Neil Lewis had a front-page story in The New York Times Thursday where he alleged that the political appointees at the Justice Department hate black people and only care about conservative Christians. What’s more, they’re hiring Christians from law schools that good secular people don’t go to. And the worst thing is that the political and policy folks appointed by the president to direct the agency are in fact doing so in a manner different than the Times would like.
No congregations, no justice
On Pentecost Sunday, my mother’s youngest brother and his family joined a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. This marked the last of my mother’s siblings to leave the United Church of Christ. She also has a Roman Catholic brother, a brother who I believe is a New Age spiritualist, and a Lutheran sister.
Writing a wrong
My husband is a huge Judd Apatow fan, which means we saw the crassly-named film Knocked Up on the night it came out. The film is not religious, save a few mentions of the protagonist’s Judaism. But coverage of the film has touched quite a bit on religious themes. Knocked Up is a comedy about how a man grows up after he impregnates a beautiful woman during a one-night-stand. Without giving anything away, I think it’s okay for me to share with you that the female in question delivers the baby rather than have an abortion.
Engaged, warm and thoughtful: The Jack Kevorkian I know
A week ago I strongly criticized the tongue bath interview that 60 Minutes’ Mike Wallace had with Jack Kevorkian. Kevorkian was just released from prison for the murder of one of the 130 people whose lives he ended or helped to end.
Bill Moyers asks the tough questions
Bill Moyers interviewed The Episcopal Church’s Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori the other day for his show on the Public Broadcasting Service. I don’t watch Moyers because, frankly, I am not much for his style of one-sided journalism. Then again, I don’t really watch much broadcast journalism period. But enough readers pointed to this transcript of the interview that I gave it a read.
Of heteronormative plumbing and men
I’m not terribly clear on why the federal government has a surgeon general, but it’s been one of the highest-ranked public health positions in the land since Ulysses S. Grant filled it with John Maynard Woodworth in 1871. President Bush’s nominee for the vacant seat is one Dr. James W. Holsinger, a University of Kentucky professor.
Mother Teresa released from prison
Jack Kevorkian, the former pathologist and convicted murderer, was released from prison last week. It’s been interesting to see how the mainstream media have treated him and the euthanasia issue he is associated with. They’ve largely touted him as a compassionate, passionate doctor who helped terminally ill people in need of being put out of their misery. Any voices, such as those in the disability advocate group Not Dead Yet, that note that most of those who were killed with Kevorkian’s help weren’t terminally ill so much as disabled or depressed — were silenced.
Finding Mormon sources
One of GR’s regular commenters, Rathje, drew our attention to one of the most lively discussions about religion I’ve read in a great long while.
That word doesn't mean what you think it means
So the Guardian ran an Associated Press story on Saturday about Pope Benedict XVI approving recognition of martyrdom for an Austrian who was beheaded by the Nazis for refusing to serve in Hitler’s army. The story ran far and wide.
