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So the news story isn't that Robertson's making prophecies—he's always done that, despite frequenty being wrong (or, in biblical language, false). What's news is that he's now being so timid.

4. George Will on "the semantic vanity of the phrase values voters"
In today's column George Will rightly notes that there is no other kind of voter than a "values voter." The only question is what values you give priority. Liberals, he notes, "may value equality indiscriminately, but they vote their values" The phrase values voter, he says "subtracts from social comity by suggesting that one group has cornered the market on moral seriousness." And, he says, those who use it to describe themselves or their movement—he mentions Vision America and the Family Research Council—are being "arrogant."

5. Sonny Sandoval sparks a revolution
In 2000, Sonny Sandoval of the Christian rapcore group P.O.D. appeared on MTV to introduce his daughter, Nevaeh. "Heaven spelled backwards," he explained. The previous year, only eight girls born in the U.S. were given that name. Now it's the 70th most popular name, The New York Times reports, making Nevaeh "the fastest climb among all names in more than a century. … It has risen most quickly among blacks but is also popular with evangelical Christians, who have helped propel other religious names like Grace (ranked 14th) up the charts, experts say." It's worth noting that the Times author has one of the most famous and unique names in journalism: Jennifer 8. Lee.

Quote of the day
"Well, I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying 'This is fiction.' I mean, walking on water, it takes an act of faith. And I have faith in this movie. Not that it's true, not that it's factual, but that it's a jolly good story. And I think audiences are clever enough and bright enough to separate out fact and fiction, and discuss the thing after they've seen it."

—Da Vinci Code actor Ian McKellen, on NBC's Today show, in response to how he'd feel if the film had a disclaimer at the beginning of it. Orlando Sentinel movie critic Roger Moore called the comment "pretty gutsy, in a nation that's never been closer to a theocracy."

Spirituality | Da Vinci Code responses | Da Vinci Code reviews | More on The Da Vinci Code | Pat Robertson | Politics | Giuliani campaigns for Reed | Church, state, and religious liberty | Sudan | Abortion | Education and evolution | Sexual ethics | Catholicism | Church life | Other stories of interest

Spirituality :

1. 'Heaven help us' | Christians pray for lower gas prices (Los Angeles Daily News)
   
   
2. And if it's a boy, will it be Lleh? | Nevaeh, which is Heaven spelled backward, is now a more popular name for baby girls than Sara and Vanessa (The New York Times)
   
   
3. Are you praying on my team, or not? | Since I converted to Islam, some Christians react as if I lost faith completely (Patricia Dunn, The Christian Science Monitor)
   
   

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Da Vinci Code responses :

1. No teasers | Cineplex Odeon theatres cancelled a planned theatre advertisement by Campus Crusade for Christ yesterday. The $60,000 worth of 10-second teasers prompted Da Vinci Code audiences to visit www.discussdavinci.com to explore questions raised by the film (24 Hours, Canada)
   
   
2. China church urges boycott of Da Vinci | China's official Catholic church urged its followers to boycott The Da Vinci Code, and bishops in India demanded the movie be shown with a disclaimer Thursday as viewers across Asia got a first glimpse of the controversial film (Associated Press)
   
   

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May (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50