It’s a sad thing to behold, but apparently a necessary evil given the state of things: in this video, Ted Olsen, one of the attorneys who successfully litigated on behalf of marriage equality in the recent proposition 8 trial, gives a basic lesson in civics to a FauxNews hack, Chris Wallace: Individual rights are not, and should not be, subject to majority rule. If 50% + 1 — or even 100% — of voters want slavery, censorship of newspapers, or a mandatory form of worship, it is out of bounds under our system of law. The majority’s wishes do not dictate the legal outcome when it comes to fundamental individual rights, and the right to marry is a long-recognized individual right.
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K-5 Civics
Paul Harvey Once again, it has happened, and I am happy. Every time I think my field of study (religion in the South) is disappearing as a distinctive entity — every time I start assuming that regional homogeneity is the order of the day, that immigration has fundamentally changed religious patterns, that the Journal of Southern Religion will have to close up shop — Gallup or somebody does a survey and finds plus ça change, and all that.
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Survey Says . . . . . You Southernists Still have a Job!
Every August I receive many, many emails from nervous, anxious, frustrated mothers trying to make decisions about this year’s homeschool plans. Some are deciding to homeschool, some are deciding on teaching approaches, some are deciding on curriculum. The common thread is fear of making the wrong decision.
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An Easy Way to Make Homeschool Decisions
I just found the best homeschool app ever! It is designed to increase reading speed. However, being a book addict, I’m more excited that it comes with over 130 classical children’s books! Looks like a great reading tool but again I’m impressed with the book list. The reading level is for grades 3 or 4 and up but perfect for reading aloud to all ages.
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Amazing Deal! 130 Childrens Classics for $5.99
A Muslim Frenchman cited by officials as a reason behind a crackdown on polygamy has been charged with aggravated rape, the state prosecutor said Sunday. Xavier Ronsin said Lies Hebbadj , who lives in the Nantes region of western France, was charged with aggravated rape based on a complaint from a former companion
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Muslim man at centre of French firestorm over polygamy charged with aggravated rape
Sajid Khan is on the back foot. The actor-filmmaker, who recently courted controversy on the show India’s Got Talent , has now apologised for hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community. Sajid, who judges the show, had said that a Gatka (a martial arts dance form of the Sikhs) performance was too violent since it had a five – year – old using a sword.
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Hazaar baar sorry
So I started into Spurgeon’s Lectures and got about, well, more or less, about a page in before I was “arrested” by his helpful thinking. Here’s a taster … We are, in a certain sense, our own tools, and therefore must keep ourselves in order. If I want to preach the gospel, I can only use my own voice; therefore I must train my vocal powers
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How is Your Preaching Toolbox?
Sudbury’s Ted Holland says he was molested by Catholic priest William Hodgson Marshall — now facing charges of molesting four boys in Windsor — and later paid hush money.
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Basilians say money was to help alleged victim heal
Indonesian police have arrested the controversial Muslim preacher Abu Bakir Bashir on terror charges. Officials said they had proof he was linked a training camp recently discovered in Aceh, West Sumatra.
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Indonesian Muslim hate preacher Abu Bakir Bashir in terror arrest
Another mob attack on Christian worshipers in Bekasi on Sunday has led to renewed calls for police and national leaders to crack down on the apparently swelling tide of religious violence. About 20 members of the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Pondok Timur Indah were chased and beaten with sticks by a mob believed linked to the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) after they tried to conduct Sunday services at a field in Ciketing, Bekasi. Muslims nationwide have condemned the hard-line Islamic organization for an attack on a church group on Sunday, saying the incident had tarnished the image of Islam
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Hardline Muslim Thugs Attack Indonesian Christians
After a few abortive starts I finally sat through a showing of Inception (spoilers below), the latest huge-budget logic puzzle adapted to film by Christopher Nolan . I credit Nolan and the others behind this film for casting Ellen Page in a moderately off-type role, and for casting in general; for the visual effects, which were compelling at times without seeming extraneous to the story; for the soundtrack; and for the way it lends itself to speculation and conversation.
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Inception – When Conceits Run Amok
Contextual Notes : God has restored His relationship with His people. Moses’ rad iant face from being in the presence of God is evidence of it.
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Exodus 35:20-36:7 – A people of willing hearts
IANS Amritsar, Aug 8 – The Sikh high priests Saturday formed a five-member committee to look into a controversy involving 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims’ lawyer H.S. Phoolka and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Paramjit Singh Sarna and his brother.
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Sarnas appear before Akal Takht, panel set up on Phoolka charges
The Guardian Julia Roberts reportedly converts to Hinduism after filming 'Eat, Pray, Love' Examiner.com … 2010 — News comes today that when Julia Roberts was shooting the film 'Eat, Pray, Love' she reportedly made a big decision: To convert to Hinduism . ..
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Julia Roberts reportedly converts to Hinduism after filming ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ – Examiner.com
LATINAS ARE EVERYWHERE! click image to watch video on Today Mom’s Check out interview with Blogueras Carrie Ferguson Weir of TikiTikiBlog.com and Bilingual In The Boonies , Melanie Edwards of ModernMami.com and Ana Flores of SpanglishBaby.com at BlogHer . And don’t miss post on Wired Latinos on Blogs by Latinas founder Monique Frausto.
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Explosion of Latina Bloggers
When North Charleston Baptist Church was founded in 1920, and its fortress-like brick building first rose at Crawford and Cherry streets just south of Montague Avenue, the area consisted of tracts of woodland and decaying plantations along the Cooper River and tidal creeks.
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Tenacious church holds out hope in its changing North Charleston neighborhood
For the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust and their children, the past and the future of Jewish culture are inextricably linked. Since mass extermination is an inescapable fact of history, genocide looms forever as a threat on the horizon.
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Family's quest is Holocaust education
Paul Harvey Congratulations to our friend and Young Scholar in American Religion Kip Kosek, whose book Acts of Concience: Christian Nonviolence and American Democracy has won the Best First Book in the History of Religions Prize from the American Academy of Religion. Blog readers will recall we had some extensive discussions of this book last year (see the links for that below)
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Kip Kosek’s Acts of Conscience Wins AAR Award!
Have you ever had trouble chasing a flock of baby chicks into a coup before a rainstorm (or during a tornado)? Do your chickens sometimes break free of the fencing? Do you find it difficult to douse your chickens with de-lousing powder?
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Chickens and Horseshoes – Old Ideas Reconsidered
ANI A group of 1984 anti-Sikh riots affected staged a protest march in the holy city of Amritsar on Friday against Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government and Delhi Gurdwara Management committee (DSGMC). The forum named-Danga Peedit Welfare Association-took out a march from Bhai Gurdas Hall to Akal Takht here.
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1984 anti-Sikh riots affected take out protest march in Amritsar
I did a post at Laced with Grace about our precious poochy, Shasta, and the results of her DNA testing. Her results were not at all what we expected! Click here to read about her Doggy DNA. Have a wonderful weekend and if you hav e a pet, think of the ways that little critter is a gift from God
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Weekend Devo — Doggy DNA
The novelist says she still believes in God, but she couldn’t find a basis in Scripture for some positions taken by churches. And she rejects the persecution of gays and women. The author Anne Rice, best known for her vampire novels, made waves last week when she declared on her Facebook page that she had “quit being a Christian.” Twelve years after her return to Catholicism, Rice said she still believed in God, but that, “In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay.
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Anne Rice discusses her decision to quit Christianity
The minister failed to respond to summons to him on a plea by Sikh group. A new York district court on Thursday issued a certificate of default declaring that Union Minister for Roadways Kamal Nath has failed to respond to the summons issued by the court earlier on April 6
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’84 Sikh riots case: US court issues default certificate against Congress leader Kamal Nath
I would like to discuss “Rome’s Challenge.” No doubt you’ve heard of it. Back in September 1893, one James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland, approved a four-piece article for his personal newsletter, the Catholic Mirror. The title was ” the Christian Sabbath.
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Rome’s Challenge
I herein respond to Eli’s plea that someone, anyone, with living offspring and functioning neurons address the pro-breeding ravings of Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (RSB).
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Kids and BMWs, Ends and Means, Sense and Nonsense
Randall Stephens Check out an article by Krista Tippett, of Speaking of Faith fame, on her conservative, Southern Baptist grandfather. The Christian Century essay powerfully deals with her changing views about her Oklahoma family’s faith. Many who have migrated from the South or Midwest–geographically and/or ideologically–have undergone similar changes in outlook
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A Pilgrimage of Faith for a Midwesterner
Give Up is not just the title of the superb album by Postal Service, which gave us ” The District Sleeps Alone Tonight ,” ” We Will Become Silhouettes ,” ” Sleeping In ,” ” Such Great Heights ” and a number of other songs that deserve to be long and fondly remembered; it has become a notion for the current zeitgeist in American politics that I wish I couldn’t relate to: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c I Give Up – 9/11 Responders Bill www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party
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Giving Up Is Wrong?