Opinion
Cartoon Offends
By cmcmorri — September 30, 2008
Pat Oliphant’s cartoon, printed last Wednesday on Washingtonpost.com, received criticism for being offensive, particularly from some 350 Pentecostals. Debra Howell, who appeased such responses in her column, continued the discussion with a more general piece on the politics of cartoons. In response, a Getreligion post by Mollie pointed out that not only is the cartoon […]
COMMENTARY: A Catholic’s case for Obama
By Tracy Gordon — September 30, 2008
I believe that abortion is an unspeakable evil, yet I support Sen. Barack Obama, who is pro-choice. I do not support him because he is pro-choice, but in spite of it. Is that a proper moral choice for a committed Catholic? As one of the inaugural members of the U.S. bishops’ National Review Board on […]
L’Shana Tovah
By Mark Silk — September 29, 2008
Gender in NC
By Mark Silk — September 29, 2008
Looking through PPP’s latest North Carolina poll, I came across the following. On the question of whether the choice of Biden made them more or less likely to vote for Obama, men said less by 32-29, while women said more by 32-24. On the question of whether the choice of Palin made them more or […]
Kmiecology
By Mark Silk — September 29, 2008
GoM’s got an interesting back-and-forth between Obama-supporting pro-life Catholic Doug Kmiec and National Right to Life Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. There’s no shortage of careful parsing here–a bit of a heavy slog, but that’s in the nature of the abortion debate between professionals. So for comic relief, check out this screed from Randall Terry, “Founder, […]
“I am a betting man”
By Mark Silk — September 29, 2008
The Democratic National Committee has wasted little time putting together an attack ad on McCain and gambling. Brody thinks it could work with evangelicals, and on such matters his opinion is worth paying attention to. I have my doubts though. While It’s generally believed that reports on George W. Bush’s drunk driving hurt him with […]
Happy Pulpit Freedom Sunday!
By Mark Silk — September 28, 2008
Jay Sekulow understands that the “remedy” for the IRS rule against political endorsements from the pulpit is legislative. Why doesn’t the Alliance Defense Fund? Update: Here’s today’s AP story on the initiative. Melissa Rogers is seriously on the case, and the best place I know for your one-stop shopping. What’s odd about this whole exercise […]
Religious Right Voodoo
By Mark Silk — September 28, 2008
OK, the touchstone of the narrative of John McCain and the religious right is his angry denunciation, following the 2000 South Carolina primary, of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson as “agents of intolerance.” But now, thanks to Jo Becker and Don Van Natta Jr.’s fascinating investigative piece on John McCain and the gambling industry in […]
First Debate Religion Free (Almost)
By cmcmorri — September 27, 2008
That McCain opened with offering our prayers for Ted Kennedy was about as far religion was brought into the debate last night. Beliefnet’s Paul Raushenbush feels a little perturbed that both the candidates left religion out of foreign policy. For Raushenbush, neither candidate seemed to really acknowledge the influence of religion on global politics. But […]
What Pulpit Freedom?
By Mark Silk — September 27, 2008
The Gray Lady weighs in on Pulpit Freedom Sunday and, surprise of surprises, takes the dimmest of views. But while the editorial makes a couple of important points, it includes this odd statement: “The tax code mandate they are challenging has protected the separation of church and state by denying tax deductions for contributions to […]
What’s Beyond the Pale
By Mark Silk — September 27, 2008
Andrew Sullivan, who is not exactly mincing words these days, calls Sarah Palin an “unqualified fundamentalist liar.” It’s a commonplace that an atheist cannot be elected president of the United States. Can a fundamentalist be elected veep?
Pre-debate Roundup
By Mark Silk — September 26, 2008
Rich Cizik is still carrying the torch for big-tent evangelicalism, in an interesting Q. and A. with GOM. Melissa Rogers catches the Alliance Defense Fund in full blink mode on its forthcoming Pulpit Initiative. The Anchorage Chabad rabbi thinks Obama would be as good for the Jews as Palin. And last but anything but least, […]
Fool Me Twice…
By Mark Silk — September 26, 2008
God-o-Meter reported yesterday that Obama’s faith folks had backed out of a scheduled lunchtime debate in DC with opposite numbers on the McCain side. (Hey, wasn’t it the McCain side that was supposed to be suspending its campaign?) GOM quoted at length from a statement by the Family Research Council, which wanted everyone to know […]
COMMENTARY: A six-day creation that isn’t “very good” at all
By Tracy Gordon — September 26, 2008
“Now God saw all that had been made, and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning; the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31). While many people question the accuracy of the biblical description of creation, there is no doubt a new economic world was recently created in about six days, and no […]
White Catholics
By Mark Silk — September 25, 2008
The latest CBS/NYT poll, which has Obama ahead 47-42, shows McCain leading among white Catholics 48-41. In 2004, Bush won them over Kerry by almost double that margin, 56-43. In 2000, Bush took white Catholics by seven points, 52-45. Obama’s deficit is now identical to Gore’s. It’s worth noting as well that Obama trails McCain […]
