Religion received scant mention in President Obama's State of the Union address last night, but he did say that the “conviction that American Muslims are part of our American family” is key in fighting Islamic extremism.
The House of Representatives has passed two bills authorizing religious symbols on war memorials, one of which seems intended to save the Mt. Soledad cross. The other would add Franklin Delano Roosevelt's D-Day morning prayer to the WWII memorial on the National Mall. Â
Religion reporters are putting on those green visors accountants always wear in the movies and poring over Mitt Romney's tax returns. The upshot: Romney is pretty rich ($21.6 million a year!) and will give a total of $4.13 million to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over two years. Mormons are required to tithe 10 percent of their income each year.Â
Newt Gingrich says evangelicals love him – much to the media's astonishment – because a) the media is run by godless hordes b) “I'm different from a normal politician” and c) he understands that there is a war on religion d) he hates judges.Â
The Vatican will not comment on a media report alleging that the new ambassador to the U.S. was transferred as punishment for complaining about corruption in the awarding of Vatican contracts. In general, Pope Benedict XVI would like people to hush up, please, and use the silence for contemplation.Â
A Pennsylvania Catholic bishop says that Hitler and Mussolini “would love” our education system, apparently because they didn't like school vouchers. The ACLU responded, “Any time someone brings up Hitler in a debate, you know they've lost.”
The New York City police commissioner admitted cooperating with “The Third Jihad,” a film shown to the NYPD that says the goal of “much of Muslim leadership here in America” is to “infiltrate and dominate” the United States. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the NYPD used “terrible judgment” in showing counterterrorism trainees the documentary-style film.
Religious nonprofits are increasingly looking to to escape onerous financial obligations, scaring thousands of current and former employees who fear they'll lose their pensions.
Speaking of documentaries, a new film on Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Anglican prelate, is making the rounds at Sundance.Â
Former Oral Roberts University president Richard Roberts was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and speeding early Tuesday morning. In case you were wondering, the university, which was founded by Roberts' father, Oral Roberts, forbids drinking alcoholic beverages.Â
Mormon cuisine ain't just Jell-o and casseroles anymore, saith the New York Times. Some younger cooks even use wine in their recipes!Â
A Sikh doctor is suing Jay Leno for facetiously suggesting that the Golden Temple – the holiest site in Sikhism – is Mitt Romney's summer home. Â
Yr hmbl aggregator,
Daniel Burke