MetaFilter posts tagged with church

Oh Lord, what a videogame

scrutiny — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:44:02 -0800

Mass: We Pray is an exciting new project from Boston based game developer Prayer Works Interactive. Watch the trailer for examples of the 24 different services you and your family can participate in. Don't listen to the sites that claim this is a hoax. Preordering begins today!

Long live The New flesh!

Artw — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:41:10 -0800

"All of which is a long way of saying that, to construct a new church of anatomical horror and to do so out of stone, as Al-Mehdari seems to be suggesting, is a fascinating idea. " - Body Baroque

Pope 2.0

HumanComplex — Fri, 22 May 2009 08:13:38 -0800

The Pope is now on Facebook.

Jesus registered my hotrod

dersins — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:22:17 -0800

"Jesus is to be mass-produced, imprinted on metal, given a reflective coat and sold for money." The Florida Senate is considering a bill to put Jesus Christ on a license plate. Governor Charlie ("No H.") Crist has come out in support of the bill (or at least in support of not vetoing it). [video]

The town that talks to the dead.

flipyourwig — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:59:12 -0800

Welcome to Lily Dale the largest spiritualist community in the world. Just an hour south of Buffalo, NY-- it boasts an extensive summer program of lectures, workshops as well as the world’s most powerful mediums. Stop by for a reading, hunt for ghosts and see the house where the Fox Sisters first got started. Here's a fascinating 1898 article from The New York Times. With neat examples of spirit photography.

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with Drum and Bass

hermitosis — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:23:58 -0800

Baptazia! And more... and more! The Holy Spirit descends, accompanied by Drum & Bass. See also, the first runner-up in MTV Latin America's "Make Your Radiohead Video" contest.

Personal Genome Project

thatbrunette — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:20:31 -0800

Volunteers from the general public working together with researchers to advance personal genomics. 10 volunteers, among them noted author and cognitive psychologist Stephen Pinker, have open sourced (so to speak) their genetic information. The belief is that current privacy issues surrounding genetic information is leading to a decline in research. With a hoped for 100,000 participants the idea is to give a boost to medical research involving the human genome. Pinker and the 9 other volunteers have posted up their medical history, and will add information such as tastes and preferences, ethnic backgrounds. Future volunteers will do the same, along with photographs, allergies- even television habits. Want to join?

Pastor Rick's Test

finite — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:02:17 -0800

At the risk of heresy, let it be said that setting up the two presidential candidates for religious interrogation by an evangelical minister -- no matter how beloved -- is supremely wrong. Saddleback Sideshow: Presidential Professions Of Faith Distract Voters From The Core Issues Of The Day

The Jim Jones Gospel Hour

Bookhouse — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:36:47 -0800

The music of the People's Temple. Five years before Jim Jones coerced 900 of his church members to commit suicide in Guyana, the People's Temple cut an album. See this previous post for a link to an excellent website on the Temple. The best tracks on He's Able are a product of the church's famously energetic service and interracial membership: Something Got a Hold of Me (MP3) Walking With You Father (MP3) He's Able (MP3) Found after watching this excellent PBS documentary.

Saint and Sinner

carsonb — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:25:16 -0800

Rasa von Werder is the current name of one Kellie Everts [NSFW], stripper for God, bodybuilder, and church-founder. During the 70's she toured the nation on the novel concept that a stripper could save souls, and during the same time helped establish female bodybuilding as a legitimate sport. Nowadays she tends the followers of her female empowerment doctrines via the University of MotherGod Church, Woman Thou Art God! [NSFW] website and her Matriarchy RAMANA MAHARSHI Mother God Worship Femdom YouTube channel. via the excellent coisas do arco da velha, and mentioned previously on MeFi by the incomparable madamjujujive.

Killing The Indian In The Child

chuckdarwin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:39:51 -0800

Canada has apologised for forcing more than 100,000 aboriginal children to attend state-funded Christian boarding schools aimed at assimilating them. Controversial former Minister Kevin Annett has written two books on the subject of residential school abuse in Canada [Hidden from History: The Canadian Holocaust and Love and Death in the Valley]. Unrepentant - Kevin Annett and Canada's Genocide reveals Canada’s darkest secret - that the Canadian residential school system, the Christian churches along with state authorities implemented a policy of genocide against Canada's native population. Related: Deliver Us From Evil

I have to be a star like another man has to breathe.

miss lynnster — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:56:22 -0800

Sammy Davis Jr—entertainer , photographer... camwhore... SATANIST!!!??? Did hanging out with this guy make Sammy bad? Or was he just selling his soul to be groovy? Here are a plethora of links featuring the insanely talented, always popular, often controversial Sammy Davis Jr.. Can you dig it? Aaaand... okay, here's a little info on the Church of Satan.

Sunday Morning Blues

Miko — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:10:23 -0800

Sacred Steel is a pedal-steel guitar style that evolved in the African-American Pentecostal denomination The House of God, Which Is the Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth. Brothers and lap steel players Willie and Truman Eason, inspired by the electric blues and Hawaiian steel guitar of the 1920s and 30s, brought the sound to two branches of the church, the Keith and Jewell dominions. Its hallmark: "talking guitar," in which the sliding steel emphasizes and mimics the words of preachers and singers. In the 1970s, a new "Motor City" tradition began, featuring the more complicated pedal steel guitar. This body of music was known mainly in church circles until two things happened: first, folklorist Robert Stone became interested in the music and relased several CD collections. And then, church player Robert Randolph (and his Family Band) began taking Sunday morning's music out onSaturday night. Some of the most widely noted practitioners: The Campbell Brothers Pastor Elton Noble, convener of the Sacred Steel Convention Aubrey Ghent Henry Nelson Calvin Cooke Lonnie Bennett Maurice "Ted" Beard Articles: A Joyful Noise The Sacred Steel Tradition at Blues Access For the players: some sacred steel tunings

The Hillsong Church

Effigy2000 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:57:55 -0800

The Hillsong Church has been a controversial church in Australia for quite some time (13mb mp3 link). From questions over its political influence to claims that they were stacking the votes in Australian Idol to concerns about the way it uses its donations, Hillsong continues to inspire much debate over whether it is a force for good or whether it is corrupt. In the latest controversy to surround the church, they are now claiming that they can cure homosexuality. Hardly a first for a Christian church except that Hillsong, which has a strict doctrine that teaches homosexuality is an affliction that can be cured, is so obsessed with ensuring that there are no homosexuals under their roof that it is running the program for its own disciples... even those who aren't gay. Allegedly, they are going so far as to issue "separation contracts" to young women who simply make friends with each other and which prevents any form of physical contact between residents. Ex-residents claim that to help in Hillsong's endeavour to rid themselves of homosexuals, Hillsong has gone so far as to enlist the services of Sy Rogers, an American 'ex-gay' (now reformed) married Christian who spoke at their MegaChurch last year. Hillsong uses Roger's Youtube show Turnaround, in which he claims "Happily, homosexuality can be turned around. Homosexuality is out of tune with religion; it is not what God planned for human sexuality." Mercy Ministries, who own Hillsong, have denied running such a program and, according to the Brisbane Times article, Hillsong has not answered questions regarding their views on homosexuality. Brian Houston, the senior pastor at the church has been described by some as a great man. Is he? Or is he simply the head of a church with no answers?

30 day sex (or no sex) challenge

ThePinkSuperhero — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:59:20 -0800

A church in Tampa, FL has issued a 30-day sex challenge: If you're married, have sex every day (PDF of daily workbook). If you're not married, don't have sex at all (PDF of daily workbook). There's a blog, there's a billboard, there's a lot of press. Wirth told CBS News he believes most people go into marriage "without really knowing each other emotionally, without knowing their partner's emotional needs, and this (the challenge) is a way for people to discover their greatest needs -- both married and non-married couples."

Largest church in the world

stbalbach — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 09:03:22 -0800

The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), is the largest church in the world¹. Completed in 1990 for about $300 million by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny - with profits skimmed from the slave labor best cocoa (chocolate) industry - in the small rural town of his birth, it sits today in the bush a vast empty palace of marble and crystal gawked at by the occasional backpacker. Among other trappings it has the only airport big enough in Africa to take the Concorde, a presidential palace with a lake stocked with scores of Sacred Caymans (crocodiles,) and a mansion next to the Basilica reserved exclusively for the Pope on visits from Rome (used once). The President enjoyed his complex for less than 3 years before dieing in 1993.

What would Jesus do?

mrducts — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:19:35 -0800

Reviving an ancient practice, churches are exposing sinners and shunning those who won't repent. Unfortunately, some of the worshipers are expelled not because of willful or unrepentant sins, but for criticizing the pastor on matters of church polity. "A lot of times, flocks aren't willing to submit or be obedient to God. If somebody is not willing to be helped, they forfeit their membership."

Touch not my anointed.

sklero — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:45:25 -0800

Brooklyn Storefront Houses Of Worship. Amateur photos of 100 storefront houses of worship in Brooklyn, NY.

What happens after you die

tellurian — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:33:29 -0800

Thanatorama [flash] You died this morning. Are you interested in what comes next? Webdocumentaire.

Give us this day our daily Google.

loquacious — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:01:48 -0800

I knew it would eventually happen. I didn't expect it so soon. The Church of Google.

Christian Embassy at the Pentagon and on the hill. Scary.

specialk420 — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 19:02:56 -0800

Christian Embassy at the Pentagon and on the hill. Scary.
more here. "We're the aroma of Jesus Christ?"

Sales of all sacraments will cease during the Sabbath from sundown Friday night to sundown Saturday evening.

dubold — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:18:15 -0800

Temple 420 is in trouble. Founded by Craig X. Rubin, (marijuana technical consultant for HBO's "Weeds"), the church gives marijuana to members (in exchange for a suggested donation). Memberships are available for $100 per year. After a poisoning investigation last fall, the LAPD investigated and subsequently raided the church. A judge has ruled that Rubin is not protected under federal law, since he faces state charges.

A Month of Sundays

monju_bosatsu — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 09:03:34 -0800

A Month of Sundays. Seattle's The Stranger sends 31 writers to 31 houses of worship.

You couldn't PAY me to go to chu... wait. What?

xmattxfx — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:15:27 -0800

Drew Marshall [previously] is paying 2 people to go to church. The participants have already been to their first church and blog about their experiences here and here.

A Sign From God

MiltonRandKalman — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:15:28 -0800

Slate's Doree Shafrir takes a look at the history of God's billboard, the church marquee. First started by storefront churches to stand out in urban settings, the marquee has become a mainstay of suburban congregations notable Baptist. Ranging from the campy and bizarre, to the political and outright inflammatory. God needs a copywriter.