In the News: Racism, Ramadan, Romanian Witches and more!
A round-up of the week’s religion news. Continue Reading →
Tag: guns
In the News: Emanuel A.M.E., Encyclicals, Etsy, and more!
A round-up of the week’s religion news. Continue Reading →
In the News: Lindsey Graham, Garland, TX, God’s Plaintiff, and more!
A round-up of the week’s religion news. Continue Reading →
Shooting in the Name Of
Patrick Blanchfield on free speech, religion, and violence in Garland and Paris. Continue Reading →
Religious Leadership and Violence Prevention after Tucson
by Joshua Stanton
This month, it became clear that Americans must do more to prevent violence. A congresswoman was shot in the head in what seems to have been a politically motivated assassination attempt – only surviving by luck or miracle. Six others have died and many more were wounded. our country is in a state of mourning.
Of significant note, American religious leaders from myriad groups have stepped up to comfort families, visit the wounded, pray for victims, and speak out against the event. Though beautiful and important, these efforts are not enough. Religious leaders – and future ones such as myself – must also work actively to prevent violence. In fact, they are ideally situated to do so.
Some religious leaders have blamed the outbreak of violence on the fact that Jared Loughner – the assailant – was an atheist. Yet these rationalizations smack of deflection and a desire to avoid answering more essential questions about why violence takes place in our society – questions that religious leaders cannot in good conscience shirk. Continue Reading →
A "Kook, Weirdo, Nutjob, Whacko" Gets His Gun
A Sioux City, Iowa man was denied a gun license by Sheriff Douglas Weber because, said the sheriff, Paul Dorr’s gun ownership was a “concern for the public. Don’t trust him.” Dorr and his son Alexander have been long known in their community for frequent political activities including distribution of leaflets, protesting, and letter writing to the local newspaper editor. Local residents have reported the two Dorrs as a nuisance. Dorr took his case to court and last week Judge Mark Bennett, considered an outspoken critic of conservative judicial activism, ordered Weber to issue the license to Dorr and to attend classes on the constitution. Continue Reading →
A “Kook, Weirdo, Nutjob, Whacko” Gets His Gun
A Sioux City, Iowa man was denied a gun license by Sheriff Douglas Weber because, said the sheriff, Paul Dorr’s gun ownership was a “concern for the public. Don’t trust him.” Dorr and his son Alexander have been long known in their community for frequent political activities including distribution of leaflets, protesting, and letter writing to the local newspaper editor. Local residents have reported the two Dorrs as a nuisance. Dorr took his case to court and last week Judge Mark Bennett, considered an outspoken critic of conservative judicial activism, ordered Weber to issue the license to Dorr and to attend classes on the constitution. Continue Reading →