Queer Methodist Doings

Becky Garrison: A Gallup poll released on May 20, 2011 states that for the first time a majority (53%) of Americans believes same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. Also, an April, 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center showed that for the first time there is as much strong support as strong opposition to gay marriage – 22 percent each. Continue Reading →

Daily Links: Grand Jury Duty Blues

I’m three weeks down, one to go.  Serving justice in Brooklyn has kept me quiet, but here’s what I’m reading between testimonials:

Jane Iwamura at The Scoop on Tupac’s undead appearance at Coachella.

One wonders if Mark Oppenheimer just didn’t have any critical thinking to apply to his recent review of Ross Douthat’s new book, Bad Religion, or if the NYT editors just sliced it right out for the sake of their home-base columnist.  (Regardless, I send a shout-out to one beat man who knows what real bad religion means, Pete Finestone.  Hey Stone, wanna write a review for us?  Word.)

Ahem!  Mennonites are exploring their “martyr complex,” a trait “many Mennonites carry—especially ethnic German and Swiss Mennonites—and the consequences of that mindset.”

Remember when Sojourners backed away from the gays?  Becky Garrison does.  It was a true grit moment, one the “faith in action for social justice” magazine sadly failed to pass, a turning point in our desire to like Sojourners for all their ramble, an end to our guilt for never really getting Jim Wallis’ swagger.

New crits on the religion chopping block.  Religion & Politics launched this week.

The Grand Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan recounts his version of the past year.

Church artwork is moving to where the devout are; from Europe to Latin America, Africa and Asia.

What do atheist billboards do?

Fredrick Clarkson writes at Women’s ENews about the latest doings of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Continue Reading →