Get Religion is a national and global journalism site focusing on how the mainstream press covers religion news in politics, entertainment, business and sports.
The Westboro Baptist Church saga has always intrigued and appalled me, in large part because of my background in church-state studies and First Amendment rights. I am also intrigued with people who are so radical that they defy easy description. As the old saying goes, sometimes people go so far to the right that they end up on the left (and vice versa).
A Missouri-area student is like many others who have tested their school’s limits, only this one offers a religious twist on a t-shirt. Michelle Ramirez, 12, was pulled from class after wearing a shirt with the phrase in all caps, “Jesus, he scares the hell out of you.”
In case you haven’t heard, this year marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The Tennessean has a little quiz to test your biblical knowledge (though it’s not King James-focused per se).
Speaking of religion and tragedy in Japan, a lot of celebrities should have spoken a little less. In case you missed it, some people have said some stupid things about the tsunami. And some have dragged God into it.
One of the GetReligion posts I’ve had in my guilt file for weeks is a look at the ethics of undercover journalism. Following the stings of various Planned Parenthood offices, where undercover journalists exposed employees willing to break rules and laws in order to help an underage sex ring, a lively debate broke out among pro-lifers. Some defended the morality of the undercover journalism while others said that lying can’t be defended, even if it does expose wrongdoing.
As the May 1 date for the beatification of Pope John Paul II draws closer and closer, readers can expect more and more stories about that this rite means and what it does not mean. A key part of making that distinction will be explaining the steps that remain ahead for those who are trying to make the case that the man they call John Paul the Great should, in fact, be declared as a Catholic saint.
Many religion-related stories fall flat because they take “a visit the zoo” approach. Today’s New York Times article on Christians who try the Greek life could fall under the zoo category. The shocker? Evangelicals are joining fraternities and sororities, and they aren’t trashing the hotel where a recent conference was held.
By definition, Supreme Court decisions are national stories. However, the Westboro Baptist Church case remains a local story here in Maryland because this is where this particular case started — with the tiny independent church’s hateful media fest near the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder in Westminster.
Westboro Baptist Church keeps popping up in GetReligion territory thanks to its ability to capture attention through protests and lawsuits. Of course, the news yesterday that the Supreme Court ruled in the group’s favor is impossible to ignore.
