The birth control pill turned 50 this year. Time magazine celebrated the anniversary with a 5,000-word look at the sociological history of its development and use. And I have to say that while the piece reads a bit like a love letter to 1960s feminism, author Nancy Gibbs discussed religion and values throughout the piece. This seems like the obvious thing to do when talking about something related to sex and procreation — but we all know how many reporters would avoid including religion in the discussion.
Oprah struggles with our 'spiritual' age?
If there is any person in American life who symbolizes the whole “spiritual” vs. “religious” storyline, that person would, for me, have to be Oprah Winfrey.
Devout or deviant?
A reader alerted us to the airing of a PBS Frontline documentary on “The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan”. I had the chance to watch it earlier in the week and it is absolutely riveting. You can watch it online and I encourage you to do so if it has already aired in your market.
A New York Times red herring
When the New York Times ran a story about the Vatican response to a particularly horrendous case of child sexual abuse by a priest, many observers felt that the Times should have explained a bit more about Jeff Anderson, a primary source for the piece. So, for instance, here is Bill McGurn taking the story’s author — Laurie Goodstein — to task in a Wall Street Journal column from earlier this month. She’d described Anderson as a lawyer:
Buck stops with Benedict ... again (updated)
Here’s the headline on The New York Times’ latest story delving into Pope Benedict XVI and his handling of clergy sexual abuse:
Wise words (no, not those) in NYTs
I know some of you are tired of reading about the Vatican, clergy sexual abuse and, of course, the mainstream coverage of all of that.
Abuse of a 'boy' or a 'young man'?
Anyone who picked up a major newspaper today knows that one of the hot stories on the other side of the Atlantic is the resignation of Bishop Roger Vangheluwe of Brugge, Belgium — the latest star to fall in the current wave of clergy sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church.
Hooking up with CNN
Religion is overrated. Here in the bubble of GetReligionland, we sometimes forget that. Thank you, CNN, for reminding us.
Banning gays or banning beliefs? (updated)
Now, what happens when you combine the complexities of religious doctrine with the intricate, and at times agonizing, nature of the hair-splitting debates that take place in the U.S. Supreme Court? Only the brave enter that kind of maze.
