TODAY IN GOD:RELIGION NEWS BITES FOR YOUR SNACKING PLEASURE ____________________________________________________________________________________ Romney (Over)Reaches to the Christian Right VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) did not discuss his Mormon faith as he continued his outreach Saturday to conservative Christians in a graduation speech at Regent University, the school founded by televangelist Pat Robertson. Instead, Romney, who is intensely courting this key segment of the Republican base in hopes of winning the party’s 2008 presidential nomination, expounded on conservative... Read more

STICKS AND STONES AND WORDS: ANOTHER GOOD’N FROM “THE DAILY OM” I look forward to the Daily Om dispatches that land in my email inbox somewhere before the Vatican Information Service daily briefing on all things pope-ular and before the first of dozens of unwanted hey-look-what-our-senator/congressman(woman)/candidate-did-today messages. Today’s Om was one that might make Dennis Quaid’s character Cousin Eddie from the “National Lampoon’s _______ Vacation” franchise say: “BINGO!” For your edification:May 7, 2007 Feeling Our WordsWords Have Weight Words carry... Read more

CH-CH-CH CHECK IT OUT: ‘AND CARL LAUGHED’ Kelley Ryan has been my best friend since we were freshwomen in college and she is brilliant. I mean that literally. Brilliant. She is an actor, a director, a playwright, and the world’s most marvelous drama teacher for the lucky, lucky students at Clayton High School in St. Louis. Last fall, Kelley and a retired colleague from Clayton, Nick Otten, wrote a play for the students to perform called, “And Carl Laughed,” about... Read more

GODSTUFF THE CONSTANT GARDENER:IN THE GARDEN, HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL Happy belated Beltane! What? Not ringing any bells? Beltane is the ancient Celtic festival, falling on or around May 1, that celebrates the beginning of the summer pastoral season, the start of the fertile planting period, the beginning of the hope of things to come. Most modern Celts, like myself, don’t celebrate Beltane unless, perhaps, they consider themselves pagans. I do not, but this week, as I’ve watched the heirloom tomato... Read more

TROUBLE AT THE CHUPPAH: MARRIAGE, ISRAEL AND ORTHODOXYThere have been a number of interesting articles of late about the issue of conversions, interfaith marriages, Orthodoxy, and Israeli citizenship. Below, find the most recent turn of events (from Religion News Service via Beliefnet.com) followed by an article from New West about a recent change in Montana’s peculiar double-proxy wedding law, and a 2006 story from the Jerusalem Report about proxy weddings and one rabbi (our friend Allen Secher aka “The Lone... Read more

TODAY IN GOD:RELIGION NEWS BITES FOR YOUR SNACKING PLEASURE ____________________________________________________________________________________ CHAT ABOUT SPIRITUALITY WITH DAVID LYNCH NOON EST TODAY (5/2)The Washington Post is hosting an online forum with the director David Lynch (one of The God Factor book gang, btw). To submit a question to David, who has been practicing transcendental meditation for nearly 40 years, click HERE He’ll also be talking about his new book Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness and Creativity. After Working the Streets, Bunk Beds... Read more

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: ‘Just pray for a tough hide and a tender heart.’ Ruth Graham said the quote above, and it came to mind as I was remembering my friend Robert who is recovering from some terrible injuries sustained when a car hit him while he was riding his bicycle a couple of weeks ago near his home in Sydney, Australia. Robert is one of those remarkable people who has the seemingly inherent ability to light up a room... Read more

‘I’M THROUGH WITH DOUBT. THERE’S NOTHING LEFT FOR ME TO FIGURE OUT …’ The Dixie Chicks “Not Ready to Make Nice.” It’s about the backlash they experienced after publicly criticizing President Bush’s warmongering. But I have a feeling it’s about a lot more than that. The chicks actually got me listening to country music. Sometimes there’s nothing like a good old-timey country yarn a la Johnny or Dolly or Willie to warm the soul or catch a fire. Read more

SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING … METAPHYSICAL TOURISM In case you missed it, log on and read ETHAN TODRAS-WHITEHILL’s fascinating (and sometimes downright funny) story from Sunday’s New York Times about touring the spirit world, as it were. Here’s a taste: No sound was heard in the burial chamber of the Great Pyramid as a tall, slender woman lay down in the pharaoh’s pitted granite sarcophagus, her flowing silver hair spreading beneath her. Her dozen or so companions in the dank room... Read more

PONDER THIS: ‘WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE’ Bob Dylan, May 12, 1964. But now we got weaponsOf the chemical dustIf fire them we’re forced toThen fire them we mustOne push of the buttonAnd a shot the world wideAnd you never ask questionsWhen God’s on your side. In a many dark hourI’ve been thinkin’ about thisThat Jesus ChristWas betrayed by a kissBut I can’t think for youYou’ll have to decideWhether Judas IscariotHad God on his side. So now as I’m leavin’I’m... Read more