Overheard (May 2018)
I’m not religious now, I would say, but there’s no way that you are raised in that environment, and also grow up singing that music, without it having an impact on your life.
John Legend, discussing his religious upbringing while preparing to portray Jesus in “Jesus Christ Superstar” during a live television even on Easter.
New York Times, 3-29-18
This inability to correctly read Scripture is both a political and theological problem—and one that’s intrinsic to modern American Christianity. . . . White evangelical Christianity is built to cherry-pick, and the politicians of the Religious Right are particularly adept at doing it.
Dianna Anderson, reporter for Slate, in her article, “Bad religion: Why do Republican politicians keep getting Scripture wrong?”
Slate, 4-6-18
If you were worried that the amount of money flowing into politics was bad for our democracy, imagine what will happen when you add a divine exception, allowing partisans to spend freely on behalf of their chosen candidates and causes under the cover of churches. . . . When challenged about their blatantly partisan activism, these groups invariably cry out that their religious liberty is under attack. It isn’t.
Author Katherine Stewart in an op-ed, “When is a church not a church?”
New York Times, 4-17-18
I’m not religious now, I would say, but there’s no way that you are raised in that environment, and also grow up singing that music, without it having an impact on your life.
John Legend, discussing his religious upbringing while preparing to portray Jesus in “Jesus Christ Superstar” during a live television even on Easter.
New York Times, 3-29-18
This inability to correctly read Scripture is both a political and theological problem—and one that’s intrinsic to modern American Christianity. . . . White evangelical Christianity is built to cherry-pick, and the politicians of the Religious Right are particularly adept at doing it.
Dianna Anderson, reporter for Slate, in her article, “Bad religion: Why do Republican politicians keep getting Scripture wrong?”
Slate, 4-6-18
If you were worried that the amount of money flowing into politics was bad for our democracy, imagine what will happen when you add a divine exception, allowing partisans to spend freely on behalf of their chosen candidates and causes under the cover of churches. . . . When challenged about their blatantly partisan activism, these groups invariably cry out that their religious liberty is under attack. It isn’t.
Author Katherine Stewart in an op-ed, “When is a church not a church?”
New York Times, 4-17-18
It’s none of the government’s business why a woman is getting an abortion.
Salman, after the Arizona House passed a bill that would require women seeking abortions to fill out an invasive questionnaire that asks the reason for the procedure.
Huffington Post, 4-11-18
“God Enriches” is not the historical use, nor is that the state motto.
Arizona state Rep. Athena Salman, an atheist, after the Arizona House voted to amend the law so that the English translation of the state motto, “Ditat Deus,” could be posted in classrooms. After passing the state Senate earlier, the bill is heading to Gov. Doug Ducey.
Associated Press, 3-4-18
The idea that suddenly if kids are praying, or if kids are under orders to pray, that it’s going to solve everything — that’s just the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.
Mark Desetti, a lobbyist for the Kansas National Education Association, after hearing Kansas state Rep. Randy Garber claim that putting prayer and the bible back in schools would solve problems in school.
Wichita Eagle, 4-7-18