Posts in North America
Anti-Catholic bias in the Guardian?

(COMMENTARY) An article in the Guardian about Catholic resistance to relaxing a Good Friday drinks ban has no Catholic voices. What this piece does have is assumptions. It assumes what the stance of the Catholic Church might be and that all right thinking people will agree with the author’s worldview. George Conger argues that readers are left an example of agitprop, which fails the basic tests of sound journalism.

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The sin of fake news: The devil is in the details

(COMMENTARY) "Fake news" - and the overuse of the term itself – has become so pervasive that even Pope Francis felt strong enough about it to address the phenomenon plaguing our Facebook feeds and Google searches. The added layer of technology and the changing dynamic within journalism has made this an issue that could have severely negative consequences on our political and economic systems going forward.

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And now a word from Oprah, the pope (and president?) of America's 'nones'

Is Oprah the "pope" of the religiously unaffiliated? If that label fits anyone, it would be Winfrey. "She talks about God, but for Oprah that can almost be the God of the week, the spiritual flavor of the week. … How she talks about spirituality and about truth is constantly changing. That's her gift. That's who she is. For her, that stuff will preach."

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March for Life’s poor coverage biggest sign of liberal media bias

(COMMENTARY) Why would an annual event featuring tens of thousands of people from across the country who peacefully assemble on Washington’s National Mall in protest of an issue they care very passionately about receive little to no media coverage? That very situation plays itself out every January when it comes to the mainstream media’s handling of the March for Life, an event that brings together a cross-section of Americans in support of the rights of the unborn.

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Searching for some facts about St. Matthew and those mysterious Epiphany magi

(COMMENTARY) Several centuries after the birth of Jesus, Syrian scribes offered the names for the wise men who came to Bethlehem. Over the centuries, images of them have shaped countless Nativity scenes, church pageants and carols. Comparing the simple biblical account with many colorful "Three Kings" stories, is rather like comparing the humble, pious, 3rd century St. Nicholas of Myra with the Santa Claus found in Hollywood flicks.

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Religious Freedom: What the United States can learn from Canada’s mistakes

(COMMENTARY) Canada serves as a warning to the United States of the tricky balance that the legalization of same-sex marriage brings with it. The Supreme Court must protect the religious freedom of all American citizens. Should justices rule otherwise, the U.S. could be headed down the same downward spiral that Canada finds itself in today. 

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Pope Francis and the media’s ongoing fallibility

(COMMENTARY) With the only exception being President Donald Trump, no world leader gets as much press coverage as Pope Francis. His every utterance is able to fill a reporters’ notepad but not all papal statements are created equal. What the pope writes in an encyclical has one degree of importance as does what he says to crowds in St. Peter’s Square. Both carry a lot more weight than the soundbite you saw on CNN, but none of them should be considered infallible.

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Religious freedom is a fundamental right, not legalized discrimination

(COMMENTARY) Some would have you believe that religious exemptions are nothing more than the government sanctioning irrational hatred, but free exercise claims have been respected in our country’s history since the founding of America. This is not a necessary evil that we should put up with, but something that gives the United States its very vitality. 

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Free Speech, Pro-Life or Anti-Abortion? The Media’s Supreme Court Quandary

(COMMENTARY) 

Most people never read whole articles, and a surprising number of readers don’t make it past the first paragraph of a news story. Plenty of people share articles without ever reading them. So, how do news agencies fare with their headlines for culture war cases that make it to the Supreme Court? Alex Grass finds out.

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Christmas in America 2017: The season may be huuuuge, but it's not all that sacred

(OPINION) President Donald Trump sees his big tax-bill win on Capitol Hill was a giant – maybe even huuuuge – Christmas present for America. But many people think of Christmas as a cultural season built on gifts, travel, fun, food, and festivities more than a religious holiday.

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Lottie Moon: The feisty patron saint of global Baptist missions

(OPINION) Lottie Moon was a pioneer missionary and educator in the late 19th Century who remained steadfast and true to her calling. She let God use her in a remarkable way during her lifetime and her work is still touching people around the world.

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Riding Populist Waves: Where Trump and Modi Find Common Ground

(OPINION) U.S. President Donald Trump and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi may differ in their leadership styles and values, but the two share common ground when it comes to their rise in popularity in conservative nationalist movements in their countries.

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