Here's how to do it. First, look at The Guardian's headline for the story above: "Claims of Satanic cult and child sacrifices in London are baseless, judge rules." That seems like good news, but it also doesn't say anything about you. And that's the key to this process -- learning to make it all about you. All that requires is a simple tweaking of that headline: "Judge refuses to prosecute Satanic cult and child sacrifices in London." Read more
"Go in to your father’s concubines, the ones he has left to look after the house; and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened." Read more
Let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the book sales. Plus, schism in the name of unity, the narrative of decline, an obvious Bill O'Reilly joke, unintentional inspiration from Ikea, and music selections from the ghost of Jerry Falwell. Read more
Back in January, I asked "Where is our 2016 GOP/Too Many Cooks mashup?" The Internet finally comes through thanks to -- surprisingly -- CNN. No, really CNN. Who knew they had it in them? (They left out George Pataki, and Snarf, but I'm not complaining.) Read more
I'm inclined to agree with the police chief's conclusion: "That isn't a church." This certainly appears to be what he and other local officials have concluded -- an attempt to exploit the tax-status of a church while operating as a club geared to attract partying spring breakers. But it's also possible that Bishop has founded a new church that embraces ecstatic forms of worship including -- and requiring -- body paint, lingerie parties, "and a little twerkin'." Read more
Conor Williams dissects David Brooks. Robin DiAngelo on white fragility. Kevin Kruse on the corporate creation of "Christian America." And Rockstar Dinosaur Pirate Princess on the simplicity of consent. Plus, Christian leaders from across America come together to acknowledge that Franklin Graham is awful. Read more
The preoccupation with pay phones seems anachronistic to us now because LaHaye and Jenkins failed to anticipate the cell-phone revolution. But the biggest reason that the beginning of "Left Behind" seems dated and unreal has nothing to do with technological change. Read more
This transparent heads-I-win, tails-you-lose cooking of the books happens all the time with all of the so-called "mainline" denominations. When it is convenient for evangelicals to do so, they dismiss the whole thing as a hive of post-Christian liberalism. And then, when it is convenient for evangelicals to do so, they argue that the denomination is actually mostly made up of good evangelicals. Read more
"There is a way to keep safe, clean grounds while helping our homeless neighbors — and it’s both easier and harder than installing sprinkler systems or putting up fences. It requires the investment of time and resources to build relationships, listen and help." Read more
Besides all that lightning, stove, bifocal, swim-fin, Treaty of Paris, fire department stuff, Ben Franklin also invented Net Neutrality. Really. Plus: Oil trains blow up, Roman civil religion, a historical society wants to believe, and a reminder that mosquito bands, homeopathy, and Mickey Kaus are all bunk. Read more
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