Posts in North America
God Is Meta — Zuckerberg's Company, Not So Much

(OPINION) Mark Zuckerberg says “meta” — from the Greek word meaning beyond — “symbolizes that there is always more to build.” Uh, not quite. “Meta” does mean beyond, but it doesn’t signify there’s always more to build. In fact, it signifies boundaries. And if you’re in an ancient faith tradition, you’ll recognize it is God who is the true Meta.

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'The Jesus Music' Explores Christianity From The Perspectives Of Iconic Artists

(REVIEW) The new documentary “The Jesus Music” interviews iconic Christian artists like Amy Grant, TobyMac, Michael W. Smith and more. It’s a fun documentary, but its nostalgia overshadows many more important discussions on the current state of Christian music — for Christians and non-Christians alike.

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Biden Is A 'Good Catholic': How The Press Covered His Meeting With Pope Francis

(ANALYSIS) A funny thing happened when President Joe Biden visited Pope Francis at the Vatican. The event actually made news, especially with Biden quotes about what allegedly happened in private. It was big news across the media ecosystem because of 20 words the president uttered to reporters in Rome after the face-to-face.

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Biden Says Pope Francis Called Him A ‘Good Catholic’ As Vatican Declines To Comment

President Joe Biden said Pope Francis told him on Friday that he’s “a good Catholic” who should continue to receive Holy Communion. The comments widen the rift between the pope and a group of U.S. bishops because of the president’s support for abortion rights. The Vatican declined to comment on the veracity of Biden’s statement.

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Israelis Wonder If They Should Keep Taking US' Aid

(OPINION) If an American Jew suggested what I am about to quote, they might be hauled into the court of Jewish opinion, excoriated in some quarters and lauded in others. But these are the thoughts of Israelis who, while grateful for U.S. aid, find in recent events reasons to reevaluate that part of the relationship.

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Press Eagerly Watches Evangelicals Fracture As Elites Argue Over Politics

(OPINION) The Guy suggests that something far deeper than just a chatter-fest among self-appointed Twitter leaders is occurring in the Trump Era, which continues, to some degree — something that has the potential to wound or reshape what has been the largest and most dynamic segment of American religion: evangelical Protestants.

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Case To Protect Sacred Apache Site In Arizona Goes Beyond One Tribe Or Religion

(ANALYSIS) Oak Flat is regarded as holy by the San Carlos Apache Tribe, but it rests on about 40 billion pounds of copper. In 2014, legislation was passed by the U.S. government to transfer the land to the Resolution Copper mining company. This year, the tribe is fighting back in a case that tells us all something about what it means to be human.

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New Study Finds Values Gap Between Gen Z And Religious Institutions

A new study shows that young Americans increasingly distanced themselves from religious institutions like churches, mosques and synagogues in 2020 — which they feel don’t care about social justice issues important to them. Instead, they found spirituality in practices like tarot card readings while sharing fears and musings in online spaces.

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What Does It Mean To Be A 'True' Believer?

(OPINION) When political scientists and pollsters discuss faith and politics, one of their biggest challenges is separating the true believers from those who merely say they are believers. It's kind of like distinguishing between "football fans" and "FOOTBALL FANS," said John C. Green, a trailblazer in studies of politics, pulpits and pews.

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Pastors Question Whether To Unplug From Online Services When The Pandemic Ends

Many pastors around the U.S. and the world are wondering how and when church life can transition back into real-life gatherings, with church members weaned off the safety and convenience of online church. ReligionUnplugged.com spoke to a dozen pastors from Africa to America to hear about the challenges of digital church post pandemic.

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Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory Praises Press, Encourages Civility

(OPINION) With a controversial Catholic in the White House, there was no way for Cardinal Wilton Gregory to face a pack of Beltway journalists without fielding political questions. But he mainly praised the mainstream press for pushing issues linked to racism and social justice, and encouraged them to keep promoting civility.

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Parents Have Become Pitted Against The Government In A Fight For Children's Future

With all the ominous things taking place in America — and there are certainly quite a few — perhaps none is more ominous than this: Parents are being demonized. Moms and dads have become he enemy. It is now the government — or the education system — vs. those entrusted with raising the next generation.

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Pelosi's Papal Audience: More Proof Of A New Era Of Partisan Press?

(ANALYSIS) Despite it being almost two weeks since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Pope Francis at the Vatican, the fallout and reaction from that private audience continues to reverberate across the American political landscape. Naturally, some are concerned about how the news media we consume have covered it all.

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Says Vaccinated Are 'The Smart Ones' Who Listen To God

(OPINION) In an age in which satire and news often overlap, it was hard to know what to make of this headline: "New York Atheists Claim Religious Exemption From Vaccine After Governor Claims That It's From God." This was satire from the Babylon Bee, but the barbed humor focused on real quotes that raised eyebrows on the cultural left and right.

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Missions Groups Wary As Haiti Kidnappings Increase With Recent Abduction Of 17 People

Kidnappings in Haiti have surged by 300% this year, largely due to the 400 Mawozo gang that recently kidnapped 17 American and Canadian missionaries. Some news reports indicate gangs control up to half of Port-au-Prince and are kidnapping police officers, business people and ministers, even interrupting a sermon to kidnap a pastor.

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Colin L. Powell's Lifetime Of Service Informed By His Episcopal Faith

In life, Colin Luther Powell, the son of Jamaican Anglican immigrants, rose to become an Army general, a White House aide to four presidents and the first Black American to serve as the United States secretary of state. Powell passed away Oct. 18 at age 84 due to complications of COVID-19.

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