Science vs. Religion: a new book, Science and Religion: What Scientists Really Think by Rice University sociologist Elaine Ecklund, discusses the results of her detailed study of 1,646 scientists at top American research universities. Among her findings: ~36% of those surveyed not only believe in God but also practice a form of closeted, often non-traditional faith. They worry about how their peers would react to learning about their religious views. Interview with the author from the Center for Inquiry's Point of Inquiry podcast. Also, here's a webcast from an author discussion forum held at Rice University on April 7th. [more inside]
posted by zarq on May 30, 2010 - 89 comments

At some point in the mid 90s Silvânia Machado became a name circulating among Evangelicals in the US because of what some called Shekinah Glory Dust Miracle. ANGEL FEATHERS FALL ON BETHEL (Charisma Magazine -- August 1999) "...At Bill Johnson's church in Redding, California, small little feathers fall from the ceiling and have been doing that for some time. Bethel has been the sight of some awesome miracles recently." The Gold Dust Revival began to spread. Joshua Mills is the latest to get covered in god's gold rush. [more inside]
posted by nola on Apr 4, 2010 - 88 comments

Who knew Calvinism was so Indie-Rock?
posted by Parallax.Error on Jan 11, 2009 - 143 comments

Evangelicals are very good at articulating their sexual ideals, but they have little practical advice for their young followers. Social liberals, meanwhile, are not very good at articulating values on marriage and teen sexuality—indeed, they may feel that it’s unseemly or judgmental to do so. But in fact the new middle-class morality is squarely pro-family.

The New Yorker discusses the red-state/blue-state divide in attitudes about premarital sex, sex education, and teen pregnancy: Red Sex, Blue Sex.
posted by Who_Am_I on Oct 31, 2008 - 153 comments

Constantine's Sword (google video) A former priest's personal journey through the tangled and sometimes violent history between Christians and Jews.
posted by empath on Oct 2, 2008 - 14 comments

General Butt Naked is now a preacher of some kind of Christianity. But in his adolescence he ran a gang of soldiers in the Liberian civil war which killed, he thinks, about 20,000 civilians. They fought naked except for their army boots, crazed on drink and ganga. Before the fight they would kill children and eat their hearts. Now he claims that it was all down to evil spirits and wants forgiveness.
posted by alloneword on Jan 21, 2008 - 57 comments

They were polite to us. They were more than happy for us to come to the rallies and stand in lines for hours to cheer on the candidates.... But when they got elected, behind closed doors, they would laugh at us and speak with scorn and derision that we were, as one article I think once said "the easily led." So there's been almost this sort of, it's okay if you guys get a seat on the bus, but don't ever think about telling us where the bus is going to go.

[more inside]
posted by orthogonality on Dec 22, 2007 - 115 comments

Revolution in Jesusland: a new blog, written for secular progressives about the currently building movement within conservative evangelical christianity of people who are passionate about and working towards many of the same goals: "eliminating poverty, saving the environment, promoting justice and equality along racial, gender and class lines and for immigrants—and even separation of church and state." If you want a place to start, the about page is here. [more inside]
posted by Arturus on Oct 10, 2007 - 28 comments

Haggard and his church have been taking Dan's advice. Except for the discreet thing .
posted by lalochezia on Feb 6, 2007 - 103 comments

Ted Haggard, one of the most prominent evangelical pastors in the nation, resigned today as president of the National Association of Evangelicals amid allegations that he carried on a three-year sexual relationship with a male prostitute. He also steps down as pastor of of his 14,000-member New Life Church while a church panel investigates, saying he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations."
posted by ericb on Nov 2, 2006 - 1829 comments

Earth-friendly evangelicals have been in the news a lot lately. Are they related to the Crunchy Cons (or Green cons?!?)? Maybe they're all just afraid of the wrath of grandma...[first link requires nyt account, or a library card]
posted by ericbop on Mar 14, 2006 - 3 comments

Republican to Evangelical to English via Babylonfish. What Bush said about Supreme Court nominee Bob Roberts John Roberts:

"In my meetings with Judge Roberts, I have been deeply impressed. He's a man of extraordinary accomplishment and ability. He has a good heart. He has the qualities Americans expect in a judge: experience, wisdom, fairness, and civility. He has profound respect for the rule of law and for the liberties guaranteed to every citizen. He will strictly apply the Constitution and laws, not legislate from the bench....He's also a man of character who loves his country and his family."

What it meant to conservative fundamentalist Christians (in comments):
posted by rzklkng on Jul 20, 2005 - 72 comments

Stations Of The Cross, a piece on "faith-based" news outlets from the May/June Columbia Journalism Review: "In recent months, evangelical broadcasters have dedicated program after program to bemoaning 'judicial tyranny,' and urging audiences to agitate for the 'nuclear option' — changing Senate rules so Democrats can no longer filibuster and thereby block nominees they oppose....All the while, the dizzying blend of God, news, and politics that he [Pat Robertson] has crafted and honed was bouncing off satellites, winding through thousands of cable systems, rippling over the airwaves, and glowing on television screens across America." [Via HighSignal]
posted by jenleigh on Jun 21, 2005 - 26 comments

The Blissful Life in Utopia
SUGAR LAND, Tex. -- This is the home of Britton Stein, who describes George W. Bush as "a man, a man's man, a manly man," and Al Gore as "a ranting and raving little whiny baby." Forty-nine years old, Stein is a husband, a father, a landscaper and a Republican. He lives in a house that has six guns in the closets and 21 crosses in the main hallway.

Diary of a Freeper. Fascinating read. Insightful.
posted by nofundy on Apr 28, 2004 - 130 comments

Walt Disney World's recent designation as a no-fly zone has had an additional consequence: Christian extremists can no longer harass gay tourists from above.
posted by donkeyschlong on Jun 3, 2003 - 28 comments

Governing by The Book? While reading this column from Nicholas Kristof (NY Times, reg. required), I was struck by the following quote: "President Bush has said that he doesn't believe in evolution (he thinks the jury is still out). President Ronald Reagan felt the same way, and such views are typically American." Lots more info here, including stats that 46% of Americans consider themselves "Evangelical" or "Born Again" Christians, and that more than twice as many Americans believe in a red guy with a pitchfork than natural selection. I have no doubt that me-fites will have much to gripe about here, but my question is this: Do a majority of Americans want a Christian government? How far away are they from getting it?
posted by Gilbert on Mar 4, 2003 - 54 comments

GOP Looks To Move Its Social Agenda. And something you can do about it, if you so inclined.
posted by semmi on Dec 4, 2002 - 22 comments