In my experience, the warmest gestures of inclusion usually come from people who spend little time talking about how inclusive they are. When a person flashes inclusivity like a badge, especially in comparison to those noninclusive extremists over there, it’s a safe bet an ideological mugging is imminent.
A short al Qaeda test for copy desks and other editors
Please pause for a moment for a short test to use with the copy desk in your newsroom (or the newsroom nearest you).
Meet John Ashcroft, honorary Branch Davidian (Creeping Fundamentalism IX)
In a video game called Waco Resurrection, a player steps into the mind of the would-be messiah David Koresh and gains energy from — well, of course, from Bibles that rain from the sky and spray bullets. The same Bibles can transform federal agents into Branch Davidians.
Hypocrite, journalist, Catholic or what? You make the call
I’ve been on the road again this week, only this time headed west to Phoenix to speak at the annual North American Christian Convention. This means I’ve been struggling to catch up with some news events that I wanted to get onto the blog for discussion.
What did Ratzinger write?
The Washington Times’ Julia Duin (a friend of this blog) reported Wednesday on Vatican official Joseph Ratzinger’s tough six-point memo regarding Catholic politicians who defy church teaching on abortion and euthanasia. Drawing from a story in the Italian newspaper L’Espresso, Duin reports that Ratzinger called for a stronger discipline than indicated by Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick:
A case for separating church and pop
Picture this: an altar; an earth-shattering sound system; people of all ages “jamming to the groove”; and an Episcopal bishop rapping and feeling the beat.
Kerry, abortion and other faiths
As first reported in the Dubuque Tribune Herald and given greater exposure by The Washington Post, John Kerry has elaborated on his long-stated personal opposition to abortion in contrast with his perfectly prochoice voting record.
Just another old-fashioned, fundamentalist way to die? Part III
Just another old-fashioned, fundamentalist way to die? Part II
As I write, the world continues to await news of the fate of Lebanese-born Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun. The story is getting more confusing by the moment, with Reuters just reporting:
