Religion
In Theory: Do pastors' kids have it tough?
Growing up can be tough, but children of preachers face an extra element — the added pressure to keep up appearances and not give in to temptation.
In Theory: Are parts of Scripture outdated and in need of change?
It's not often that a Christian minister agrees with the New Atheist movement, but the Rev. Michael Dowd believes it's possible when it comes to what he calls the "idolatry of the written word."
In Theory: Can believers and nonbelievers find common ground?
Can believers and nonbelievers connect? Is there a common ground they can agree on?
In Theory: Has the economy damaged the work ethic?
Sociologist Max Weber first advanced the idea of a Protestant work ethic in 1914. A recent study suggests that not only does this ethic exist, it can make the effects of unemployment worse for Protestants than for non-Protestants.
In Theory: How ready for isolation are you?
Do you like ocean views, peace, quiet and solitude, and a captive congregation? Then the island of Tristan da Cunha could be perfect. It's advertising for a new parish priest — the previous incumbent left in 2010.
In Theory: Can interfaith marriages be effective?
Jews are most likely to marry outside their religion, while Mormons are least likely, according to the results of a 2010 survey of interfaith marriage.
In Theory: Should Boy Scouts end ban on gays?
The Boy Scouts of America has sent its members a survey as part of its ongoing debate over whether to repeal or continue its ban on gay members. Instead of asking for a simple yes or no, the questionnaire goes into depth on several topics, for example sleeping arrangements and the place of faith...
Catholic clergy say Pope Francis breathes hope into church
Local Catholics this week hailed the selection of Pope Francis — the first pontiff from the Americas who is known for his devotion to the poor and mission outreach — and expressed hope that it would reinvigorate a church rocked by scandal and grappling with disenfranchisement.
St. Finbar Church musical based on St. Bernadette of Lourdes benefits youth programs
Church member and professional conductor and composer Rhonda Kess has written a musical based on the story of St. Bernadette of Lourdes that will have its world premiere this week at St. Finbar Church.
In Theory: What is the morality of using drones?
Since President Obama took office in 2009, the U.S. military's use of unmanned drones to carry out attacks on terrorist suspects has grown by 700%. And with this growth in the use of drones has come an uneasiness at over the morals morality of using drones to strike against America's enemies.
L.A. Archdiocese adds priests' names to abuse list
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has quietly added two dozen priests and brothers to its list of clergy accused of child molestation.
In Theory: Do the media glamorize suicide?
French sociologist Emile Durkheim wrote, "No fact is more readily transmissible by contagion than suicide." According to writer Giles Fraser, the media play a part in this transmission.
In Theory: Is cheating becoming more socially acceptable?
From high school students to millionaire athletes, cheating has always been around. But 2012 saw a string of high-profile cases that brought cheating into the public eye and could even be making it more socially acceptable.
In Theory: Survey finds that fewer Americans believe homosexuality is a sin
A survey has found that fewer Americans believe homosexuality is a sin. The LifeWay Research poll discovered that 37% "affirm a belief that homosexual behavior is a sin," down from 44% in 2011. The percentage of "unknowns" has risen to 17%, up from 13% over 2011.
In Theory: Has technology made it too easy to sin?
The Internet may have brought about a technological revolution in terms of information, entertainment and socializing, but it's also brought about newer temptations for people, according to a survey by Christian research organization the Barna Group.
In Theory: Are cell towers a part of God's call?
Churches have long been places where people have communicated with God, but these days cellphone companies are hoping to use them to make communicating with your friends and family easier. In the constant battle to expand cellphone coverage without facing potential battles over placing ugly towers...
In Theory: An Italian priest's divisive words
An Italian Catholic priest is under fire for a Christmas message he made that apparently blames women for domestic violence. Perio Corsi's text, titled "Women and femicide -- healthy self-criticism. How often do they provoke?" contains the lines, "How often do we see girls and mature women going...
In Theory: God, guns and country
Glendale City Councilman Rafi Manoukian is pushing a ban of gun shows at Glendale Civic Auditorium. Mayor Frank Quintero is backing Manoukian's proposal, saying, "I think the time has come for this country to reexamine easy access to guns."
In Theory: Finding peace after a difficult year
Many consider this to be the season of peace and hope. Reflecting on 2012, what has given you peace? What are your hopes for the coming year?
In Theory: Have Christians retreated from the world?
Writing in on the Huffington Post, Phil Cooke claims that Christians' voices are being drowned out because of a love/hate relationship with the media, a relationship that is driving Christians to retreat to safe zones instead of engaging with the wider culture. He says, “From the Web, to...
In Theory: Should secessionists succeed?
More than 750,000 Americans have signed a petition to let their states secede from the U.S.A. since the Nov. 6 election, including people from Alaska, Maryland, Texas, Iowa and Vermont. And many of them, or at least their leaders, are claiming they're demanding secession on religious grounds.
In Theory: Could Christians do more?
Some 46 million Americans are classified as poor, a figure that's risen slightly in the past few years. Although programs such as Social Security, tax credits and food stamps are helping, low-wage jobs and the rising cost of living are holding many back.
In Theory: Religious right, heal thyself
With the dust settling after the Nov. 6 elections, one group is looking like the biggest losers of all — Christian conservatives.
In Theory: President Obama
With President Obama reelected to a second term, what are your hopes -- or fears -- for the next four years?
In Theory: Should gravestone information go high-tech?
Gravestones offer the basic information about the deceased — name, date of birth, date of death and perhaps a Bible verse or poem. But a British company is now offering a way to bring memorials into the social-media age.
In Theory: Do megachurches provide a better experience?
Megachurches are loved by some and derided by others, but a new study from the University of Washington claims that people who attend services at these huge churches can experience a change in brain chemistry that researchers are calling a spiritual “high.”
In Theory: A pastor fumbles a difficult situation
A Mississippi church is coming under fire for blocking an African American couple from getting married there two days before the ceremony was due to happen.
In Theory: How can we lower the rate of military suicides?
In the first 155 days of 2012, 154 service members have killed themselves, a rise of 18 percent over last year. These numbers mean 50 percent more troops committed suicide than were killed in Afghanistan.
In Theory: Does the budget need a dose of morals?
Religion pervades government in America. It's evident in the debates on abortion, religious freedom, gay rights and a host of other topics. But now a Christian leader is arguing that religion needs to be inserted into the one area where it isn't mentioned: the federal budget.
In Theory: Can the Catholic Church restore its image?
The image of the church recently was further battered with revelations that Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York authorized payments of up to $20,000 each to priests accused of sexual abuse as "motivation" not to contest being defrocked.
In Theory: Is America becoming less civil?
America is becoming more rude. That's the opinion of several writers and bloggers, and they're backed up by a Rasmussen Report survey that says 76% of Americans believe the nation is becoming less civilized.
In Theory: Should Lowes have pulled its ads?
Q. Home improvement store Lowe's has pulled its advertising from the TLC reality show “All-American Muslim” because of a campaign by the conservative Florida Family Assn. The FFA claims that “'All-American Muslim' is propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda’s clear...
Personal and private lives
A recent poll by the Public Religion Research Institute has revealed that religious Americans think a financial scandal is worse than a sexual one.
In Theory: Have you questioned your faith in God?
Q. A recent posting on CNN's Belief Blog discusses how people can lose faith when faced with traumatic events. The article relates former First Lady Laura Bush's experience after being involved in a fatal car accident in 1963. Bush missed a stop sign and hit a car driven by a friend, killing him. In...
In Theory: Leaving 'under God' out of the Pledge
Q. The NBC television network has come under fire for omitting the words “under God” from a broadcast of the Pledge of Allegiance shown before the U.S. Open golf championship. The video montage of patriotic images including the American flag was dubbed with children...
In Theory: Should we be allowed to choose to die?
Q. British author Sir Terry Pratchett recently presented a BBC documentary called “Choosing To Die,” about assisted suicide. Pratchett, the bestselling author of the “Discworld” series of fantasy novels, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2008. He is a patron of...
In Theory: Could same-sex marriage become legal?
Q. A recent Gallup poll has revealed that, for the first time, a majority of Americans support gay marriage. According to the figures, 53% of Americans say they believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid; in 1996, the figure was around 30%. Most of the increase in support...
In Theory: Should holy books be distributed in schools?
Schools in White County, Tenn., have agreed to stop allowing the Gideons to distribute Bibles in classrooms after the ACLU threatened a lawsuit. The Gideons entered a classroom at Doyle Elementary School in Doyle, about 100 miles east of Nashville, and invited students to take a Bible if they wanted...
In Theory: Sage advice for today's graduates
Q. It’s that time of year again, graduation season, when many of our youth are getting ready to leave the nest to live away from home for the first time in their lives.
In Theory: Can we disagree, still maintain standing?
Q. A study released June 9 by the Public Religion Research Institute: “Committed to Availability, Conflicted About Morality, What the Millennial Generation Tells Us about the Future of the Abortion Debate and the Culture Wars.”
In Theory
Q. A study released June 9 by the Public Religion Research Institute: “Committed to Availability, Conflicted About Morality, What the Millennial Generation Tells Us about the Future of the Abortion Debate and the Culture Wars.”
Closure and the death of bin Laden
Q Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks that killed almost 3,000 people, was killed last week by U.S. Special Forces at a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. He was shot to death in the raid and then buried at sea.
In Theory: Is the idea of heaven and hell 'toxic'?
Q. A new book has attracted a hail of criticism on the Internet. “Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived” by Pastor Rob Bell, the leader of the Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., questions the traditional view of heaven, hell and damnation, which...
Should BYU's Davies have been suspended?
Brigham Young University recently suspended its star basketball center, Brandon Davies, for violating the college's strict Honor Code. Davies admitted to officials that he'd had pre-marital sex with his girlfriend, an Arizona State University freshman. Although he currently remains a student,...
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