Of all the stories in the news today, the least interesting has to be this gathering of cardinals to pick a new pope. And yet there it is, topping all the news sites. The media love this stuff, the red robes and the chimney and the white smoke. It’s all about stagecraft. You’d think it was the season finale of “The Bachelor.” Maybe it’s just me. Reviewing […]
There will be blood
I guess I can understand why certain people so enjoy stirring up Muslim outrage. It’s just so easy to do. You can write a so-so book, or run a hateful little church, or make the crappiest $5 million video in the world — as long as you cast a Muhammad character in a less-than-worshipful light, you’re practically guaranteed a big bump in sales and page views. People […]
No end to selective outrage
Those crazy clerics and their crazy hats. The things they get ruffled about, and the things they don’t. Apparently, they’re not going to give this contraception-coverage thing a rest. Here’s Washington’s Catholic archbishop shocked all to pieces because the head of Georgetown University has asked Kathleen Sebelius to be among the commencement speakers. Sebelius, as secretary of Health and Human Services, helped write the 2010 health-care law […]
It’s not about contraception
I'm kind of late weighing in on this dispute over contraceptives. As usual, it’s because I don’t fully understand it. It seems to me that since nearly all Catholic women already use birth control at some time or another, those Catholic bishops might be most concerned with their own ineffective preaching. If you’re beating a dead horse and the horse does not arise, who looks more foolish? But […]
Anna of the two religions
Turns out even the Episcopal Church, widely known for its tolerance and understanding, can get a little impatient when its ministers can’t make up their minds about the religion thing. Just ask the Rev. Anna Holmes Redding. She’s been with the church for 30 years. When she converted to Islam and accepted Muhammad as the prophet in 2006, it raised some eyebrows. But she kept showing up […]