Bringing Sexy Back: Rob Bell Beliefnet.com has a couple of really cool postings up this weekend featuring my brutha-from-anutha-mutha Rob Bell and his new book Sex God. Click HERE to read an excerpt from the book called “How to be Sexy.” Or click HERE to read an interview with Rob titled “Find the Big Jesus.” And click HERE to watch clips from two of Rob’s Nooma films: “Rain” and “You.” Read more

MAGIC CARPET RIDE The very groovy photo above (from U2.com) is of U2 recording in Fez, Morocco. Can’t wait to hear what they come up with in that mystical place. Transcendence much? According to U2.com, the band is in Africa, writing songs with Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. “The band have set up a studio in Morocco’s medieval city of Fez where they have been writing and recording from morning till night for the past couple of weeks. ‘There’s no... Read more

TODAY IN GOD:RELIGION NEWS BITES FOR YOUR SNACKING PLEASURE ____________________________________________________________________________________ Faith adopts key role in 2008 campaign The personal faith of candidates has become a very public part of the 2008 presidential campaign. Seven years after George W. Bush won the presidency in part with a direct appeal to conservative religious voters — he cited Jesus Christ as his favorite philosopher during one debate — it seems all the leading presidential candidates are discussing their religious and moral beliefs, even... Read more

GOD GIRL AND NICA LALLI: THE INTERVIEW Sometimes an 850-word column simply isn’t big enough to hold all the gems of a really wonderful conversation. Such was the case of God Girl’s interview with Nica Lalli, author of Nothing: Something to Believe In. So we thought we’d share the transcript of the conversation between the two women. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. GGHQ ___________________________________________________________________________________ GOD GIRL: This conversation comes at a really interesting time for me,... Read more

GODSTUFF THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH A rabbi once told me that I’d learn the most from the people I thought were the least like me. So I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when, two minutes into our conversation earlier this week, Nica Lalli and I were comparing our hate mail rather than arguing over the differences in our beliefs (or lack thereof). Lalli is the author of the new book Nothing: Something to Believe In. It’s a spiritual memoir... Read more

Return of the Loch Ness Monster? She’s as much an emblem – and a tourist draw – as tartan, bagpipes, and shortbread. And now Nessie’s back. An amateur scientist has captured what Loch Ness Monster watchers say is among the finest footage ever taken of the elusive mythical creature reputed to swim beneath the waters of Scotland’s most mysterious lake. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this jet black thing, about 45-feet (15 meters) long, moving fairly fast... Read more

Get your Grace on: Shake ‘n’ Bake, sweet tiny infant baby Jesus The simple grace-based theology of Ricky Bobby from “Talladega Nights.” From delicious Powerade to his stone-cold-fox wife, Ricky Bobby knows that all good things come from above and that we should give thanks. Period. Read more

TODAY IN GOD:RELIGION NEWS BITES FOR YOUR SNACKING PLEASURE ____________________________________________________________________________________Sage for the ages makes a comeback BEIJING — Confucius is coming out of retirement. Nearly 2,500 years after the sage’s death, China is dusting off his teachings to help tackle the travails of the 21st Century. “Our economy has grown, but our spirit has dwindled,” said Feng Zhe, the 36-year-old founder of a new private school in Beijing that immerses middle-class children in Confucian discipline. The scene at Feng’s school... Read more

And now for something completely different:CHURCH BLOOPERS Read more

MUST READ DU JOUR: Polls: Most believe Bible as God’s word More than three-quarters of Americans believe the Bible is literally the word of God or inspired by the word of God, according to a trio of Gallup surveys, with 19 percent saying the Good Book is a compendium of myth and legend. The three surveys found that an average 31 percent of the respondents said that “the Bible is absolutely accurate and should be taken literally word for word,”... Read more