Overwhelmingly, Americans think the moral values of the country are worsening. Around four in five U.S. adults (81 percent) say the state of moral values is getting worse, and only 14 percent say it’s getting better. That gives the future outlook a minus 67 score — down 24 points from 2002.
Read MoreIllegal bans on nonvegetarian food are increasingly being introduced in towns that attract Hindu pilgrims, like Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and Haridwar in Uttarakhand. Since it is perceived as a manifestation of tradition and culture, it is difficult to challenge it in a court of law.
Read MoreThe Mixe language continues to thrive. The Mixe people consider themselves never conquered, and turkey — an animal native to the Americas before colonization — is served at all significant events. Asking Mother Earth for permission and for the well-being of the plants does not only accompany coffee producers of the Mixe group, but also other farmers in Oaxaca.
Read MorePope Francis delivered his first speech on Indonesian soil on Wednesday as he met with the country’s authorities, civil society, and diplomatic corps at the Istana Negara presidential palace in Jakarta. He was welcomed by President Joko Widodo, a crowd of Indonesian children waiving Vatican and Indonesian flags, and several members of the presidential guard.
Read More(OPINION) During the lengthy pandemic lockdown, I decided to take advantage of all that unforeseen solitude by developing my spiritual life. Among other things, I studied the works of Roman Catholic mystics. One sublime idea they sometimes express is that each of us — indeed, God’s whole creation — is one with the Maker of everything.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When the second installment in the blockbuster “Dune” franchise came out, it was hard not to see it as a not-very-subtle metaphor for the Israel-Hamas war. It was starnge to watch scenes of guerilla warriors in headscarves when I saw the same images on the news. Lately, people have been finding those same parallels in other movies or TV series about conflict.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Elizabeth Neumann’s “Kingdom of Rage” shows, as its subtitle states, “The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace.” She said the development of in-groups is natural, but “the problem arises when a group begins constructing narratives about an out-group’s … beliefs, traits and practices, relying on information that may be unreliable, exaggerated or based solely on an in-group member’s negative experience with the out-group.”
Read MoreThe new movie "You Gotta Believe," about a youth baseball team's improbable journey all the way to the Little League World Series, offers a fleeting glimpse of faith. But in real life, religion played a more crucial role.
Read MoreBefore we get to the issue of modern women fleeing church pews, let’s pause and do something that — as a rule — I try to avoid doing when discussing matters of cultural, morality and faith. Let’s consider some political numbers. In a recent Pew Research Center package of survey data, there is this headline: “Partisanship by gender, sexual orientation, marital and parental status.”
Read More(REVIEW) “Rings of Power” tries to square the circle between the “The Lord of the Rings” wider Middle Earth treatment of religion, and it often is more confusing than anything. While the second season opener is far from perfect, it’s a giant leap forward toward the kind of show that “Lord of the Rings” fans deserve. It also honors J.R.R. Tolkein’s legacy and the way he imagined the world.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Preaching to teenagers has always been a challenge. In the smartphone age, clergy need to realize that the odds of making a spiritual connection have changed — radically. Young people who spend as many as 10 or more hours a day focusing on digital screens will find it all but impossible to listen to an adult talk about anything, especially in a religious sanctuary.
Read MoreMany people around the world are more likely to say it is important to have a nation's leader stand up for those who share their religious beliefs. The survey, conducted by Pew Research Center, found that in countries where faith is “perceived as very important” that citizens are overall “more likely to value each of these qualities in a leader.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) In early August 2024, thousands of women and women’s rights campaigners took to the streets across Iraq to protest proposed legal changes that effectively would legalize child marriage. The proposed change is to allow citizens to choose between religious authorities or civil judiciary to decide on family matters.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Crow” is the latest Hollywood remake brought to the screen. Based on the 1994 cult classic, the new film stars Bill Skarsgard as Eric Draven, who, after home invaders kill him and his girlfriend, makes a deal with an agent of the afterlife to come back as an indestructible assassin to exact revenge on the killers.
Read MoreDuring one of the presidential elections during my decade teaching in Washington, D.C., there was more than the usual chatter about the importance of the so-called “Catholic vote” and its impact in swing states.
Read MoreIn the midst of a conflict on three fronts — Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran — Israeli troops congregate on street corners, in cafes and around government buildings. Many are between 18 and 20 years old, recent draftees of the mandatory military service required of Israeli citizens.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It was a strange way for Oliver Anthony to mark the anniversary of the YouTube video that turned him into a country music roots phenomenon. “Rich Men North of Richmond” launched last Aug. 8, 2023. When that date rolled around a year later, Hurricane Debby was sweeping through Virginia. The creeks were rising as Anthony headed into the woods with his dogs and his smartphone to record another emotional mini-sermon.
Read MoreSome of the greatest writers ever to put pen to paper were deeply influenced by their religious beliefs. Take JRR Tolkien, for instance. He didn't merely craft a fantasy epic with “The Lord of the Rings,” but he filled it with the depth and richness of his Catholic faith. Through characters like Gandalf, Frodo and Aragorn, Tolkien explored themes of sacrifice, redemption and the struggle between light and darkness, good and evil, heaven and hell.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Recent weeks have seen an increase in the targeting of the Rohingya community. In June 2024, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres expressed his deep concern about escalating violence in Myanmar. According to the U.N., Myanmar’s Rakhine State has seen a spike in violence between the Myanmar military and the Arakan army. Reportedly, many of the attacks targeted the minority Muslim Rohingya community.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Every once in a while I will get an email from someone who doesn’t really fit the mold. Let me be clear that the amount of communication I get from Bernie Sanders-supporting White evangelicals is not huge. The more common sentiment is a White evangelical who sees themselves as politically moderate or really pushed out by the modern MAGA Republican Party.
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