Belief & Religion

Truthdig: Don’t Believe Obama’s Hype on Evangelicals

Staff / Truthdig Jun 28, 2006 The Illinois senator chastised his colleagues for leaving the evangelicals to the Republicans. Electorally, he may be correct, but no self-respecting progressive should be fooled. On the whole, evangelicals are the most regressive people in the country. Just look at the hatred and intolerance they've made central to the Republican Party. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Vatican Rages at Contraception, Gay Unions

Staff / Truthdig Jun 13, 2006 In a newly released report, the Vatican described same-sex marriages as an "eclipse of God," and said that feminism "reinforced the individualistic image of man and woman" and in doing so was "surpassing the family." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

God’s Army of 6-Year-Olds

Staff / Truthdig Jun 13, 2006 A prize-winning documentary called "Jesus Camp" chronicles the experiences of children as young as 6 who attend a summer camp to become the next Billy Graham Truly sickening scene from the trailer: An adult pastor thunders at the children: "Had it been in the Old Testament, Harry Potter would have been put to death Warlocks are enemies of God" Unofficial trailer American Prospect article on the phenomenon Interview with the 'Harry Potter' pastor Synopsis of the film. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Fox News Host Shouts Down Hate Speech

Staff / Truthdig Jun 12, 2006 Watch as Fox host Julie Banderas drowns out a vile anti-gay hatemonger. (Sort of a straw-man target, to be sure, but it's nice to see Fox News on the correct side of the cultural divide for a change. (Video hoster: Johnny Dollar's Place.) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Wave Rider

Staff / Truthdig Jun 6, 2006 Truthdig contributor Steven Kotler describes in The New York Times Magazine how the mere act of going surfing pulled him out of a near-suicidal battle with Lyme disease and kick-started a quest to explore the nexus of surf, science and spirituality. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

The Purpose-Driven Life Takers

Staff / Truthdig May 31, 2006 Christian fundamentalist Tim LaHaye's series of "Left Behind" books has been made into a Grand Theft Auto-style video game. Preview: The main character says "Praise the Lord" after blowing away a heathen. (Talk2action has more.) Let's see: We've got a deputy undersecretary of defense who sees the war on terror as a fight between Judeo-Christians and Satan; a president who has called the war on terror a "crusade" and, now, video game makers encouraging preteens to kill heathens. If those are the people being saved, Leave Me Behind. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

A Critique of the New Religious Left

Barry F. Seidman / Truthdig May 31, 2006 In the tradition of Sam Harris, Truthdig introduces secularist radio show host and author Barry Seidman, who argues in this essay that the new religious left could prove to be just as dangerous and divisive to the country as the religious right, because the admonitions of Abrahamic religious texts can never be reconciled with democracy. Dig deeper ( 9 Min. Read )

Abstinence War Room

Staff / Truthdig May 25, 2006 Check out this documentary about a faith-based abstinence program that religious-right forces installed in New Mexico public schools. Watch for the part about the covert "purity" war room. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Albright Criticizes Bush’s Religious Absolutism

Staff / Truthdig May 23, 2006 The former secretary of state says that Bush has alienated Muslims around the world with his use of Christian dogma to discuss foreign policy. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

BattleCry: Ron Luce’s Holy War

Sunsara Taylor / Truthdig May 23, 2006 Truthdig contributor Sunsara Taylor reports again from the front lines -- a BattleCry Christian-fundamentalist rock music rally, where a "sexpert" claims that "condoms don't work," Navy SEALs stage mock assassination raids in the name of Christ, and evangelist Franklin Graham suggests that HIV/AIDS is a punishment from God (Third in a series See: column 1, column 2) . Dig deeper ( 8 Min. Read )

Fear and Loathing at Philadelphia’s BattleCry

Sunsara Taylor / Truthdig May 13, 2006 Go behind the scenes at a Christian fundamentalist youth rock show in Philadelphia, where hired goons shadowed a young activist, the author of this column, and where a letter of praise from President Bush kicked off the festivities "This must have been what it felt like to watch the Hitler Youth," writes Sunsara Taylor(Second column in a series of three First column here, Third column here). Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Battle Cry for Theocracy

Sunsara Taylor / Truthdig May 12, 2006 A young activist explores the frightening world of a Christian evangelical youth movement that is holding rock concerts and rallies at city halls nationwide this weekend "If you?ve been waiting to get alarmed until the Christian fascist movement started filling stadiums with young people and hyping them up to do battle in 'God?s army,' wait no longer" (First column a series of three Second column here, third column here). Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )