“I suppose if you were to meet one you’d be a bit intimidated, because they’d still be a meter tall with tusks.” “If money can be showered short-term on banks, it can be showered short-term on consumers, whether through benefit handouts, vouchers, tax holidays or scrappage schemes.” “Without a single exception, every time that the word for interest is used in the Bible, it is condemned.” “I do like mandatory 72-hour waiting periods. This is a religious position. I have... Read more
A lot of smart, sharp, wise, kind and thoughtful reactions today to North Carolina’s vote for an amendment to its state constitution barring same-sex marriage and civil unions. Here’s a sampling. Bruce Garrett: “Notice” I can appreciate that some people have deeply held religious beliefs. What I don’t appreciate is some people turning my hopes and dreams of love into their stepping stones to heaven. I can appreciate that some people have had a hard life. But only a runt... Read more
The passage of Amendment One in North Carolina has me feeling grumpy and deflated. So here are a few stories to remind myself that there are also reasons to be hopeful and encouraged. 1. “The Man Who Walked Into a Hornet’s Nest” The other day I linked to a post by Jessica at Love Is What You Do. “Their landlords treat them in ways my landlords have never treated me,” Jessica wrote of the slumlords making life miserable for the... Read more
In Nature, Andrew Curry offers a fascinating overview of the recent developments in the study of when humans first came to live in the Americas. The article is titled, “Ancient migration: Coming to America“: For most of the past 50 years, archaeologists thought they knew how humans arrived in the New World. The story starts around the end of the last ice age, when sea levels were lower and big-game hunters living in eastern Siberia followed their prey across the... Read more
The citizens of North Carolina vote today on Amendment One, a ridiculous exercise in “Scissors for Hitler” silliness that makes the Tarheel State look just as foolish as if they were voting on a ban against left-handedness or an amendment decreeing that people with blue eyes can’t be licensed to drive. It’s ugly, stupid and deeply immoral. It’s supported by liars, by racists, by Neo-Nazis and by the Catholic bishops — none of which is the sort of authority that... Read more
“Material things kill painlessly, but love revives us through torments.” “The fine for wage theft was so light and the protections for workers were so weak, that it just made sense to violate the law.” (via Punning Pundit) “Which federal program took in more than it spent last year, added $95 billion to its surplus and lifted 20 million Americans of all ages out of poverty?” (via AZspot) “As Congress returns from recess this week, House Republicans are set to... Read more
Both Alvin McEwen and Jan Edmiston wonder if the Rev. Billy Graham is being exploited and manipulated. The iconic evangelist, who is now 93 years old and has been in poor health, has a long history of avoiding taking sides on partisan political disputes, fearing that doing so would distract from his primary concern of preaching revival. He’s always been a very conservative man, politically and culturally, but he’s also usually previously avoided taking sides publicly on matters that were... Read more
Each of these commentators also offers a far better understanding of the Bible than you’ll find in Billy Graham’s shameful, pandering advertisements. … Leonard Pitts Jr.: “Don’t Blame the Bible“ Sometimes, people hide inside the Bible. That is, they use the Christian holy book as authority and excuse for biases that have nothing to do with God. They did this when women sought to vote and when African Americans sought freedom. They are doing it now, as gay men and... Read more
At GetReligion, Sarah Pulliam Bailey accurately observes one aspect of the reality of 21st-century newspapers, but seems bewildered by how to explain it. This is just staggeringly silly for a website that regards itself as performing media criticism: We’re also noticing a possible disappearance of the philanthropy beat where a reporter focuses specifically in that area. … One thing is becoming clearer: newspapers seem less eager to assign reporters to such specific beats. “Newspapers seem less eager to assign reporters... Read more
It seems that Exodus International has canceled an upcoming conference due to lack of interest. The “ex-gay” ministry has had a difficult time recovering from the latest wave of relapses and public admissions that it doesn’t actually work. Exodus International has decided there were not enough people interested in attending their Love Won Out conference scheduled for later this month to justify the expense. Conference attendance has been trending downward, with their last conference bringing in barely 400 people. This... Read more
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