Monthly Archives: December 2011
Thursday Godbytes: Bethlehemian Rhapsody; Darth Vader’s Christmas choir; Cardinal sin
By Jack Jenkins — December 16, 2011
Virtual nativity scenes are popping up all over these days. Take your pick: you can opt for one performed by adorable Hipster children, roll deep with a beatbox version of Christ’s birth, or enjoy the oldy-but-goody “Bethlehemian Rhapsody“…as performed by puppets. Speaking of Christmas (and hipsters), notoriously secretive street artist and celebrated troublemaker Banksy has […]
Thursday’s Religion News Roundup: Iraq war ends; 2011’s top religion story; “menor
By Daniel Burke — December 15, 2011
The killing of Osama bin Laden and the reactions it provoked in faith communities was the top religion story of the year, according to a Religion Newswriters Association survey. Congress’s hearings on radicalization among American Muslims was voted the No. 2 story, followed by the indictment of Catholic Bishop Robert Finn of K.C. on charges […]
2011: A year of taking it to the streets
By Tracy Gordon — December 15, 2011
(RNS) 2011 was supposed to be the year the world ended. Twice. But after evangelist Harold Camping’s doomsday predictions failed to materialize, all eyes are now on 2012 when, according to an ancient Mayan calendar, we need to once again prepare for the end of the world as we know it. Jesus was pretty clear: […]
COMMENTARY: Objects in the rearview mirror were as big as they appear
By Tracy Gordon — December 15, 2011
(RNS) Here are my picks for the top 10 religion stories from 2011: 1. Islam and Muslims dominated the news in 2011 with the “Arab Spring” rebellions; the electoral success of extreme Islamic parties in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco; Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal crackdown on his people; and Iran’s ominous steps to develop a […]
Gingrich v. the Courts
By Mark Silk — December 15, 2011
Anyone who doubts that Newt Gingrich is a bomb-thrower should head right over to “Bringing the Courts Back Under the Constitution,” a position paper that is part of the Newtonian revolution also known as the 21st Century Contract with America. The New York Times was not exaggerating when it editorialized a few days ago that […]
Muslim reality show, under fire, denies charges of extremism
By Tracy Gordon — December 15, 2011
(RNS) The cast and producers of “All-American Muslim,” a reality-TV show that has been a lightning rod for controversy, said Wednesday (Dec. 14) they are helping change negative perceptions of Muslims, and rejected criticisms that the show is propaganda that sugarcoats Islam. “These are our lives. This is what we’ve been doing for years,” said […]
A Jewish Christmas? Some say ‘Oy Tannennbaum’
By Tracy Gordon — December 15, 2011
(RNS) Frances Dinkelspiel attends a Reform synagogue, raises her teenage daughters Jewish and plans to host a Christmas party this year. As her family has for decades, Dinkelspiel will exchange presents, decorate a tree and invite friends over for Christmas Eve. December 25 has no religious significance for Dinkelspiel, a writer in Berkeley, Calif. “We […]
Bin Laden’s death rated top religion news story
By Tracy Gordon — December 15, 2011
(RNS) The death of Osama bin Laden and the reactions it produced among people of faith was rated the No. 1 religion news story of 2011 by the nation’s leading religion journalists. The Religion Newswriters Association (RNA) polls its members annually to compile a list of the top 10 religion stories of the year. About […]
Jefferson’s Bible gets a second look
By Tracy Gordon — December 14, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) How would you feel about taking a razor blade to a Bible? Thomas Jefferson, apparently, didn’t have any qualms about it. In his retirement, the nation’s third president carried out a project he had contemplated for years: he literally cut and pasted passages from the four Gospels into one integrated narrative of Jesus’ […]
COMMENTARY: That we all may be one
By Tracy Gordon — December 14, 2011
(RNS) It all started when I mentioned that one of our parishioners, John, stopped attending because his left-leaning politics made him feel out of place at coffee hour, where he felt like he was at a Rush Limbaugh convention. “The liberals are trying to get our free religious speech out of schools and the public […]
WednesdayâÂ?Â?s Roundup: Atheist nativities, Matisyahu’s beard, marriage woes, Evangelical sway
By David Gibson — December 14, 2011
God or luck? In Santa Monica, a pair of atheists won the rights to 18 out of 21 spaces reserved for holiday displays at a city park, leaving more than a dozen churches who had previously used 14 of the 21 spots out in the cold, or what passes for cold at Christmas in Santa […]
Whither Mormonism?
By Mark Silk — December 14, 2011
Some interesting hints emerge from a brand new survey of American Mormons by Rick Phillips and Ryan Cragun, using the 2008 ARIS data and carried out under Trinity College auspices. Overall, and contrary to the claims of the LDS Church, there’s been no proportional growth in the American Mormon population over the past two decades; […]
Gingrich stumbling in Iowa
By Mark Silk — December 14, 2011
The latest Iowa polls show Newt Gingrich losing ground to Ron Paul–up by 10 points (27-17) over Paul according to InsiderAdvantage and by just one (22-21) according to PPP. Meanwhile, Gingrich’s new political director, Des Moines political consultant Craig Bergman, has left the campaign allegedly for making anti-Mormon remarks at a GOP focus group just […]
Has Matisyahu left Judaism?
By Tracy Gordon — December 14, 2011
(RNS) Matisyahu, the improbable but undeniable reggae star, announced on Twitter on Tuesday (Dec. 13) that he is shaving the beard that has long marked him as a Hasidic Jew. Fans are confused. Is he giving up the Orthodox brand of Judaism he adopted 10 years ago, and the ultra-religious persona that helped launch him […]
Conservatives rate ‘naughty and nice’ Christmas retailers
By Tracy Gordon — December 14, 2011
(RNS) Don’t let the strains of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” over the store’s audio system fool you. Barnes & Noble is “against” Christmas. So says the conservative Christian group, American Family Association, in its message to supporters in its annual “Naughty and Nice” Christmas list, which rates retailers’ marketing campaigns on whether they […]
