009 | 8:18 am
    Hezekiah was a bad man! Taking the throne at age 25 he instituted reforms that made people’s head spin! He was awesome. But what made him stand out in my mind apart from the other “good”  kings like Asa, Jehosophat, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jehoash, Jothan, and Jehu is that he went further than them in instituting reform. He broke down the pagan shrines which many failed to touch. And he broke up the bronze serpent Moses had made because the people worshipped it. Think about that last one for a second: he broke the serpent Moses made! Moses! The man who led them out of Egypt,…

  • Why the Bible Would Revolutionize the Business World

    Mike Holmes
    31 Oct 2009 | 9:05 am
    The Bureau of Economic Analysis recently announced that our economy might be growing again–for the first time since the second quarter of 2008. Although its too early to tell its a glimmer of hope  for those of us ravaged by the economy. With every downturn in the market people come back up  more humble–willing to assess mistakes, see where they fell, and the government institutes laws to police any abuse. It’s all cyclical. Because I believe, with all my heart, that the Bible has the answers to ALL of life’s problems…the business world needs to take a greater…
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