It’s strictly taboo: Lancaster paper kills article on a witch

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:31 pm By Jim Davis

How controversial could a witch be in 2014? Plenty, if you’re in Lancaster, Pa. — where a newspaper ran a feature on a local practitioner, then killed it. At issue is a long, friendly, garden-variety profile on Kim Cabot Consoli of Bainbridge, in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal. The May 17 feature, by a former GetReligionista — the Rev. Elizabeth Eisenstadt-Evans — that described Consoli’s “craft,” how she practices it, her relationship with a Mayan teacher and Salem witch Laurie Cabot,... Read more

What language did Jesus speak? The Tablet knows

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:31 pm By geoconger

So, did the pope and Israel’s prime minister have a rancorous exchange in Jerusalem over the topic of Jesus’ mother tongue? One thing is certain: Headline writers had a field day with the “spar”, as Reuters characterized the encounter. Was it a “spat,” as per The Chicago Tribune? Did they “publicly bicker” as per The Age of Melbourne? Did Francis “correct” Netayahu, as Time reported? Or was the National Post correct in calling it a “quibble”? Commentators were quick to jump. I’ve seen... Read more

Boy, you got a prayer in … the drive-thru lane

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:31 pm By Bobby Ross Jr.

I’ll never forget a sermon I heard as a young boy — mainly because I found the message extremely humorous. In Churches of Christ, we observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. But some folks were showing up and quickly leaving after the communion service. So the minister got up one week and proposed distributing the grape juice and crackers through a drive-through so people wouldn’t even need to get out of their cars. Fast-forward 35 years, and the idea of... Read more

Whoa! Religion chapter added to AP Stylebook

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:31 pm By Bobby Ross Jr.

The 2014 Stylebook launches today, featuring a new religion chapter. http://t.co/FfOH60x1Tc pic.twitter.com/wGjOXjdiPK — AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) May 28, 2014 Big news for Godbeat style geeks: The Associated Press Stylebook — the journalist’s Bible — has added a religion chapter. The Poynter Institute reports: The 2014 edition of the Associated Press Stylebook comes out Wednesday, with about 200 changes and additions, including a new chapter devoted to religion, updates to social media terms, weather terms and the chapter on food. Some of those... Read more

BBC: Another generic, mysterious ‘honor killing’ (updated)

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:31 pm By tmatt

This time the bloody honor killing took place in a public place, for all to see — outside the Lahore High Court. The short BBC report noted: Police said 30-year old Farzana Bibi died on the spot after being attacked with bricks and sticks. Her father handed himself in, but police say her brothers and former fiance, who also took part in the attack, were still free. … Farzana Bibi’s parents accused her husband, Muhammad Iqbal, of kidnapping her, and... Read more

And the Godbeat goes on: Yet another veteran is forced out

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:32 pm By Jim Davis

Insult + injury? It could look that way, but it was probably just a blunder by the Tampa Tribune. The newspaper set out a tradeshow table at a community event May 15, prominently showing a poster of Faith and Values writer Michelle Bearden — six days after she was laid off. “Perhaps this means I got my job back and no one told me,” Michelle commented dryly on her Facebook page. Her layoff, one of six from the newsroom that... Read more

United Methodists stand at a ‘tipping point’ — once again

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:32 pm By tmatt

Yes, it’s time to head into yet another oldline Protestant summer of sex. This leads to a painful, and very old, oldline Protestant question. Here it is: Just how long have United Methodists been debating whether (a) local bishops have the right to ignore passages in the denomination’s Book of Discipline linked to homosexuality and (b) this means that it is inevitable that schism will result? At this point, the evangelical (and international) wing of the denomination is openly discussing... Read more

Near-death experiences: Is ‘Heaven Is For Real’ for real?

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:32 pm By Richard Ostling

MICHAEL-ANN ASKS: How well do you think [the current “Heaven Is For Real” movie] addresses communicating out-of-body spiritual experiences? AND ART ASKS: [Regarding the “countless books” on near-death experiences such as “Heaven Is For Real”]: Is there any legitimate connection between these and Christian views of the next life? THE RELIGION GUY ANSWERS: Since maybe a few folks out there haven’t bought this bestselling book, or seen the movie, or read about the book or the movie, here’s a summary:... Read more

Hey Bible Belt believer: Why do YOU persecute atheists?

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:32 pm By Bobby Ross Jr.

Confession: I live in the Bible Belt. Even worse, I’m a — gulp — conservative Christian. But here’s the good news: I haven’t persecuted any atheists today! Of course, it’s still early, and I haven’t left my house yet. There’s still time for me to track down a nonbeliever, give ’em hell and chase ’em into the baptistery. That’s what we do in (how dare they believe in) God’s country, right? In case you’re wondering the reason for my sarcasm,... Read more

What was the ‘real’ reason Francis made this pilgrimage?

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 1:32 pm By tmatt

It’s time, once again, to face the obvious. There is no subject in the world of religion that matters more to the big-hitters in mainstream journalism than the world travels of a pope. Therefore, we have work to do, after the wave of media coverage of the Middle East trip by media superstar Pope Francis. The big question for today: Why did Pope Francis go to Jerusalem, with stops in tense locales nearby? Let’s ask The New York Times: JERUSALEM... Read more