Politics

The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation Tuesday that would reverse President Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline. read more From Sojourners God’s Politics blog: Read full original post.

Even though I use Facebook frequently, I doubt my usage pattern will justify a $100 billion valuation for the company or send a new crop of Silicon Valley paper millionaires to Ferrari dealerships. I never click on sidebar ads, I immediately block all games, and I have no intention of using Facebook’s virtual money. I’ve done some advertising — to …

In a decision that likely will set the stage for a high-stakes showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down California’s Proposition 8 ballot measure that banned gay marriage, saying there is no “legitimate” reason to keep same-sex couples from marrying. read more From Sojourners God’s Politics blog: Read full original post.

In February of 2009, when I tried a month-long Ramadan fast for the book Flunking Sainthood, I felt like a failure for most of the month. Fasting was not a practice I ever cheated on (weirdly, it was easier for me to give up food completely in February than it was just to be a vegetarian in October of that …

Ferris Bueller’s Super Bowl ad compared side by side with the movie, North Korea goes polka via Norway with A-Ha’s “Take on Me,”Jimmy Kimmel encourages viewers to pull more pranks, timelapse photography from Yosemite National Park, guess who said it: Dwight Schrute or Newt Gingrich? And an in-depth Interview Magazine chat with Grammy nominated Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. See this …

Racial Discrimination Can’t Be Solved By Fighting Poverty; In This Election Year, Let There Be Tolerance (OPINION); Flood The Zone (OPINION); The Poverty Problem: More Than Mitt Romney’s PR Misstep (OPINION); Syria And The Pernicious Consequences Of Our Libya Intervention; Were Politics Buried Inside Eastwood’s ‘Halftime’ Commercial?; A Line Of Would-Be Immigrants? There Isn’t One.; Waging War In Secret Vs. …

“Come in, and know me better man” ~ Ghost of Christmas Present, A Christmas Carol As the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens is celebrated around the world today, it seems like a great opportunity to get to know the author a little better. And where else would a tech-minded person like myself head first? Why the Google Doodle of course! …

A majority of Americans — including Catholics — believe that employers should be required to provide employee health care plans that cover contraception and birth control at no cost, according to a new survey. But the research by the Public Religion Polling Institute shows that when it comes to providing religious exemptions from free contraceptive coverage – something the White …

It seems like every day we hear from another politician saying that “we are ready to attack Iran if necessary,” or from another pundit full of hot air telling us why we should invade Iran right now. The presumptive Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, has said that he would support “something of a surgical-strike nature, to something of a ‘decapitate the …

I’ll admit I’m a sucker for stories about the malleability of human morality. From the mob movies, where a guy can whack his cousin but better not show his Patron any “disrespect,” to justice-seeking serial killers like “Dexter,” there’s plenty of justified violence to be found. Where do such seemingly contradictory value systems come from? And do they actually happen …

 LONDON — Britain’s powerful media advertising watchdog has banned a Christian group from claiming on its website and brochures that God’s cure-all powers can heal a string of medical ailments. The Advertising Standards Authority, the independent regulator of advertising in all British media, ruled that the ads generated by the group Healing on the Streets are irresponsible and misleading. The …

Growing up in Kuwait, Asif Balbale thought he wanted to become a chemical engineer. He never imagined enlisting in the U.S. Navy, much less becoming an imam. Balbale got his engineering degree after immigrating to the U.S. at age 21. With jobs hard to come by, he tried to enlist in the Army, but didn’t weigh enough. Instead, he met …

Is Santorum the evangelical “flavor of the day”? Megachurch Pastor Rick Warren downsizes by 60 pounds on his biblical “Daniel Plan” diet. Prop 8 (here we go again.) Kosher Congressman? Rabbi Schmuley eyes a run for Congress. Newsweek discovers the persecution of Christians. The Church of England has more women priests than male priests for the first time. (Cue the …

Quote of the day. “Dickens’s humanity and compassion made an extraordinary impact on Victorian England through his writings, which remain immensely popular. This bicentenary should help renew our commitment to improving the lot of the disadvantaged of our own day.” – The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster Abbey, on today’s 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth. (BBC) …

Since the rule of Constantine in the 4th century A.D., church leaders have lived precariously close to showing preference and promoting one political leader over another. The Rev. Billy Graham came to regret his close ties to Richard Nixon, who used “America’s Pastor” to his political advantage. A prophetic distance must be maintained, allowing space between what the Spirit and …