The health care bill passed second procedural hurdle in the Senate early Tuesday morning, but the compromise on insurance coverage of abortion continues to be criticized by both sides of the debate. The USCCB’s point man calls the legislative compromise “crazy”; it certainly is complicated.
The attorney for accused Fort Hood killer, Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, says the Army won’t let his client pray in Arabic with this family. He can pray with them in English via the phone, though.
Mississippi is the most religious state, according to a Pew survey that ranks the 50 by how important people say religion is in their lives, how often they attend worship services and pray, and their absolute certainty of belief in God. That last measure seems odd; some of the most religious people in history (e.g. Mother Teresa) have had their doubts. Blind faith does not a saint make. New Hampshire and Vermont are the least “religious state,” for those scoring at home. Is the Northeast really godless, or is it just old-fashioned Yankee reticence?
Anyway, Oral Roberts, whom the AP dubbed “the godfather of TV evangelism,” was memorialized in Tulsa, Ok., yesterday by about 4,000 people and many more who tuned in via the boob tube.
Catholics in Connecticut are divided between those still angry about the clergy sex abuse scandal and people who just want to forget about it, according to the NYT.
Some churches are putting on “mega-Nativities” that cost $40,000 and featured giant holographs of the Angel Gabriel.
Pagans, druids and other hearty souls braved the snow and celebrated the winter solstice at Stonehenge yesterday.(See AP photo above left)
Mexico City became the first city in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage, a change that will also allow gay couples to adopt children, according to the AP. Israeli women are challenging the modesty restrictions Israel places on worshippers at the Western Wall.